Bloomberg View: The Wisconsin Recall's Waste of Time

The recall is finally over. Who won? Political consultants, TV and radio stations flush with unexpected ad revenue, out-of-state conservative political advocates, and perhaps, future state budgets. As for losers, there’s Wisconsin taxpayers (out at least $16 million in election costs), public employee unions, out-of-state liberal political advocates, and you know, the spirit of democracy.

The actual candidates—Republican Governor Scott Walker and Democratic Mayor Tom Barrett of Milwaukee—will go back to the jobs they’ve had since Walker defeated Barrett the first time around, in November 2010. The difference is that they return exhausted and distracted, tarred by scandal, facing a shortened timeline in which to accomplish anything of substance before the next election cycle.