I don't have a direct connection to Wisconsin, but was talking about the election with a industry colleague at lunch today. He grew up in Wisconsin. He is a republican - and said he supported Walker - but said his family was deep blue collar - and they were hugely involved in the recall.
Then our conversation turned to what was really the problem in America - and he said that what burned him up was the banks - he thought the people who caused the financial crisis should be in jail. He said derivatives should be outlawed for companies with FDIC insured deposits. He said the financial industry was killing America. And we were in total agreement.
He saw no difference in the two parties vis a vis Wall St. -- and so he felt comfortable as a Republican. Unfortunately - I had to agree that in terms of Wall St. - the differences were cosmetic; the underlying dependence on the power of the banks remained the same for democrats and republicans.
In this bitter night, my take is we are not articulating a radical enough message. We have lost our country to financial overlords, and the first leader who can articulate that in an honest way will gain support.
Break up the banks. Put financial executives in jail. Force losses on the mortgage investors; and revamp the bankruptcy laws to give average citizens the same rights to renounce their debts and work out of trouble as our corporations. This is the message that will win.