Who really won Wisconsin?

By Jim Hightower

Mon. Jun. 11, 2012--Scott Walker Wins Wisconsin, screamed headlines across the country after the labor-bashing incumbent governor hung onto his job in the June 5 recall election.

Well, yes...but no. Walker will get to stay in office for the rest of his term, but he did not win the election--money did.

This was a victory for the Citizens United edict issued two years ago by a five-man corporatist majority on the Supreme Court.

Their anti-democracy ruling opened the door for unlimited sums of corporate cash to barge into our national, state, and local elections. Walker is the first ugly sprouting of that alien seed.
                                       
He sacked up some $30 million from corporate interests--nearly eight times the money that his Democratic opponent had to spend--and two-thirds of Walker's stockpile came from out-of-state interests.

An anti-labor, anti-government Texas tycoon, put more than half-a-million bucks into his Wisconsin soul mate's campaign. Likewise, A family from the Amway fortune gave a quarter-million dollars, as did Las Vegas casino baron Sheldon Adelson.

Then came the insidious, secretive, "outside" campaigns that the Supremes green-lighted, allowing corporations to dump mountains of their cash into elections.

The multi-billionaire, laissez-fair Koch brother, David, shoved at least $3 million behind Scott Walker, all of which went to negative attacks on his opponent.

Honest conservatives might take cheer that Walker still clings to the governor's chair, but there can be no joy in the fact that money rules.

And, that will be the brutal lesson of Election 2012, where the real fight is taking place.

Some sites of interest:
www.democracyisforpeople.org

A Brutal Night in Wisconsin
www.progressive.org

Right-Wing Media Disappear Fact That Conservative Money Swamped Union Message in Wisconsin
www.mediamatters.org

Daily Kos Elections Morning Digest: Scott Walker survives recall, but
Democrats take state Senate
www.dailykos.com, June 6, 2012

Legal Cloud gathers over Scott Walker as recall election approaches
www.thedailypage.com, June 3, 2012

GOP outplaying its Wisconsin hand

www.dailykos.com, June 6, 2012