About wisconsin's supposed dislike of recall elections & belief recalls are only for malfeasance

[HiPointDem]

1. Wisconsin election law allows recall of any state, judicial, congressional or legislative official for any reason, and has since 1926.

http://legis.wisconsin.gov/rsb/unannotated_wisconst.pdf
p. 15


2. Wisconsin has held recall elections fairly frequently since 1990:

2011:
Wisconsin state senators Robert Cowles, Alberta Darling, Dave Hansen, Sheila Harsdorf, Jim Holperin, Luther Olsen and Robert Wirch survived attempted recalls, while Senators Randy Hopper and Dan Kapanke were recalled.

2003:
Wisconsin state senator Gary George was recalled.

1996:
Wisconsin state senator George Petak was recalled.

1990:
Wisconsin state assembly member Jim Holperin survived a recall election.

1932:
Wisconsin state senator Otto Mueller survived a recall election.

http://www.ncsl.org/legislatures-elections/elections/recall-of-state-officials.aspx




in short, if voters in wisconsin are parroting that "recalls are only for malfeasance!" and "we don't like recalls" it's because someone has been telling them that over and over and over again during this effort, or it's because they're really not saying that but someone wants people to believe they are.

[sweetloukillbot]

1. What were the two who were recalled in the 90s recalled for? n/t

[HiPointDem]

4. you'll have to look it up.

[sweetloukillbot]

8. Looks like it was tax related in both cases

As near as I can tell, one voted to raise taxes for the baseball stadium after promising he wouldn't, and the other voted to fund a casino against constituent's wishes.

Certainly not illegal activity - although it looks like one did go to jail for corruption later...

[HiPointDem]

9. thanks.

[sabrina 1]

2. Where did this come from though? The first I heard it was yesterday, all over the place.

It was as if someone sent out a talking point and it spread like wildfire.

Then today I read that it came from exit polls. So, who did they talk to? Republicans? They certainly were not happy with the recalls. Especially since three of them were successful.

I would like to know if it was just Republicans. Which would not be a surprise, until they want to do it.

Sounds like maybe the PTBS are afraid of recalls.

It's interesting how there has been vitually no news on the successful recalls, only on Walker.

Btw, thanks for that information. Doesn't sound like they don't like recalls.

[HiPointDem]

3. yep, obviously a talking point -- obvious even here at du, with throngs repeating it.

i read that it was spread pre-election by the forces of walker, which is why people parroted it at exit polls.

[sabrina 1]

5. I definitely never saw it throughout the past year and a half as the recalls were in progress.

Looked pretty popular to me. I saw it here yesterday, repeated multiple times. You'd think at least democrats would check out the sources of these talking points when they sound as suspicious as this one did, before doing the work of the Koch Brothers for them.

[SWTORFanatic]

21. It was repeated many times on the local hate radio and newspapers.

[forthemiddle]

39. which part of Wisconsin do you live in?

The reason I ask is because in the part of the State I live in (a pretty purple part right in the middle of the State) this is the #1 reason I have heard against voting for the recall. I also was saying this in the days before the recall happened (so it wasn't a last minute talking point). I know I am a new poster here, but I am not generally comfortable talking on line, so I only read, but this week since I was in the middle of the election I decided to add my voice.

None of these recalls listed above were state wide, so they may have been more "personal". In other words, people in the individual districts may have felt more upset against an individual vote than the full policy difference they had with Governor Walker. Until last year, Senator Luther Olsen (my rep) was the first recall I ever was a part of.

People also were VERY vocal about hating the idea of a "do over". Maybe if it wasn't Barrett, things would have turned out differently, but, as I have been saying for the past week, people in the middle of the State just didn't feel as "violated" as others apparently did. I truly think that if Senator Feingold would have gotten in the race, we would be having a MUCH different conversation.

[BlueCaliDem]

6. Yep. It was started in November by the Walker team with Koch dollars.

They even got a teacher to say, on camera, that she's against recalls and that's why she'll be voting for Scott Walker. I don't know if she really was a teacher, but that's how she was listed in the commercial. It was on Ed Schultz's show tonight.

[HiPointDem]

7. i think we should look into the identity of this "teacher".

[Dokkie]

27. Very funny

seeing how Walker himself got into his previous office through a recall.

[HiPointDem]

28. ooh, i didn't know that. gotta link?

[harmonicon]

10. I think people are entitled to their opinions.

When the recall was suggested, I said that I thought it was a waste of time, money, and energy. I still think that. I think that recalls are stupid, and that we need to radically reform our election system. Getting rid of recalls would be one step in that reform, in my opinion. Granted, if I were a Wisconsin resident, I would have voted for the Democratic nominee in the race, but I'll always vote for the Democrat - no recall is going to change my vote. I can't blame others for a recall not changing their vote either.

[HiPointDem]

11. no one claimed people weren't entitled to their opinions. i said their opinions apparently

change very quickly, especially when a lot of money tells them what their opinions should be for a while.

[harmonicon]

13. I can only lend my voice.

I lived in California when Davis was recalled, and I thought it was completely insane. I made up my mind about recalls then. It didn't take anyone spending money to influence my opinion.

[aquart]

12. Their opinions? Or the Koch brothers' opinions?

No recall means no way out. No impeachment. No recall. Whoever steals the election with the most money gets to keep it.

Think how much money this "opinion" will save the Kochs and their billionaire boys clubs.

[harmonicon]

14. Alternately, you could argue that one recall means constant recalls.

What if the Democrats had won? Do you doubt that the Republicans wouldn't have immediately been pushing for a recall of their own? Republicans are rat-bastards. Nothing is below them. We have elections. That is the way out.

[LiberalFighter]

30. The recall is only for the initial election.

And the threshold to conduct a recall is high. It is very difficult to get 25% to sign a petition.

Here in Indiana it is difficult just to get 500 signatures on a petition to put someone on the ballot in a district of about 700,000 population.

[RBInMaine]

16. I feel very much the same way. If you don't like a politician, vote them out at the next REGULAR

election. Recalls should be used very, very sparingly and only for the worst offenses. We already have impeachment for illegal activity, and if they won't impeach for confirmed illegal activity and the person won't resign, then you go for a recall.

[Motorcycle Rider]

18. A situation of constant recall elections is not what we want or need.

Recalls should only be used for extraordinary circumstances. A recall is not a "mulligan" used because your candidate didn't win. That might work for your candidate or work against him.

[sabrina 1]

24. Well, you were wrong. Three Republican legislators were successfully recalled giving a majority

to Democrats in the Wisconsin State Senate. So obviously the only people who 'don't like recalls' were those who wanted Republicans to have complete power over the Wisconsin Legislature and the Governor's mansion.

[harmonicon]

40. The same senate that's not going to be in session until after the next round of elections?

I also didn't like recalls when Davis was recalled in California. It must be because the only people who don't like recalls love Republicans, huh? It's not as if people like me could be able to form opinions on abstract subjects divorced from specific cases.

[sabrina 1]

41. Walker cannot call any special sessions now to push through any of the Koch Bros

anti-worker policies. If you think that taking away that power is nothing, giving it to Democrats who can stop him, then imo, you could not be more wrong.

Not to mention that the hypocritical Republicans and their Corporate backers, now whining about recalls, used it themselves in Wisc in retaliation to try to recall Democrats.

It worked for Democrats, there is simply no denying that, and the proof is in the whining of the Corporations now that they lost the Senate.

[RBInMaine]

15. This was a gubernatorial recall after only a year and a half. Did not sit well with people at all.

[sabrina 1]

25. It sat very well with voters. Three Republicans were successfully recalled by the VOTERS from

Wisconsin State Senate. A huge victory for Voters. The only 'voters' who opposed those recalls were, well I shouldn't have to say it but I will, REPUBLICANS and their Corporate funders, which is where this false meme originated. I will be writing about the source of that lie later.

Unless you would rather have left the State Senate in the hands of Republicans, I don't see how you could call the recalls a failure. They WERE a failure, for Republicans.

[LiberalFighter]

31. Good response

[Scuba]

17. Meanwhile, the so-called "free" press here refuses to connect the dots to Ohio....

... and point out that our Constitution does not allow recall of a law, only the lawmakers.


Had we been able to undo Act 10, we likely would have taken that path.

[undeterred]

19. This is the only statewide recall Wisconsin has ever had.

All the ones you've listed before last summer affected one official in one area of the state, so the rest of the state was largely unaware of it. So I hardly think that most people in Wisconsin even knew there was a recall process or had an opinion on it before last year.

[KharmaTrain]

22. Also Three Elections In Less Than A Year...

That was one of the complaints I kept hearing from my friends north of the Cheddar curtain. There were the recalls last year then the primary this year and then the recall election (not to mention other special elections)...people were getting tired of the partisanship and tuning out or turning against the recall. And it doesn't end here...there's the election in November and then Wanker will face re-election in two years. It's been a non-stop campaign season there and methinks there's a bunch of fatigue setting in...

[sabrina 1]

26. Well, I have found the source of those complaints, and it was not from Democratic voters.

The recalls took out three Republicans. Thanks to the voters who were supposedly upset by them. The facts do not match the Right Wing, Corporate lies being told and disseminated by the Corporate media.

But there is no question once you do a little research, where this lie started. Too bad to see anyone here help them spread it around though.

[KharmaTrain]

29. Tell The Good Democrats From Wisconsin I Know...They The Ones Spreading A "Lie"...

These people worked their asses off during the whole process from gathering signatures to getting people to the polls three separate times over the past year. These people were both fatigued and real frustrated at what happened last Tuesday and were the once citing the among of voter fatigue they were running into. Believe as you wish but please don't tell me what I see or hear...save that for those who want to play games.

Cheers...

[sabrina 1]

34. No, I will not diminish the success the tens of thousands of people in Wisc have accomplished

I will not accept the Koch Bros lies being spread in order to try to discourage people from standing up for Workers Rights.

I know people were disappointed, we all were, but my friends in Wisc are already over it, celebrating the victories they had and ready to move forward with this fight to protect their families from the disastrous policies of the Koch Bros.

And this has been made easier for them with the defeat of the Republicans in the State Senate.

for their successes.

This is a war on the people and we will lose some of the battles and win some but losing one battle, won't stop those who are committed to the defeat of those who are destroying this country.

They want you to feel defeated, that is your choice, but fortunately it is not the choice of the majority of those who DEFEATED the Wisc Republican State Senate and gave the majority to Democrats.

[KharmaTrain]

37. This In NO Way Diminished What They Did...

I guess we're talking past one another. These people worked their asses off and I'm describing what what told to me...not some "talking point". This doesn't mean they're gonna sit home and will be back out there in November again trying ensure Democrats hold onto the State Senate and then to try to beat Wanker and the Kochroaches in two years. The bastards won this round and trying to deny it is asking for it to happen again. Now's the time to regroup, reorganize and fight harder. Right now they're frustrated and disheartened and I can't blame them for feeling that way.

[LiberalFighter]

32. They complain about 3 elections in one year.

Anyone in Wisconsin making that complaint are totally clueless about their elections.

In 2012, they had a Spring Primary (2/21), Presidential Primary & Spring Election (4/3).
There will be a Fall Primary election (8/14) and then the General (11/6)

===== That is 4 regular elections for Wisconsin.

In 2008, they had a Spring Primary & Presidential Primary (2/19), Spring Election (4/1)
Their Fall Primary election was (9/9) and General was (11/4)



If they have a complaint about the numerous elections they had this year the blame should be with the Republicans for running fake Democrats that require Recall Primaries.


If there was that much fatigue then the turnout should had been on par with the 2010 election instead of the 2008.

[KharmaTrain]

33. Tell That To Those Who Were There...

They had the first round of signatures and Senate recalls...I went up to help gather petitions for the recall (failed, sadly, of Alberta Darling) last fall. That's one election, then there was circulating new petitions for new recalls, the primary election in April and then the recall election last Tuesday. That's three elections...big ones...within a year. My friends worked their asses off...had I not had family illness I would have been there with them.

Sorry my first hand report doesn't fit your narrative...

[sabrina 1]

36. Your first hand report is anecdotal. The evidence shows that the recalls worked and Republicans lost

control of the State Senate.

[KharmaTrain]

38. We'll See In November...

...if those gains hold and Democrats can build on it. Maybe even try to flip the State Assembly and box Wanker into a corner.

I'll trust my first hand reports from people I know in the real world over what is put out over an internet message board from someone who wasn't there.

Cheers...

[sabrina 1]

35. That is a talking point and I have discovered its source. Lol, of course the Big Corporations

like the Kochs are whining because they were forced to spend tens of millions on trying to keep their puppets in office, and they FAILED. Scotty is now neutered. He cannot do any more legislative harm to the people of Wisc.

Please refrain from spreading Republican talking points here. People were not tired, ARE not tired, but they sure wore out the Koch Brothers and for that reason alone, it was well worth it.

I will be writing about who is spreading this false information as soon as I get a chance. Watch for my OP, it will make you feel better to know that the people are as committed as ever, and in fact, imo, there should be more recalls, for one thing they got the greedy corps to pour money into the economy and now they are crying like babies over what it cost THEM. No sympathy for those who would undermine our democracy.

[CTyankee]

20. Joe McCarthy!

My husband remembers the recall effort against him for his treatment of the United States Army in the Senate hearings he conducted. WI was in the process of recalling McCarthy ass when he kicked the bucket...but he woulda been recalled...WI voters were pretty pissed off at that point...

[2pooped2pop]

23. besides, I think he is about to get indicted on

some malfeasance.