Gov. Scott Walker's pick of the obscure ultra - conservative Waukesha County lawyer Daniel Kelly to fill out the remaining four years of retiring State Supreme Court Justice David Prosser's term underscores some basic political lessons and realities here:
* Elections have consequences. Also see: Donald Trump and multiple looming US Supreme Court vacancies.
* Walker may be underwater in the polls, but will rule as if he were the most popular politician in state history without flinching from his dedication to big business's needs, GOP permanence and his own legal protection.
* Republicans and conservatives are better organized to play power politics in Wisconsin than are progressives and Democrats.
GOP and ideological conservatives have built, nurtured and coordinated groups and networks that find, train, finance or position their people so effectively that an unknown hidden on their bench could be elevated from obscurity, despite and zero judicial experience, to the Stste Supreme Court and soon, perhaps, to the position of Chief Justice which these same Wisconsin corporate servants and power brokers maneuvered from the liberal Shirley Abrahamson, the longest-serving and openly elected Justice.
* The 5-2 reactionary majority now even more deeply embedded on the Court - - two of whose members put there through Walker appointment after being fed to him by the right's personnel discover machinery - - will enforce Walker's influence in the state long after he's punted himself from the scene.
* It took the Right many years long to create and cement its ascension, so there's no time like the present, even as we are in another election cycle, for Democrats and progressives to get deeper into the long game, too.
That's not to say there aren't plenty of progressive people doing important legal, campaign, environmental and other policy work already. I'm not knocking anyone on our side.
And I especially like the up-and-coming group of dedicated Milwaukee Democratic legislators carrying the banner to Madison and joining veteran legislators there.
Younger activists are going to have to be supported in this effort, and be allowed to lead it, since it is their generation now further consigned to the Wisconsin Right's domination.
(Slightly edited version of this post, updated, is here.)
* Elections have consequences. Also see: Donald Trump and multiple looming US Supreme Court vacancies.
* Walker may be underwater in the polls, but will rule as if he were the most popular politician in state history without flinching from his dedication to big business's needs, GOP permanence and his own legal protection.
* Republicans and conservatives are better organized to play power politics in Wisconsin than are progressives and Democrats.
GOP and ideological conservatives have built, nurtured and coordinated groups and networks that find, train, finance or position their people so effectively that an unknown hidden on their bench could be elevated from obscurity, despite and zero judicial experience, to the Stste Supreme Court and soon, perhaps, to the position of Chief Justice which these same Wisconsin corporate servants and power brokers maneuvered from the liberal Shirley Abrahamson, the longest-serving and openly elected Justice.
* The 5-2 reactionary majority now even more deeply embedded on the Court - - two of whose members put there through Walker appointment after being fed to him by the right's personnel discover machinery - - will enforce Walker's influence in the state long after he's punted himself from the scene.
* It took the Right many years long to create and cement its ascension, so there's no time like the present, even as we are in another election cycle, for Democrats and progressives to get deeper into the long game, too.
That's not to say there aren't plenty of progressive people doing important legal, campaign, environmental and other policy work already. I'm not knocking anyone on our side.
And I especially like the up-and-coming group of dedicated Milwaukee Democratic legislators carrying the banner to Madison and joining veteran legislators there.
Younger activists are going to have to be supported in this effort, and be allowed to lead it, since it is their generation now further consigned to the Wisconsin Right's domination.
(Slightly edited version of this post, updated, is here.)
Maybe its time to drop the labels Republican and democrat. As seen on the national level, there is little difference between the two or we wouldnt be encouraged to vote for the lesser of two evils. Plus the left has sold out for votes by backing divisive single issue causes. Lets find the common ground we can all support peace, fair trade, jobs and living wages, justice and equality for ALL, universal single payer and candidates who dont bow to big money. We must have a ground swell of populace support for people over profits.
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