TODAY – Recall Election Day!
TODAY – Recall Election Day!
Early this morning, Scott Bauer with colleagues input from Todd Richmond in Fitchburg, Dinesh Ramde in Racine and Brian Bakst in Janesville filed the Associated Press report which has been published by news sources throughout WI and the USA, “Wisconsin holds recall more than a year in making.” Another title used on this article is, “Wisconsin recall battle finally goes to voters.” FINALLY, TODAY - June 5, 2012!
WE THE PEOPLE of WI are well aware of the fact that TODAY is our Recall Election Day – aren’t we? Did YOU vote absentee? IF NOT, will YOU vote today?
TODAY is historic as noted by the AP article, “Walker is only the third governor in U.S. history to face a recall vote. The other two lost, most recently California Gov. Gray Davis in 2003. Wisconsin's recall election is a rematch of the 2010 governor's race in which Walker defeated Barrett by 5 percentage points.”
The article cites comments by several WI voters:
“Retired teacher Jan Stebbins cast her ballot early for Barrett, just as she did two years ago. She said she's been offended by Walker, not by what he's done but ‘how he's done it.’
“Stebbins can't stand the division that's emerged in the past two years.
“By Wednesday morning, she hopes the state ‘gets back to a little bit more unity,’ she said. ‘I don't know what will happen.’
“Todd Schober, a financial planner from Racine, voted for Walker in 2010 and plans to do so again on Tuesday.
"’When is this going to end?’ he asked after shaking his head and sighing. ‘I'm just going to be so glad when it's all over.’
Janesville citations, “In the working-class city of Janesville, signs on both sides of the election were scattered across the community, some just a few feet apart.
“Retired businessman Dave Flury plans to support Walker. And he's worried about what will happen if Barrett wins.
“’If Walker loses, shouldn't Republicans turn right around and recall Barrett?’ Flury asked.
“For months, voters have been inundated with telephone calls, campaign mail and television advertising. Barrett supporter John Oehrke is ready for all of it to end.
"’It doesn't really matter who wins I guess,’ Oehrke said. ‘It's all crazy.’” Is it all crazy? What do YOU think?
In the midst of this contentious RECALL ELECTION there has been a mailer which has generated state-wide criticism. Many WI voters were SHOCKED to learn that there is a PUBLIC RECORD of voting! Yes, whether a citizen votes is a public record, but NOT the content.
In response to the state-wide concerns, our WI Government Accountability Board (G.A.B.) issued a press release which included a statement by its Director and General Counsel, Kevin J. Kennedy, clarifying our WI STATE LAW and the ways in which groups use the lists. If you want to read the press release, use this link, “G.A.B. Statement Regarding Greater Wisconsin Mailer.”
Considering the significance of today’s RECALL ELECTION, one gains more valuable data with analysis from Craig Gilbert in his Wisconsin Voter article published by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “The big recall question: How will Tuesday's electorate compare to 2010?”
Gilbert reminds us, “Every election boils down to two things: what voters think, and which voters vote.” His analysis reviews the various groups of voters, e.g., union households, youth vote (voters under 30), base vs. base (Dems vs. Reps), independents.
Gilbert notes the significance of the size of the vote today, “The size of the recall vote. Tuesday’s turnout is generally expected to be higher than the 2010 race for governor (50% of voting-age adults) but lower than the 2008 presidential election (69%).”
Putting Gilbert’s report on size of recall vote, I would cite the official RECALL ELECTION vote projection by our G.A.B. posted on May 29, 2912, “Voter Turnout Estimated at 60 to 65 percent for June 5 Recall Election.”
The GAB report provided historical information stating, “Historically, the highest voter turnout in a November gubernatorial election in the last 50 years was 52.4 percent in 1962. The highest turnout in the past decade was 50.9 percent in 2006. Wisconsin’s 2011 voting age population is 4,352,762 people. Statistics on past voter turnout and current voter registration are available at…”
The official report posted on May 29, 2012, invites readers to check the historical data of voting in WI using this link, “Elections & Voting Statistics.”
If you would like to consider the national context of our WI RECALL ELECTION today, I suggest Dan Balz’s OpEd column based on a recent Pew Research Center report, “Politics is the great divider in United States."
I think the title and promo for this column used by the Washington Post on its homepage is telling, “More than race and class, politics is the great divider: Pew finds most divisions based on political identity.”
Balz tells us that we really do KNOW what the Pew report tells us, “It hardly took another study for people to know that political polarization in this country is deeply embedded. Still, a report issued Monday by the Pew Research Center paints a particularly stark portrait of a nation in which the most significant divisions are no longer based on race, class or sex but on political identity.”
I was interested in the valuable historical perspective Balz cites, “Twenty-five years ago, the gap between Republicans and Democrats on how they assessed the scope and performance of government was six percentage points. Today it is 33 points. On support for the social safety net, what once was a 21-point gap is now 41 points. On environmental issues, the gap has ballooned from five points to 39 points.”
I was surprised to read, “The changes the report cites have taken place at a time when the percentage of Americans who describe themselves as politically independent has risen sharply. Citing data from the Gallup organization, the Pew study states that it is probably safe to say that there are more independents than at any time in the past 75 years.”
Balz closes the OpEd column asserting, “Americans may bemoan partisan gridlock in Washington, but they need only look at the report to understand the root of the problem. Polarization in Washington is not just politicians behaving badly. It reflects what is happening around the country. Partisanship has grown dramatically and shows no sign of abating in the near future.”
I agree with Balz. Do YOU?
If you need RECALL ELECTION INFORMATION, you can access the Janesville Gazette’s special ELECTION section with valuable voter information, including maps for voting and a sample RECALL ELECTION ballot, etc. You can use this link, “Election” special section of The Janesville Gazette.
I hope we KNOW the results of our WI RECALL ELECTION today tonight. If the vote is very, very close, we may not know tonight… or even for days… ABSENTEE BALLOTS do not have to be mailed until TODAY with Friday being the deadline to be received by clerks. If the margin is very close, those mailed in ABSENTEE BALLOTS could be determinative in the election results. And then, there may well be a RE-COUNT ahead. Time will tell…
Here we go…
Mr. E.
John Eyster lives in the Edgerton area. He is an adjunct professor of political science at UW-Waukesha and an advocate for democracy/civics education in Wisconsin high schools. John is a community blogger and is not a part of The Gazette staff. His opinion is not necessarily that of the The Gazette staff or management.
Jun 6, 2012 at 10:52 a.m.
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The recall election was a waste of time and money. A small portion who did not like the policies of the incumbent governor believed that rather than allow a duly elected governor serve his term- but rather than allow the term to be fulfilled-the losers sought to recall the election.
The great people of wisconsin have spoken AGAIN and reject these petulant, petty, attempts to undue what the majority wish. The diffused interests in wisconsin beat the concentrated interests. The silent majority wins again.
The analogy on a Federal level would be impeaching Obama because people don't like Obamacare. The standard for recall should be very high. It should be used for malfeasance in office, not to be employed for simple disagreement with an elected official’s policy choice.
Jun 6, 2012 at 12:50 a.m.
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As I pointed out last week the Intrade markets told you all you needed to know. That it was pretty much a SHOE IN-LOCK, for Walker to win, and win EASY. When he was at $9.60 a share last week, I was laughing at anyone who thought it would be remotely close. The Walker pollsters, and insiders, no doubt made a BOAT LOAD on the foreign exchange! Even if you were a Barrett pollster-insider, one would sure hope you at least cashed in, betting Walker on the exchanges, with the data you had.
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Here is my tribute song to JWE, and all the fanatics, who made it their life mission to take down walker.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OMZWXgpP...
Jun 5, 2012 at 10:22 p.m.
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We've elected Governor SCOTT WALKER TWICE NOW, the second time by an even LARGER MARGIN. With the union hands FORCED out of the teacher's cookie jar, the REPUBLICANS have a GREAT CHANCE to enact further REFORMS to repair the damages done during the DIAMOND JIM doyle years.
Here we go… FORWARD!
Jun 5, 2012 at 9:51 p.m.
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*Have you ever tried intelligence in your conversation and won your point of view?*
That's pretty rich from a internet sock puppet who can't spell. Maybe you're just drunk off the beer you're also crying into since the libs got their buttocks handed to them on all fronts today. The party starts tonight, rolls on through the month when the Supremes trash Obamacare, and finishes up in November when Romney trounces Obama.
Learn it, live it, love it!
Jun 5, 2012 at 9:29 p.m.
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Walker WON WhaT Do yOu think!!!!!!!!
Jun 5, 2012 at 9:14 p.m.
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Feduptaxpayer
Jun 5, 2012 at 8:57 p.m.
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NBC PROJECTS WALKER WINS.
SO HAS ABC AND FOX !!.......
Jun 5, 2012 at 9:01 p.m.
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Nite nite eye man
Jun 5, 2012 at 7:53 p.m.
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The reason we do not need Eyster and his biased viewpoint and why we need Governor Scott Walker!
"Public-sector collective bargaining is an inherently corrupt process. Unions spend their members' dues to help elect the politicians who sit on the other side of the bargaining table. Thus, the very officeholders who are supposed to be representing the interests of the taxpayer are often beholden to their putative adversaries, whom they assist in looting the public treasury."
Jun 5, 2012 at 7:39 p.m.
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They’re Cutting Property Taxes In Wisconsin (April 16, 2012): Today Governor Walker announced that statewide property taxes for the typical homeowner have gone down for the first time in 12 years. The tax bill for the median value home is $39 per homeowner lower than originally estimated by the Legislative Fiscal Bureau when the 2011-2013 budget was passed.
Since 1998, property taxes paid by homeowners have risen 43 percent. This year property taxes paid by the typical homeowner went down 4 percent. Without the Governor’s reforms the average homeowner would have paid an additional $700 over the biennium.
When you try to do this, you get recalled. Not that Walker is likely to lose the recall. He’s going to win, and the unions will have spent a big pile of money on not a lot of success.
But states – who have to balance their budgets – that can cut taxes are states which are doing a lot better job of managing their money. Walker is an example of somebody who has a clue. He was willing to deal harshly with the unions and pay the price they’d exact on him politically in an effort to properly manage that money.
Walker needs to be held up as the standard. We should keep him in mind as we watch the Louisiana legislature’s efforts to resolve an $800 million (or larger) budget deficit or enact pension reform.
Jun 5, 2012 at 7:32 p.m.
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Ted - look, it is obvious to me and others that you have some serious “issues” that you are dealing with. I don't want to add to your illness so I will not respond beyond this last comment. Best wishes for you getting some effective help - and soon.
Jun 5, 2012 at 3:20 p.m.
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"no" = "TedKennedy"? Sound a lot alike, with their hatred for people who disagree with their hiper right-wing rhetoric. Many of us can think of some analogies for your points of view also. Have you ever tried intelligence in your conversation and won your point of view?
Jun 5, 2012 at 2:29 p.m.
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*Perhaps a pic of himself standing next to Mao Sa Tung or Stalin or maybe both.*
Eyster has to have a photo of himself standing outside of Lenin's Tomb. I'd put good money on it.
Jun 5, 2012 at 2:17 p.m.
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I couldn't tell you, I'm not a liberal.
Jun 5, 2012 at 2:13 p.m.
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Funny, the "opportunity room" sounds more of a productive place than the "rubber rooms" that liberals seem to love.
Jun 5, 2012 at 1:33 p.m.
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Oh that futp is a true intellitual. I'll bet that she does all of the cypherin at her house.
Jun 5, 2012 at 1:32 p.m.
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Shrek said, "It is funny that you talk about people caring about ancestors and descendents."
Respectfully, that's not what I said, Shrek. I never mentioned people caring about their ancestors and descendants. I mentioned people ONLY thinking about themselves and not caring about their ancestors and descendants. When Feduptaxpayer said, "who really cares what has happened historically" and "all that matters is what happens today" and you transform that from a time domain into a familial domain, it's saying "all that matters is me, not my ancestors or my descendants." If you want to comment on my words, please feel free. But your previous comment addressed the words you put in my mouth and not my words.
Jun 5, 2012 at 1:30 p.m.
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Poobah, you are dealing with some special minds there. They have their little fantasies in their little minds. One of them even thinks that he is saving the world for future generations by being a Walker supporter. When I was in elementary and middle school they would have been in what was called "the opportunity room".
Jun 5, 2012 at 1:25 p.m.
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Feduptaxpayer said, "Poobah is a intellitual wannabe. But is failing miserably."
Intellitual. Need I say anything more?
Jun 5, 2012 at 1:06 p.m.
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Poo,
It is funny that you talk about people caring about ancestors and descendents. From my perspective, I see the public union members as very uncaring when it comes to their descendents. They are looking to keep what they view as theirs even though it will cripple their children financially. The selfishness in this case is not the left side. Those of us that study the issues, understand the economic realities and truly care about our children are trying to correct the problems, all while we have to listen to a bunch of selfish public servants whine about giving up a small percentage of their salaries to fund their extravagent benefits.
Jun 5, 2012 at 12:56 p.m.
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donnaw, it's a reflection on your intellect, not mine, that you think I used "big words" in my comment. They are commonplace words.
Jun 5, 2012 at 11:38 a.m.
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poo...and your misguided sense of superiority supersedes your actual intelligence.
Jun 5, 2012 at 11:36 a.m.
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poo... I'm surprised you could use such big words! My, my, do you want us to kneel before your supposed intellectual superiority. You may be smart but you have no common sense.
Jun 5, 2012 at 11:21 a.m.
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ykm: As opposed to the 18 months of troublemakers from the left?
Jun 5, 2012 at 10:57 a.m.
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ykm he may have thought about it but realized he did not have to because there would be enough of them already there from the left side of the aisle.
Jun 5, 2012 at 10:38 a.m.
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Scott Walker thought about planting troublemakers among peaceful Wisconsinites.
Jun 5, 2012 at 10:31 a.m.
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RAF, Barrett talked about all of that in the debates.
You must have been asleep or taking a bathroom break.
Jun 5, 2012 at 10:17 a.m.
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Those voting for Barrett today should understand his plans, seeing he choose not to make it public.
http://watchdog.org/19424/barrett-calls-...
Jun 5, 2012 at 9:40 a.m.
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I am voting For Walker today just as I did the last time. I am very pleased with the job he has done thus far and I am looking forward to him bringing Wisconsin into the future with our debt under control and the schools learning not to keep asking for MORE, after seeing what the teacher's salaries are here in Janesville I am not sure what all the fuss was about. They make damn good money and not have to pay for insurance and or their retirement. So thankful someone saw the way to save we the tax payers some money and erase some of the debt, that our past Govern has left him with the trash to clean up.
Jun 5, 2012 at 9:37 a.m.
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Poobah, most definitely.
Don't waste your time.
Jun 5, 2012 at 8:19 a.m.
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John will your headline tomorrow read The PEOPLE have spoken AGAIN! The body of your article could be an apology from you and the Dems for NOT abiding by the PEOPLES VOICE the first time.
Jun 5, 2012 at 8:09 a.m.
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My comment would be lost on those that are intellectually incapable of understanding the concept of domain transformations. That most likely explains your issue with it, Feduptaxpayer.
Jun 5, 2012 at 8:06 a.m.
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Walker should have this in the bag by noon
Jun 5, 2012 at 7:28 a.m.
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I'll bet that John voted absentee. Maybe John could get a job with MSNBC. He'd fit right in with the "REV." Al Sharpton, Ed Schultz and all the other crazies who preach to the 16 people who tune in.
Jun 5, 2012 at 7:23 a.m.
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Get out and vote today.
And when Walker is the winner again, just live with it.
Jun 5, 2012 at 7:16 a.m.
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Feduptaxpayer said, "And who really cares what has happened historically! All that matters is what happens today and the end result."
If that myopic perspective were transformed from the time domain to the familial domain, one would be concerned about only themself, not their ancestors or their descendants. Shortsightedness transformed into selfishness.
Jun 5, 2012 at 7:07 a.m.
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We the People, not the union bosses, will be victors today. Vote Walker !
Jun 5, 2012 at 7 a.m.
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Why does the Gazette have FIVE articles from Eyster today? He says the same thing in every article, is obnoxious and so far left he can't even see the middle from his perspective. WHERE ARE SOME BALANCING ARTICLES?
Jun 5, 2012 at 6:46 a.m.
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Better today John, you've got 5 of the 6.
Jun 5, 2012 at 6:31 a.m.
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George Will’s column for today is titled, “The whine from Wisconsin”.
Congratulations, John! You have a new reader!
I’m sure this is only the first of four or five rants you’ll publish today, so there’s really no point in reading it. But be of good cheer: Walker is the Governor today, he’ll be Governor tomorrow, and the way things are looking, he’ll be Governor for many years to come. Power to the taxpayers, down with the unions!!
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