Important things in Wisconsin today

[quietmike]

Barrett conceded, so Walker is officially still in. There's one Senate recall to watch in Racine County. If Wanggaard wins, the Republicans hold control and the state can actually get something done. If not, it's a pissing match between the house and senate and nobody gets anywhere.

A deadlocked government is usually a good thing.

[Triton]

Again:

http://www.epi.org/publication/are_w...r-compensated/



http://www.epi.org/publication/are_w...r-compensated/

I'm afraid your numbers just don't add up which is why I noted this:

Public employees earn more than their private-sector counterparts. This is true from Washington on down. Federal employees earn an average of $120,000 in pay and benefits, double the private sector average. The disparity is less at the state level, but in Wisconsin the average full-time state employee earns over $70,000 in pay and benefits, about $15,000 more than the average private-sector employee.

As it turns out it appears that the people of Wisconsin agree with me not you. It seems that they are tired of paying inflated prices for union labor and that they thing that Walker's reforms are actually doing them some good.

[Triton]

Humanevents.com is reporting 56-44.

The number is important but even more importantly the difference is LARGER then it was last time these two met. This may mean one of several things:

1) People like what Walker is doing - Bad news for the obama
2) Republicans are energized and democrats aren't. - Good news for Romney too if true.
3) Unions continue to lose support - Good news for Romney

[t1mpani]

According to local news in Racine, at least by early voting results, not one of the senators was successfully ousted. Won't know for sure for awhile, though.

[Triton]

According to local news in Racine, at least by early voting results, not one of the senators was successfully ousted. Won't know for sure for awhile, though.

That's good news if true hopefully it will hold up.

[quietmike]

The interview of the night has to be with this putz. I wonder if he cried when Owebama spent over a billion?

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/weep...-of-democracy/

[Bronco]

In addition, the unions...wouldn’t be able to collect dues from members without permission...

This is upsetting to progressives? This is a bad thing?

[t1mpani]

Alas, Wanggaard fell at the end. The Democrats have captured the WI senate by one seat...until November, and there are no senate meetings scheduled until January. Oh well, I'd have dearly loved a clean-sweep shut out (mainly because I know for a fact that this will give Chris Wallace a talking point to focus on for his entire time on air and I really prefer his little sad face that was so prominently displayed during the aftermath of the 2010 elections) but all in all, I call this night a win.

Edit: I meant Chris Matthews, Chris Wallace was the last guy I saw in a bunch of channel flipping.

[timcsaw]

Update. With 60% of the precincts reporting, the Washington Post had Walker up 57-42%, yet the headline is still "Walker SURVIVES recall". Funny how words work, no? I'm waiting for the headline that says "Unions take it up the rectum in Wisconsin......humiliation on a scale rarely seen......film at 11"

RE. The "Walker SURVIVES recall" headline... This was written yesterday;

As I write this it is only hours before the polls in Wisconsin open to take votes for the Walker recall effort. Polling data says that Walker will likely win this election, though the media spin this as a “close” thing. Whether Walker will win or not I won’t guess on the eve of voting day, but one thing I can say for a fact is that if Walker does win this election the media will claim that the election is meaningless as to any greater import to the 2012 election cycle.

That’s right, if Scott Walker retains his governorship, the media will suddenly find that this recall election really doesn’t mean a thing.

Now, this is a far different narrative as we stand pre-election day. The media has been calling this election an important bellwether for unionism. They have said that this election has excited unions and driven them to the streets in an important show of unanimity.

The election has also been called a trial run for the November presidential election one that might act as a guidepost of what will happen with Obama vs. Romney.

But all that speculation will utterly disappear if Walker wins his recall election.

[timcsaw]

Alas, Wanggaard fell at the end. The Democrats have captured the WI senate by one seat...until November, and there are no senate meetings scheduled until January. Oh well, I'd have dearly loved a clean-sweep shut out (mainly because I know for a fact that this will give Chris Wallace a talking point to focus on for his entire time on air and I really prefer his little sad face that was so prominently displayed during the aftermath of the 2010 elections) but all in all, I call this night a win.

But the good news is.... Walker has already implemented that which was necessary to get the state back on track and rein in the Unions. If the state now goes into gridlock, at least those initiative are already in place and will hopefully continue to improve the State.

For a second there, I almost thought I "felt a tingle go up my leg."

[Triton]

This is upsetting to progressives? This is a bad thing?

Very upsetting to liberals. I heard a news story this morning about one union in Wisconsin that has discovered that its membership has dropped by 50% once that membership became voluntary. It looks like half the people in the union didn't want to be in it.

[timcsaw]

Very upsetting to liberals. I heard a news story this morning about one union in Wisconsin that has discovered that its membership has dropped by 50% once that membership became voluntary. It looks like half the people in the union didn't want to be in it.

Voluntary union membership = freedom = 50% less membership = 50% less union dues into the union coffers = 50% less "donations" to the Democrats.

What's not to like?

[Bronco]

Public unions cost the taxpayers a lot of dimes.

Not really. Consider the consequences of low wages equals lower quality or incompetent employees.

That could cost a lot more dimes in the long run.

Indeed, the unions could SAVE dimes and dollars.

I gotta say, BG, we may be reaching out to one another across something of an idealogical divide, but nevertheless, I have to give you high marks for creativity. This is the first time in my life I've heard the argument made that public sector unions are essential to preserving the high levels of professional competency that exist within the ranks of the DMV and school administration offices. Kudos.

[bulgron]

Last night was a good night in Wisconsin. With California once again running a $16 billion deficit (or is it $18 billion? so hard to keep track), and every day bringing with it less and less services from government, I wonder what it will take to kick the public service unions to the curb in this state.

But not to worry, Progressives. It's never going to happen. Not in my lifetime, anyway.

Wisconsin took a long step towards healing its economy last night. It's future looks bright.

California? California is Greece.

I wonder if it's possible under the Constitution for a territory to lose its statehood on the grounds that the people there are too incompetent to manage it. The idea of a direct federal takeover of California has, at this point, a certain appeal to it.

[jdm61]

That appears to be how they are spinning it. You are still hard pressed to find any mention of the margin of victory in the articles on line this morning. "Close election decided by a blizzard of outside money" seems to be the common thread. Of course, one source was forced to admit that Walker raised more money IN STATE than his opponent by a margin of 8 to 1, yet only outspent him by about 3 to 1. So tell me once again who got more help from outside "carpetbaggers?"

RE. The "Walker SURVIVES recall" headline... This was written yesterday;

[BG42EDGE]

I wonder if it's possible under the Constitution for a territory to lose its statehood on the grounds that the people there are too incompetent to manage it.

You mean.......like Texas?

They're even more in trouble and incompetent than California.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/01/19/news...icit/index.htm

[jdm61]

Really? Where do you get this information? Texas has actually been creating thousands of evil oil and gas industry jobs over the last few years. Texas also did not suffer the same kind of collapse in its real estate market that California did. The government of the State of Texas is not teetering on the edge of default last time that I checked. Oh and Texas manages to do all of these things WITHOUT an individual state income tax.

You mean.......like Texas?

They're even more in trouble and incompetent than California.

[Bronco]

You mean.......like Texas?

They're even more in trouble and incompetent than California.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/01/19/news...icit/index.htm

The $10B that Texas has in the bank argues otherwise.

[BG42EDGE]

Really? Where do you get this information? Texas has actually been creating thousands of evil oil and gas industry jobs over the last few years. Texas also did not suffer the same kind of collapse in its real estate market that California did. The government of the State of Texas is not teetering on the edge of default last time that I checked. Oh and Texas manages to do all of these things WITHOUT an individual state income tax.

Yes, even with their oil and gas benefits......they're still broke.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/01/19/news...icit/index.htm

[BG42EDGE]

The $10B that Texas has in the bank argues otherwise.

Lacking as much as $27 Billion on a $93 Billion budget trumps that argument.