"People call (Wisconsin) a Purple State...

but I think it's really schizophrenic."

~Barry Burden, a political scientist at the Madison campus of the University of Wisconsin


Today's story in the Chicago Tribune about the Wisconsin recall election spins sunny.  People don't like recalls, the Dems were outspent, and the Obama Team should not be overly worried by the loss (which wasn't even directly theirs, but just a loss for Labor.)

I disagree.
There's ... something happenin' here.
What it is, is kinda clear...

I don't think the money spent, like with the Miami Heat players, at this level, matters all that much.  People aren't convinced all that much by last minute robo calls, screaming tv ads, or full-page color newspaper spreads.  They might listen to poll predictions of who's up and who's down, who's expected to be the winner and who's gonna lose, and choose to vote that way... for balance, or to jump on a bandwagon.

But for the most part,
I think minds were set on this issue from the get go, or at least settled immediately post protest, not all these months later.  The costly recall, which in the end didn't produce results, nobody much preferred. But I'm not all that convinced a lot of people voting for Scott Walker will turn out in the same droves to support President Obama come fall...

Call it a hunch.
Call it local informal observation of attitudes, comments, coffee discussions, etc. based on the areas I roam in.  I can't see Madison and Milwaukee matching their enthusiasm for the presidential turnout like they did back when everyone was interested in making history together in electing a fresh young face who promised to deliver something new -- a direct contrast to the policies of the past.

Once I wrote here about the kick in the pants I felt in my heart when I heard Peter Jennings had lung cancer.  The writing was on the wall with that type of diagnosis:  he was going to be gone too soon.  Indeed, took the leave and never came back...

When his death was announced, you felt it... I did, but not in that same gut-catching way as when you first heard the facts and knew what was coming.

Yesterday's election dissection, and Tuesday night's results, left me with the same gut feeling.  By the time these Dems get organized -- loins girded to "fight", the war will already have been decided.

Spending time essentially appeasing, picking up bits of the opponents' game instead of concentrating on one's own, focusing on frivolous distractions while the real daily wars grind on...  I don't have a good feeling about this, and think the Tribune article is overly optimistic for the Democratic party, and the country as a whole, if you think we're better off with two strong opponents battling it out to lead.

For me, it's ok because the more I process this now, the less disappointment will be felt later, come autumn, when the days are shorter and darker, and winter will again be setting in.  I'm just always surprised when people with shorter range vision don't see things coming... and are well paid for their sunny optimism and lack of foresight.