How the Left Handles Defeat

Wisconsin Governor Walker’s 53%-46% recall triumph stunned the Left.

The Governor infuriated unions and their Democratic Party allies when he successfully championed restrictions on public employee unions shortly after taking office in January 2011.  In response, they attempted to paralyze the State Senate from taking supportive action by depriving the legislative body of a quorum and conducting raucous sit-ins both in and outside Senate chambers.  When those tactics came to naught, recall petition signatures were collected forcing a vote last Tuesday which, to say the least, did not turn out as its proponents had hoped.

Interestingly, Governor Walker’s margin of victory over Milwaukee Mayor Barrett exceeded his electoral performance in 2010.  (The recall was a re-match of the 2010 election.)

To neutral observers, that wasn’t surprising since the state’s unemployment rate has dropped one percent since Walker assumed office, a 3.6 billion deficit was eliminated and a small budget surplus is projected for next year.

But that’s not how the Left saw it.  MSNBC network, proud of its allegiance to that perspective, was typical. 

Ed Schultz, host of a weeknight commentary show, lamented the disparity in expenditures in the campaign of 7 – 1 in favor of Governor Walker.  Rachel Madow complained that recall forces blurred their message by discussing other issues besides the need to save government unions.  And others fingered the weakness of their candidate – he’d lost two statewide races previously.

In sum, the Left ignored the possibility that their policies might have had some responsibility for the outcome.

On a personal level, it’s hard not to sympathize with such reactions.  No one likes to lose. 

But the attitude is hardly mature.  In the context of politics, such responses are excuses, not explanations.  The reason for the results, I suggest, is that voters were satisfied with the job being done by the Governor.  He not only promised to rein in government spending, he did so. 

The lesson is that the public does care about out-of-control liberal spending and will support politicians committed to doing something about it.  Of course the Left prefers to ignore that lesson and so they continue to trumpet their support for the expansion of big government and the spending that must accompany it despite the public’s opposition.

We conservatives, looking forward to November, are delighted by the bullheadedness being displayed by our foes.