Saturday, November 10, 2012

Election Season Finally Brought to a Close in Wisconsin


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/08/scott-walker_n_2091963.html?utm_hp_ref=politics

In an article for The Huffington Post, Dinesh Ramde unpacks details of the political mayhem that has been occurring in Wisconsin since 2010, and what the implications of this political strife are for the state itself, as well as the nation as a whole. Many see the months surrounding the presidential election as an annoyance due to the perpetual advertisements, the non-stop debates with friends and family and the pestering calls and emails from campaigns, begging for donations. While most of the country only has to withstand these annoyances for a few months, residents of Wisconsin have experienced a continuous stream of elections, recalls and recounts since 2010, including one statewide election each month between April and June. 

Back in 2010, Scott Walker defeated Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett in a record-breaking governor’s race that was estimated to cost $37.4 million. After taking office Walker cut spending in public schools and collective bargaining rights for most public employees. This initiated a series of protests in the capital and prompted 14 Democratic state senators to “flee the state in … attempt to block the plan”. Democrats then started collecting signatures in order to recall Walker and several other Republican officeholders. In the summer of 2011, Republicans lost two of their six seats to Democrats. Another 5 more elections occurred this year, then Barrett challenged Walker again in the June recall election. Last Tuesday brought an end to this long-standing election season with the U.S. Senate and presidential decisions. 

So what have this seemingly endless slew of elections meant for Wisconsin? These elections changed the world of advertising for many local businesses. Due to the outrageous amount of money spent by candidates, regular advertisers have been outbid for local TV airtime: great for the television stations, not so great for local businesses. Also, as a whole, political participation increased dramatically in Wisconsin as a direct result of all of the political mayhem of the past 2 years. Whether Democratic or Republican, an increasing number of residents have chosen to get directly involved in many of the campaigns that have occurred over the past 2 years. Lastly, while voter turnout for the presidential election was, nationally, lower than in 2008, “the number of Wisconsin voters who turned out increased by about 80,000”. While this time may have taken a toll on the psyches of Wisconsin residents, overall, the increased political participation and voter turnout show that this Midwestern state does, in-fact hold a monumental role in our nation’s political atmosphere.
           

Rate this posting: