Friend of Bob or Friend of Joe - Which one are You, WI?

Bob & Joe

The Battle Continues

As any Wisconsin school child can tell you, Robert M. La Follette was a pretty important - almost revolutionary - dude from Wisconsin.   Wisconsin pride (no small thing - think Favre) is well deserved with Bob; many Wisconsinites and formers, of which I am one, revere him as the Progressive Movement's Founding Father.   His vision shaped Wisconsin into, if not an actual shining beacon on the hill, something very close.   He changed the primary system and the legislative process.  Bob  stood up to the rail roads, (a BIG deal then) big corporations, and conglomerates which he referred to as "vast corporate combinations."  Bob was a visionary; Bob would have ripped ALEC a new one.

Bob's fingerprints are on some pretty nice things.  Examples of his handiwork include: Workers Comp, Minimum Wage, Union Rights, and Women's Voting Rights. (Yes, I know... there is great irony in referencing Voting Rights in Wisconsin right now...)  Bob served at the Local, State, and National level.  Wonky political historians, like myself, regard him as one of the Nation's most effective Senators.  No, really, a guy from Wisconsin.  No kidding.

If you're a student of Public Policy you already know about "The Wisconsin Idea."  Its ideals and actions were groundbreaking and continue to be a model for government by We the People - or should be.   Further, rather than taking "advice" form Corporate America and the Robber Barons, he enlisted the help of smart people at the University.  In short, Progressives in WI are pretty damn proud of Bob and wonder when the next Bob will show up. 

People of the ideological "House and Lineage of Bob" like Russ Feingold, have represented this once great state.  "Forward" isn't a dead Wisconsin Motto just yet.   During "Recall Season" a lot of people put on their Big Bob Underpants and actively worked for what they believe in.  Bob would have liked that.  Bob would have appreciated that his ideological offspring stood up and tried to change things the best way the Vox Populi can - with their protests and with their votes.

Wisconsin politics, unfortunately, (and we are really, really sorry about this one...)  also contributed to the dark side.  The 1950's version of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named hailed from Wisconsin - and like Lord Voldemort - thrived on fear and intimidation.  He, of course, was Joe McCarthy.   Yes, THAT Joe McCarthy, Mr. Communist-In-Every-Closet, Mr. Turn-In-Your-Neighbors, Mr. Pepsi Poster Child  (go look it up, it's a great little story) and of course, Mr. House Un-American Activity Committee.   Is it proof that there is balance; a yin to the yang in the universe when both Progressiveism and McCarthyism were "created" in one place? 

Joe's ideas and actions were in direct contrast to Bob's.  Joe would have been the State Chair for ALEC in a New York minute.   In fact, I'm pretty sure that had Joe and Bob's "timelines" coincided, Joe would have whispered and then directly, mercilessly, publicly questioned Bob about his "loyalty."  Are you now, or have you ever been a member of the Progressive Party?  Something like that.

The Children of Bob and Joe are alive and well in Wisconsin - we have been witnessing their rebirth since Governor Koch-Walker showed up.  Bob's kids may have lost the recent recall battle - but sure as hell in the coming months, they are not going to lose the war.  

History shows us what happened to Joe.  History repeats itself.