Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker

Apparently, this happened today in Wisconsin: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/03/10/1073219/-CONFIDENCE-A-Photo-Diary-of-Today-s-Amazing-Reclaim-Wisconsin-Rally

Wisconsin earns a D Minus for transparency, 10th from the bottom.

So before anyone gives you crap because they think Walker's been 100% truthful, give them this, because under GAAP, Wisconsin's deep in debt, worse off with the budget.

Very big Daydream Believer. "That's not knowledge, that's a crapshoot!" -Al Murray "Welcome to QI" -Stephen Fry

Recall date: May 8 (if no primaries), June 5 (if primaries, which will be on May 8)

Also, State Senator Pam Galloway (R), who is facing a recall, will resign. The recall election will still happen.

edited 16th Mar '12 11:39:44 AM by GlennMagusHarvey

I find it highly likely that there will be a primary, at least for the Gov race.

What's this I hear about the Wisconsin senate being mixed between Dems and Republicans?

One of the senators facing recall has resigned, so it's now a full tie between dems and reps.

Very big Daydream Believer. "That's not knowledge, that's a crapshoot!" -Al Murray "Welcome to QI" -Stephen Fry

Is there a chance that the GOP will hold a primary against Walker? Can they do that? He sounds like the kind of guy who pisses off his own people behind the scenes and his crazy/unpopular decisions must have motivated someone to try and stop the self destruction of their party.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.

The Senate balance will be tied between Democrats and Republicans (once Senator Galloway formally resigns, that is), but it won't make much difference, as the Senate will be out of session between now and the recall. It seems that she's resigning now mainly so another Republican candidate will be able to compete for her seat and get on the ballot.

Highly unlikely. Walker is quite popular with the conservative base (and why not, he fights for everything they stand for), so as long as he has a chance of being elected there would be no reason to primary him. It would be like the Democrats primarying Feingold.

First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win.

Some miscellaneous news about Wisconsin politics: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/03/16/1074975/-Wisconsin-State-Senator-Will-Resign-Rather-Than-Face-Recall (and other topics)

By the way, if you ever run into a Republican who blames the Democrats for starting the recall shenanigans, that person would be wrong, because Republicans started the recall processes first:

• Jim Holperin Recall Committee: http://gab.wi.gov/node/1657 Februay 22, 2011
• American Recall Coalition (against Lena Taylor): http://gab.wi.gov/node/1657 February 23, 2011
• American Recall Coalition (against Mark Miller): http://gab.wi.gov/node/1660 February 23, 2011
• American Recall Coalition (against Robert Wirch): http://gab.wi.gov/node/1664 February 23, 2011
• American Recall Coallition (against Julie Lassa): http://gab.wi.gov/node/1666 February 23, 2011
• American Recall Coalition (against Fred Risser): http://gab.wi.gov/node/1667 February 23, 2011
• American Recall Coalition (against Dave Hansen): http://gab.wi.gov/node/1670 February 23, 2011
• Taxpayers to Recall Robert Wirch: http://gab.wi.gov/node/1665 February 24, 2011
• American Recall Coalition (against Spencer Coggs): http://gab.wi.gov/node/1654 Feb 25, 2011
• Committee to Recall Mark Miller: http://gab.wi.gov/node/1659 February 25, 2011
• Recall Dave Hansen: http://gab.wi.gov/node/1669 February 25, 2011

The dates the recall efforts against the Republican state senators began are:

• Committee to Recall Cowles: http://gab.wi.gov/node/1652 March 2, 2011
• Committee to Recall Darling: http://gab.wi.gov/node/1655 March 2, 2011
• Committee to Recall Grothman: http://gab.wi.gov/node/1663 March 2, 2011
• Committee to Recall Harsdorf: http://gab.wi.gov/node/1656 March 2, 2011
• Committee to Recall Lazich: http://gab.wi.gov/node/1668 March 2, 2011
• Committee to Recall Olsen: http://gab.wi.gov/node/1658 March 2, 2011
• Committee to Recall Hopper: http://gab.wi.gov/node/1662 March 2, 2011
• Committee to Recall Kapanke: http://gab.wi.gov/node/1671 March 2, 2011

Note that they all date from March 2, 2011, roughly an entire week after the recalls against the Dems were filed.

edited 18th Mar '12 9:11:11 AM by GlennMagusHarvey

New poll out (from Marquette)! Walker wins in all matchups, beating Tom Barett (who hasn't decided to enter the race yet) 47-45, Kathleen Falk 49-45, Doug La Follette 49-42, and Kathleen Vinehout 49-41.

In terms of the Democratic primary for governor, Barrett would get 36%, Falk 29%, La Follette 8%, and Vinehout 8% (the rest undecided).

First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win.

Wisconsin Democrats are going to have to rally themselves around one candidate, here. Otherwise I can see a similar morass to what's happening in the national GOP candidate's presidential race.

Don't forget the primary is a month before the general, so there'll be time to rally around the winner. Also, the recall is more than anything else a referendum against Walker...the difference in support among the Democrats mainly reflects how well each of the candidates are known (Barrett, very much so; Falk, somewhat; La Follette and Vinehout, not that much). My suspicion is that all of them would score pretty similarly in the general.

First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win.

Kleefisch has now played the "sugar daddy" card.

what taste she has. Truly a paragon of rational debate.

Very big Daydream Believer. "That's not knowledge, that's a crapshoot!" -Al Murray "Welcome to QI" -Stephen Fry

This...this is just full frontal pants on head retarded.

Untitled Power Rangers Story

Walker has been rising in polls. Bro's got this

3DS Friend Code: 0302-0823-4983 Black 2 Friend Code: 4084-3672-3624

Wisconsin Dems need to get their rears in gear. If they let Walker survive this recall, heaven knows what damage he'll inflict to the state budget by the time the next election rolls around.

Share it so that people can get into this conversation, 'cause we're not the only ones who think like this.

People are stupid, they'll eat shit if you tell them it's ground beef.

Untitled Power Rangers Story

Wisconsin voters have been wising up though

3DS Friend Code: 0302-0823-4983 Black 2 Friend Code: 4084-3672-3624

Walker is not a good governor, mmkay? He's been dishonest from the start (Protip: giving massive tax-giveaways to corporations and then claiming to want to balance the budget is invalidating the claim that you want to balance the budget.)

Walker's presided over the 49th worst job creation rate in the country, and has lost so many jobs that the net gain has been measured at less than 10,000. He has not balanced the budget, except using his own government's creative accounting.

Walker was such a bad county executive that it was suggested that the post of Milwaukee county executive be removed, and left the county in such bad shape that it was trying to file for bankruptcy.

He held a ten minute long phone conversation with a man he thought was David Koch, in which he discussed campaign finances (illegal inside a government building) and revealed plans to hire people to stir up riots in the Madison protests.

He has repeatedly lied about how the pension system works ([1]).

He hiked taxes on the poor and middle class.

Before he released his budget, the state was set to have a surplus.

Very big Daydream Believer. "That's not knowledge, that's a crapshoot!" -Al Murray "Welcome to QI" -Stephen Fry

@Flap: if they were wising up, they wouldnt vote for someone like walker. They'd demand accountability from republican candidates.

Instead, theyre taking the route most republicans do anymore of simply assuming the party line would never lie to them.

edited 28th Mar '12 2:22:19 PM by Midgetsnowman

Someone please tell me why they would assume that.

Hey ninjaclown, you're from Wisconsin, right? Make sure you remember to vote in the recalls!

If by Wisconsin you mean Alberta, then yes I do.

Seriously though, if I were from Wisconsin I would do everything to help you kick this guy out. He is a parasite.

I'd be busy getting my friends to vote against Walker except that none of my friends need to be convinced.

Interestingly, my uncle, who normally is largely on the Democratic side of most issues, is actually voting for Walker in the recall mainly out of the belief that Walker doesn't deserve a recall.

edited 28th Mar '12 4:56:25 PM by Linhasxoc

Yeah, I mean, Walker's an asshole, and he should definitely lose in every election ever, but I'm not sure how much I really agree with the "concept" of recall elections.