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Subscribe to RSSMADISON, WIS. -- Mitt Romney made a serious play here – not surprising, given his running mate was a native son and the state recently re-affirmed its support of its Republican governor in a recall election.
But despite the Paul Ryan appearances and the millions spent in third-party ads, the state still proved elusive – one reason, perhaps, that became apparent just hours after polls closed in that contentious June recall.
Related: Romney never overcame bailout opposition
Of the 53 percent of voters who supported Gov. Scott Walker over Tom Barrett, who opposed the governor’s curbs on collective bargaining, 18 percent said they’d still vote for President Barack Obama over Romney.
And that was among the 2.5 million people that voted in the recall – half a million less than voted Tuesday for president.
“Even if the electorate didn’t grow at all, Republicans needed to worry,” University of Wisconsin-Madison political science professor Barry Burden said, “because that’s enough of a flip to make the state go for Obama.”
In a state where voters take pride in voting for the person, not the party, Burden said that some voters felt similarly about Obama and Walker.
Much of President Barack Obama's victory can be attributed to the declining portion of white voters. The president won only 39 percent of that group, down from 2008, but he dominated among non-whites. Democratic strategist Chris Kofinis, Erin McPike of Real Clear Politics and Jonathan Collegio of American Crossroads discuss.
“They’re both incumbents, they’re both presiding over a kind of mediocre economy... But in both cases, voters are willing to give the incumbent credit and give them time to finish the job,” Burden said.
Plus, the fact that the Obama campaign turned out the voters they needed to put them over the edge, even if the resulting 53-46 percent result was far less than Obama’s 14-point margin in 2008.
In the important blue counties of Racine and Milwaukee, Obama got 51.4 percent and 67 percent of the vote respectively. As with elsewhere in the country, demographics were a key part of his victories there: Milwaukee County’s population is 27 percent African American, versus 6.5 percent of people statewide; Racine's is 11.5 percent.
Steven Senne / AP
Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney greets people during a campaign stop at a Cousins Subs fast food restaurant, in Waukesha, Wis., Tuesday, April 3, 2012.
But while Obama won decisively here, Republicans said they are far from ready to cede this perennial purple state to the Democrats.
“I think we have a fantastic ground game and we’ll continue to grow,” said Wisconsin Republican party spokesman Nathan Conrad.
Republicans did win the super-swingy Brown County, which voted Obama in 2008, Walker for governor in 2010 and 2012, and gave Romney a narrow 50.4- 48.5 percent win Tuesday night. Green Bay, located in Brown County’s Fox Valley, is a particularly important bellwether, given its high concentration of white male working-class voters who frequently swing between parties.
But the margins there were meaningful – smaller than they had to be in order for Walker to win, some Republicans conceded.
Another bright spot for Republicans in Wisconsin was in the statehouse - Wednesday morning Scott Walker was quick to note that his party eked out a new 17-15 majority in the state Senate, the body’s third party switch in two years after it went to the Democrats during the recall.
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker predicts the final results for president will be very close in his state. NBC's Brian Williams reports.
“What that tells me is that voters in this state are independent. They listen race by race to what the candidates have to offer,” Walker said to reporters Wednesday in Milwaukee.
And that is one of the reasons this state will continue to be a key battleground in future presidential races, Burden, the University of Wisconsin professor, said.
“It’s just volatile enough and has just enough electoral votes that neither party really wants to walk away from it,” he said.
Leave a Comment:
Lyin Ryan was NO benefit at all.....Zero!
@Chill,
Ryan TOLD us he was lying. In that respect, we knew where he stood.
We never knew where the "Real" Romney stood. Dude was quite the chameleon.
See ya, Mitt. I'd say it's been real, but...
FORWARD!
Shouldn't the headline read: "How did America elude Romney?"
Oh, I keep forgetting to say this to the people in Nevada: Thank you for saying "@!$%# You!" to Sheldon Adelson, and giving the president your state in a nicely hued color of BLUE!
It's pretty bad when you don't pull either of your home states. Assuming of course, that Massachusetts counts as Romney's. That always makes you wonder if the people in those states know something about the candidates that the rest of the country doesn't.
Now there's a re-conciliatory statement if I ever heard one!
Sounds like you and your lefty friends are really adopting that whole "Today is a new day" bu!!Sh!t you were spewing earlier today. NOT!
Move forward my @$$! Nothing is different today vs. yesterday. Same hatred... different day.
:OP
StMiller, apparently the fine folks of Mass knew plenty about their former governor and I am happy that they kicked him out the door!
Sounds like the Bitter Party, Table for One crowd will be lined up for miles today, waiting for an opening at their favorite
hotcold spot.Seriously. If I were running one of the party's I would ask myself...do we really want to nominate someone that couldn't get re-elected in their own state? What, honestly, are the chances of that candidate appealing to a nationwide group of people? And if you still decide to nominate that person would you really double down and pair them with a VP candidate that couldn't carry their own state either?! That is two elections in a row where the Republican party made very bad VP choices.
Thus begins the long, slow, painful post mortum of the Republican party. They will blame Mitt Romney (of course) for failure to close the deal, for changing his position (flip-flopping), for failing to move to the center in June, for saying the 47% message, for putting out the auto bailout message, etc., etc.
They will blame Chris Christie for failing to support Romney. Even Paul Ryan will get some of the blame. Some will say that the message put forth was not conservative enough.
What the Republican party will fail to do is to understand and realize that the reason they lost the White House is that the message the GOP put out to America is one that will fail, every time. America is not about taking away things, its about giving opportunity to everyone. Women have the right to control their own bodies, it is only through legislation that Republicans take away that right. All people have the right to be married, it is only through legislation that Republicans take away that right from gay and lesbian couples. Before it was legislated away by Republicans, people had the right to smoke marijuana.
The country is slowly returning to people the rights they should have already.
The Republican party returned many members to the House. Its easy to win when you stack the vote through Gerrymandered districts. Thankfully, two of the most agregious Tea Party fanatics, Joe Walsh and Alen West will likely not be going back to Washington.
That's it in a nutshell. The American people are still sane enough, despite all the brainwashing from the right, to see reality and retain some common sense.
Ryan added nothing positive to the ticket. I wish he'd lost his seat in the House too, and then he would be as irrelevant as Mittens.
You mean the hatred that comes from you? Frankly my dear, I'm sick of your bickering.
I think Mitt was less the problem then the Koch brother Tea party was. The Koch's and there rich friends tried to buy this election. Now Mitt didn't help because he stands for nothing but keep more of the money he stole while at Bain capital. I am so proud of the American people. We showed the Koch tea party that money can't buy everything. All the Koch money and all the Koch men couldn't but Mitt over the top again. All that money wasted and for what? This just goes to show that there are some people that so have more money then brains. I will bet anyone right now that Koch's already have a way for the Government to give them there money back, and we the tax payers will pick up the bill. I feel that this country could do very well with Koch Industry. We should all stop buying things from Koch Industry. I don't by anything sold by them that I know about.
Romney wanted Ohio and Wisconsin but they didn't want him. Now we know that all of his claims of greatness in his own state were an illusion to him only because his own state didn't want him either. Bye, Bye Romney go back to your corporate raiding business and moving jobs to China.
Quite simply, there aren't enough white, right wing racists in this country to carry a national election. That is a good thing. It has been apparent all along that the GOP cannot expect to offend, belittle, and alienate women, minorities, seniors, union workers, gays and lesbians, and moderates and still have enough Americans left over who are crazy enough to waste their votes on a candidate who changes his position about as often as he changes his magic underwear.
Big congrats to President Obama! Well done!
But while Obama won decisively here, Republicans said they are far from ready to cede this perennial purple state to the Democrats.
Oh I don't know why they wouldn't - Democrats have won all the presidential elections but 3 since 1972 and thats even with a home court advantage. Ryan didn't deliver!
Just goes to show you we Democrats are doing something right. Go President Obama!
Oh Chuck 2111043 - I would have love to have seen all those that gave big (to see Obama lose) faces when Obama won. I know its just a drop in the bucket - but still they lost a lot of money.
Exactly, Chuck!
No amount of money could buy Romney the love that the people have for Obama. We love our president because he has a noble soul.
Our democracy is not for sale here in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.
Wasn't even a contest, just like last time, it was over almost before it started. But you cannot convince those wearing blinders the hard core Talibanish religious ideology is slowly killing the republican party. It certainly is not the same party it once was.
Very scary outlook for WI with Walker getting control of the senate. Be afraid, be very afraid.
ALL CONSERVATIVE, REPUBLICAN, TEAPARTY, INDEPENDENTS, PLEASE READ
PLEASE COPY, RE-POST, SIGN OFF, DELETE YOUR ACCOUNT AND NEVER RETURN
To borrow a phrase from Obama: DO IT FOR REVENGE!
Why argue with these democrats, liberals, progressives, whatever they call themselves?
The best revenge that we can dish out is to close these forums down!
If they have nobody to argue with they’ll soon get tired of kissing each other’s a$$es and leave too.
Take revenge on the lamestream media too like First Read and NBC Politics!
These liberals live for these forums and the best revenge is to take it away from them.
Also stop watching the lamestream media channels. Hit them where it counts, there biased wallets!
Obama would not have been re-elected if not for the protective curtain provided by the media!
Join me in shutting this place down!
I will post these until Friday evening, and I hope you will follow suit.
Friday, I will sign off and delete my account and never return.
Please join me and get just a little taste of REVENGE!
Oh, for pete's sake, Doubletake. Take your weepy whiny nonsense and go to one of your favorite right wing neo-fascist zombie sites and cry with others of your kind. The normal people on this site will greatly appreciate your absence.
doin' a doubletake - do us all a favor and exit now if you'd like. Obviously you don't appreciate the freedom of elections which have been a part of this country since the beginning. In fact, you don't appreciate anything America offers you if it differs from your opinion. You and those like you are the problem and will never, ever be the solution. I suggest you find a nice despotic place on the planet to fit your needs and move there pronto.
Bye
Doubletake; Please, don't let us keep you here... leave now!!
Thanks!
Oh, and good riddance, doubletake.
Joyce from Wash: All those people who donated big money: they own the TV and radio stations, and they will be getting that money back, don't feel sorry for them. Whatever they "donated" is just another form of money laundering, all clean and legal, and they can make the profit off of it too.
The problem is, a lot of that out of state PAC money went to Congressional elections and state elections, which the Democrats couldn't give as much of their advertising dollars to. On top of that, gerrymandered districts assure that a lot of people had new candidates that they did not know. In Ohio, the city of Akron was slivered into little pieces where most of the populations would either be rural or out to Cleveland; and as of right now, those little slivers of Akron have nobody with their interest in mind in Washington D.C. That should be the headline: how some American cities have been disenfranchised. So who is trying to crush those cities, let's guess...
The reason Romney lost the election is the lamestream media bias. It had nothing to do with the Republican agenda. Just keep placing the blame elsewhere and you will continue to find yourself and your "friends" losing every election. All the rest of voting public are puppets of the mainstream media. If you are really so naive to believe that you get what you deserve.
That is the most ridiculous post election excuse for losing I have seen and we all know where it comes from. Bull@!$%# Mountain.
OUwhine.
I just love the pissing and moaning about "the (lame)stream media bias". The reason they are MAINSTREAM is because they represent the MAINSTREAM's views. Mainstream because on average they are balanced and accurate (there are exceptions). On the flip side Fox News is clearly and undeniably biased to the far right, no way at all you can claim otherwise all you had to do is watch it for FIVE minutes after Ohio was called for Obama.
Speaking of "mainstream" I just noticed on a Fox tag line that the phrase "Fair and Balanced" is a registered trademark (for crying out loud).
Doubletake....don't wait til Friday! Do it now!
O&joe 2012
hey doubletake
don't let the door hit your ass on the way out
sour grapes huh? whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, need your binky?
it's so much fun watching the GOP fail...and so what's changed i've heard the whiney Teabaggers ask today?
Well, Scott brown is gone, so is Akin, so is mourdock, trump looks like an even bigger idiot and Rove blew BILLIONS of his crony's money and has sh|t to show for it
oh and Nate Silver was 100% right
If doubletake and all the other RWNJ's exit it would be no loss. Opposition to liberal views isn't the problem. The problem is lack of educated discussion. Talking points don't count as discussion and neither do the fantasies that we often read about from neo-con posters. (Clinton murders, Obama being a secret Muslim/ Kenyan/ non citizen etc. ).
Conversation requires Facts not talking points taken from the Right wing echo chamber. Conservatives have many good attributes but those are drowned out in the frantic, obsessed, delusional, Faux News reporting that is taken as gospel by so many.
Doubletake, don't let us detain you.
From the article:
Romney ran a campaign that was based on economic, political and social extremism.
Mitt's campaign was a revolving door of lies.
There was nothing serious about Romney. He was a hollow, vague and empty-suited candidate.
Ryan was a liability for the GOP ticket.
His plan to gut our safety net of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, made Ryan a deserved loser.
Sheldon Adelson is a casino tycoon. When this gambling GOP money-mint machine, misspent his money on Romney and Ryan, he turned the "odds" against himself.
From the New York Times:
"Little to Show for Cash Flood by Big G.O.P. Donors"
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/08/us/politics/little-to-show-for-cash-flood-by-big-donors.html?hp&_r=0
Again, President Obama, congratulations on your well-earned victory!
I wish I could play both sides against the middle like the career politicians do. If I announced that I was looking for a new job, I'd probably lose my old one.
I wonder how my manager would feel if I said I was interviewing this afternoon, and then came in the next day.
"Well, they didn't want me, but at least I still have my old job! Wait, what? Who's that sitting at my desk? This box is for me?"
doubletake,
The mainstream media is exactly that mainstream, the voice of the majority.
When your gone, you'll be able to spend more time with your knuckle dragging, mouth breathing kind. Think how much fun that will be.
The right wing is filled with sour losers...Rove on Fox trying to stop Ohio from being called for Obama, Trump in a pathetic tantrum, calling for the right wing to storm Washington, D.C., Limbaugh's mental confusion over Obama's win, other GOP radio "hosts" complaining about our system of voting....and now "Doubtake."
doubletake,
Unlike Romney, please be a man of your word, and stand by your committment to leave!
oh! and don't forget Teddy-boy Nuggent!
what was it said? he'd either be in jail or dead if Obama got re-elected?
i welcome either...prefer the latter
Walker is next.
And I bet you still hit yourself in the head with that bat even after the doctor told you it was the cause of your headaches right? :)
Romney and more specifically Republicans, lost because they practiced Hate Speech. People do not want Hate Mongers.
Don't take the Walker's recall win as an endorsement. He stands ZERO chance of winning again. The only reason he didn't get recalled is that enough of the fair-minded Wisconsin residents felt he should get to serve out his term. They will NOT vote him in for a second term.
As for you GOP whiners blaming the media, get real. Fox is SO FAR RIGHT and outlets like CNN are moderately right and NBC is slightly left that the NET bias is probably SLIGHTLY RIGHT. Your PLATFORM SCARES A LOT OF PEOPLE. Your standard bearer had NO DISCERNIBLE POSITION ON ANYTHING other than giving a big tax cut to the wealthy - AND HE EQUIVOCATED ON THAT. Really. The media? LOOK IN A MIRROR! THAT WILL TELL YOU WHY YOU FAILED!
CROW FOOD FOR FOR THE IDIOTS THAT POSTED IT HERE
Just_D_Facts
Ignore the fact O won last election.......... yet still the liberals cry racism... LOL.
Enjoy the run, Obama's term will end in Jan. He will be voted out in November.
Oh, and for the record, America is ready for a black (or partially so) president, voted one in and will again..... but mark my words, the next one male or female won't be a bankrupting, socialist, Constitution hating, class warfare, race baiting, divisive president. (Allen West comes to mind - vote for him in a second).
Romney and Ryan.... for our kids sake / for America's future (so we have one in which the official language isn't Chinese). #8.1 - Mon Oct 1, 2012 8:37 AM MST
MSNBC, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS all slant way over to Obama it is unwatchable and ratings prove it.
Delusional rants. Obama was able to fool Americans because he had no record. He can't now, because his record is one of abject failures. Stimulus that failed. Solyndra that failed. XL pipeline cancelled. The Mideast up in flames and Obama out apologizing.
Bob in Virginia-5210392
Mitt Romney will win the state of Virginia.
#9 - Thu Sep 27, 2012 11:10 AM MST
elliot-3020456
0bama is so deceptive. Romney wanted GM to do a restructuring bankruptcy, which they ended up having to do anyways after wasting tens of billions of tax dollars. The bailout money was a total failure, I'm glad 0bama wants to slap his name on that.
Just wait till the debate next week when Romney brings the facts of the bailout to light and makes 0bama look like the amateur that he is.
mcpaddywack
all you libs will be in for a shock on election day.......lib media polls are meaningless....it is hard to believe that there is one adult american who would vote for the fraud obama....
#1.165 - Wed Sep 26, 2012 11:11 AM MST
richardsh
As I read all of your comments, it's clear that most of you are living in an alternate universe ... I wasn't crazy about Bush, but Obama is much worse. . It just goes to show how wonderfully well the mainstream media's hatchet job on Romney has worked. But for most of us in the know, we know these polls are all juiced up for Obama. Come election day, I think all of you are in for a rude awakening. If you thought the 2010 midterm elections was painful, you haven't seen nothing yet.
Conservative Rebellion
The polls are skewed. Romney is making the correct call by ignoring them. It'll be a Romney/Ryan landslide. Especially after that embarassing display Obama put on at UN today. I think he was high. #14.6 - Tue Sep 25, 2012 6:55 PM MST
B White-519014
Put your money where your mouth is- you can get Romney at 4-1 from bookmakers.
#2.12 - Tue Sep 25, 2012 6:11 PM MST
F6Zman
Hey, I'm just telling you guys Facts, when Barry Soetoro (Barack Obama) loses the Elections and Declares martial law, you will be stupid to remember what I have been telling you morons.
kkwilson
let's all pray that Obama will be able to find a job after November.
10tacle
.... Oh you liberal Democrat Obama supporters are SO toast in November! The liberal media is not going to save you this time around.
Kornfed
O'bama will still lose in a landslide. He is that bad!
#1.14 - Tue Sep 18, 2012 7:29 AM MST
Road Warrior-252445
You libs do realize it's going to be a landslide, don't you? Your man's lead continues to decline since the bump after the convention. He once had a 7% lead. He is now only up 1% in Rasmussen and 2% in Gallup with an average of 47%. Oops, there's that number 47 again. Alot of people who won't tell you who they will vote for will go with Romney.
#25 - Tue Sep 25, 2012 12:27 PM MST
rightisright-5861504
(I)n a funny way, i do hope obozo gets reelected by you ignorant fools.
when he taxes the one percent and lowers the debt for 12 hours you are next
and your kids will think you were the stupidest people on the planet, destroying the last bastion, beacon shall i be so bold, to embrace socialism, which so many died to defend against
liberals. self serving selfish fools too smug to listen
oh yeah, hows that new downgrade?
hows the middle east doing?
hows that fiscal cliff gonna be handled?
how are 23 million americans gonna find a job?
hows that french economy now that they decided to "tax the rich?" dont know? whys that hmmmm?
what will you all do when the economy contracts again nov 7th?
it will be too late for sorry
#25.2 - Tue Sep 25, 2012 12:56 PM MST
Brianb1956
Sailcat-2064101 said:
Now that's something I can laugh at.
Actually, Brian, the desperation that is becoming increasingly evident in your posts is pretty darned funny, too. Is President Obama's inevitable reelection starting to wear on you?
What do I have to be desperate about? This country will become very desperate if Obama wins... I give it a year, possibly 2 before the economy collapses. I've taken measures to protect my family when it falls under Obama's control. I've plenty of food stored, clothing, a crap load of silver, stockpiling salt (currency) and let's not forget the ammo... plenty of ammo.
#2.11 - Tue Sep 25, 2012 11:56 AM MST
Your posts are getting more pointless by the day, Fids. It's time to hang up your cap guns and admit your failed political ideology has been roundly rejected by America. The trash heap of history is waiting for you.
I believe if most people were honest...
one they would ealize that they have beliefs and morals that side with both partys at times. Not argue and insult based on a color like blue or red or a animal like a donkey or elephant or dolphin or snake or...
I voted for Obama. But I have beliefs that fall on both sides of the fence. I love these forums but people have been so mean... so controversial... so ready to insult, call names, just generally ready to treat other people of OUR GREAT COUNTRY THE USA badly because of what they believe. Isn't that what a DEMOCRACY is for? For us to have freedom of speech yet still respect each others opinions. For us to disagree with each other yet still be UNITED. I am sorry but I feel that this election especially on THESE forums has brought out the worst in people. Some of these comments are truly sad. Mature people calling names, insulting others because some morals and beliefs ma be different.
It is time for some of you to truly look in the mirror and take stock of what you see before you begin to type and respond to others. This goes for many of you. I believe everyone my comment is meant for will know exactly who they are.
Have a peaceful day peeps.
ROUNDLY REJECTED...? take another 2 doses of ROVEICAINE !!
2 states legalize pot & hundreds of millions in new taxes
8 RWNJ's tossed from office
Rove proven a liar & theif
Norquist proven an idiot , liar & their
Sheldo took a $150 Mil hit
the Koch bros took a $200 Mil hit
The GOP is split into 3 small pieces (thank you TeaParty)
...and the best part....?
you have NO ONE to run in 4 years & NOTHING to run on !
Tell me.... how does rigor mortise feel & how long before your rotting corpse reeks ?
I think we're on the same side, Fids. I misread your original post. Mea Culpa!
Carry on.
Myth Romney made too many Mythstakes and Mythsteps.
It wasn't only Mitts making missteps, the entire TPGOP party is at odds, both with voters and within. What stuns me is there are voters out there who firmly believe the party is fiscally responsible, yet they are the most fiscally irresponsible party we have every experienced in our lifetimes. I suspect the party will continue to meander down its winding, make that curlicue, path as long as it is the party led by rich guys feeding off their neo-con insane base.
A new start for the party would be to watch all TPGOP members shred their Norquist pledge sheets, on public TV. Next, tell A.L.E.C., Norquist, and the Tea Party to go eff themselves, and form their own party of right wing neo-con freaks. The GOP would be rather shocked at the number of people attracted to a moderate, fiscally conservative party. Alas, that will never happen. The TPGOP is not at all, forward thinking.
Or, be really sneaky and give back the South to the Democrats. :-)
bcwc,
The Democrats lost the south after the 1964 Civil rights act. President Johnson knew this when he signed the act.
Tom,
There was also Nixon's and Goldwater's Southern Srategy. ca.1965-66
I could have sworn that I heard sometime back that you couldn't be elected President if you couldn't carry the south! I am guessing that came from Mitch M and Demint. Funny I didn't see anything of Jim Demint this time around, Is he under investigation like Tom Delay was? I kinda miss his communist Butt.
bcwc,
You got that right! Nixon knew he had the south in his column, and Goldwater also. But without the civil rights act in his favor, Goldwater would've probably carried only Arizonia.
http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/national.php?year=1964
Tom,
The history of that period in politics is fascinating ... I do not know how the Republican Party can divorce itself at this point and attract the degree of demographic diversity which they are in dire need of.
Mitt is a very decent man on the wrong side of history...and he just doesn't understand the difference between a boss, a manager and a leader.
I agree, wryobsever. Governor Romney has never been a bad man. I've never understood the hatred some of the left have for him. He's just woefully out of touch. Not 100%, but he's pretty much had things his own way throughout his life, so maybe a bite of humble pie will help him better understand the world. Plus, I could never vote for someone who seemed to have no fixed principles. I never liked Santorum, but at least I knew where he stood.
As to the history questions: Nixon also "red-lined" a lot of bank money from the north to build up the south, and also convinced a number of industries to move from the north to the south (before they moved out of the country altogether for cheaper labor). For that reason, much of the south thinks it owes a debt to those people, even though the south has also had its jobs outsourced to other countries.
The civil rights issue, sadly, is still important for too many people. Investigations showed that some tea party groups were entirely composed of people who were also members of white supremacist organizations, and not just southern states either. It is easier to hide such things in northern states. I am hoping that people will become more tolerant if more of diverse America is educated and working; those who are intolerant often point to "bad neighborhoods" to justify their attitudes. The trouble is, jobs means that people need to be hired; the auto bailout saved lives. But rich or poor, people need to "keep hope alive" so that there is no possible justification for the attitudes of those crazy intolerant people.
Finally, I worry that some states will hurt themselves just to vote in a contrary way to the way other states vote. It is the poorest states that get the most Federal aid (such as Alabama and Mississippi) that are most likely to vote Republican, which might cut off aid for themselves first. Do they really want to harm their own population, or are they trying to secede again? I try to pray for them, but they also think they have a monopoly on prayer, and somehow they cross out those Biblical passages that say to help the poor, feed the hungry, give shelter to those without it, and heal the sick. I hope at least that they realize that it is in their best interest to participate in a more positive way in our government's decision making processes.
Wrongme, Sheldon Adelson and the Koch brothers can buy anything they want - except America.
Next time, republicans - don't field an idiot.
The GOP has consistently failed it's coalition base and THIS COUNTRY by failing to field viable candidates twice in a row & the bank they've drawn from is now EMPTY... no more war heroes, fat cat vulture capialists...only political whores .
Yet, Wisconsin could not get rid of their Governor after spending some 40 million on a recall, ODD wouldn't you say. Oh, and the state senate stayed in Republican control. But, yet some how they went democratic for the president, and reelected Ryan to congress..
They also elected the first openly gay woman to the Senate. Who would have figured that with Obama and Baldwin winning, they would give Republicans a majority in the state senate, Tough state to figure.
Hmmm....suggests that the voters in Wisconsin were smart enough not to fall for Romney's snake oil pitch.
If you look at the results there was a lot of ticket splitting. Missouri and Indiana for example.
It been reported that the GOP has grabbed 30 Governor Seats, the most in a decade. What are the pros and cons?
I think the only reason they didn't recall Walker was because they didn't think what he did was worth getting read of him. And they didn't like all that outside money coming in telling them what to do. That money thing seems to be America telling big money, Keep your dirty money out of here.
This has nothing to do with the voters, but the super-PACs of Karl Rove, that poured millions into those state and Congressional elections. If Ryan had been elected before to Congress, his district is probably still conservative now. As to the governors, again, Rove poured millions into those elections, for a good reason.
The Supreme Court upheld the "individual mandate" for Obamacare, but the states are also allowed to offer the very least possible of the Affordable Healthcare Act, which means that putting Republican governors and state Senators and Representatives into power would be one way to block Obamacare. Democrats can't afford the campaign warchest for state and local elections, but given the heavy TV, radio, and billboard ads that were for Republican candidates, the outside money really counted for those elections.
The other reason for GOP governors is "drill baby, drill," which has more to do with state and governor positions than Federal. The frackers are not using Federal lands for the most part, but leases from private land owners, which only need STATE approval. Watch what happens in the next two to four years.
Also, there are a large number of voters who only vote in Presidential elections, not primaries, and not every two years for Congress. It should be mandatory that people over 18 that are able (according to doctor's note) must vote at least every two years and at least in the Presidential election. There are people who are dying to protect our freedom, the least we can do is to spend a little time to vote.
No No Elizabeth... people have died to protect our "right" to vote, which also implies our "right" to not vote. Forcing people to vote, all of a sudden it's not a right. What if you don't like any of the candidates? Should you be forced to vote for one? Vote or don't vote. It's the American way.
Allowing "write-in" candidates would solve the vote requirement. In Ohio, it isn't a real "write-in;" the only "write-in" candidates allowed are those who have stated they are running as a write-in candidate before a deadline at the Board of Elections. Also, at least signing the registration book and handing in a ballot (which could say "none of these candidates" next to each choice) would also solve it. If the people show up and actually register their discontent with the candidates, it is still a free election but an election that includes all the voters. Most voters have SOME candidate or issue that they would want to vote for, if they actually took the trouble to show up and vote. If you think that we live in a free country but we can be free of our country, that is not a free country but anarchy. Democracy means that you have a duty to make it work.
I'll go one step further, Elizabeth.
Voting is a right of citizens. But how do we define "citizen?"
I think there needs to be a Constitutional Amendment defining "Citizenship" and that definition would be a lot more than just being born here. My definition would include a mandatory service requirement for everyone; military, Peace Corps, Americorps, CCC, WPA, Border Patrol, Fire Fighting Service, Coast Guard, etc. Unless and until you do a four-year hitch serving your country in some capacity, you don't get to be a citizen. You can still be born here, can still work here, and can still pay taxes. But you will not get to vote, will not draw Social Security or Medicare, will not be elegible for public office, etc.
I voted for Obama, and I am a 55 year old white man living in Milwaukee. I also voted for Walker twice. I don't like nut cases and I don't like corruption, in Milwaukee it is the teacher unions and for the GOP it is the tea party/Klan and the right wing religious taliban. Public employee unions and defined pension plans are unsustainable not to mentions that the the teacher unions just enforce mediocrity of their own members. I don't want to hear some punk tell me different, I pay a lot is property taxes and put 2 kids through the schools here, the unions have destroyed education in Milwaukee.
The scandals here have been regarding pensions and benefits to public employees from the democratic party which is why Walker easily won. Now it is a matter of which party is going to overreach and one will for sure as they always have. I don't believe that the Republicans will win another national election as long as they cater to the tea party and the religious nut cases but if the democrats cater to public employee unions they can also lose. During the recall and the limiting of public employee unions, Obama never entered this state and that was the right move. I wish him the best but I also hope some adults take over the Republican Party and people start thinking of what is best for the country not just their individual selfish interests.
The Wisconsin Voters know a fraud when they see one! And Ryan re-election was out of sympathy
I am not in the Ryan district so I couldn't vote against him.
Well, Thomas, it's the thought that counts! LOL
If it's any consolation . . . I checked the voting results in Wisconsin last night, and Paul Ryan won re-election by a smaller margin than any other rep in the state. He won 55% of the vote and the other six all won at 56% or higher. I don't know, though, if the tally has since changed.
While Barrett was not a strong statewide candidate, many Wisconsinites who did not like Walker's overreach on the collective bargaining law simply did not agree with the recall process. In the end, this state has a lot in common with many others - urban areas are Dem strongholds and exurbs/rural are solidly Rep. The ground game is essential and when African Americans felt their voting rights threatened, they became more determined to vote.
I, for one, take great satisfaction to note that neither "Little Napoleon", Scott Walker, or "The Big Brain from Janesville", Paul Ryan, could deliver my state.
Don't be decieved Dandit61. Lot's of people felt that a politician losing a job for a policy position, was just too much. We have a sense of fair play, even for a weasel like Walker. Ryan hedged his bets, all along, spending heavily in his very safe district, even as his was off shilling for Romney.
I really don't understand. Could you clarify "losing a job for a policy position?"
Policy positions are the most essential ingredient in governing; filling potholes is done by subcontractors. It is the policy positions that can change people's lives the most. If one man's policies cost people their jobs, isn't it just as fair to let that one man lose his job? I just don't get the term "fair play" in the same sentence as Walker.
To clarify:
A policy position is not a crime. The electorate here in Wisconsin could only be convinced to recall the governor for criminal activity, not a policy position, no matter how radical that position.
It appears he HAS committed a few crimes along the way and the policy position appears to be unconstitutional but we will take that up in the next election...
I have always wondered how Ryan wins all the time, when I hear Ryani not well liked. I think it;s the Pinnochio Nose theory - he tells voters that he is fiscal conservative, yets brings lots of money to his didtrict. We had 2 senators they never lied, were well liked, beloved - Magnusen & Jackson. They brought a ton of money to Washington State, unfortunately for them time caught up with them.
Time will catch up with Ryan and his ideas. Well we can only hope, Scott from Wisconsin.
ok, but celebration aside, it seems clear that Obama's argument was decisive in Wisconsin. That is, he took an economy in free fall, turned it around, and is slowly marching the right direction. As an analogy, Wisconsin's decision sounds a lot like a corporate leader might make, when he puts a manager in place to turnaround a failing company. If that person turned around the company and put its numbers on the right path, the leader would probably be more inclined to go with his manager against another who wants to fundamentally change the company's direction.
In other words, had Romney argued that he could goose the economy to build on the gains and the direction Obama had set, as opposed to fundamentally changing directions, he may have done better there. Maybe.
The good news is that Wisconsin is fair-minded. The problem is, given the votes for both Walker and Obama, that they do not seem to have taken a position on whether they stand for top-down economics, or middle-out economics. As long as that is the case, they will remain a swing state.
The reason I'm trying to fathom why keeping Walker is "fair minded" is that my father's family came from Wisconsin, and most of that family still lives there. Those Germans can be stubborn, but to equate "fair" with Walker has me stumped.
why not "fair" with walker? you offer no reason why?
I asked this question first: why do you consider Walker fair? So you ask why I consider him unfair instead? Does busting unions have something to do with it? Maybe, since my grandfather taught shop in Milwaukee, and was a teacher during the Depression. My grandfather was a Republican, but from another era; his bank allowed teachers to stay in their homes deferring their mortgages, and the town gave the teachers groceries, and that is all they were given at that time. These days, when you cut the salary of police, firemen, and teachers, it means that they could have their home foreclosed and they will be out on the street... is that fair? The good German Republicans that were the backbone of Milwaukee have been replaced with the likes of a Walker and a Ryan; this is not fair indeed.
So, as I asked before, why is keeping Walker "fair minded?" I am asking for the sake of my grandfather.
But you asked two different questions. 'Why is it fair to keep Walker' is different than asking 'Why are Walker's policies considered fair'. Wisconsin is a swing state precisely because they've made a decision on the former question, but not yet on the latter.
What I called 'fair' above is not a political position. I agree with you that 'middle-out' economics is more 'fair' than top-down economics as a political reality. But Wisconsinites have not yet made that decision. They have not made the decision that top-down, Walker-style economics is less 'fair'. Given that, they decided that Walker should have the chance to make his economics work, that he wasn't given enough time to prove the case one way or the other.
Since, unlike you and I, the Wisconsin public has not decided the issue between the two economic models, then the bottom line is that they understand that policies take time to work (an argument made by both Walker and Obama), and therefore it is only 'fair' to give the elected official the time they need to prove their case.
You, I and your grandfather have decided that Walker's economic position is inherently unfair. If Wisconsin comes to that understanding with us, then the 'fair-mindedness' of Wisconsinites will mean that guys like Walker will have no chance of being elected in the first place. I hope that is what ultimately happens.
Wisconsin keeps their idiots at home. Thanks Wisconsin we don't need Ryan or other such loons.
You can have him though because we in Janesville are sick of his lies !
So why did Wisconsin keep Ryan in Washington, to continue to plague all of America with an iron-hand budget and prevent women from receiving health services? He would have been a little safer as a V.P. than in his position in Congress, although I am very glad that he did not get the V.P. spot.
Well, here we are. The election's over, everyone's gone back to their day job...and Florida is still counting ? Its like nobody has the heart to tell them...
(snickering)
well played.
Uh, who do you think they'll pick? Not that it matters.
That's funny but so true. Twelve years ago Florida held all the cards - literally and figuratively. This time they are totally irrelevant except for one thing: if they ever pull it out for Obama it will be a blowout, 332 electoral votes, almost unheard of. So Go Flo, bring that baby home for mama!!
Because they live in a house of cards? None of them have hurricane insurance, because no insurance company will grant it, and they still have building codes that have no protection from storms. They have no cards to hold. Now the insurance business in Connecticut (home of all the insurance companies) are tasting their own medicine, sad to say for the people there.
Well...Florida is still counting...wha-wha-wha one, tuh, tuh two, thu, th, threee...
Oh, the irony. The Republican ticket failed to capture three states the candidates claim to be strongly tied to--Wisconsin (Ryan) Massachusetts and Michigan (Romney). I cannot speak for either Wis or Mass, but I know in Michigan, as the daughter of a retired GM worker and wife of a Ford employee, we don't care too much for Mitt.
Citizen's United ruling played a big role in Walker surviving the recall. Seven states poured money into his coffer. Plus a law in his favor allowed him to raise unlimited funds to defend against the recall.
The Citizen's United ruling is technically unconstitutional because it removes representation from the people of the state. Wherever possible, the monied interests will attempt to sway the people's will.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-hannah/money-politics-wisconsin_b_1573589.html
Same thing happened some years ago when it was found that Democratic Senator Baucus of Montana had gotten all his campaign money from the health insurance industry, and he was the person who was head of the committee in a key position to write the health care bill. I think there should be a limit on campaign money, including from a candidate themselves.
All over America, those state, local, and Congressional elections had outside PAC money, something the Democrats could not match. Together with re-districting (which meant that people did not know the candidates and were more vulnerable to listening to attack ads), it was a slam-dunk for many Republicans. In Ohio, I saw attack ads for my former Congressional Representative that I knew were wrong, but I couldn't vote for her, because her district had been moved to a newly gerrymandered area that didn't know her at all.
A lot of Americans do not know how our government works and they do not care enough. Congress, not the President, writes the budget. It is just as important to elect the Congressional Representative and Senator as it is the President of the United States. That's why, unlike many of the people who posted, I always wrote "vote Democrat," not just "vote Obama." The new Congress is going to be almost worse than the present one.
"white male working-class voters who frequently swing between parties" I think I need to move to Green Bay!
Rupubs all but killed off our white working class males; exactly where did they think all those votes would come from??
I see that the Millionaire , Job creating Pubs , are absent . They were all over the vine last night . Scvreaming about lay-offs and not hiring . it was interesting , almost , Every repub was wealthy and owned a company .
LMAOROFL
Not sure you'll be laughing when you get laid off...good luck finding a new job.
Hi kmo Unlike the retards posting , I actually do work for myself . Myself and 2 other familys that my small business supports . Sooks to be you . Go ahead tell us more . LMAO @ U
Yeah, the "vote MY way peon, you BELONG to me" didn't work out so well for them...sort of played into the Romney smirking about being unemployed himself after sending all those jobs to China theme!
Wisconsin projected Scott "The Snot" Walker onto Mittwit "The Liar" and came up with two zeros. Romney is still invited to come and smell our dairy air.
Little "Richie Rich" Ryan still needs to answer for his participation in the "Caucus Conspiracy." Read the book America. "We Do Not Know What Good We Do." Written by Robert Draper. On Janruary 20, 2009 at the Caucus Steakhouse Restaurant in Washingto D.C. The "Fourteen Felon's" of the Tea Beggers met in the backroom of this restaurant. They took a "Blood Oath" to seek their 'revenge' on the American People, and to destroy the American Economy at all costs. They 'conspired' to send our economcy over the financial cliff, and to make the President the biggest 'scapegoat' in Poltical History. Who attended this GOP/RNC "Conspiracy? Well "Crazy Cantor" was their with rotten tea bags hanging off his ears. The "Fourteen Felon's" of the GOP/RNC pledged to destroy the President as a huge terrorist, and not an American Citizen. Read all about it America!
The Republicans are already starting their cynical, whiney , lying, obstructive, "Antics" all over again just like they did in Presdient Obama's first term. However Republicans need to understand Everybodys READY for their useless Baloney this time AND THIS IS NOT OVER,IT HAS JUST BEGUN!!! If Republicans don't GROW UP and get over themselves Stopping their Self Serving radical out of touch Bullsh!t ! WE (America) will MAKE DAMN SURE they ARE STOPPED whether they like it or not !
The Days of the Obstrunctionist Do Nothing Republican congress not working for the citizens of this country are WAY OVER! The world as they know it has changed and ITS A NEW DAY, GET USED TO IT Republicans or just let this be the end of you and your NONSENICAL BS once and for all!
Its a New day = OBAMA/BIDEN 2012 :)
You are right...you message so inspires the bad republicans to work collaboratively with those who share your views...
I am glad the election is over....I am glad President Obama won....I am glad, glad, glad. Congratulations to you Mr. President for a superb campaign and win....I am truly looking forward to the next 4 years.
Not just that Charlie...one big reason he lost across the board is also due to those who supported him...and I don't mean those in Office. The average american voter who supported Romney showed their true colors on vines such as these. The hate shown pushed those in the middle to vote for Obama. The Republican party must no longer embrace that mentality and those people and realize that this is "The Great American Melting Pot" This is America.
Well, I am a Native American educated female, living in WI and not only was I interested, I voted. But, I am embarrassed to live in this state now and embarrassed the "women" in this country chose our perceived fear of freedom over birth control over bankrupting our country. It is a sad day for our country...and my state.
There was more of a chance of bankrupting this country if we had to wait for "private" bankruptcy restructuring for the auto industry. The banks weren't going to cough up any money for anybody; listen to what GM and Chrysler has said about it; not the unions, but management. The banks themselves paid back their bailout money (with interest), and are back to giving themselves multi-million dollar bonuses.
So, I'm sorry you are unhappy kmo, but the reelection of Pres. Obama will only benefit you.
Peter Pander picked a pile of Prickly Pauly's. How many Prickly Pauly's did Peter Pander pick ?? Answer: One too many.....
And what gets me, is hearing "That's what we get for running a moderate" - like somehow a Santorum or Palin would have done better. Mitt could have won had he been 1) less flip floppy 2) more specific 3) more candid about his background/taxes. The guy was still a big unknown for too many people. At least with Obama you have a good idea on where he stands.
Can't help but wonder if Romney woke up and wondered how he lost considering he told each audience exactly what they wanted to hear....
Let's not give the GOP too much advice as they proved to be quite capable of not figuring things out for themselves. Hope everyone caught Karl Rove's meltdown on FOX last night. Totally clueless, just the way we like him.
Actually, they do know what they did wrong. I was listening to the RWNJ radio today and the problem was they didn't go far right enough!! No seriously, they didn't go even farther right and that is their answer.... Wow, just crazy.
GOP, go conservative or go home. ROFLMAO
I truly believe that in the end, the people of Wisconsin did not trust Romney.
LMAO BREAKING NEWS Obama wins Florida 55 % To 45% . Thats my state BTW . We will remove Rick Scott and the rest of The Flea Bags next .
Wisconsin needs to follow suit and give Walker the boot!
Pretty sad when neither the presidential nor vise presidential candidate can carry their home state.
OBAMA was the President of the Demo-ratic Party for the last 4 years!
Will he try to be President of the United States for the next 4 years??? Maybe he can get something done?
Romney would have been a genuine President! We also know where he was born and raised!
OBAMA has yet to prove it???
Coal Man, please... give it a freakin' rest!! Mitch McConnell said his #1 job was to make Obama a one term president and EVEYTHING was stalled, killed, or turned by him or the house.(BTW - Since he failed at that shouldn't he be fired?) If anything, Obama spent too much time letting the Republicans get their way, only to have them then use it to kick his teeth in.
The Affordable Care Act(Obama Care for you RWNJ's) is littered with crap the Republicans asked for… no, demanded... Only to later say they didn't want it and use it against Obama!!! The whole individual mandate has ALWAYS been a Republican idea!! The whole "take responsibility for yourself" is THEIR big thing so THEY put it in there, and then tried to use that to get the Supreme Court to throw it out???
Obama was too cooperative last time... He should have told them to go jump in a lake but instead he blew his super majority placating those idiots for the first 2 years. THAT is why nothing got done. He should have used the majority he was given and pushed everything through like the Republican governors and their idiot Republican legislatures did...... then you could complain!
You are truly a Republican when you can sit there, lie your butt off and actually try to act like it isn’t a lie… Pathetic!! (BTW, his Birth Certificate has been certified by the state of Hawaii, so stop being a total idiot!)
Ponder this - Obama considers Illinois his adult home and where he was Senator and Hawaii is where he grew up and graduated high school. He won both states handily by a large majority. Romney grew up in Michigan, his father was governor there and he was governor of Massachusetts. Neither state voted him the majority. Paul Ryan is a senator from Wisconsin and Obama won there, too.
When a candidate can't win his home turf it says maybe the voters know what they'd get.
Yes. They were reporting today that Obama won over 70% of the vote in Hawaii. Guess Hawaiians have no doubt he is a native son! While President Obama is from Hawaii, the Mormon Church has considerable presence, so I would have thought it might have been a tad closer.
Honestly , the repubs had ONE shot at this election . Huntsman . You FOOKED that up Pretty bad . Carry on party of doom ,gloom and bug aboos .
Huntsman isn't enough of a zombie for them. They want somebody they can control every minute.