Kathleen Falk Gets WEAC Endorsement
February 8, 2012
This is the start of the momentum that will grow and build leading to the recall of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. I have long felt that Kathleen Falk is the best candidate to defeat Scott Walker. Smart, gutsy, and personable, along with the required skills to govern sets Falk heads and shoulders above others for the election. Falk’s skill set will allow her to function as governor in a way that will make our state proud.
Former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk has won the endorsement of one of the state’s most powerful labor unions.
Two sources said the Wisconsin Education Association Council, the state’s largest teachers union, will announce soon that it is backing Falk in the likely recall election against Gov. Scott Walker.
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Let us at least agree on one thing.
Collective bargaining is THE REASON for this recall election. To not understand that, and run a race on it, then underscores the GOP side who contends that this recall is merely a ‘do-over’.
No one can honestly say that any other policy from Walker would have generated this energy or passion that collective bargaining did. Not schools, or voter id, nothing else is the reason for this recall than collective bargaining, and the botched political process that was used to pass it.
In this recall let us be honest enough to dance with the one that brought you to the ball. Union issues are why we are here, union support will drive this race, and you either make peace with that and get behind the candidate that can win the Governor’s office, or you can sit and complain.
I am not one of those who allows progressives to get off the hook for getting out of sorts when a primary was held for AG and Falk pressed the issues. When some of those progressives failed to rally for the eventual nominee and the Repub then won office, one then has to ask what point was being made. I trust that attitude is not again raising its head.
I know that Dems are well-known for the circular firing squad, and that is being played out among some at this time. That is politics, and I understand that.
I also know first hand that there are union polls showing Falk can win outside Madison, and in fact there are polls showing other candidates that have been mentioned which can not do the same.
The unions endorsements are being made public at this time, as it was planned for this time even before the signatures were handed in to GAB. There is a very measured way of winning, and the ones who best know how to acheive that are driving the effort.
Money follows endorsements, and while there is lots of work to do let us not lose our point of reference, and that is the removal of Walker from office in a recall election.
I am a WEAC member. I find the Falk endorsement horrible We need to make sure she does not win the primaries. What I find most shocking is that there has been no communication with membership on this decision. There has been plenty of time to do informal and non-binding electronic polling. None of that happened. I have yet to meet a WEAC member who was able to give any kind of feedback. The Walker recall has been a grassroots movement and has so far worked wonderfully. WEAC (and rumors have it that SEIU and AFSCME will also endorse Falk) can ruin this recall. Falk cannot win a statewide race, especially when she is completely tied to the union. I want collective bargaining back, but that is not the only issue driving this recall. Does WEAC have the right to endorse? Sure. Is this an awful strategy? Absolutely.
This is such a shocking example of a politician who is bought and paid for. She’ll hold the government hostage until her special interest gets paid. Despicable.
How is the time for WEAC members to demonstrate what dignity they have left and throw out Mary Bell and the rest of her “selection committee.”
That’s exactly right CommonCents. Falk was not only was the only statewide Dem loser in Wis. (Even Dawn Sass beat an incumbent Rep. for State Treasurer), she was one of the few nationwide to turn over a statewide Dem office in 2006. After Diamond Jim Doyle, Mark Pocan, and Deke Rivers encouraged her to run because the “DUI candidate” couldn’t win, Falk lost her own county (where voters knew her best), 60-40% in the primary. But that lack of political judgement in vetting a candidate is now blamed on progressives. And the same standards that produced a CP post urging Tom Barrett not to run this time isn’t applied to Falk. I also am peeved by a candidate who three times asked Dane County voters to re-elect her to a 4 year term, and then ran for another office the year after twice, and the third time just quit, a year after. It’s a legitimate question, would she serve the 28-30 months left in the gov. term if she won, or take off for an Obama job or executive director of the National Manure Digester Association (apparently her crown achievement as County Exec).
Wow! The old take it or leave it campaign strategy. Sounds like a winner, I should say, wiener, to me.
Yes, the stakes are very high. That’s why we need a candidate who can win statewide.
And, when and if there is a primary, we do not need slurs made, like “DUI candidate”.
Kathleen and her Madison based supporters won the 2006 Democratic primary for Attorney General because they first split up the progressives, rather than standing behind a proven winner with a strong progressive record. Unfortunately, the end result was the only statewide loss for Democrats in 2006. A year when Democrats also made legislative inroads.
Too many progressives did not step up after Falk challenged the DUI candidate, and that is why she lost the AG race. I trust everyone is aware of the stakes to this recall race around the state.
Is she the one who quit the last job we elected her too. The one who JB beat in her last losing statewide race? Good going WEAC! Don’t wait to see who else gets in the race.
Shocker…. This is just a move to discourage Barrett from getting in the race. This is also its last bid to hold on to those teachers still foolish enough to subscribe to a union which does more for itself than it does for them. At least I am free of them.
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Albert Einstein
Let’s run Kathleen Falk for statewide office again like in 2002 and 2006 – WEAC & Deke Rivers