Friday, August 5, 2011

Left Wing Groups Transforming Wisconsin Politics? Or Fighting Back?

After watching conservative organizations buy our last two state Supreme Court justices, and big money getting a permission slip to spend endlessly from the Citizens United decision, we’re now being warned by the far right wing media that similar liberal actions…will destroy our democracy.

This is not only the most extreme case of projection I'v seen yet, but one of the most ironic. Katherine Kersten is a senior fellow at the Center of the American:
A phalanx of left-wing influence groups -- heavily dependent on government union power and money -- is transforming Wisconsin politics. With lavish funding, hardball tactics and national connections, they are ratcheting up statehouse politics to a level of intensity seen before only in high-profile, targeted congressional races.

We’ve never seen this before? Really?
In the process, these organizations are drowning out authentic grass-roots issues and voices, and are increasingly assuming functions traditionally performed by political parties.

Grassroots groups like Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, Americans for Prosperity, the “tea party movement”…etc.
One Wisconsin Now serves as a 24/7 communications hub for left-wing issues … It coordinates messaging and strategy so the state's hundreds of progressive groups are on the same page.

The “herding cats party” is robotic in pushing the same repetitive message? I’m angry that I’ve never been on their list, or any list for that matter.
In February, when the union legislation was introduced, they mobilized on a massive scale -- rallying protestors and grabbing headlines across the nation. 

How dare they, sir. 
The command center for the left's mammoth recall effort is a new PAC called "We Are Wisconsin." It has field operations in every recall district, runs TV and radio ads, and oversees direct mail and phone banks.

Why can’t they just wait till the next election?
Kelly Steele, its spokesman, is a longtime national Democratic operative who is widely credited with turning around Sen. Harry Reid's campaign in Nevada in 2010, using tactics that allies have described as "cutthroat."

Only Rove, the Koch brothers, Fox News and Freedom Works are allowed cutthroat tactics.

And this is the most ironic part of this whole, down the rabbit hole article:
The consequences for representative government will be profound. As deep-pocket outside groups come to dominate statehouse-level politics, elected officials will increasingly find themselves playing a secondary role in government and policymaking. They will become bit players to mighty special interests.  

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