Landslide in November

Conservatives are on a roll, and Wisconsin has affirmed it. Scott Walker has survived the recall attempt against him by an astounding margin of around 2 to 1. Never you mind about the spending differential. Sure, Walker outspent his opponent by about seven to one. The result then ought to have been seven to one. But as most voters had made up their minds before the middle of May, which is only about, oh, three weeks ago, and perhaps four, the spending gap means next to nothing. Perhaps as an example of a preemptive strike, maybe. But shock and awe certainly seem to apply positively here should that be the case. All the political capital the liberals have put up in Wisconsin is now up in the proverbial smoke. All the praise for recall efforts as being democracy in action surely affirm true democracy now. The original vote of the people stands resoundingly affirmed. This was supposed to be the siren call for labor. Yet labor struck out looking at a pitch over the heart of the plate. Even the jewel of the left, President Barack Obama, kept his distance from the Badger State in recent weeks. Was he he keeping himself above the fray, or was he simply chicken? November 2012 is so very close by, you know. Should he save himself, or his partisans? It is a delightfully wonderful question. Wisconsin was supposed to be a swing state. Yet with a vote so overwhelming as now, can it be said so with any real certainty? And if so, how many swing states can now be counted in the Republican fold? Michigan will go for Romney in November 2012. You heard it here first. What you will hear next is a Republican victory nationwide.

Michigan Recall Efforts Selfish

Like the Little Engine That Could, they're still trying. You have to give them a certain respect for that: against the odds they keep fighting, even pushing their goals farther into the future in the hopes of ultimate victory. They are even heartened by the sort-of victory by recall advocates in Wisconsin. They are those here in Michigan who advocate the recall of Governor Rick Snyder and some members of the Michigan Legislature.

Recall proponents feel they have enough signatures to put a recall vote against Rep. Paul Scott, R-Grand Blanc, on the November ballot. Steeled by that presumed victory (the signatures have not been validated yet), they are refocusing on recalling more Michigan lawmakers through the February 2012 primary. Yet that isn't a particularly good option for them: only the Republican side of the primary will offer a real contest (President Barack Obama will surely win the Democratic primary) which means February voters will most likely be solid Republicans who will vote against recalls of their own.

In short, the news is vaguely positive for recall. But only vaguely. For all the gyrations in Wisconsin, the Republicans there still hold the Governor's mansion, as well as the state Senate and House both, albeit by a slim 17-16 margin in Madison's upper chamber. All that really means is that the GOP there will have to keep its ducks in line, and little more.

Meanwhile here at home, even should the recall of Mr. Scott succeed, it will hardly change the balance of power in Lansing. The majority the GOP holds in the Michigan Senate is still overwhelming, and one seat won't alter the balance of power in the House as the GOP is up 63-47 there. So all that is really happening in Michigan politics is that an active, vocal, yet decided minority is operating the recall drive. Most Michigan citizens aren't giving it the time of day.

The recall effort in Michigan then is ultimately much ado about nothing. With the state House up for reelection next November anyway, most voters are willing to hold out changes, if any are to be, until then. That it how, outside of a true calamity, things should be. Because the Michigan recall isn't really about right and wrong, but over who's ox is being gored. The left doesn't like the results of 2010 and are too impatient with the voters to wait for a regular turn to turn Lansing back towards its wants. It is nothing more than petty politics of the worst, most selfish kind.