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Manhattan Institute Fellow Steve Malanga on the impact of the Wisconsin recall election on unions.
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I'll impact the rest of the country let's -- malign a fellow at that -- Manhattan institute.
Steve I've been looking at this for a long time so this spending tens of millions of dollars it looks like -- national rates.
What are the national implications.
Without you know look at there are a number of swing states that this could influence but let's not kid ourselves.
If what no matter what happens in Wisconsin it's not gonna change what happens.
In California it's not -- -- -- happen in Illinois those are states where the politics are dramatically different.
It's not say what happens in Mississippi where they don't have collective bargaining rights for workers and they're not gonna get -- about -- what happens there.
But in the swing states in other -- the states that are kind of purple like Wisconsin I think that this this election might matter.
This election could matter and certainly -- what's so fascinating about this we sought.
Membership in unions fall off the map.
Asked me is down like 20000.
-- sick a look at some of those numbers membership and asked me down 54%.
Eighteen membership down 65%.
What does that tell you well it in.
Every place where government has said we are no longer going to collect.
Yeah I would -- -- union dues for you for government unions and you're gonna have to -- yourself every place that's happened union membership has declined.
So that's not actually very surprising and that's one of the reasons that would that unions fight so strenuously against.
That kind of law they poured -- into this obviously both sides have Mosul walkers money.
Are coming for is coming from outside the state would -- make of all the spending.
Will.
You know the thing is that it's so interest -- I think this is one of the things we reduce spending super amounts of money to try to move just a few people there really amazing thing is if you look at the polls right now.
They're not all that different from the way that walker and Barrett ran against each other in November of 2010.
Almost nothing has changed in the year they have.
And it and you know if the if -- election actually turns out the -- the polls are suggesting right now it'll just be a repeat of that race despite all the money essence every kid that race but at the same time this is going to be a big cold hard slap in the face for unions right.
Well absolutely because of what's already -- -- -- you understand these data drove the recall but they.
Then in the democratic primary -- candidate Kathleen Falk could not.
Not win the guy did they hit that that the guy that voters actually chose Tom Barrett has used Walker's reforms in Milwaukee where -- the matter what you.
To save money out of.
Isn't even -- guy at our right to that makes a lot more complicated to -- I if you wanna talk about Illinois you brought up Illinois they're having -- haven't had at a time with their pets are their right hand and you know we've reported on this a lot of problems in Illinois -- what do you make of -- Where -- they now and can they fix this problem.
A tremendous study in contrast walker took the political heat from the unions and he's been fighting for his life for a year.
The legislators in Illinois went home without doing pension reforms -- despite all his efforts by the mayor may let -- Rahm Emanuel and others and you -- on the and they sent out loud we didn't want to do this before the election because we don't want unions coming.
After us in November so it's really a -- -- as he -- you got one guy thing.
I'm gonna take the political heat now -- creditors like you got the people in Illinois they're running for copper right now they don't wanna do an Asian bank before November.
Well rating agencies are now saying that they're gonna downgrade -- and I want to.
-- have been some studies pretty soon that's it at the end of the day.
Particularly in Wisconsin.
If or if we in this country are -- -- be serious at all about reining in entitlement spending trying to get our spending under control for special interest groups.
Doesn't walker have to stay in office doesn't -- to win this election.
Isn't this it at a test of those ideas.
Well it is a test of those ideas but let's not kid ourselves I think there are state other states where they've already done this that it's not gonna change whether he loses -- I do think this is crucial for Wisconsin's future I do think at a place like Illinois or California could use it a big jolt of this.
But -- there are also places where there are reforms in place and -- and I don't think is gonna change what happens.
Well and he's on his way out he really is the model all the Republican governors Jindal a walker Christie will all tell you that he's basically -- inspiration.
Although he's now done this is is really his last year are what's your expectation gotta you gotta give -- your -- for tomorrow Ali I'm betting that -- gonna win by a few percentage points and will be such a squeaker that people will be contentious about it in the days and weeks account.
No first of all -- I mean I think it's going to be a few percentage points I think and I don't think you can -- -- people -- content is about it because of the very fact.
That after all this money it did you know that that they haven't really upset or changed many people's minds in Wisconsin.
Tens of millions of dollars and nobody is minds changed -- amazing and a steep online at thanks for coming on appreciate your time.
