A few observations:

1) It should never have happened – Voters don’t like recalls, and I’m one of them.  I was against the Republicans recalling Gray Davis in California, and the Walker recall was a bad idea too. Recalls are an extreme step that should be reserved for serious wrongdoing, lawbreaking or other major misconduct.  In this case, Scott Walker is just a god-awful, divisive, ideologically-driven governor who ought to be thrown out of office — in 2014, when his term is up.  Or when he is indicted or impeached, which are distinct possibilities.

2) The Supreme Court’s democracy-destroying Citizens United decision is having exactly the predicted effect of, um, destroying democracy – The right-wing billionaire Koch brothers and others of their ilk poured money into Wisconsin. Walker and his allies spent $30.9 million. Barrett and his allies spent $4.4 million.  That, my friends, is a massive mismatch giving a very few wealthy individuals a level of influence that the founders simply did not intend.

Which brings me to:

3) Democratic donors needs to get serious and start opening their wallets in a much bigger way – Wisconsin is a preview of what Republicans intend to do nationwide and in the Presidential election this fall.  Massive amounts of unregulated cash yielding thousands of negative TV ads.  Effective organizing can blunt the impact of a spending disadvantage, but if the imbalance is as dramatic as it was in Wisconsin, we’ve got major problems.  Wealthy progressives who have been on the sidelines for whatever reason, it’s time realize that the other side’s rich people aren’t as persnickety as you are. I assure you, right wing billionaires don’t love Mitt Romney, but they are doing everything they can to elect him.  Take a lesson.  That said…

4) Wisconsin is not a harbinger for the Presidential election – Obama beat Romney handily in exit polls last night. Romney is still a deeply flawed candidate with significant problems in key battleground states. 

5) I still love cheese.