Trump Effect? Could It Be That Walker And State Republicans Are On the Ballot? Nah.

Tweet

Was it welcome? Yes. Is it surprising or an upset? Not so much.

It's just been a long time coming and much, much more is needed.

But I was surprised to hear so many point to the Donald Trump effect for the 25-point swing toward Democrats in those traditional Wisconsin republican districts. Fact is, no matter how much Wisconsin would like to rescind voting for Trump in the last presidential election, Trump is not on the ballot in our state houses. I contend that our state's direction, priorities and values are on the ballot and people have had enough.

Donald Trump just happens to tell it like the Paul Ryan's and Scott Walker's are. Is there some negative residual effect from Trump? Oh absolutely. But keep in mind it was Scott Walker, not Donald Trump, who created and fueled deep political and social divisions in Wisconsin. Trump merely exploited those divisions to propel him into the White House.

Also, after winning election, Trump has been giving Wisconsin's two darlings, Walker and Ryan, nearly everything they want. The tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations are exactly the "reforms" Ryan and Grover Norquist always wanted but only needed for someone with enough working digits willing to handle a pen for. Trump gave them those digits. Trump is their guy.

In other words, Trump should be flying high in Wisconsin.

The unfunded federal Foxconn mandate costing Wisconsin state taxpayers $4.5 billion and counting, enough to pay for eight Solyndras, is supposed to be an electioneering boon for Walker and the Wisconsin Republican Party - has instead turned into an unforgivable doggle for anyone who considered themselves even a part-time free market small government conservative.

Toddlers ...yes toddlers, now have the right to bear arms in Wisconsin. Republicans are expanding central state control and mandates on local governments. They have also granted a giant wealthy foreign corporation judicial immunity and special environmental and tax exempt privileges over every resident in the state. For crying out loud, if those things aren't enough reason to drive common sense voters to the polls, without even mentioning the decline of our roads and schools, I don't know what is.

Truth is; the longer conditions from Walker's economic and budget "reforms" remain in play, the fewer jobs are created and the more state taxpayers have to pay to attract jobs or keep the ones that we have. In a nutshell, the state of Wisconsin under Scott Walker is in retrograde.

So, no matter how much some might want it to be a strike against Trump, local and state elections have almost zero impact and are of little consequence or reflection on Washington.

What was on the ballot in that special election were local and state priorities in a rare Wisconsin political vacuum. For more proof, consider that Walker is now refusing to hold special elections for two open state seats. His fear is that when voters base their choice on leadership, policy and personal merit alone, without the big out-of-state PAC money pouring in to prop up the GOP's candidates, democrats will pick up those seats. There is no way around that.

So when I see Wisconsin folks who really should know better, the state's mainstream media including the Left and Right establishments, point to Trump or anti-Trump (13% turnout isn't raging enthusiasm in anyone's book) for driving the local ballot results from this past Tuesday in Wisconsin, they are putting Walker and state republicans in protective custody with a full "get out of trouble" free pass.

I get it, but given Walker's failed reforms and republican misleadership, I don't and I completely disagree. It gets a little tiring to point this out.