Democrats’ inaction in Wisconsin

THE BIRTHPLACE of the public-sector unions since 1959, Wisconsin faced the biggest challenge to workers' rights in the nation. A blue state that voted for Obama to a double-digit win in 2008 was under attack by an anti-union governor and legislature. The outcome couldn't be any more critical for the labor movement than the recall election of 2012.

Luckily, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) saw the potential disaster for labor and mobilized all of its resources and money to win this recall election for labor, one of their main supporters. President Obama suspended his own campaign fundraisers and instead concentrated on fundraisers for this Wisconsin battle.

Millions of dollars were raised by the Democrats, and they outspent the Republicans by an 8-to-1 margin. President Obama sent his entire ground operation to Wisconsin, and they knocked on every door and made sure every Democrat made it to the polls as they did in 2008.

It was a great sight as Air Force One landed in Madison with the president and first lady as they threw their support behind the candidates fighting for labor's cause. President Obama's speeches in Madison, Milwaukee, Green Bay and La Crosse were the tipping point of public opinion, and by June 5, the election was secured for all the working people of the great state of Wisconsin.

Nice dream, but alas, this never happened. The inaction by the DNC and President Obama has set the labor movement back 50 years all across the country. This disaster could have been easily avoided.
Mark Serafinn, Saunemin, Ill.