Wisconsin Recall Races Redux: What We’ve Learned; What It Means

[Yon_Yonson]

Wisconsin Recall Races Redux: What We’ve Learned; What It Means
Aug 16, 2011
We Are Wisconsin

Let’s remember how this all started. Scott Walker and GOP senators tried to ram through a Budget Repair Bill that reversed 50 years of collective bargaining rights in Wisconsin – despite falsely claiming to have campaigned on the proposal – and 14 Democratic senators fled to Illinois to prevent a quorum, and thus a vote on the bill.

A very public standoff ensued. Walker and Republicans considered and tried everything under the sun to get Democrats back to Wisconsin to hold a vote on their union-busting legislation. They threatened to arrest. They passed legislation levying fines. They tried to lure them back by cutting off direct deposit and making them pick up paychecks in person. They denied Democratic staffers parking and copying privileges and considered even pettier moves, arguing “we have to make it hurt for their staff as well.”

When none of Walker and the GOP’s strong-armed tactics worked, they resorted to their ultimate escalation – filing to hold recall elections against the eight eligible Democratic senators in Illinois. Many forget the “Wisconsin Recall Wars” of these last six months were, in fact, initiated by Republicans. Democrats responded in-kind, threatening recall of Republicans backing Walker’s anti-worker bill.

Now that the recall fight Republicans initiated is over, let’s step back and take a sober look at the results. While we are surely disappointed to have fallen just short of a 3rd GOP pickup that would have shifted control of the state Senate, Republicans have suffered an enormous political toll for their attacks on working families. In addition, the results suggest a very favorable outlook for Wisconsin Democrats moving forward. Most notable:

http://www.wearewisconsin.org/home-content/wisconsin-recall-races-redux-what-we%E2%80%99ve-learned-what-it-means/

[midnight]

1. K&R

[mojowork_n]

2. There's a good link in that second Prgrph.

Where it says, "Walker and Republicans considered and tried everything under the sun to get Democrats back to Wisconsin to hold a vote on their union-busting legislation."

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_f459f88e-557a-11e0-9e5e-001cc4c002e0.html

"The Senate voted on March 3 to find the Democrats in contempt and ordered the sergeant at arms to use police force to compel the senators to return. Fitzgerald said at the time that while the action was technically not an arrest, under Senate rules police could force absent members to return.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics has filed a complaint with the state Government Accountability Board, arguing that Fitzgerald should be sanctioned for earlier sending state patrol officers out to look for the missing senators.

The group said the emails show that Fitzgerald knew the senators could not be arrested when he sent the troopers out."

• It's become so extremely obvious, these people have no concept of any limitation on their own power.