On Wisconsin, On Wisconsin!

This morning, my cat Basil asked me, "Overlord, what is the best losing strategy for the GOP in Wisconsin?"

My answer to Basil was, of course, for this national minority party to paint a big-ass target on themselves. You know, as opposed to lying low and letting the economy and governing Democratic President do their work for them. Instead of playing an offensive or even neutral game, the GOP should go score on itself to guarantee failure.

More specifically, I told my cat that the Wisconsin GOP could go after state unions in such a way that the voting public actually feels sorry for them.

And what do you know? Basil the Cat is oddly prescient on the topic. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker took my suggestion and ran with it last week, publicly calling for the end of public employee union collective voting rights (except for fire and police).

I say "publicly" because that makes all the difference.

Of course the Governor wants to pull the state out from under water, and limiting what is given away in public employee contract negotiation is a valid way to shore up the state economy in the short term. But he also wanted to use it politically as a wolf whistle to his conservative base.

It is big time back-lashing. And it should have been no surprise. Nothing says, "Suck it, GOP Governor" quite like teachers going on strike.

Let's Review: General statements of dislike for an opponent work well to rally the base, but the effectiveness wares off if it also rallies the opposition.

Put another way, general statements that have no immediate threat of application sound good to the ears of the base, but immediate threats of application have a way of rallying those who are targets, while engendering support from the public.

Examples:

"Public Union Employees drain our state coffers! I won't negotiate with them until Wisconsin is healthy once again!" GOOD.

"I am hereby retracting public union employee collective bargaining rights. Except for police and fire men, I will make it so no public employee can negotiate better health or retirement benefits, or increase their job safety." VERY BAD.

Wisconsin Democrats might as well pull their shirts over their heads, waive their arms about, and run around in circles. GoooooOOOOooooaaal!

Reuters