How Important is the Wisconsin election on Tuesday? Some are saying it's a prediction for the 2012 White House.

The citizens of Wis elected Walker to reduce the deficit and get spending under control. One of the initiatives was to ask government workers to share in the cost of their benefits on a basis similar to what non government workers pay. In addition, they made the union elections private ballots. And at the same time changed the dues payments from being mandatory to being voluntary. If you want to be in the Union, you had a choice. As a result of Walker's leadership, the budget was reduced and spending was curtailed. The state is on solid fiscal grounds. The recall was instituted by those who felt these initiatives were unfair. So Tuesday, the people of Wis have a chance to either agree with Walker's direction and leadership or go back to business as usual. The opposition fear this will lead to other states following the same course of action. So significant resources were thrown into the election to stop the overall momentum from cascading to other states. I expect the results will be a good barometer of the 2012 election. But it is a long time between now and November.

I don't think it has anything to do with the 2012 election, no matter what "some say". I see it as a good test of how far the GOP will go in stripping the rights of the American people in order to line the pockets of their fat cat supporters. And, as usual, the average job is stepped on and forgotten. That has become the party line of the repubs for years. "I've got mine, who cares about you".

as in: if they throw the union buster out; that indicates that the teapublican fervor is dead?

I'm not sure how a local election can reflect the mood of the entire nation. I will say that it's a reflection of how much influence the Koch's have. Definitely enough to buy Walker and Wisconsin. But the country? We'll see. It is going to be somewhat funny to see Walker survive the recall, then end up under criminal indictment.

I don't think it's a true measure of anything nationally coming up. This is a basic division between those who favor collective bargaining rights for public employees and those who think that they do not deserve the rights of the private sector. It kind of falls along idealogical lines but there is more crossover voting, imo.

When a person like Lono gives an answer, what more is there to say. On askville you will have all the crying about how people cheated and how the Governer is the most corrupt person since the beginning of time. Meanwhile look at the improvements in his State since he was elected. I guess some askville members are trying to say that the whole population of WI are idiots unless they vote their way. I find it funny at all the attention, busing in people from out of state and union pouring in so much money to a state that they don't even live in.

Depends on who's books you believe. I hear a lot about BIG bisiness - Not much about BIG union heads. That sounds like a lame pre-result excuse. (Or a -just in case we need it- standby line.

The democrat was outspent 7 to 1. It's over when that happens.

But it will have no bearing on the WH bid, but might affect the control of the house.