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11/9/2010
Decker, Kagen, Dems – whiners
Last week, WisPolitics.com captured a bit of bitterness from Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker following his loss to Republican and surgeon Pam Galloway.
These massive corporations like AT&T, Walmart and the big banks, insurance companies are going to be funding elections and I don’t see how the average working person that’s a Democrat or an independent or a Libertarian can even put (up) with that.
In a helpful piece yesterday, Jenny Espino at the Post-Crescent analyzed Rep. Steve Kagen’s loss to small businessman Reid Ribble, first capturing Kagen’s fault-finding over the race.
U.S. Rep. Steve Kagen thinks unregulated campaign money and voters' "oust the incumbents" mindset cost him his re-election bid.
…. He railed against the influence of corporate money in politics and called for a push back against its involvement in elections and government.
Millions of dollars from these groups — many of which do not disclose their donors — flowed into the state, including $2.6 million in the 8th District.
Then, detailing what may be the real reasons behind Kagen's defeat.
No one questions that kind of cash played a role in the outcome, but there's no guarantee Tuesday's results in northeastern Wisconsin would have been different had outside groups stayed out. Kagen's campaign, for instance, slightly edged Ribble's in the support it received from outside groups in the final stretch....
One FoxPolitics reader tells me these whiners should blame Citizens United v. FEC all on Feingold – if McCain-Feingold hadn’t been law, the court ruling would never have happened. It’s what happens when you fix things that aren’t broken. Hmmm.
Jacob Sullum wrote an interesting piece last week for Reason, arguing that Citizens United was not a big deal.
… it is misleading to imply that none of that money would have been spent (mostly on defeating Democrats and electing Republicans) if it weren't for Citizens United v. FEC, the January decision in which the Supreme Court overturned restrictions on political speech by unions and corporations.
…. I am not saying Citizens United had no impact on independent spending. Groups like Karl Rove's American Crossroads GPS (a 501(c)(4) spinoff of the 527 group American Crossroads) were created especially to take advantage of the freedom allowed by the decision. But its impact on the overall level of independent spending probably was modest in this year's political environment, which guaranteed that Republicans eager to take control of Congress would spend a lot of money.
That same political environment also meant that spending more money was not the key to victory. Once you consider party and candidate spending as well as spending by independent groups, Democrats outspent Republicans by a substantial margin, for all the good it did them.
We could argue (and have argued) forever about the impact of big bucks on elections and on governing. But without time this morning to record the detailed research, what’s important to say is that for years, including 2010, Dems and the left in Wisconsin have been spending millions to defeat Republicans. The amount approached a half $million in both my 2008 race in the 57th A.D. and Rep. Frank Lasee’s in the 2nd. Over $100,000 this year against Republican Chris Hanson in the 57th and Jim Steineke in the 5th A.D. Hundreds of $thousands this year as well in repeat over-the-top attack ads against now State Senator-elect Frank Lasee.
Rep. Kagen and Sen. Decker entered their elections relying on those big union dollars and contributions from independent expenditure groups on the left – and when the overtaxed business community countered them at their own game, they whine. Is turnabout fair play? I’d say yes, indeed.
Jo Egelhoff, FoxPolitics.net
COMMENTS
Decker and his Big fat cat unions cant fool the people all the time.
Gary (Tue Nov 09 08:56:09 2010)
Agree. The moaning is sour grapes and time to move on.
Isn't it about time to start focusing on all the change and improvement being set-up by the wave of quality and politically correct talent coming to rescue us.
Can't wait to read this blog as shopworn excuses are swept back and the new era of prosperity and voter satisfaction arises in the months ahead.
(Oh, yes...there is one fallback excuse. "We need a different President and Senate to really accomplish anything. Don't expect much from our prize talent for the next two years.")
Dennis (Tue Nov 09 09:59:31 2010)
It just makes me laugh to hear all the moaning and complaining about money from "special interests" going to Republicans this year. It makes no more sense than it did back in the 2004 election when all the college kids managed to haul out their moms' bedraggled old prom dresses, tarnished tiaras and gamblers vests with fake money hanging out of the pockets, put them on and marched with signs "accusing" Bush and Cheney of being millionaires. Who were Bush and Cheney running against? John Kerry and John Edwards. Bwahahahahahaha! Both had way more money than George Bush ever thought of having. Cheney had more money than President Bush, too. This is the silliness that our elections have come down to. The serious side of this is that it's a lie. It also proves the old bromide that if you repeat a lie often enough people will believe it.
C.R. Stevenson (Tue Nov 09 09:20:31 2010)
Like music to my ears. When I ran for state senate years ago the teachers threw in a ton of last minute money. Freedom of speech for both sides makes it even.
Dohnal (Tue Nov 09 10:33:23 2010)
Dr. Kagen is blaming third party ads and special intrest money??
"Pot meet Kettle, Kettle this is Pot".
Take a gander and the special interest and out of state contributions that Kagen had...
Dale McNamee (Tue Nov 09 10:34:33 2010)
I've got just one thing to say to Mr. Kagen and his Union Thugs! See this Link.
James M Murphy (Tue Nov 09 12:23:44 2010)
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