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11/5/2010
Berry: Election euphoria fades, reality sets in
Basking in the excitement of election-night euphoria, politicians often read too much into results. Convinced of an electoral mandate, partisans fervently believe they have a “blank check” to enact their agenda. And, with post-election congratulations ringing in their ears, successful candidates, like Icarus, are convinced of their invincibility.
The findings of one of the most extensive opinion surveys ever conducted in Wisconsin should give this year’s victors pause. Conducted earlier in the 2010 campaign season by a UW-Madison political scientist (on behalf of the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute), the poll suggests that Badger State citizens don’t view government through the same lens as partisan activists.
Consider, for example, that those who said they were independent (32.6%) or had another or no party preference (13.5%), dwarfed Democrats (28.6%) and Republicans (22.2%). Neither party should read too much into ephemeral approval from voters.
Indeed, even among self-identified partisans, party loyalty had its limits. Of Democrats, only 55.9% called their party support “strong,” while 41.5% characterized it as “not strong.” Republicans were similarly ambivalent: 55.9% “strong” vs. 45.3% “not strong.”
This year’s election winners should also realize that voters will cut them little slack. They are very dissatisfied with state government. Only 29.5% rated the “job state government in Wisconsin is doing” as excellent (1.8%) or good (27.7%), while 68.0% rated it “only fair” or “poor.”
Moreover, the patience of state citizens is limited. Over 60% said they were either “frustrated” (45.2%) or “angry” (15.5%) with state government; the combined percentages varied little by region (58.7% to 65.8%). Only 34.0% said they were “content.” A majority of all groups, except young people were similarly unhappy.
Why? To borrow a much-used political phrase, “it’s the economy, stupid.” When asked what “should be the top priority of the governor and the state legislature,” close to 60% named either jobs/economy (39.2%) or taxes/spending (18.7%). No other issue topped 11%. Pocketbook issues were the lead concern of every region and group.
An even starker indication of public angst over the economy emerges from residents’ thoughts about staying in or leaving the state. Over three in five (61.8%) said “the best and the brightest people in Wisconsin . . . leave to work in other states.” Only 26.8% said they stayed. Pessimism about retaining “the best” was highest in the City of Milwaukee (68.2%) and in the surrounding metro area (65.5%), but no region was under 57%.
It is little wonder, then, that Wisconsinites don’t care for the state’s direction. While only 33.7% of respondents thought it was headed “in the right direction,” 57.6% said it was “on the wrong track”— a fairly consistent sentiment across most categories— region, gender, race, age, and union affiliation.
State citizens may be unhappy, but the good news is that they appear ready to try new things. By more than two-to-one, they said state government was “tied to old practices” (60.5%), rather than innovative ones (28.0%).
They might disagree about specifics, but it’s clear that they want change. Only 9.8% of those surveyed said state government “didn’t need much change at all.” Much larger percentages were ready for reform: 52.3% endorsed “some” reform, while 35.8% chose “very major” reform.
Voters will soon know whether the new faces in Madison will deliver.
Todd Berry is the president of The Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance (WISTAX), founded in 1932, and the state’s oldest and most respected private, nonpartisan government research organization. WISTAX aims to improve Wisconsin government through citizen education. WISTAX receives no government funding and is not affiliated with any group. To join or learn more, go to www.wistax.org.
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Blog Archives
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• Solberg: Healing After an Abortion
• Basketball fans eyeing extension of Miller Park sales tax
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• Burri: Sarah Palin for Prez troubles me
• Quote of the Day – Obama after the pie-eating contest
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• Doyle says ARRA has ‘created or retained’ 44,000 WI jobs
• Does most of the public fall for this stuff?
• When you get signatures, always get a couple extra
• Blame it on the outmoded computers
• Scott Brown victory does not scuttle health bill
• 8th Congressional Candidate Forum, Jan. 25
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• Join the blaze orange army and say ‘Enough is Enough’
• The future of government-run health care
• Tax on banks is a really bad idea
• Roth, Savard on the stump, grassroots style
• Savard speaking in Appleton, 8 PM, Wed., Jan. 13.
• Rahmlow: Savard, Bies frontrunners for State Senate
• Burri: Failing Political Correctness 101
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• This is exactly what we need from Governor Doyle
• This guy is my hero
• Why am I not surprised?
• Talk health reform with Feingold (Th), Petri (today)
• Give the Mayor power over MPS - if he can break contracts
• Burri: Yup, Dems really are going to bypass a conference
• The $2.7 billion Wisconsin deficit no one told you about
• Walker launches county accountability website
• Rahmlow: Why is Van Hollen dodging the Nebraska deal?
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| 2009 |
December
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November
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October
• The Lawton-Bader files
• Yup, it’s the TAX LEVY, not the tax RATE
• Ellis: costly automobile insurance laws must be rolled back
• If not Barrett, who?
• The subsidy game
• Burri: Bailouts, Banks, Health Care, and the Mob
• Attend Appleton Schools budget meeting tonight
• A public option WON’T increase costs? That’s delusional!
• Appleton Schools budget meeting Monday
• Wisconsin should be screaming for accountability
• Burri: If anything, we need more obstructionism around here
• WI on the leading edge - in the wrong direction
• Rep. Montgomery: Utility Customers Join State’s Crime-Fighting Efforts
• Public Conservation and Recreation Lands Total 16.5% of State
• In the crow's nest of the Titanic, shouting 'Iceberg!'
• Is Rep. Nelson a political hack?
• Health care: The road ahead will be brutal
• Kagen's pandering again
• Birthers - good stuff for you
• How much do we bend over backward for seniors?
• The trouble with health care is paying for it
• Two-parent families: The Gold Standard
• Burri: Kids... the joys and blessings
• Very, very worried about health care
• Rep. Huebsch: Wisconsin is proof government health care isn’t the answer
• School district contracts push up tax levy
• What? Obama, the Peace Prize?
• TODAY - hearing on Campaign Finance Reform
• Appleton School District tax levy up way too much
• CBO report is out - and the bill isn't even written yet?
• So, how much do YOU budget for health care?
• Burri: Copenhagen trip was amateurish
• “Sotomayor, you have blood on your hands...”
• Cap and Trade. Always follow the money
• Rep. Kagen gets (almost) free health services
• I actually agree with Rep. Kagen
• Future Wisconsin Conference for Conservatives, October 10, Wauwatosa
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| 2008 |
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• Important votes Tuesday, including Appleton Common Council
• Democrats are becoming supply siders??
• Further debunking Hillary myths
• WEAC has created an unsustainable monopoly
• From Mark Gundrum: One of the greatest honors an American can experience
• 'Operation Chaos' working?
• Joe Martin the best candidate in Appleton's 8th
• State programs to cut? - Volume II
• Oh the naivete of youth
• Not just disingenuous - flat wrong
• Steve - you will be missed
• Make cuts only AFTER you're elected....
• Getting serious: What programs can we cut?
• Rep. Steve Kagen joining me on Jerry Bader Show today
• Rep. Van Roy: Dental Care Pilot Program
• Has Dave Obey turned the corner on earmarks?
• Speaker Huebsch: Governor turns down Federal Aid?
• Mark Rahmlow: "We're Broke."
• As taxpayers, how do we know if it's a Chevy or a Lexus?
• This is trash talk - about a veteran
• Frank Lasee: Take time to get the Compact right
• 'The Gableman Ad' - is it racist?
• Roth thankful, Kagen shaking money tree
• Gov. Doyle's office not enamored with Freedom of Information
• Governor Doyle will never do it
• Leadership on smoking ban? Not Hanna
• Rep. Van Roy speaks out about smear ads
• You're threatening me about potholes?
• Losing the Hastert seat is NOT a trend and NOT curtians for the GOP
• First suggestion for 'slashing' programs
• Big money-saver for municipalities
• More one time fixes. Nuts.
• Any chances???
• I'm doing the Jerry Bader Show, today, the 11th
• Representative Frank Lasee: Final Waltz of the Season
• Guest Blog: It's not the county's business to be in the nursing home business
• Yup, Hillary won Texas and Ohio
• Gableman/Butler race featured - and it isn't pretty
• Lies from Planned Parenthood and NARAL
• He who sacrifices liberty.....
• Duh.
• The Troha sentencing, Doyle and that $200K
• Guns, passion and "originality"
• How hard is it anyway, to shut down a government program?
• Voting is a PRIVILEGE. And so are property taxes....
• Guest Blog: Governor Doyle, cancel your Ireland trip
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• Lots of ideas. No money.
• The Cigarette Tax - "Poor Policy Instrument?"
• School budget Lite?
• Frankenstein - not in the library, but in the legislature
• A librarian, a legislator, a president
• $1.25/pack - NO, NO, NO, and NO
• Kagen and Reagan in the same breath?
• Menasha: behind the 8-ball, but not biting the dust
• Any way you slice it, Wisconsin government wants (further) in on health care
• The World is Flat...what about health care?
• The PAC - too precious to fail. Day 3
• News follow-ups: Appleton West, Kagen at the White House
• Fox Cities PAC - too precious to fail - Day 2
• Fox Cities PAC - too precious to fail
• New Transit Tax coming your way
• Rep. Petri has his finger in the dike - I guess
• AASD Retirement Costs Burdensome
• Health care, health care, health care, health care
• Water rate increase was no slam dunk
• Education for all is just a bad dream
• New Year's resolutions from a parade snob
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