Curmudgeon's Corner

Political Bits & Pieces

Posted by Al Campbell on Aug. 13, 2012

U.S., Wisconsin, Political

Given the week-end’s announcement by Mitt Romney that his selection for the VP slot was Paul Ryan, it might be easy to lose sight of the importance of tomorrow’s election.  It would be a shame to see the turn-out for that election somehow diminished in the process.

The Republican who will face Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D) in the race for the Senate seat being vacated by Herb Kohl will be decided in the primary election being held on Tuesday.  The four, simply as a reminder, are: Tommy Thompson, Mark Neumann, Eric Hovde and Jeff Fitzgerald to list them in reverse alphabetical order.

There are, of course, other races depending upon where one lives and votes.  Another that has gained attention in the area is the race by Nick Oliver to unseat Rep. Don Pridemore (R).  Oliver is running for the first time in any race against a person who is felt by many conservatives to be the single most reliable conservative voice in the state Assembly.

Remember to vote on Tuesday.

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The effort to define Rep. Paul Ryan (R) by the Democratic Party has gone from zero to one hundred miles per hour in short order.  The opposition had several names in mind and certainly ample time to get the talking points gathered for the day the announcement was made.  The selection of Ryan by no means should be seen as making the Wisconsin outcome a slam dunk in November, because that is not the case.  When the confetti is swept up and the horns are stored away, there is a long, hard slog ahead before the November elections.

The Obama Campaign apparatus is a well-oiled machine and it has brought its full weight to bear on Ryan.  Those of us who like Ryan as a person will be saddened by what he will be going through, but we also understand that this isn’t his first election and that he is very strong and very well-centered.  Much will depend on just how well he can explain his ideas, most of which will be made a part of Romney’s campaign going forward.

It remains to be seen how Romney’s selection of Ryan will cause changes in the campaign’s direction and its more highly emphasized themes.  That needs definition and quickly if the hammering already meted out by the Democrats is to be offset sufficiently.

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It is easy for one to think of each presidential election as the most important election ever, but the November 2012 election is one which will likely define the direction of our country for years to come.  If President Obama is re-elected, he will have the opportunity to put into place all the rest of his goals and the result will be nearly impossible to change after those four years.

Those who support President Obama are amazed that those of us who don’t support him can be that dumb.  We who don’t support him are equally as unable to understand what the other side doesn’t see that is so evident to us.  It is almost as if they are from Venus and we are from Mars, to borrow a book title.

That shows the deep void between us that isn’t likely to be changed significantly during the coming season of debates and crazy advertisements that will be driving us out of our minds.  Turn-out is going to be critical as is the final decision taken by those who claim to still be undecided.  We all recognize I think that those who are truly undecided, and who vote, are very influential in the outcome of big races.  Turn-out of the strong believers on each side will go a long way toward making the final decision, but the undecided, the ‘swing voters’, will play very important roles; likely the most important roles in the final analysis.

There is much yet to be written, and nothing was finally decided with the selection of Romney’s VP candidate.  It has only just begun, thankfully, since the Republicans have a lot of work to get done if they are to emerge victorious in November.