presidential victories, even this year, even in states like wisconsin. and yes, the world is watching the top of the ticket. for clues about what will happen at top of the ticket in november between president obama and mitt romney. but the vote tomorrow in wisconsin is every bit as much about dale schultz, the last independent-minded republican standing. it s every bit as much about the fitzgerald brothers and whether they get to stay in charge, and it s every bit as much about the lieutenant governor with the poison global warming breath and these turkeys necking violently in the snow. on wisconsin, just one day to go, the most amazing story in american politics in a long, long time. joining us now is political science professor at the university of wisconsin. professor lee, it s nice to have you back on the show. thank you for being here. thank you, rachel. in terms of the ground game, everybody says in a very close election like this with
american politics and wisconsin politics is that good weather leads to sort of casual voters deciding to vote instead of staying home, so they probably break democratic. in terms of the democrats, i guess, logistical capacity, it s true around the country, it s particularly true in states like wisconsin, that so much of the democrats get out the vote effort essentially depends on being copacetic with what the unions are doing to get out the vote. labor has been this key ally, particularly on election day. not just in terms of spending but in terms of door knocking and making efforts and getting people to the polls. how have wisconsin unions taken enough of a hit because of implementation of the union laws in the state that we will see a material difference in what they are able to do in getting out the vote efforts? i think, indeed, if the law were to stay in effect, it s exactly the way you described it, they would get knocked out as political players.
get in and vote. it s a law in which your gun license counts as a voter i.d. but not your university i.d. card. it s just the way they re going there. what can i say? it s one thing to try to not be outnumbered. if you are, make sure the people who outnumber you can t say anything about it. gail collins, author of the new i should note, ohio native. yes. nobody says don t mess with ohio though. thank you, gail. it s the funniest political book of the year. really smart. thank you so much. thanks. we have a correction to make coming up on the show. it s a more exciting correction than the one i m giving you right now. for misspelling my own name in our brand new graphics package at the top of the show. the next one is even better. i promise. [ morgan ] lopez lomong started running when he was six
dete gone into effect in wisconsin and has decimated the unions in just one year, exactly as republicans hoped it would, exactly as they hope it will around the nation, exactly in presidential victories, even this year, even in states like wisconsin. and yes, the world is watching the top of the ticket. for clues between president obama and mitt romney, but the vote tomorrow in wisconsin is every bit as much about dale schultz, the last independent-minded republican standing. it s every bit as much about the fitzgerald brothers and whether they get to stay in charge, and it s every bit as much about the lieutenant governor with the poison global warming breath and these turkeys necking violently in the snow. on wisconsin, a day to go, the most amazing story in a long, long time. joining us now is political science professor at the university of wisconsin. professor lee, it s nice to have
war, he s acknowledging there is a need for a compromise. he s not saying the unions have to get absolutely everything back. in fact, what i think he would do is he would call a special session of the legislature to divide what was called act 10 and a half, that public employees like me have to give more but they give their collective bargaining rights back. so that would be a compromise that moderate republicans could vote for. so the question would be not only passing it in the state senate, but i liked how you talked about the state assembly. are there just enough moderate republicans in the state assembly who would be willing, in a sense, to accept the verdict of the people and vote for that kind of compromise? i think that would end the civil war. mordecai lee, professor of political science at the university of wisconsin, every time i talk to you, i always feel like you bring not just insight but a lot of clarity to the issues we ask you about, so thank you for being here. i ap