Wednesday, May 30, 2012 7:46:13 PM
Here's $125.00...can we put up this grassroots Walker sign on your land?
The latest gubernatorial campaign finance reports are due today from Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. The two face off in a recall election on June 5th.
The reports will show that Walker has a lot more money than Barrett. What they won't show is that Barrett has a lot more volunteers. The difference is obvious when you drive through the countryside in Wisconsin. Giant, prefabricated, blue signs declaring “We Stand with Scott Walker” are planted at the corner of many a cornfield. The Walker campaign reportedly pays up to $125.00 per sign to the farmers and other country-dwellers who agree to have them erected on their land. Walker pays for the sign and the labor to put them up. It’s almost a little creepy driving past the same obnoxious sign here and there, sitting on land occupied by people who will perhaps vote for Walker, but who would never put up a sign on their own without the financial incentive.
Why would someone spoil their beautiful scenery with this monstrosity? Is it really worth $125.00 to have to look at this every morning?
This one's just kinda sad, isn't it?
People who support Barrett, on the other hand, make their own signs, both out of frugality and out of genuine conviction that Barrett is the better candidate. My favorites are the ones that have different messages displayed every day. They are tended and cared for, like a flower garden. There are pre-printed Barrett lawn signs, of course, but supporters actually pay $5.00 per sign with the money going to the Barrett campaign.
We keep hearing from the traditional media here in Wisconsin that Barrett's supporters are less likely to show up at the polls than Walker's supporters. I'm not sure I believe that. Whose supporter do you think is more committed to their cause, the one who pays for the privilege of advertising for their candidate or the one who is handed $125.00 for doing nothing? The one who crafts a homemade sign or the one who cashes a check from the Walker campaign?
We've heard 16 months of "Oh, you'll never be able to do that." Then we've just gone out and done it.
The latest figure I heard for the number of unpaid volunteers working for the Barrett campaign is 36,000. In contrast, not only have I never heard anyone cite the number of unpaid volunteers working for Walker, I’ve never even seen an unpaid volunteer working for Walker. Maybe it’s because Walker’s “grassroots” support is being bused in from Illinois, with the Koch brothers providing participants a free lunch and a free ride...
What I have seen are smaller versions of the big blue Walker signs stuck into the corners of perfectly manicured residential lawns, usually next to the little signs that warn pets and children to stay off the pesticide-infused grass. Every Walker sign is the same. No creativity, no passion, no commitment; just a pre-packaged, corporate-sponsored piece of blue cardboard verifying one’s allegiance to the Republican brand. No muss, no fuss, no charge. We Stand with Scott Walker. We Stand with Scott Walker. We Stand with Scott Walker.
I wonder if the owners of the homes even know the signs are there. Maybe Walker’s paid campaign workers just plant the blue signs outside the homes of likely Republican voters and tell the homeowners to stay inside with their guns loaded because big government union thugs are just around the corner. “Be ready to stand your ground and defend your castle, but whatever you do, don’t step outside until election day. On June 5th, go directly to the polls, vote for Walker, and go straight home. Then turn on Fox News or a.m. radio and wait for further instructions.”
The Wisconsin recalls truly are a test of people versus money, fear versus hope, Citizens United versus citizens ignited. I honestly have no idea what will happen. Early voting activity is still going strong, especially in the Democratic strongholds of Milwaukee and Madison, where local municipal clerks kept their offices open over the Memorial Day weekend. The energy on the Barrett side got a big boost after Barrett’s nearly perfect performance last Friday night in the first of two debates. (The final debate is scheduled for Thursday.) Canvassers are knocking on thousands of doors every day and making thousands of phone calls. Tom Barrett is criss-crossing the state making appearances with former U.S. Senator Russ Feingold. Grassroots organizations and the Barrett campaign have an enormous GOTV effort planned from now through the final weekend and on election day.
OK, maybe we're not so pretty as the other guys, but we've been standing outside for 16 months. We're a bit worn, but we're definitely finishing strong.
UPDATE Tuesday, May 29, 10:35 p.m. CDT Speaking of GOTV efforts, here is the poster for the big GOTV rally at the Madison Labor Temple this coming Friday. Jackson Browne, Tom Morello...and the Solidarity Singers?? (Technically, we are the Solidarity Sing Along, but if we're opening for Tom Morello and Jackson Browne, et al, they can call us whatever they want!) Life in FitzWalkerstan can be so surreal.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/05/29/1095686/-Here-s-125-00-can-we-put-up-this-grassroots-Walker-sign-on-your-land-
The latest gubernatorial campaign finance reports are due today from Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. The two face off in a recall election on June 5th.
The reports will show that Walker has a lot more money than Barrett. What they won't show is that Barrett has a lot more volunteers. The difference is obvious when you drive through the countryside in Wisconsin. Giant, prefabricated, blue signs declaring “We Stand with Scott Walker” are planted at the corner of many a cornfield. The Walker campaign reportedly pays up to $125.00 per sign to the farmers and other country-dwellers who agree to have them erected on their land. Walker pays for the sign and the labor to put them up. It’s almost a little creepy driving past the same obnoxious sign here and there, sitting on land occupied by people who will perhaps vote for Walker, but who would never put up a sign on their own without the financial incentive.
Why would someone spoil their beautiful scenery with this monstrosity? Is it really worth $125.00 to have to look at this every morning?
This one's just kinda sad, isn't it?
People who support Barrett, on the other hand, make their own signs, both out of frugality and out of genuine conviction that Barrett is the better candidate. My favorites are the ones that have different messages displayed every day. They are tended and cared for, like a flower garden. There are pre-printed Barrett lawn signs, of course, but supporters actually pay $5.00 per sign with the money going to the Barrett campaign.
We keep hearing from the traditional media here in Wisconsin that Barrett's supporters are less likely to show up at the polls than Walker's supporters. I'm not sure I believe that. Whose supporter do you think is more committed to their cause, the one who pays for the privilege of advertising for their candidate or the one who is handed $125.00 for doing nothing? The one who crafts a homemade sign or the one who cashes a check from the Walker campaign?
We've heard 16 months of "Oh, you'll never be able to do that." Then we've just gone out and done it.
The latest figure I heard for the number of unpaid volunteers working for the Barrett campaign is 36,000. In contrast, not only have I never heard anyone cite the number of unpaid volunteers working for Walker, I’ve never even seen an unpaid volunteer working for Walker. Maybe it’s because Walker’s “grassroots” support is being bused in from Illinois, with the Koch brothers providing participants a free lunch and a free ride...
What I have seen are smaller versions of the big blue Walker signs stuck into the corners of perfectly manicured residential lawns, usually next to the little signs that warn pets and children to stay off the pesticide-infused grass. Every Walker sign is the same. No creativity, no passion, no commitment; just a pre-packaged, corporate-sponsored piece of blue cardboard verifying one’s allegiance to the Republican brand. No muss, no fuss, no charge. We Stand with Scott Walker. We Stand with Scott Walker. We Stand with Scott Walker.
I wonder if the owners of the homes even know the signs are there. Maybe Walker’s paid campaign workers just plant the blue signs outside the homes of likely Republican voters and tell the homeowners to stay inside with their guns loaded because big government union thugs are just around the corner. “Be ready to stand your ground and defend your castle, but whatever you do, don’t step outside until election day. On June 5th, go directly to the polls, vote for Walker, and go straight home. Then turn on Fox News or a.m. radio and wait for further instructions.”
The Wisconsin recalls truly are a test of people versus money, fear versus hope, Citizens United versus citizens ignited. I honestly have no idea what will happen. Early voting activity is still going strong, especially in the Democratic strongholds of Milwaukee and Madison, where local municipal clerks kept their offices open over the Memorial Day weekend. The energy on the Barrett side got a big boost after Barrett’s nearly perfect performance last Friday night in the first of two debates. (The final debate is scheduled for Thursday.) Canvassers are knocking on thousands of doors every day and making thousands of phone calls. Tom Barrett is criss-crossing the state making appearances with former U.S. Senator Russ Feingold. Grassroots organizations and the Barrett campaign have an enormous GOTV effort planned from now through the final weekend and on election day.
OK, maybe we're not so pretty as the other guys, but we've been standing outside for 16 months. We're a bit worn, but we're definitely finishing strong.
UPDATE Tuesday, May 29, 10:35 p.m. CDT Speaking of GOTV efforts, here is the poster for the big GOTV rally at the Madison Labor Temple this coming Friday. Jackson Browne, Tom Morello...and the Solidarity Singers?? (Technically, we are the Solidarity Sing Along, but if we're opening for Tom Morello and Jackson Browne, et al, they can call us whatever they want!) Life in FitzWalkerstan can be so surreal.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/05/29/1095686/-Here-s-125-00-can-we-put-up-this-grassroots-Walker-sign-on-your-land-
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