>>>Yes, the people did speak. There is no choice but to accept their verdict.
>>>
>>>The people also spoke in 2010 but that did not cause big labor to accept their verdict. I find it screamingly funny that the unions spent all that money to oust Walker and just wasted it all.
>>
>>I find it screamingly funny that you think it was the unions who spent so much money. It was the Koch brothers and their ilk who outspent the other side by a 10:1 ratio, roughly $36 million to $3 million.
>
>Since it was a big election night I decided to indulge my inner need to bash my head against the wall and watch some cable news last night. I made it through around an hour. I started with Fox and they were predictable so I flipped over to MSNBC. Yes, I was the one viewer. I believe it was O'Donnel's show. What struck me right off the bat was the lack of a ticker. Also, he was not talking about the election. Honestly, I cannot remember the topic but he was several questions into his interview with his 2 guests before the night's results came up. The first response was regarding the "bought" election. The same theme kept up through the next couple questions. Having accomplished my goal of a righteous headache, I tuned out and turned off for a while.
>
>When I tuned back in, after the California polls closed, this same meme was being repeated on every station, local and cable news. When I looked to the web, the same thing. Since the blades of the spin are whirring with such force I think it's time to inject a little perspective.
>- Money does not buy elections only advertising. Just ask Whitman.
>- The coverage generated by the walkout, the legislation's passage and the subsequent campaign more than made up for any purchased advertising.
>- The citizens of Wisconsin had made up their minds a long time before election day.
>- The voters were energised as the numbers were high as opposed to the lethargic turnout in California
>- The margin of victory barely changed (1% more for Walker since 2010)
>
>In California news, San Diego and San Jose have also fired a couple of shots at public sector unions.
>
>San Diego
>Prop A - Prohibits the use of union-only “Project Labor Agreements" opening up competitive bidding
>Prob B - Moves all city employees (except police) from pensions to 401(k)s + a 5 year freeze on calculation for pension payouts
>
>A&B both resoundingly passed : http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-06/D9V7F4I80.htm
>
>San Jose
>Measure B - Requires city employees to contribute 16% of salary to pension or move to 401(k)
>http://www.mercurynews.com/elections/ci_20790991/early-returns-san-jose-voters-approving-pension-reform
>
>It's also worth noting that measure B was championed by San Jose's Democrat mayor.
>
>Update : One more observation. Either voters were lying to exit pollsters, the pollsters themselves did not ask the right questions or accurately interpret their findings or simple bias was at work last night. Either way, it reminds me of 2000 when the networks simply could not get the call correct and relied too heavily on their craptastic exit polling.
>http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2012/06/06/drudge-bests-mainstream-media-again-correctly-calls-wisconsin-recall-

I share your low opinion of MSNBC. They are just as partisan as Fox. I am "seasoned" enough to remember a time when journalistic impartiality was a real principle. Now it's increasingly hard to find.

Agreed again about public opinion in Wisconsin being locked in a long time ago. You were either for Walker or against him. The numbers didn't really budge from his original electoral percentage.

It's interesting that California picked up a page from the Wisconsin playbook by exempting police officers from anti-union measures. No coincidence that they are one of the few unions who vote Republican ;-)

I had an interesting phone call last night. I don't know how it is with you but I seem to get several telemarketing calls a day, clustered in the early evening. Generally I politely tell them I'm not interested and get off the phone. This lady sounded interesting enough that we talked for probably 15 minutes. Nothing out of line; I was picturing a 50-ish Polish American chain smoker. She had gotten my name from some list of registered Democrats in Lake County -- all 80 of us, LOL -- and wanted me to volunteer for the Obama campaign. I said I can't give any money right now but I will be happy to do some work. It was an easy sale. So I will be putting my time where my mouth is. She said she is not a complete fan of unions, which we agreed on, but her father was a union guy. She said when he died his Teamsters card was still in his wallet. She said one of her nephews was mouthing off against unions last weekend even though he is making $48/hour as a member of the pipefitters union. "Let's see if you're still saying that when you're making 8 bucks an hour," she told him.