The Stakes in Wisconsin

It's recall day in Wisconsin, and the stakes are high.

In terms of policy and the nation's future, we will learn whether a governor can survive after depriving government workers of some of the taxpayer subsidies they've long enjoyed. The implications for the fiscal health of America are obvious; can we curb excessive spending and reform government commitments responsibly through the legislative process before we head over the fiscal cliff, or is painful, dire reform going to be foisted on all of us at the eleventh hour when fiscal armaggedon is close at hand?

Politically, it is a test of union strength. How afraid need elected officials be of crossing union bosses in the interests of the public good?

Nate Silver predicts a Walker victory. At Buzzfeed, John Elllis analyzes the race and its predictive value for November: A Walker victory of six points or more, he theorizes, makes Romney the favorite. Less than that? The very, very close race everyone has long been predicting.