You may have heard about Politico’s gaffe of the year (at least so far), when a reporter claimed that the Wisconsin state flag, which has the year of the state’s founding, 1848, on it, was actually the flag of the “Wisconsin local 1848″ union. This has now become a rallying cry within the labor movement, particularly as they head into recall elections in Wisconsin that could depose Scott Walker and give the state Senate back to Democrats.

Republicans aren’t much at governing, but boy howdy do they like to be hated, and to eat worms.

Al Franken has a video out informing borrowers that they may be contacted if they’re eligible for a cash payment from a wrongful foreclosure or the opportunity to refinance or get a principal reduction on their loans. It’s more of a public service announcement than anything. Meanwhile, Tammy Baldwin joined others in criticizing Wisc. Gov. Scott Walker for proposing to divert settlement funds to the state treasury.

You really have to give some credit to Wisconsin governor Scott Walker. From a distance, you might expect him to be feeling a bit stressed out and sorry for himself. Not only did citizens gather 1 million signatures on petitions to force a recall election this summer, but a legal investigation into political corruption at his pre-gubernatorial stint in Milwaukee County keeps broadening, having already ensnared several former Walker aides.

Arizona Republicans are proposing a bill to strip public unions of collective bargaining rights and impose limits even more egregious than those adopted in Wisconsin. Even though it’s been strongly opposed elsewhere, it’s a strategy to defang unions and undermine political funding for the Democratic Party.

Despite the vulnerabilities of Scott Walker in the upcoming recall election, he also has plenty of advantages. It’s very difficult to recall a governor, it’s only been done twice in American history. Because of the rules governing the recall, Walker can continue to raise unlimited campaign funds until the date is set for the recall. And because the Dems haven’t settled on an opponent, Walker has an early lead over potential Dem rivals.

The John Doe investigation has hung over Scott Walker and his associates for months now. Instead of just worrying whether he will get recalled, Walker has to worry about which of his aides, whether from the Governor’s office or his time as Milwaukee county executive, will get arrested for corruption. Now there are reports of further arrests of former Walker staff in the near future.

Organizers in Wisconsin collected over one MILLION signatures to recall Scott Walker, doubling what was necessary. They did this in under two months. This approaches the number of votes Walker received in the 2010 election, and it’s a much higher bar to find people and have them sign their name than it is to get them to show up at a defined polling place.

Today, activists from around Wisconsin will travel to Madison to deliver petitions for the recall of Governor Scott Walker, his Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch, and as many as four Republican state Senators. Walker has to New York, undoubtedly raising money for what will be a massively expensive and bitter recall election.

Next Tuesday, Wisconsin organizers attempting to recall Governor Scott Walker, Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch and four Republican state Senators will turn in their petitions, and they expect to have well above the number of signatures required to trigger recall elections in all those races.