Wisconsin and the future of Democracy?

Tuesday’s election (6/5/12) in Wisconsin pitted the incumbent governor, Scott Walker, to a recall vote. You may recall that Walker was adamant in removing some labor rights from state employees. He wished to pass on more health care insurance costs to employees contrary to union contracts; and he removed the right to strike from the union contract via state fiat. He asked the legislature to support his proposed bills, they did, and workers rights, at least for state employees were stripped of power and financial strength.

It was a Tea Party thing. Smaller government. Lower government costs. All on the back of state employees. All unilateral. Republicans gained control of the state legislature. Walker managed the politics strictly along Tea Party lines. Wedge issues. Emotional issues. Not factual issues. Very little discussion. Certainly no visit to the annals of labor law, history or movement. Certainly no return to the factual base of economics or social contracts. Wisconsin turned into a rogue state. And the republicans and tea partiers were thrilled. 

In marched political interests from national forums. Democrats, centrists, labor unionists, and just plain Americans joined the fray. Along the way President Obama offered his opinions. So did pundits all over the land. 

The response to that turn of events was an out pouring of Super PACs funding of Walker’s defense against the recall movement. And he won. They won. Outside money won. Citizens United won. The supreme court of the land won. Democracy is officially now the property of those with more money. No campaign finance reform. No one man one vote. No limits to special interest money entering local or regional elections. Now the spoils go to the highest dollar bidder. All thanks to the US supreme court. 

And the lack of follow through by Wisconsin voters. They capitulated to special interests. They let it happen. 

After all we all know that corporations with huge bank accounts are actually individual citizens of the United States. They get to vote – um, actually no; they don’t. They cannot vote.  But they have the power to control votes through the open air waves and print media. They actually are super citizens. They have more than one vote. They have as many votes as they have dollars.  

And this is wrong. And each of us knows it.  

How do we handle this issue for the future? Do we just not vote? Do we simply give all political power to the five narrowest minds of justices sitting on the supreme court? How in hell did we get here? 

I think because each of us didn’t do enough to make sure it didn’t get to this place. But turning it around will be very difficult. It will require cooperation and compromise by a lot of people, mostly politicians, and you know and I know that hasn’t worked in the last 30 years.   

People. We. Have. A. Crisis. On. Our. Hands. 

It is not the United States of America; it is now the United States of Companies with Dollars. 

What are you/we going to do about it?  Huh?

June 7, 2012