# How, if at all, does the WI results reflect future of union/Democratic political power? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 6, 2012, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-if-at-all-does-the-wi-results-reflect-future-of-union-democratic-political-power/624252 "2012-06-06T06:42:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2012, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-if-at-all-does-the-wi-results-reflect-future-of-union-democratic-political-power/624252/61 "2012-06-26T13:45:44Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > Through May 21 Walker outspent Barrett $45.6 million to $13.4. > > [Millions Spent on Wisconsin Recall Election - Graphic - NYTimes.com](http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/06/04/us/politics/money-spent-on-wisconsin-recall-election.html?ref=politics) > > Never again will anything else matter. > > The chances of reversing Citizens United are nil. It’s over. Corporations will protect that power. Democracy as we knew it is dead. > > Now it’s just a matter of competition between various corporations. Because the voters are idiots who can’t think and just do whatever they’re told by TV ads? (Or at least a majority of them). Is that it? ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2012, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-if-at-all-does-the-wi-results-reflect-future-of-union-democratic-political-power/624252/62 "2012-06-26T13:51:24Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > That is not clear. It is what you want to believe. That doesn’t make it fact. Even if you really, really think it is. According to this poll, 60% of voters at exit polls said recalls should only happen when there is “official misconduct.” > **[Walker Wins, But Obama Bests Romney in Wisconsin](https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/06/whatever-walkers-fate-obama-leads-romney-in-wisco/)** > > Get breaking national and world news, broadcast video coverage, and exclusive interviews. Find the top news online at ABC news. So yes, it’s clear that this was very much on the minds of many voters. However, it doesn’t say how many of the people who expressed this opinion voted for Walker. ---
**Author:** ![Blkshp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blkshp/32/7135_2.png) [@Blkshp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blkshp)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2012, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-if-at-all-does-the-wi-results-reflect-future-of-union-democratic-political-power/624252/63 "2012-06-26T21:19:49Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > By more popular you mean more popular with those people who have millions of dollars to invest in campaigns in the hopes of recouping those millions in legislation slanted in their favor, who are the only ones who count. Isn’t that exactly what people on the other side accuse unions of doing? Most especially public employee and teachers unions whose contracts are negotiated by the very officials they financially support? Is there really that much of a distinction to be made? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-if-at-all-does-the-wi-results-reflect-future-of-union-democratic-political-power/624252/64 "2012-06-27T00:53:38Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > Because the voters are idiots who can’t think and just do whatever they’re told by TV ads? (Or at least a majority of them). Is that it? You mean like the voters who had to deal with the political bosses of the 20th century? The ones Montana passed a law to deal with? If influence and propaganda don’t influence an election, why did Montana have to pass that law? It doesn’t matter if it’s the majority, the minority swing elections. Plus how do you explain all the brainless retards to who listen Rush Limbaugh, even after he called an innocent woman a whore because he disagreed with her? Read up on propagana, a start: > **[How Effective Are Misinformation Campaigns to Manipulate Public Opinion?](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/misinformation-government-campaign-iranian-physicist-assassination/)** > > The Iranian media blamed the U.S. and Israel for the assassination of an Iranian physicist. When misinformed, is the public really convinced? > [@](#): > > Have there been sociological studies to look at how effective different misinformation campaigns are in the public? > Yes, of sorts. The broad category is probably best referred to as propaganda research. And there’s been decades of research on that for what sorts of messages, what sorts of appeals, seem to work the best. Often we find that when, let’s say, a country is on the edge [of suspecting an enemy] and has had a number of reports—true or false—about experiences involving a threat, then it becomes very easy to sort of sneak in another report about that enemy, and [for it] to be believed. > > What do you think are the key ingredients in a successful misinformation campaign? It seems it goes along with the public opinion, plays off of fear, and maybe off of a lack of evidence? > Those are key things, and that [the message] is visual, and that it is repeated [with] some of the same kind of language and discourse—“Here [the enemies] are again. There they go again.” It can be very effective. Remember Bush’s false claims. Why the American people buy them? ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-if-at-all-does-the-wi-results-reflect-future-of-union-democratic-political-power/624252/65 "2012-06-27T02:55:16Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > According to this poll, 60% of voters at exit polls said recalls should only happen when there is “official misconduct.” > > [Walker Wins, But Obama Bests Romney in Wisconsin - ABC News](http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/06/whatever-walkers-fate-obama-leads-romney-in-wisco/) > > So yes, it’s clear that this was very much on the minds of many voters. However, it doesn’t say how many of the people who expressed this opinion voted for Walker. So, you agree with me. Excellent. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-if-at-all-does-the-wi-results-reflect-future-of-union-democratic-political-power/624252/66 "2012-06-27T03:08:22Z")
I agree with the idea that a governor should not be recalled unless there is actual misconduct. That is why I did not sign the recall petition. But when the vote actually happened I voted against Walker, simply based on the fact that I prefer Democratic policies to his. But I find it very easy to believe that many folks who might otherwise either stay home or vote Democratic, instead voted for Walker to protest the very idea of removing him from office without what they perceived as just cause. I have no evidence whatsoever to back up this opinion, and YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-if-at-all-does-the-wi-results-reflect-future-of-union-democratic-political-power/624252/67 "2012-06-27T13:26:23Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > So, you agree with me. Excellent. Well, no, not really. Six in 10 voters, or about 60%, said this. It’s unlikely that anyone who believes the recall is inappropriate would vote for the challenger. But even if you assume every single one of them voted for Barrett (like Boyo Jim), that still leaves 14% of the voters who had to have believed this and voted for Walker - greater than his margin of victory. So it’s quite reasonable to say that this could be the reason for his victory. ---
**Author:** ![JBGUSA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/258eb7/32.png) [@JBGUSA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBGUSA)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-if-at-all-does-the-wi-results-reflect-future-of-union-democratic-political-power/624252/68 "2017-06-09T02:54:12Z")
As for the thread topic it looks like Repubicanism in WI was pretty durable and had serious results nationally in electing Donald. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-if-at-all-does-the-wi-results-reflect-future-of-union-democratic-political-power/624252.md?page=3)