I consider my very good friend, George Petak, a hero. Without him, the Milwaukee Brewers would have packed and left for Charlotte a long, long time ago.
At the time a WTMJ Radio news anchor/reporter/talk show host, I was there the day, night, and early morning that the state Senate considered state funding for what would turn out to be Miller Park. You know the story. The first two votes rejected taxpayer money for a new ballpark. On the third vote, Petak literally sacrificed his political career by changing his vote from no to aye. The Brewers had been saved, and Petak was headed for a recall.
Democrats went after Petak because of a single vote. That’s why I generally oppose recalls. To go after a conscientious, hard-working, principled individual like Petak because of a solitary vote is wrong. Petak, as you know, would lose to Kim Plache who promised over and over that she wouldn’t rest until she got Racine County removed from the stadium sales tax. The fact is Plache never lifted a finger to do so once she got into the Senate. She now wants to be the mayor of Racine, but that’s another story.
Another friend, Orville Seymer of Citizens for a Responsible Government (CRG) brought the house down at a conservative conference this past weekend when he announced CRG was planning a recall effort against Governor Doyle. This would be a monumental and quite possibly insurmountable task. Conservatives disagree on the move.
Some argue it is a waste of time and energy. The timing, they claim, is ill-advised since Doyle is up in November of 2010. Put your eggs in the basket known as “the election.”
I am not in that camp.
I get tired of conservatives sitting back, coasting, becoming victims of inertia. Would a recall of the governor be incredibly difficult, if not impossible? Of course. So that should stop us?
A recall would energize conservatives, Republicans, and moderates unhappy with Doyle, giving them a head start on the November 2010 race. The effort would galvanize forces, recruit volunteers, and uncover new donor sources, not to mention create a buzz and momentum that could catapult a conservative to victory in November if a recall is unsuccessful.
I thought you oppose recalls, Kevin? Generally yes, and always when they’re unleashed because of one vote. Jim Doyle’s tenure has been a checkered history, a dismal pattern of one damaging move after another that has had a detrimental impact on taxpayers, businesses, and our state fiscal climate.
Conservatives can politely, respectfully disagree on a recall, but they are in unison that Doyle has to go, whether it is now or next year. I prefer sooner than later.
