what's going on in Wisconsin?

[freepcrusher]

it just seems like a harbinger of future disturbing trends. Wisconsin, at least historically, embodied a civic culture with high turnout (and still does) and many other things with Governors like Bob LaFollette. Moreso, Wisconsin is sill a homogenous state yet is suffering from the kind of schisms that a state like CA, with its widely varied populations, have. The idea of a governor systematically polarizing people into two camps seems very third world to me. Yet the local GOP seems to resemble more and more like it is from South Carolina.

Now this obviously sounds like something coming from a partisan dem. I normally vote dem, but I will admit that the unions and the local dems have their problem - one of which being militancy. I like Ron Kind a lot, but Baldwin, Pocan and Moore seem to be just as ideologically feral as any RW.

[Deus Naturae]

Why exactly does the idea of a polarizing executive seem "third world" to you?

[ElectionsGuy]

Wisconsin has seen much partisanship and divide across the state as of recent years, but its not different from many other states. States like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Florida have the same problem as well.

[freepcrusher]

Why exactly does the idea of a polarizing executive seem "third world" to you?

well not third world but more in line with "atypical for a state known for being a tight-knit scandinavian-style state"

[Meeker]

Scott Walker was thirteen when Ronald Reagan became President. Walker spent the next eight years absorbing anything that came out of the Gipper's mouth. He took it all seriously - far more seriously than Reagan and his advisors ever did (they all knew that most of it was just bullsh*t that helped them win over white voters).

Now Walker's in a position of authority and his governing philosophy is based on the talking points he heard in his adolescence. The results are about what you'd expect.

[henster]

It's just a phase every state goes through. Wisconsin will probably elect someone with a completely different ideology than Walker four years from now.

[DINGO Joe]

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Lots of people are visiting the ice caves.  I wish I could be there.

[MalaspinaGold]

It's just a phase every state goes through. Wisconsin will probably elect someone with a completely different ideology than Walker four years from now.

They already have. See: Tammy Baldwin.

[Mr. Morden]

Why exactly does the idea of a polarizing executive seem "third world" to you?

well not third world but more in line with "atypical for a state known for being a tight-knit scandinavian-style state"

It's much more German than Scandinavian, for the record.

[beaver2.0]

[Mr. Illini]

Wisconsin has always been very divided ethnically and politically, but where it is starting to spread (and therefore become increasingly apparent) is in the culture. Germans in the east and Scandinavians in the west, Republicans in the east and Democrats in the west; these are not new divisions. They have always been able to unite under the banner of "Wisconsin," however, and what you are seeing now is somewhat of an increasing divide in culture between the two sides.

More than anything else, however, it would be a rural-urban divide, which Wisconsin is behind the curve on. They have been able to stay culturally unified much longer than many of their neighbors have. Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, etc, all became increasingly divided on rural/urban divides a long time ago. Walker is just pushing the pedal to the floor toward where my state has been for a couple of decades.