Time to Start Gloating
As Intrade continues to put Gov. Scott Walker's chances of winning the Wisconsin recall election this coming Tuesday at better than 95 percent, the Daily Beast has posted a preemptive post-mortem. "The left," reporter Sally Kohn informs us, "has seemed more comfortable being angry than channeling emotion into influence."
I suppose that's one way of putting it. Another? "The left" is merely a euphemism for the public-employee unions, which never had any policy argument on their side at all, instead merely operating a swindle: the state was required by law to deduct union dues from paychecks, the unions then used these dues to purchase political influence, and the Democratic party obliged them by giving them lavish benefits. When Gov. Walker ended the swindle, the unions had nowhere to go--nowhere, that is, except to the usual dreary rhetoric about "the left," "speaking truth to power," and on and on.
The swindle, the old dishonest rhetoric--the whole corrupt racket, operated for so many years by public-employee unions and their friends in the Democratic Party and the mainstream press. In Wisconsin, it's over--it's just over. Soon enough, we'll see about ending the swindle in other states--yes, California comes to mind--but for a few days, let's simply admire what the courage and tenacity of Scott Walker and his fellow Republicans in the legislature have accomplished.
And although you needn't join me--most of you, I know, lack my own lower impulses--as organs such as the Daily Beast wriggle and writhe, coming to grips with the Democrats' defeat, I myself intend...to gloat.
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Jun '11
Re: Time to Start Gloating
Echoing Glenn Reynolds channeling Han Solo: don't get cocky, kid.
Dec '10
Re: Time to Start Gloating
Peter, if you need a posse, I'll saddle up and gloat.
Apr '11
Re: Time to Start Gloating
"The left" is merely a euphemism for the public-employee unions"
That is the best line I have read since Jonah called the Democrat Party a cargo cult to the New deal.
Jun '10
Re: Time to Start Gloating
How can Walker possibly win?
Day before yesterday, Walker was at 96.2%. Peter checks a few minutes ago and it's "better than 95 percent." As of this comment, it's 94.1%.
How can he possibly survive through Tuesday!?!11!!??
Just doing my job.
Edited on June 1, 2012 at 9:06pmMay '12
Re: Time to Start Gloating
Peter,
I'm from Massachusetts and new to Ricochet. I tend to be one to not get cocky but between Wisconsin, Elizabeth Warren and the Romney supporters ambushing David Axelrod in Boston weeks like this do give me hope.
All signs point to Tuesday being an ideal opportunity for a "gloatfest" and I hope a warm up for an even bigger fest in November.
Dec '10
Re: Time to Start Gloating
Sally Kohn is not a reporter, she's a community organizer - her Daily Beast piece is opinion, not news.
But to say "The left has seemed more comfortable being angry than channeling emotion into influence" is to state the blindingly obvious, especially in the wake of the Occupy movement. The Left -- public employee unions, 1960s retreads, naive youths, Anarchists, crypto- and not-so-crypto-Communists -- have found their last refuge in magical thinking. It's not even "Be the change you want to see in the world": it's "Want change badly enough and it will happen before your eyes."
They are starting to understand that wishing doesn't work. One hopes they don't start actually working for what they wish.
May '11
Re: Time to Start Gloating
This is the greatest blow to organized labor since Reagan fired the Air Traffic Controllers in the '80s. For those of you who weren't around back then, Reagan's stand had tremendous symbolic importance. It demonstrated that a politician with enough principle and intestinal fortitude could stand up to the unions and reverse decades of organized labor's stranglehold on the economy. Whereas Reagan's act was perhaps the end of the beginning, here's hoping that Walker's victory will be the beginning of the end for the pernicious influence of unions in this country.
Mar '11
Re: Time to Start Gloating
Wisconsoin is *NOT* over yet! Don't get cocky. The dems are running a massive GOTV campaign in Milwaukee and Madison. With two weeks of early voting, a lot of [democrat] people who would otherwise never get to the polls are being rounded up and driven in. Milwaukee even kept the municipal building open all three days of Memorial Day weekend for voting.
It is not over yet.
Apr '12
Re: Time to Start Gloating
It is unbelievable that the unions and the Democrats have robbed the tax payers and union members for so many years. What is making the change in voters? After all the nay saying, gloating is allowed.
May '10
Re: Time to Start Gloating
Peter, Peter, Peter...
Jan '12
Re: Time to Start Gloating
I'm a little more reluctant to proclaim Walker the victor just yet... I certainly hope with all my being that the governor trounces Mr. Barrett, but... Let me put it this way, the Leinenkugels for the gloating victory celebration is not on ice just yet.
Apr '11
Re: Time to Start Gloating
John Kasich in Ohio was just as brave in his attempts to end the swindle, and we may well lose that must-win state in November because of it.
Apr '12
Re: Time to Start Gloating
Chickens? All I see are eggs. I do hope some of them hatch on Tuesday.
Jan '11
Re: Time to Start Gloating
Walker's victory on Tuesday, plus the dismal employment figures released today, will combine to knock the Democrat Party - the electoral vehicle of American bankruptcy - back on its heels. Once it is in that position the proper thing to do is - PUSH!
Re: Time to Start Gloating
Gretch68: Peter,
I'm from Massachusetts and new to Ricochet. I tend to be one to not get cocky but between Wisconsin, Elizabeth Warren and the Romney supporters ambushing David Axelrod in Boston weeks like this do give me hope.
All signs point to Tuesday being an ideal opportunity for a "gloatfest" and I hope a warm up for an even bigger fest in November. ยท 2 hours ago
Fingers crossed for Tuesday, just as you say--and welcome to Ricochet!
May '10
Re: Time to Start Gloating
Boy, the Barrett TV commercials we are seeing here are ugly. I'm nervous because I always am when things look favorable.
Jan '11
Re: Time to Start Gloating
And speaking of pushing, I absolutely loved what the Romney campaign did to that preening, obnoxious David Axelrod in Boston earlier this week.
I guarantee you it will be a long time before that cocksure flackmeister ventures out of the comfy confines of a studio to give his two-cents worth in public again.
"Solyndra! Solyndra! Solyndra!"
"Where are the jobs? Where are the jobs? Where are the jobs?"
To paraphares James Gleason in the Capra classic, Meet John Doe:
"The people, Axelrod. Try and lick that!"
Edited on June 1, 2012 at 11:35pmJul '10
Re: Time to Start Gloating
Are our poll watchers lined up? And are our watchers for the vote counters in place?
May '10
Re: Time to Start Gloating
So, how many on here, that are not from Wisconsin actually put $ behind their words and sent friends of Scott Walker a donation months ago? I NEVER contribute to solicited requests, but always do when I believe in the cause, and Walker is HUGE, in impact for all of us for the next 20 years.
Mar '11
Re: Time to Start Gloating
Peter, you have imbibed insufficiently of the O'Brian canon: