General Discussion

Mairead

(9,557 posts)

36. I agree with you: it was a referendum on Walker -- and the Dems blew it.

Reply to coalition_unwilling (Reply #16)

Wed Jun 6, 2012, 11:51 AM

Jun 2012

There were so many possibilities, and the Dems seized none of them.

It was a chance for Obama to get involved and say "replace Walker with Barrett so that I have someone in Wisconsin to work with during these next four years as we create a national intiative to yada yada ...." But he didn't. He said nothing, which suggests that he plans to do nothing if he's re-elected...nothing except what he's already been doing, which we could easily do without.

The Dems don't work as a team, the way the GOP do and parties in other countries do. They stand for getting re-elected, and that's about it.

I found it significant that, in '04, only one Dem politician endorsed Dennis's candidacy, even though what he was offering should have had every one of them jumping up and down in the aisles for him. But that would have required them to take a risk, something they abhor.

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Analysis: Why did Barrett lose and Walker win? [View all] coalition_unwilling Jun 2012 OP

Self-kick for a little added exposure. I chose #8 ("I don't know why") for reasons coalition_unwilling Jun 2012 #1

It seemed doomed from the start as so many Wisconsinites are opposed to recalls. Common Sense Party Jun 2012 #2

I almost think i should make this a formal choice for the poll. I guess I was coalition_unwilling Jun 2012 #4

Add to that being outspent and a weak candidate, and it's a bad recipe. nt TheWraith Jun 2012 #47

And an expensive one. Common Sense Party Jun 2012 #50

Other - No consensus for recall RZM Jun 2012 #3

Excellent points. I think maybe I shoudl make this option a formal choice in the coalition_unwilling Jun 2012 #6

I agree Quixote1818 Jun 2012 #8

Barrett already lost to Walker once before Shrek Jun 2012 #5

Interesting. I suppose I thought of this recall election as coalition_unwilling Jun 2012 #9

One may asumme that, however, Walker won by a bigger margin (both total votes and as kelly1mm Jun 2012 #18

Excellent point. So is your take on this that Wisconsinites simply felt a recall was coalition_unwilling Jun 2012 #20

I think that some in WI did not like the recall as a tactic, and others did not like the protests kelly1mm Jun 2012 #35

I personally would love to see the Dems move to a 'scorched earth' policy (provided, of course, coalition_unwilling Jun 2012 #40

I agree that cutting already earned pensions would be problematic and possibly illegal. But for kelly1mm Jun 2012 #48

Many didn't like the recall process EC Jun 2012 #7

Using the Adlai Stevenson strategy wasn't a good idea. GarroHorus Jun 2012 #10

I take your point, but want to point out that Walker is not fit to lick the dirt coalition_unwilling Jun 2012 #13

any consulation warrior1 Jun 2012 #11

I am guessing AsahinaKimi Jun 2012 #12

Wisconsin as I remember it from the 90s is a very weird state electorally, because coalition_unwilling Jun 2012 #14

What was Barrett offering apart from being not-Walker? Mairead Jun 2012 #15

Definitely share your feelings about the overall tilt of politics in the coalition_unwilling Jun 2012 #16

I agree with you: it was a referendum on Walker -- and the Dems blew it. Mairead Jun 2012 #36

there were multiple factors at work. kenfrequed Jun 2012 #17

mid-west fair-play. no do-overs pansypoo53219 Jun 2012 #19

Interesting. So Dems should have coalesced around a single candidate earlier, rather coalition_unwilling Jun 2012 #23

Cathleen Falk clffrdjk Jun 2012 #32

What do you think Barrett should have done differently this time around? coalition_unwilling Jun 2012 #38

Maybe we needed a better candidate. craigmatic Jun 2012 #21

Several factors, not least of which was a shit-ton of out-of-state money... truebrit71 Jun 2012 #22

A most righteous rant (and definitely appreciated). I constantly remind DU coalition_unwilling Jun 2012 #25

For me mick063 Jun 2012 #24

Interesting. A funny side note: there was a recall election yesterday coalition_unwilling Jun 2012 #27

All of the above. PeaceNikki Jun 2012 #26

Hope we get to hear more of your thoughts and feelings on this in the coalition_unwilling Jun 2012 #29

I dunno, the asshole n00b trolls who fucking stalk me are getting annoying. PeaceNikki Jun 2012 #30

It was an election of catastrophic misperceptions... cynatnite Jun 2012 #28

Well, the exit polls suggest that a statistically significant number of coalition_unwilling Jun 2012 #31

PeaceNikki made a good point. Doing that might have changed the outcome. n/t cynatnite Jun 2012 #34

I would say it's a combination of "All of the above" to varying degrees. Kaleva Jun 2012 #33

Some reason why election fraud is not on this list? eowyn_of_rohan Jun 2012 #37

I debated whether to include a choice and decided not to, because coalition_unwilling Jun 2012 #43

what short changes the democratic process is having our votes counted in secret eowyn_of_rohan Jun 2012 #49

All of the above except the money. Chan790 Jun 2012 #39

Excellent points that seem to contradict the results of this poll. The rural and coalition_unwilling Jun 2012 #45

"All politics is local." Tip O'Neill Tierra_y_Libertad Jun 2012 #41

recalls should not be reruns of elections with a choice between candidates. yurbud Jun 2012 #42

How interesting! Another case where exit polling "was off" Mairead Jun 2012 #44

Urban/non-urban divide Retrograde Jun 2012 #46

This exactly matches my memories of Wisconsin politics from the early 90s, the coalition_unwilling Jun 2012 #52

The vote count was rigged by the RepubliCONS. fasttense Jun 2012 #51

It's impossible to prove a negative, i.e., to prove that Republicans did coalition_unwilling Jun 2012 #54

It's a combination of massive outside contributions and Wisconsinites not liking the idea of recalls boxman15 Jun 2012 #53

Yes, after a couple early responders to this poll made that coalition_unwilling Jun 2012 #55

Isn't that funny? Cali voters *love* recalls, but wisconsin voters, we're told, hate them. HiPointDem Jun 2012 #56