Two post-election predictions

Now that Democrats in Wisconsin have suffered another bloodbath election, I expect calls for Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate to resign to proliferate. In fact, a quick look at my Facebook feed shows more than a few calls for Tate to resign.

In response, I predict the same Democratic Party insiders who think they know what’s best for Wisconsin’s Democrats will “circle the wagons” around Tate and attempt to cast blame anywhere but on Tate (I’ve already seen that happening as well).

Here’s what I’m wondering: how many elections must Democrats in Wisconsin lose before we stop defending the party insiders who presided over the Democratic Party during those lost elections and hold them accountabile? Why should Mike Tate and the rest of the DPW insiders be immune from blame/responsibility for the losses Democrats have had in Wisconsin over the past four years? It’s irrefutable that since Mike Tate was chosen as DPW Chair, Democrats have lost one U.S. Senate seat, State Treasurer, Attorney General, two Congressional seats, and majorities in the State Senate and State Assembly. What’s more, unless results change, it looks like Democrats are poised to see their minority in the State Assembly shrink even more, with several incumbent Democrats (Amy Sue Vruwink, Stephen Smith, Mandy Wright) on the verge of losing their reelection bids.

I simply can’t understand how Democrats can continue to be content to “rearrange the deckchairs on the Titanic” so to speak. Democrats have struggled to win elections in Wisconsin since 2010, and all the blame can’t fall to the candidates alone. The Democratic Party of Wisconsin exists to help Democrats win elections, whether that’s through tangible support (money, staff, voter information, etc.) or whether that’s through effective messaging and organization.

To be honest, we Democrats got our collective asses kicked tonight, and there has to be some accountability, and that should start at the top of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin.

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27 thoughts on “Two post-election predictions

  1. Dear Blue Fisters: You threw all of your dirty tricks at Walker over the years. You tried to make legal behivor look illegal. You tried to recall him. You lied. You stole from taxpayers. And through it all you were defeated over and over.

    It’s time you shut up, you are wrong for Wisconsin and the voters keep telling you so. You don’t learn from your mistakes because your ideals are proven false over and over. I will revel in your defeat and celebrate it because I love this state.

    -A productive taxpayer and business owner and employer

  2. Run for president so the “press” focuses on all your dirty tricks. My popcorn is ready.

    Your millions in smears won’t help you there.

  3. Well said, as I have been pointing out, your leadership has forced poor candidates down the throats of the lefties in the state. They need to go. What also needs to go is the tired old line that Scott walker has divided the state. Clearly the great state of Wisconsin is behind walker. Clearly they support his agenda and his vision. Any other interpretation of these resounding election results is laughable.

    Burke ran the best campaign she could given the fact that she was never qualified to be governor. Five hours after the polls close and the blame game starts. But you are spot on… Your leadership has outright sucked. I look forward to a quick resolution of john doe 2. And the start of John Doe 3 whenever walker decides to campaign again.

  4. Another way to look at it, Zach, is Wisconsin voters have spoken. They had the opportunity to regenerate economic development, increase purchasing power, reign in profligate spending, invest in talent and modern infrastructure, and turn the tide against cronyism and gross immorality. The majority who turned out decided against it all.

    1. And when did Tate and the party tie that together, Emma? THAT’S the failure.

      We need a leader and politicians that will do this AND NOT LET UP ON IT when things inevitably implode in Fitzwalkerstan over the next 12 months. Righties have AM radio to do that for them, we don’t, so that’s where a real Dem leader would step up and pound the connection home.

  5. All of the lies your typed Zach

    They were for nothing, you were used by the Union.

    You still have to hear the phrase “Gov. Scott Walker”

    The productive taxpayer is still in charge, never forget.

        1. Steve, I’ve never encountered a more ungracious winner in all the time I’ve been blogging.

          We get it – your side won last night. The fact that you feel compelled to come here and “rub it in” speaks volumes about the kind of person you are, and that wasn’t a compliment.

          1. So much whining Zach!

            Stand by your propaganda, and it’s many failures. Own up. Man up, maybe you’ll learn something.

  6. Always look on the bright side, Walker will be out of the state more than the 25% he went missing, during his first, “term,” and there is no guessing as to the future agenda for the direction of the state. Also, I had been thinking of a third world country to possibly move to and now I don’t have to.

  7. Good heavens, the big three showed up to rub it in right out of the gate.
    Congratulations, you did very well last night. I would just gently remind you that you can probably no longer blame anything that happens in Wisconsin on Jim Doyle or union thugs.
    And the importance of voter ID might need a different argument.
    Now, on to the presidency.

    1. Sue, rubbing it in? I responded to Zachs message… Trust me if the results were different you guys would be doing the jig on walkers backside. Burke was a horrible choice forced down your throats and you guys took it.

      1. Not necessarily, Chris. No jigs here. Many of us would like to see Walker start his next campaign because we would sincerely like some questions answered, and it will take out-of-state media and maybe his primary opponents to ask them. Also, with this loss Mary Burke and the Dems don’t get blamed when the revenue deficit fallout hits next summer.
        And if voting results are as I thought I saw this a.m., residents in the areas most likely to be really, truly, dangerously screwed environmentally are well aware of that fact and not likely to sit quietly for it. So it’s not all doom and gloom and a nuanced interpretation is in order.

  8. I’m going to be blunt and truthful about this. I predicted this would happen, particularly down to the score. ( 46 to 52. )

    But here is the real harsh truth I’m going to say, and nobody here is going to like it.

    The Democrats throughout the country will never be able to win another election until we overturn Citizen’s United. The Republicans have now taken over the House and the Senate, and Hilary Clinton is not looking too hot on top of it. They’re going to use her war hawk tendencies against her and that much is clear as day. We might as well be expecting another Republican President now as far as I’m concerned, with the whole Senate and House of Representatives in his favor. They’re going to cling the failure of promises getting through on Obama and that is the truth.

    This is a simple fact, no matter how inspirational of a candidate we had, no matter how progressive it was, the result would have been the same. The Republicans play to win, even with their weakest opponents they go for the jugular. Mike Tate’s leadership is terrible, but in reality there was no other choice and I doubt whatever replaces him will even be particularly good to fight against because the fact is we don’t have money and never will again. And the fact Republicans don’t have standards at all nor do they care who they vote for as long as they win. You can pick off any guy off the street, give him a sheet, and tell him talking points and bam — instant Republican. I guarantee it. The lack of standards of republicans is precisely why they have so many of them.

    We will never get another Feingold in a Post Citizen’s United world and that’s the harsh truth because even the local politics in tiny villages are now saturated with unlimited funding. We won’t ever get another La Folette until one can speak and we’re going to have to deal with that. The media has engulfed our very lives in that regard and this was our chance without Voter ID and democrats/liberals blew it throughout the country, which means now we have all the more stacked against them. And this is the intent too, as many republicans proudly proclaim.

    People don’t realize the power of the President is minimal in contrast to the U.S. Supreme Court, the Governors, the Senate, and the House of Representatives. And honestly? I don’t think they particularly care either. Frankly as far as I’m concerned, I knew people were going to do this despite my cautious optimism. Even if we had a unified message, it wouldn’t have mattered as far as I’m concerned. Even Democrats are under the naive belief that President is god like power when you need to have the Court, the House, and the Senate on your side.

    I frankly don’t think I’ll see another Democratic President for a long time after Obama. Not until Citizen’s United and all the money is taken out of politics. And honestly? I don’t think it ever will be until this country falls.

  9. Here’s exactly why Tate must go.

    Look at the wide variety of counties that approved of referenda to expand BadgerCare and raise the minimum wage, but also voted for Walker. THAT SHOULDN’T HAPPEN. A real Party leader would be tying the two together, saying “If you want this, VOTE DEMOCRAT, because it’s the only way it’ll happen.” Dems never do this enough in Wisconsin, and I wonder if it’s related to Tate never having worked a real job except in the political operative world.

    And it is time for a full-frontal attack on the misinforming poison that is right-wing radio and media. Tate stands by and let’s these people throw out lies that sink into casual voters’ heads, and it turns them into divisive trash like Steve who are driving our state into the gutter. Standing up and confronting these scumbags, and tying them to the GOPs and oligarchs pulling their strings, is a must.

    Stop playing nice and expecting the average voter to side with us out of pity. The other guys aren’t, and they’re beating us as a result. If Tate doesn’t hand in his resignation today, he doesn’t care about this party

  10. Part of it is national Democrats, part of it is state Democrats. I don’t want to play the blame game too much, because honestly I did not bring forth my best game to get Democrats elected as I have in past elections this time.

    The Obama Coalition that were primarliy new voters that came out for Obama in 2008 and 2012 that resonated with the Hope and Change message did not show up. At least Democrats in Wisconsin brought Obama in, but its more than just that, Democrats ran away from his coalition across the nation because of the narrative that Obama is unpopular.

    Citizens United, Redistricting, Peoples Personal Economic Outlook are all factors. The issues democrats choose to highlight in the platform, potential voters democrats either target or ignore to mobilize for the ground game are factors too.

  11. It’s 1971, I am in my social studies class, my teacher states as fact “This country will never be invaded it will be overtaken from wihtin.” It’s here. That’s the year I learned about the green house effect. It’s here.
    The ball is in the Republicans court. They can have at it make it better, save us all, We all want to be rich and prosperous. Except, for myself, I refuse to be disparaging, hurtful and a tad illegal.

  12. A point of clarification about Wisconsin Attorney General: Democrats lost that office when Joe Wineke was DPW Chairman, although Democrats haven’t won back that office since Mike Tate became chairman of the party.

  13. 1. Did you notice that Democrats outside of Wisconsin had a rough go of it in 2010 and 2014?
    2. Do you know the state party chair is just not a very important position? In this country, candidates and their consultants run the show, with assists from federal or state campaign committees controlled by elected officials and from various interest groups. The party is generally an afterthought whose main function is to serve as a legal money-laundering machine for transferring money to targeted candidates.
    3. The reason the “insiders” (read, the elected officials who do understand point number 2) will “circle the wagons” is that Tate does a decent job controlling what he does control.
    4. It’s comforting to thing that someone, somewhere is in charge. It just doesn’t happen to be true. You or any other person of your choice could have been chair of the state party for the last decade, but you wouldn’t have miraculously changed the outcome of any of the elections you’re so hot about.

    1. If state party chair isn’t an important position, why does it get paid like it is? Mike Tate makes more as DPW Chair than most middle-class folks who are supposed to be the base of the Democratic Party.

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