[img_assist|nid=65518|title=|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=144|height=141]You'd think by now that the Republican Party's vast computer databases -- aligned with similar databases maintained by many third-party conservative groups -- would have figured out that my household votes Democratic, right on down the line to our cat (whom, others no doubt suspect, has appeared at our polling place while fraudulently impersonating a dead cat). But no, the GOP is clueless.
We happen to live in a Milwaukee suburb that -- while racially integrating itself somewhat, and moderating politically in recent years -- remains steadfastly in the Republican camp, re-electing State Sen. Alberta Darling and other not-so-wunderkinder from the right.
Based on our ZIP code alone, Republican campaign strategists appear to imagine we can be persuaded. And so a few days ago as dinner started I took a live call from a fast-talking, deep-throated fellow who breathlessly announced he was from the Conservative Strike Force PAC and he was calling to get our cash support for Scott Walker in the governor's battle against .... us. No thanks, buddy, I said, hanging up.
Later I did look up the super PAC and discovered it's a relatively small arm of the very large American Conservative Union, based in Virginia. The ACU happens to be run by David Keene, a Beltway lobbyist who's also president of the National Rifle Association. Fun fact: As a law student at the University of Wisconsin -- Madison in the late '60s, Keene founded the national Young Americans For Freedom organization for conservative students, and, evidently, rode that achievement all the way to the top.
In short, the Conservative Strike Force may be run by out-of-state, big conservative politician bosses, but it arguably does have a tiny Wisconsin connection. So don't be too hard on Walker and his frequent campaign funding visits to places all across the USA. On second thought, go ahead and be hard on him.
Today our household took another politicall. A member of our household hung up before getting the full skinny on this one, so I can't report if it was a robocall or a live person. Either way, here's how the speaker began, before the hangup:
"THIS IS GOVERNOR WALKER'S OFFICE...."
Now, regardless of the unheard pitch that followed, I am pretty sure Scotty wasn't calling us up to invite us to a champagne brunch at the governor's mansion in Maple Bluff, or to a citizen's forum, or to accept an appointment in his administration. No, the only reason Scotty's minions would call us would be that we live in a reddish ZIP code in Wisconsin and they're trolling for both recall votes and campaign money.
And if that high probability turns out to be true, and if my family member heard the caller correctly, then the beginning of that message is rather disturbing. No matter where the call really came from, it was being portrayed as coming from the governor's office. Which is an official public office. Which is supposed to be eschew politics under state ethics laws.
Oh, I suppose one could assume it's the governor's private office in his Wauwatosa home. Or it's his campaign office. Then again, based on what we already know of Walker's great willingness to blur the distinction between administering state government and running a political operation, would either explanation make any difference? Don't think so.
If you get a similar call, let Uppity Wisconsin know how the rest of the pitch goes. My family is unlikely to get that call again here, given our abrupt hang-up. Or maybe we will, anyway. Maybe the Walker forces know they're in deep doo-doo and, with an unlimited campaign account, are employing a brute-force, what-the-heck-give-it-a-shot tactics. Hey, Scotty: Have your people call my people as often as you like. It's wasteful, but we already knew that about you.