Right wing says Iraq vote meaningless; Then why not ask voters statewide?

What did Tuesday's referendum votes on Iraq mean?

What was the significance of 24 Wisconsin communities, small and large, voting in favor or bring US troops home?

According to the right-wing, it meant nothing at all. Owen Robinson:

So, I guess my reaction is.... whatever. It really doesn't matter all that much. It is not a reflection of public opinion in Wisconsin, much less the country.

Charlie Sykes, who calls them "cut and run referendums, says: "Despite the hype, the referendums on the war were a lot of sound and fury signifying nothing."

If you read Jessica McBride or John McAdams, you could end up concluding that Wisconsin voters were voting for the war. McBride crunches and twists the numbers until she persuades herself of that, proving once again the old adage that figures don't lie but liars figure. Her analysis throws out or discountss the Democratic votes in places like Madison and LaCrosse. If you use her system, George W. Bush won Wisconsin in 2004, too.

The fact is that in 24 of 32 places it was on the ballot, people voted to bring the troops home. Of 65,682 votes that were cast, 61 per cent were for withdrawal.

True, it was not a statewide vote. It didn't even include Milwaukee, the state's biggest city, which will vote on it in November.

Which raises the question: If the Republicans are so certain that the people of Wisconsin want to keep sending our young men and women to Iraq, why don't we ask them?

Why not put it on the statewide ballot when turnout will be high, and ask everyone in Wisconsin what they think about the war in Iraq? While they're at it, they can vote for members of Congress who agree with them.

It's a simple thing to do. The legislature can simply vote to put an advisory referendum on the ballot -- like the Republican-dominated legislature just did with the death penalty.

So, how about it, Jessica, Owen, Charlie et al.

If you're so confident, who not use your muscle and get your GOP friends in Madison to call for a statewide referendum?

Afraid to find out where Wisconsin stands on the war? I think you already know.

Or is it irrelevant, on the theory that Wisconsin doesn't make federal policy? The idea that public opinion doesn't matter is an amazing political theory, but one that the neocons keep using when discussing the referendum.

"Let the people decide," right?

It's time to put up or shut up.

UPDATE: Organizers see referendums spreading.

UPDATE 2: If I had seen Jay Bullock's analysis before I wrote this, I could have saved myself some work. He demonstrates how the right wing Cheddarsphere followed the matrix.

UPDATE 3: McBride has discovered that students and nuns were allowed to vote in LaCrosse. That's taking this democracy stuff way too far. What next?

UPDATE 4: The Spice Boys say their former JS colleague seems to have missed the story.

UPDATE 5: Paul Soglin does an excellent and amusing analysis of McBride's spin.