Power Progress

Walker is nervous, emails Sykes to whine.

Scott Walker has time on his hands to write Charlie Sykes emails whining about our poll (full memo here -- PDF).  Must have really gotten under his skin, huh? 

If there was no truth in our poll Walker would have ignored it.  But nope, he took time enough to compose a lengthy email to Milwaukee - based, conservative radio host, Charlie Sykes. 

And Sykes put the whole thing up.  He must be nervous on Walker's behalf.  See, I told you things in Milwaukee County were getting interesting.  No poll necessary to see that today!

Here is what he sent complaining about where he stand's in the eyes of Milwaukee voters.

Here is my response:

Dear Charlie,

I thought I would weigh in since the County Executive was speaking about a poll that we commissioned.  This poll was conducted among spring voters and did not "steer" the answers towards Senator Taylor in any way. It was not a "push poll" as is alleged, more an accurate picture of the electorate. 

The County Executive is nervous because this poll shows this picture of the voters today and this picture isn't pretty for him.  The poll shows that voters want to replace Walker and will vote for Senator Lena Taylor, a Milwaukee native and resident running to unseat him.   

Walker's charge that we are a liberal firm fronting for a liberal candidate is simply a smokescreen to distract your readers from the truth. The truth is that Walker never once got an approval rating over 50%, a terrible place for an incumbent to be only months before the election.  We are a progressive organization, that much Walker gets correct, but in no way could this poll manipulate the minds and hearts of the residents of Milwaukee County. Residents, of whom only 31% strongly favor Walker, residents who 49% believe that Milwaukee County is headed in the wrong direction, and residents who will vote this spring.   

Need I then bring up the 8th County Board seat? The seat that became vacant when Ryan McCue became the Mayor of Cudahay? The one where the Walker-endorsed candidate lost to Pat Jursik.  That was in August, well before the campaign for County Executive started and even then voters weren't moved.   Walker should be afraid, but he shouldn't be afraid of our poll, he should be afraid of the reality that he has created.  Voters want someone new, he did that all by himself.

Poll Reveals Scott Walker is Vulnerable!

The race for Milwaukee County is within progressive reach. 

A poll conducted by The Mellman group in late November shows that Scott Walker’s bid for re-election should not be viewed as a done deal.  Progressive challenger, Lena Taylor is within a mere 6 percentage points of Walker and continues to campaign strong.  Walker never gets an approval rating over 50% and the voters are saying they are ready to vote Walker out. 

This comes as wonderful news for progressives tired of Walker's handling of Milwaukee County, see this article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that ran yesterday. 

Does anyone remember August of this year?  A special election was called in the 8th County Board District when the seat became vacant -- Pat Jursik beat the Walker-endorsed candidate and helped reveal that there are cracks in the giant Walker façade.  With another budget disaster under his belt since August and poll numbers that continue to show malcontent among voters, we may be counting the days until Walker is out.   

Happy Holidays!  A Lena Taylor victory would make a wonderful present for Milwaukee County!

Poll: Conservatives Should Be Nervous

A New WPR/St. Norbert’s College survey does not bode well for conservatives next year.

Democrats hold a 12 point generic advantage.  Independents are moving toward progressive candidates.  Worst of all?

The survey also showed that, according to 72 percent of the respondents, the country is going in the wrong direction.

Mark Jefferson, executive director for the Republican Party of Wisconsin, said the polling data on voting for Democrats or Republicans would likely change when the nominees for each party are decided early next year.

Jefferson said Wisconsinites’ feelings on the national issues would not likely affect state Senate and state Assembly races in the 2008 election.

“When Feingold and Clinton were cleaning up in Wisconsin in 1992, Assembly Republicans picked up six seats,” Jefferson said.

That’s true.  In 1992 Feingold beat a two-term incumbent, Clinton beat a three-term Vice President and assembly conservatives picked six seats—leaving them 3 seats from a majority.

In a “change” election it isn’t surprising for the majority party to lose seats.  It happened again in 1994 when conservatives swept into power across the country—including the Wisconsin State Assembly.  Wisconsin progressives got to benefit from national trends last year when they flipped the State Senate and came within three seats of a majority in the Assembly.

Is 2008 a change year?  Seventy-two percent of Wisconsin thinks so. 

Guess who holds a tenuous advantage in the Assembly.    Guess who represents change?

I like our odds.

Anti-Choice Web Watch

Planned Parenthood has a new website devoted to catching the anti-choice extremists in our State Legislature in the act! The site features include contemptible quotes and outrageous video clips. My favorite quote is from Representative Sheryl Albers of Reeseburg:

"Birth control for personal convenience is not medically necessary. We do not mandate coverage for massages, health spas, exercise programs, aspirin for minor headaches, or acupuncture--even though each makes our lives more comfortable and provides health benefits. As a society, we recognize these items as personal conveniences that each individual chooses to take advantage of or forego."

Equating safe access to birth control with spa treatments! You couldn’t make this stuff up! Check out the site and find out more about what conservative members of our State Legislature really think about women’s healthcare.

Conservatives Block Budget

It was a late night in the Capitol.

Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle's revised state budget passed the Senate but died in the Assembly late Monday, casting the Capitol impasse over taxes into a 108th day today.

…..

"The cost to operate school buses, pay heating bills and maintain roads has gone up, and lawmakers refuse to deal with it," Doyle said. "The state is spending more than we are taking in, and we will be unable to fund essential services that protect the health and safety of our citizens."

And that is exactly how Assembly conservatives will continue to mismanage the state’s finances.  Do not expect a budget anytime soon.

The early 21st Century Conservative does not believe in government.  To do anything other than to drive it into bankruptcy would be counter to conservative philosophy.  And Wisconsin’s Assembly conservatives are more than happy to sacrifice a few schools and roads to maintain ideological purity—the public be damned!