Democrats again fail to realize their opponent’s anti-democratic radicalism. Wisconsin Democrats are stunned. Corporatist interests using their GOP facade unilaterally disembowel 50 years of bi-partisan consensus supporting public sector collective bargaining.
The appropriate lessons will be drawn by onlookers around the country. Radicalism triumphs over beleaguered status quo if the will to escalate is obeyed. Destabilization can be launched using the flimsiest of pretexts. Minority interests can openly hijack governments for their zero sum enrichment ignoring public sentiment. Democrats demonstrate their inability to defend the existing social fabric.
How far we’ve come since November 2008. And how far we’ve yet to go.