Posted on 04/09/2011 3:26:02 PM PDT by rhema
< snip >
But whereas we thought Kloppenburg had a real chance of beating Prosser, we've always been skeptical to the point of incredulity about the prospects for recalling Republican senators. That's because under Wisconsin law, an official has to have served for a year before being subject to recall. That shields both Walker and all Republican lawmakers who replaced Democrats in last year's election. As Wisconsin senators serve four-year terms, only those who survived the Democratic sweep of 2006 or 2008 can be recalled.
It only gets worse for Wisconsin Democrats. Kloppenburg's campaign implied--though in her "victory" press conference she robotically denied--that she would provide the deciding vote on the court to overturn Walker's reforms. Her defeat means that those reforms will soon take effect unless they have an actual legal defect.
One of the most important reforms is that union dues will become voluntary. State and local government will no longer take money out of their employees' paychecks and hand it over to the unions. This is likely to be the last Wisconsin election in which the Democrats have the advantage of support from organizations with the power to raise campaign funds coercively.
The unions' show of muscle in this week's election was not unimpressive, even though it was insufficient to the task at hand. Starved of the nourishment of forcibly collected dues, they may look like a 98-pound weakling by 2012.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Perhaps best of all, the unions will lose their main source of revenue this year.
The more they spend on the recalls the less they’ll have to spend in 2012...when it really matters.
This is absolutely true. A close family member works for the state and is required to pay dues whether a union member or not—thanks, Rats!
He can insure his whole family of five for $17 in premiums. Identical coverage (copays, drug coverage) with the same provider, for just me alone, with no "collective bargaining power," was over $500 per month last year. I quit rather than pay those scandalous demands.
We tried to bring “paycheck protection” reform to CA in ‘98 and again in ‘05. The unions killed us at the ballot box. A public employee doesn’t even have to be a member of the union but must still pay the dues thanks to law signed by Arnold’s recalled predecessor.
“Ime so hapy we agrie.”
Laff owt lowd
Hey RK! Being a misplaced Cheesehead in Illinois, I’ve been impressed as well!! (Go Pack, too!)
How in the world could anyone ever have thought it a constitutional thing to force an individual to support an organization he opposes? That still blows my mind every time I think about it.
Kloppenberg went moderate in the victory speech because she knew that Brookfield results weren’t in. The clerk knew and reported there was a problem already Wednesday morning.
Don’t get me wrong, Walker’s been great for Wisconsin, but I don’t think he’s presidential. His career focus has been on Wisconsin politics and Wisconsin policy and I don’t see any mastery or interest in broader issues.
He belongs in the governor’s mansion and I hope he stays for a long time. This fight is just the first of many that need someone like Walker to lead the way.
I hope that car was a Volt...
‘HEY if you buy a VOLT i’ll pay you some money If you buy it’
........GOBERMN TREE HUGGER.
Let the Unions waste time and energy creating bad-will by bullying.
I was told the same thing.....”The union is why you’re getting paid what you’re getting paid.” I’ve had two unions that screwed me in the end. They had promised to go all the way to arbitration on a pay issue and both of them caved in the end.
Onions R my cup uv T
Hey, see you’re still bouncing around!
Even if the Kloppentrooper had won, this would not have been the “stinging rebuke” of Walker the unions were claiming it was. After pouring $3.5 million into her campaign and then managing to portray the incumbent as a friend of child molesters, they still only moved the dial back 2% from the margin Walker won by.
Looks like everything so far this year has been sound and fury signifying nothing. Walker drives on.
bump
Well there would have to be a way that the opponent does not frame a candidate in voter fraud in order to take them out.
Yes, the old dog is still around - but keeping a low profile. Hope you are well.
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