WTF!!! with all the bullshit in Wisconsin this special election turns out to be a DEAD HEAT

[bigdarryl]

Just goes to show know matter how fucked up the republicans are the rethug voters will still vote for them http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/06/wisconsin-supreme-court-election_n_845352.html

[mdmc]

1. DU'ers following this said we would win 80 - 20

now I realize how many here have never GOTV or even followed a campaign..

[DrDan]

5. several DUers also said there was no way on earth that Rand Paul could beat a Dem

[Exilednight]

23. It's the same people who are predicting a landslide win for Obama in 2012. It's going to be a lot

closer than people think.

[Arkana]

31. Have you looked at the crop of GOP candidates for 2012?

[Atman]

2. Can you say "electronic voting?"

I find it absolutely amazing the virtually every race since the installation of Bush has been a 50/50, too-close-to-call, squeaker, even in races where one would expect a wider margin. EV was never addressed...we didn't seem to care once we got "our guy" in office.

[onenote]

14. every race since 2000 has been 50/50? Seriously?

Do you think the rest of us live in dark rooms with no windows and no access to the real world?

That statement isn't remotely close to reality.

And its my understanding (although I'm willing to stand corrected) that Wisconsin uses paper votes (so there is a paper trail for a recount).

[Atman]

17. Oh, excuse me. I forgot the cross-post for the literally-impaired.

Seriously? This is where you're going with this? Do you HONESTLY believe I meant "every race" literally? Every single race? You can't read a post and glean something from it without it having to be 100% literal? You probably don't get joke, either. Sarcasm flies over your head. Hyperbole must always be accurate (is that possible?)

And do you know what kind of "paper votes" Wisconsin uses? A paper ballot fed into a DRE is no more secure than a purely electronic vote. Remember, someone has to CHALLENGE to count. And someone has to count those ballots. In Wisconsin, which has shown about as much concern for fairness and law as some third-world despotic administration.

:eyes:

The incontrovertible fact is that since 2000, all -- yes, ALL -- the most important, high-profile races, and most of the other important ones, were "squeakers" and "too close to call," according to the only sources we actually have, the media. It wasn't always like this. I don't believe for one minute that America split into two equally-divided camps on the day Bush was selected. Crazy, unexplained "upsets," (Saxby?) races that can't be predicted making them open to behind-the-scenes manipulation due to lack of oversight or verifiable polling, lack of real exit polling. C'mon. Wake up. You KNOW I didn't actually mean literally 100% of every election. So did the intelligent readers.

[onenote]

18. So what you really meant is that every race that's been close has been close

Thank you for that insight, Mr. Tautology.

And do you regard the 2008 election as an "important, high profile race" and do you think that was a "squeaker"?

[dflprincess]

26. I believe Wisconsin uses the same or similar scanning machines that Minnesota uses

I would also guess that WI, like MN, has a point that triggers an automatic recount. In both the Franken (2008) and Dayton (2010) races the difference in vote counts were low enough to trigger an automatic recount.

Given the Republican take over of the State Legislature in 2010 - which surprised even the Republicans - I have wondered if the machines were tampered with and, in the case of the governor's race, not tampered with "enough". Dayton went into election day with a reasonable lead, the fact his race wound up being so close seems a bit suspicious - even with the low voter turn out.

[vaberella]

20. Not everything is up for electronic voting.

Obama won that state---if i remember clearly. And if you look by precinct---she won the Dem ones.

[Buzz Clik]

3. Republicans? Where are all the Wisconsin Dems? Did they stay home again?

Wisconsin is getting exactly what they continue to vote for. I'm finding it difficult to spend any more energy worrying about them.

[thoughtcrime1984]

10. We did not stay home. Record Spring election turnout.

There are about as many baggers as Progressives in this state, I have found.

[Buzz Clik]

15. Glad to hear about the high turnout.

I had always held Wisconsin in high esteem as a progressive state in a sea of Midwestern knuckledraggers. My home state is so wearying in its rightwing politics, I guess I've been living vicariously through you folks.

Best of luck!!!

[Exilednight]

24. That's the fastest flip flop in history.

First you argue: "Wisconsin is getting exactly what they continue to vote for. I'm finding it difficult to spend any more energy worrying about them."

Now it's: "I had always held Wisconsin in high esteem as a progressive state in a sea of Midwestern knuckledraggers."

[Buzz Clik]

25. Read it how you want, but I refuse to engage someone whose sole purpose is an argument.

Go. Away.

[Exilednight]

27. I'm not looking for an argument, Just pointing out the obvious. n/t

[Buzz Clik]

28. What's obvious is your inability to interpret other people without enormous bias.

I really don't give a shit, so I will make you disappear.

3,2,1, poof!

[Exilednight]

29. No bias, just looking at your words. n/t

[ChairmanAgnostic]

4. you guys are all missing the point.

do you have any idea just how hard it is to dislodge a sitting judge? It almost never, ever happens. To be this close is astounding. Fantastic. Joyous and wonderful. If we manage to win, against all odds, that would be even better.

Remember, just two months ago Presser was a shoo in at 75-25 at keeping him in place. His campaign was filled with people of all stripes, including democratic leaders. It was only after he began showing his Tea bagging side, and calling female judges bitches, and saying how he could not vote against Walker, that people woke up and took a second look.

There is nothing to be pessimistic about. to the contrary, this is fucking great!

[90-percent]

6. Thanks

I concur with Mr. Agnostic. Going from down 75 25 to dead heat in such a short time is remarkable.

I am disappointed that it wasn't an overwhelming trounce at the polls, but I am sure Wisconsin will do even better with the next elections. Especially those delicious recalls coming up!

-90% Jimmy

ps - Mr A - long shot - my parents home town is Harvey Il. I hear it's a hell hole these days?

[bigdarryl]

8. Mark my word there going to have a recount and the rethugs are going to try and steal this election

[ChairmanAgnostic]

9. Harvey's like an old, wrinkled shirt.

The memories were great, but the present state? It is as though you are torn putting the shirt in the rag pile or washing it one last time in the hopes that it would survive the dryer.

Harvey's about 15 miles from me.

[thoughtcrime1984]

7. I largely agree with you.

And, to an above post, Wisconsinites showed up in droves in one of the biggest, if not THE biggest turnout in April election history. There are a lot of passionate Dems here, but there are also a lot of ignorant, pain-in-the-ass baggers in our midst. This state is quite split, and to get to this point in this particular election is not as easy it would seem to an outsider. I'm not looking for pity, but this state has many, many progressives that are working their asses off, and deserve better!

[hlthe2b]

11. Remember, that the incumbent was predicted to sweep reelection

almost unencumbered prior to the whole union bashing ordeal. So, that this essentially unknown, if accomplished, woman who had not previously held public office to leapfrog to a dead heat--given all the Teabagger efforts and Koch Brother money coming in, is pretty phenomenal. I still think she may pull it out.

Perspective, folks....

[ChairmanAgnostic]

13. I'm much more into retro

spectives.

You are exactly right. Even if we lose, which looks like a flip of a coin at the moment, this should impact them like metamucil on steroids. "Oh, Shit!" in other words.

[southernyankeebelle]

12. Goes to show you when money talks common sense goes out the window.

[90-percent]

16. Look at what we're up against

Corporate Pravda that is our MSM - to be an informed American these days takes a lot of work. Because you have to dig for real news with facts, not corporate propaganda.

Hate Radio

Evangelicals

Rove political tactics

Education - designed to keep us docile and ignorant. Especially how our government works and what citizenship's obligations really are.

Citizens United

Middle class and working class wages have stagnated for the last thirty years. We are a wealthy country. Too damn bad it's mostly in the hands of 400 elites.

Trickle Down Economics

Wars based on bullshit.

Disaster capitalism

Abolished constitutional rights

Ideologically driven Supreme Court

over turning Posse Comatatus

Distribution of wealth worse than what created the Great Depression

Obama's ceaseless capitulation to republicans with really bad ideas in the name of bipartisanship.

Electronic Voting

No more election exit polls

The GWB White House is not in prison for crimes against humanity

No criminal prosecutions of Wall Street and big banks

Alan Grayson got voted out

Two tiered justice system, separate rules for elites. Laws are for the little people only. powerful people can kill with impunity - look at Eric Prince as one example.

Frank Luntz style propaganda

ALL OUR INSTITUTIONS ARE FAILING US BECAUSE THEY HAVE ALL BEEN TAKEN OVER BY GREEDY SOCIOPATHS.

Only thing we have in our favor is that there's 98% of us and 2% of them. WE THE PEOPLE engaging each other and enacting change from the bottom up is our only hope. All our leaders have been bought and actually work against us in favor of those god-awful multi-national humans that have the rights of actual people when it serves them. And hide behind their corporate charter when it serves them.

-jim

[vaberella]

19. It's amazing she's that far ahead. I find this country right-wing and amnesic.

So this sort of turn out shocks me. Yeah, Dems may have came out this time. But their state is as right wing as they come it seems.

[Life Long Liberal]

21. Amazing that it is this close.

[Safetykitten]

22. Gee, now think of the "impossibility" of Obama not being re-elected.

[ncteechur]

30. Can you say Citizens United??