From the Advocate: Demmer, Urdahl, etc

Last week the Annandale Advocate featured an opinion by Randy Demmer, State Representative from Hayfield, and one of the 4 GOPers duking it out for the right to get their rear end handed to them by Congressman Walz, down in the "Fighting First".

Check it out! It's the same story in small papers across Minnesota, but you get the idea.

If you want to see an example of partisanship at its worst, check out the ongoing hearings at the State Capitol regarding the Legislature's Transportation Funding Contingency Group.

Would it be nit-picky of me to point out that Demmer didn't even identify the actual name for the group looking at the Transportation funding?

It's actually the Transportation Contingent Appropriations Group, as correctly identified by Governor Pawlenty's Director of Communications, Brian McClung.

Demmer continues his partisan rant defending Lt Gov and Transportation Commissioner Carol Molnau.

Question for you Randy...

If a DFL Governor had appointed their Lt Governor to the head spot at MnDOT, and a bridge collapsed 5-6 years after said appointment, would the House Caucus sit on their hands and say nothing?

Do you really think Marty Seifert would have been silent? BTW, it would have been the first time...

Next...

Dean Urdahl reported on his epic townhall meeting in Hutchinson.

The large and passionate group which attended a town hall meeting in Hutchinson last week examined a number of topics vital to rural Minnesota.

An audience of about 75 area citizens shared thoughts with a panel of speakers at an Oct. 16 forum hosted by Ridgewater College. Rural economic development, agriculture, workforce development, education and nursing homes all were topics on the menu which rallied around job creation.

Flow of information is key as we prepare for the upcoming legislative session and opinions expressed at the recent gathering help to provide a vivid picture of what issues hit home in this area.

Exactly Dean, the flow of information is key. You missed the topic de jour for the night though, regardless of the "topic on the menu" the vast majority of the passionate group over indulged in the topic of taxes.

We'll have to get some of the Youtubes posted for this event and let the readers decide what actually happened in Hutchinson, the rabid nature in which Local 49ers were attacked for their transportation views and the lack of education discussion will be evident.

Lastly, in the print edition, a headline caught my eye.

"Olson to serve up to 40 years"

Unfortunately, it was not Mark Olson...

Olson for Congress: Because isn't it time we kissed them both goodbye!

Seriously!

2007 Wellstone Dinner

Bluewoman and I were able to attend the 3rd Annual Paul and Shelia Wellstone Dinner in St Cloud last night.

Wow! What an event!

We must be moving up in the world! We not only sat with Bob Olson, we also got to sit with Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer! We've been clear hear at Blue man in a Red district that we support Bob Olson for Congress. Bob did a great job working the room and I did my best to introduce him to the people I knew in the room.

We did have another great chat with Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer. We also been able to chat with him at the Otsego garden party and the 7th CD Hog Roast in Biscay.

It's great to have such a progressive gathering of people so close to where we live. Typically, we'd have to travel to the Twin Cities for such an event, while paying an arm and a leg as well. In talking to a few friends that helped organize the event, the attendance has been impressive. Over 550 people attended the event last night, up from a hundred or so just two years ago.

Silent auction items were sweet too! I ended up going home with a lovely framed Paul Wellstone poem and an event poster signed by Vice President Walter Mondale. I got hosed for some sweep Wellstone buttons, but there really is no bitterness there!

It was a moving event. Garrison Keillor delivered a wonderful address about Paul. DFLers like Jackie Stevenson gave powerful speeches about Mary McEvoy and Sheila, and their important work to stamp out domestic violence.

Senator Tarryl Clark and Rep Larry Haws hit Governor Pawlenty and other GOP leaders hard as well...Rep Haws hat story was the best though.

Larry was in an elevator at the State Office Building, wearing his hat. A Republican in the elevator told him "a gentleman never wears there hat indoors". Larry looked at him and told him, "I'll tell you two reasons why I am not a gentleman. One, I'm wearing my hat indoors. Two, I don't give a damn what you think!"

The night was filled with a progressive message. In Paul Wellstone terms, we need to "Stand up and Keep Fighting!"

It's a message that carries over equally in an electoral campaign or the school levies many of us are working on right now. Going door to door or phone to phone taking back our communities is what Paul Wellstone would want us to be doing right now!

Bluewoman and I had a fun discussion at the table about being progressive. Those that know me, know I am passionate guy, not a quiet progressive at all. People like Bob Olson and Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer are equally as progressive but they utilize more of a calm, cool and collected approach.

The conclusion? We'll always support a progressive candidate over the one with the "big name and money". We'll bust our collective asses to ensure that our progressive candidates get elected, but we will not compromise our progressive values to do so.

Hence, my support for Bob Olson. He's a strong progressive candidate who actually says something when you talk to him, he's not filled with rhetoric!

Vice President Walter Mondale ended the night with a wonderful speech about Paul Wellstone and our fight to take his seat back!

Lastly, congratulations to Susan Patton, who received the 2007 Mary McEvoy award for all her hard work on the SD 15 website and other organizing activities she has worked on over the years for progressive causes. I've known Susan for a few years now and had the pleasure of working with her on a few causes at St Cloud State. The award is well deserved!

Moffat endorsed by the SC Times!

Good news in this mornings SC Times.

The Times endorsed Garner Moffat for his St Cloud City Council, Ward 1 race.

Candidates Garner Moffat and David Masters are compelling, powerful and engaged voices for vibrant neighborhoods and historic preservation. That's clearly what residents of this south side ward need most.

While they take similar stands on most issues, we endorse Moffat because he has more experience in leading city and neighborhood initiatives and provides a broader vision, especially with regard to helping small businesses.

Garner is an experienced and level headed leader who will be a great representative for Ward 1! The SC Times got this one right for sure!

Will Tinklenberg abide by the endorsement?

It's a question party activists across the 6th are asking.

Thus far, it's unclear whether or not Tinklenberg will abide by the DFL endorsement.

Kare 11 reports:

If one of them wins the DFL endorsement, Tinklenberg wouldn't say Monday what he'll do. Last time he ran, he pledged to drop out if the endorsement wasn't his.

WCCO repots:

Tinklenberg campaigned in 2006 but dropped out when he didn't get the DFL endorsement. This time, he wouldn't commit to dropping out if the DFL backs one of the other two Democratic candidates -- Bob Hill or Bob Olson, both lawyers.

MPR reports:

Tinklenberg says he's seeking the party endorsement again, but he hasn't ruled out running in a primary.

Delgates and party activists alike deserve to know whether or not Tinklenberg will abide by the DFL endorsement.

While it's important that we don't tear each other apart to the point where we're not strong enough to defeat Michele Bachmann, our ultimate goal, we're all in this together.

We have to stand by each other and ensure that our party is ready for next fall. To that end, it's important that we respect the time-honored endorsement process. Bob Olson has committed to this and Elwyn Tinklenberg hasn't.

Why?

Man, I miss Senator Wellstone...

October 25th is always a tough day, or at least it has been tough over the past 5 years. Much like my mom knows exactly where she was when JFK was assassinated, I'll never forget where I was when I learned of Paul Wellstone's death.

My interactions with Paul Wellstone, while rather limited, were every powerful.

It was October 1996. I was a recently promoted Staff Sergeant out at Fort Lewis, Washington. Months had passed and my pay increase had still not kicked in, despite the fact that I talked to nearly everyone I could about the issue.

I called Senator Wellstone's Minnesota office for assistance.

The every next day, our company training meeting was interrupted by a nervous Private who nervously announced "Sergeant Kimball, you have a phone call. It's Senator Wellstone!"

"Hal, Paul Wellstone here, how are you?" Despite my insistence on calling him Senator, he chided me to call him Paul. He assured me that my pay problem would be fixed and proceeded to give me a few phone numbers to call at the end of the month to let him know all was well.

I figured that would be the end of it...my end of the month paycheck in October reflected my pay increase, but backpay as well!

Halloween night, 1996. It's 10pm in my barracks room at Fort Lewis.

The phone rings.

"Hal, Paul Wellstone here. how are you? Did your problem get fixed?"

Stunned that a US Seantor was calling me at 10pm, West Coast time to ask me about my pay problem, I responded "yes Senator".

"Great, call me Paul" he said. He chided me that I did not call him back...this during his 1996 reelection campaign, about a week before his reelection...and at midnight Minnesota time, he's calling me to talk about my pay problem!

We proceeded to talk for about an hour about Veterans issues, Bosnia, my family back in Minnesota, and all sorts of stuff. It was a powerful conversation nonetheless.

While there is no doubt in my mind that every member of Congress would ensure that a constituent in the military was paid properly, Paul went above and beyond what he needed to do.

6 years later, October 1992, on the campus of St Cloud State University. Paul Wellstone came to campus a few days before his plane crash to talk about his vote on Iraq and other campaign issues.

After the speech, he spoke to may of us in the crowd. When I introduced myself, and thanked him, as a Veteran, on his Iraq vote, he said he remembered our conversation 6 years beforehand.

I would not believe most people if they said that.

I believed Paul.

5 years later, I miss what Paul did for the little guy.

I listened to Paul's final speech on the floor of the Senate last night on AM 950. I can't lie, I got a bit misty eyed and was covered in goosebumps.

The US Senate would be a lot different with Paul Wellstone still there. I think about Paul delivering a passionate speech about Katrina, Walter Reed, the Attorney General scandal, Iraq, SCHIP's, and all of the other GOP follies that have damaged working and middle class American's.

Paul's legacy lives on today, through progressive activists across the United States. Wellstone Action! provides people with an opportunity to learn some progressive techniques to organize around issues and campaigns. As a Camp Wellstone! graduate, I must say that the training is powerful.

Today, guys like Congressman Tim Walz reflect this same sense of constituent outreach. Whether it's pushing for flood relief extensions, working on Veterans issues, or having a consistent presence at town hall meetings. Congressman Walz is always reaching out to his constituents.

Olson gains labor support in the 6th

I received an email that discusses some labor support for Bob Olson in the 6th CD. It's a pretty interesting read and shows that Olson's hard work across the 6th is starting to pay off.

Here are a few exerpts from the email.

In 6 CD we are faced with a fascist congressperson who was, in reality, narrowly elected in 2006. The DFL, after an extremely difficult and protracted struggle at the district convention, narrowly fielded Patty Wetterling as our candidate to run against Bachmann. Wetterling would have won, had it not been for a "so-called" Independent candidate and because of her advisors - an, of course, with her convention victory over Elwyn Tinklenberg who was put forward by the conservatives in the 6CD DFL and the AFL(cio) as their "best hope."

Now, he is being "recycled" as an "I told you so" candidate and his history with the "Independence Party" of the disastrous Ventura Administration who found the DFL "Jesus" is being put forward as making him "the candidate" for the 6CD - a "Hail Mary Pass" in the vernacular of the "couch potato." Needless to say, the same forces appear to be putting him forward as in 2006 and there is the added bonus rumored that the "Independence Party" will not field a candidate if the DFL embraces their Elwyn Tinklenberg!

Tinklenberg's work as Transportation Commissioner under Ventura will come under great scrutiny by Bachmann and her GOP handlers in 08. It's important for Democrats to realize this now...

The Olson campaign has picked up some significant momentum in the past months as Olson has traversed CD 6, meeting party activists, union members, elected officials, and many others, looking for the magic to defeat Congresswoman Bachmann.

Olson has delivered that magic. Whether it was in St Cloud the past week, or Cokato on Friday night, the combination of a powerful message, grassroots organization, and genuine demeanor have provided Olson with significant momentum.

Since then, I have gotten to participate in discussions with both Elwyn Tinklenberg and Bob Olson and have definitely have come to the conclusion that Bob Olson is the superior candidate who will best represent the working people of 6CD and who will stand on principles rather than compromise them away and he is running because he believes, as I do, that things need to change in Washington D.C. if they are ever going to change for the better in the 6 CD for working people and Minnesota, as a whole. I have found that he is not just another "politician" as he will respond directly and honestly to questions rather than obfuscations and or euphemisms in a plain speaking manner that is refreshing after all the flower and fluff that seems to be the "soup de jure" and is definitely interested in what we have to say - and not just appearing to do so as our "professional politicians" are won't to do.

Absolutely! Kind of like my mom at the meeting on Friday, Bob is straight, direct, and too the point. You know where Olson stands on the issues, and its appreciated as delegates and other party leaders across the 6th meet with him.

And the two things that would make a blue collar working person, like myself, "suspect," of him are actually attributes. His being a tax attorney and an independent banker make him uniquely qualified to address the fall out from the Bush tax cuts for the corporations and the wealthy and predatory financial system that has wrought havoc on working people over the course of the past 20 years - or so. He does understand "the system" as no other candidate in the 6CD does and is for fairness and positive change that would benefit the working people of the 6 CD.

And being a union member and a local union official, I, personally, will stand, outspokenly if necessary, in support of Bob Olson's candidacy over that of Elwyn
Tinklenberg as I believe that Bob Olson will better serve the interest of working people in the 6CD and Minnesota.

The letter was written by a local Postal Union leader and it highlights what makes Olson such an attractive candidate in the 6th. Not only is he a down to earth straight shooter, but his background as a Tax Attorney and a Banker provide him with subject matter expertise that Tinklenberg cannot touch.

He understands the tax crunch faced by working and middle class Minnesotans. He will be a strong voice in Washington for working and middle class Minnesotans!

Bob Olson in Cokato

Last night, Bob Olson attended the American Legion annual Turkey Dinner in Cokato and a meet-up at a private home.

Activists and Democrats alike asked Bob questions and provided feedback to Bob on the issues that are most important to those of us out in Greater Minnesota.

We had a lengthy discussion about:

The war in Iraq
Veterans health care benefits
Fair farming practices
No Child Left Behind
Special Education funding
The partisan nature of modern politics
Taxation policy
Sustainable and renewable energy sources
and many other issues

Bob spent an hour and a half engaging people on the issues that are most important to them. While Bob was well versed on all of these issues, perhaps the most glowing endorsement of Bob was when one of the attendees called him "absolutely genuine".

I could not have said it better myself.

Bob Olson meet-up in Cokato

Tonight, Bob will attend the annual turkey dinner at Cokato City Hall, sponsored by the American Legion.

After dinner, he will attend a meet up at a private home with some strong DFLers in the area.

Stay tuned...

Bob Olson meet-up in St Cloud

Liberal in the Land of Conservative has a great write up of a Bob Olson meet-up in St Cloud!

Post game!

His resume is impeccable:
Businessman (St. Stephen State Bank)
Member of the St. Cloud Chamber of Commerce
Tax Attorney (A REAL ONE!)
Sustainable Energy promoter
Former youth counselor
Former Bethel football coach
and most importantly, former taxi driver. :)

Pre game!

Political Muse is quickly becoming one the my favorite bloggers in the area! Lots of good stuff on Bachmann and god audio from Bob Olson!

Keep up the good work!

Bachmann turns her back on working families

I was disgusted today when I heard that the President's veto was upheld...

ANOKA – Bob Olson, a DFL candidate in the 6th Congressional District, released the following statement following Michele Bachmann's vote to uphold the president's veto of the State Children's Health Insurance Program funding bill:

"Working families were counting on Mrs. Bachmann and today she turned her back on them.

"By voting to sustain the president's veto of the S-CHIP funding bill, Mrs. Bachmann made it painfully clear that when she talks about family values that doesn't mean providing health care for low-income kids.

"With 9 million uninsured children nationwide, including 85,000 here in Minnesota, we need leaders whose actions match their rhetoric.

"I'm proud of the local people who took time to let the congresswoman know what an important issue this is. While it appears we lost this round we must never give up the fight until every child in America has access to the health care they deserve."

S-CHIP currently provides insurance coverage for 6.6 million children in families that earn too much to qualify for Medicare and not enough to afford private insurance coverage.

The bill passed by bipartisan majorities in Congress last month, opposed by Bachmann and vetoed by President Bush, would have renewed S-CHIP funding and extended coverage to another 3.8 million uninsured children.

More information is available at www.bobolson.org.

Bachmann leaves no child insured!

Rep. Bachmann: Leave No Child Insured

Rep. Bachmann Stands With Bush Over Minnesota’s Families, Votes to Sustain Veto of Healthcare for 10 Million Kids in Need

Rep. Bachmann Would Rather Spend Half a Trillion Dollars in Iraq Than a Fraction of That on Healthcare for Her Most Vulnerable Constituents: Low-Income Children

Click Here to View AUFC TV Ad “Abby” Targeting Bachmann: http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/blog/entries/aufc_schip_ad_campaign/

St. Paul, MN – Rubberstamping the backwards Bush policy of “Billions of Dollars for Iraq, But Veto for Kids’ Health Care,” Rep. Michele Bachmann stood with the President today over thousands of Minnesota families by voting to sustain a veto of meaningful legislation to reauthorize the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) for 6.6 million kids and provide coverage to nearly 4 million more – legislation that enjoys the support of 72 percent of the American public, including 61 percent of Republicans, according to a recent Washington Post-ABC News poll.

“Even as President Bush was vetoing a modest, $35 billion expansion of the children’s healthcare insurance program, he asked Congress for nearly $200 billion in additional funds for Iraq ,” said Donald McFarland, spokesperson for Americans United for Change. “Today, after a half a trillion dollars spent in Iraq, Rep. Bachmann still chose to deny healthcare funding for millions of children in need when, the fact is, for the amount spent in just one week in Iraq , 800,000 children could get health insurance for an entire year. And Rep. Bachmann voted to enable Bush’s endless war every chance she had. The needs of our children and other priorities here at home, like education and prescription drugs for seniors, have been shortchanged for far too long while this President spends billions and billions each week in Iraq .”

“We understand Rep. Bachmann doesn’t have much, in any, history breaking ranks with President Bush, but when it comes to taking care of children who are most in need – we thought even she might be able to make an exception. But once again, she chose to put blind loyalty to this President ahead of the basic health care needs of thousands of children in Minnesota .”

“When it comes to spending 10 billion a month fighting an endless war in Iraq – Rep. Bachmann can find the money,” continued McFarland. “When it comes to shelling out billions of dollars in tax breaks for the special interests – she can find the money. But when it comes to providing basic health coverage for nation’s most vulnerable citizens – low-income children – she can’t spare a dime. It sends a sorry message to the Minnesota families who pray each night that their children don’t get sick or hurt – a message that it’s more important to give political cover to this President than it is to protect our children.”

“What’s particularly disturbing is that Rep. Bachmann couldn’t find anything wrong with this bill, so she resorted to wild distortions and outright lies about the legislation to excuse her opposition to healthcare for thousands of kids in Minnesota,” continued McFarland.

According to the Associated Press, as the debate over Children’s Healthcare heated up, House Republicans circulated a survey by a pollster with close ties to House Minority Leader John Boehner, offering suggested talking points to House Republicans that critics of SCHIP could win the public debate if they say they favor "covering uninsured children without expanding government coverage to adults, illegal immigrants and those who already have insurance...."

FACT V. FICTION on the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act:
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2007/09/schip_factcheck.html
http://majorityleader.house.gov/docUploads/SCHIPFactVSFiction.pdf

And Rep. Bachmann was all to happy to parrot the misinformation: http://bachmann.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=76551

“Rep. Bachmann knew she didn’t have a leg to stand on opposing this bipartisan, popularly supported legislation -- so she resorted to making stuff up. This legislation doesn’t provide a dime of coverage to a single illegal immigrant. The only adults this legislation would cover is low-income pregnant women, because research has shown that prenatal care leads to healthier babies, which will reduce the cost of SCHIP over time. And this legislation doesn’t expand eligibility for CHIP; it targets low and lower-middle-income children who have no health insurance, not children from wealthy families. Right now, less than 1 in 10 children covered by SCHIP live in a family of four earning more than $41,000 a year, and that wouldn’t change a lick under this bill. So, either Rep. Bachmann -- a professional legislator, mind you -- didn’t read the bill, or she is so loyal to this President that she would rather knowingly mislead her constituents to provide him cover. Either way – it’s reprehensible and her constituents are not as stupid as she apparently thinks.”

Dille on 07 Session

Despite what the righty blggers say, according to Senator Steve Dille, the 2007 Legislative Session in the Senate was the most bi-partisan in 21 years.

Perhaps Marty Seifert could learn a few things from Senator Frederickson or Senator Senjem.

New Kucinich video! "Leave it to Dennis"

Phenominal!

Demmer in more trouble

DJ at I Don't Hate America has a powerful (and comical) post on Randy Demmer's per diem follies and the "two or three votes" he missed out in DC.

For the old school game show rubes, you'll really appreciate DJ's post.

Demmer has issues...

Observations from the forum

It was a good forum. I do wonder about the partisan uses of the Ridgewater College Commons area, but for the most part, 75 people attended, maybe 5 Democrat/Liberal/Progressives.

The Q&A portion turned into an anti-tax train wreck. Overall taxation was discussed first and as we would move onto healthcare and transportation, taxes were the biggest point of contention.

Rep Seifert was reserved for the most part. He did hurl out at least 1 one liner that got the group going, otherwise, he was well behaved.

I hope he was ready for his 6 point health care plan to be published...

Otherwise, it was good night. We will have some Youtubes up on Dean Urdahl in the near future, so that ought to be fun.

I don't think I'm on his X-mas Card list anymore...

We had a brief encounter at the end of the forum. Apparently, I do not understand the strategery used by Rep Urdahl on the transportation bill and subsequent veto.

Apparently, Urdahl's vote to sustain the Governor's Transportation veto had nothing to do with transportation. As a scholar of government, I ought to know that. Urdahl said quite a bit tonight, not going to lie...but apparently neither myself nor his wife understands what he does.

I guess many Democrats support Rep Urdahl's position on the gas tax...I'll be calling the names he gave me to see what the real deal is...

Who could really? Afterall, he supported a gas tax increase at a forum in Litchfield last October, supported it when he voted for in on the floor of the House, and flopped after talking to the Governor...

Letting 155 days go by, using his vote as a message to the Governor, as opposed to trying to get Pawlenty's attention in other ways, or bringing the funding shortfalls in Meeker and Wright Counties to the attention of Rep Seifert and other GOP leaders...

You're right Dean, I have no idea what your doing, and neither do your constituents.

Live from Hutchinson: Urdahl / Shimanski townhall meeting

Update: Per a request from my former campaign manager...I put the blog post from start to finish. When I liveblogged it, I posted the most recent actions at the beginning.

Your welcome Nolan...

Live from the Ridgewater College Commons area in Hutchinson. FYI, we have video of this event too!

Special thanks to Ollie for allowing me to use her Aircard to blog the event, and not utilize state resources for political purposes...

Sure are a lot of Republican's here. Good Democrats like Kevin Johnson and John Hassinger are here though!

Format for the townhall meeting.
Intro from Urdahl and Shimanski
Introduction of the panel, 5 minutes per panel member
Q&A with audiences and Representatives 10 minutes per issue.

Dean says hi...hoping this thing will start soon.

Scott Newman's here, looks like he does not like me liveblogging the event.

7:03 Rep Seifert is here along with Tom Emmer, Dean Urdahl, Ron Shimanski and Michael Barrett.

7:08 Rep Shimanski introduces panel.

7:10 Rep. Urdahl is discussing rural development, education, transportation, health care and other issues and the disparity in funding between metro and Greater Minnesota areas. Marty Seifert is talking to the crowd, doesn't say too much, introduces Mike Boehme, Dean at Ridgewater College.

7:15 Discussion of the importance of Ridgewater in the area, providing seamless service to both the business industry and from the local high schools.

Ridgewater Dean talked about importance of funding higher education and keeping tuition affordable.

7:18 Jack Geller from the Minnesota Center for Rural Economic Policy is discussing the differences within Greater Minnesota. Talks regional economies versus community economies. Talks about the need for small business development in rural Minnesota, working in conjunction with higher education opportunities.

7:24 Mark Loftus, Department of Employment and Economic Development, talking about the SEED program. Governor Pawlenty's plan sounds a lot like MN 2020's plan for small business development. Hmmmm

7:29 Bill Ward, Dassel Lakeside Nursing Home speaks about the impact of nursing homes have on the small community economy. In most towns, the nursing homes are the largest employers. His challenge: You cannot recruit more nursing homes and when a community loses one, it will never come back. Talks about ads for education shortfalls and nothing for the nursing homes. The stat, nursing home funding is $25 less than the actual cost of care.

Urdhal is talking reimbursement rate disparties for the nursing homes. They fund through historical trends, which causes McLeod and Meeker Counties to receive less. He says Seifert, Emmer, Shimanski and himself are working on this...

7:51 Connie Leis, City Council Member from Litchfield. Lithcfield was the dryest place in the state in 2007. LGA cuts eliminated tree program, the draught stricken trees stand diseased because they cannot afford to cut them down, at $3,000 per tree. City running at a break even, cannot create development.

Fire Hall stores some equipment outside of city limits? 1900 Fire Hall should be condemned!

Explains the problems small cities face, no one claps...I think Republican's hate LGA.

Urdahl: Cities face challenges and I hope we can do something about it next session.

7:38 Dave Johnson, MnDOT. Talks about the challenges in MnDOT now. Gave props to the Transportation Commissioner.

Funding has eroded. Area 8, Willmar was receiving 6% of states funding, now down to 5.4%.

Editorial note: Urdahl voted against the Gas Tax.

7:42 Siefert and Emmer are now on stage, Glenn Gruenhagen, Glencoe is asking about Light Rail. McLeod GOP Chair and Scott Newman are chuckling about this.

Calls light rail a big "boondoggle".

MnDOT answer, road building is not a feasible option for the congestion problem in the metro area.

Urdahl responds: Expense of transit is in question, need to explore possiblities of rail but maybe not the direction we are headed now. Efficiency and cost is problematic.

Greunhagen: Companies like 3M are looking at moving out of Minnesota because of light rail, lower tax rates and allow companies to compete globally.

Glencoe man question: Why did MnDOT take the high bid on the 35W bridge?

MnDOT: They use a combo of bid price and skill. They do it on all specialty contracts.

Seifert: It's flawed policy. Criteria such as asthetics and public relations are in the "best value law". Move back to "lowest responsible bidder" laws. We'll have to fight unions!

7:56 College Small Business Management program instructor pleads for support for SEED program, which is strikingly similar to the MN 2020 proposal.

8:00 Dean Mahlstadt, from Cokato talks about Cokato creating a 7 member Ecomomic Development Commitee. He's not happy he has to compete. Complains that government seems to be geared towards single mothers, welfare families, and the such.

Where is the hope for his family who has been in the Cokato area before it was Cokato. What is the hope for his 6 kids...

Emmer: Thank you. I call what Geller called, redistrubtuion of income. We need to work together to ensure that Minnesota is not the largest employer in Minnesota, but get back to 3M and other large businesses being the largest employer.

8:08 Republican House Tax man is speaking: Government is the largest employer.
Urdahl: $5 billion in tax raises proposed. Veto's and the Republican House Caucus held the line. The mood is to not raise taxes. Raise someone elses taxes but not mine. $7800 per person in taxes, are we getting are money's worth? No one raises their hand...I'm blogging.

Seifert: Governor was right in vetoing, media and willing allies call it shameful. It was shameful that it was ever passed. It's bout keeping Government in check. State of Minnesota is the 4th largest land owner in Minnesota.

1972, largest employers were 3M, Daytons, etc.
2007: State of Minnesota, U of M, Federal government

Government has too much of our money. People create jobs, not government. Government's at all levels need to reign in spending.

Shimanski: Adequate transportation funding? A lot more than a 5 cent gas tax increase.
Top tier of income, more than $250,000. Will run their buisness with wireless phone and internet and live outside of Minnesota for more than 6 months.

Can't strangle the golden goose. Can't steal the golden eggs.

Connie Leis: Tax fast food? Smoke less, drink less, eat more.

John Hassinger: Criteria for a Return on Investment in the State. We work so hard in the State Park system, suddenly, one shows up in Lake Vermillion?

Urdahl: Where do I begin? He's been working on Greenleaf. 4 branches of Government, Legislative, Judicial, Executive, and the DNR.

8:19 Tom Emmer just told me to make sure the photo of Shimanski I just took does not get tampered with. Avidor, you there?

8:28: Russ Goldstein: We don't wanna raise taxes. State uses law enforcement stings to ensure that underage people are not allowed to buy.

We have welfare benefits, WIC benefits, etc. Do we ever do stings to ensure that illegal aliens have not come to Minnesota for benefits? Many of the checks and dollars go to people who do not need them. Send in enforcement agents and fine the agency $300 and the seller $300 each.

Urdahl: Senator Gimse has announced he will bring forth a bill to do most of that.

Greunhagen: Prevailing wages laws should be struck down. Open up the process and repeal the prevailing wages laws. It makes our businesses and school more expensive. Workman's Comp rates are too high.

Urdahl: JOBZ had to be cancelled at a Litchfield business because the prevailing wages would have driven up their costs by $400,ooo. We could not do it when we were in the majority...it's much tougher now that we are in the minority.

8:35: Healthcare Constitutional Amendment for Health Care? Kelliher has the same sense of clock management as Denny Green. Healthcare dude thinks he's funny...

Minnesota has been first 6 of the last 8 years. 93% of Minnesotan's have health care coverage.

Seifert: Welfare people moving to Minnesota to take advantage of our benefits. 7 working groups under the current regime, over 20 meetings between now and Halloween.

He is not taking per diem tonight.

*Editors note: Marty must read Blueman!

Crushing health care costs: Marty's plan

1. Monopolistic Control: 4 non-profits provide 80% of the HMO insurance. Open up competition, prices go down.

2. More mandates on private health care. Allow for cafeteria plans.

3. MN Care tax repealed.

4. Reform welfare system. 4-6,000 people move to the state every year to take advantage of Minnesota's benefits. EFC cards: You can take them to an ATM and get cash for the casino, 6 pack of beer and smokes.

5. Reform torts. Avg cost of malpractice is $100,000-200,000 per doctor. $11-1200 per baby pays for the malpractice insurance. Trial lawyer lobby...take on the Army of Lobbyists, the Welfare Rights people, trial lawyers. Rise up...

6. Pass tax credits to get Government out of Health care and allow the people to choose your doctor and hospital.

Crowd: It's perfect! HHS and illegals. Is it legal to get health care for illegals?

Seifert: For neo-natal care only.

8:59: GOP Tax guy: Gas Tax would only pay for the equivalent of a 35W bridge. Supports bonding for bridges.

Education taxes: Complex formula that provides the metro area more money than rural areas. All children are created equal until the legislature acts.

Seifert: More money is needed for roads and bridges. Should we take 1/2 of the bonding bill and put towards roads and bridges? How does that compare to the gas tax? Bigger better, more efficient.

Take MVST money and do trunk highway bonding, pay for state road expansions with that. Stillwater Bridge should have been done 15 years ago! Seifert wants to bond for bills.

First two tax increases: Gas tax, constitutional amendment for arts crafts, etc. They'll hurt average Joe by the DFL more.

9:06: Urdahl is on the bonding committee. He got cookies at each project. $4 billion requested in bonding bill, wants money in roads bridges and water infrastructure.

Question from the audience. Is $500 million really enough? We have a $1.8 billion shortfall on Transportation funding in the state, annually. In order to be a world class economy, we must have a highly efficient transportation system.

Urdahl: $500 million is only one component. Final package uncertain. Strong believer in local government, get money to counties and townships. Work in a bipartisan manner to get some money to rural Minnesota.

9:15: Gruenhagen: Cut government employee's wages and benefits and do this together. Pay additional taxes if government employee's take a cut.

9:25: Republican Guy, I think he's the SD 18 GOP Chair and a Local 49er are aguing about transportation funding...

Seifert abruptly ends the forum that is now 25 minutes past its close and missing the discussion on education.

Townhall meeting in Hutchinson tonight

There will be a town hall meeting Tuesday evening October 16th from 7-9:00 PM in the commons area of the Hutchinson Campus hosted by local legislators Rep. Ron Shimanski, Rep. Dean Urdahl, Minority Leader Marty Seifert and other legislators to hear from citizens about important issues in rural Minnesota. The public is welcome to attend.

I will be in attendance...and may try to liveblog the event.

Republican flip flop on Generals

They defend General Petraeus for his rhetoric laden testimony.

When attacked by a leftwing group, they rushed to General Petraeus' defense, citing that those who have served this nation ought to be regarded with the highest of respects.

'Cept when it comes to their benefits...

I digress...

Enter General Richardo Sanchez.

Sanchez, who was coalition commander in 2003 and 2004, called the Iraq war "a nightmare with no end in sight." He said the Bush administration, the State Department and Congress all share blame.

General Sanchez has the same right to express his opinion as General Petraeus did before Congress.

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham took shots at the General.

Senator McCain blasted him as well.

As did Senator Mitch McConnell.

With General Shinseki being forced out for his statements that significant numbers of troops would be needed to secure Iraq, it's not tough to see how Sanchez would tread lightly on the political battlefield of Iraq.

And the swiftboating of our Veterans continues...

Where the hell is that war czar anyways?

Olson on SCHIPs

Since some liberal blogs are ignoring Bob Olson's position on SCHIP's...


ANOKA – Bob Olson, a DFL candidate in the 6th Congressional District, urged Rep. Michele Bachmann to vote to override President George W. Bush's veto of the State Children's Health Insurance Program funding bill.

"Michele Bachmann's been given a second chance to do the right thing for Minnesota families," Olson said. "She's backed the White House by voting against the bill last month and I understand that's very important to her. Now she needs to stand up for uninsured children."

S-CHIP currently provides insurance coverage for 6.6 million children in families that earn too much to qualify for Medicare and not enough to afford private insurance coverage. But there are still nearly 9 million uninsured children nationwide, including 85,000 here in Minnesota.

"This should really be a no-brainer," Olson said. "Getting children the health care they deserve is something we should all be able to agree on. It's tragic that some of our representatives have joined the president in using this issue to make a political point."

The House is scheduled to hold an override vote on Oct. 18.

Bachmann joined Rep. John Kline in opposing the S-CHIP measure when it passed in the House of Representatives on a 265-159 vote. The rest of the Minnesota House delegation supported it, as did Sens. Norm Coleman and Amy Klobuchar.

More information is available at www.bobolson.org.

Check out New Jersey Governor John Corzine's response!

Randy Demmer's per diem follies

Ollie Ox at Bluestem Prairie has a math problem for Rep Randy Demmer and his campaign staff to solve!

Indeed, Randy Demmer took per diem while he was is Washington DC at Camp Karl being indoctrinated into the right wing election tactics that led to the success of Michael Barrett, Alan Fine, Gil Gutnecht, and Mark Kennedy.

Dick Day, one of Demmer's opponents in the race to lose to Congressman Walz, waited until the end of session to attend Camp Karl. Day also took a significantly less rate as well, choosing to take $66 per day instead of the $96 per day maximum in the Senate.

Minority Leader in the House, Marty Seifert took the per diem on all 139 session days, including Martin Luther King Jr's birthday and the Easter week break.

As an old Infantry Platoon Sergeant, the phrase, "lead from the front" comes to mind here. I did everything I expected those I led to do.

I wonder what the fiscal conservatives who followed Seifert's lead to "toe the line" on taxes feel after they see he lacked the discipline to abide by the same fiscal conservative values he preaches from his bully pulpit?

I wonder if Rep Lynn Wardlow will shout Seifert down on the floor of the House, "Vote No Seifert!"?

I think I have the answer to Ollie's math problem though...

$77 a day= the price of Randy Demmer's integrity.

A Blackberry...really?

Bluewoman got a Blackberry today...I'm one step closer to being replaced...

How much did your "fiscal conservative" haul in? Part II

A deeper look into the numbers provided by the SC Times.

The Minnesota Legislature was in session from January 3 to May 21, 2007, a total of 139 days, 75 of which were legislative days.

Early in the session, Rep Marty Seifert took a shot at Democrats saying we "spend money like drunken sailors".

Here's a closer look at what our local "fiscal conservatives" got for per diem.

In the House, you can get $77 a day for per diem. The Senate rate is $96.

Bruce Anderson, took $10,472 in Session per diem, or took it on 136 of 139 session days. $6,230 in lodging expenses.

Laura Brod (not local but a strong fiscal conservative) took per diem on 102 of 139 session days and nothing in lodging expenses.

Tom Emmer took per diem on 119 of 139 session days and nothing in lodging expenses.

Sondra Erickson took took per diem on all 139 session days (including weekends and holidays) and $8,714 in lodging expenses.

Steve Gottwalt took per diem on 119 of 139 session days and $5580 in lodging expenses.

Mark Olson took per diem on 119 of 139 session days and $6716 in lodging expenses.

Joyce Peppin took per diem on about 117 of 139 session days and nothing in lodging expenses.

Marty Seifert took per diem on all 139 days of session and over $7600 in lodging expenses. Wow, talk about spending like a "drunken sailor"!

Dan Severson took per diem on 119 of 139 session days and $11,802 in lodging expenses.

Ron Shimanski took per diem on 119 of 139 session days and $4020 in lodging expenses.

Dean Urdahl took per diem on 135 of 139 session days and $5621 in lodging expenses.

On the Senate side...

Steve Dille took per diem on all 139 session days and $7325 in lodging expenses.

Michele Fischbach took per diem on all 139 session days and $10,176 in lodging expenses.

Joe Gimse took per diem on all 139 session days and $8487 in lodging expenses.

Bill Ingebrigtsen took per diem on 110 of 139 session days and $9586 in lodging expenses.

Mike Jungbauer took per diem on all 139 session days but nothing in lodging expenses.

Amy Koch took per diem on 119 of 139 session days and $8954 in lodging expenses.

Betsy Wergin took per diem on all 139 session days and $8535 in lodging expenses.

It's pretty interesting once you dig a bit deeper into the numbers. Most of these fiscally conservative legislators took per diem on weekends and on holidays. They also spared no expense for lodging as well.

It sure is nice that they are fiscally conservative on education and veterans benefits but rake in the big bucks on weekends and holidays at tax payers expense.

I wonder how many of these elected leaders will remain "friends of the tax payer".

Hey Marty, that's 3 bottles of Crown Royal a day! Holy drunken sailor Marty!

Thanks Ollie for the tip!

Bachmann and hard work? (updated)

CQ politics had an interesting article this week about the race in the 6th. Lots of good stuff there but the comments by Larry Jacobs caught my eye.

According to Lawrence Jacobs, a leading analyst of Minnesota politics, the strongly conservative Bachmann will face a competitive race. “Bachmann’s been working hard because she knows she’s getting a challenge,” said Jacobs, who directs the University of Minnesota’s Center for Politics and Governance.

Working hard? Really? Since when?

Recall that before the session even began that Congresswoman Bachmann complained openly about the Congressional 5 day work week, replacing the strenuous 3 day work week in the previously Republican controlled Congress.

Her work ethic in the Minnesota Senate was lackluster at best.

Bachmann had the lightest workload of any Senator when she was here. She was notorious for showing up at committee meetings to sign in, and then leaving. Her legislative aides often covered committee hearings for her. That's the kind of representation we became accustomed to in SD 52, so it will comes as no surprise that Bachmann would be distressed at the schedule of a member of Congress.

Her work in Congress is equally as difficult. She serves on one committee in Congress, the Financial Services Commitee. While Congressman Ellison held forums in Minnesota discussing the enormous foreclosure problems in Minnesota, Bachmann did nothing. Nothing but support her high profile finance industry contributors.

Her support for the finance industry lobby was solidified on her against the College Cost Reduction Act

GOP spin doctor Rich Dunn comments on Bachmann's "hard work".

“Mr. Tinklenberg has tried and failed in the past, but we’ll find out next spring if the [Democratic Party] wants him back,” said Bachmann spokesman Rich Dunn. “In the meantime, Michele is constantly in the community meeting with constituents, she’s building a record that’s in sync with the District, and she has the resources necessary to run successfully.”

Really? Sorry Rich.

Congressman Walz has real constituent outreach. While serving on 3 important committee's, House Ag, Veterans, and Transportation committees, Congressman Walz still has open forums throughout the Fighting First for constituents to share their opinions.

Congressman Walz has two open forums today discussing the war in Iraq.

Congressman Walz will seek constituents' opinions on the wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan.

Saturday, October 13

Noon Dakota Meadows Middle School Cafeteria 1900 Howard St. North Mankato, MN

4:00 p.m. Rochester Public Library Auditorium101 2nd St., SE Rochester, MN

Congresswoman Bachmann has teleconferences that are not open and publicly announced.

Bachmann's relationship with the mainstream media is non-existent as well. Instead of taking the time to talk to the Strib, St Cloud Times and other mainstream local media outlets, Bachmann chose to talk to right wing pundit, Jason Lewis, to explain her recent vote against kids.

In reality, it's about Bachmann's efforts to get re-elected to Congress in 08. By avoiding the mainstream media and feeding soundbites to those on the fringes of the GOP base, Bachmann controls her message.

By controlling who gets access to her teleconferences, as opposed to Congressman Walz townhall meetings, she controls the message and who can question her intent.

I work two jobs nearly everyday, a fulltime gig and some part time work helping out the family. As a working class Minnesotan, I find it extremely insulting that anyone could consider what Congresswoman Bachmann is doing in Washington and back here in Minnesota for her constituents (aka, campaign contributors) as hard work.

Wanna talk about dedication? Today is Gus Walz first birthday. His dad, Congressman Tim Walz is talking to constituents (people who support and oppose military action) about Iraq and Afghanistan in both North Mankato and Rochester today.

Congressman Walz is the epitome of dedication and hard work.

Our Congresswoman uses it as a punchline.

*Update*

Check out the "Connecting with Government" Series, a set of open and public forums with Minnesota's Congressional delegation.

Noticeably absent from the list of those elected leaders who have engaged in the open, public format of these forums are Congresswoman Bachmann and Congressman Kline.

What are they scared of? Congressman Walz has the political courage to hold a forum in which someone who may not agree with him could be in attendance.

Our Congresswoman continues to be AWOL.

A flashback to 5 years ago: A letter from Paul Wellstone

Shortly after Senator Wellstone arrived back in Minnesota after voting to oppose military action in Iraq, he attended a rally at St Cloud State University. It was my first actual face to face meeting with the Senator. I had spoken to him before about Veterans issues and other things while I served as an active duty Infantryman, but had never met him.

He delivered a powerful address! As a Veteran, I thanked him for his hard work, personally for me, and on behalf of many of my soldiers. I also thanked him for having the courage to oppose military action in Iraq. It was an amazing conversation where he recalled our previous conversations at Fort Lewis, Washington.

The following is text of a letter written from Senator Wellstone to Jim Huhtala of Big Lake.

October 24, 2002

Dear Mr. Huhtala,

Thank you for contacting me regarding U.S. policy towards Iraq. I have been hearing from many Minnesotans about their concerns on this very important matter. I appreciate your views.

I do not believe the Bush administration has yet made a case for taking pre-emptive military action against Iraq. The range of possible U.S. policy responses and the consequences of a possible U.S. or allied military attack are still unanswered. Other questions remain about the impact of unilateral military action on our preeminent national security priority, the continuing war on terrorism; on our ongoing efforts to stabilize and rebuild Afghanistan; on efforts to calm the intensifying Middle East crisis, especially the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; and on the dangerous situation between the nuclear-armed India and Pakistan.

In the early morning of Friday October 11, the Senate approved the President's requested resolution to allow him to take military action against Iraq. I opposed the resolution because it would authorize military action now in Iraq--including pre-emptive, go-it-alone military action--even as the U.S. seeks to garner support from our allies on a tough new UN disarmament resolution. I voted in favor of a substitute amendment to improve the resolution, which would have authorized the use of appropriate force by the United States and our allies, pursuant to a new UN Security Council resolution, following exhaustion of efforts to disarm Iraq, in order to obtain compliance with its international obligations.

Saddam Hussein is a brutal, ruthless dictator who has repressed his own people, attacked his neighbors, and remains an international outlaw. The world would be a much better place if he were gone and the regime in Iraq were changed. That's why the U.S. should unite the world against Saddam and not allow him to unite forces against us.

I oppose a go-it-alone approach, allowing ground invasion of Iraq without the support of other countries, because it could give Saddam exactly that chance. A pre-emptive, go-it-alone strategy towards Iraq is wrong. Instead, I support ridding Iraq of weapons of mass destruction through unfettered UN inspections which should begin as soon as possible.

The President has said he has not yet decided to use force against Iraq and that war may yet be avoidable. I believe the primary focus of policy towards Iraq should now be target on the verifiable disarmament of that country's weapons of mass destruction. It is the goal that our allies support, including Britain. It is the goal most likely to be successful, and from which our strategy should flow. I hope the President will focus on disarmament, which will help strengthen and sustain international support, enabling us to be most effective in dealing with Saddam Hussein.

Again, thank you for contacting me. I hope you will continue to stay in touch with me on matters of importance to you.

Sincerely,


Paul David Wellstone
United States Senator

Keep in mind, 5 years ago, Elwyn Tinklenberg would have voted for this war...

Olson Comments on Five-Year Anniversary of Iraq War Resolution

Olson Comments on Five-Year Anniversary of Iraq War Resolution

For Immediate Release

ANOKA – Bob Olson, a DFL candidate in the 6th Congressional District, released the following statement regarding the five-year anniversary of the vote to authorize the Iraq War:

"Five years ago this week, in the middle of a hard-fought midterm election campaign, Americans witnessed Congress effectively hand President Bush a blank check to wage war against Iraq.

"I opposed this from the beginning. While Saddam Hussein was a ruthless dictator, he was not an imminent threat to American security and launching a war against his regime diverted our attention away from Osama bin Laden, whose organization murdered nearly 3,000 Americans on Sept. 11, 2001.

"As of Wednesday night, 3,820 American troops have paid with their lives for a tragically flawed policy. While people of good conscience disagreed on the right course of action five years ago, I think we can all recognize today that it's time for a new direction -- one in which Iraqis stand up and take ownership of their country and American troops are redeployed out of a religious civil war.

"Our military has toppled a dictator, verified that Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction and paved the way for Iraqi democracy. Now it's time for Congress and the president to come together and give our troops the exit plan they have long-since earned."

The Iraq War Resolution passed in the House on Oct. 10, 2002, and in the Senate the following day.

Minnesota Sens. Mark Dayton and Paul Wellstone opposed the measure, as did Minnesota Reps. Betty McCollum, Jim Oberstar and Martin Sabo.

More information is available at www.bobolson.org.

In my humble opinion as a Veteran, Elwyn Tinklenberg has zero credibility on Iraq.

Dump Bachmann posts on Tinklenberg

More at DB on the perpetually changing stances of Elwyn Tinklenberg.

More good news for Bob Olson

From Liberal in the Land of Conservative! Great find!

As a businessman and tax attorney, Bob fully understands the social and economic issues that impact working and middle class Minnesotans.

Political Muse also has a few stories on Congresswoman Bachmann's horrible votes on issues important to residents of the 6th CD, children's health care and the spike in foreclosures throughout the district.

Bachmann failed to support either bill. Bachmann is accountable to the finance industry interest groups.

Olson, a banker, would be accountable to the people.

Gotta love politicians who put politics before the people...

Jim Huhtala to Lead Bob Olson's Campaign

Yeah, that's me quoted in the press release.

Jim's a great guy and the right fit for the campaign. It reaffirms Olson's commitment to winning this race by engaging activists and citizens alike in the 6th, and not relying solely upon outsiders who know nothing about Greater Minnesota and the small farm communities that make up the northern and western 6th CD.


ANOKA – Longtime DFL activist Jim Huhtala has been tapped to lead Bob Olson's campaign in the 6th Congressional District.

Huhtala served 12 years on the Becker School Board and was twice the DFL-endorsed candidate in State House District 16B.

"What happens in Washington matters here locally," Huhtala said. "But for too long we've had representatives who seem more concerned about playing Washington political games than focusing on what's happening in places like Bayport, Ramsey or Becker. Bob Olson will change that, absolutely."

In 2002, Huhtala retired from UPS, where he was a member of the Teamsters. He first met Olson this summer after being invited by local campaign volunteers to discuss labor-related issues with the candidate. The two hit it off from the start.

"I'm very pleased Jim was willing to accept this position," Olson said. "I've been nothing but impressed with his knowledge of the district and the issues we face. I have no doubt he's the right man to lead a campaign in the 6 th District."

In addition to launching strong challenges to now-embattled state Rep. Mark Olson, Huhtala has worked on numerous campaigns in the 6th District, served as the Sherburne County DFL chairman and been a delegate to the state DFL convention and the DFL State Central Committee.

"Jim brings to this race strong local experience that you're not going to get from some St. Paul- or Washington-based consultant," said Jerry Hiniker of Blaine. "If we're going to beat Michele Bachmann we can't just play politics as usual. That's her game. We need a strong grassroots effort and that's what Jim will deliver."

Hal Kimball agreed.

"Jim's a coalition builder," said Kimball, an Annandale resident who was the DFL-endorsed candidate last year in Senate District 18. "He'll bring party volunteers and people concerned about a variety of issues together to win this race. Everyone will have a seat at the table."

Olson launched his congressional campaign in July. He's running to redeploy American troops out of Iraq's civil war, break our dependence on foreign oil and give Middle Class Americans the fair shake they deserve on issues like taxation, health care, job creation and education.

Olson is the owner of St. Stephen State Bank, a tax lawyer and the founder of the American Sustainable Energy Council.

FYI, Minnesota Monitor and Minnesota Campaign Report have the scoop as well.

How much did your "fiscal conservative" haul in?

The SC Times has a great piece up today about how much in per diem and other forms of compensation legislators can take home.

Note I was strongly opposed to the Senate raising the per diem rate.

So, how did our local "fiscal conservatives" do?

Rep Sondra Erickson $24,521
Rep Mark Olson $19,414
Rep Bruce Anderson $20,402
Rep Tom Emmer $11,711
Rep Ron Shimanski $17,135
Rep Dean Urdahl $19,971
Rep Dan Severson $25,126
Rep Laura Brod $10,256
Senator Steve Dille $24,694
Senator Amy Koch $22,172
Senator Betsy Wergin $24,158
Senator Michelle Fischbach $27,162
Senator Joe Gimse $27,801
Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen $30,619

And two of our favorite conservatives..."Friend's of the Taxpayer"...
Rep Randy Demmer $23,627
Rep Marty Seifert $28,038

All that from "fiscal conservatives"! At least Emmer and Brod held true to their "fiscal conservative" values, the others, including Dean Urdahl, Marty Seifert, Randy Demmer, and Amy Koch, sold out for a few more bucks a day.

Strib "hot links"

While it covered the Tinklenberg announcement and some speculation on the 6th, it posted the link to my Minnesota Campaign Report post on why I support Bob Olson for Congress.

Shameless plug complete...

A response to the Advocate anti-gas tax LTE

Mike Worcester from Cokato writes:

A letter in last week's Advocate takes State Sen. Steve Dille to task for supporting an increase in the state's gas tax. The letter writer (David Anderson, Londsdale) goes to great length to assert that last session's transportation bill included a number of new taxes and/or fees that will further burden the state's drivers.

For example, the writer speaks about a "wheelage tax." One problem though is that this proposal was not directed at all vehicles in the state. This proposal was only to allow certain metro-area counties to assess a fee on vehicles registered in their borders to help fund construction projects. And why, one should wonder, are counties being forced to take this step? Because the state has not done its job in properly funding transportation construction.

The letter writer also uses the phrase "there has not been a gas tax increase recently." Recently? Does almost two decades - 19 years to be precise - qualify as recently? Not, I doubt, in the eyes of most Minnesotans and residents of Senate District 18.

Falling bridges aside, this state is doing a tremendous disservice to its economic competitiveness by continuing to ignore the issue. Asking Minnesota motorists to ante up a small amount more per gallon must be part of an overall transportation solution.

Remember, Dean Urdahl voted for the gas tax before he was called into the Principal's office and told to vote no, sustaining the Governor's veto.

Gotta love politicians who put politics before the people!

Another Olson endorsement

Check out this great write up over at Liberal in the Land of Conservative!

*I am impressed with a man who talked about seeking the advice of others rather than simply claiming his views were the only course.

Absolutely! Having spoken to Bob a few times now, he seeks opinion much less than he offers it, the sign of a good businessman!

On a side note, Bob Hill has announced that he is leaving the 6th CD race and may possibly enter a State House race. I have had multiple discussions with Bob Hill as well. I have a great deal of respect for Bob and wish him the best!

He will serve the people in 52B well!

The benefits Veterans cannot get

Kare 11 led with a story last night on Minnesota Veterans and how they are getting screwed out of hundreds of dollars a month in education benefits.

"It's pretty much a slap in the face," Anderson said. "I think it was a scheme to save money, personally. I think it was a leadership failure by the senior Washington leadership, once again failing the soldiers."

We covered the same issue back in July, via the Strib. Leadership in Washington has been failing our Veterans for decades.

Whether it's our Atomic Era Veterans who were exposed to nuclear blasts out in the deserts of Nevada and New Mexico, Vietnam Vets exposed to Agent Orange, Gulf War I Veterans exposed to Sarin Gas, Depleted Uranium munitions, and multiple non-FDA approved vaccinations, and our soldiers coming home from Iraq now, Veterans have been getting shortchanged on their benefits for decades.

Regardless of the political party in power I might add.

Al over at deadissue has a post from the Daily Kos that adds that 22,000 soldiers will be denied access to mental health care as they have been deemed having a "preexisting condition".

“The Pentagon has informed thousands of American soldiers in Iraq that their Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder was a pre-existing condition from before they ever joined the military. In other words, NO TREATMENT, NO INSURANCE, NO NOTHING!

More than 22,000 soldiers serving in Iraq have been kicked out of the US military entirely – booted from a war zone straight to the streets – for seeking treatment for the psychological effects of combat and brain injuries. Now, they’re jobless, without medical coverage, and in immediate need of medical treatment that Bush’s Pentagon/VA absolutely refuses to provide.”

Are we all Rush Limbaugh "phony soldiers"? Appears to me, there is a lot of phony leadership out in Washington.

Both Senator Klobuchar and Senator Coleman are looking into the matter. It's also noted that 6 Congressional members from Minnesota are looking into it.

Anyone want to bet me that the two that are AWOL are Michele Bachmann and John Kline?

Now six of Minnesota's members of the House of Representatives have asked the Secretary of the Army to look into it.So have Senators Amy Klobuchar (D) and Norm Coleman (R).

Darrell Issa, drunk from the "kool-aid"

I heard California Congressman Darrell Issa's comments on Blackwater while driving home last night.

Simply insane!

While holding the infamous Move On ad, Rep. Issa stated,

"I think it's been made incredibly clear by ... the Democrat side that this is not about Blackwater," Issa said in his opening statement. "What we're hearing today is in fact a repeat of the MoveOn.org attack on Gen. Petraeus's patriotism. ... What they couldn't do to our men and women in uniform, they'll simply switch targets."

$550 a day, minimum to serve as a Blackwater mercenary. In 5 days, they make as much as some enlisted soldiers make in a month, without the restrictions of the Uniformed Code of Military Justice.

During a strange line of questioning by Issa, he had Blackwater exec Erik Prince disclose his strong GOP and Whitehouse ties. He disclosed that his sister was the chair of the Michigan Republican Party and that he had given over $200,000 to Republicans in the past decade.

Issa statement and line of questioning continue the GOP method of distracting Americans from the real issues at hand.

Isaa comparing Congressional oversight over Blackwaters actions in Iraq to Move On's Ad's is absurd.

Congressional oversight...where was Norm Coleman on this one?

Vote Vets responds to Rush

Wow!

Why I support Bob Olson for Congress

I support Bob Olson for Congress because:

I'm a Veteran and cannot stand political leaders who waver on the war in Iraq.
I'm a college student and want a leader who understands Congress' role in helping keep college affordable for working and middle class Minnesotans.
I'm a tax payer and support a real tax attorney, not a IRS Enforcement Agent posing as a tax attorney.
I'm a former candidate who will run again soon! Most campaigns swoop in with their outsiders and rob local races of much needed volunteer support and money. Olson's grassroots efforts build our party, not dismantle it every election cycle.
I'm pro-union.
I support the family farmer and sustainable energy.
I am a strong Democrat, as verified by the VAN :)
I am pro-choice.
I support same sex marriage. This is a human rights issue!

Lastly, and the most important reason I support Bob Olson...

I want to win in the 6th and Bob Olson gives us the best shot at unseating Michele Bachmann.

Social moderates lose in the 6th. Janet Roberts lost to Mark Kennedy in 2002 getting only 35% of the vote. People who vote on social conservatism will vote for Bachmann. I don't want a repeat of 02.

Elwyn Tinklenberg is a good man, but I do not think he is the right person at the right time.

Olson is straight forward on the issues that matter most to me. He has never wavered on the war in Iraq. He is a man of conviction.

Tinklenberg's position on Iraq is an excuse. For Veterans, he shows no leadership. He would have supported President Bush's decision, "based on the information at the time".

Wellstone, Dayton, Oberstar, McCollum, and Sabo had the courage to vote no. Olson would have as well, Tinklenberg would have voted to send 3,800 soldiers to their deaths.

Tinklenberg has vast experience on transportation issues. However, some will view his rant hours after the concrete he failed to fully fund fell hundreds of feet into the Mississippi River, a case of CYA.

Finally, while on the subject of Minnesota transportation commissioners, one of the lowlights this past week was former Jesse Ventura Administration Commissioner of Transportation Elwyn Tinklenberg. Mere hours after the bridge went down, he was being interviewed on KARE-11 TV (our local NBC affiliate) standing in front of the dark Capitol building blathering (there is no better word) about MnDOT's "constant deterioration of the budget, constant layoffs, failure to replace people," etc. Most of what he said was not only not true, but it was crass in the immediate aftermath of the bridge falling down. And for the record, the collective opinion on Tinklenberg in the transportation job was much worse than Molnau's.

Why did he say in May he was not running, but then decide, after the 35W bridge collapse, to run in the 6th?

May was too close to the last election, but October is just right? Sorry, I just don't get it...

I have some problems with the ambiguity of Tinklenberg's stances on Iraq and the social issues.

Back to Bob!

Bob Olson is brilliant. Seeing him work the room at the Founders Day event was great. He had a witty sense of humor that immediately breaks down a barrier between a candidate and a potential supporter.

Bob is a subject matter expert on Sustainable Energy issues and the tax code. Seeing him speak about these issues gave me goosebumps. He was well reasoned, attentive, and articulate.

Sustainable Energy sources in the 6th would mean jobs. It would spur an economy that the SC Times has recently noted that the St Cloud area is 40% likely to fall into a recession in 2008.

Olson gets it, he understands that Wall Street looks great, while Main St rural Central Minnesota is suffering.

I support Bob Olson because I know where he stands and will not waver in the strong political winds that blow through the 6th.

Simply put, he's the right candidate at the right time.

Tinklenberg running because of the 35W Bridge

That was my gut feeling when I first read at Dump Bachmann that Tinklenberg was in the race for the 6th.

The West Central Tribune has the scoop.

Former Minnesota transportation chief Elwyn Tinklenberg said Monday he's running for Congress because of problems brought to light by the Minneapolis freeway bridge collapse.

Really? It took the 35W bridge to fall to bring transportation issues to light?

People across the 6th are going to see this for what it really is, politicizing the 35W Bridge and I shudder to think what the right will dig up from Tinklenberg's term as Transportation Commissioner.