I'm guessing that after losing the recall, WI Dems took the necessary steps to ensure that such a loss would not occur again - be it mobilizing the vote or whatever.

Furthermore, President Obama's curious absence during the recall election likely did not help recall efforts. Of course, and predictably, there was no such absence during his own election.

patchreader, some folks I spoke to about this didn't understand what the recall was about so didn't participate. I interpret ignorance and inaction to be decisions in their way as much as a direct step.

I think the Obama administration has/had to pick its battles. Taking on the Wisconsin recall effort wasn't what it appeared at face value (though that was reason enough), removing a GOP governor who had thoroughly misrepresented himself in order to win election ("I will negotiate with public employee unions," "250,000 new jobs in my first term," etc.). It would have been a direct challenge to ALEC and the corporations/billionaires who support it. That's not a situation that can be fixed in the short term.

If Walker had lost the recall, yes we would have had a qualified new governor in Tom Barrett. But there are other Republican representatives who belong to ALEC. The greed virus would continue to fester.

Bren writes...
-- "patchreader, some folks I spoke to about this didn't understand what the recall was about so didn't participate." You run around a bright crowd. Just another weak and flimsy excuse.

...removing a GOP governor who had thoroughly misrepresented himself in order to win election" Um, are you referring to Obama or Baldwin? Both?

-- "If Walker had lost the recall, yes we would have had a qualified new governor in Tom Barrett." Qualified to do what? What has he done for the city of Milwaukee?

--"But there are other Republican representatives who belong to ALEC. The greed virus would continue to fester." I guess Obama has no greed virus? BTW, who won dinner with Michelle?

Ima, #1. I talk to a lot of people, not necessarily "my crowd." Incidentally, "my crowd" all voted.

#2. Neither Obama or Baldwin ran for Wisconsin governor.

#3. Tom Barrett has done a lot for city development, fighting crime, etc. Also national experience in Congress. He has his J.D. and also majored in economics (if memory serves). So our state would definitely have had an experienced, well-qualified candidate in electing Tom Barrett.

#4. Compared to multinational corporations that exploit foreign workers, Obama's "greed" is minuscule. I have no idea who won "dinner with Michelle," whatever that is.

Walker wouldn't win again.

Bren:

Did Walker truly misrepresent himself, or are you just misrepresenting his positions? Are you really claiming that his statement about adding 250k jobs in his first term was a valid reason to attempt to recall him after only 1 year in office? You seem to be forgetting that Walker was told (before he even took office, and in no uncertain terms) that the unions would never negotiate with Walker. How can you honestly say that it was Walker's fault (to the point of a recall) for not negotiating with the unions?

And let's not forget that those representatives that the unions relied on were not at the bargaining table, all 14 were vacationing in a water park in Illinois

Bren:

I understand your point; however, your purported end result appears misguided. President Obama is a shrewd politician. He weighed the odds that supporting a gubernatorial candidate who had already lost the previous election would likely do him (i.e., Obama) more harm than good; the chances were too great that Barrett would lose again. This could only harm Obama in his run for re-election.

Same thing applies to Obama’s absence of support during the Chicago teacher’s strike, especially in view of the fact that his Democratic ally and friend Rahm Emanuel was leading the charge against the teacher’s union. Quite the choice: side with the union and betray your ally and former White House Chief of Staff; or side with your ally and undermine your support received from organized labor (and God-forbid, jeopardizing Ohio and Michigan union backed support).

I guess we’ll just have to see if Obama’s sacrifice of the teachers in Wisconsin (and to a certain extent Illinois) is truly justified in view of the bigger goal of slaying the ALEC dragon, as you purport. However, I wouldn’t hold my breath. The only way slay the ALEC dragon is through substantive campaign finance and lobbying reform, and Obama has been feeding off of the same campaign finance injustices as every other politician in this country (both Democratic and Republican alike). Of course, after initially resisting super-Pac support, post Citizen’s United, president Obama reversed direction and embraced it - all to win re-election, and likely without any campaign finance legislative goals in mind.

You state that slaying the ALEC dragon is “not a situation that can be fixed in the short term.” I reply that it is not a situation likely to be fixed at all, by President Obama or anyone else who is either a Republican or Democrat. Thus, your ALEC justification appears to ring hollow.

oops, did it again.

Citizens United, if it really matters.

I don't see it as a betrayal. As I responded to patchreader above, the recall was the iceberg tip of an insidious problem, unwinnable in the short term.

If I were an ALEC strategist I'd take the Obama win in Wisconsin as a sign that, despite the state GOP's legislative majority, our state isn't in the mood for crap. I'd look for an easier target. My hope is that Scott Walker stays on his current course of near-absenteeism, the legislature does little but collect their generous taxpayer-funded salaries and benefits, and we can get a qualified governor in place in the next election. I ask a lot. ; )

Bren, Seriously? That is your thought process on getting your self-described qualified governor? We had too many years of Doyle's tax and spend that got us into the fiscal mess we were in and you think that going back to that is the right thing to do? Had it not been for the RINO vote we would have had some great paying coal jobs in this state but I am sure you would rather have no jobs at all. So, you seem to know so much about the financial workings of a state government. Please tell me how Act 10 hurt the current budgets of cities in WI. I don't want to hear anything about how it was trying to bust unions because you and I both know that the public unions were making a killing with retirement and insurance plans - that has been well documented.

Oh Charlie Brown, you're probably an old dude that still reads chain emails.

Do you really believe that garbage? Do you really think that if people don't agree with you, they must have no reason for it? What a sad, stupid little person you must be. I'd be sad for you, but the shadenfreude of watching you twist in the wind over the RESOUNDING defeat liberals dealt to your ideology this election cycle is too delicious. Enjoy living a life completely obscured by the haze of ignorance and unreasonable hate.

Seems Obama hid a lot of surprise news prior to the election. And he has not been held accountable for the people suffering from Hurricane Sandy...imagine if that same scenario occurred with a Republican presidential incumbent a week before an election? Obama was out campaigning with Springsteen and a famous rapper. Yet Bush was endlessly blamed for Katrina? Big time cover-ups going on with an accomplice mainstream media. Plus David Letterman, et al.

Hey Bob Urell - not so fast. Many state and local governments had solid Republican victories, as did Walker last summer. It was reported today that even though the electoral college looks wonderful for Obama, it was a relatively small margin that took Obama over the top in those states (that is without considering the voting fraud). Yes, Obama won, but not as gloriously as you declare. Romney did not have the 24/7 mainstream media and pop-culture shows campaigning for him, either.

President Obama won the election and I thank God for that. We will have the Affordable Care Act. We will have regulations that protect us and keep corporations honest. We will see the wealthiest pay more taxes and if justice had been done Scott Walker would have been history for his Koch sponsored union attack.

Veryvila - You can't thank God on this site, Lyle will have a fit.

@Annie Nominous...So Annie, what's your point?

That's a lot of right wing whine there Annie.

Low information people like you believe your spins and lies and what did it earn you
?

Another who has swallowed this month's talking points hook, line, and sinker. How many more times will we have to read these same tired talking points from how many more low information folks before they are switched out for some new ones?

Lyle, Veryvila, Rose Daniel, and Bren - interesting that none of you refute any of my specific points. You just attack me. Obama is your man, so defend him instead of attacking me.

Annie, you really must find more reliable news sources, breitbart, lush, icky and FOX do not report news, they are considered ENTERTAINMENT for you mentally challenge teabillies.

How many times must teabillies be shown that what they believe are lies? No matter how many times a lie is told, it's still a LIE.

All you have to do is look at the profile. It's a one-click effort.

Patriot ... and don't forget the 15% gas tax increase that Walker is rumored to impose on you that will cost you a nickel more on a gallon of gas. Go Walkinshitz Go !

Yes, the mining bill that attempted to redefine geological terminology to include potentially hazardous additives within the broad definition.

Hopefully the state GOP is on notice that they have an extremely well informed, vocal, and mobilized opposition to any new b.s. they might try to throw down.

and from what states is the gov going to bring all the miners in from ? There is no Repugs in this state that are going to work period much less in to a mine to do mannual labor.

Walker went from the " Rock Star " to the " Flop Star ". I think more and more people are seeing right thru this clown In two years I think he's gone. Hopefully behind bars. He has exposed every back room political criminal there is including himself. Looks like Heendricks is going to have to find her another be otch.

I don't doubt this, but then again it raises the issue of why we have such a ridiculous, time and money wasting process in place in this state, if apparently even those who don't support the candidate also, apparently, don't support throwing him out of office before the completion of his 4 year term simply because some don't like his policies.]

We need to revisit the whole recall issue again - soon.

I think that people believe the recall is too "easy" to initiate. And that everybody and their uncle will try to recall anyone that they disagree with. But having been involved, I very strongly believe they are wrong. It is VERY VERY difficult to collect the necessary signatures. And they fact they did indicated a very passionate anti-Walker sentiment. This time it wasn't quite enough. But I promise you, you could never trigger a recall on a whim. Despite that fear. WI already has one of the more rigorous thresholds for recall. Do we really want to neuter our ability to hold our elected officials accountable completely?

If it has the potential to cause the kinds of problems we had here over that period time then, yes, we need to do it.

Hard or not (and I sincerely question how "hard" that truly was, but that's another argument), the effort was unsuccessful because people didn't see it as being the proper thing to do, despite all the doom and gloom and outright hyperbole everyone in this state was exposed to, ad-infinitum, by its proponents.

We have to weigh out the costs and benefits of actions such as this. The costs were many. The benefits were, frankly, none.

The protests and the recall effort brought international attention to the multi-state ALEC agenda and that was a very good thing. I believe that focus also helped guide a number of major corporations away from this radical group after several deaths attributed to ALEC Stand Your Ground-type legislation passed in several states. Special interests are ruining our democratic process and quality of life in this country. Voter ignorance is exacerbating the problem.

WPN1488, I really feel sorry for you. Your bigotry and hate are going to consume you and make your life miserable because the USA will never go back to the days of "separation" as you call it. And by the way, the majority of whites have become "racially aware" and have started to "wake up", which is why President Obama won. They understand that America is a multicultural society and has been for many years. You are the one who needs to wake up. By the way, I'm a 68 yr. old white guy, former military officer, business executive and Independent voter --- just in case you're wondering.

Man, get your facts straight. 3 percent of blacks voted for Romney. 45 percent of whites voted for Obama.
Oops, guess that doesn't help at all.

We white people voted for President Obama because he represents what is best for this country. President Obama stands for the middle class and working people. We want the Affordable Care Act to cover and protect more Americans with health care. We want the kamikaze republicans against all tax increases to agree to revenue so the country can continue to recover. We can not allow the GOP to ruin Medicare and Social Security. When the only thing the GOP stands for in being the one percent and protecting the one percent that do not represent most of the country. It is time the wealthy pay more taxes and don't get any more tax cuts ad nauseum.

I applaude you Larry, thank you for serving our country as a military officer, I salute you ! As for WPN1488 I hope you never need a blood transfusion, It may be black blood that saves your sorry ignorant ass.

Keep dreaming...and believing your hipe. You people have sought your own for centuries. You lose why can't you accept that. The racial hatred from white people towards this president is beyond the pale. Somehow you believe all US Presidents must be white. No. Once the american electorate voted for an african american for president, my goodness, how the closet racist came out in droves.

Separation..I suggest you take a time machine back to Alabama 1966..I assume that post was a joke.

Veryvile wrote: "...President Obama stands for the middle class and working people..."
Vey, how do you define "middle class"? Is it a group of people that hands control to the government to determine what is best for them? Is it the group of people that want to equalize success because it isn't fair that their neighbor owns a jetski and they don't? Is it the group of people that expect to be taken care of regardless of how much or how little they contribute to society? Then yes, B.O. is for the middle class.

Veryvile also wrote: "...We want the Affordable Care Act to cover and protect more Americans with health care..."
We all want people to be able to have access to and afford health care. But B.O.Care has put the burden of paying for that onto the real middle class. My health care has gone up almost $2,000 since B.O.Care was passed, will go up another $1,000 next year, and another $800 (projected) in 2014. And yes, all of it due to B.O.Care. B.O.Care did NOTHING to solve the health care issue!

continued:
Veryvile also wrote: "...We want the kamikaze republicans against all tax increases to agree to revenue so the country can continue to recover..."
Supply side economics is simple Very, the more money you pull from private sector pockets, rich or poor, the less you have to move the economy. How about instead of taxing we cut waste. We spent less money under Bush43 and that was with 2 wars going on!

Veryvile also wrote: "...We can not allow the GOP to ruin Medicare and Social Security..."
Medicare and Social Security are already ruined. We need to make some major changes. Leaders like Paul Ryan have brought forward solutions for starting talks, but the Liberals just cover their ears and start babbling incoherently. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIrltAkTf38

Veryvile also wrote: "...When the only thing the GOP stands for in being the one percent and protecting the one percent that do not represent most of the country....
You have no clue what you are talking about. My boss has made the comment that there is no way he would start his business today. Too many regulations, too many agencies to deal with and too much money going to the feds.

Veryvile finally wrote: "...It is time the wealthy pay more taxes and don't get any more tax cuts ad nauseum..."
And again, that much less money to stimulate the economy.

Very, the Liberals just want to keep taking more money from the rich. In 2008, when B.O. first ran for office, he promised to cut the deficit in half by 2012. The deficit that year was 458,553 Billion. Today it is 1.326 Trillion, triple 2008, not half. And we've been borrowing that much from day 1 of B.O.'s administration.

WHY THE HELL ARE SPENDING SO DAMN MUCH!!!

Macroeconomics is hard, but small business owners and venture capitalists don't expand or start-up new businesses in order to create middle class jobs with full benefits. Elections have consequences; too many to list here. For a list of businesses that have announced layoffs since the election due to the certainty of higher costs:

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/how-many-businesses-have-announced-closings-or-lay-offs-since-obama-won-a-second-term/

Don't even dare to quote the Blaze, the mouth organ of the mentally defective Glen Beck.

Talk about Pot meets Kettle.

Mist ... The Scare Crow got the last avalible brain, I think Walker's out of luck.

I agree with Bucky, Walker doesn't have the educational background, work experience or intellectual heft for the job he is being well paid with taxpayer dollars to do. Since his benefactors, and the ones who write his to-do list are not of the mindset to compromise there will be none. It is they, not Walker, who need to be convinced that continuing the overstep meme, at least, will result in a lot more unwelcome focus on them.

Hmm, and yet the one term senator with no real world experience who published nothing besides his autobiography is well qualified to be leader of the free world – go figure.

Republicans should agree to compromise. They need to throw off the straight jacket of Grover Norquiest and do what is best for this country for a change. We want solutions and the business community wants solutions. This is a republican made crisis that was absolutely unnecessary.

Bill Kristol is showing more wisdom than any of the leaders in Congress. That applies especially to McConnell who was extremely anti-American with his agenda against President Obama. Now that McConnell has been unable to ruin the country and get rid of President Obama he will either work for the good of the country, or more people are going to realize that these republicans are the one percent for the one percent. They will see that republicans have the same goals as Grover Norquist and they are not good for middle class America.

Republicans doing what is best for the country? I don't think that has happened since Eisenhower!!!!

Some people need to just admit they are racists'...like Donald Trump becoming a crazy because a black man is President and he can't get 10% of the vote....

Your post Adam would read better in the original German.

America just past on electing a real liar, someone who, along with his VP pick, lied their asses off.

Actually Keith, only one of us can trace his roots to the Rhine area of Western Germany.

Schmitzy, I don't understand the post. What is the reference to Germany for? Are you trying to equate the party of less government and more freedom with Nazi Germany. Boy are you barking up the wrong tree.

Maybe you should take Hoffa's 50 bucks and enroll in a Political Science class so you understand the difference between Republican/ Conservative, Democrat/Liberal, Socialist/Communist and National Socialism.

Keith - Why is Keith allowed to submit comments?

They were under the rule of republicans in California if you recall. They recalled Gray Davis and put in Arnold Schwarzenegger. Republicans are much more likely to harm a state with policies of privatization, defunding public schools and public colleges and kowtowing to the republican governors association with policies for the elite.

I would bet that you would never have said that to Atilla the Hun.

And Waukesha would elect a Teabagger eventhough they want to privatize Social Security and make seniors pay $5,000 more a year in healthcare(while giving more to oil companies and the rich).

No one here in WI including the wana be VP and Walkinshitz.

; )

And Romney was going to create jobs like he did at Bain? Bain just destroyed companies(see KB Toys), and lessened peoples wages/benefits....who wanted that???

If Bain was involved with a company, it was likely already on a path to failure. Bain wasn't in the business of destroying companies, they made their money from saving companies...

Muse - you need to think bigger picture. Obama has been repeatedly failing for four years. What makes you think he woke up on Nov. 7 with any new ideas about how to fix his mess? And I do mean HIS mess - we're not going to let him get away with blaming George Bush forever.

Mark, settle down on the Romney would have killed this country through the slow agonizing death of an unleashed Wall Street. What was a major destroyer of the market that caused the meltdown? The easing of banking regulations for affordable housing. Those loans were then bundled into junk bonds and sold. Who or what did that? The US Government in the form of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. You can spin this anyway that you want but the House and Senate had the opportunity to put a stop to it and did nothing but put pressure on banks to make bad loans. So, though there are many in that field that took complete advantage of the situation let's put the blame where it belongs. It's like you are cussing out the lady at the ticket counter because the plane has been delayed.

don't worry he's gone !

As long as the Left defines 'misogyny' as 'not wanting to pay for birth control', or 'xenophobia' as 'not wanting illegal immigration', I don't think that the 'attitudes' of the national party is going to change (or become obsolete) anytime soon.

Where is the conflict between 'working for the average Wisconsinite' and 'limiting collective bargaining for public unions'?

But we are not moving forward, progressing, and compromising, and that is the problem and it will never happen as long as Walker is in office.

Who was the average Wisconsinite and who is the average Wisconsinite now ?

Those portions that were overturned were not because the Act 10 was illegal. Those portions were overturned...get this...because those portions were not fair to non-union workers.