A Bonoff excuse?

Trying to wrap my mind around the MDE / Bonoff posts and her campaign response over at Publius.

This bill was authored with the best of intentions, but it became clear could be used as a vehicle for anti-choice legislation, particularly because the bill’s language had changed during the interim.

Interesting...

On the Senate side, SF 1739, the Grieving Parents Act, was introduced on 3/12/2007. According to the Minnesota Senate site, the legislation, on the Senate side, has remained unchanged, other than Senator Bonoff striking her name from the bill on 3/13/2008 and Senator Betsy Wergin becoming the Chief Author.

The substantive change comes on the House side, in the House version of this bill, HF 0599.


The House version was introduced on 2/5/2007.

The amendment in question came on 3/8/2007.

Thissen from the Committee on Health and Human Services to which was referred:

H. F. No. 599, A bill for an act relating to health; establishing the Grieving Parents Act; requiring a mother to be notified of burial and cremation options in the case of a miscarriage; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 145.

Reported the same back with the following amendments:

Page 1, line 10, after "miscarriage" insert "occurring after a gestation period of less than 20 weeks"

It's easy to see the slippery slope on choice here.

However, Bonoff offered the bill 4 days after this amendment was made.

The House version of the bill was returned to committee, per House Rule 4.20 for the interim period between sessions.

The House version of the bill returned in 2008 to be amended again.

Thissen from the Committee on Health and Human Services to which was referred:

H. F. No. 599, A bill for an act relating to health; establishing the Grieving Parents Act; requiring a mother to be notified of burial and cremation options in the case of a miscarriage; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 145.

Reported the same back with the following amendments:

Page 1, line 21, delete "2007" and insert "2008"

With the recommendation that the bill be amended without further recommendation.

The report was adopted.

No "changes" were made in the interim. In fact, substantive changes occurred to the House Bill BEFORE Senator Bonoff offered her bill in the Senate.

From my perspective, Bonoff just offered a pretty lame excuse for pulling her name from this bill.

MDE has a post up about a conversation amongst people who worked with Bonoff on the legislation.

In my interview, LeVang and Maclean had harsh words about Bonoff's handling of this legislation. They claim Bonoff "mismanaged" the Grieving Parents Act in the Minnesota Senate, they feel Bonoff misled them about outside groups being concerned about the phantom language changes in the bill and that Bonoff being focused on her congressional campaign, delayed legislative activity in the Minnesota Senate.

LeVang said "we don't want to say liar liar pants on fire, but there's a lot of inconsistencies here. [Bonoff] stretches the truth to fit her own scenario."

Maclean's criticism goes even further. She claims Bonoff specifically told her in a phone coversation that she "didn't really know this congressional seat would be coming available" and that she'd "been very busy with the campaign." Maclean said Bonoff coldly told her that "your bill is no longer a priority for me."

"Your bill is no longer a priority for me." If true, damning words from a Congressional candidate.

Regardless of the spin from MDE and other right wing bloggers who will jump on this, the story from the Bonoff campaign fails the integrity test for me.


Bonoff offered the legislation. She offered it after the controversial language in the House version was added. With a veto proof majority in the Senate and a strong majority in the House, surely something like that could have been negotiated via conference committee.

Wright Republican: Emmer Hypocrisy At Its Finest

Drew Emmer's latest actions against Karl Bremer are a case of hypocrisy at its finest, Wright County Republican style.

Anyone remember the Stillwater levy mess this past fall?


Drew Emmer went after an anonymous blogger who posted personal info of those who opposed the levy.

The organized effort to systematically harass, intimidate and retaliate against citizens who oppose the Stillwater ISD 834 tax levy began during the Summer of 2007.

An anonymous blogger known only as "Stillwater Infidel aka NSA" posted personal information about folks who publicly spoke out against the tax levies at School Board meetings, Open Forums, in Letters to the Editor, and/or posted campaign signs on their private property.

Emmer ends his rant by saying;

There is a lingering sense of hope that the entire story will be thoroughly investigated by local, county, state and federal law enforcement and ultimately reported by other ethical news sources going forward.

In case anyone has forgotten:

Intimidation is against the law.
Harrassment is against the law.
Trespassing is against the law.
Defamation is against the law.
Bombing a mailbox is against the law.
Stealing is against the law.
Attempting to restrict a person's right to express their political views is a violation of the U.S. Constitution.

For the record, I agreed with Drew on this. Personally attacking those who oppose a school levy or other political endeavor is reprehesible. Politicians are fair game. Those private citizens who work in the trenches on these issues, in support of or opposition to are "hands off".



I listened to Jason Lews of KTLK infamy attack Karl Bremer last week for his opposition to the Veterans for Freedom event at Forest Lake High School. The event was later moved to a local VFW.


The venom Lewis and other conservatives had for those who opposed this event and specifically Karl Bremer was shocking.


Minnesota Monitor has a detailed post.


Dump Bachmann covers it here.


It was Minnesota Monitor's mention of Minnesota Majority that caught my eye.


"Isn't Drew Emmer a part of that group?"


He sure is!


Minnesota Monitor captured a screen shot of Drew Emmer's frantic plea for the Minnesota Majority community to personally contact Karl Bremer.

Note that Emmer posted Bremer's complete address and phone number, which was redacted by Minnesota Monitor. While Emmer's post was changed later, the damage was done.

Emmer's work here is as reprehensible as the anonymous Stillwater blogger. Drew Emmer spent at least 30 posts on the anonymous Stillwater blogger, labeling him an "infidel".

Drew Emmer has become the known infidel now in exposing the personal information on Karl Bremer.

I know, we should get his nephew, State Rep Tom Emmer, and Rep Laura Brod to launch another wasteful inquiry to the Office of the Legislative Auditor or another state agency they'd love to gut fiscally once again!

Emmer posed the question on his own blog, "Did the Stillwater Infidel Break the Law?"

There's more to this story. And I suspect there are more folks involved. It will do us all a lot of good to first isolate the possible legal ramifications associated with the Stillwater Infidel. We need to thoroughly clean this up and outline the specifics as to what is acceptable and unacceptable political speech on the blogosphere.

Ask yourself how this issue would have been handled if SI was a republican.

We know how it's being handled since Emmer is a Republican. The Conservative radio waves and blogosphere will protect him.

KSTP should do a story on Drew's hypocrisy. His attempts to stifle Mr. Bremer violate his constitutional right to express his own political view, as previously stated by Emmer during the Stillwater Infidel rant.

So this is who Republican's treat a military veteran?

Olson's lit piece on Tinklenberg

The parents had some interesting mail when I came home this weekend...

Olson's piece on Tinklenberg's evolving positions.

Has CD 3 gotten the "circular firing squad" scolding as well?

I've been scolded for being a part of the "circular firing squad" here in the 6th.

Whether you think it's fair or not, the questions we posed needed to be answered.

We know that the race in the 3rd CD has heated up as well. Check out Mn Blue for a great post!

Minn Post even covered the fray on Friday.

"According to her, I'm a Republican and I'm a deadbeat without a job," Madia says of the way the campaign tone has changed in the last few days. "I'm a little surprised. I don't really know what to say. Politics, I guess. But it's not my style. I think it disrespects the voters.''

Bonoff launches the attack

To turn around Madia's clear lead, Bonoff has turned up the heat. This week, DFLers in the 3rd received a mailing that claimed Madia had been a Republican until recently, that he "has a history of denouncing unions" and that his "past positions on education differ from today.''

"She makes it sound like I was saying some of these things just yesterday,'' Madia says in response.

In fact, he did support John McCain for president in 2000, though, while in the Marines, he supported John Kerry and has actively supported DFL candidates ever since.

Madia suggests it's rather silly for DFLers to put down former Republicans, given the fact that any DFLer who is endorsed will need to woo some disenchanted Republicans if the DFL is to end a half-century slump.

And he did write some rather tepid stuff about unions for the Minnesota Daily in 1996, when professors were threatening to organize.

"Unions are more interested in politics than kids,'' was one of the things he wrote then. In another piece, Madia was critical of the NEA, calling it the "single biggest impediment to educational reform.''

What of that vile stuff?

"I was 18 years old when I was writing that,'' says Madia. "People do change as they grow older.''

Bonoff is unapologetic about the changing tone of the campaign. This is the fourth quarter of the campaign, she says, and she's trailing.

"I'm not nervous, I'm not afraid, I'm driven,'' she says. "I do believe I am the candidate who can win this district, and I believe it's important that we do win this district, because I believe this campaign is about the fact that this nation is in trouble. We must change directions.''

To buttress her claim that she's the candidate who can win, Bonoff often refers to a poll that was commissioned by her campaign a few weeks ago. The poll shows that in head-to-head competition, Bonoff leads Paulsen, 44-40. The same poll shows that Madia trails Paulsen, 43-40.

Given margins of error, the poll shows everything to be pretty much a dead heat. And actually, no one is more excited about the results than Madia.

"I know they released it to show that I couldn't win,'' he says. "But the way I see it is that I'm the guy who nobody's heard of yet and I'm already within three points of the Republican. We're thrilled.''

I am curious whether or not leadership stepped into the fray in the 3rd and scolded Bonoff for the "circular firing squad" work she's pushed forward in the race.

Or, is it fine for the anointed candidate to hurl accusations forward, while the challenger must stay clean?

Army of Dude posts on 4,000 and more

Alex, at Army of Dude, continues to post some powerful diaries. Head over there and check it out!

I'd love to point out one or two posts to check out, but I can't. AoD writes so well about these issues...it's a must read.

SC Times confirms Tinklenberg's domination

I knew St Cloud would be a strong Tinklenberg area.

Larry Schumacher, SC Times, confirms Tinklenberg's delegate domination, in today's SC Times.

In Senate District 15, DFL hopeful Elwyn Tinklenberg's supporters appeared to have won 11 of the 14 delegates the convention will send to a 6th Congressional District convention set for April 26 in Andover. Supporters of Bob Olson took two of the spots and one remained undeclared.

The Tinklenberg campaign claimed similar success in the Senate District 14 convention.

It over, been over for a while now.

Elwyn Tinklenberg will be the DFL endorsed candidate coming out of the 6th, whether we like it or not. It's obvious that he has answered the lobbying questions and inconsistent position stances to a satisfactory manner, for the delegates.

Congresswoman Bachmann will surely ask these questions in the general election. I hope that he's able to answer these questions without playing the "divisive politics" card he played at the Anoka debate.

Tinklenberg's biggest problem coming into the general election will be whether or not the electorate can trust him. He will have to work hard, in the face of Bachmann's campaign war chest and Conservative PAC's protecting her, to stem the tide of ads that will surely come out against him.

Smooth talk will not alleviate the problem. As a matter of fact, smooth talk will make us 0-5 here in the 6th, running campaigns the way the DCCC and leadership wants us to run campaigns.

Tinklenberg wins big in 14 and 15

I'm hearing Tinklenberg captured at least 10 delegates at each convention this weekend with Olson getting about 2 at each.

Many, including myself, called this race over 2 weeks ago.

Today's results mean Olson is mathematically eliminated from getting the endorsement, barring something really big happening.

Olson ought to hold a press conference Monday and bow out as gracefully as possible.

Big day in CD 6 today

Conventions in SD 14, 15 and Benton County, 37 delegates up for grabs.

We'll try to get a report up later.

Olson needs a big day to halt Tinklenberg's momentum.

No Bachmann earmark for DeSoto?

It did not surprise any of us when we learned that Congresswoman Bachmann would not support a Congressional earmark for the repair or replacement of the DeSoto Bridge in St Cloud.

Bachmann said she would do what she could to help offset the state’s cost of replacing the bridge and to help several upcoming local transportation projects, but ruled out earmarking, St. Augusta Mayor Bob Kroll said.

I understand some of the contempt for Congressional earmarks. However the DeSoto Bridge is not a "bridge to no where". It serves as a major thoroughfare in the St Cloud area. It's vital to the St Cloud area. If Congresswoman Bachmann cannot understand the importance of projects such as this, then she is completely incapable of serving her constituents.

I'm certain both Bob Olson and Elwyn Tinklenberg would be stronger advocates for their constituents.

The 6th CD may be a lean GOP district. I've heard from many that Bachmann cannot be beaten in 2008, by either Olson or Tinklenberg.

While Bachmann's no earmark position may have been noble in her eyes, it's a key position that could come back to haunt her.

Iran-Iraq controversy...

Presidential groping...

All funny stuff that grabs headlines.

Failing to support the repair or replacement of a key bridge in Central Minnesota because Bachmann is too good for earmarks?

It could be a significant flaw in Bachmann's 2008 re-election efforts.

Political Muse owes me a keyboard!

For posting this! Wow...this is disturbing!

Iraq: The First 5 Years

From the Daily Show!

Ashwin responds

Wow! I've been impressed with Madia's campaign for quite some time. I'm even more impressed now!

The true test of a politician's character, however, isn't what he or she says when things are going well, It's how their campaign responds to adversity—and that's what our effort faces today.

Many of you may have already seen the mailing Sen. Bonoff recently distributed. This misleading attack on my character represents exactly the kind of politics that I am fighting to change—and I won't be a part of it by drafting similar assaults against Sen. Bonoff. Instead, I'd like to reiterate that I respect Sen. Bonoff's service to our community and value the ideas that she has brought to this race. It has been my honor to run against her for this endorsement.

At the same time, I know I need to set the record straight—because in politics, you can't afford to let the mud dry. So, here are the facts:

• As I stated publicly in November, January, and last week (as well as during many stump speeches throughout my time on the campaign trail), I considered myself a moderate Republican as a student at the University of Minnesota. I left the Republican Party in 2002 after watching President Bush rush our nation into an unnecessary and wasteful war, destroy our federal budget, attack the LGBT community, and brand anyone with the courage to challenge him unpatriotic.

• The articles that I wrote as an 18-year-old kid are authentic. As a teenager who knew nothing about what unions are, how they work, and the important role they play in our society, I used ill-advised rhetoric in discussing teacher's unions. Like many others, my beliefs have changed over time and I don't believe the same things now that I did just out of high school. Today, I'm proud to be endorsed by several unions: Teamsters Local 120, United Auto Workers Minnesota State CAP Council, and Communications Workers of America Local 7200.

• I have nothing but respect for the public education system. As a graduate of Osseo Senior High School and the University of Minnesota, I am a product of the public education system and wouldn't have the opportunities I enjoy today had it not been for our state's proud tradition of excellent K-12 and higher education.

• I will work to bring the Iraq War to a quick and responsible conclusion. I wish I could snap my fingers and end this ongoing tragedy, but as a Marine and Iraq War veteran, I know it's not that easy. That's why I've offered a detailed plan that gets our troops home as quickly as possible, while also giving America the flexibility needed to prevent genocide and protect our aid workers and diplomats.

• I am 100-percent pro-choice. Not only will I defend reproductive choice, I will lead the charge against "Trojan Horse" legislation designed to infringe on the rights guaranteed by Roe v. Wade.

Read more at MnBlue!

Fisking the Rep Shimanski survey

State Representative for 18A, Ron Shimanski, recently sent out a Legislative Questionnaire.

In an email I received a few weeks ago, he provides a sample of the results thus far and encourages those that want to participate, to call or email him to obtain a survey.

Question 1. Which system of health care reform do you prefer?

A. I'd like to see a health care system that allow freedom and choice, privacy and security, and no government take-over.

B. I am willing to pay higher taxes and face potential care rationing so the government can provide single payer health coverage to all Minnesotans, regardless of income.

Shimanski provides early numbers on what people think:

Respondents replied at an overwhelming 88 percent rate they prefer a health care system that includes things like freedom and choice, privacy and security, and no government take-over. Gaining only 12 percent of your support is a health care model that includes higher taxes and potential care rationing in a single-payer model.

Could these questions have been worse? Seriously?

With the questions worded so poorly, so politically loaded, it's amazing 12% supported a single payer model.

50 kids at a local elementary school recently took part in an informal survey (aka, a show of hands).

They were posed the question, which would you prefer?

A. A holiday from school so that they can go sledding and watch Sponge Bob.

B. A holiday from school in which you have to spend the whole day with you little brother or sister, dressed up!

100% of students wanted to watch Sponge Bob and go sledding.

The next day, they were posed with the nearly the same question, just worded a bit different.

What is your favorite holiday?

A. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

B. Christmas.

In a complete reversal, 100% of the students said Christmas as their favorite holiday. Note, each question talks about the same holiday, they are just presented differently.

That's the problem with Rep Shimanski's Legislative Questionnaire. It's a politically loaded questionnaire.

His question about health care feeds on fear mongering. He continues his fear mongering with the final question on his survey.

"Should Minnesotans be required to provide photo identification in order to vote?"

Area constituents also show strong support for voter protection,indicating at an 84-percent rate photo ID should be a requirement to vote. This would be effective in preventing voter fraud on election day and make it easier for election officials certify fair elections.

Shimanski and his colleagues, are creating a problem where no such problem exists.

The Voter ID requirement is troublesome for many reasons. It creates a backdoor poll tax. If you can't afford the $25 for a State of MN ID, you would not be able to vote.

In 1964, Congress ratified the 24th Amendment which banned poll taxes. A photo ID is just another hurdle for potential voters to jump over. Ultimately, it disenfranchises hundreds of thousands of voters, particularly low-income, communities of color, senior citizens, women and young people.

It would also appear that Shimanski will use "smokers" as a constituency group this coming fall. At the bottom of his survey, he lists several boxes for people to check. A constituent ID.

Veteran/Active Military, Parent, Teacher/ Student, Smoker, Hunter/ Angler, Senior Adult, Business Owner, Pro-life.

Why did Shimanski feel the need to post the preliminary results and ask for more surveys? Any statistical validity is called into question by releasing this info then calling for more surveys. We've already discussed the poorly worded questions...

It's important for our elected officials to know what's in the minds of their constituents (hear that Congresswoman Bachmann?). However, with such politically loaded, rhetoric filled questionnaires, Shimanski is getting the constituents to tell him what he wants them to hear, so he can remain in St Paul and not advocate for the people of 18A.

Bonoff drilled for Madia hit piece

Woke up this morning to a post at Minnesota Campaign Report on Terri Bonoff's latest campaign mis-step.

Again let me reiterate: I like Terri Bonoff as a legislator, as a leader, and as a person. But this kind of junk has no place in this congressional race. It doesn't serve the district, it doesn't serve the DFL, and it sure as hell doesn't serve Minnesota to pull Clintonian win-at-all-costs-damn-the-consequences tactics out of the holster at this point in the campaign.

Gavin Sullivan has the letter Bonoff sent out.

On April 12, Terri Bonoff is going to lose. To complicate affairs, your candidate is determined not to lose gracefully. In a bizarre effort to inflict the maximum possible damage upon her own reputation--and yours--Sen. Bonoff has gone 'hard negative' against Ashwin Madia. As people who have hitched your own reputational wagon to Terri Bonoff's backward-looking, negative, increasingly desperate campaign, I ask you to read her disgraceful letter in full.

I've read it and it's pretty damning.

It's too bad. I like Senator Bonoff. She'd be a great candidate in the 6th! Unfortunately for her, she's running against a movement. Madia is creating a movement in the 3rd and there is little Bonoff can do to stem that tide.

In talking to others about the races in the 3rd and the 6th, I have the feeling that progressives will flock to the 3rd and 2nd to work for Madia and Sarvi. That's probably what Blueman will do, since I have been told time and time again that my "time as a Democrat is over."

CD 6 delegate lists incomplete/missing: Olson Persevers

This coming weekend is a very important weekend in the CD 6 race. While I posted over a week ago that the race in the 6th CD is over, it appears as though the Olson campaign is making a strong push for delegates this weekend in SD 14, 15, and 51.

My delegate math puts Olson behind Tinklenberg by a healthy margin, somewhere along the lines of 65% Tinklenberg, 35% Olson.

I had an hour long conversation with Olson last Friday. He's been hard at work on the phones talking to each individual delegate and strongly disputes my delegate math and the math purported by the Tinklenberg Campaign.

Despite predictions of the demise of the Olson campaign, Bob and his rag-tag fugitive fleet, persevere onto the coming conventions.

One thing struck me as odd, and quite frankly, got me pretty fired up from my conversation with Olson this past Friday.

He told me he was having a hard time getting the information for the CD 6 delegates. He hadn't gotten the info from SD 56 (a convention nearly a month ago) and many others.

He had contacted party leadership from the top of the 6th Congressional District and even SD and CU officials. The lists are very hard to come by. For the most part, the VAN has not been updated with these important lists.

It forced me to ask a lot of questions about what the heck is going on here.

Why doesn't party leadership in the 6th have a running list of who the delegates and alternates are to date?

What is taking the CU/SD's so long to get these lists out? Why is this so complicated? Is there a plot to keep these lists from Olson? While I have a hard time imagining that taking place, with the attempts to stifle debate in the 6th, I think everything ought to be considered.

As the Secretary of the Wright County DFL (who missed the convention due to family health concerns), I have asked at least 4 different people (some multiple times) for minutes and delegate lists from the Wright County Convention.

Why can't we get these important lists to our candidates?

If were struggling with lists and support now, how bad will it get during the heat of the campaign?

Political Muse posts Tinklenberg/Olson debate footage

Political Muse has provided the delegates and voters of the 6th CD a great service by posting the footage from the debate.

There is some question as to who fired the first negative salvo on that fateful Sunday afternoon. In Elwyn's introduction, he cited the Larry Jacobs Op Ed, that Mike Ciresi ripped to shreds, about starting small. Seemingly, it was a shot at Olson.

We'll continue to go through the great You Tubes posted by Political Muse.

Taconite Good, Road Salt Bad?

As we made our epic journey down to Wabasso for Easter, I flipped through the Sunday Op-Ed section of the Strib.

One headline caught my eye.

"The Trouble With Road Salt".

I showed Bluewoman the headline and posed the question, "what do you think I'll write about?"

She knew instantly...

If road salt is so bad for the environment, what about the controversial use of taconite tailings? Remember, the mining industry can no longer dump them in Lake Superior but we can use them on roads.

The effort to reduce road-salt use is driven largely by the legal requirement to protect aquatic life. However, as is often the case with environmental regulation, reduced road-salt pollution would have other benefits. A well-tuned adaptive management strategy could actually improve winter-driving conditions using less road salt (a shift from a brawn strategy to a brains strategy). Using less road salt would reduce corrosion of vehicles and bridge decks. According to a study by the Federal Highway Administration, bridge-deck corrosion costs $8.3 billion per year in direct costs (and 10 times more in indirect costs), much of it caused by salt. The same study reported that $23.4 billion is spent annually to avoid or repair corrosion to vehicles. The effort to reduce road-salt use would probably yield economic benefits that far exceed costs.

Some would argue the same with taconite tailings.

Pawlenty Going Back on Higher Ed Promise?

One of my favorite legislators recently spoke out against Governor Pawlenty's proposal to gut higher education to balance the state's budget.

The nearly $380 million in cuts to the U and to MnSCU triggered five years of steep, double-digit tuition increases. As a result, according to a study just released by the governor's own Office of Higher Education, tuition in Minnesota is now double the national average. In addition, Minnesota has become a Big Ten leader in student debt, with the average graduate leaving school $21,000 in the hole. Last year, we successfully put an end to double-digit tuition increases by nearly filling the funding gap left by the cuts in 2003, but the governor's new proposed cuts would derail this progress.

MnSCU faced a $193 million cut, $183 million was made up through tuition increases. The Governor's cuts were placed directly on the backs of college students and their parents.

During Pawlenty's first term, tuition at our state colleges rose nearly 70% and much higher at our community and technical colleges. The increases moved Minnesota from one of the most affordable states for higher education and into the Top 15 in the nation for tuition.

As recent as 2006, Minnesota earned a D when it comes to affordability of higher education.

And Governor Pawlenty wants to cut higher education?

Remember that Governor Pawlenty, during his 2006 reelection, talked a lot about higher education. He labeled the tuition increases of his first term as "excessive" and he promised to hold down future increases if reelected.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty acknowledged in a major policy address Tuesday that tuition costs at Minnesota's public colleges and universities rose too fast during his first term, and he promised to hold down further increases if he is reelected.

"The tuition-level increases were too high,'' he said in a speech at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute in Minneapolis. He added an explanation: "Keep in mind that we had a budget crisis of historic magnitude in 2003. It's now 2006, and we've gotten to the point where we are adding back to higher education, and we will again.''

Source: Startribune, July 26, 2006

If Governor Pawlenty had the best interests of the higher education community in mind, perhaps he would take appointments to the MnSCU Board in a more serious fashion.

The Technical College Student has served 21 months beyond her June 30, 2006 term expiration.

The State University Student has served 9 months beyond the end of his June 30, 2007 term expiration. Recall the Luke Hellier case?

It's evident that Governor Pawlenty was merely playing lip service to college students and the higher education community in 2006.

I am not opposed to "trimming the fat". As the former chair of our statewide student association, our students strongly advocated for "trimming the fat" from the budgets, working to keep tuition increases as low as possible.

Now, Governor Pawlenty wants to take the axe to higher education as he works to gut it again.

Let's hope the strong DFL majorities in the House and the Senate can keep the cost of college affordable, despite the wishes of the Governor.

Local DFL endorsements: Chris Brazelton 19B

As we work to focus on local races, our next installment brings us out to Delano and DFL endorsed candidate for HD 19B, Chris Brazelton.

Chris ran in the 06 election cycle against Tom Emmer. I met Chris at the Wright County Fair, during that hottest stretch of the summer.

Chris and I had some wonderful discussions, frozen water bottle in hand, over health care, domestic violence, and the adverse impact cuts to social service programs have had on Minnesotans.

This will be even more profound based on the increase in foreclosures across Wright County and the growing need felt at food shelves across the county.

Chris Brazelton, HD 19B:

Chris Brazelton has been endorsed by the DFL to run for the Minnesota House of Representatives seat now held by Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Delano.

The district, 19B, covers a number of cities and townships in Wright County, including Otsego, Albertville and St. Michael.

Brazelton, of Delano, and Dennis Sucik of St. Michael sought the DFL endorsement for the seat.Brazelton received just over 70 percent of the vote on the first ballot to win the endorsement Saturday at the DFL Senate District 19 convention, held at Buffalo Community Middle School.

"I was thrilled to have such a strong showing of support among the delegates," Brazelton said Monday.

"Several of them volunteered on the spot to work on the campaign, many wrote checks to contribute."

She believes she can be a more effective advocate for people's issues at the Legislature than Emmer.

Brazelton describes him as "a man with a confrontational and combative style that is not serving us well."

Brazelton also ran against Emmer in 2006.

Both Brazelton and Sucik, meanwhile, addressed delegates and answered questions before the endorsement vote.

Brazelton is a child support officer with Wright County Human Services.

She graduated from Brady High School (a Catholic school that is now closed) and from Metro State University with high honors with a degree in social science (anthropology, sociology and political science).

She worked as sales coordinator for a housewares manufacturer, a paralegal, an advocate in a domestic violence agency and a waivered service coordinator for children with special needs before becoming a child support officer.

A native of central Minnesota, Brazelton is one of 11 children. She is married to Larry and has two adult children and one grandchild.

Brazelton and her husband have been doing foster care for the past several years and are currently caring for a child with special needs.

Local DFL endorsements: Jim Bakula 19A

Since it's another snowy day here at my Wright County outpost, I'll take some time to talk about local candidates, endorsed recently at the SD 19 convention.

I met Jim and his wife Roxanne over 2 years ago now at a DFL meet-up in Buffalo. It was over discussions over Iraq, health care, and education that I got to know Jim.

In my humble opinion, Bruce Anderson is in for one heck of a fight. Jim's speech at the SD 19 Breakfast of Champions event gave us a glimpse of what to expect from Jim and the Bakula Bunch.

A well organized campaign, combined with strong fundraising and a deep grassroots organizing effort should send Bruce Anderson back into private sector work.

Jim Bakula in 19A.

Jim Bakula was unanimously endorsed as the DFL candidate for 19A in Buffalo on March 15th. Mr. Bakula promises to advocate not for big government or small government but for efficient, smart and effective government. He promises to work to close loopholes, eliminate ineffective subsidies and poorly designed programs. Jim wants to reform taxes so everyone pays their fair share and that includes Minnesota’s top wage earners and corporate Minnesota.

Jim believes we can design a universal affordable health care system in which all people are insured. This would eliminate disqualifiers like “pre-existing conditions “and “non-transportability”.

He is dedicated to changing the way we finance our public schools saying, “we need to provide adequate and consistent funding and eliminate the levy referendum fiascoes, so teachers and superintendents can get back to teaching rather than wasting their time fundraising. Education funding should not be part of your property
taxes. ”

One of the biggest challenges currently facing us is how to stimulate the economy by creating jobs. This will require a multi-faceted approach using a mix of both fiscal and monetary policies. Extraordinary times require extraordinary approaches.

Jim believes labels are for cans. Very few people view every issue or facet of an issue through purely conservative or liberal eyes. He believes in working to discover areas of commonality and using them as beginnings to forge compromises. Jim believes people of good will can construct win-win solutions to our challenges.

Mr. Bakula is honored to earn the DFL endorsement and is anxious to continue his life of public service. He is energized by the influx of young and excited party volunteers who are clamoring for a change in both leadership and policies.

Winter Soldier video, Part II

Winter Soldier video Part I

Last weekend, Iraq Veterans provided testimony on what they witnessed while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Winter Soldier video's from the Vietnam War era are some of the most powerful video's I have ever seen.

Take a few minutes and check out the latest Winter Soldier.

Ciresi on Candidate Qualifications

Mike Ciresi has a letter in the Strib today talking about his qualification for office, and takes a few shots as well.

His qualifications:

•Building an internationally recognized organization that is known for leveling the playing field for those who do not have a voice against powerful interests.

•Meeting a payroll and budget of $100 million and making sure that all within our organization have health insurance and that their workers compensation is paid.

•Advising the world's largest democracy, the government of India, regarding the Bhopal disaster and establishing new international law regarding multinational corporations' liability.

•Representing individuals, unions and corporations and guiding them to resolution of personal injury, business and intellectual-property issues.

•Negotiating hundreds of settlements in which, in most instances, it was necessary to persuade and motivate the other side to compromise.

•Providing members of Congress with the information they needed to frame laws and conduct hearings that benefited the common good.

•Establishing and chairing a foundation that has invested millions of dollars addressing issues of immigration, tolerance for diversity, education, housing and other timely issues facing our state and nation.

•Cochairing the Hennepin County Commission on Homelessness.

•Serving on the Minnesota Early Learning Foundation Board and many other charitable organizations.

•Taking internationally recognized action to remove defective products from the marketplace.

•Defeating the tobacco industry and bringing, to date, almost $3 billion to Minnesota, with continuing payments of up to $200 million per year for as long as the industry exists. This money has bailed us out of a budget deficit and has paid for roads, education, health care, social services and other obligations of government.

Note the workers comp/Al Franken shot.

It's an impressive list and I do agree with his statements about his work in Minnesota over the past 30 years.

I believe these qualifications and others made me ready to serve our state and country in the Senate. I am comfortable comparing them against those of any other candidate in recent memory. Jacobs' commentary article reminded me of Theodore Roosevelt's "Man in the Arena" quote. To paraphrase: It is not the critic who counts. The credit belongs to the man who has actually been in the arena and who spends himself for a worthy cause. His place will never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.

I'd seen Mike speak at several events across Wright County and SD 18 over the past 6 months. His message resonated with me. While I strongly support Jack Nelson Pallmeyer for US Senate, Mike Ciresi was always a strong consideration for me.

Thanks for all you've done for this state Mike!

A progressive Contract with America?

Seems like a no brainer to me.

If Tinklenberg were to sign on, I bet he would make some progress with progressives.

The plan would:

End U.S. Military Action in Iraq
Use U.S. diplomatic power
Address humanitarian concerns
Restore our Constitution
Restore our military
Restore independence to the media
Create a new, U.S.-centered energy policy

What about the economy? Energy policy addresses it a bit, but with our nation facing a recession, economic policies that impact working and middle class Americans need to be discussed as well.

One part of the "contract" I love!

The need for contracting reform is substantial. Private militias have direct incentives to prolong the conflict rather than resolve it; their use needs to be phased out. Contractors must be legally accountable for their actions. War profiteering must be stopped, and those who have engaged in it need to answer for their actions.

Indeed. There seems to be a problem when the Army job I had, getting paid $24,000 a year, can be paid $100,000+ through Defense Contractors.

More to follow...

A rural GOP mutiny?

Apparently, McLeod County Republicans are not satisfied with Senator Coleman.

The past month or so, multiple stories and op ed pieces have been covered in the McLeod Chronicle.

At the Glencoe caucus.

"I'm disappointed the Republican Party is becoming too liberal," Krueger said. He pointed to the elections of Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman and the fact that former state Rep. Scott Newman was "left out to dry" in the last judicial election as proof the party has changed.

"I can't go on holding my nose," Krueger said as Arizona Sen. John McCain has surged in the polls for Republican candidate for president.

"John McCain is a liberal," Krueger lashed out. "There's no difference between (Barack) Obama, (Hillary) Clinton and McCain," he added. He pointed to the media bias as having brainwashed Republicans about McCain.

The McLeod County Convention in Silver Lake

"Your voting record is disappointing to say the least," the letter stated. "Reviewing some of your votes within the last month, we wonder if you have forgotten that you are a Republican and not a Democrat."

The letter stated Coleman's support of the "Dream Act," which allows illegal immigrants access to federal money for student loans and gives a fast-track to citizenship to millions "is a sellout to millions of taxpayers in the United States who will have to pay for 'lawbreakers' to go to school" and will bring millions more of illegals into the country.

Also, the local GOPers were critical of Coleman's support for a "hate crimes bill," that will enhance punishment for crimes against homosexuals and transgender people.

"Why do you feel that a homosexual or a transgender person should be given special treatment? All crimes are hate crimes," the letter stated.

Coleman's support for a bill to spend $35 billion on healthcare for children and his intention to override the president's veto also drew criticism.

"Of course, we all want children to be healthy! But having the federal government manage the program will never work and will only lead to failed socialized medical care and cost taxpayers in America billions of dollars."

Fourth, Coleman's support of $65 million for the Northstar Corridor Rail and another $35 million for the Central Corridor Rail line at a time when the country is trillions of dollars in debt drew the ire of the local Republicans. "What is the sense in this?"

The local party board members wrote to state leaders and to Coleman that they elected the leadership; "However, there is also a responsibility on your part to support our party principles to the best of your ability.

"We don't see you are doing that; therefore, we have decided not to support you (Coleman) if you are endorsed next spring," the letter stated.

Wow, McLeod County Republican leadership will not support Senator Coleman?

The mutiny LTE: They don't like RINO's much in this neck of the woods...

This county "problem" brings to light the greater national Republican "problem." Now that the Democrats have moved from a liberalist to a socialist platform, the Republican machine thinks it is in their best interest to slide left and take up some of the liberal void left behind, all in hopes of capturing a few votes from the "other side.

"Let us tell you, those few votes aren't even going to come close to the votes you are going to leave behind. We, who make up the core of the party, are not going to slide left with you. We have reached our moral "line in the sand." We are tired of voting against someone rather than for someone.

Senator Coleman responds!

"I represent Minnesota, not just the conservatives," Coleman responded. He said his aim is to do what is right in the end on the main things important to the state.

As to the Dream Act, he said some of these immigrants have served in the armed forces, while others "are here due to the sins of their parents (born in the U.S.). Should they be punished for that?"

He said if the immigrants grew up in the U.S., they should be allowed to attend schools in the U.S.

As to the hate crimes legislation, Coleman said he recognizes the concerns of the conservatives in the party, but what is proposed on the federal level "is already Minnesota law."

He said if the federal bill oppresses folks' religious beliefs, "I'd oppose it."

He said he has spoken to a lot of conservatives who are worried about their Christian values being attacked, but he said there is no evidence that is happening "or I would have opposed it."

As to county criticism by conservatives, Coleman said the same thing is happening on the federal level with conservatives having a tough time supporting Arizona Sen. John McCain as the Republican nominee for president.

But Coleman said, "I think the talk radio" attacks on McCain, "are a death wish for the party."

He asked Minnesota conservatives if they want Al Franken as their next U.S. Senator. "That's a judgment people have to make. Or do you want Hillary or Obama there (in the presidency)?"

He said voting for McCain "is not the less-of-two-evils choice. The choices are so clear."

While Coleman said he disagrees with McCain on some issues, "he's there on life, 2nd Amendments, national security (issues)."

Coleman said he often uses an old saying from former New York Mayor Ed Koch. "If you agree with me 100 percent, you need a psychiatrist. If you agree with me 80 percent, then support me."

Ah, the DREAM Act.

In 2006, we had an actual debate in Hutchinson at Ridgewater College. Congressional candidates, State Senate and House candidates were in attendance.

The subject of the DREAM Act came up. Out of the 7 people on stage, I was the only one who knew what the DREAM Act really was about. I was the only one on stage that could actually explain the Minnesota legislation.

Michael Barrett was crazy on this subject! Senator Dille responded by saying, "It seems like Hal knows a lot more about this subject than any of us up here. I'll have to take a look at this."

After the debate, Barrett supporters in McLeod County told me I would lose the election over my support of the DREAM Act.

Damn, had I just not supported this fair piece of legislation...

Dille Transportation LTE: McLeod Chronicle

A letter supporting Senator Dille's Transportation vote.

While increasing taxes - even dedicated user taxes - can be controversial, he understood the importance of this legislation for helping farmers get their crops to market and making everyone's trip on our highways a safer one.

For our part of the state, the transportation funding bill will mean real money for counties and cities. McLeod County will see an increase in state highway dollars of $10.7 million in the next 10 years. For Meeker County, the increase is $6.9 million, and for Wright County the increase will be $27 million.

The city of Litchfield also will receive an additional $839,000 over the next 10 years for municipal roadway repair, and the city of Hutchinson will receive $1.7 million.

MnDOT also will have more money to repair state highways and bridges in our area. The additional funding that will be coming from state transportation user fees will reduce the pressure to raise local property taxes, which have been going up to fund needed transportation work.

The cost to the average driver for the increase in the gas tax will be about $55 a year, or about 14 cents per day. The cost will be partially offset for low-income individuals through a $25 tax credit.

If you keep the cars you own today, you will see no increase in license tab fees. Only people who purchase a vehicle that was not previously registered in Minnesota will see an increase in tab fees. Those are the only two increases in fees for residents in Greater Minnesota.

The letter was written by Grant Knudson, a McLeod County Commissioner.

More fallout from the CD 6 debate: Vetting works

Leadership was so scared, scared to let candidates talk. Scared to hold forums and debates. Stifling debate and discussion across the board.

Forums and debates are just another step in the candidate vetting process, and were lacking in the 6th CD.

Sunday's debate showed that they work. Olson is all but out of the Congressional race based on the debate. Many say he cracked under the pressure. Better to find out now than in October.

But according to many sources, Elwyn was not as polished as we thought he was.

We've been vetting the candidates on where they stand for months. Exposing the past of Tinklenberg's time as MnDOT commish, his lobbying ties via the Tinklenberg Group, and his dealings in taconite.

Across the board, Tinklenberg has failed to fully answer the questions of delegates. He has not been fully vetted.

Two Putt Tommy has some insight on Tinklenberg's lobbying.

And let’s be frank – for all his waffling, Tinklenberg is a lobbyist. As I understand it, lobbying is the essence of his firm. There are plenty of documents from various cities discussing hiring Tink to lobby for them. When asked by Olson about this, Tinklenberg stated there’s the general meaning of words, and there’s the legal meaning of words, and legally, he’s not a lobbyist.

So, I guess Tinklenberg is not a lobbyist, depending upon what the meaning of “lobbyist” is.

Developers are Crabgrass had a similar observation.

On the direct question of how much of your time, Elwyn, has been spent lobbying, Tinklenberg ducked that issue yet again by saying that there's a federal statute and under the statute he does not have to register.

That was unresponsive to the question Olson asked. It responded to a letter inquiry I cosigned with Jerry Hiniker, but Olson did not ask that.

He gave an inconsistent answer on the DFL endorsement.

Tink waffled on the issue of a primary, too. In closing claimed he’d abide by the endorsement only if the process was honorable and fair. “Honorable”??!? By whose standards? His? (MnBlue)

CLEAR AS A BELL, TINKLENBERG SAID "POSSIBLY, PROBABLY NOT," WITH REGARD TO WHETHER HE'D ABIDE BY THE ENDORSEMENT PROCESS AND NOT MOUNT A PRIMARY CHALLENGE. (Developers are Crabgrass)

Tinklenberg's false claim that Bob Olson and his campaign were behind the lobbying letter.

Tinklenberg falsely claimed the Olson campaign had issued the letter seeking official inquiry into his federal lobbying status. I cowrote it. Jerry Hiniker, to my knowledge, is not involved with Olson's campaign. I am not connected to that campaign. I had never met Bob Olson until yesterday, at the debate.

We could go on and on about this...

I stand behind my statement that Olson ought to step down from the race as soon as possible. It's painfully obvious that labor and a few select individuals want Elwyn Tinklenberg to run against Michele Bachmann in the fall. It's not really even about Olson's message.

Early on in the race, I heard a potential delegate say that they would support Elwyn simply because he lost to Wetterling in 06 and that "it was his turn".

Check out TPT and DAC's work, they provide some great context to the debate.

Liberal in the Land of Conservative has a wonderful post up, with Muse Tubes, of Jim Ramstad speaking at an Education Minnesota event.

Unfortunately, they are being driven from the party and punished for voting their conscience. There is a significant lesson here for Democrats. We cannot be a party that kicks out its moderates. We must embrace them and encourage them as they show that we are a party of inclusion and not a party of exclusion. They show that we are a party that encourages dissent and independent thought in its membership. If we do that, the larger population will see our message of inclusion and the Republican Party will be increasingly relegated to the fringe of society.

I can support moderate Democrats. I'd prefer a strong progressive, but I can support a moderate. The case of Elwyn Tinklenberg is different for many of us. He's moderate. But...he's terribly inconsistent. To be honest with you, I don't have a feeling for where he truly stands on the issues. Someone who will not just "go along to get along".

Tinklenberg waffled, saying we should do what leadership says, and press the new executive administration for direction on its exit strategy.

What an independent thinker!

Haven't we had enough of this?

BREAKING: Bob Olson out? (UPDATED)

Expect an official announcement later in the week.

Just got off the phone...

Rumor on the street is that Bob Olson will put a halt to his Congressional Campaign later in the day today.

I have mixed feelings on this. As a strong liberal, progressive Democrat, Bob is my candidate. I enjoyed his down to earth view on things, but sensed weeks ago that the race was probably over.

I had hoped that he would stand up in Anoka, give a 10 minute speech on the important issues in the 6th and call it quits.

Thank you Bob for all you have done. You are an honorable man and it has been a pleasure to have met you. I wish you the best.

To Bob's staff and former staff. You are amazing. While I never met some of you, those that I did get to know provide me with hope for the future in the 6th.

TPT on the Cage Match in the 6th

Two Putt Tommy over at MN Blue has a post on the debate last night.

Tink waffled on the issue of a primary, too. In closing claimed he’d abide by the endorsement only if the process was honorable and fair. “Honorable”??!? By whose standards? His?

The question of endorsements came up. Tinklenberg became visibly angry. Quite frankly, his answer was misleading. A Tinklenberg staffer clearly stated in an e-mail blast, and I quote:

We are so proud to count Rep. McCollum as a supporter, and we have now received endorsements (emphasis added) from every Democratic member of the Minnesota delegation. From Tim Walz and Keith Ellison down South to Colin Peterson and Jim Oberstar up North, Democrats in Minnesota are working to send El Tinklenberg to Washington and send Michele Bachmann home.
(Source: Tinklenberg Campaign Email)

Folks, there’s an “endorsement” in there, that Tinklenberg flat-out did not receive.

Remember, he did this again in 2006.

TPT points out Tinklenberg's tendency to have a Mike Hatch moment on the podium.

And this wasn't the first time Tinklenberg would become visibly angry, at questions and in challenging rulings of the moderator and challenging the debate rules his campaign agreed to. All in all, Tinklenberg reacted angrily to questions 4 times, in addition to his closing.

Quite frankly, it’s apparent that Tinklenberg will get the endorsement. Whether he’s earned it, is subjective. However, the delegate counts speak for themselves, and the math is fairly simple. Fortunately for Tinklenberg, a Bachmann Tracker wasn’t there taking video – at least, not that I could tell.

While the endorsement race in the 6th is all but over, the real fight is just beginning. It will be interesting to see how Tinklenberg handles getting "attacked" on the same issues we've been asking him for months.

He better be ready...

It's over in the 6th

I woke up this morning to snow and Political Muse's post on the debate last night.

What's that song by Crosby, Stills, & Nash: "If you can't be with the one you love, honey, love the one you're with."

Apparently, Olson was not very impressive last night in Anoka, I'm guessing here, but my gut tells me it was similar to his speech at the Wright County Breakfast of Champions.

Bob Olson is a great man. His vision for the campaign to take on Michele Bachmann was powerful and courageous. I did not witness last nights events. However I have a gut feeling of how it went down last night.

There is a fine line between talking about your opponents past, his/her weaknesses, etc, and purely mean spirited attacks. I recognize that some will think I am equally as guilty. Fine, but I must remind you that Elwyn Tinklenberg has still not provided a genuine answer to many of the concerns raised here, Liberal in the Land of Conservative, Developers are Crabgrass, and other blogs.

As the anointed nominee in the 6th, Elwyn Tinklenberg still has questions to answer. He just has more time now to get his answers straight, because Michele Bachmann will ask them, and in much tougher fashion than Blueman, Muse, or Bob Olson ever did.

Muse also points out the smug nature of Tinklenberg's campaign. Note to the Tink Group, don't get too smug, you're now running against the toughest campaigner and the toughest politician in the state.

His nuanced positions on gun control, choice, GLBT, Iraq, will hurt his efforts in the 6th as well, specifically his gun control stances.

With that said, I agree with Muse. It's time for Bob Olson to exit the race in the 6th. Bob, you have gone as far as you can.

I have a great deal of respect for Bob and those that work for him. After a weekend in which Wright County and SD 49 went to Tinklenberg, and with SD 14 and 15 looming on the horizon, it's best for you to end the campaign now.

That's not easy to write, nor say, but it's the right thing to do.

Congratulations Elwyn.

Tinklenberg's Taconite: Rumor or not?

Recently, the Tinklenberg Campaign sent an email filled with denial.

Denials of Tinklenberg's federal lobby work and endorsements were filled with rhetoric.

Tinklenberg also fully denies any negative impact from taconite tailings.

The second issue had to do with taconite tailings, a by-product of iron mining, and speculation that I was involved in a project that was potentially exposing people to asbestos and the resulting cancer risk.

This is a horrible accusation and particularly so because my first wife died of cancer and I would never be involved in anything that would expose others to the misery my family went through. This is a rumor that was invented two years ago by a staffer for the Wetterling campaign and I believed it had been refuted effectively at that time. I am saddened to see it resurfacing in an attempt to damage my character.

The project I have worked on is sponsored by the University of Minnesota's Natural
Resources Research Institute (NRRI) and is funded by a grant from the U.S. Economic Development Agency. The goal of the project is to conduct additional testing of by-products of taconite mining in the western portion of the iron range for suitability as transportation aggregate. The work is being led by the University.

A secondary goal is to identify potential markets for the use of this material as a transportation aggregate, should the testing support it. That's the work in which I have been involved. The use of these western range materials in this way has consistently been approved by MnDOT, NRRI, the PCA and the EPA. Additional testing and monitoring is ongoing and should any concerns surface, I'm certain the University would suspend the project; an action I would support. For additional information you can contact Larry Zenko at the National Resources Research Institute.

Source: Tinklenberg Campaign email, 3/10/08.

Upon further review, it's actually Larry Zanko. I'm sure it was just a typo, the Tinklenberg Campaign would not intentionally deceive any of us.

What we've found is rather interesting.

Building on previous taconite aggregate research efforts, the NRRI’s Economic Geology Group is leading a comprehensive research and demonstration program that is designed to accelerate the usage of Minnesota’s vast quantities of taconite mining byproducts for construction aggregate purposes. The three-year (2006-2008) program is being supported with $1,250,000 of federal funding from the Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration, and an additional $416,667 of matching funds from the Permanent University Trust Fund, Iron Range Resources, Minnesota Power, the Blandin Foundation, and Minnesota Technology, Inc.

Source: Natural Resources Research Institute

How much of the $1.25 million was Tinklenberg given to market or lobby for taconite tailings?

"This is very important, not just in terms of the economy of the Range here in Minnesota, but the quality of our transportation system throughout the country. We are confident that the quality of the aggregate available in Minnesota’s iron mining area will prove to be a valuable resource for transportation,"said El Tinklenberg, President of the Tinklenberg Group, who has worked with NRRI in developing markets for this aggregate material. "The use of this recycled material also has important environmental benefits."

Source: Congressman Jim Oberstar Press Release, 10/7/2004.

Important environmental benefits? The City Pages had an interesting story called "The microwavable road? A Brave New Highway.

Retired federal judge Miles Lord and former Minnesota Pollution Control Agency chief Grant Merritt seem to have some concerns.

At the Center for Transportation Studies seminar, two old lions of Minnesota's environmental movement--retired federal judge Miles Lord and former Minnesota Pollution Control Agency chief Grant Merritt--raised objections based on the possible health risks. Both Lord and Merritt are concerned because some taconite tailings are known to contain asbestos and asbestos-like fibers. Those fibers, they fear, may be related to the elevated levels of a rare but deadly cancer called mesothelioma on the Iron Range.

From 1988 to 1999, according to a 2003 Minnesota Department of Health study, there were 81 identified cases of mesothelioma among residents of northeastern Minnesota, nearly double the expected rate. For that reason alone, Merritt contends, any use of taconite tailings in highways should be subjected to a full environmental review.

Lord, who issued the landmark 1974 ruling that prohibited the dumping of taconite tailings into Lake Superior, takes a more conspiratorial view. The use of taconite tailings on highways, Lord contends, represents "a deliberate attempt by the taconite industry and its owners, 'Big Steel,' to spread deadly particles on Minnesota highways, thereby making it difficult, if not impossible, to pinpoint the cause of cancer deaths on the Iron Range because cancer will occur throughout the state of Minnesota."

Source: City Pages, November 30, 2005.

We can't dump this stuff in Lake Superior but we can use it all over our roads?

Doesn't this conflict with Tinklenberg's statement that "this recycled material also has important environmental benefits"?

Not all within the EPA believe that taconite tailings are 100% safe.

Chrysotile asbestos is the main type of asbestos used in the U.S. Some say it is not a carcinogen. Cook believes that it is a carcinogen. Amphibole crystals are present in taconite (iron ore) from Northeast Minnesota – ferroactinolite replaces hornblende in some rocks with cummingtonitegrunerite being the most common amphibole overall. Ferroactinolite appears to be the amphibole which is most consistently fibrous. Amphibole can’t be extracted from the rock for use, but it has fiber-like characteristics and can be released in dust when the rock is crushed. Particles of chrysotile or amphibole asbestos occur as thin fibers or in bundles that can enter the lungs and cause asbestosis. However, short fibers that can break off of larger rodlike bundles can be respirable, as well. In the past, scientists have tended not to consider the risk from the short fibers, and science today still rests on dose-response relationships based on light microscopy, which was inadequate for detecting short and thin fibers. The assumption was that only the longer and thicker fibers pose a health risk.

Source: EPA Workshop on Emerging Pollutants, August 11-13, 2003, Page 54.

Conflicting views from both the Pollution Control Agency and the EPA.

Minnesota State Senator John Marty has concerns over taconite tailings and the Minnesota Department of Health cover-up.

Why was this failure to release the information about additional miner deaths so harmful? Back in 2003, the Health Department learned that 17 taconite miners had died from mesothelioma, an asbestos-related form of cancer. At that time the department suggested that it was not taconite dust, but the use of commercial asbestos in certain mining operations that caused the cancer. In March of 2006, when the department learned that an additional 35 miners had died from mesothelioma, it appeared more likely that the cause was asbestos-like fibers in taconite dust. This means the risk was not only for workers doing welding or other jobs where asbestos was once used, but virtually every mine worker might be susceptible to this deadly cancer.

-"Some scientists have publicly criticized the findings of (the Health Department's) 2003 study, in which you pinned the mesothelioma cases on commercial asbestos rather than taconite dust....Don't the additional mesothelioma cases call those findings into question?"

Source: To The Point, July 9, 2007. Sen John Marty.

Questions about taconite tailings and cancer are abundant. A definitive study calling taconite tailings 100% safe is missing. A definitive study calling taconite tailings 100% harmful is missing as well. However, enough evidence has been shown that a serious, non-mining industry, public study is warranted.

Recently, Congersswoman Betty McCollum introduced the "Bruce Vento Ban Asbestos and Prevent Meslothelioma Act of 2008".

“It’s long past time that our country banned asbestos,” McCollum said. “After decades of widespread and unknowing exposure to this deadly substance, Americans should be able to rest assured that they are no longer at risk of having their lives cut short by asbestos exposure.”

We couldn't agree more.

Rumor or not? You be the judge.