I couldn't even watch the returns and haven't been able to get to sleep.

In a few hours I'll get ready and go to work.

I am not a member of a union but I work 40 hours a week, get sick days, vacation days and overtime.

I work in a safe environment.

If I get injured on the job I could get Workman's Comp.

I earn quite a bit more than minimum wage, but am glad to know there is such a thing.

I have those things because people years ago battled the corporations and worked hard for the legislation to get them.

I thank God for those people.

The unions raised the bar and set the standards FOR EVERYONE.

Fred - you said " It was a noble experiment in democracy..." If you meant just the recall election in Wisconsin, you are correct. I worry that the "noble experiment in democracy" that is the United States of America is also failing.

I am angry and very very sad.

HOWEVER, that will NOT stop me from speaking out about what I believe and trying to correct the lies and distortions that seem to have engulfed our public discourse.

Obama 2012 !!!!!!!!!!!!

Let me try to see your side of this issue... You forced a recall election (with false voters names) so that you could get someone you don't agree with (an elected official) out of office quicker than his elected term. With outside labor union support, internal state union support and not enough moron support to get the job done and you're still trying to tag this on "the other party/person/belief"...??? You live in AMERICA! Love it, Support its Laws and System or get enough support to change it, but don't whine when it doesn't go your way! Put on your big girl panties and get back in the game. Or blaming everyone else for your miserable life YOU make the choice!

"Common Sense" - Am not sure who you are addressing when you said "Let me try to see your side of this issue...", Fred or myself. But in either case, I suggest your try it again, because you failed the first time.

Did you notice how he tried to slip in the 'voter fraud' meme in under the radar? Apparently, 'common sense' on the right is code for 'willful stupidity'. And then there's idiocy of implying that there was something unlawful in the recall, which is allowed by Wisconsin law. The misogynistic creep ("big girl panties"? really?) is trying to have it that recall supporters are a bunch of crybabies, while all the time he is bellyaching that it all even happened. Apparently, in this baby-man's world, elections are all about crowning Republicans and we are all just supposed to shut up in between coronations. He tells us that we live in America, but he is too stupidly right-wing to understand what America is meant to be all about.

You saved it for your masters, how does it feel to be a Koch sucker?

Oooh! Transparent gaslighting. Obviously, you need professional help to help you overcome your tragic fear of women.

John in J needs to get a brain, he sounds misogynist.

So... That's it then? We just throw in the towel and give up?

I refuse to believe nothing can be done. I love my country too much!

I have been trying to talk to a friend that is registered Dem., but calls herself Independent and a proponent of balance. Meaning she sees value in Republican representation, as her folks and partner are Republican. The partner is a county juvenile hall guard (union), who is worried about losing her pension, but a Republican. The folks watch Faux and my friend says they have lost friends over political differences. She has shown resistance to some of my conversation regarding Republicans and hard to converse as interruptions are frequent. She said I wish there was someone else to vote for besides Obama and even after agreeing with my statement that government is not for making profit. She says maybe someone new can help get people jobs. I said they Republicans were obstructing and doing abortion bills and not going to cooperate with Obama. She lost her job last year and wants a permanent job, but working temp now. Her point was that maybe having a new president would cause the Congress to cooperate. She seems to think the Republicans policies might work, even when I said they were all about businesses doing whatever they want, and tried to talk about Tom Delay praising Saipan (after sending Union Apparel manufacturing there) as a petri dish of capitalism.

I do not know how else to talk to people that are talking like this. They are not really listening, but reacting. It seems the Republican obstruction will be blamed on Obama and this is probably the view of many. She says she doesn't blame everything on him, but she expressed major doubts and disappointment. This is really a giant warning flag, as there are probably many people that think just voting in a new president will solve years of deregulation, outsourcing and foreclosures.

I also have a friend that moved from NY to CO and having trouble getting DL at DMV changed, so she is registered in NY, not CO. I hope she gets it fixed before Nov., but she didn't vote in the primary. I reminded her how important this is, too.

I also think some of these voters in WI were convinced the recall itself was what they opposed, not necessarily Scott Walker. A recall is allowed when procedures followed and enough people see a big problem. The divide and conquer statement is just so very wrong.

But yes, the money is buying government in America and we should fight that, not working people or unions. People are having minds molded and shaped and it is not helping working Americans to fear and loathe fellow working Americans. Divide and conquer is what it boils down to, while they project about divisive Democrats.

I wonder how long it will take for businesses to realize maybe their bottom line is better served with wage earning middle incomes buying stuff. In other words, stop the wage, benefit and job cutting. I guess WI thinks that is what they need cut benefits, wages and fewer teachers, etc. Sad. Waiting for the backlash that is after the fact (way too late), economy flounders because they want their tax cuts and cut jobs, wages and benefits.

I am trying to feel optimistic, but the righties just want to be aggressive, gloat and taunt as if this were a football game.

I think the working folks need to get aggressive and fight back even more, because we need to say what regulating commerce will do to help working Americans and how the debt will be paid down faster if more people have jobs and higher wages. Deregulation is causing businesses to merge and outsource, where is that helpful? The top 1-2%. This Ryan plan thing is what will affect many lives to cut more jobs and cost elderly people more money so the top 1-2% won't have to pay more tax. The Republicans are looking out for them, not the working folks.