Right now, Governor Scott Walker is using the influx of money from the 1% to steamroll the recall effort in Wisconsin. He's up on TV with his lies, and
the Republican GOTV effort is more organized, with more enthusiasm on the GOP side to get out and vote at the polls than on the Democratic side. They are taking this recall effort very seriously, and if they win, they will crow from the skies to the ground about how it validates their control of the state government, and why their Republican policies are better than that of the Democrats.
Meanwhile, Republican volunteers contacted 200,000 voters over the weekend on top of 2 million calls they had made since January, said Wisconsin Republican Party spokesman Ben Sparks.
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Turnout should be high. A poll released last week by Marquette University Law School poll found that 91 percent of Republicans said they were "absolutely certain" to vote, compared with 83 percent of Democrats and independents.
And many of the unions who expended nearly $11 million on the state recalls last year have not created any ads for the Democratic candidate, Tom Barrett. Why aren't they helping Barrett out? They think he'll lose.
Also note there is not much focus on GOTV operations on the Democratic side. That concerns me more than the lack of coherent TV ads arguing strongly for Barrett against Scott Walker. What is greatly needed is an increase in the GOTV operations, with more voter contacts being made, and with canvassing of neighborhoods in critical precincts. What voters want to know at this point is what Barrett will do for them, and what an extra four years of Scott Walker will bring.
We can be angry at the DNC for not spending $500,000 in this race all we want, but it does not change the fact that volunteers are needed on the ground. If the title of this diary makes you angry, good. Get off the computer if you're in Wisconsin or live next door, and go to a Tom Barrett office. Online efforts won't help at this time if you live in Wisconsin because you know what's really needed? Your boots on the ground.
Bring anyone you know with you to these early vote rallies. Tell your friends and family to vote early. Volunteer to drive them to the polls. Hold meetings on your porch and invite the neighbors over. Talk to them about Tom Barrett. Talk about the damage that Scott Walker has done to the state. Tell them it's not about unions, but about the standard of living in Wisconsin that Walker has attacked. Talk to them about how he's attacked education, doctors, nurses, and shortchanged the elderly by taking essential programs and services from them.
Get off that computer and get your ass down to a Tom Barrett office. Pick up the phone and make calls. Grab canvassing sheets and go out and canvass critical neighborhoods. Volunteer to drive voters to the polls. Do anything you can to help out at the office. Bring your friends and family with you to the office.
Now if you're in Wisconsin, or live nearby, and you're reading this diary right this instant, get off the computer. Don't make me come over there to kick your butt into gear! If the title alarms you, then it should. Please share this diary to anyone you know that lives in Wisconsin and is a voter. Remind them about why their vote is needed, and why we need to up the Democratic GOTV in Wisconsin.
If we can manage to turn up the Democratic enthusiasm in the base, and get more voters out to the polls than the GOP, then it is very highly possible that we can win Wisconsin. Let's make that happen.
Please keep your comments respectful in this diary. Don't be a dick, as markos says.
11:47 AM PT: This diary has been shared 61 times so far on social media channels. Keep it up! Let as many people in WI know that this is the time to keep up the effort, to redouble it, and kick Scott Walker's ass to the curb.
12:39 PM PT: This diary is now up to 84 shares on social media channels! Let's keep making this go viral to get as many boots on the ground as we can.
1:53 PM PT: Wow! At 107 shares, this call to action is indeed going viral. Thank you! Let's keep it up for Wisconsin!