Is A Recall Enough?

With the much anticipated recall election now a reality, and the spending on political advertising already an embarrassment in the headlines, we still don't have a clear picture of which gubernatorial candidates are actually going to appear on the primary ballot. In the this high-stakes race, where winner takes all, it seems like more than a little thought should have gone into this already, though it clearly has not, as evidenced by the broad base of potential candidates who lack consistent support from the electorate. The names in the democratic field abound with declared candidates, and those who are being encouraged to run, and those who are thinking about running, and even those who have declared they are not running: Falk, LaFollette, Cullen, Barca, Barrett, VineHout, Obey, and Feingold, did I forget any?

With all due respect to the candidates (and non-candidates alike), the fact is that among them all, only one stands a chance of guaranteeing a Democratic win, and it's the one who has declared he's not running for office. Frankly, as I see it, they are all career politicians - bought and paid for by outside interests long ago.  Jerry Garcia may have said it best when he said "Constantly choosing the lesser of two evils is still choosing evil."  Now where does that leave us?

Falk has a strong record of fiscal responsibility, positive labor relations, and public safety, but lacks statewide appeal, particularly with moderate republicans who are voting against the current governor (as long as the candidate isn't Falk, or so they say). LaFollette benefits from name-recognition, and his unquestionable support of public employees and collective bargaining, but sadly may lack the financial resources to actually compete against the Koch brothers - who admit to financing Scott Walker's recall fight through their SuperPAC. Barrett had his chance, he was basically forced to run the first time, and hasn't jumped enthusiastically into this race so far. Cullen had declared in December 2011 that he would run if there were enough signatures, and VineHout is now officially running for office - both current legislators, with mixed voting records that are likely to help with some and hurt with others, again they lack they statewide appeal necessary to unite enough of Wisconsin's voters behind a single candidate, rather than against a single candidate. Peter Barca is another current legislator whose name floats around and there is a petition circulating asking him to run - just another reluctant politician being forced into candidacy, and I am just not sure someone who must be forced to run is the best person to represent my voice in this democracy.

In the 2010 election Wisconsin had the highest voter turnout in decades at just over 50 percent which means that the other 49 percent of the electorate chose not to vote, not to participate in our democracy, not to chose evil of any sort. Many of the people I know who do not vote make the choice because they feel like their voice is inconsequential, that no matter who is elected their opinion, their voice, will not be represented anyways - a pragmatically true statement, all considering. Yet, I choose one of those evils anyways, every chance I get, hoping that one of these days enough of those evils are going to come around to the type of logic, sensibility, and respect for humanity that can guide fair and just legislation to benefit the electorate, rather than the special interests who shamelessly lobby elected officials for policy and legislation that makes them weathy at the expense of the middle class' very existance.  

The mere existance of the middle class is questionable at best these days; by some estimates up to 75 percent of american families are one paycheck away from disaster. If our democracy is to be Of the People, For the People, and By the People, then how has to come to pass that the majority of americans are simply unable to run for office, unable to finance the mega-operation that is campaigning, an unable to gain any sort of recognition as a candidate?  Running for office has become reserved for only the wealthiest of citizens, the wealthiest of Wisconsinites represent us at both the State and National level. Would Russ Feingold's early and inexpensive "Garage Door" commercials from the 1980's even be possible today? Would they have an impact on the voting public, and would they increase the percentage of the electorate who visit the polls regularly - would people feel empowered by a simple message from a single real person? And would that one person really make a difference in the way we do business?

As I noted in the Paradigm Shift piece that originated this blog, its time to demand more of our legislators, of ourselves, and of our neighbors; time to insist that the voices heard in our statehouse reflect the electorate rather than the lobbiests. Now the question becomes "how do we accomplish this?" A mere recall isn't enough, replacing a republican governor with a democratic governor doesn't change anything. Even replacing a republican governor with a visionary leader, independent of the political system, one that embodies the sensible, progressive values of our state's founders, one who will hear the voices of all Wisconsinites, leaves our legislature filled with partisan career politicians bound by the dirty money that lines their pockets, and their legacy of improper and imoral legislation. By Shifting the Paradigm we have the opportunity to revitalize the middle-class, and the integrity of the state's legislature, to restore our government to the electorate.

Now, if only I ran the zoo…