Wisconsin Update:

No real news, but here’s my take on where things stand.

1. Republicans in the state senate don’t need any Dems to pass non-fiscal items. They can do away with collective bargaining any time they want. I believe they don’t wish to go down this path (for now) because it might appear “high handed” and could hurt them politically. (Too bad Nancy Pelosi & Co. weren’t concerned with stuff like this.)

2. There will soon be real world consequences – layoffs and service cut-backs in Wisc. (“Real World” – now there’s a concept that may be novel to some of the participants in this contest.) It appears Republicans are hoping the real world stuff will pressure at least one Dem to return to the state and provide a quorum.

3. Both sides are moving to recall various senators. Republicans should have the upper hand here. Only senators who were elected in 2008 can be recalled. Any Republican who held his seat in the Obama Wisc. landslide should be pretty safe in the current environment. The same cannot be said for Dems who were elected on Obama’s coattails.

4. Wisc. voters generally support Gov. Walker and the Republican legislature. However, they are somewhat queasy about taking away public sector collective bargaining. More education is needed on the topic. Some good education has been provided recently by Michael Barone here

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2011/02/24/public_unions_force_taxpayers_to_fund_dems_109013.html

and Kimberly Strassel here

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703530504576164822561737348.html