WisGOP Bubble Worlds become clearer in the real one

As I pick up from the weekend, I want to pick up on a story that was completely unsurprising yet reflected good, enlightening journalism, the Capital Times’ Jessie Opien got to the bottom of who attends Gov Scott Walker’s invite-only “listening sessions.” Walker has held 50 of these taxpayer-funded events since December, which are closed to the public, with the media usually only allowed in after the meeting is done.

Walker made a memorable gaffe last month when he blamed the media for his lousy poll numbers, claming it didn't match what he heard at these listening sessions. What Opien found out is that the crowds are supportive because they include a lot of Walker appointees, Chamber of Commerce types, lobbyists and other people who lean to the right politically.

Why the disconnect? Critics of the governor's administration say it's because the listening sessions are composed of overwhelmingly friendly audiences and, in general, people more involved in politics than the average citizen.

About 15 percent of adults nationwide say they've donated to political candidates in recent years. Among the attendees for 21 listening sessions from December 10, 2015, through March 29, 2016, about 32 percent have donated to political candidates or causes.

Attendees who donated have made about 3,800 total donations totaling about $1.1 million, according to state campaign finance data. Those donations overwhelmingly — at more than 80 percent — favored conservative and Republican candidates and causes.

Such an “Unintimidated” guy, isn’t he? And you wonder why everyone outside of GOP Bubble World can’t stand him anymore?

Then again, it’s not like the typical Republican is known for having a clue about what the “Real America” looks like. Check out this selfie from another Wisconsin GOP showing off the party’s Capitol Hill interns, and try not to be blinded by the whiteness.



How can you trust anyone so disconnected from 21st Century reality with running anything, let alone give them the keys to this country's government? This a clueless crew that desperately will not try to man up and deal with what their destructive ideology and policies have wrought. And they all deserve the boot as a result.