The final rounded 52%-48% percentage, distribution of votes and issue/message/candidate appeal geographically in the Rebecca Bradley-JoAnne Kloppenberg Wisconsin Supreme Court race Tuesday night reflects that same spread within a point or two which has kept Walker in the Governor's office for more than five years.
For progressives - - close - - again and again - - but not quite enough to get to 50.1% or more statewide, and to get over the hump in rural/small town Wisconsin outside of Milwaukee/Dane counties, and several smaller cities and traditional blue areas.
Very frustrating for progressives, of course - - at 44, Bradley could be on the bench for decades - - and worse legally and philosophically.
Because now there is a sharp-edged, 5-2 ideological dagger aimed at progressives and their issues from the bench of the highest court in the state on behalf of the same conservative power elite which planned its successful Wisconsin takeover in 2007 - - far-right power brokers and business interests that reliably spent heavily on Bradley's campaign and who call the shots in the Legislature, and Governor's office, and state agencies which are supposed to protect the public interest deep into the ranks of a recently and deliberately politicized bureaucracy.
More cuts to the UW system? More public money shoveled into private choice schools or to favored clients and donors by the scandalized WEDC? More state land sold or given away to insiders? More groundwater handed permanently to Big Ag, industrial-scale animal feeding operations and polluters freed from inspections and enforcement actions? More resources removed from transit and transferred to the road-builders? The door is wide open.
All attention here now turns to the presidential election, with Republicans and the right energized and motivated to deliver Wisconsin into the red column in November. With unlimited money behind that effort. And with all state power now coordinated in elections further tilted their way by Voter ID and registration restrictions cynically and completely rooted in partisan advantage.
A very worrisome scenario.
For progressives - - close - - again and again - - but not quite enough to get to 50.1% or more statewide, and to get over the hump in rural/small town Wisconsin outside of Milwaukee/Dane counties, and several smaller cities and traditional blue areas.
Very frustrating for progressives, of course - - at 44, Bradley could be on the bench for decades - - and worse legally and philosophically.
Because now there is a sharp-edged, 5-2 ideological dagger aimed at progressives and their issues from the bench of the highest court in the state on behalf of the same conservative power elite which planned its successful Wisconsin takeover in 2007 - - far-right power brokers and business interests that reliably spent heavily on Bradley's campaign and who call the shots in the Legislature, and Governor's office, and state agencies which are supposed to protect the public interest deep into the ranks of a recently and deliberately politicized bureaucracy.
More cuts to the UW system? More public money shoveled into private choice schools or to favored clients and donors by the scandalized WEDC? More state land sold or given away to insiders? More groundwater handed permanently to Big Ag, industrial-scale animal feeding operations and polluters freed from inspections and enforcement actions? More resources removed from transit and transferred to the road-builders? The door is wide open.
All attention here now turns to the presidential election, with Republicans and the right energized and motivated to deliver Wisconsin into the red column in November. With unlimited money behind that effort. And with all state power now coordinated in elections further tilted their way by Voter ID and registration restrictions cynically and completely rooted in partisan advantage.
A very worrisome scenario.
Disenfranchise 300,000 people with bogus Voter ID law and "win" the Supreme Court by less than 92,000?!?!?!
ReplyDeleteSounds like another stolen election.
Worse is today's breed of Republicans think they are entitled to power, and have no regard for rights. There's always been a mass base for fascism is the U.S. and these idiots have found a home in Republican Party.
ReplyDeleteIf I were Trump, I would buy I Clear Channel Communications and Gannet Publications and make changes.
ReplyDelete"Freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one."
I think I have to walk away from the 'voters will figure it out when things get bad enough' mantra that's been keeping me hopeful for a return to sanity in WI.
ReplyDeleteWell now that the Republicans have succeeded at putting manure lagoon run-off in our drinking water, no one should be surprised they dumped a Bradley on the Supreme Court.
ReplyDelete63% of Kewaunee County voted for Bradley, who got the endorsement of the pro-pollution Dairy Business Association. So apparently they like not being able to use their own well water, and want more of it.
DeleteEverything a newcomer needs to know about living in Walker's Wisconsin is illustrated by Bradley's Supreme Court victory last night.
ReplyDeleteFinanced by the same corrupt dark money interests that own the rest of the State Supreme Court, and Governor Walker, Bradley outspent Kloppenburg 50 to 1. As an indication of what a wretched, hateful state Walker's Wisconsin has turned into, Bradley's poll numbers actually went UP after her true character was exposed by One Wisconsin Now's publication of her writings.
Truly the MAJORITY of people in Walker's Wisconsin harbor absolute HATRED for gay people, minorities, women who get abortions, and enthusiastically support political candidates who espouse those same views.
One of my true pleasures in life is doing guest speaking appearances for college seniors across Wisconsin to help them on their transition from college life to their professional lives. Part of my presentation is "where do you want to live" after graduation?
Since the election of the Walker cabal, there have been increasing numbers of students who volunteer that they plan to leave this state upon graduation. Future engineers, physical scientists, professionals from all areas don't want to live or raise a family in such an intolerant, hateful, angry state.
With her platform of unrestrained HATRED, Bradley's election to the Wisconsin Supreme Court truly shows the rest of the nation EVERYTHING they need to know about Wisconsin.
I really enjoy listening to my Republican friends who live in the WOW Republican suburban area griping that their kids are doing bad in high school math and science classes because all the older teachers retired or quit, and their kids are being taught by rookie teachers who don't have a clue how to teach calculus or physics, "Hey-you voted for Walker & supported hurting teachers in Wisconsin. Now It's just desserts that your kids are getting their futures screwed because the good teachers are fleeing the hellhole that teaching in Wisconsin has become.
Wisconsinites truly deserve the economic catastrophe and ugly living & working conditions that Walker & his minions have created in this state.
I get where you are going, except a whole lot of us didnt vote for these thugs, worked against these thugs, but we get dragged down like the rest of the state because of the stupid clingers that keep falling for these thugs.
DeleteI do recommend shunning and reducing spending in any place that voted for Bradley, especially all counties up North not named Ashland, Bayfield, and Douglas. That's where they need to feel the pain they have allowed