Wisconsin, do you have any idea what you have done!?

[Rex]

The things going on now, there, are simply put - AMAZING. We are watching the people of Wisconsin basically rewrite the playbook and show the WORLD that the rich and privileged don't amount to a CAN OF BEANS when it comes to democracy!

Wisconsin, I salute you! The people there are forcing a 'nonviolent workers revolution' of sorts that hopefully will be the template for ALL STATES as we wipe away the Robber Barons dead set on destroy free enterprise and the American spirit!

YES WE CAN!

I finally understand what that means now!

YES WE CAN!


EDIT - I am actually GIDDY with excitement, been a LONGTIME since I have felt true hope in my heart for America.

One more time...YES WE CAN!

[katanalori]

1. Q & A for Possner

Q: What do you call someone who wins a judicial election by even ONE vote?
A: "Your honor."

Justice Kloppenburg, stand up and take a bow. The world awaits your victory speech.

[Rex]

2. Perfect.

:yourock:

[russspeakeasy]

48. I think I'll name my next kid Kloppenburg.

[snagglepuss]

9. Brilliant.

:applause:

[deacon]

45. Love it.

[librechik]

3. this is the way Democracy should work. Thank you, WI rank and file

[Blue Owl]

4. DAMMIT

I guess Wisconsin has to keep its weekends, 8-hour workdays, and safe working conditions.

Those poor fucks.

[BlueDemKev]

5. Yep. I guess the state will fall off the map now!

[county worker]

6. All the Koch's money can't turn an election if all the voters on our side turn out.

It seems to me that the right consistently polls somewhere in the 33% range on everything but a higher percentage of them vote than we do. That always amazes me when I see a close vote like this in WI. It should always be 70-30 in our favor but so many of us don't bother to take part in an election.

[malaise]

7. I'm a freaking cheesehead now

This is fabulous!!

Wisconsinites fugged up Walker!! :rofl: :rofl:

[Rex]

8. Wisconsin +1 Koch 0

Walker -1 :rofl:

YES WE CAN!

[malaise]

20. Have M$Greedia carried the results yet?

Cable? Networks?

I've been home an hour and no word on M$NBComcast

[Rex]

23. Evidently Foxnews is reporting Their Pony is in the lead!!

[malaise]

26. Their pony is a dead horse

Fugging LIARS

[JaneQPublic]

12. Or..."ich bin ein Cheesehead!" (nt)

[demwing]

13. Ich bin ein Cheesehead!

[TheUnspeakable]

46. Love That!!!

[Ellipsis]

18. We are all cheeseheads today.

http://amazingdata.com/mediadata20/Image/interesting_nifty_funny_amazing_untitled200907241357091825.bmp

[malaise]

21. That's fabulous

:fistbump:

[struggle4progress]

10. People power can beat monied interests. Organize!

[dragonlady]

11. The success was felt in small election contests too

One school board election, for instance: last year two right-wingers were elected. They fully expected to elect another two this year and tip the balance of the board to the "taxes are too high" end of the spectrum. But no! Turnout was high, and when all the votes were counted, the conservatives lost. Just one example.

[AleksS]

14. Which school district?

I'm excited to hear that! I've been so focused on Sup. Ct. that I didn't even check the Greendale school board election results!

[Rex]

15. Yes and a GREAT one at that! School boards are very very important

and the more GOPukers we can get off teh board, the better! People don't know how important a school board is, until the have a grievance against the school district. They make huge decisions that can mean a new school or gym or new technology, like ipads in the classroom.

Good to hear that! Thanks!

[calimary]

31. It's more important than even that. Anybody remember ralph reed?

ralph reed was this little weasel in the South who gained grassroots power by means of what was then called the Christian Coalition. He was almost like a mini frank luntz (well, without the lexicon and the focus groups, but just as important foundationally) - he grew and encouraged CONservatives and wrong-wingers to get active in LOCAL elections, ESPECIALLY SCHOOL BOARDS!!! Consider:

Get in at the LOW levels where nobody pays much attention (and it doesn't cost that much to run a campaign). Then nobody's gonna be watching what you're up to for awhile and you can git-er-done on a few key knuckle-dragger things...

At the school board you can start influencing things like school curriculae - is evolution taught in science class or do we stick the Book of Genesis in there instead? Do we teach sex ed or would we rather see all our girls turn into bristol palin?

What's more, WHILE you're fucking things up at the school board level, and having an impact with the very very young (who could be indoctrinated at that very very early age to start aiming toward voting republi-CON), you're also building your own power base, and establishing yourself as a pol, yourself.

FROM WHICH YOU CAN THEN START RUNNING FOR HIGHER OFFICE, because you're now developing a resume of experience, and credibility, friends and connections, your own little seedlings of future campaign donors, and all that other crap.

ralph reed was BIG on infiltrating at the school board level. He was very smart and for awhile he was able to fly under the radar, until the pols he was growing and nurturing started gaining ground and moving up in the world.

Then, of course, he got mixed up with jack abramoff and the rest is history. And he got as far in his own moving-on-up as a run for Lieutenant Governor in Georgia, in the last round - I believe, in 2008. And he failed. He'd evidently decided that it was time for the kingmaker to make a run for a throne or two of his own.

THAT'S why we have to keep careful watch on the local level and maybe infiltrate it OURSELVES, AND TAKE IT BACK!!!!! I'm SO GLAD to hear from the posts above that the CONS who were hoping to land another two seats on the school board, and then flip it to solid CONservative, failed!!!!

STOPPED COLD!!! That's a HUGE relief and it's VERY good news! But it won't stay good news like that unless we build on it, and guard our flanks. What we've just won can very easily be snatched back away from us IF WE ARE NOT CONSTANTLY VIGILANT!!!!!!!

[myrna minx]

43. That is exactly how Michele Bachmann got started - the local school board. n/t

[calimary]

50. Bingo! Give that DUer a cigar.

We had a nutcase out here like that - bobbi fiedler. Started in the L.A. school board. Opinionated and conservative and pushy as hell. She was a media whore and LOVED to have cameras and microphones pointed her way and she knew just what to do, working up a really good lather on whatever issue she was making an indignant stink about. She worked her way up to City Council. And there, mercifully, she was finally stopped. That was a long time ago. I THINK she had her eye on Congress as the next step up. I'll have to look that up sometime - I've forgotten the exact circumstances why she fizzled but it was like finally getting an abscessed tooth finally treated - WHAT A RELIEF!!!

[goobergoober01]

76. Bobbie Fiedler.... republican loser

In 1986, Fiedler did not run for re-election to the House of Representatives, opting instead to make what proved to be an unsuccessful bid for the Republican nomination to challenge Alan Cranston for his United States Senate seat. She was charged with political corruption in January 1986 after an undercover investigation allegedly showed that Fiedler offered $100,000 a rival, State Senator Ed Davis, if he would withdraw from the Republican senatorial primary. The charges were dismissed by the court before the matter went to trial. Despite the dismissal of the charges in February 1986, Fiedler garnered only 7.2% of the vote in the Republican primary.

Fiedler is currently a resident of Northridge, California.

[calimary]

82. Yeah, that's her.

DAMN she was annoying. Like a sarah palin or michele bachmann. For awhile there during her heyday, bobbi fiedler was going out and yammering ALL THE TIME. She felt compelled to weigh in on everything. News conferences and press statements rained down like hailstones. And few of us cared. It was "oh forcryingoutloud, ENOUGH already! STFU!"

Btw - Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[goobergoober01]

74. bachmann got started when a sickinthehead sperm got hold of a rottenegg

[AllyCat]

42. Went well for our school board southern Dane Co too.

Have not heard about write-in race in one council ward (both candidates write-ins). All others unopposed.

[54anickel]

64. Good to hear. We weren't so lucky where I live. We had the "You work for ME" mentality at the last

board meeting. We had 2 strong conservatives (1 incumbent), 1 moderate (incumbent) and 1 strong progressive. 3 of the 4 would be elected, and guess which one didn't make it. The winning conservative new-comer ran on a platform of "I don't care what the teachers offer, I'm voting NO". :eyes:

[Downtown Hound]

16. Thank you Wisconsin!

Thank you for standing up. Thank you for giving us all hope. Thank you for giving us something to believe in again.

[Rex]

17. With all the bad news in the world, we need something like this

to keep our spirits afloat on a sea of misinformation and bias in the media. It will be interesting to see how the M$M spins this certain story to their paymasters favor.

[teachthemwell15]

19. I couldn't be prouder to be a Wisconsinite today!!

Shades of purple slowly turning to blue.

[cascadiance]

22. I was beginning to hate Wisconsin late last year after the election...

The only football game in the last few years I'd gone to was when I went back to Iowa City this last fall to see Wisconsin beating my Hawkeyes in the final seconds. Pretty frustrating weekend.

A lot of job frustrations in a previous job that I won't get in to with people from Wisconsin that ultimately contributed to me being unemployed...

Then the elections seeing my favorite Senator Russ Feingold turned loose along with many other Democrats there.

I'd really just about given up on Wisconsin and started to despise this state almost on a personal level. Until the latest battles with Walker proved that you are all really part of the equation and leading it to help us take back America. I'm glad I helped Kitzhaber GOTV before last election here in Oregon to help insure we didn't have a "Walker problem" when he had a close race with "Waitresses are paid too much" Dudley... But I'm happy to see Wisconsin fight back to work on correcting these mistakes and perhaps surging ahead after that!

Proud of you all today too!

[malaise]

24. Check this -Election for judge seen as referendum on union law

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/06/usa-wisconsin-election-idUSN0621658320110406
The Democratic-backed candidate for Wisconsin Supreme Court judge claimed victory on Wednesday in an election seen as a referendum on a law curbing union power with implications for cash-strapped U.S. states.

Challenger JoAnne Kloppenburg beat Republican-backed incumbent Judge David Prosser by slightly more than 200 votes out of 1.4 million cast on Tuesday, according to local media.

---------------------------

[Greybnk48]

25. Freezing our hinders off in Madison and elsewhere

is paying off!! I haven't felt this good about things in quite a while. A win feels real good, as does the knowledge that we CAN win!

[pacalo]

27. The Koch brothers' mini-me lost his mojo last night.

[cascadiance]

33. Is he going to get ahold of Mubarek to hook up with him the following year...

when both are trying to figure out what to do with their time and not be too out in the open in a public arena that doesn't like them too much?

[pacalo]

37. Good question.

It's a little-known secret that the two dictators are one & the same...

[Rex]

61. Bawhahahahaha!!

He thought he could buy the state for...ONE MILLION DOLLARS!!!!

[onethatcares]

28. Wisconsonites, I salute you and wish you the best

can you come down here for a few months and help us get rid of the prickscott stink?

[amborin]

29. K&R

[lunatica]

30. In a thread I posted I said I see Wisconsin as the Flagship for Democracy

And I see now that we're really at war.

[trayfoot]

32. Thank YOU

Wisconsin!!!! Virginians can learn great lessons from you! Thank you for your courage to stand up and be counted - in the streets and at the ballot box!!!!

[freshwest]

34. They got my heart out of my feet.

:loveya: to Wisconsin!

:yourock:

[AmBlue]

35. THIS is what democracy looks like!!!

:party: :toast: :bounce: :patriot: :party: :toast: :bounce: :patriot: :party: :toast: :bounce: :patriot: :party: :toast: :bounce: :party: :toast: :bounce: :patriot: :party: :toast: :bounce: :patriot: :party: :toast: :bounce: :patriot: :party: :toast: :bounce: :patriot: :party: :toast: :bounce: :party: :toast: :bounce: :patriot: :party: :toast: :bounce: :patriot: :party: :toast: :bounce: :patriot: :party: :toast: :bounce: :patriot: :party: :toast: :bounce: :party: :toast: :bounce: :patriot: :party: :toast: :bounce: :patriot: :party: :toast: :bounce: :patriot: :party: :toast: :bounce: :patriot: :party: :toast: :bounce: :party: :toast: :bounce: :patriot: :party: :toast: :bounce: :patriot: :party: :toast: :bounce: :patriot: :party: :toast: :bounce: :patriot: :party: :toast: :bounce: :party: :toast: :bounce: :patriot: :party: :toast: :bounce: :patriot: :party: :toast: :bounce: :patriot: :party: :toast: :bounce: :patriot: :party: :toast: :bounce: :party: :toast: :bounce: :patriot: :party: :toast: :bounce: :patriot: :party: :toast: :bounce: :patriot: :party: :toast: :bounce: :patriot: :party:

[Bravo Zulu]

36. Thanks!

[Kablooie]

38. The people are beginning to run ahead. Obama better go faster if he wants to lead.

I hope he figures out where everyone is running to soon.

He's heading out into no-man's land right now.

[PeaceNikki]

39. Yes. Bursting with cheesy pride.

[Peacetrain]

40. ...YES WE CAN!

:thumbsup:

[rhett o rick]

41. This is the start of a movement. We need a name and a Facebook. nm

[deacon]

44. Yes we can. n/t

[pauldg0]

47. Cheese, cheese...

....I'm going to eat cheese until it comes out all ends..... Congratulations Wisconsin!!!!! Keep driving them back and then into the ground!! We all love you !

[90-percent]

49. Wisc

God Bless the working people and democrats and activists and PATRIOTS of Wisconsin.

This is just the beginning of turning around THIRTY YEARS of corporate purchase of our Democracy. THERE IS SO MUCH MORE WE ALL HAVE TO DO NOW!

LET'S DO IT, my fellow BOTTOM 98%'ERS!

-90% jimmy

[joanbarnes]

51. Oh, I hope its true! I remember how we felt about Obama......

[harmonicon]

52. What have they done? Voted Feingold out of office a few months ago. nt.

[cognoscere]

54. As well as put Walker in office. Many people in this state are living proof

that cheese is a euphemism for shit (cheeseheads). That being said, it appears they are trying to rectify some serious lapses in judgment. My concern is that after the Kloppenberg victory, and, possibly recalling a few republicans, they will think they have won, not realizing that it is not a sprint, it is not a marathon, and it is not even a triathlon. Try decathlon. If they could get rid of the Fitzgerald tards, Walker, Ryan, and other state and local buffoons, they will still need to keep an eye out to prevent them from sneaking back in as they always do. Let's not forget that we gave the country Joe McCarthy. Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty, but you need to be watching internal enemies as well as the external ones.

[Rex]

57. I'm sure they are experiencing 'buyers remorse' by now.

Ya...I have to admit I still don't understand that one. What have they done? Well, for starters the people of Wisconsin are taking a paddle to Walkers bee-hind and by extension his Billionaire cohorts...show me another state currently doing anything close to that.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

62. The ones on DU didn't

I would also say I have an easier time believing the election results were hacked, than that we voted Feingold out, but if I do I will be attacked by a swarm of killer bees who do not allow or accept that possibility.

[Greybnk48]

66. Not by me. I think so too.

The only thing stopping me from total belief (that it was gamed) is the number of ads that flooded the t.v., and that I worked the phones for Feingold and called a lot of angry people. They all brought up the same thing, healthcare. All very misinformed. And they talked about how they voted for Russ in the past, but a vote for him was a vote for Pelosi. It was fucking nuts--very similar talking points among MANY people on my call list.

One lady just SCREAMED at me, totally out of control. I secretly hope she lost her job because of these teabag fuckers. :P

[eowyn_of_rohan]

68. Amazing though depressing

Living in MAdison and primarily associating with left wingers I'm stunned that you encountered so many who believed this crap. I hope that woman lost her job too - maybe it'll wake her up. I'm so disgusted with the multitude of willfully ignorant in this state right now.

[sybylla]

78. No hacking is necessary when people don't show up.

In large parts of WI, lots of voters stayed home in 2010.

In my county specifically:

2008
Obama -7,454 53%
McCain-6,383 45%

2010
Barrett 3,844 37%
Walker 6,368 61%


Notice that almost the exact same number of knuckleheaded conservatives showed up to the polls in both elections. But half the number of independents and liberals showed up.

My county has a low population. And it's true we had record turnout in 2008, but my county usually shows up on election maps as solidly red. If this is what happened in my county, imagine the effects of lower turnout in other areas. It all adds up.

And I've mentioned before that we had loads of recounts in November, including 3 that I was an observer of in west central Wisconsin covering dozens of municipalities and counties. No irregularities showed up.

If you want to carry the conspiracy torch, feel free. But the evidence just isn't there.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

79. did you recount Optical Scan Ballots?

curious

on edit -- also, in which county did you do the recounts? Thanks much

[eowyn_of_rohan]

81. More specifically - Did you recount the Opti-scans via the tabulating machine

or by hand? I think I recall you worked in Eau Claire at one point. I believe that is Optical Scan, isn't it?

[AngryAmish]

53. And if she votes to uphold the law?

Then what?

[Rex]

55. I will believe that when I see it.

[KansDem]

56. I imagine more than one emergency meeting has been called in the nations right-wing "think tanks"

...this past week.

Tongues must be wagging feverishly as "strategies" are bandied about.

[Rex]

58. The Billionaire Brothers failed, it must send shivers up the spines

of the ruling party!

[valerief]

59. I HEART Wisconin! I LOVE Wisconsin! I LURV Wisconsin!

:grouphug:

[Uncle Joe]

60. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Rex.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

63. ALL of you around the country had a hand in this win.

Your support really motivated us. We felt a responsibility to the whole country to do what we could. We have discussed this topic with many other protestors, who also feel this way. So this is a victory for ALL of us. Now let's make it catch fire around the country.

[ArnoldLayne]

65. I got a new kitten today and just named him Kloppenburg

right after I took a Walker. :evilgrin:

[julian09]

67. WINSconsin Thanks for the win for the american working class

It was much too close, next vote take someone with you; you know they will come at us harder next time.
The margin of victory shows every vote counts. Must add to that 204 margin by adding the stay at home vote to the
total. This goes for every state with issues against the working and middle class. Make yourself heard and make yourself count. Staying home in 2010 didn't solve the problems only made them worse.
Wisconsin the home of the labor movement stood up in the cold to show support for their courageous senators who were standing for a basic right of workers to have a say in their employment situations. They pay taxes as well, which is more than some corporations do. Republicans like to get contributions to their campaigns from corporations rather than tax them.

[Lifelong Protester]

69. And we in Wisconsin thank you back for supporting us!

Just an update, a work colleague was in Madison for a meeting on Monday, and she said at 4:30, the capitol square just FILLS with people. Now I know that April 4th was a big action day, but I am happy to think we are keeping the Madison Movement going. On April 30th there is a big rally for workers' rights "Motorcycles on the Square". Should be great.

Again, thanks to all DUers around the world for keeping our morale up and supporting our cause.

Now go out there and DO SOMETHING!!!:bounce:

[DallasNE]

70. The Size Of The Turnaround Amazes

In the primary Kloppenberg lost by a 55-25 margin. That is more than 2-1. To turn that around just boggles the mind. And the big money all supported the guy that lost. Way to go Wisconsin and Justice Kloppenberg.

[ooglymoogly]

71. wrong place

[PatrynXX]

72. Reason it didn't turn violent this time....

Walker pissed off the cops. Except for the Troopers (the guys with the hats) he basically lost support for riot control. St Paul MN 2008.... they had brought in outside help and all hell broke lose. Including ironically the beating of the press some of which were Fox...

Walker's waterloo isn't all the bargaining rights thing. it's how much he broke the law. and everyone knows it. although how the idiot in Florida got his job I'll never know.. and their stuck with him until a croc grabs his nuts...

[azmesa207]

73. Yes we can

but it was done no thank to Obama .He refused to help during the protest and wouldn't let Vice President Biden attend as well .

[PeaceNikki]

75. IMHO, we were successful BECAUSE of them not getting involved.

So I thank them for not getting involved and making it a circus about them and completely shifting the dynamic.

[stormpilot]

77. Yes we sure can!

It's started protests across the country such as the "We Are One" rallies that were just held on April 4th. Here are some images I took of the one I attended in San Francisco. The good energy and vibes were palpable, and we were lucky enough to have some great speakers from Wisconsin (union leaders) to lift our spirits as we continue to fight the good fight of the people.

Enjoy!

http://flic.kr/s/aHsjukVYQE

[zinnisking]

80. All I did was vote.

There are activists here on DU (even people from out of state!) that did phone banking and dog knows what else to GOTV. I bow to you people.