Committees were reorganized to put progressive Democrats in control. (State Senator Lena Taylor, an outspoken progressive from Milwaukee, is now the co-chair of the powerful Joint Finance Committee.) Democrats immediately called for a special session to address job creation issues.
Walker's resisting. He's not interested in governing if he has to work across lines of partisanship and ideology. Unfortunately for the governor, however, he can't govern if he does not compromise.
Walker no longer can govern at will. And it is no secret that the hyper-partisan governor despises this new reality.
That makes the fall elections in Wisconsin--like legislative competitions across the country--critical tests. Voters in Wisconsin will have a chance to maintain the separation of powers they established through the recall elections, just as voters in a score of other states will have a chance to check and balance Republican governors by shifting control of one of more legislative chambers to the Democrats.
What's notable is that, in Wisconsin, via the recall elections, change came early. And dramatically.
Walker won his gubernatorial election. But he did not maintain his power. The voters, by shifting control of the Senate to the Democrats, checked and balanced one of the most powerful and controversial governors in the nation.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).