Shirley Abrahamson's re-election to the Wisconsin Supreme Court was rewarding:
- She proved that you do not have to run from your core beliefs to win a state wide election to the court. Neither Louis Butler or Linda Clifford ran from their core beliefs but they both lost.
- Among the WMC, All Children Matter crowd, those who called for a full all-out negative television campaign against Abrahamson and successful Superintendent of Pubic Instruction candidate, Tony Evers, were vindicated. Clearly the anonymous bundled millions of dollars that were used by the issue committees in the fall 2008 and the previous two Supreme Court races in 2007 and 2008 was effective. The absence of these funds in this election was obvious. Expect WMC and its surrogates to come to the next gunfight well armed.
- Look for Randy Koschnick to return for another Supreme Court race. WMC and the Americans for Prosperity left him out on a limb, having encouraged him to run, promising money, and then sitting out the election. They will repay him if Dave Prosser does not seek reelection in 2011 with a full press, state wide effort.
- Shirley Abrahamson proved that a non-partisan progressive candidate can put together a solid functioning campaign. Credit goes to Heather Colburn, Rick Phelps, and the rest of the crew that managed and strategized the victory.
I was quite pleased that Bridget Maniaci won the Madison second aldermanic district race over incumbent Brenda Konkel. I was surprised, upon hearing the results, that I felt sad for Brenda in her defeat.
Other thoughts:
- Kathleen Falk, re-elected as Dane County Executive, proved she is mortal. While no longer the Teflon candidate, now measured by normal standards, her victory over Nancy Mistle was convincing and impressive.
- Biggest winner in Madison who was not running: Mayor Dave Cieslewicz. He got victories in the two most critical city council races where he made endorsements.
- Losers who deserve better and we hope to hear more from them: Hamilton Arendsen who lost in Madison's fifth aldermanic district to Shiva Bidar-Sielaff, and Stephen Ehlke, who was defeated by Julie Genovese for Circuit Court Judge, Branch 13. Congratulations to both of the victors.
- Sly, the morning maverick at WTDY AM, 1670, reminded us that in a discussion with Charlie Sykes he suggested that maybe right-wing Milwaukee radio, not Madison, is the 70 square miles surrounded by reality. He may have something there.
It's still the Worker's Paradise. A bio-digester in every garage and a chicken in every backyard.
Posted by: mgm | April 08, 2009 at 08:15 AM
"She proved that you do not have to run from your core beliefs to win a state wide election..."
And she proved that incumbents that outspend their opponents have a huge advantage.
Posted by: Rich Preston | April 08, 2009 at 08:56 AM
I don't believe Mayor Dave is the tacit winner due to the District 2 results. When you have a progressive wingman/wingwoman, any effective politician should be able to make political hay in the middle, and Dave wasn't able to do that. Brenda Konkel made city government better and more responsive, yet Dave allowed his own relationship to devolve into a series of pointless and personal skirmishes.
The upshot is it won't be smooth sailing for Dave, sans Brenda. Attention will focus solely on Dave and the go-along crowd, from both left and right. He'll be held to more scrutiny by progressives. Worse, he and folks in general will have to recognize that nothing Dave does will win over the WSJ/business lobby. Just as Paul Soglin can't reason with the WMC, Dave hasn't made headway by acceding to or befriending Madison-bashers in the business & developer crowd. Brenda Konkel has never been the problem; Dave's inability to forward a strong agenda, is. His relationship w/Konkel has distracted from that fact.
Dave's main mistake has been twofold: 1) in not pro-actively forwarding an economic agenda ahead of the predictable backbiting and criticism; 2) in not pursuing a clear progressive agenda that distinguished himself from Konkel and made her views secondary to the bigger picture. I like Dave's style and political sensibility in many respects; on this point, though, his method's allowed his admirable & common sense approach to get lost in very minor dustups. We can't afford the go-slow approach, and that's been costly for Madison. The sustainable neighborhood coding is remarkably behind the curve; it's offered as a political externality. It should've been the first priority right out of the gate --- instead, Madison's eating the dust of dozens of other cities who've suddenly discovered ecological planning and sustainable cities. That doesn't take away from what Madison as individuals have accomplished; it's just reality. Between real vision and do-nothingism there has to be some middle ground, and any progressive sensibility interested in building a better mousetrap can't be quite so satisfied with the status quo.
Re Falk, Mistele and light rail: the tax base benefits alone should be enough to sell the system to the pro-growth crowd in Middleton and Sun Prairie. Tell them it's a way to outcompete Madison.
Key thing is light rail leverages growth more efficiently, conferring higher benefits and eliminating more costs than highways. When you add in all factors it's a no-brainer.
The choice isn't between light rail and cars; it's both/and. The question is whether Madison/Dane County grows and competes and takes its place on the national stage --- or whether it gets left behind. Way, way behind.
Posted by: rich | April 08, 2009 at 11:00 AM
Rich
Well said..
Middleton and outlying areas should open a vein to promote light rail.
Posted by: antpoppa | April 09, 2009 at 05:28 PM
The Battle of Miffland, May 1969: the Untold Story
Now manifested as an annual apolitical drunken spree by undergraduates, the Mifflin Block Party had its origins in the tumultuous late Sixties. At a time of growing protest against the U.S. War in Vietnam and deepening youth radicalization, a Madison mayor and his police chief denied a permit for a block party around the newly-established Mifflin Street Co-op, expecting to teach the hippie-radical community around the Co-op the virtues of Nixon-style Law n' Order. Police attacks on young partyers touched-off a three-day street battle--a mini-insurrection--which forever changed the political landscape of Madison. Come and hear about the historic Battle of Miffland as told by participants, part of an evening of multimedia pesentations examining the role of "street action" in the U.S. and around the world, from Miffland to the present-day.
Friday May 1st (May Day) MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATION 7-10pm--Electric Earth Cafe 546 W. Washington Ave--PARTY afterwards 10pm-midnight (beer available)--admission $5-10 sliding scale--sponsored by the Peregrine Forum, the Madison Infoshop, WORT, the Community Alliance on Latin America, the Madison Area Peace Coalition, the Immigrant Workers Union, the Industrial Workers of the World, the 4Lakes Green Party, and other organizations, more info 442-8399 or [email protected]. Participants in the Battle of Miffland who wish to speak at the event are urged to contact us immediately.
Posted by: David L. Williams | April 16, 2009 at 11:27 AM