This week, in a story watched all around the country, Wisconsin voters went to the polls to vote on the unprecedented recall of six Republican State Senators. These recall elections took place at the behest of Wisconsin’s public employees’ unions in their anger over budgetary reforms insisted upon by Wisconsin’s legislative Republican Majority and Governor Scott Walker.
Tuesday night however the unions received a jolt when they failed in their attempt at recalling four of the 6 GOP Senators. Democrats fully expected to win enough of these races to take control of the Wisconsin State Senate, and with good reason: Special elections of this type typically see very low turnout. This turnout is generally skewed towards whichever party feels more outraged and can motivate their supporters to get to the polls. Democrats frequently have an advantage in this as they can count on labor unions to turn out in high numbers while other groups typically require more effort to organize.
Democrats did not count on turnout on the level of a regularly scheduled election. Republican voters turned out in much higher than expected numbers to make their voices heard once again – as they did in November 2010 that they have had enough of big government, enough liberal handouts, and enough of the tax and spend status quo that has governed for so long
The left often feels empowered by their own voices, they turnout impressive numbers for rallies, marches, and speeches as they did at the Wisconsin Capitol earlier this year. In the absence of opposition at these rallies they self-righteously declare themselves to represent the voice of the people. However, while these democrat union members call in sick to loyally answer the call of the hand that feeds them, a far larger majority of Americans are at work, earning a living, and watching as an ever larger portion of their incomes are eaten up by government.
Democrats look at the latest poll numbers that show large majorities of Americans who believe that America is on the wrong track and claim that the answer is found in tax increases, more spending, and more entitlements. They continue to make these claims despite being rejected by the American people at nearly every turn.
It is from this formerly silent majority that the Tea Party sprang in 2009 to the derision of the left, it is the same majority that proceeded to remove the Speaker’s gavel from the hand of Nancy Pelosi, it is this same majority that thwarted Democratic ambitions in Wisconsin this past Tuesday, and it is the same majority will make itself heard again in 2012. Democrat and Republican candidates alike ignore this voice at their own peril.
