The Real Reason Why a Scott Walker Loss Would Crush the GOP

[RandySF]

That’s why Republicans fear the voters of Wisconsin. Walker has had the most success, and the most unified Republican backing, of the ambitious 2010 class of Midwestern governors. He’s the model. Yet they’re all in trouble. In Kansas, tax cuts – tax cuts personally lobbied for by Art Laffer, the Buddha of supply-side – failed to spark an economic boom and have put Gov. Sam Brownback in grave danger. In Michigan, Snyder has struggled more than expected against a Democratic challenger. A loss for any of them would scare Republicans in other states; a loss for Walker would replace their warm blood with ice water.

“If Walker lost, four or five states would do maybe half of what Wisconsin’s done,” says Americans for Tax Reform president Grover Norquist. “There’d be some nibbling at the edges, and some postmortems on how he defunded the left. If he wins, twelve to fifteen states would copy Wisconsin. I mean, who wouldn’t? If the combined forces of the AFL-CIO and all their allies can’t beat him, why not do teacher tenure reform, why make not make union membership voluntary, why not phase out the income tax? You get twelve states to do what Wisconsin did, and the Democratic Party would have to find several billionaires to make up the lost revenue.”

Republicans took a while to realize that the recall victory, while humiliating for unions, had not solved Walker’s political problems. The recall, while agonizing, had its perks. A loophole in state fund-raising laws had allowed Walker to collect six-figure checks from the likes of Sheldon Adelson. The Wisconsin Club for Growth had spent millions to bail out Republicans.

But the loopholes closed after the recall ended. The Wisconsin Club for Growth may as well have – it was ensnared in an investigation over $700,000 in donations from a mining company that happened to benefit a pro-mining candidate.



http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/features/2014-10-29/the-real-reason-why-a-scott-walker-loss-would-crush-the-gop

[Wellstone ruled]

1. Well well,

What I see is a major 180 happening in Wisconsin. Our friends and rellies in Northwestern Wisconsin just had major come to Jesus moment. They finally are coming to grips with their Rethug views and the fact it is all Bullshit. Most are voting for Burke and I mean they had to eat their collective hard core Baptist views big time. Just told them,hey,are you in the 1% club,well no,then why are you guys still supporting them,they haven't produced a single job in your area but you think it's okay to give them more tax relief while your taxes were raised to off set the loss of revenues paid by the Paper Plant owned by the Koch Brothers and the Kimberly Clark family. BTW,hows that Frac Sand Mine working out for you. Sputter sputter.

[Aerows]

2. I think a lot of Republicans are having a come to Jesus moment

They've been told over and over again that the problem is with the way they present the message, not with the message itself. Thus you have GOPers suddenly turning up in support of "some" abortions and being pro-choice because they realize it costs them votes from normal human being voters.

They smelled their own bullshit for so long, they didn't realize that it stunk.

[pscot]

3. Interesting that Norquist describes

a calculated GOP effort to destroy Democratic constituent groups.

[NewJeffCT]

5. they've been targeting Democratic groups for a long time

it's not just politics - it's about money. Unions give money to Democrats - so, destroy unions and Democrats lose a funding source; Lawyers are a big Democratic funding source - and, then you have tort reform and limits on lawsuits; Hollywood gives money to Democrats, so bash Hollywood as elitist and out of touch; etc, etc.

[pscot]

6. What's unusual is for Grover to spell it out

so directly. Such candor is unexpected. They customarily lie about their intent

[Frustratedlady]

4. If Walker loses this race, it will be one of the most exciting moments of the entire election.

Not only will he go down, but the Kochs' money will have gone to waste, again. I love seeing them put in their place. Walker is just the cherry on the top if he loses.

Ernst is the other I'd love to see go down...another Koch favorite, but also one who is too over the top for Iowa.

Going to be a long night.

[Tatiana]

7. I think Scott Walker is going down.

The attacks against teachers and public servants, combined with the fact that he hasn't demonstrated any significant economic growth have left many Republicans with buyer's remorse. I have a Republican acquaintance who is, in her words, going to "hold her nose and vote for Burke" because she only now realizes that Scott is bought and paid for by the Koch brothers.

[Scuba]

8. "... how he defunded the left." And that was the point, wasn't it?

[Enthusiast]

9. It's national strategy.

Early on Kasich did the same thing in Ohio. He learned not to go as far as Walker has.