Wisconsinites are headed to the polls to cast their votes in the Wisconsin recall elections. The recall campaigns — against six Republicans today and against two Democratic state senators next week — have gained national attention. They stem from the fierce standoff between the Legislature earlier in the year. The unprecedented circumstances in Wisconsin ensure low voter turnout and noncompetitive results won’t be a problem.
Numerous politicians are calling for Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner’s resignation following the downgrade of the U.S. credit rating from AAA to AA+. Congresswoman and presidential candidate Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) recently spoke out against the President’s refusal to remove Secretary Geithner, “The president is not listening to the people of this country, nor is he providing the leadership that is necessary to bring about economic recovery.” Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC), Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus have also called for the Secretary’s resignation. Secretary Geithner is expected to stay through the President’s term due to intense White House pressure.
Changes are coming to “No Child Left Behind.” The Obama administration announced Monday that they would bypass Congress and issue an executive order to grant waivers to states to avoid penalties for not meeting for not meeting performance measures. The Obama administration has been pushing for the revision and reauthorization of NCLB, but Congress did not do so before summer recess. Significant changes need to be made to the education law, such as giving states the flexibility to opt out of many of the programs within NCLB in order to use their money more effectively.