The Wisconsin Spring Election is over. These facts we know are true:
- The liberal candidate for the Supreme Court beat the conservative candidate by more than 10 points, a landslide for a Wisconsin election.
- The state Senate seat, comfortably held by conservative Alberta Darling for more than 30 years, was won by the conservative candidate by a razor thin margin.
- About half of the registered voters in Wisconsin voted.
- Each of the 3 referendums placed on the statewide ballot by the Republicans in the legislature passed by more than 2/3 of the vote.
- Roughly $45 million was spent on the election, tripling the previous record in any state Supreme Court race in the nation’s history.
- The liberal candidate for Supreme Court broke new ground by running an issue advocacy campaign. She made it clear where she stands on the most controversial issues that may come before the court.
Each of us will see the facts through our own lens, formulate opinions, and draw conclusions. Here are mine.
The voter turnout is shameful. It’s been described as high for a year with no presidential primary, which underscores the point. Complacency and apathy are widespread, and, on a regular basis, many citizens pass on their responsibility and privilege to vote.
This election leaves no doubt that decades of neglecting to teach basic civics to our children have taken a toll. Many have no understanding of the role of the branches of government and the delicate balance they were designed to maintain. They found the conservative candidate boring when he talked about the role of the judiciary in upholding the rule of law. They seem unconcerned about the ramifications of a Supreme Court candidate running like a candidate for any other political office, signaling how she will rule on issues that may come before the court. She promised to be “fair,” a completely subjective notion, rather than uphold the law. There was no indication that voters understood this monumental change in the functioning of the court is a blow to freedom.
It’s clear that many voters, who vote both conservative and liberal, want abortion to be legal in Wisconsin. They may differ on the particulars, but the prospect of all abortions being illegal in all circumstances has motivated voters. It would be a mistake to deny this. It’s not going away. This was an unrelenting theme in the Supreme Court race, and it clearly hit its mark. Expect abortion to be a liberal rallying cry in elections going forward. It’s baffling and dangerous that the many real threats to our freedom do not mobilize voters the way abortion has.
The money pouring into elections is obscene. Slanderous, dishonest smears of candidates go unchecked. The media are a primary beneficiary of the advertising money saturating the elections and, having long ago abandoned ethics to become liberal advocates, they contribute little to getting truth to the voters.
The political parties are corrupt. They are driven by money and power and will do whatever it takes to win. Their inner circles have a stranglehold on the political process and, along with highly paid political consultants, are unprincipled, act in their political self-interests, and are disconnected from the people. They control the candidate selection process and election “messaging”, and, with the cooperation of the equally corrupt media, our choices are limited, and we only see what they want us to see.
Many candidates for elected positions stink. They’re hand-picked and promoted by the parties and rarely have the skills, integrity and courage that are required for effective governance. Many of us are tired of holding our noses when we vote. It would be so refreshing to have a candidate to be enthusiastic about. Without party backing and money, highly qualified potential candidates are locked out of the process.
In the aftermath of the latest election, I heard Republican strategist Brandon Scholz and talk show host Dan O’Donnell both attribute part of the problem to damage Donald Trump has done to the Republican party. Trump is not what’s wrong with the Republican party. He is the only president in our lifetime who did exactly what he said he would do. His policies were great for the people of this country, and he exposed the corruption that permeates the government. Both parties fear the very real threat he poses to the status quo and will stop at nothing to destroy him.
The bad place we are in worsened with the Spring election. Without real change the future of freedom is bleak. We will each decide what we are going to do next. My resolve is unwavering. I believe in the power of the people, and I intend to continue to do whatever I can to protect our freedom and expose the corruption that threatens it. I hope you will too.
Happy Easter!
