Just as some words seem to lose their meaning if you say them too often (deadline … deadline … deadline … ), so too do some facets of the political process. As a recovering recall fiend, I have made my share of transgressions of reason, but this whole recall schtick is getting old.

I’ll admit I was caught up in the first round of recalls in response to Gov. Scott Walker’s collective bargaining legislation. But much like sleeping on the marble floors of the state capitol, what started as a meaningful gesture quickly became a political stunt.

Regardless of the merits of the latest proposed recalls against Sen. Bob Jauch, D-Poplar, and Sen. Dale Schultz, R-Richland Center, Wisconsin needs to take a step back and reappraise exactly how politics in the state ought to function.

The recall process should be reserved for egregious violations of proper conduct, not some petty disagreement. No, Walker is not violating human rights with the legislation he approves. No, Democratic senators should not be booted from office for seeking to allow thorough discourse on the passage of a far-reaching bill. Recalls are now considered a relatively mundane political tool rather than the last recourse for legitimate grievances against a legislator. Somewhere along the line we lost our way, but resolution has certainly been sought.

Both sides of the aisle have cried foul over an alleged dearth of civility, and yet meaningful measures aimed at resolving this issue have been disappointingly unilateral. In a decision earlier this month, the Assembly voted in favor of an amendment to the state’s constitution requiring a crime or an ethics violation before a recall could be triggered. The decision, though technically bipartisan (read: one Democrat), must go before the next session and a public referendum before going into effect.

To be fair, the argument that Republicans are just trying to save their own asses certainly has some credence. Yet the fact of the matter is Democrats, in their obstinance, are encouraging a system in which public officials are in constant fear of facing recalls and citizens are forced to foot the bill with the passage of every piece of unpopular legislation.

Republicans surely had their fun with complete control of the Legislature, but with that majority seeming less and less secure, thanks in large part to recalls, they will be forced to temper their stances. Democrats would be wise to follow suit in pursuing more modest goals should they take the Senate and the governor’s office, though if their track record of cheerleading every progressive/liberal/union cause is any indication, this hope is in vain.

Waging a war of electoral attrition is no way to govern a state and only serves to widen the gap between political affiliations. Groups such as Citizens for Responsible Government, the organization pursuing the Jauch and Schultz recalls, are only justifying the continued reliance on recalls by Democrats and their supporters.

The constant antagonizing has to end, and the first step is to once again take the concept of recalls seriously. Prior to the first round of recalls last year, there had been only 20 state legislative recalls since 1908, according to The Journal Sentinel. Why is that? Because it is a serious measure, one that has recently been taken far too lightly in the state of Wisconsin.

Jake Begun ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in history and journalism.