History was written tonight here in my home state of Wisconsin. Scott Walker survived his recall election despite millions of union dollars being funneled into the badger state. His message was clear – “Here’s what we did, and these are the results. Let’s keep moving forward!” His opponent’s argument? Something along the lines of, “Scott Walker is mean.” Well – there’s the difference. Results and facts versus emotions. The statement was made tonight, however – while some laws may make some people mad, the majority of Wisconsinites stand behind Governor Walker.
The election has national implications as well. Leading up to election day, Scott Walker was receiving endorsements from major political players on the right – Bobby Jindal, Paul Ryan, Rick Santorum, and presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Meanwhile, his opponent, Tom Barrett, only received a Tweet from Barack Obama… a day before the election. Wow. Thats a slap in the face. Is it because Obama didn’t care, or just because he didn’t want to be associated with Barrett’s loss?
No matter the reasoning, Obama’s lack of leadership in the Wisconsin recall elections shows his true colors. He’s sent the message to Democrat senators and congressmen across America – you’re on your own. Obama is campaigning for himself and no one else. Mitt Romney on the other hand is working in numerous states, trying to help however he can. He knows that 2012 isn’t all about him. He needs to win, but also have a strong House and Senate to back him up. Obama – he’s just trying to save himself.
But back to Wisconsin – does this win for Walker, reflecting a push for fiscal sanity and conservative values, represent a national movement? While the Tea Party hasn’t been making a lot of noise recently, Scott Walker was in fact called the “Rockstar of the Tea Party” by Tom Barrett. Low and behold, Walker won the election easily. Now, not every state has a Scott Walker, but every state does have a Tea Party. Tea Party numbers are strong while Occupy Wallstreet numbers are dwindling. The mood of America is changing.
Wisconsin delegates were given to Barack Obama in 2008 – he won the state by 15%! But this Walker victory tells a different story. 2010 told a different story as well. Will 2012 tell a different story? Wisconsin is no longer a blue state – we’re a swing state, which means that we could just as easily end up going to Mitt Romney as Barack Obama. That’s the next chapter in the “Save America” saga. The stage is set, and the next battle is only a few months away in November.
