May 2, 2012
Irrelevant
The Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United has blown the top off of our corrupt political system. It was bad enough when I met Phil Stearn in 1987, the multi-millionaire who wrote The Best Congress Money Can Buy.
I gave a talk at a conference Phil sponsored in Gulfport, Mississippi. The part of my presentation that turned Phil on was my challenge to the attendees: How could they raise $6 million for the perfect progressive candidate for U.S. Senate. At the time, six million was about the amount needed to win a Senate race. I wrote on the board $6,000,000 and then I challenged the reformers to show us how they could raise it. First up, organized labor. Assume $250,00, to our perfect candidate, we subtracted that amount so now the campaign need only raise $5,750,000. Environmental groups--say $100,000, so now we need only $5,650,000. I wrote about this in a book I wrote titled Bidding for Power.
That was then, where are we now? Tammy Baldwin, a superb candidate, must raise 30-50 million dollars to replace Herb Kohl. Maybe I am understating and it will take 80 million to elect someone to the Senate this time around. Some would argue that it simply cannot be done! If it cannot be done, we are done as a democracy.
So, while Rome is burning, what do the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the Wisconsin State Journal write about? Well, they focus on how many angels dance on the head of a pin. (I am reminded of a New Yorker cartoon. Two angels flying above the clouds. One says, "I never dance on a pin unless I am really drunk"). MJS focuses on irrelevant issues. Did the candidate exaggerate when...sort or stuff.
As I see it, the money is Walker's greatest asset and it is his greatest weakness. Voters in Wisconsin will not like the fact that the super rich have just given him 25 million dollars. I predict they will throw the bum out.
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The fact that so much of the Governor Scott Walker's money comes from out-of-state is not without likely future repercussions. Those who donate at this level expect something in return - front row seats to buy Wisconsin? Another positive result of a recall would be a clear message that WI IS NOT FOR SALE.
-madjoe | Madison, WI | May 2, 2012
I drive along Hwy8 and then north on 27. I am begining to see big(3'x5') "I Stand With Walker" signs popping up.
Also got a window sticker in the mail: "I stand with Planned Parenthood" a few months ago. Did he steal their message?
I think some "Draw your own conclusions" home -made, ala Occupy, signage needs to be encouraged NOW to reject Walker as a non-starter...ahead of the primary.
"Wallop Walker"
"Walkers Last Walze"
"Big Wallet Walker is too big for his britches and too small for Wisconsin".
"Wall Street
Walmart
Walker
When you are up against the Walls,
It's time for brains and balls."
"Scott rhymes with BOUGHT...just sayin."
I was expecting the Brown Bag movement to re-surface. I guess most people already figured out that if you put a movement in a brown bag, what you get is a sack of crap.
-Tom Larsen | St Paul,Mn | May 3, 2012
Speaking of money, why would I vote for someone who has criminal defense fund along with a campaign fund?
That is not a good omen for good governance.
-TomE | Cross Plains, WI | May 3, 2012
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