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Dividing Lines: Already polarized, Wisconsin's fault lines now wider
Milwaukee J-S ^ | 28 dec 2014 | Craig Gilbert

Posted on 12/28/2014 5:54:16 AM PST by rellimpank

At first glance, Gov. Scott Walker’s re-election last month looks like a carbon copy of his victory four years earlier.

He won the same kinds of voters. He won the same parts of the state. And he won with virtually the same share of the vote: 52.25% in 2010 and 52.26% in 2014.

But on closer inspection, there is an important difference: Wisconsin is even more polarized today than it was four years ago.

Based on almost everything we know about the Nov. 4 election, the state’s fault lines are deeper and more sharply defined, its voters are more divided along party lines and its communities are more politically one-sided.

The Journal Sentinel explored these trends eight months ago in "Dividing Lines," a series of reports exploring the bitter political polarization across Wisconsin and its most divided place, metropolitan Milwaukee. Democrats and Republicans don’t just have different views; they live in separate worlds.

In the aftermath of the 2014 race for governor between Walker, the Republican incumbent, and Mary Burke, his Democratic challenger, at least two developments have become clear. One, Wisconsin grew noticeably more polarized between Scott Walker’s first and last race for governor, even though the governor’s margin of victory was the same; two, this trend follows a long-term pattern in Wisconsin elections for major office – governor, U.S. Senate, president.

(Excerpt) Read more at jsonline.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Government; News/Current Events; US: Wisconsin
KEYWORDS: craiggilbert; demagogicparty; kochbrothers; maryburke; memebuilding; partisanmediashill; partisanmediashills; politics; scottwalker; walker; wisconsin
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To: rellimpank

They won’t admit that the divide is due to unrelenting lies and hatred spewed by the left. This includes the public sector unions (especially teachers) as well as several DA’s with their never ending (supposedly) secret investigations.


41 posted on 12/28/2014 7:49:34 AM PST by logic101.net (If libs believe in Darwin and natural selection why do they get hacked off when it happens?)
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To: Menthops
Especially when he is nowhere to be found when Ted Cruz is fighting Obamacare and Amnesty.

I haven't taken a position on Walker in the presidential race, but on the issues you mention above, perhaps he has not interjected himself because those are federal issues and Walker is a state governor, and as such has no ability to make changes in those areas?

42 posted on 12/28/2014 7:50:06 AM PST by CA Conservative (Texan by birth, Californian by circumstance)
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To: ought-six

Except that’s like saying get rid of SF and LA and California becomes a toss-up state.


43 posted on 12/28/2014 7:55:07 AM PST by nascarnation (Impeach, Convict, Deport)
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To: rellimpank

http://host.madison.com/news/opinion/column/john_nichols/john-nichols-wisconsin-democratic-party-needs-to-reconsider-itself/article_6bb5011f-6477-5cdb-b200


44 posted on 12/28/2014 7:56:44 AM PST by Atlantan
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To: Fightin Whitey

The top 25% of incomes pay 86% of all fed income tax.

For the rest of filers, it’s either a EITC bonus payment, or a minimal amount.

http://taxfoundation.org/article/summary-latest-federal-income-tax-data


45 posted on 12/28/2014 8:03:33 AM PST by nascarnation (Impeach, Convict, Deport)
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To: Menthops
Especially when he is nowhere to be found when Ted Cruz is fighting Obamacare and Amnesty.

Walker fighting ObamaCare, Amnesty would not be enough for you.

He could also take positions on Iran and Cuba and the likes of you would Say "What the hell, that lazy bastard never said a WORD while Ukraine was suffering".

You guys are a dime a dozen, and overpriced at that.

46 posted on 12/28/2014 8:10:28 AM PST by Balding_Eagle (The Gruber Revelations are proof that God is still smiling on America.)
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To: rellimpank

It is also important to realize that partisan division is *good*, because it gives scoundrels less maneuver room. Politicians are forced to voting for what they promised.

They are easier to “whip” in the legislature, so are more responsive to voters than lobbyists.

And, in the final analysis, when places are politically divided, the people get what they want, and its consequences. And this works far better for conservatives than it does for liberals.


47 posted on 12/28/2014 8:13:07 AM PST by yefragetuwrabrumuy ("Don't compare me to the almighty, compare me to the alternative." -Obama, 09-24-11)
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To: Menthops

I started to respond to your misguided post, but then I decided to look at your past posts. You hate Scott Walker as much as my socialist, teacher’s union neighbors.


48 posted on 12/28/2014 8:15:42 AM PST by Senator_Blutarski
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To: rellimpank

“There’s also evidence that voters are “sorting” into politically compatible places as they move around and make decisions about where to live (polls shows Republicans and Democrats have different neighborhood preferences).”

That’s the way to do it, keep the liberals corralled in the cities/ghetto, and kick their azz anytime they cross the city limit line.

The benefits of that are two-fold, it keeps them from voting to raise your local taxes, and it forces them to pay to support their own stupid ideas. Getting mugged by the ghetto leaches they mine for votes is an added bonus.

If a liberal escapes the city enclave drive them out of your neighborhood. Don’t just ignore them and let them take root! Make them very uncomfortable, butcher a deer in the tree in the front yard, ask their wife if she ever had sex with a goat. Do whatever it takes.


49 posted on 12/28/2014 8:22:59 AM PST by Beagle8U (If illegal aliens are undocumented immigrants, then shoplifters are undocumented customers.)
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To: rellimpank

As Obama would say,” We won so sit down and shut up.”


50 posted on 12/28/2014 9:06:00 AM PST by GilGil
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To: Steven Tyler

Exactly! They lost so SHAZAM!!!!!......”we’re polarized”!!!!


51 posted on 12/28/2014 9:08:06 AM PST by Cen-Tejas (it's the debt bomb stupid)
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To: winner3000
Of course: about halfway down they blame Walker's "divisive" first term.

They do note that Milwaukee has the most partisan population based on votes, but don't ask how many of those votes were ballots pre-filled out or stuffed into the ballot box by the criminals running the Democratic party.

There is no reference (of course) to the criminal attempts to shut down the legislature by left-wing mobs, the criminal absence of Democratic legislators to deny a quorum, or the criminal acts of a Democratic prosecutor's "investigation" of Walker donors.

In brief, typical lying MSM scum.

52 posted on 12/28/2014 11:20:22 AM PST by pierrem15 ("Massacrez-les, car le seigneur connait les siens")
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To: rellimpank; Hunton Peck; Diana in Wisconsin; P from Sheb; Shady; DonkeyBonker; Wisconsinlady; ...

Craig Gilbert, from deep in his own crevasse, comments on hardening “fault lines” in the Wisconsin political scene.

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


53 posted on 12/29/2014 9:23:34 AM PST by afraidfortherepublic
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To: afraidfortherepublic; All

“Wisconsin is even more polarized today than it was four years ago.”

Good! We fought HARD to take back our beautiful state from the ravages of Socialism. Eff em!

What is good in life? To defeat your enemies!

And believe me, in Wisconsin, the LUNATICS that reside in Dane and Milwaukee (and a few other assorted) counties ARE the enemies of Freedom!


54 posted on 12/29/2014 9:41:48 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set...)
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To: nascarnation

Get rid of LA and the Bay Area (the entire SF Bay Area) and California is a red state.


55 posted on 12/29/2014 4:21:01 PM PST by ought-six ( Multiculturalism is national suicide, and political correctness is the cyanide capsule.)
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To: ought-six

And about as likely as Salma Hayek ditching her billionaire husband and calling me for a date....


56 posted on 12/29/2014 4:23:25 PM PST by nascarnation (Impeach, Convict, Deport)
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To: nascarnation

I didn’t say it was likely. I just said if LA and the entire SF Bay Area were excised from the state, California would be red.

Would I like to see California broken up into three or more smaller states? Yes, I would, because the California conservatives (and they are not a small number, but smaller than the lefties) as it stands basically have no voice.


57 posted on 12/29/2014 4:32:55 PM PST by ought-six ( Multiculturalism is national suicide, and political correctness is the cyanide capsule.)
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To: ought-six

The sad part about Cali is that they export idiot liberals (like my niece) to states like Colorado, turning them blue.
But at the same time, Cali continues to get EVEN MORE liberal.

Cal + Ill + NYS = 104 electoral votes locked in for Dems without spending a dime. It’s a monster advantage.


58 posted on 12/29/2014 4:37:32 PM PST by nascarnation (Impeach, Convict, Deport)
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To: nascarnation

Yes, but out of the three, IL has the best chance of going red.


59 posted on 12/29/2014 5:19:19 PM PST by ought-six ( Multiculturalism is national suicide, and political correctness is the cyanide capsule.)
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