I'm going to play Devil's Advocate on the WI recall election for a minute here.

[Brigid]

Don't get me wrong -- of course I hope Barrett wins. But if he does not, I don't think it's the end of the world for us Democrats. After all, many states don't even have provisions for recall elections, and we wouldn't even be having this conversation if WI was one of them. Besides, Walker is facing indictments that may get him run out of office even if he survives the recall.

[JDPriestly]

1. Once you engage, you have to win.

That's the name of the game. Wisconsin could decide the outcome of the November election in my opinion. For one thing, Wisconsin is a test of how important the Republican financial advantage can be in campaigns. Do candidates even have a real chance against corporate money? It's so important to win in Wisconsin. I wish I could go and help. If I lived in a neighboring state and didn't have to work, I would spend the next few days in Wisconsin walking precincts.

[Bluenorthwest]

9. In terms of being a test of financial advantage, WI is nothing compared to CA 2010

And I say WI Democrats should hold tight to the facts of that race, in which Meg Whitman spent 177 million dollars to lose to Jerry Brown by 11%. She spent more than a dollar for every 25 cents Brown spent, she spent more on TV buys than Brown spend on his entire campaign. And she lost having spent $46 for each vote she got.
That was two years ago, a huge, dramatic and hard to ignore example of what money buys you in a campaign. Which is not all that you dream. I have to wonder why anyone would refuse to acknowledge that California result while insisting that events in Wisconsin are hyper important to the nation.
Anyone with half a lick of sense knows that buying a ton of media does not buy one success in the promotion of any product, service or person. Too much 'media' is worse than not enough. More does not equal better results. Some enjoy pretending that it does. Still it does not.
Think of all the films, all the cars and other products that have entered the market place with huge ad campaigns only to fail. This happens each week in our country. If one could simply spend more on ads, and then sell tons of New Coke that is what they'd do. If buying ad = results and profits, why does any movie fail to earn? Have you not seen a commercial for a film and thought 'that looks great' and then after a week of ads for the film find you are no longer interested?
The crazed theory that money for promotion is the purchasing of success is not only constantly disproved, there is not a shred of evidence anyone can offer that such a thing is true. Those who sell ad time would LOVE it if that was the reality. Those who have money to buy ads would also love it. There would be no need for 'talent' and agencies to get 'creative' with making ads, you just pay and collect votes....
So can you explain why Whitman's loss was not counted as a test of spending? Seems we passed the test. So WI should look to the reality and take heart.
If buying ads meant success, why do major chain stores and airlines go bust instead of just buying more ads and racking in the dough? The reason is that success is not there to be purchased along with your ad buys as much as the GOP wishes it was....

[L. Coyote]

15. Astounding fact! "And she lost having spent $46 for each vote she got. "

Advertising pays, and that's why they do it is a certain as people who win lotteries bought tickets. But it has limitations, just like buying a lottery ticket doesn't mean you will win.

What we need is a comparative graph of WI 2012 and a few other money-burners in the recent past. Towards strategic ends, a good use of time might be to do statistical analysis on those races to see HOW the winners spent money compared to how the losers did. Media is just one facet of convincing voters to vote and vote for you.

[JDPriestly]

17. Of course, in California, we were just sick and tired of big spending Republicans.

[WingDinger]

10. The only thing money buys is ads.

And when the tide goes against you, no amount of ads will save you, as seen with Whitman.

So, if we could frame it right, all the money in the world wouldnt help. I think that if Walker wins, there will be a roar rise up, to rid us of Citizens United, and the one donor money tyranny. Taht the Koch Bros and other scum thinks they can purchase their druthers will not sit well.

[PeaceNikki]

2. Of course it wouldn't be "the end of the world", but it would

Be devastating to those of us who have worked so hard for 16 months and everyone hurt by his policies.

[HereSince1628]

3. It damned well better not be the end of the world for Dems, recall win or not

the more and more overt putsch by corporate interests to control state governments from long distance is not going to end with the WI recall.

If it hasn't reached you, yet, it soon will. And you can look at Wisconsin and say, to stop this in MY state, lovers of democracy and human dignity will have to work AT LEAST as hard as they did in Wisconsin, maybe harder.

Wisconsin settles nothing. It's a battle in a war to maintain the progress that was handed to us by previous generations. This battle isn't going to end that war because the war against those who would steal our dignity is everlasting.

[Poiuyt]

4. Even if walker survives the recall and is then removed from office, his Lt. Governor is even worse

[KharmaTrain]

5. It's A Massive Loss For Unions...

Let's not try to sugarcoat this. We're seeing the results of over 30 years of union bashing...the loss of union jobs and power across the country. If the rushpublican can crush the unions in this state they'll be energized to do it in others (Michigan, Ohio) and will keep at it until they are successful. As one whose very pro-union I'm sorry to see this and a loss on Tuesday will show that the unions don't have the electoral power or clout they once did. Here's hoping I'm pleasantly surprised and wrong on Tuesday...

[benlurkin]

7. What do you mean "they will be energized to do it in others"?

They are doing it in other states NOW. (re: taking the unions on)

[RBInMaine]

6. If Walker wins it will be the fault of the voters of Wisconsin and they will deserve what they get.

Regardless of the money advantage, anyone with half a brain there can see what a devil Walker is. If they vote for him, or don't vote at all, they simply deserve the hell that he has brought them and will continue to bring him. There is no sugarcoating that. When you have a guy hugging billionaires and conspiring with them to divide the state with a corporate toadie agenda to turn it red with a union- destroying master plan, when you have a guy awash in scandal who hired crooks and has a criminal defense fund, when you have a guy running around the country trying to be the rock star of the far right wing rather than focusing on his own state, when you have a guy who had divided the state and attacked the middle class time and again, when he has LIED and LIED and LIED to his own people, and then people there continue to vote for the scumbag or stay home, then THEY are to blame and no one else.

Great kudos to all those who have worked hard to get rid of the bastard. THEY won't deserve Walker, but all those who vote for him or stay home rather than getting off their asses and voting for Barrett WILL deserve the living hell of that rotten evil son of a bitch. So there it is. (PS - I have donated to defeat Walker several times. I hope they do it. It is VERY possible.)

[Wabbajack_]

8. If

the polls are to be believed we're gonna lose.

Could get the State Senate, though they drew the lines so I'd guess they'd get it back in November.

I don't think Obama will lose the state though.

Tough boat but WI isn't the only state that's fucked with a Republican government.

How about 2014 and we get someone besides the boring guy that lost to Walker in the first place.

I never really cared for recall provisions, sure didn't help out in Cali, that fuck Ahnold was the worst Governor in state history.

[WI_DEM]

11. Of course if he wins it would be a big let down--that is why the Lt. Governor race is equally

important.

[WingDinger]

12. There is still a pendulum

As happened in Mass, states where it has historically been all Dem, they might try once in a while, to shake things up. To assume that we can hold a state pure blue, forever, is wishful thinking. And to judge the few times that voters revolt, as indicative of a trend nationwide, is uncalled for.

Why does political adversity, and class warfare bring angry actions in Europe etc, and despondency in USA?

[littlewolf]

13. from what I see from PPP

it is with 3 points ... GOTV
is going to be key ....

[Raven]

14. The weather looks good for WI tomorrow...

no excuse not to vote, Dems!

[Proud Liberal Dem]

16. Walker losing would not IMHO be the end of the world for Democrats

It would be a disappointment to be sure but part of the problem, of course, is that the momentum against Walker was highest back in 2011 and, with the recall of a few state legislators earlier on and the progression of time, the urgency to get rid of Walker has dissipated. Plus, there are likely to be some people whom, although they don't quite like Walker, don't agree with the notion of a recall election even if it is covered by state law. Also, another thing to consider is that Walker surviving the recall might generate more Democratic turnout in the fall to vote out the Republican state legislators to tie Walker's hands so that he can't push through his agenda quite so easily (and most will be there to cast their votes for President Obama and, hopefully, Democratic House candidates as well).

[Bake]

18. Money talks, everything else walks.

I fear the Supreme Court (Citizens United) handed this election to Walker.

I hope like hell I'm wrong.

Bake