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Wisconsin Recalls Replace Two Republican Senators in a Rebuke to Governor's Anti-Labor Agenda
MADISON, WI - Five months to the day after the Republican majority in the Wisconsin State Senate voted to approve Governor Scott Walker's plan to strip most collective bargaining rights from public emloyees, two of the most governor's most prominent allies in the chamber have been removed from office.
Two men cast their votes for the 32nd Senate District recall election yesterday, at the OmniCenter in Onalaska, Wis. Six Wisconsin senators fought Tuesday to keep their jobs in a recall election, trying to beat back Democratic challengers who stoked a political backlash against Republican Gov. Scott Walker for his efforts to strip public employees of most union rights. (Associated Press/La Crosse Tribune, Rory O'Driscoll) Western Wisconsin State Senator Dan Kapanke and eastern Wisconsin Senator Randy Hopper were both defeated in recall elections that provided a powerful indication of the state's anger with Governor Walker's assault on worker rights.
Running in districts that were drawn to elect Republicans, that have consistently elected Republicans for generations, and that all backed Walker last November, the Democrats prevailed. "Six months ago no one would have ever expected we would be where we are tonight. The people of Wisconsin have made history," said Senate Democratic Leader Mark Miller. "Democrats, moderates, independents and even Republicans fought back against the radical Walker overreach that attacked core Wisconsin values. We fought on Republican turf and added two Democrats to the State Senate.
The Democrats did no take control of the Senate from the Republicans, as labor, farm and community activists -- who filled the streets of the state's capitol, city, Madison, and other communities with mass protests in February and March -- had hoped would be the case. While Kapanke was defeated by Democratic challenger Jennifer Shilling and Hopper was defeated by Democrat Jess King, three other Republican incumbents who were forced into recall races -- Rob Cowles in the Green Bay area, Luther Olsen in the center of the state and Sheila Harsdorf in the northwest --prevailed against their Democratic challengers.
A fourth Republican incumbent, Alberta Darling who has for many years represented a suburban Milwaukee district, was declared the victor over Democrat Sandy Pasch early Wednesday morning after a messy count that saw controversial Waukesha County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus, a Republican stalwart, fail to report the results until late in the evening. Nickolaus stirred a national outcry in April, when she reported two days after a hotly-contested state Supreme Court election that she had discovered more than 7,000 additional votes for the candidate favored by the GOP and Governor Walker. And her delays Tuesday night led Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate to complain at one point in the evening that: "The race to determine control of the Wisconsin Senate has fallen in the hands of the Waukesha County clerk, who has already distinguished herself as incompetent, if not worse."
The recalls of the six Republican senators all played out on conservative turf, in historically Republican districts. The uphill runs were made more difficult by the fact that national groups funded by conservative billionaires such as Charles and David Koch poured money into television advertising on behalf of the incumbents as part of what has been called the first "Citizen's United Campaign. (That's a reference to the U.S. Supreme Court decision that removed traditional limits on campaigning by corporations and wealthy individuals.) Watchdog groups predicted that spending in the Wisconsin contests could exceed $40 million.
Against those odds, it is more than merely notable that Democrats were able to dramatically narrow the Republican majority in the Senate, from a comfortable 19-14 margin to a razor-thin 17-16. difference.
That one-vote GOP majority becomes significant from an organizational and policy standpoint. That's because one Republican senator, Dale Schultz, voted against the governor's assault on collective bargaining -- which he referred to as "collosal overreach." Schultz has been highly critical of the governor in recent weeks, and the extent to which he decided to work with the Democrats could tip the balance on labor, education and public services issues where the moderate Schultz has differed with his fellow Republicans.
That prospect unsettles Republicans and their special-interest allies, who poured tens of millions of dollars into an effort to defend the incumbents who sided with Walker. Next Tuesday, Republicans will mount challenges to a pair of Democratic senators, Jim Holperin in the northern part of the state and Bob Wirch in the southern part. Because of the uncertainty about the role Schultz will play, Republicans will work hard to displace at least one of the two Democrats -- with Holperin being aggressively targeted by a Tea Party candidate, Kim Simac, who has drawn raves from Glenn Beck.
Next week's recall voting will continue the rolling referendum of Governor Walker's agenda that began in July, when state Senator Dave Hansen, D-Green Bay, defeated a Republican recall challenge by a 67-33 margin -- the biggest victory so far in a struggle that could yet see a recall of Walker himself.
"A grassroots coalition sparked by hundreds of impassioned community members worked countless hours on behalf of a belief in Wisconsin as not just a place, but as an idea worthy of preserving," said Sandy Pasch, one of the Democratic recall candidates.
"On Tuesday night, Wisconsin spoke loud and clear with the recall of two entrenched Republicans. This is an accomplishment of historic proportions...," said Democratic Party of Wisconsin chair Tate. "The fact of the matter remains, that, fighting on Republican turf, we have begun the work of stopping the Scott Walker agenda."
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81 Comments so far
Show AllNot sure I trust the results of this election. Kathy Nickolaus participated in a "messy count" that saw her report results late in the evening? Where have we seen this scenario play out before? After the Supreme Court election, this woman should have nothing to do with elections. Hope someone is monitoring the count in this district.
I agree. Plus I don't trust the other Republican clerks who aren't so clumsy.
I'm no conspiracy theory, but you've got to admit, the brazenness of Nickolaus's fraud gives excellent cover to the "less clumsy" fraud that no doubt also goes on. It also dulls the electorate to acts of fraud by imposing them as inevitable -- especially when Dims take them with little more than miserable squeaks of protest.
Yes, I find it a tad suspicious that in Butler Village, Waukesha County, where the notorious GOP activist and County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus presided over the final electronic tabulation, exit poll workers were prohibited from effectively doing their work.
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=8661
I am sure the GOP stole at least part of the recall election, but I also imagine that at least a fair number of voters decided to keep some of their right-wing nutjobs. The results of this election are encouraging, but the end result still guarantees that the Tea Boogers will get a chance to finish their job of stealing everything that isn't nailed down, and sending what's left of the state's working class into a graveyard from whence it will never return. Good luck, Wisconsin, you will need it .....
In the immortal words of that great American, Donald Rumsfeld, "Democracy is messy". After the draconian attacks on the social contract by the Republicans, the popular uprising against that in Madison, and the cynical countermeasures to that by the Republicans, it was to be expected that the good people of Wisconsin would rise up in revulsion against the authoritarian right-wing regime in Madison and throw the scum out.Now the good people of Wisconsin have, in their righteous indignation, spoken, and the result is...some improvement...but pretty much a wash. They did not sweep the hubristic miscreants away in a storm-surge of rectification. They fixed it some...a little...but not that much.What does that say for the good people of Wisconsin? For the good people of this country? Yes, yes...there was all that Koch money and Citizens United and the Waukesha County Clerk and all that. And there was also the facts, and the intentions of the Republicans laid bare. Anyone with two brain-cells to rub together had to know what they were voting against...and for. Despite what the TV was telling them to think and to do.George W. Bush never got a whole lot less than 50% of the vote of the good people of this country. Cindy Sheehan was devastatingly humiliated by the good people of San Francisco in her run against Nancy Pelosi. And in Wisconsin, that bastion of populism and progressivism...
Walker's overall approval ratings remain fairly high, and the recall shows that - basically - Wisconsinites generally have no problem with the fascist politicians ruling them and the fascist policies that have been enacted. Fine - let them reap what they have sown. Unfortunately, that fascism is spreading across the country to state after state. In Illinois, a Democrat has passed virtually an identical agenda as Walker's with nary a whimper of protest from the subservient masses here.
That's the thing about fascism, especially the Amereichan version - the sheep don't even realize it IS fascism, and even when they do, they don't seem to have a problem with it until it is too late. Remember Germany of the '30's - how compliant and quiet the German populace was during Hitler's destruction of their democracy, little by little. A few protested - never to be heard from again - and a few more hated what was happening, but stayed silent out of fear. But in general, the German masses rolled over and shrugged their collective shoulders.
Must be a similar mindset in Wisconsin, and in most Amereichan states.
Your comments are well-taken, but Walker's approval rating is not "fairly high" -- unless you mean the "fairly high" 30's percentile. He is not popular and is hounded everywhere he goes.
This was just round 3 or 4 of a 15-round fight. Much of that fight must be outside the political process in the form of mass organizing and civil disobedience. We must wrap our heads around the fact that the fascists have already won and the battle now is revolutionary.
"In Illinois, a Democrat has passed virtually an identical agenda as Walker's with nary a whimper of protest from the subservient masses here."
Popular programs can be gutted or done away with, but as long as it is done by a Democrat there will be "nary a whimper of protest" as it will be presented as a bipartisan move to save whichever program(s) is on the chopping block. Shades of we had to burn the village to save it. The Democrats need to go away or just declare themselves the Republicans that they really are. Maybe then a truly populist political party (the PPP?) that represents the interests of the vast majority of the people can fill the vacuum.
Agreed
The German Populace was hardly quiet while Hitler was taking over. 1930-32 were years of tremendous unrest, protests and street fighting.
By the time Hitler passed the Enabling Act in 1933, all Communist parlimentary reps had been rounded up along with thousands of other political opponents.
I guess I was referring to per-capita. I know there was protest and unrest, but as a percentage of the entire German population, I believe it was miniscule. Thanks for your information though dreamjoe.
From an electoral POV, most of the dramatic incrase in votes cast for NAZIs came directly from the rapid decline of , 1st, the German middle class parties and later from Catholic Center party voters.
The demise of the Center party was arranged between the Nazis and the Vatican in a Concordant that protected the churches as long as they renounced any political involvement. (See Hitler's Pope: Pious XII)
So my argument is that the failure of middle class political leadership led to the Nazi advances of 1930 & 1932, when the Nazis quadrupled their vote at the expense of the middle class parties. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_federal_election,_1930
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_federal_election,_July_1932
The moderate socialists (SDP), which had previously been the largest party in the Reichstag, lost a lot of support but most of it went to the communists (KPD) not the NAZIs.
The Catholic Center Party continued to gain support right up until Hitler and the pope cut it off at the knees.
Also Hitler and the Nazis were never elected in any fair (pre-Enabling Act) elections. Hitler was appointed Chancellor by the old militarist Von Hindenburg, in machinations with Center Party Leader Von Papen.
The best move was not a recall election but a general strike.-----
It should be remembered that the Wisconsin Democrats agreed with the Republicans that the union workers should take pay/benefit cuts to pay for the budget crisis created when Gov. Walker's enacted tax cuts for his wealthy backers.-----
The only difference between the Dems and Repubs was the right to collective bargain.-----
The unions stepped in and prevented a general strike from happening.-----
Now the workers of Wisconsin have little to show for all their effort.-----
The people must throw off the shackles of the unions whose loyalty is primarily to the business interests represented by the Democrats.-----
A true Worker's Party must coalesce which is centered around preserving all union pay and benefits and making the wealthy pay taxes at a proper progressive rate.
Let us prey.
Nothing much came out of the recall effort despite all the blather toting it as some kind of revolutionary moment. Again, the so-called 'progressives' have lost all sense of reality. There isn't going to be any revolution if one relies on the electoral and legal process to effect social change. All that can be had is a token change, a mere palace coup. Revolution requires violence to overthrow the whole damn corrupt system and replace it with a better one.
Well that is not going to happen in the US. Probably not ever.
I dunno. I can almost sense the Soccer Moms and NASCAR Dads from coast to coast of the USA sharpening their pitchforks and dusting off their Port Huron Statements as their anger builds against the capitalist and corporate swine that control America's politics and media. That is, as soon as they get the kids' school lunches packed, mail the cable TV bill, get the lawn mowed, and arrange for someone to come fix the ice-maker on the fridge.
But, yeah, as soon as they take care of all those miscellaneous tasks, they're going to rise up in mass revolution against The Man! You can count on it!
Not.
Oh, they might rise up someday. But history teaches that they won't be going after the capitalist oligarchs -- instead, they'll be pointing their "pitchforks" (more likely their .38s and semiautomatics) at the usual suspects: Latinos, Jews, gays, various assorted "libruls," blacks . . . they're really quite obedient sheeple when it comes to being taught whom to hate.
The democrat's and the republican's owners
are laughing at all the fools
who stay within their shiny cages
because corporate tools,
like Nichols,
have been feeding the fools
a diet of sugar-coated parasites.
Birdbrain Alley...,
You could have simplified your remark, by calling the Democrats and the Republicans. "FR" :-)
This is a huge defeat.
Going into the poll yesterday morning, the organizers believed they had 5 of the 6 races sewn up. To only get two of those 5 seats is a defeat pure and simple. Worse, there are two Democrats up for recall now. This could actually work out as a total wash with no change in the actual composition of the senate.
The victory of two democrats in largely republican districts reflects a progressive movement to take back our country from corporate billionaires.
The loss of 66% of the races also reflects the progressive movement.
This was a disaster. Plain and simple.
I can't believe this 63-year-old cynic is saying this, but wow, you disaster commenters are really off base.
These were all Republican strongholds. A few of the districts have not seen a Democratic representative in our lifetimes. One of the districts broke records on campaign advertising -- all negative.
Those people who were predicting a 4-5 seat takeover were simply not being realistic. The courageous and even revolutionary act of the Fabulous 14 notwithstanding, the image of the Democratic Party in Wisconsin is pretty much the same as it is in the rest of the country, pathetic and toothless.
The reason Wisconsin now has a Walker for governor, a moron like Ron Johnson for senator and could not unseat these Republican tools is directly linked to the failures and sellouts of Obama and the Democratic Party.
You're ignoring the fact that these "Republican strongholds" are no longer electing Republicans, but outright fascists. The real Republicans on the ballot were running under the moniker "Democrat."
No. You know what. You are wrong. It was a disaster. The projections of 5 of 6 seats were really possible. This was the HEIGHT of progressive anger. Massive get out the vote. This was the most progressive move in history and in all districts that voted 60%+ for Obama (not that he is progressive!).... AND WE GOT SHELLACKED..
My guess (could be wrong) is that you're not from around these parts. The "height of progressive anger" and "massive get out the vote" is centered around Madison and some of the other urban areas in the state. This is NOT to mean there wasn't a strong contingent of highly-motivated activists in each of the senatorial districts who worked long and hard.
Also, you are totally incorrect in your statement that these areas voted "60% for Obama". Most of the areas in these districts went for McCain/Palin. Look it up.
Disclaimer: I hate the Democratic Party and believe Obama is the worst president in my lifetime.
I got that info from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. I reckon they are close to Wisconsin.
Also whether or not it was a fair election, we got SHELLACKED.
We must agree to disagree on the meaning of the word "shellacked", all-caps or not, but I reckon you read the Journal-Sentinal article wrong. The only areas in these districts that went to Obama by your "60%" margin would be in a district that the Democrats WON last night.
Z-man: If you think Bush was better than Obama, you are truly out of "reality".
Agreed, though I wouldn't use the word 'shellacked' as it implies one was fairly defeated.
What you need to understand is that the Democrats were in full agreement with the Republicans that the union members must pay for the state deficit (caused largely by tax cuts for the rich) with pay and pension cuts.-----
Is this what you believe too?-----
The correct strategy was a GENERAL STRIKE.-----
The Unions, who work for the Democrats, convinced Wisconsinites to abandon a General Strike in favor of a recall election.-----
Clearly, the Union leaders are only concerned with continued dues collection and maintaining their highly paid positions as enforcers for the Democrats who in turn work for big business.-----
A true worker's union must be formed and a General Strike must be called.-----
Any other strategy is a waste of time and energy.
"What you need to understand is that the Democrats were in full agreement with the Republicans that the union members must pay for the state deficit (caused largely by tax cuts for the rich) with pay and pension cuts"
-- another factor that hinders public outrage from translating into Dimocrat victories.
Huh? You talkin' to me? If so, where in any posting I've ever made in CD would you get the idea I agree with the Democratic Party on anything?
General strike ... yes. One of many civil disobedient actions that would help chip away at this fascist state. Got a guess on the likelihood of that happening any time soon?
I can't believe this 63-year-old cynic is saying this, but wow, you disaster commenters are really off base. These were all Republican strongholds. A few of the districts have not seen a Democratic representative in our lifetimes.
-------------
I was responding to your first three sentences.-----
The efforts of the citizens of Wisconsin were noble but misguided.-----
The results of this recall election can only be considered a debacle.-----
Electing two more Democrats (who most likely agree with the current Republican and Democratic members of the Wisc. congress that union workers should pay for deficit with pay and pension cuts) is a disastrous outcome considering all the energy expended.
Spin as we may, the results here are a salient defeat for the rights and interests of workers in Wisconsin and the US.
I was in Madison during the March protests and the strategic political error occurred there when the tremendous momentum of the power of the people was redirected towards the advancement of the Dem party.
The interests of american workers and the democratic party do not converge and you could literally feel the energy of the crowd dissipate as the Democrats took control of the crowd.
General strikes, boycotts or third party electoral politics are the strategies that have the potential to protect and advance the rights of working people.
Pretty devastating that the de facto Republican Party in the state couldn't win even three out of six races against the de facto Fascist Party. Of course, the results could've been cooked -- but we all know by now that it wouldn't have taken lots of cooking.
But the nonfascists of Wisconsin let Lucy hold the football for them again. How long before they stop playing Charlie Brown?
Spin Spin Spin, this recall vote was a huge loss for the Dems and progressive movement. I would have expected Dems to win 5 of 6 maybe 6 of 6 as their base was mad as hell and because of that should have seen a huge turn out. The Repub base did not have the urgency they had in the last major election and I expected them to suffer the loss.
In a word: yep. But then, what do you expect in a state a half of whose voting population consists of proud fascists or enthusiastic fascist dupes?
Wisconsin is like most states though. That is the problem. Americans are NOT progressive.
Absolutely right.
The results are pretty pathetic, even though Nickolaus probably rigged the vote count in Waukesha the same way she did in April to keep Prosser on the Court. All such shenanigans are allowed to proceed uncontested in Wisconsin, exactly as they do on the federal level, because Republicans are expected to commit crimes and get away with them. It's just part of their job description. Democrats only show what bad losers they are if they dare challenge the criminal machinations of Republicans.
But two out of six seems like a hell of a lot of work and money for very damned little. Of course the Dems are going to put a happy face on it and declare it a resounding victory against rightwing prick Walker and his fascist associates. But the Koch brothers won again, when it all gets parsed out.
Money prevailed over silly democratic sentimentalism, as it has been doing for decades all over this washed up corporatized nation. Slick, expensive TV ads is all it takes to persuade distracted, politically illiterate Americans to vote against their own interests every time. Now Alberta Darling can go down on Walker under his desk, all public unions can be summarily neutered and the "good people of Wisconsin" can feel free once again to smell their fascistic dairy air. As in "derriere".
I was really strongly agreeing with everything you were saying until your second to the last sentence. Would you really have said such a thing about Darling and Walker if Darling was a man?
I'd sooner say it about a guy than about a woman, myself. :-)
Every election is a disaster so long as corporations continue to count the votes with their proprietary software. They make a mockery of democracy while well-intentioned writers like Nichols still embrace the 'get out and vote' mantra. As long as people vote while corporations count the vote you merely validate the selection of the corporate. There should be a mass campaign to boycott voting until corporations are taken out of the equation. Because I suggested it someone will accuse me of being a right-wing shill. [Of course anyone who has read my posts know otherwise.] The physical activity of showing up to vote, regardless of who you vote for, only validates the myth of 'consent of the governed'. Until this core problem is resolved all the activism in the world won't make any difference.
Exactly. We're supposed to believe the results when a party hack with a spoiled reputation AGAIN hands in late results?
As Mussolini said, it's not the votes that count but who counts the votes. Paper ballots and citizen-counters is the only way to ensure democracy--but in thorouhly corrupted system, this is a Catch-22.
My thinking is that the party hack with a spoiled reputation is just the clumsy one who calls attention to herself. I suspect the competent ones steal the election too. In fact clumsy hands may be told to be clumsy but perfectly clean, thus drawing attention to her stuff, which then turns out to be valid.
Once again I find myself understanding the thinking of John Jacobs and Mark Rudd.
My thinking is that the party hack with a spoiled reputation is just the clumsy one who calls attention to herself. I suspect the competent ones steal the election too. In fact clumsy hands may be told to be clumsy but perfectly clean, thus drawing attention to her stuff, which then turns out to be valid.
Once again I find myself understanding the thinking of John Jacobs and Mark Rudd.
WI seems to be (R) turf. (D)s could not take a Supreme Court seat at the very height of the rallies. WI let Russ Feingold go. The whole country is split down the middle. Elections are fifty/fifty. A flip of a coin can go either way. They feel as strongly as we do. We are not likely to change their minds.
Where was Obama in all this? Would leadership have made a difference? If Ted Kennedy went to WI and spoke, would a few more (D)s have voted. Could Obama have mustered a few more votes and maybe picked up one more seat? (D)s have a leadership problem. With no one preaching it, do (D)s have a message anymore? What does Obama stand for?