Wags might note the country’s first collective glimpse of consequences from its 2010 elections were Wisconsin Democrats fleeing and hiding from Movement activists wearing the Republican brand. But it’s past as prologue. If Wisconsin seems somehow ‘new’ that’s another symptom of decaying American collective short term memory. Karl Rove years ago recognized that a minority can take power in American ‘democracy’ and govern (he was probably thinking rule).
For the Movement under Bush, the 9/11 attacks gave the greenlight to pervasive radicalization and looting. Lacking that, Wisconsin Governor Walker fabricated a budget crisis. He didn’t burn down the legislature. Same results either way: radicalization, de-stabilization and wealth transfer. The Wisconsin status quo, like the hapless Colin Powell, Benchpresser, Wilkerson et al., are caught flat footed, unprepared, blinking.
Why? Current RNC Chair Reince Priebus was the Wisconsin GOP Chair in 2010. In October he called for Obama’s execution thinking of Bin Lin Laden. Wisconsin overall shouldn’t be shocked. The new governor won by the same margin fellow GOPer Johnson beat Russ Feingold. In fact, all state wide races went GOP by essentially the same margin.
Personal views of Governor Walker aside, one can’t say he’s a stealth candidate. He made commitments a visible part of his campaign. He promised to slash government radically. To grant massive tax cuts to corporations. Somehow generate new jobs without spending an extra dime. Walker once elected to make even a gesture to his agenda would have to start by breaking existing, signed state contracts, prevent any further Amtrak funding, etc.
Launching his agenda serves larger national goals, too. De-stabilizing and radicalizing the status quo allows the naturally prepared agents of de-stabilization to market themselves as the defenders of law and order. The roused status quo painted as divisive. And on cue Fox, etc. start the violence memes, etc. We’ve already lived through this show, Dear Reader. We all saw 2001-2008 how radicalism leads to de-stabilization which opens sluice gates for other — in this case — plutocratic interests. We all also know Act III of the script: the smirking governing entity proclaims the sinking floor our new normal.
How can Democrats both in Wisconsin and especially nationally be so surprised? Didn’t everyone say at the time November 2010 would be felt most at the state level? Christie reminded AEI this week he dragged New Jersey down this same road *last year.* We get stunned Democrats playing meme defense, and MSNBC pandering, both badly. Again.
Obama’s comments on Wisconsin today put things in perspective. Thank goodness in 2012 we will be able to choose between two Republicans. Can you imagine the feebleness of an actual Democratic campaign?
DrLeoStrauss says
Indiana Official: “Use Live Ammunition” Against Wisconsin Protesters
http://m.motherjones.com/politics/2011/02/indiana-official-jeff-cox-live-ammunition-against-wisconsin-protesters
Oddly, Chuck Todd and the gang aren’t tweeting about this. Strange.
Comment says
When Conrad Black was getting in trouble and his close friend/employee was in deep with many of Hollinger’s most piquant practices – Perle managed to act as if he barely knew Black when it all fell apart. Kind of like when he acted as if he had been totally ignored re Iraq/Chalabi.
Comment says
Perle is always connected in some sort of half-deniable advisory capacity:
http://www.politico.com/blogs/laurarozen/0211/Among_Libyas_lobbyists.html?showall
Comment says
Forgot to mention – the reason we posted the link to Cohen via MY – we thought Cohen reciting his bona fides was sort of funny, just like when he recited his bona fides of funniness when defending Dubya against Colbert’s “bullying.”
Can’t wait for this entitled columnist set to be retired by technology.
Comment says
Richard Cohen – naturally Cohen thinks all firefighters should have their low double digit pensions should be on the table because of some odd out-lier large pensions.
http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/2011/02/overpaid-newspaper-columnists/
Comment says
Sony goes after Geo Hotz and now others are going after Sony.
http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20110218181557455
Comment says
We don’t care what she thinks – we sort of said that. Just used this as an example of a long running conversation here about how liberals in the mainstream media cannot communicate properly – So they often end up elevating charlatans and lightweights. That was just a small example and to be honest we sort of regretted reading it and posting it.
re Obama’s trouble – labor provides critical GOTV on election day. Dems cannot even come close to winning without official labor support. Labor usually loses and plays along – but if he really alienated labor on an issue of principle like the right to organize, he’d be toast. Labor would then be crushes accross the land and you’d have wage reduction instead of stagnation.
CF Oxtrot says
Why would anyone care what “Danielle Friedman” thinks?
Sometimes this here site just makes no sense whatever.
Obama “in trouble” if he pisses off labor? WTF kind of naivete is that? Podesta-pus?
Sorry if I missed the irony/sarcasm, Doctor. Maybe I’m having an Emily Littella moment.
Comment says
“I love you Donald [Rumsfeld]”
~Margaret Carlson CNN (12/23/01)
“Although he has not told us very much, he has been like a father figure.”
~Mark Thompson CNN (10/22/01)
Comment says
Whenever there is a blowup in discretion, a Blackwater/xe mention is not far down in the story:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/feb/20/us-raymond-davis-lahore-cia
Comment says
To the extent we care – we do agree with Friedman – but just wanted to point out her bad arguing.
Now we see Tweety is making mistakes again – just assuming incorrectly the cops endorsed Gov. Walker and so stubbing his argument.
Comment says
Small example of liberal meme incompetence – Danielle Friedman writes a wordy and condescending critque against the Palin crowd, yet loses it all as she adopts and seems to endorse Palin’s Grizley moniker.
http://twitter.com/DanielleBeast/status/39369112438177792
Comment says
We agree with most of this – viz. the avg. Ohio or Wisc voter thinks they can no longer afford 1st class transit or other gov services and they have all been tricked into blaming each other.
Ohio elected as Gov. a man who sold Ohio worthless derivatives a few years ago that blew a hole in the budget that he now uses as an excuse to cut services.
But his last sentence about a lack of Dem strategy is key
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/02/18/the_republican_strategy/#more?ref=c3
Comment says
Poor Kemp – a nice guy all around always believing things he does not really understand.
Comment says
@Dr Leo Strauss
Of course the Agency guy and others who ok’d this ridiculous on the face of it project were promoted. Demented – but expected.
Thank God for the French. They probably saw this whole thing as a metaphor.
Dr Leo Strauss says
Perfect – con men getting conned. Tenet et al. duped again FTW as the kidz say.
A shame that top tier comedy is soft hued ironic. A savage comedian is needed to put it all out in vitriolic splendor.
Comment says
This can detect what fabric is actually ripping.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/20/us/politics/20data.html?pagewanted=3
Comment says
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/why-isnt-wall-street-in-jail-20110216?page=3
Great Mack anecdote – Charlie Rose would say “How dare he insult John.”
Redhand says
Thank goodness in 2012 we will be able to choose between two Republicans.
This about sums it up. The only way the working stiffs will get a shot at real change is if they take it to the streets in mass protests . . . that is unless they get shot first by Tea Party militias. For me the question is whether the governing class and their plutocrat allies have so effectively bamboozled and divided the working stiffs that meaningful, organized protest is impossible.
The protests in Wisconsin offer a small glimmer of hope. But I think the only way that this country will change for the better for ordinary Americans is with protests (and possibly riots) on a Vietnam War protest scale. But if it didn’t happen in 2008, when it was obvious Wall Street was raping us with t he connivance of both parties, then when? When the oligarchs have taken everything away from us? That’s where I think we’re headed, 3rd World Merika.
Comment says
Earlier on msnbc the somewhat smarmy Ratigan standin Matt Miller was doing all he could (and failing) to hide his contempt for the protesters cause. Same with Tweety – Both sought to praise the protesters, but only at the expense of their cause. The “we’re broke” theme has caught on – even though it’s a political decision not to raise taxes or cut other departments of gov.
The bad faith is so obvious – it’s a power struggle being masked as a fight over budget and union rules. No endgame, it seems – Obama just wishes this would all go away – but if labor turns against him next year he’ll be in deep trouble.
DrLeoStrauss says
Seeing Labor embrace enthusiastically Obama’s tepid, Goldilocks Syndrome comments both predictable and why Labor is in its current state.