Chris Rickert: Will recall be a referendum or a real election?

Wisconsin State Journal ^ | 1-22-12 | Chris Rickert

[afraidfortherepublic]

Wow. One million signatures.

Who could have guessed that one of the two entrenched American political parties — the one that claims the president of the most powerful nation on earth as one of its own and marshaled some $23.4 million in campaign spending for last year's wave of recall elections — would ever have the money and logistical wherewithal to gather 1 million signatures to recall a member of the other entrenched American political party?

What a victory for democracy. Or should I say Democrat-acy?

With the notable and laudable exception of the effort to recall Sen. Scott Fitzgerald — which had little support from the state Democratic party — last week's delivery of signatures to recall Gov. Scott Walker, Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch and three other state senators was less grassroots than choreographed by a massive, powerful, well-funded political organization.

Which is not to say Wisconsin's Democratic party doesn't deserves props — at least if you're into cheering on massive, powerful, well-funded political organizations.

More important than any of that, though, is that 2012 is shaping up to be a fun — and brutal and expensive and dirty — election year. My question now is: Given that we've never had a recall election for governor, what, exactly, could one look like?

Once the signatures are verified, how long will the campaign last? Will debates be held and positions staked out? Or will the Democrats looking to replace Walker simply run on a platform of I'm-not-Walker-so-vote-for-me?

The conventional wisdom among some academics and Democrats to this last question, is no, a recall election is likely to focus only on the recall target; the less opportunity the target has to make his potential replacement a target, the better.

[afraidfortherepublic]

FTA: The Democrats want Walker to run against a "potted plant" because they don't want the voters to focus on the short comings of their candidates.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Wisconsin Recall Candidate Ping

If you want on, or off, this Wisconsin interest ping list, just FReep Mail me.

[SandRat]

Any recall that counts the signatures of Mickey Mouse, Adolf Hitler, etc. as valid, is bogus from the begining.

[muawiyah]

The Democrats are engaged in rebellion, or is it perhaps AN INVASION?

Think about it, the only thing the Democrats promise if they win are more government jobs, higher paid government jobs, and the use of the Union Trades Council as a governing authority rather than the State Legislature.

They are lining up the citizenry of Wisconsin for a massive ripoff of historic proportions.