Political Suicide?

Governor Scott Walker, the cross-eyed Koch-sucker, will make inchoate sounds of celebration, like a seal with a rack of horns before it. The Right will claim victory. Good workers who were under the illusion that their public service earned them just as much protection from irresponsible and uncontrolled management as any private employees, will have their lives and families damaged and risked. But the Republicans have overplayed their hand in a way that seems startling even for them, and they shall inherit the proverbial wind. They have taken another step, neither to be retraced nor erased, towards their political suicide – an event that cannot come a minute to soon for the real America of fairness, the sanctity of a contract, rules, and equal opportunity.
~ from the FOK News Channel ~

More often than not, I agree with Keith Olbermann's analyses. However, in this particular case, I believe he is employing nothing more than wishful thinking!

For one thing, the attention span of the average American voter rarely lasts for more than a few days. In time, the national media focus will switch away from Wisconsin and the other states that have spearheaded the attack on public sector unions and collective bargaining. There will be new issues and imbroglios to capture the viewing audience attention. By the time we get around to Election Day 2012, a lot of people will be up in arms about some issue that is not even on the current radar.

For another thing, like it or not, the GOP has perfected the "spin" machine. They are masters at muddying the waters and turning issues upside down. They can now spend the next 16 months or so dishing out so much verbiage and imagery that, by the Fall of 2012, many voters will be convinced that the liberals are to blame for the situation. I wouldn't be surprised at all if many liberals themselves blamed both the unions and the Democratic Party.

Finally, if the Tea Party and Koch-backed politicians succeed in dealing several crushing blows to organized labor, the unions aren't going to have the ability to exercise the same amount of political muscle as before. With no effective counterbalance to the elites, liberal candidates could well be left in the dust. Many GOP candidates will end up winning by default.

I hope I'm wrong. I hope the American populace finally wakes up. But, if past history provides any clues, the chances of that happening are small.