Entenza video

Again, it's on his facebook and at his website.

I'll have a more substantive 2010 Gubernatorial post very soon, but check out the video!

Matt Entenza introduces his team

Caught this on facebook early this morning...and I really do mean early!

A note from Matt Entenza:

As I explore a run for governor of Minnesota, I know the coming months are going to be amongst the most exciting of my life. It’s time to get Minnesota working for all of us again. Campaigning is going to keep me busy, which is why I am so thankful to have the support of my family and friends from all around the state.

I want to introduce you to a few of the folks on my campaign team who will be helping me along the way. A big reason I started this campaign was to begin a real dialogue about the future of this state -- a conversation that has been all to absent during the last 6 years. Please contact these great people (all tagged in this note so you can reach them easily) if there is anything they can do to help you get involved.

Without further ado, here’s the team:

I have been married to my incredible wife Lois for almost 25 years. We are the proud parents of my three sons – and Facebook friends – Ben, Will and Steve.

Chat with Will Howell (will@entenza.com) and Leah Solo (leahvered@hotmail.com) if you want to help recruit friends and neighbors to get involved and get to work! Leah comes to the campaign after being the political director for Congressman Tim Walz’s reelection campaign. Will was the political director for Al Franken in Minnesota’s fourth congressional district.

Liz Harens (liz@entenza.com) is the person to talk with if you’d like to invite me to meet with any local political or community groups you’re involved with. Liz, like Will, campaigned with Team Franken in ’08.

Contact Bridget Cusick (bcusick2004@yahoo.com) if you’re a member of the media or want to know more about how we are going to communicate our message about the future of this state. Bridget’s been working on campaigns since 2004; in 2006 she worked with Congressman Keith Ellison’s campaign and in 2008 for Steve Sarvi’s congressional campaign in CD 2.

If you’d like to donate or to help fundraise, Colin Laughlin is your guy. Colin helped raise money for both of Congressman Walz’s campaigns.

Jake Levy-Pollans (jlevy-pollans@macalester.edu), Julia Quanrud and Jason Hitchcock are three of my incredible interns who I’ve asked to help with social networking and media. They are always looking for the newest way to connect people to the campaign. Jake and Julia are both seniors at Macalester College. Justin is a recent graduate of Carleton College.

Diana Petty, Sarah Goldsmith-Greenberg and Alex Rosselli are also fantastic campaign interns, working on organizing and outreach. Diana is a recent Mac grad, and continuing the Macalester tradition, Alex and Sarah are both still students there.

We're working hard and hope you'll join us!

Matt

Bachmann Unsinkable?

Smart Politics has an interesting read on CD 6 and Congresswoman Bachmann.

Bachmann’s success in defying the upward DFL-trend in her district can also perhaps partially be attributed to the ‘Ted Stevens Media Backlash Effect.’ Once upon a time, just shy of Election Day, public opinion polls showed the vast majority of Alaskans were not of the mind to reelect GOPer Stevens (or at-large Republican Representative Don Young). Until, that is, the national media told them how they were going to vote (or should vote).

Likewise, the anti-Bachmann media blitz that permeated the Twin Cities metro area and the national stage in the few weeks leading up to the election became to be seen, to some voters, as an attack on the 6th District itself (and certainly on those residents who had voted her into office in 2006). Combine that with the fact that Bachmann’s comments on Hardball probably were not seen as that controversial to many 6th CD voters, and one has a backlash in the making.

Alaskans responded by easily reelecting a U.S. Representative into office who was at the periphery of the state’s corruption scandal and by nearly reelecting Stevens, a convicted felon, to the Senate.

Minnesotans in the the 6th District responded in kind by holding back the Democratic wave just enough to successfully defend Bachmann’s seat, and, perhaps, their own pride.

I've had many Bachmann discussions with political friends across the 6th. Most of us are of the belief that Bachmann may in fact be the best politician/campaigner in Minnesota (we also agree that she is the worst elected official in the state).

Despite the Democratic wave that flew through the state, Tinklenberg couldn't seal the deal on election day, ending with more than $480,000 in his campaign coffers.

Could that $480,000 gotten him another 4%?

I would have liked to have seen a more aggressive campaign from Tinklenberg. It didn't feel like he really "took it to" Bachmann.

2010 will be interesting. 2006 saw US Senate, US House, MN House and Senate and Constitutional office holder elections. 2008 saw Presidential, US Senate, US House, and MN House elections. 2010 will hold no US Senate elections in MN and a interesting Gubernatorial fight.

Who will run against Bachmann in 2010? Will Tinklenberg take his remaining funds and go for it one more time? If he chose to do that, he would be the front runner.

How deep is the bench? Senator Tarryl Clark? Senator Kathy Saltzman?

Despite the numerous questions, one thing will remain certain.

Congresswoman Bachmann will continue to express herself in ways that embarrass many of her constituents and will probably make 2010 another close race.

Mayor's email depicts White House lawn with watermelons

Wow. Is it really 2009?

Would $140 million on hurricane monitoring be ok though?

After Governor Jindal's speech last night, Governor Pawlenty became the happiest Republican in their party. He just joined Sarah Palin at the top of the 2012 GOP Presidential list. Minnesotans should send Jindal a thank you card for helping us get rid of Pawlenty.

I was thinking about the Jindal speech last night...it made me think of a former CD 6 candidate...

Anyway, his rant on volcano monitoring made little sense to me.

I lived in Washington State for nearly 5 years and have visited Mt. St. Helens on numerous occasions. I am always amazed at the beauty of the mountain. Each time I visited, I became more and more fascinated.

Mt. Rainier is a stratovolcano about an hour away from Seattle. Mt. Rainier always loomed large on the horizon for those of us in the Seattle/Tacoma area. Places like Puyallup and other places located along the rivers that run from Mt. Rainer are adorned with "Volcano Evacuation Route" signs.

I've seen books and other sources that describe what would happen if a Mt. St. Helens type volcanic explosion would occur at Mt. Rainier. The pyroclastic flow would quickly envelop Seattle. Mud flows would virtually wipe out large portions of the downtown area. Millions of people would be impacted by a Mt. Rainier eruption.

So, Jindal doesn't really care about $140 million for volcano monitoring. But the risk is real.

Perhaps we should cut funding for hurricane monitoring.

JINDAL: While some of the projects in the bill make sense, their legislation is larded with wasteful spending. It includes $300 million to buy new cars for the government. $8 billion for high speed rail projects such as magnetic levitation line from Las Vegas to Disney Land. And $140 million for something called ‘volcano monitoring.’

Instead of monitoring volcanoes, what Congress should be monitoring is the eruption of spending in Washington, DC.

And Jindal did nothing during his time in Congress to curb spending in Washington.

So, last night was a eye opener of sorts. It's clear that Jindal simply read the speech given to him, poorly at that. It's also clear that 34 months before the first 2012 primaries and caucuses, Jindal is done.

Oh Bobby...

After watching Governor and Former Congressman Bobby Jindal I gotta say...

Wow.

What a frickin hypocrite.

In 2005 and 2006, then Congressman Jindal voted for EVERY spending bill in Congress except for one, and actually, that was an amendment. Yep, the staunch fiscal conservative who wants to lessen the burden on our kids, voted against an amendment that would restore funding for Public Radio.

That's it! There was no other wasteful spending in 2005 or 2006 other than an amendment to restore Public Radio funding?

The phrase "half of Louisiana being under water and the other half under indictment" comes to mind...

As a member of our Statewide Student Association, we actively lobbied against the Budget Reconciliation Act of 2005. Jindal voted for that too...and thus supported:

$11.4 Billion in cuts in Medicaid and SCHIP (State Children's Health Insurance Program)
$14.3 Billion in cuts in Student Loans
$1.8 Billion in cuts in Farm and conservation programs
$3.2 Billion from repeal of Byrd Amendment that provides aid to local employers hurt by foreign trade violators

After Democrats gained control of Congress after the 2006 elections Jindal's voting record took an interesting turn.

The man so worried about the burden on our nations kids, supported spending bills 9 times, opposed them 15 times, and had the courage to not even vote 29 times.

So while Republicans chastise President Obama for voting present on a handful of votes, their new poster child for fiscal conservatism, failed to even vote 29 times.

He failed to vote on 53% of spending bills in 2007.

And this is the guy the GOP sent up to scold Democrats?

Why can't the news be like this?

Warning! NSFW as it drops a ton of F Bombs...but I haven't laughed this hard in a LONG time...

SF 840: Good News for Crown Hydro

Two Putt Tommy has a scoop over at the PP blog.

Senator Gary Kubly has authored SF 840, a bill that would prevent the lowest level of government to stop a project after a said project has jumped through all of the regulatory hoops from the federal level on down.

Kudo's to Kubly and the other sponsors of this bill. Creating union jobs and providing 2000 or more homes with power from a clean and sustainable source creates a win-win situation.

We're anxiously awaiting a companion bill in the House...

Shimanski on Budget Forums

I sure wish they had held one of these in our Senate District, Willmar and St Cloud are a bit far for me to drive during the work week.

Our State Rep on the other side of the district, Rep Ron Shimanski, had this to say about the Willmar forum.

Meanwhile, the House-Senate listening session in Willmar Thursday night was well attended by an estimated 250 people. The issues they raised revolved around the state budget, spending programs and taxes and the results were close to what we expected.

We have a state deficit which could be approaching $7 billion by the time we receive the end of February forecast, so a lot of people used the event as an opportunity to explain why the group they represent should be spared from potential budget cuts. Other people talked about the need to slow the rise of state spending; it has increased 140 percent since 1992; or hold off tax increases. There were no truly innovative ways presented to either reduce state spending or increase revenue.

The West Central Tribune covered the same budget forum.

Some public employees asked for a fairly drawn tax increase to maintain programs that serve vulnerable people.

Others said that no tax increase was acceptable, and that across-the-board budget cuts would be a better solution.

County and school officials asked for relief from mandates — requirements the state hands down without providing the money to carry them out.

State employee's chimed in, talking about the importance of their work.

In the words of Christie Kurth, executive director of the Willmar Area Food Shelf, “We’re all here asking you not to cut us any more than you have to.”

Several state employees who provide services to mentally ill and developmentally disabled people asked that those programs be spared from budget cuts. If basic services are not available for the people who are living on their own in communities, they said, the cost of their care could be much higher in the long run.

Frank Lawatsch, administrator at Swift County-Benson Hospital said the hospital has already seen its bad debts increase.

“More and more people can’t pay their medical bills,” he said, and a proposal to remove 84,000 adults from state insurance programs will make the problem worse. People without insurance often seek care at emergency rooms, where the costs are much higher than at clinics, he said.

Public defenders, prosecutors and judges told the legislators stories about the problems created in the judicial system by cuts made in the past few years.

Glen Jacobson, a Renville County attorney, told a story about a woman whose felony conviction was overturned because she was denied her constitutional right to a speedy trial. The trial had been delayed repeatedly in an overworked system, he said.

If more cuts are made, “you will be killing the rule of law as we know it in Minnesota,” he said.

I love the idea of townhall meetings. I don't like the perception that these meetings will offer the magic bullet solution to our budget woes.

Although I believe that Governor Pawlenty's proposal is insufficient, I'd like to see the proposal from my fellow Democrats.

I had lunch with a friend of mine that ran for the House this past year. We both had some interesting thoughts on Senator Pogemiller's response to free Senate hiring and announce that pay cuts could be voluntary.

Please...

Voluntary? What a sacrifice!

When my pay was cut, the only voluntary act was to stay employed.

Like I've said in previous posts, cut the per diem and other perks.

Impose term limits so that we can rid our hallowed chambers of stagnant ideas that didn't work 20 years ago and won't work now.

The frustration level amongst run of the mill citizen is immense.

I'd like to see a real proposal soon...and no more rhetoric.

Not good for Gaertner for Governor

Caught this over at Raw Story.

There will be a lot of far left DFL activists pissed off that their potential Gubernatorial candidate prosecuted RNC protesters.

It will be interesting how this all plays out.

Are you smarter than a 5th Grader? Wright County Edition Part II

H/T to Eric on this one!

While this is a slow to evolve series, it's somewhat popular.

Here comes Part II.

Yesterday I commented on a post over at WCR, a post designed to take a shot at Democrats.

Eric Z checked the math in Drew's story, his post fails 1st grade math, let alone 5th grade.

Dude buys a dying horse for $100.
Sells 500 raffle tickets at $2. $1000.
Refunds $2 for the dead horse.
Profit $998.

Let's do the math...

-$100 for the horse
+$1000 for the raffle
-$2 in refunds.

Looks like a "profit" of $898.

Bluewoman points out that the raffle tickets would have cost about $60 and wonders whether dude got a license to raffle...

After 8 years of the Bush economy, it's no wonder the math is so challenging.

Congresswoman Bachmann can't look 20 to 25 year olds in the face because of the amount of the bailout and the burden that will be placed on them in the future. Yet, she supported the wasted spending in Iraq.

If math is hard for conservatives when it's only in hundreds and thousands, imagine the horror of dealing with billions and trillions...

Oh I love math...

Legislative Pay Cuts?

Caught this yesterday on the radio, Dave Mindeman over at mnpACT! has an interesting take on the proposed legislative pay cuts.

Well, as long as they are going to discuss pay... why stop there? Let's cut the legislators base pay down to $21,500. Then they can officially fall below the Federal poverty line and will at least qualify for food stamps.

Good point Dave.

I have mixed feelings about a pay decrease, only because the elected officials will make up for said decrease by taking more in per diem and other fringe benefits.

My view on this: Keep the pay the same, but completely cut the daily per diem. It's a "part time" job, how many people do you know making $60,000 a year at their "part time" job?

Instead of dining at Mancini's and the Monte Carlo every night of session, hit up that White Castle over on Rice and University, nothing like a sack of sliders to get the legislative process churning...

North Dakota's Challenge to Roe v Wade

Caught this on Yahoo this morning as I head out.

A measure approved by the North Dakota House gives a fertilized human egg the legal rights of a human being, a step that would essentially ban abortion in the state.

The bill is a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court decision that extended abortion rights nationwide, supporters of the legislation said.

Representatives voted 51-41 to approve the measure Tuesday. It now moves to the North Dakota Senate for its review.

The bill declares that "any organism with the genome of homo sapiens" is a person protected by rights granted by the North Dakota Constitution and state laws.

More on this later in the day....

Drew's analogy/joke

So, what Drew's saying over at WCR is that the Republicans sold America a dead horse.

I agree.

Anti Crown Hydro Minneapolis Park Board Lobbyist

Also lobbied for Big Tobacco?

And the Minnesota North Stars...

Renewable energy=bad

Cancer sticks=good

No wonder why MaryAnn Campo says $300,000 a year for 100 years is not a lot of money.

She lobbied for Big Tobacco and a NHL team that up and left us (Norm Green still sucks).

Nice find Muse!

Crown Hydro: A Blast From the Past

Two Putt Tommy and Political Muse have been working tirelessly on the issues with Crown Hyrdo and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board which got me wondering about it.

Muse said last week;

What we need to understand is that this project was granted a FERC license in 1999 which in my understanding is one of the most rigorous processes for examining energy production proposals. Those weighing in included the US Fish & Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the National Park Service. My hope is that the Minneapolis Park Board has a far more legitimate reason for opposing this project than petty political gamesmanship. What information does the Park Board have which could possibly trump the combined expertise of all the aforementioned organizations?

So in patented Blueman fashion, I wanted to take a dig at it.

Even in September 1997, the project was garnering a positive nod.

Hydroelectric-plant proposal garners a nod; Regulatory officials have made a favorable environmental assessment of the Mississippi River electricity project. Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN) September 25, 1997, Metro Edition

Despite objections by Minneapolis and the city's Park and Recreation Board, federal officials have determined that the environment would not be significantly affected by a hydroelectric power plant on the Mississippi River on West River Parkway.

Those officials also recommend that any federal license issued for construction and operation of the small plant should require measures to protect natural resources and enhance recreational opportunities along the riverfront.

That would include preserving the scenic panorama created by water cascading over St. Anthony Falls. That requirement would alleviate a key concern of Minneapolis and Park Board officials, who have feared that the project would divert so much water from the river above the falls that it would harm the area's aesthetic qualities.

The favorable environmental assessment is a major boost for Crown Hydro Co. of Minneapolis, which is seeking a license for the $ 5.5 million project. The assessment was prepared by the technical staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which will decide whether to issue the license.

A commission spokeswoman, Celeste Miller, said Wednesday that it has rarely denied a license for a small energy project that has received a favorable environmental assessment. It's uncertain when the panel will act on Crown Hydro's request, she said.

Minneapolis and Park Board officials said they are reviewing the assessment, which they received copies of this week.

Reviving an old system

Crown Hydro proposes to draw water from the Mississippi, through a canal and into a century-old power system that lies buried under the Crown Roller Mill building. That system would be restored by Crown Hydro, a three-man partnership.

One of the partners, Glen Olsen, said the environmental assessment is "a confirmation of what we've said all along: This is a positive project and will be beneficial to the public."

Crown Hydro also proposes to build walkways and other facilities to attract tourists to the restored power system. Since 1821 the power of St. Anthony Falls has been used for industrial purposes - generating electricity, milling grain and sawing lumber - and the company says its operation would complement the ambitious city-Park Board program to revitalize the riverfront.

Olsen said the company hopes to begin producing energy in January 1999, assuming it obtains the necessary government approval.

In addition to the federal license, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources would have to approve a permit allowing Crown Hydro to draw water from the river. Minnesota law prohibits the DNR from issuing the permit if it would create conflicts with existing water users.

That includes Northern States Power Co., which already operates a hydroelectric plant at St. Anthony Falls. NSP has no objections to Crown Hydro's proposed plant, which would generate 3.4 megawatts of electricity, or enough to supply more than 3,000 houses.

Federal officials said Crown Hydro wouldn't have any problems selling its electricity, whether it be to NSP or another utility. The projected regional demand for electricity could easily absorb the total output of Crown Hydro's small plant.

Also, such "green" power is renewable and nonpolluting, which makes it preferable to the burning of coal, oil and other fossil fuels.

Bob Mattson, a Park Board spokesman, predicted that Crown Hydro will get a license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

"This can be a win-win situation for both the developer and the Park Board," he said. "But we still have to negotiate an agreement [with Crown Hydro] on how they will use some of our property for their development."

And now more than a decade later, the fight continues.

Why such staunch opposition to a project that would bring "green jobs" and renewable energy sources to such a progressive area? It seems like this is a common sense sort of thing, yet it languishes on as the NIMBY crowd whines continually.

We'll follow Two Putt and Muse as they continue to bring the Crown Hydro project to light.

Stay tuned...

Strib Letter of the Day

A very good letter...

The $790 billion stimulus package comes out to about $2,633.33 per person. That is a lot of money, so I'll offer this deal. I will pay each conservative $2,633.33 to cover their share of the stimulus package if they will pay me $16,666.66 for my share of the $5 trillion in debt Bush ran up in my name. The net difference is $14,033.33 each conservative would owe me. Any takers?

Well?

Is the Minnesota GOP responsible for Absentee Ballot confusion?

I was sitting around checking out the copies of the absentee ballots Coleman wants to count at the Startribune site.

It was interesting going through all the individual categories that these absentee ballots were piled into.

Right wing bloggers have used Secretary of State Mark Ritchie as their proverbial punching bag and have called for election reforms.

Dori and I get a lot of political mail, 99% from DFL candidates and the state party. Beyond the government paid Bachmann lit pieces we also got an interesting piece from the Minnesota State Republican Party.

It was a standard fear mongering mailing, raising fears over Barack Obama, Al Franken, and Elwyn Tinklenberg, and provided us with absentee ballot information.

It raised some serious suspicions on our part...

A. Why would the Minnesota Republican Party send absentee ballot information to people who identify as strong or moderate DFL?

B. We live in Cokato, in Wright County. The Minnesota Republican Party self addressed postcard would send our ballot request to Litchfield, in Meeker County.

While the chances Dori and I would be confused over something like this are extremely minimal, I often wondered about the elderly and those that are confused by the absentee voting process.

I recognized it as a deliberate attempt to confuse and disenfranchise voters, and I still see it that way.

While Ron Carey, Cullen Sheehan, and the right wing blogosphere take pot shots at the Secretary of State and county election officials, perhaps they should take a look in the mirror and acknowledge that their own party screwed Norm Coleman over.

How many Minnesota voters were confused and left disenfranchised by the Republican party's mailings?

Once we get back from our 4-5 day stay down here in the cities, we'll try to dig up the mailing in question and get it posted...

Live from Abbott

For those that haven't heard, Bluewoman's (aka Dori) dad (Gordy) is here at Abbott Northwestern Hospital for open heart surgery today. He has to have at least one valve repaired, maybe two

While it was a very long day yesterday and a restless night last night, every test came back with positive results and now the waiting game begins.

We got here a little after 5:30 this morning with surgery scheduled for 7:30.

You can get updates at Gordy's CaringBridge site.

Thoughts and prayers appreciated!

Army of Dude's Letter to President Obama

As per usual, Alex over at AoD rocks! His letter to President Obama and the use of the Individual Ready Reserve is spot on.

For years, you have spoken extensively about the need for a more robust civil service program in the country. I cannot think of a greater civil service than serving in the military, especially in a time of war. For eight years, soldiers have sacrificed their bodies, minds, and in the most tragic of cases, their lives, to complete the mission. We have stared into the black abyss of war to see an inner reflection of triumph and tragedy. There are pieces of us, physical and otherwise, that are left on the battlefield forever. That is what we gave up for this nation. Now that the war in Iraq is coming to a close, it's time to end the recalls immediately. Every soldier in the military stands ready to report, mobilize and deploy in any corner of the world in 96 hours or less. The abrupt cancellation of the Presidential Reserve Call Up Authority and subsequent orders would seem effortless in comparison to what soldiers stand ready for each and every day.

The issue of the IRR has a direct impact here in Minnesota.

I know one Iraq War Veteran from Dassel who has gotten IRR orders.

Back when this whole clusterf@#k started, I received calls from Army recruiters telling me to join a local National Guard or Army Reserve unit so that I could deploy to Iraq with people I know, and not be subject to the randomness of the IRR. They tried to put the fear of God in me.

The only hitch in their plan was that I had already served more than 8 years and was not subject to IRR call up. It was just another Bush Company ploy to lure folks to fight his bullshit war.

Alex is right.

The IRR madness needs to stop.

Anyone catch the Bachmann comments?

From her Startribune op ed titled "The perils of spending like it's 1929"?

It's really all about Bachmann fear mongering and pimping tax cuts ala Ronald Reagan.

A few interesting comments from the cheap seats...

So in other words, Bush and the Republicans run up the debt and create the financial crisis, and Obama and the Democrats are held responsible for making the hard decisions and biting the bullet. I was a worker during the Reagan years and I can say that the boom times didn't happen until Clinton was in office. Reagan did run up a good-sized debt, though. My grandparents and parents lived through the Great Depression, which started with Republican Hoover in office. They worshipped FDR, because at least he did something and tried to help families. As one of FDR's advisers pointed out, eating is always a short-term solution. FDR made sure that nobody starved to death and he kept people's hopes up during the long depression. What have Republicans Hoover, Bush, or Bachmann done to compare with that?

I like the handy dandy graph showing how these compassionate conservatives have run up some significant debt.

The false equivalencies in this ridiculous article are just shameless nonsense. The economic challenges that Reagan and Kennedy faced were nothing compared to the prospect of total financial meltdown that Obama faces now thanks to 8 years of failed Bush economic policy. MASSIVE TAX CUTS are not the magic solution. Do you not understand that the entire financial system is on the verge of collapse? I wish your constituents had learned from history and not re-elected you.

Don't get me started on the Congressional race in the 6th...

Why is it everyone thinks the President will fix the economy? It's the House and Senate that determine fiscal policy and write the checks. A President can ask, beg, and plead for his ideas and programs. But it is up to the Congress to decide. If you want assign blame, look to the fools in Congress. If you are looking for rescue and economic salvation you need to look to Congress. Though I personally doubt that particular body of government is up to the task. Like most things, the economy is like a pendulum. It swings from feast to famine. It has been here before numerous times, and it will recover to start the swing all over again.

Now this comment got my attention! It leads me to ponder, if Congress has a 16% approval rating, how in the hell do 95% of the incumbents get reelected? I know...it's the mantra that "my guy is doing well", it's the rest of Congress that sucks. We need to shake things up a bit...

Bush had an agenda 8 years ago. Congress marched in lock step under Bush's "leadership" and led us into the perilous situation we face today.

Obama has filled the leadership void in the White House, I'm willing to give him a fair shot at this, even though I have some deep reservations of the stimulus package.

So while facing a crisis of epic proportions, Congresswoman Bachmann wants tax cuts...

Why not hold all the financial groups that financed her campaign accountable?

Morbildly Obese Levels of Spending?

Congresswoman Bachmann dropped that bomb this morning on Fox news, describing the "Economic Surge" by saying it had "morbidly obese levels of spending".

She also discussed that it was difficult for her to look at 20 or 25 year old in the face and tell them that this package was good for them.

While I have some problems with the package, I do believe that we need to do something. We cannot collectively sit on our hands and hope that Adam Smith and his invisible hand rescue our troubled economy.

After 8 years (6 of which under strong Conservative control) of failed Bush foreign and domestic policy, corporate waste fraud and abuse, and no accountability, an invisible hand will do nothing to right this sinking vessel.

A strong and tight fist is what we need.

Now back to Congresswoman Bachmann...

She can't look a 20 or 25 year old in the face and tell them this is good for them. Gotcha Michele, although that's pretty hard when one rarely sees the Congresswoman in district and when she does come back, it's via a first class flight.

The hypocrisy kills me here...

So, spending nearly a trillion dollars in Iraq, first destroying it and now rebuilding it, meanwhile having no accountability for the Military Industrial Complex and it's war profiteer's Halliburton, Blackwater and other defense contractors is a good physically fit, fat free way of spending?

Spending money to create jobs and help Americans impacted by 8 years of failed Bush foreign and domestic policy is the fast food version, a "morbidly obese" way to spend?

Ok...

By the way, the next time Congresswoman Bachmann steps into the 6th to look a 20 or 25 year old in the face may well be here first!

Shimanski on LGA

Senator Dille and Representative Shimanski were in Glencoe recently discussing cuts to Local Government Aid and state mandates.

A participant asked Shimanski if local governments should plan on the eventual elimination of local government aid (LGA) to cities, counties and townships.

"As long as Tim Pawlenty is governor, it will be a target," said Shimanski. Shimanski said he recently saw a spreadsheet of cuts proposed by the governor that included a 5 percent to 10 percent reduction in LGA each year.

However, Shimanski said, the Legislature currently has a Democratic majority, and the governor's proposals will be "balanced" by counter-proposals by the Legislature, so there will likely be cuts in LGA, but the program will probably not be eliminated altogether.

Let's remember that the vast majority of these small towns in Dille and Shimanski's district voted for Governor Pawlenty and love the "no new taxes" pledges.

However they fail to realize that Pawlenty and Shimanski's cuts to LGA actually result in property tax and other fee increases, in order to fill the void left by LGA cuts.

So Shimanski's message to small town Minnesota?

Get rid of Pawlenty.

And at last...we agree on something!

What the hell's in the water in Louisiana?

On vacation in Florida last week, people asked Dori and I where we were from on a pretty constant basis. I had several conversations with people who were concerned about Minnesota's US Senate race.

"Are you guys ever going to figure that out?" In an awesome southern drawl.

"What the hell's wrong with you Minnesota people? First a wrestler, now a comedian?"

But nothing...and I mean nothing exceeds what may be happening in Louisiana.

A porn star is going to run against Senator David Vitter? H/T to Mr. Truscott who pointed this out in his facebook status.

It is kind of amazing that Vitter’s still around, this dumb clod. Not so long ago, the idiot wingnut was found to be using the prostitution services of the since-deceased D.C. Madame. Oh, and their were many detailed reports of his particular Republican fetish: forcing prostitutes back home in Louisiana to dress him in adult diapers, for him to poop in.

Wow, and right wing bloggers in Minnesota had such a fun time with an Al Franken diaper picture...

Back from the Honeymoon

Bluewoman and I spent the past week at a Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando. What a trip, despite the fact we faced two straight days of record lows, a day close to a record low, and a day of rain.

Thrill rides galore, mouse ears, Winnie the Pooh and Tigger, beer in "Germany", etc...

We'll try to get some photos up later...