Democratic Walkout Continues; Is Permanent Backlash Setting In?

Early on during the Indiana House Democrats' walkout, I pointed out that it would energize the Democratic base.  As far as the general public goes, the walkout was irritating, but it would have been quickly forgotten. 

Indiana House Chambers



Then the Democrats overreached.  Instead of confining the walkout to the right to work issue, they chose to expand the reason for the walkout to an assortment of issues, including education reform issues that Republicans had successfully campaigned on.  Then they decided to stay out even after Republicans took the right-to-work bill off the table.

The Democrats would have been smart to return to the Statehouse the minute Republicans took the right to work bill off the table. The public would have quickly forgotten the brief walkout while the base of the party would have been energized going into the 2011 and 2012 elections.

As the walkout continues into a second week, the politics of the maneuver is beginning to change.  The quickly forgotten, albeit unpopular political stunt is being set into the public's consciousness as being part and parcel of the Democrats' way of doing business.   

The Democrats have time to get back to the Statehouse before permanent political damage sets in.  But the time is running short.