Wisconsin [like much of the nation] was in dire straits before Walker took office.
Walker pushes through reforms dealing with unions, etc. and things have started to turn around.
Business is being attracted to the state.
Unemployment is going down.
This reduced unemployment is adding revenue to the state treasury in the form of increased income tax receipts [due to more employment].
The unions are pissed since a lot of their “bennies” were eliminated. So, they want a recall to “put things back the way they were”.
They are fuggin’ crazy!
All Walker needs to do is say:
“There more jobs in the state, your taxes have not gone up, and there is more food on your table for your children ...”
The Democrats (and one RINO Republican) fought tooth and nail to load the bill with poison pills and raised phony "environmental" concerns. The Senate majority leader brought forth the cleaner Assembly-approved bill, added a few "concessions" to the Dems and put it up for a vote. It failed along party lines, with the final failing vote being the "maverick" RINO.
While they were high-fiving themselves, the mining company, weary of endless games and of spending money on a lost cause, shocked them back to reality when they told Wisconsin to pound sand. They are taking their investment to Michigan, who will be happy to take the jobs and the money.
Let me tell you, the private sector union guys are PISSED. I think they are finally getting it that the Dems are happy to take their union money but will sell their livelihoods down the river in a heartbeat to just to try and make Governor Walker look bad.
In a better economy they might have been able to smooth talk them into calming down, but I think they made a huge tactical error that could bring about the return of the Reagan Democrats.