Recall Day in Wisconsin

Today is it — the day when Wisconsin voters decide whether to go backward or forward. Gov. Scott Walker isn’t on the ballot, but the fate of his reforms surely is.  Tabitha Hale:

When Governor Scott Walker and the Republican legislature were elected, the state of Wisconsin was over $3.8 billion in debt. The people of Wisconsin elected them to fix the problem. They elected them to create jobs. That is exactly what they did.

Last month, half of the jobs created in the United States were created in the state of Wisconsin. Half. Think about the magnitude of that. While the U.S. has maintained an unemployment of over 9% since the beginning of President Obama’s term, Wisconsin has, in just 6 months, balanced the budget, created tens of thousands of jobs, and made a rapid turnaround that Washington seems to think is impossible.

Recalling the Republican state senators would undo that. It would re-empower the very unions who are driving many states, not just Wisconsin, to the brink of bankruptcy. It would undo the reforms that have helped bring Wisconsin’s economy back.

As recall day has drawn near, the Democrats have revised down their victory predictions. Just over a week ago, Democrat strategist Bob Beckel was declaring on Fox that the Democrats were strong in all the races and poised to win enough for a takeover. Now, the Democrats in WI are singing a different tune.

Despite hype from some in the party apparatus about a “six for six” sweep Tuesday, the more realistic scenario is winning two or three seats, according to those involved in the ground game. …

“While we have solid research suggesting there are races where we might secure a second and third potential pick-up, none of these of these races except 32 should be considered safe pick-ups (and even there we face challenges to get the ball over the goal line), and we are dealing with an unprecedented electorate that is very difficult to forecast,” she continues.

Special elections can go in strange directions depending on turnout. Bottom line: If you’re a Republican in one of the recall districts, vote. These recalls are important harbingers of whether not just Wisconsin, but American itself, has the will to push the real reforms we need to get the nation back on track toward prosperity and fiscal sanity.