Truth Surfer

The Rest of the Story

2011-08-03T06:18:00.011-06:00

Minnesota's GOP like to make promises through very simple statements and slogans that mislead the public into believing in 'happily ever after' endings without them having to invest anything....like magic...if you do nothing and pay nothing then.. poof! wahaalaa... look what can happen:But that's not reality in the adult world we live in today nor has it ever been. Keeping America safe, healthy, independent and successful takes an investment. Those 'do nothing' policies, slogans and promises don't fix our roads, fund schools, keep the military trained, provide hospitals, turn on lights, allow for safe drinking water, or give us jobs.... As easy as it is to believe in the Easter Bunny and Santa, we all grow up at some point and assume the responsibilities of being an adult...isn't it time for the GOP and teabaggers to do the same and join the real world?

Promising slogans don't give you freedom or make you live better......Want freedom or a better life? Then volunteer, work, give, participate, build, pay, commit...

Do your fair share for a better America. Invest the resources, time, money, and work to live better. The alternative is a third world nation without infrastructure...instead of living free...it will become a 'free for all'...and there's nothing 'better' about that.

Want to get involved and start making a difference...start here.

Stay happy, peace out

#666. A Capitol Grill Favorite 'Satan's Sandwich'

2011-08-02T08:29:00.001-06:00

Made fresh daily with Boehner crap that was soaked overnight in political Beelzebub lard, then deep fried in the House and then again in the Senate with a sprinkling of Obama 'lite' salt and slapped on a staled but lusty onion roll with extra hot turd sauce and served with tea. Urban Dictionary defines it as: “The chiefest of hell’s dark delights, it is said that just one bite of it arouses an unspeakable lust of terrific potency.”...

Higher interest rates, no jobs created, fewer services... $2.5 trillion in total cuts and $2.4 trillion in debt limit extension with nothing, nada, zero, zitch addressing the real problems of the economy or jobs... Hell you can cut the budget from here to eternity, but that won't solve the problems and put Americans back to work!

Pass the deviled eggs of no viable options please while the rest of the American public bends over.

The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys Hurts Bachmann

2011-07-19T06:57:00.008-06:00

This new study just released....scientific proof from the Michele Bachmann's batcrap lab of excuses....that her high heel shoes are causing weekly incapacitating stress induced headaches...
~~The dog ate my~~...er...It's the shoes!

"If I gave you everything that I own
and asked for nothing in return
Would you do the same for me, as I would for you?
Or take me for a ride
and strip me of everything, including my pride
But spirit is something that no one destroys"

MN GOP Compromises Everything For Millionaires!

2011-07-15T15:17:00.006-06:00

The Minnesota GOP traded away their social agenda items like voter ID, no abortion funding, no stem cell research, union busting, and school vouchers, along their belief in downsizing the state government and their stance against raising 500 million in bonds to successfully protected 7700 millionaires from being taxed their fair share over the well being of the rest of Minnesotans! BTW, of those 7700 millionaires only 3,800 even reside in Minnesota, the rest live out of state.

The only winner from the
Minnesota budget...one of the
7700 millionaires!

In fact it looks like the only winner in the Minnesota budget deal is the 7700 millionaires! Way to compromise MN GOP!

Rather than stand by their right-wing ideology issues, and rather than consider a tiny tax increase on the very wealthy .2% top income earners, and rather than shrink state government... the MN GOP traded it all for the rights to the mantra 'cut taxes for the wealthy'...that's it...move along, nothing more to defend or see here. Our job is done...we protected the wealthy and cut their taxes.

In exchange for protecting the Minnesota millionaires...the MN GOP is borrowing from public schools and increase the state debt burden on the wallet of the average Minnesotan (that would be the rest of us 99.8% of Minnesotans)...

- Got kids in school? Expect higher fees, more cuts, and less resources...but if you are one of the 7700 millionaires protected, your tax cuts this session should easily cover these increases.

- How about college? Significant increases in tuition (more than 5%) while hundreds of resources, wages, and positions are cut. Once again, the .2% richest Minnesotans protected will be able to easily afford these increases.

- On a fixed income? Look for your income to continue to shrink in the face of increase city, county, township fees. Whew...good thing the MN GOP was looking out for those 7700 wealthy people, they shouldn't suffer at all!

If you can name it, expect increases in fees and costs as a result of the ,'no-taxes on the rich' MN GOP policy...The 7700 Minnesota millionaires are the only winners in the MN budget...but I'm thinking the MN GOP are now going to need more than them to get re-elect next go around.

PS...Where are the jobs you promised during campaign season or was that also traded that to protect 7700 millionaires? -

Why The GOP Let Minnesota Shut Down

2011-07-05T12:20:00.002-06:00

The Minnesota GOP controlled legislatures has shut down the state government by neglecting to pass a budget. They were intent on making this happen. There was no plan to compromise...but instead to enact an unacceptable social agenda filled with fringe ideology over sound budget planning and compromise.

While many marched in fourth of July parades, still enjoying their salaries, perdiem-mileage- lodging reimbursements... many more Minnesota state workers are wondering how now to meet their basic necessities. For the poor, disabled and elderly Minnesotans, the GOP shut down will leave them without resources to deal with daily needs. This is because the GOP rank and file go to a state shutdowns as a way of bullying their ideology on issues like stem cell, abortion, and voter id.

So let's take a look at a couple of the budget sticking points:

Governor Dayton: Raise taxes on the top 2% fairly.

"That is not Minnesota. That is not why the people of Minnesota elected me their Governor: so that millionaires could continue to avoid paying their fair share of taxes for the benefit of everyone else in our state"

Mark Dayton ran on, and it seems like perhaps the highest 2% could more readily afford to pay their fair amount of taxes similar to the rest of us Minnesotans. Seems simple enough... but the GOP says they ran on 'no new taxing' which means leaving the richest among us to their lower tax bracket...And for this loyalty to the wealthiest 2% of Minnesotans, the GOP decided to shut down the budget...but wait...there's more...which brings us to another example of a state shutdown sticking point in the budget...

The MN GOP: Enact Voter ID laws
While Minnesota is facing major 5.2 billion dollar budget shortfall, and significant cuts in education and other key public services….the GOP controlled legislatures are trying to enact new voter ID laws whose implementation will cost Minnesota millions of taxpayers dollars thus adding to the budget.

According to a new report released from electionline.org, a project of the Pew Center on States, the cost estimate for Minnesota is close to $10 million dollars. And that doesn't include the dozens of costs for the state and local officials, from updating forms, websites, to hiring and training staff to carry out the new procedures in inspecting IDs. There will be costs for voter education in informing voters of the new law(s) and the increase in demand for services that provide IDs. These costs will easily run in the millions!

So how does implementing a voter id law square with the no new tax mantra of the GOP? Obviously it doesn't. So is voter fraud a top problem in Minnesota in need of immediate resolution among all the other pressing state issues that lawmakers are struggling to fund? Should voter fraud trump over education or safety or transportation or even a government shut down? The answer is hell NO....

In 2006 there were six alleged cases of illegal aliens seeking to vote out of a total of 2,202,937 votes cast. This represents 0.000003 percent of all votes cast. So in Minnesota this isn't even a blip on the problem radar so why is it a GOP sticking point in the budget?

Gimme a break, the GOP is breaking their no new tax pledge, shutting down the state government over...sigh...a social agenda and partisan ideology that resolves a non-existent issue. Wow! Some kind of adult leadership there...

In case someone is now wondering what they missed with this burning non-issue, numerous surveys show blacks, Hispanics, the elderly and the young are less likely to possess a driver’s license, passport or other form of government-issued identification. Other than the elderly, they are also largely Democratic constituencies. So the rational behind wanting to spend millions of tax payers money enacting voter id laws is to hopefully disenfranchise voters....yeah certainly worthy of a government shut down,

This is not a game to further extreme ideology! People's livelihood, their children's well being rest on paychecks...This is leadership at it's worse...A state shutdown does not save money. In fact, it has already cost the state hundreds of thousands of dollars and caused extreme stress to thousands of employees.

The GOP need to face the same reality the rest of us do, and perhaps losing the next election cycle will give them a better perspective on what real life compromise looks like when you're staring down an unemployment line.

Happy belated fourth of July...if anyone noticed I'm not blogging as much with summer and also I'm working on a few other time sucking projects...will try for once a week...

Kids and I went to see the grateful dead movie (pic)...this one goes out for all of us wondering if the long strange trip in the US is now coming to an end.

Minnesota Cow Tipping

2011-05-26T08:04:00.015-06:00

The Minnesota GOP still doesn't get it.
Even after adjourning without balancing the budget, the GOP are still talking about cuts to services to pay for the tax cuts they gave to the wealthy at the start of the session....Give me a break! Is it too much to say...EVERYONE should share the pain of economic downturn and the cost of fixing government? And oh yeah, that shared cost should be equally distributed among us all not just the poorest!

Long ago the GOP traded reasonableness and the ability to negotiate in exchange for a far right ideology serving only special interest and corporations. While many feel the Minnesota GOP have lost their way if you call them on it, they react like children, no, not by smashing things or holding their breaths til blue, but by making everybody else as miserable as possible to get their own way...can you say government shut down?

Just like their WA.DC. counterparts, the MN GOP will tell you to not expect anything from government but then corporations and the wealthy deserve their help:

"The U.S. Supreme Court has deemed corporations are persons. It may have to give the same status to renters. That would help Speaker Zellers remember the $180 million increase in net taxes on renters he and his caucus have voted for by cutting the renters' credit."

The poorest among us is to sustain the government cuts by decrease funding and services...it's like taking your rich uncle to a steak house while telling grandma she can have a can of dog food....These are not nice people!

Their plan from the start was to cut taxes for the wealthy, privatize everything, cut services, but spend and grow government for social issues that they approve of like marriage amendments and voter ids.... and their formula besides being flawed, can't work when the burden is continued upon the wallets of the working poor.

T-Paw (yawn) announced something
....the most boring white candidate announced this week...yawn..oh sorry having trouble staying awake for this one...Ex MN Governor Tim Pawlenty announced his candidacy (yawn...oh so tired) for President. Sorry I missed the announcement because there was so much more important things going on (chose any) the dog needed working, I had a fingernail that needed clipping, the rapture needed rescheduling.

Bachmann announces she might announce
What I wouldn't give for Batcrap Bachmann to go back to where she came from.. forever: “Oh, goodness, being born in Iowa gives every advantage — every advantage a girl would want to have,” Ms. Bachmann said. “There is no downside to being born in Iowa.”

Is it just me or does Iowa seem like a waiting room for hell...so eloquent put by Claude R. Porter..."Iowa will go Democratic when Hell goes Methodist," So naturally, they get first dibs on who the next viable Democratic President candidate will be...talk about broken processes, but I knew that by what happen to Mr. Dean.

Have a nice extended weekend!

Michele 'Ms. PotatoHead' Bachmann Vells

2011-05-18T15:35:00.001-06:00

I like my potatoes fully loaded...butter, bacon bits, sour cream, chives, salt, pepper, even a little cheese...such is the things that dreams are made of...Minnesota's own favorite wack case, world teabagger queen and soon 'to decide' Presidential candidate...Rep. Michele 'Ms. PotatoHead' Bachmann is velling about the federal government (yes again...sigh) proposal to limit the use of potatoes in school lunches. "Where in the Constitution does it say the fed. government should regulate potatoes in school lunches?" she tweets. "It doesn’t."

She's right it doesn't...nor does it limit setting standards/safety/health in any of the following industries: education, medical, construction, flight, agriculture, manufacturing...but that doesn't make regulation wrong, immoral, against the government or more importantly against the public good. It's done all the time for the good of all.

In this case...our kids are fat...they got that way for a variety of reasons from the sedate life styles of TV, vidoe games and online social networking to poor food choices. According to the U.S. National Survey of Children's Health, the obesity rate among children grew from 14.8 percent in 2003 to 16.4 percent in 2007 with estimates now being as high at 25% ! Replacing potatoes with vegetables won't help the potato industry, but it will cut down on unnecessary starches in school lunches by setting a better menu replacement.

"The proposed change is part of a push to make school meals healthier, with more nutrient-rich vegetables and fewer French fries. Under the USDA proposal, school cafeterias would have to limit starchy vegetables such as potatoes, corn, peas and lima beans to a total of one cup per week for lunch."

The National Potato Council has started a "Tell USDA to Keep Potatoes in Schools!" campaign. The Council calls the spud affordable and "kid pleasing," adding "familiar shapes make lunchtime fun." Hmm, that may be so, but when did fun and pleasing become the benchmark for school lunches? If that was the case we would include candy cigarettes for dessert!

Besides, where does it say in the constitution that government shouldn't make school lunches more balanced and healthy? Here's a lesson for the newly animated talking Michele 'Ms. Potatohead' Bachmann...Elected officials should look out for the interest of our children's health over the potato lobbyist.

And yes I know it doesn't say that in the constitution either, whatyathink I got mash potatoes for brains?

Holy Modal Rounders...

In Minnesota Every Day Is Friday the 13th

2011-05-11T10:34:00.019-06:00

My youngest child was born on a Friday the 13th. I wanted to name her Erie but it was vetoed by my hubby... so she ended up being named Raven (which still suited the Friday the 13th mystic)...but she really doesn't... Raven is a shiny light of sweet, sweet goodness with a heart of gold. Needless to say...with her birth, no Friday the 13ths has a bad connotation for me....in fact I think of them as rather lucky because of her.

But if you use the darker, more sinister meaning as a guide, then every day in Minnesota has turned into a Friday the 13th. Templar Knights aren't being hunted down and killed (yet)...but it is indeed dark days in Minnesota. With only ten days left in the regular session, the GOP house/senate has yet to pass on to Governor Dayton a balanced budget. Instead the GOP representatives spend their time working on breaking every last one of their campaign promises. Last year most the GOP ran on...

Creating jobs...Jobs created so far...ZERO

No spending without the money... but social issues like anti-marriage amendments and voter IDs are exempt to their spending freeze.

Balance the budget...hasn't happen and in fact, they cut taxes at the start of the session on corporations and the wealthiest among us while advocating to eliminate health care for the poorest (got to pay for those tax cuts somehow?!).

Less Government...the GOP are willing to cut state funding for education, health care and jobs, but want to pay for more Government in our private lives by dictating a women's reproductive rights, telling us we can't marry someone we love, and instituting unnecessary voter IDs. They are supporting and promoting costly amendments that will hamper job creation while expanding the role and cost of government into our lives.

The GOP spend their time in session debating global warming, introducing bills to have speeding infractions not show on their records, why CO2 emissions aren't bad and cutting services for women and children.

This week, one Republicans discussion was a bill regarding the lights on restored antique emergency vehicles such as fire trucks used in parades. Representative Hilstrom said it best when she stated "we are 12 days away from adjournment and we are talking about the emergency lights on antique vehicles. Members it is time to get to the work of balancing the budget."

The time to work on the budget was all session long but instead, they were busy breaking every last campaign promise made last year...spending state money and using state resources to expanded Government into our private lives with ZERO job growth. If they were waiting for an omen to get to work on a budget ...well Friday the 13th has arrived in Minnesota!

Have a great weekend...stay dry..

More Billionaire Bonanzas For The Fortunate Few Not Going Broke

2011-05-06T06:08:00.010-06:00

I'm usually not so forgetful but for the life of me...I can't remember what exactly President Obama did to win the Nobel peace prize other than replace Bush Jr. While that alone could have accounted for it, the fact remains that commander and chief Obama has hit the trifecta of war...not to mention kicking in doors and killing bad guys without due process...

Has the prize ever been rescinded? Should be. Really they should just kick in his door and take it with out any trial, hearing, due process...just saying...Democracy isn't just for special occasions when we feel like it, it's unconditionally for all occasions. That's the only way it will work.

IS America Trickling Down?
In these very hard economic times profits at largest 500 corporations grew by 81% in 2010. So much for Obama's plan to destroy capitalism...Did your income grow 81% in 2010? Did it even keep up with inflation and rising gas prices? Still that won't stop Obama from farting more rainbow catch phases like 'yes we can' 'change' 'hope' or my personal favorite 'let's be clear'. Times up, words are meaningless, the proof is in the pudding and Obama hasn't even been inside the kitchen let alone mixing!

The administration is touting how great the unemployment figure released today was...just edging up from 8.8 to 9 %...wtf?! There are 13.7 million unemployed Americans looking for work...and countless others who have given up. There's nothing remotely positive about the figures released today no matter how the politicos and media spin it...America needs JOBs now.

And about those that are fortunate enough to have jobs...after adjusting for inflation, pay for production and non-supervisory workers (80 percent of the private workforce) is 9% lower than it was in 1973.

Our nation can no longer afford to ignore the suffering of the unemployed who so desperately want to get back to productive work. Nor can we afford to indulge our leaders’ penchant for delay and political posturing, which comes at the expense of millions of working American families who are hurting. What we need now are bold approaches to economic recovery that will produce jobs. -Mark Ayers

Americans are going broke at a staggering pace. 1.41 million Americans filed for personal bankruptcy in 2009 - a 32 percent increase over 2008. In 2010 it was a 41% increase...all the while corporations and the top 3% are lining their pockets with obscene profits.

Don't settle for the fairy tales being spun... Are you personally better off? Is your family members, neighbors, friends better off? Where's the jobs?

We're number 1!
I'm number 384, beaten out by names spawned from the twilight series...scary isn't it. Those same folks naming kids after vampires and werewolves are also deciding if you get reproduction rights, voter ID, and to marry whomever you want....even more scary.

Oh Look More Bright Shiny Objects Instead of JOBS!

2011-05-02T10:36:00.002-06:00

I answered the call that Howard Dean put out...'take back your country'...and with 'stars in my eyes' I jumped into the frying pan hoping to 'make a difference'. But these days, I'm more than a little frustrated...right now my head feels like it will explode given the mindless, doodling crap that passes for news stories, important human interests, and political legislation...

Dead but terrorism is still here:
I got a record amount of emails and twitters last night telling me Bin Laden was dead...mostly celebratory in nature...but a small of degree of introspect by some...

First: Wouldn't our closure have been more complete if Osama Bin Laden had been brought back and put on trial. It would show the world that our justice system still works regardless of his attempts to destroy our form of government. Some small part of me feels he died on his terms instead of ours. And yes I've been told it would have cause too much of US targeting...but then again...democracy is messy...either we support it or we don't...exceptions mean we don't.

Second: Does any targeted assassination approved by the President legitimize this reckless act under law? What does this bode for the future? Will we see more international targeting? Is that why Kadafi's youngest son and 3 grandchildren's are dead by US NATO lead... bombs? Maybe we need to redefine the word terror by not looking in the mirror.

Bigger issues on our plates:
Obama addresses the really big imaginary issue brought forward by a handful of tin-foil pyramid hat wearing conspiracy wingnuts leaders like Minnesota's Michele Bachmann, comb over king Donald Trump and talking fat head Russ Limbaugh...

Thank goodness we cleared that up so we can go back to really important issues like America's failing economy, creating jobs, addressing why we're at war...oops...guess there's more really big imaginary issues. What's next...his kindergarten report cards, affidavits from childhood teachers, maybe we can interrogate any babysitters...sigh... DON'T FEED THE TROLLS!

While American born Obama keeps dancing to a recovery tune from non-tax paying corporations posting record (and obscene) profits, the US economy continues to sing the blues while shedding jobs like a long hair calico cat in August. Add in new unemployment figures that show the worse economy since after last xmas layoffs...well thing can't get much worse...unless... It's the fact that our economic growth slowed from an annual rate of 3.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2010 to 1.8 percent in the first quarter of 2011.

Mayday!:
ExxonMobile earnings of $10.7 billion in the first quarter are up 69%...Of course they are up, we've been paying for it at the pumps and give away of billions in oil incentives and no US taxes...It's good to be kings. Naturally, the industry cites their 'good fortune' as being good for our economy...how is being a parasite sucking away the wealth from America's middle class and providing no return...a good thing?

The fact that unemployment claims jumped 25,000 during the spring hiring season is a very bad omen for the future of jobs. This is the biggest jump since the Christmas season layoffs in January. Hello, Mr. Obama, and all the rest of the politico fools, time to create some jobs besides flipping burgers at McDonalds! Create JOBS!...who gives a fig about a balanced budget when we need jobs...make jobs! Balancing the budget won't feed us when we're starving.

The End
Guess I need to stop now...you know when Ms. Batcrap Bachmann is listed on TIME's top 100 most influential people in the world list...it's time to evaluate if there's a reason to continuing to bang your head against the establishment's wall. Really, maybe they deserve what the reap...but then that small voice inside me says...but do we?

Where's the JOBS!

2011-04-27T08:48:00.006-06:00

Can we just create some jobs? Apparently not! So instead let's deal with issues that don't balance the budget, remove the deficit, correct wrongs, or create jobs...yep that's what we're doing... taking steps back into caveman times...

Voter IDs...This will cost the State of Minnesota millions to enact, cost citizens to get necessary paperwork,disenfranchise voters, resolves nothing (virtual no fraud and wouldn't eliminate the very little fraud that does exist)...

Marriage Amendment....This won't bring in additional revenue, doesn't create jobs, may affect the business community in a negative way (sales), and is just morally wrong to take away civil rights.

Come on people, the Minnesota budget needs to be in and finalized within 4 WEEKS! Don't you have more important things to do besides waste time, resources, and money that the State doesn't have on NON-issues that don't create jobs? Where's the jobs!

One More Time...WHERE'S THE JOBS!

I'm Not McLoving It

2011-04-14T09:03:00.000-06:00

Thank You Governor Dayton, Thank You Governor Dayton, Thank You Governor Dayton, Thank You Governor Dayton...Oh and yeah, Thank You Governor Dayton!

Where are the jobs that the newly elected Minnnesota House and Senate promised us? We've had lots of legislation on limiting our freedoms, but no job creation!

On KARE 11 this morning, they touted McDonald's hiring a new 50,000 Jobs about 50,000 times over (world's longest free commercial?)...they forgot to mention that while McDonald doesn't post their pay (embarrassed?) and it varies from state to state...overall, they offer minimum wage entry level McJobs.

Wikipedia says 'McJob is slang for a low-paying, low-prestige dead end job that requires few skills and offers very little chance of intracompany advancement.' The jobs are good starting points for teens and 'special' adults, but offer little incentive, advancement, money or perks for the general workforce.

With few exceptions, McDonald's McJobs don't offer positions that provide a living wage. A living wage is the hourly rate that an individual must earn to support their family, if they are the sole provider and are working full-time.

The hiring of 50,000 at McDonald's is typical in the lead up to the busy summer months. "Our total hires are similar to past years, but the goal of hiring 50,000 people in one day across the U.S. is unique," McDonald's spokeswoman Ashlee Yingling. In other words, they are trying a new marketing ploy and having the news media fall in line in promoting low paying, no future seasonal jobs...after all, what's more important to them, good paying jobs with benefits, or the corporate sponsorship of McDonald's?

BTW, for reporting purposes, each job McDonald fills counts as a manufacturing job...no really, while Bush was in office he changed the definition, so low paying service positions at McDonald's such as burger flipping and putting pickles on a bun are now classified as manufacturing jobs.

Yes, we all know the necessity of creating jobs...but let's get some real employment going with living wages, benefits, advancements, and skill building...not more McJobs. We aren't going to grew the American economy with more McJobs.... no matter how hard McDonald sells this, it's still part of the problem and not the solution.

While the environment melts down around us, we can't find enough jobs to put Americans to work, more and more of our citizens are missing mortgage payments, so thank gosh Arizona passed a bill to make sure that a bon fide US citizen is running for President and not some ah shuck muslim black guy...whatever...How do we know Arizona is really part of the United States? They seem extremely dumb and more than very south. Has anyone seen their paperwork?

Doesn't Sound Like A Win!

2011-04-10T08:03:00.002-06:00

"Republicans won a promise from Senate Democrats to schedule next week's votes on two bills — one defunding Title X and Planned Parenthood and another to defund the 2010 healthcare reform law — at the same time as consideration of the spending deal. Democrats also agreed to reinstate a ban on taxpayer funding for abortions in Washington, D.C., for the next six months."

We Have Given Everything That We Can Give

2011-04-08T10:13:00.001-06:00

Many of us believe our government shut down a long time ago when our elected officials stopped representing our interests and now dance to special interests. Come on people, don't act shocked, this is not new, or different or out of the ordinary. It's business as usual in the USA. We (the poor, middle class, seniors, children, minorities, women, unions, gays)...have been under siege for the last decade and more. We've seen our government hijacked and taken over by one percenters and corporations, and just like frogs slowing being boiled to death in water, we too are being COOKED!

As Robert Scheer eloquently says in his column: "Instead of taxing the super rich on the bonuses dispensed by top corporations such as Exxon, Bank of America, General Electric, Chevron and Boeing, all of which managed to avoid paying any federal corporate taxes last year, the politicians of both parties in Congress are about to accede to the Republican demand that programs that help ordinary folks be cut to pay for the programs that bailed out the banks."

Still the level of apathy from the ~~dying frogs~~ American public makes it look like we drank the kool aid and it was full of sleeping pills. And yes, apparently folks haven't been paying attention and they're not angry...and I don't friggen get it.

Your well being, your future, your families are all being eroded and auctioned off so corporate pirates can have more quarter end record profits. Every bill passed, every budget proposed is for the good of the 1%. While our eyes are glazing over with anticipation of bright shiny things like the right to carry bigger guns and the latest tech toy, and we fight over the crumbs that are meant to stop a revolution, guess what? Our representatives are still willing to compromised our fundamental civil rights while charges us with paying higher taxes! It's the biggest slight of hand scam ever and we are the marks. We've fallen prey to the largest fraudulent crime perpetrated by elected officials but we still think we're in control.

Our futures have been sold off for special interests instead of human interests. Our wealth given away to corporations and then they ask us to pick up their tax burden! Now, nearing a government shutdown, we're being told that: All Our Rights, All Our Needs, All Our Values, All Our Resources are up for compromise and to be negotiated away, but the top 1%, the wealthy of wealthiest, the corporations and their rights, their monies, their policies are 'off the table', immune, protected, special.... So tell me now who is in charge when every spending cut and policy restriction is aimed at us and not them?

Reid wasn't kidding when he said “We have given everything that we can give,” ....We have, by god, we have. It's past time for the other 1% and corporations to give their fair share.

Have a nice weekend...but be angry...or slowly get boiled to death!

Behold the Beginning of Sorrows

2011-04-06T09:45:00.001-06:00

Earthquakes, Buddha Statues laughing, Radiation Fallout, Oil Spills, Green Grass growing in the Antarctica...Is the End Here? Today's headlines are full of monstersized disasters and unexplained events like how Darth Walker got elected as Governor. And, with so much attention on the Fukushima disaster, there seems to be a recent jump in omens foretelling the end of humankind, the earth, the world, extraterrestrials, Wisconsin democrats, teachers, and unions.

Having been raise by a mother who believed in omens to the point of weekly consulting a fortune teller before deciding what to have for dinner and never ever, ever, ever stepping on a crack to cross the path of a black cat under a ladder with spilled salt...wellugetthepicture. Although a Jew, mom also would even vell endless about Zionist bankers, magical and secret cabals, and apocalyptic manifests. She used omens (good and bad) as the roadmap to living.

She would post up on our kitchen calendar daily warnings about the 'evil du jour' while schooling us on protection like the Hand of Miriam (Keyn aynhoreh!) and a series of other charms, magical stones, powerful wards, and talismans to defend against the evil eyes and Dubya2 (well okay she was dead by then but I still carried the family tradition on by sacrificing a elephant pinata).

Now with the Illuminati in full swing complete with all the prophetic signs including massive fish/bird/insect/crab roadkills, a shifting of earth's axis throwing a monkey wrench in the atomic time clock, every single variety of fruit/nut minister whistling a four horsemen tune, dark and powerful words being written on subway cars, and even the shopping channel offering an 'end of times' sale (yeah we're talking Charlie Sheen memorabilia and tiger's blood), one can't help wondering if mom was right and will come back from the dead saying 'I told you so'...

From what I've heard, everyone will come to the 'end of times' party... the dead will rise, Jesus will be there along with the anti-christ, ourselves, god(s), even mutated insects from Japan! Although it won't be a party in the real sense...or so they say... There will be tribulations, a lot of fire, some horror... And, If you get raptured, can I have your car, mine is elven years old and rusting away? (Just being realistic while preparing for the end.)

When the end of times comes, soon, I'm looking forward to meeting with several dead musicians and friends (not so much mom!). Which brings me to the real reason for this rant...yes the end of times is possible particularly if America politicians continue to allow the corporation greed and corruption take over our government and..if public apathy continues to allow them to trade away individual freedoms and liberties only to back fill the void with rotting corporation evil filth of satan morals, then we are doomed. Just saying...

You should be afraid of things that go bump in the night and day like mom, but the cure is simply to embrace our founding father's values. Get back in touch with our morals and vote, shop, and live them. It's not too late...Behold, the 'Beginning of Sorrows', or the 'Start of Renewal'...your choice. Sorry mom, I was always a 'glass half full' fate sort of girl!...The End (for now).

Martha Stewart tip of the day: I have found that wrapping omens in plastic cling-wrap and storing them in a freezer will help keep them as fresh as when you first found them.

Foolish Hope Springs Eternal

2011-04-01T11:40:00.002-06:00

April Fools...NOT! In Minnesota the wealthy still get a better tax break! Now don't you feel special! Also, look for the new Viking stadium bill ...while I don't think the GOP are joking...it's another tax joke on us. At a time when they are cutting resources and money from educations, transportation and state medical programs, shouldn't we be tabling a stadium?

Bachmann Joke Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) at a roast of his colleagues at the Congressional Correspondents' Dinner joked he wasn't sure if Minnesota's US Rep. Michele Bachmann (R) was at the dinner, "she's probably not -- she's campaigning Iowa and organizing in that important caucus state because she's running for president. That's really all I have for that joke."

TPAW Joke U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, again a 'potential contender', ranks well ahead of Ex-Governor Tim Pawlenty with her 52 percent name recognition among Republicans compared to his 41%. Yet Pawlenty is still 'going for it' just like Bachmann and Trump because they are all publicity whores.

Mixed Bag The most dangerous job in the world is looking for recruits. I understand it's to be a short-lived position.

Well at least the rain washes away the snow...2-3 inches tonight...sigh. I don't know if it's the human condition, but I'm always waiting...for spring, for justice, for change, for what's right, for the check to come. We always wait and of course, pay more...Like our chocolate bunny costing more this Easter! 10% more!

Apparently there is an explanation for insanity.

Although turnout was low for the loyal baggers, the faithful did attend the "Continuing Revolution" rally in WA.DC...well more like a small coven of misfits. But never fear, the Queen Bee Bachmann (R-MN) was leading them.

Paul Krugman in the Mellon Doctrine once again puts truth to policy:

"So that’s the state of policy debate in the world’s greatest nation: one party [GOP] has embraced 80-year-old economic fallacies, while the other [Democrats] has lost the will to fight. And American families will pay the price."

Unfortunately, gobs more people will follow Charlie Sheen's twitter than Paul Krugman but the end result will be we all get to pay.

What really happen? With today's 30th anniversary of the botched assassination in Raygun history , or so they would have you believe...But many of us remember it another darker way!

Have a nice weekend!

Mix and Match Wednesday

2011-03-30T06:15:00.007-06:00

Slash and Burn the Middle Class and Poor, and Oh Yeah, Lie about it! The MN GOP know their budget is not good news for Minnesota communities, cities and citzens...so they decided to use fantasy numbers...as if the truth won't come out eventually.

Come on GOPers, let Minnesotans know based on real numbers what to expect with your budget instead of using the 'good ole boy' numbers taken from lobbyist that stand to gain from our pain.

On Monday the Minnesota Department of Revenue let Republican House Taxes Chair Greg Davids know his omnibus tax package would raise property taxes for homeowners and businesses across the state while making the tax system more regressive.

In other words, thier budget would make families feel more tax and fee pain while those making over $100,000 a year would receive tax breaks. In their own words: "...reductions for the wealthiest Minnesotans are substantially greater than for average Minnesotans" In the GOP alternate universe, the poor, seniors, minorities, women, and children are continually given the shaft while the weathly are treated as VIPs?

It's shouldn't come as a surprise that currently the corporate tax rates is at an astonishing high of negative 62.7%! How's that working out? Are you paying less taxes since businesses are paying none? When the GOP talks about 'shared sacrifice', they really means just among other Americans and not the wealthy and corporations.

More Minnesota Clowns Join The Circus! First it was MN Rep. John Kline supporting Pawlenty's run for the White House, and now Norm Coleman has jumped on the circus bandwagon...wonder what Michele 'Batcrazy' Bachmann is thinking? Even her ex-Chief of Staff is support Pawlenty! Bawhaaaaaaaa, I'm sure it's nothing personal.

Random Thoughts On The GOP MN Budget

2011-03-14T13:52:00.005-06:00

Education: In the old days they would burn books, now they just cut education funding. In Minnesota the GOP are proposing to cut $411 million from higher education funding. In effect, they are burning books. Shorted sighted, ignorant and opportunistic comes to mind...guess they want our children to be like them!

Health care: Gallup reports today on which states have the highest and lowest rates of residents without health care coverage. Minnesota is ranked as the third best state in the country for the lowest rates of uninsured. But if we enact the GOP cuts, look for Minnesota to topple into the bottom states...sigh...

1. Massachusetts, 4.7% uninsured
2. Connecticut, 9.9% uninsured
3. Minnesota, 10.5% uninsured
4. Hawaii, 10.6% uninsured
5. Pennsylvania, 11% uninsured
5. Vermont, 11% uninsured

Energy: Not saying we should necessarily label all nuclear power as bad...but what's going on in Japan should all give us (including the MN Reps!) pause to rethinking and evaluate the risks and costs. We need to free ourselves from dependency on foreign oil, but from the pan to the radioactive stove won't help. As Spidey says 'With great power, comes great responsibility'. BTW this is a great link on information regarding the crisis in Fukushima.

Thank goodness for Governor Dayton...

Rep. Wardlow Calls for Moral Gobbledygook Crapola

2011-03-07T09:26:00.000-06:00

There's something immoral about Rep. Doug Wardlow (R-SD38) not wanting to pay taxes while receiving a salary from those same government taxes as a Minnesota Representative from Eagan. And something is really wrong when Doug Wardlow goes out of his way to imply that government providing for the poor, sick, seniors, children, veterans denies the opportunities for churches and neighbors to help them....How's that moral gobbledygook worked so far?

Brian Rusche of the Joint Religious Legislative Council does a good job of fielding Wardlow's leading questions. Doug Wardlow is trying to imply some kind immoral behavior if the Government helps it's own citizens. Wardlow wants the religious community to agree with his flawed logic that creating more poor for the wealthy to have an opportunity to help them is better than paying taxes.

Just another outrageous spin of nonsense... if Doug Wardlow was serious than he'd be advocating fair taxation across economic groups instead of having the middle class and poor disproportionately pay more than the wealthy and corporations. Based on Doug's moral logic...he would have taken issue with Jesus feeding the multitude and also sided with the temple money changers. Shame on him for evoking moral crapola.

When Things Don't Add Up....

2011-03-04T09:33:00.001-06:00

When things don't add up, I do the math....and while I've always had a knack for math... apparently others find it more challenging...

The Prince of Mythical Statistics

Minnesota Ex-Governor Tim Pawlenty told Fox network

"You have public employees making more than their private-sector counterparts. They used to be under-benefited and underpaid. Now they're both over-benefited and overpaid...it needs to stop."

I'm just guessing that Timmy got confused among other things by the percentages as a report from the Labor and Employment Relations points out:

"on average, state and local government workers are compensated 3.75% less than workers in the private sector."

Professor Jeffrey Keefe of Rutgers University revealed that public employees are under compensated compared to similarly skilled private sector counterparts. This study joins numerous other studies with the same finding. But really it's like arguing about the volume of water in a raindrop during a deluge when the average CEO gets 200 times more pay than a general employee as well as 8 million in benefits...a year.

Dumber Than A Bobblehead

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) tells us she's a conservative who wants to cut wasteful federal spending (who doesn't?)...so why is she proposing legislation for a $700 million four-lane highway bridge over the St. Croix River that more closely resembles the boondoggle Palin 'Bridge to Nowhere'? Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) is calling it 'fiscally irresponsible' and is supporting a more appropriately scaled and designed bridge for the scenic qualities of the crossing.

Pretzel Logic Not

Bill O'Reilly discounts poll showing support for unions, since according to his logic...union workers shouldn't be counted in polls. I guess he missed class the day they went over random statistical sampling...(Crooks and Liars)

According to a new CBS poll, 37 percent of Americans favor cutting pay or benefits for public union employees, but 56 percent oppose that. The New York Times headline on Tuesday was: "Majority in Poll Back Employees in Public Sector." But the poll is misleading because 20 percent of the respondents say they are from union households. If you subtract them, those who favor cutting benefits win the poll.

Zero, Nada, Zitch, '0'

Whenever I participate in constitutionally protected right as an American citizen to peaceful protest, enviably some idiot will yell at me to "get a job". That same guy shouting for me to get a job, also voted for the current crop of GOP politicos to create jobs....sigh...did I mention that he's an idiot! So here's the the deal...

I have a job, fulltime... which is a good thing because the newly elected GOP while making ideology changes regarding who I can and can't marry, what ID I need to vote and show citizanship, and raising fees to cover the tax cuts for the wealthy and big corporations....haven't done squat to date in creating any jobs....

http://www.gopjobcounter.com/

Enjoy the weekend before more snow hits...

Leave No Teacher Employed

2011-03-02T07:12:00.013-06:00

Low pay, long hours, dwindling resources, constant threats of layoffs and defunding, lowering standards for teaching (alternative licensing), attacks from parents, elected officials, school boards, labeled the 'villain du jour' of education ...Are there incentive for teaching today?

Given the current all out assault on the public school system and teachers especially... there will be teacher shortages. Who hasn't gotten the message that being a teacher is a bad and lowly career choice? The media, elected officials, special interests and general public have all attacked teachers for poor performances, missed marks, failed grades, and labeled them as 'bad apples' wasting taxpayers money.

We've ask teachers to be beholden to test scores, and abandon significant curricular content, after all ...the only resulting value to their jobs and salaries is testing outcomes. Then wonder why our kids can't compete in today's market place beyond passing a standard test. The average starting pay for a licensed teacher with a four-year degree barely covers the cost of their student loans now at $31,532 a year. How much less can they be paid and still call it a profession?

Even teaching resources have been removed with students having to SHARE textbooks! Several years ago my daughter attended a Eagan elementary school with Minnesota Ex-Governor Tim Pawlenty's daughter...and they had to share a textbook due to insignificant funding. Imagine what goes on in poor school districts!

Just as we tell victims in abusive relationships to leave, so will teachers... As Dylan said "you don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows"...and it blows cold for teaching careers in the future. Public education attacks have ratcheted up in the media to dimensions that are unthinkable and have brought disrespect for teachers on par with the FBI's top ten fugitive's...yeah there will be teacher shortages in the future...Currently one out of every three new teachers leaves the profession within five years....but if you want to know the real cause just go look in the mirror.

The causes are the same ones that affect all professions in our communities.... rising poverty, homelessness, vanishing public services for the disadvantaged, widespread unemployment, massive inequality in wealth and income, overcrowded classrooms and a bankrupt system of public school financing disappearing in favor of private education affordable only for super rich. Go ahead...get rid of all the smoke being blown up your arses look in the g*ddamm mirror!

Let's Focus People!

2011-02-24T12:29:00.009-06:00

We can't grow the economy by destroying jobs and attacking the middle class...it just won't work. We need to focus on the ubber urgent crisis of our broken economy and creating jobs instead of being obsessed with imposing ideology and exploiting social issues. The number one goal for any elected official should be creating jobs while balancing the budget. Period, end of the story...

Corporate profits are up. Stock prices are up. So why isn't anyone hiring in America? The paradox of record-high corporate profits and extremely-high unemployment doesn't seem to be breaking anytime soon. Also the longer the unemployed go without work, the greater the damage to their future employment and earnings potential as well as to our economy. How much longer can the 15.1million unemployed wait?

Looking at the rash of bills introduced since January this year in Minnesota, Wisconsin and beyond, how many jobs have they created? Will voter ID laws create jobs and reduce the budget? Will the anti-union laws? Will cutting social services, education or infrastructure spending like transportation? How about more tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations? Higher fees for us?

For those needing a reminder ...Minnesota's Republican majorities have less than two months to make a budget deal with DFL Gov. Mark Dayton before the May 23 constitutional deadline for adjournment... so lets focus people and create some jobs...or we will be forever doomed to a reactionary ideology the fixes nothing and continues breaks the fabric of our society. As our Minnesota Governor Dayton said: “The time for this rhetorical game playing is over”

BTW...nice set of charts at MotherJones...worth a look

Enjoy the weekend, stay out of the cold and snow... but reality is we live in the icy heartland of Minnesota...

Doctor or lawyer, I’ll never be.
Life of a drifter - only life for me,
You can have your riches, all the gold you saved.
Cause’ ain’t room for one thing in everybody’s grave.

Bang, bang, bang, bang! Vamanos, vamanos!
Bang, bang, bang! Vamanos, vamanos!

This and That Thursday

2011-02-24T07:46:00.009-06:00

As Wisconsin Goes...so goes Minnesota
What his staffer learned under Walker's mentoring tutelage...'LA-LA-LA-I Can't Hear You'

You mean there is a worse Governor than Pawlenty? Wow, just wow. Naturally, T-Paw supports Walker unconditionally. (say isn't that man on man love?)

I hear that Scott “I take phone calls all the time” Walker is still taking calls...lol, call him at (608) 266-1212. Say hello from Prince Albert in a can! Ask if there's a Butz there? Seymour Butz? Better yet, suggest he let calls go to voicemail like I do...but then again the Koch Brothers aren't bankrolling me!

BTW, part of Wisconsin's deficit is $58.7 million debt it owes Minnesota for income tax collected from Wisconsin residents who worked in Minnesota.

Taking out the trash:
I don't care if Ms. Palin goes to India...I do care if she returns.

About Time
Obama administration dropping its legal defense of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act isn't so much as a win as a right!

GOP? Still Liars
Hello? Is anyone there? Where's the promised jobs as listed as #1 on your agenda ? Hello? echo, echo... cut a million jobs, echo echo...

Earlier in the day, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) said that if the Republican budget resulted in a loss of federal jobs, then “so be it.”

Rep. Keith Ellison (D- MN) response:

"These cuts are Republican answers for a job crisis that they [GOP] created" view complete remarks here.

In Wisconsin, They Want The Whole Enchilada

2011-02-23T08:50:00.010-06:00

One of Scott Walker's first action as the newly elected Wisconsin Governor was to post signs along the Wisconsin/Minnesota borders, saying Wisconsin was 'open for business'. Now two months later, residents are seeing first hand how very prophet-like that single action was to their futures. Governor Walker has put the state of Wisconsin up for sell to big business at the cost of it's independence and workers souls.

The question is why Walker would trade the State of Wisconsin away to thugs and thieves? My mama always said to 'connect the dots' and 'follow the money' to find the answers..easy enough to do in this instance.

The Koch Brothers, an energy conglomerate involved with oil, coal, and gas contributed significant funds to Governor's Walkers election.

Within 24hrs of Walker being elected, the Koch Brothers 'set up shop' in Madison, Wisconsin.
Walker pushes for the Budget Repair Bill with a provision for selling off state owned utilities with NO BID contracts!

The dots lead to the Koch Brothers who have contribute billions to libertarian and tea party candidates like Wisconsin Governor Walker. They are dedicated to preserving their rights to make billions by exploiting and endangering workers while poisoning the air we breathe. In political circles their ideological network is even referred to as 'Kochtopus'. What's going on in Wisconsin is a power grab by the Brothers with their puppet Walker's assistance. If they get their way, the state of Wisconsin will become the next Koch Brother subsidiary.

Unfortunately 'what happens in Wisconsin won't stay in Wisconsin'. Being next door neighbors, events going on right now are effecting Minnesota. For example, Scott Walker's decision to cut funding to the high speed rail, brought to a halt funding plan's for Minnesota's high speed rail system connecting St. Paul to Chicago, with links to Duluth, Fargo, and other cities. In addition the brutal attack to break collective bargaining and union employees representing Wisconsin public employees is being cheered on by the leaders of America's far right political fringe groups dedicated to doing the bidding of the wealthy and big corporations. As Wisconsin goes...so will Minnesota...

Mama said a lot of things that were wise...she also taught me not to play along if it's wrong...and what's going on in Wisconsin is wrong...so here's the deal...

The Koch Brothers own Georgia Pacific products so I can stop using any GP products like Brawney paper towels...dixie cups, northern toilet paper, stainmaster carpets, mardis gras paper products, and any other related GP products.

While it won't have the same impact of paying billions to a lobbyist group to change legislation and get their puppets elected to office like the Koch Brothers have done in Wisconsin, but it's a start point...

Oh, It's On, Bring It!

2011-02-22T13:09:00.005-06:00

The GOP both locally and nationally continue to push bills against women, immigrants, GLBT, minorities, non-christians, the poor and unions. They've become emboldened by each others chest thumping and back slapping and see it as a mandate to pass hot-button bills against 'we the people'.

In lieu of creating jobs, balancing the budget, or reducing the deficit, they are passing a plethora of bills meant to restrict and repress 'we the people' and repeal all safeguards meant to protect 'we the people' against big corporations. They have empowered the wealthy while taking our pennies. The injustice and lost of liberty makes their actions unAmerican. They have failed America.

“It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope.” -RFK

Each of us need to start creating ripples until a tsunami transforms our government back to 'we the people' and away from the special interests, the greedy and the corporations. Take a stand for what is right for our families and community. Give voice against the repression, support our values of justice and liberty...demand our elected representatives do the same. Oh its on, bring it...

I miss you Kent...goddammit...I've only got so much heart to lose...and you just took a chunk of it. The world will miss you, it just doesn't know yet -love ts

StillbiggovernmentGOPtakeoverlosingourfreedomNOjobs

2011-02-10T09:11:00.007-06:00

The local Minnesota legislature has taken on the tough issues like fair pay for women (they're against it), how to stop Minnesota's record voter turnout (they're against it), and dismantling social services like Minnesota's Children's Protective Agency (apparently abused children are okay as long as taxes get cut for Corporations)...all-in-all it's been thirty six days since Republicans have taken control of the Minnesota legislature, and the number of new jobs created:

00000

Perhaps the Republicans are better on the

federal side

...er..nevermind, move along nothing to see here!

Taking a day or two off...enjoy the weekend, let's dance and sing, and otherwise pray for warmer weather...at least a warm up to zero...

Snow Snakes, Bigfoots, Voter Fraud, and Other Things That Go Bump In MN's GOP Dreams

2011-02-09T10:26:00.003-06:00

Minnesota has historically prided itself on a large voter turnout. Typically we have been among the top few states in the nation with a large voter turnout. In addition, voter fraud has been extremely rare (26 cases out of hundred of thousands of voters last election!). Naturally, the MN GOP feels a need to address this pressing and overwhelming 'non-existing state problem' of lots of voters and a statistically non-existing voter fraud of less than 100th of a percent!

The GOP propose to protect Minnesotans against this 'non-existing problem' by spending more of our tax dollars. They want to mandate voter IDs while adding ID machines to every vote location. Really?! What state are they living in? Has Minnesota become California? Where's the common sense in this kind of worthless legislation? What's not to love here...spending tax dollars on imaginary problems.

Our State budget is in need of balancing with a projected 6 billion dollar deficit, jobs need to be created and issues like the state's transportation, education and health care need have funding, but the Minnesota GOP want to mandate spending solutions for non-existing problems. Really?! What's next on their agenda?

Will the Minnesota GOP address the nonexisting Snow Snakes and Bigfoot? Perhaps we'll get lucky and they will talk about killer mosquitoes. Has the minus degree frigid Minnesota weather finally turned the Minnesota GOP officially into insane fluffy pink elephants unable to address the REAL problems facing our state?

Unfortunately, if they get their way, taxpayers get the bill for their insanity of fixing what isn't broke while women will continue to reap 24% less then men...ADDRESS THE REAL PROBLEMS!!!

MN GOP: Shameful But Not Surprising

2011-02-08T09:19:00.006-06:00

While cutting taxes for big corporations and trying to impose government ID's on Minnesota's voters (wonder who's paying for that?), the GOP has been too busy to answer question regarding their own offered up slash and burn budget for partially balancing Minnesota's state budget; Wonder why that is?

Senator Ted Daley ran on "I will bring greater understanding of how to properly balance our budget ..." It would be nice (some say even expected by his elected position) if he shared some of that 'understanding' with other Minnesotans...sigh... Here's an example of how that greater understanding, accountability and transparent government is working for the GOP:

They won't even answer questions about their own budget...shameful but not surprising.

Sen. Ted Daley (MN-R-38) facebook page said he" Toured the Delta Airlines facility yesterday to learn more about how we can attract, retain and grow jobs here in Minnesota "...wonder when he's going to tour the Lockheed Martin campus in his own district and discuss the 1000+ jobs going away!

Friday's Brouhaha

2011-02-04T08:40:00.007-06:00

Remember the campaign promises from the newly elected Minnesotan Republican representatives? Apparently many of them have already forgotten those campaign pledges or an open and translucent government by the people including public debate.

What we have seen is the GOP making cuts at any expense including those of the Child Protection Agency without any public input. Again, the Minnesota Republicans are using the 'whack a mole' cutting edge decision process (sigh!) and thereby not asking for debate which would bring to light some of the effects of their outrageous decisions.
When elected officials have no values but money and no morals but power, Minnesotans can expect their quality of life to suffer, their families to pay, and their children to be at risk. This is the Minnesota GOP. Thier decision to cut the budget will impact the lives of Minnesota children that will last a lifetime. All children should to be protected and feel safe but not anymore in Minnesota.

All I want to do is dance...see ya at the State CC tomorrow!

Women: Like Men Only Cheaper!

2011-02-03T12:46:00.009-06:00

The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce would have you believe that women being paid equally is both an 'outdated' and 'unnecessary' thing? Hmm...so it's okay to pay women 67 cents for every dollar paid to men doing the same job with the same experiences and background? ...Think again sexist jerks!

What is outdated is the belief that without laws women won't continue to be discriminated against in the wage earning market place. When the first federal law was enacted on wage equity, women earned just 59% of the wages men earned. That disparity has improved over the years (decades) to around 80% but there still a ways to go. Follow this link to see women's earnings over the years compared to men's earnings.

Census statistics from September 16, 2010 show that the women still earn 77 percent of what men earn, based on the median earnings of full-time, year-round workers in 2009. Both men's and women's earnings showed slight increases from 2008 to 2009, with men's at $47,127 and women's at $36,278, a difference of $10,849, a marked differences. So tell me again why we don't need the law?

Yes women have made progress in the workforce but that is because of the laws. The fact remains that decades later, the goal of equal pay has still not been realized. In the last year, women in 20 states have actually seen the wage gap widen! Factor in that 40 percent of women working are the primary earners for their families, and we see more and more women slipping into the working poor. The need is even greater today to ensure that women are protected by fair and equitable earnings.

The map below shows how each state fares when it comes to gender equality in wages. The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce position on this issue shows a total disregard for the facts regarding pay inequity as well as the welfare of Minnesota families.

Friday's Leftovers

2011-01-28T15:21:00.004-06:00

Someone sent me the recipes from the recent 'Hot Dish' bake off that many of Minnesota's national representatives from both sides of the isle participated in. As I don't cook (really I don't!) I replied back (and yes i was being sort of jackass like) that "it would be much more useful to me to receive from them some hot dished legislation meeting some of our current needs rather than a cookbook"...

To which they emailed the following reply: "To be honest, it was more than I thought I would get from any of them"....

Zing, now I know why politics leave such a bitter taste in my mouth.

When is a tax, not a tax?
If it's for rich people or corporations it's a tax and bad and the MN GOP will remove, waive, lower, and legislate it away.

"If it's for the middle class it's called balancing the budget but not a tax and the MN GOP will enact it, charge us, and legislate it into law. Four weeks into the GOP controlled MN House session and they put together HF130.

According to State DFL Chair Brian Melendez:

"This reckless Republican ‘Phase 1’ budget is a high-tax, high-tuition, high-risk bill that asks working Minnesotans to unfairly shoulder most of the budget burden. It is a piecemeal approach that will not responsibly address Minnesota’s budget problems in the long term and will simply pass the buck onto local government and local taxpayers."

As Paul Thissen laments, "We were not elected to play budget whack-a-mole - swinging cuts around willy-nilly, without thought or prioritization, simply whacking at whatever that happens to pop up."

In case you missed the finer points from above...we (the middle class average folks) are the moles. Guess it's better than being ants...keep warm, enjoy the weekend.

The State I'm In

2011-01-26T08:22:00.010-06:00

About this time of the year Minnesota crazy hits...it's cold, it's dirty, and just plain white ugly outside...very similar to the inside of Congress (with a very few exceptions). And we're weary to our bones from hiding out from the elements....

Last nights SOTU address, the GOP rebuttal address, and the ever odd Michele Bachmann's batshit whatever address are all examples of pretty words with no actions. If they really want to impress Americans, then earn their wages and fix it, mend it, and make it better. Instead we get more words and promises with beautiful photo op moments, but still no actions and solutions.

The only winners from last night ritual was those that participated in the 'SOTU drinking game'. Lot's of buzz words that work on focus groups, but collectively Americans are sick of this crap... Our elected officials won't give up their ideology and dependency to big money and corporations long enough to resolve the issues dividing and crippling our country and driving Americans into the ranks of the working poor.

Words aside, enact the changes you talk about...DO IT! Until such time, all Americans will live in the cold and dirty darkness of January in Minnesota. Don't make us stay in the cold darkness indefinitely, even Minnesotans have to believe in a spring and summer to come or we wouldn't continue to live here. Perhaps they could give a listen to Governor Dayton and learn from his example of doing:

"Taxpayers expect government to be responsible with their money, investing in essential government services like education and infrastructure and that is what we must do to get Minnesota working again. State government will be held accountable for how we balance the budget, and not to file for bankruptcy to avoid our financial obligations."

"US? But we're crazy!"

"WELL, THEN YOU BETTER GET SANE PRETTY @$#% FAST!"

Minnesota's Ridiculously Funny

2011-01-21T13:04:00.005-06:00

Michele Bachmann is 'Ridiculously' False - (The joke is on us!)
" ...independent fact checkers find that the information she [Bachmann] relies on is often exaggerated, misleading or wrong."

"We have checked her 13 times, and seven of her claims to be false and six have been found to be ridiculously false," - Editor from PolitiFact

Minnesota 'Of and By the Corporations' - (I'd laugh but it hurts!)
"28 Minnesota corporations contributed over $3 million incorporate profits to four independent expenditure groups [during the last election](MinnesotaFuture, Minnesota Forward, Republican Governors Association and Democratic Governors Association). The numbers are much higher because corporations and other groups can avoid disclosure by funneling money through trade associations, like the MN Chamber of Commerce and sham corporations."

LOL at Minnesota's Middle Class Taxpayers! - (Doesn't get any funnier than this!)
At the same time the MN GOP is cutting $200 million in taxes on out of state corporations, they are asking for $200 million from state agencies to offset the cost. So the plan is to maintaining un-allotment levels of government aid and higher education spending, while looking for more cuts to give to the corporations? Guess Grandma will have to forego nursing help, little susy will skip kindergarden, and uncle mike will lose his state job...but what the hey... Corporations will have even higher profits.

Minnesotans Have Silly Drinking Water! - (Something to laugh about around the work water fountain!)
MN Republicans are looking to gut the MRCA which was created in 1976 by DFL Gov. Wendell Anderson, continued by Republican Gov. Al Quie, and made permanent by the Metropolitan Council and the Legislature in 1991. The program has five purposes: to protect a valuable state resource, prevent damage to the river, enhance its public use, protect it was a transportation system and preserve the biology and ecology of the river.

Unfortunately it's missing the 6th purpose of the GOP, which is to profit at any expense. Wonder how much longer we can drink water, eat the fish we catch or enjoy the scenery from the river...Perhaps we can soon watch it catch on fire like Ohio's Cuyahoga River did in 1969.

Minnesota Weather (My smile is frozen in place!)
Minus 24...sigh, keep warm, keep smiling, have a nice weekend.

MN GOP Propose Taking Control Away From Local School Boards

2011-01-19T12:29:00.007-06:00

The MN GOP are proposing to take control away from local school boards by freezing the pay level of all Minnesota teachers. Sure the GOP made campaign promises not to grow government and talked about the importance of handling issues locally, but their actions in introducing more government oversight and legislation speak louder than their broken promises made just weeks prior...

I guess at the end of the day, you really can't depend on the locals to do what's right for their community, so ~~big brother GOP~~ Sen. Dave Thompson, a freshman Republican from Lakeville, along with the rest, will step in to call the shots over locally elected school board members...

BTW Dave Thompson (SD36) says at his website:

"Education policy should be set at the local level. Parents, family members, friends and neighbors are in the best position to determine what is best for their children..."

KUDOS to Dave Thompson and the rest of the GOP on doing the exact opposite of what they said and micro-managing locally elected entities while growing State control (almost a trifecta of broken promises).

Thier proposal is just one more step in taking our local rights at self governance away from us bit by bit and turning it over to the State. At least with local control we had accountability, who will be responsible now? More power to the Government is like slop to a pig and as Ronald Reagan observed, it is dangerous to get between the hog and the trough.

Stop Interpreting Our Dream!

2011-01-17T11:23:00.000-06:00

I so wish Martin Luther King was here giving voice against the war...and to call out the lying war bastard Jeh C. Johnson...Why does this right wingnuts have to co-opt Martin who spoke so clearly against their war by saying King didn't mean it or wouldn't do so now?

Bullcrap mythologist Mr. Johnson...

King was absolutely committed to nonviolence as both a philosophy and a tactic! Claims that Martin would support the current US wars is so obvious deliberately ignorant and devoided of reality, it's nothing more than fantasy. There should be a disclaimer about suspending reality whenever it's repeated or reprinted...sigh...sadly it reflects the principles that the right has of denying the obvious.

“…..Somehow this madness must cease. We must stop now. I speak as a child of God and brother to the suffering poor of Vietnam. I speak for those whose land is being laid waste, whose homes are being destroyed, whose culture is being subverted. I speak of the — for the poor of America who are paying the double price of smashed hopes at home, and death and corruption in Vietnam. I speak as a citizen of the world, for the world as it stands aghast at the path we have taken. I speak as one who loves America, to the leaders of our own nation: The great initiative in this war is ours; the initiative to stop it must be ours…..”

Tim Pawlenty, What A Maroon!

2011-01-17T09:24:00.006-06:00

Every time Minnesota Ex-Governor Tim Pawlenty is called a moron, I just nod my head sympathetically and hope to high heaven everyone else in America understands why.

Naturally I'm breaking Pawlenty's oft-quoted Ronald Reagan's 11th commandment, "Thou shall not speak bad of Republicans", but even Reagan would have made funny faces at Pawlenty's attempt to back seat pilot the federal debt ceiling with zero facts and apparently no knowledge or understanding of history.

Personally his comments boarders on a creepy disassociation of reality from facts, but then Pawlenty reminds me of that uncle you have that's a little off balanced so you never really make eye contact let alone invite him over for Sunday dinner.

"And the children call him famous,
what the old men call insane,
And sometimes he's so nameless,
That he hardly knows which game to play...
Which words to say..."

The Abridged Palin

2011-01-13T13:44:00.002-06:00

The abridged version of Sarah Palin...very factual except for missing the American flag...did I mention that I am a jew? I find Palin dangerous, deranged and offensive...oh, did I mention racist, bigoted, hateful and stupid?...yeah that too.

Gates Proposes Military UnCuts

2011-01-13T07:22:00.007-06:00

Since 911, Americans have been asked to do a number of things, like shop more, save more, and tighten our belts in these tough times. We have also witness local, state and federal spending get slashed in lieu of deficits but through it all, one federal department has maintained and exceeded it's spending. I'm pointing a finger at the defense department... the total for defense spending in 2010 was between $1.01 and $1.35 TRILLION!

So imagine my shock and when I read that Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the Pentagon will seek $78 billion in cuts to the defense budget over the next five years . Naturally the media is calling it a surprise move and quoting Gates that it will reduce the size of the Army and Marine Corps.

Hmm, let's do the math here...that's roughly 1.56 million a year or....wow! that is a surprise! NOT...

In comparison to my yearly budget it would be like me reducing my yearly spending by a dollar...not too painful or significant. But wait it gets worse...there won't be any CUTS as they are actually talking virtual future dollars or as reported by the pentagon:

"Because the Pentagon originally projected budget increases for these years, the cuts won't mean that the Pentagon's budget will shrink in total dollar terms -- only that the rate of growth will slow. The fiscal year beginning this year will see a base Pentagon budget of $553 billion, up from $549 billion last year."

Sigh...The real surprise is that the American people haven't risen up in revolt at Gates announcement of un-cuts. Will the defence budget be less?...NO; Will there be real cuts?...NO; Is Gates playing a shell game with Americans?

BTW, The USA is responsible for 46.5 per cent of the world total defence spending, distantly followed by the China (6.6% of world share), France (4.2%), UK (3.8%), and Russia (3.5%).

Including non-DOD expenditures, defense spending was approximately 28–38% of budgeted expenditures and 42–57% of estimated tax revenues. Isn't it time we stop the out of control defence budget before their spending destroys us all.

Minnesota GOP Let The Good Times Roll!

2011-01-11T10:11:00.007-06:00

Showing leadership for the wealthy, the Minnesota GOP announced their program to cut corporate taxes in Minnesota...which will mean even less money for the already cash strapped Minnesota. Just how will this $200 million gift to the corporations be paid? Probably on the backs of taxpayers in higher taxes, fees or more cut in necessary services. (maybe that is what they mean by trickle down?!)

The GOP reasoning is corporations will have more money so they will employ more people. Naturally this trickle down theory has been in existence since Reagan was in office and it works just as well since then...it has zero ability to make corporations responsible or more likely to employ people but it does give them higher profit at our expense.

So let's recap the second week the GOP have control:
1. More welfare for corporations that taxpayers can expect to pay for...
2. Less regulations for corporations that taxpayers can expect to suffer for...
3. Add more $$$ to Minnesota's existing $6.2 deficit...

With no budget plans, the GOP make giving aid to corporations a priority without even securing so much as a promise to hire one additional person for their $200 million in cuts...sigh...laissez les bons temps rouler...

"Don't sit there mumblin', talkin' trash, if you want to have a ball,
you gotta go out and spend some cash, let the good times roll..."

This Is The End

2011-01-07T07:19:00.007-06:00

Blackbirds fall from the sky on New Year's Eve,
Fish flood up dead from the river the next day,
Turtle Doves dive to their deaths on the streets of Italy the day following that,
Thousands of dead crabs wash ashore in England by the end of the week,
Jackdaws fall dead on cobble roads in Sweden...

Sure these are frightening things but I knew the end was near when I read this...
Global spam e-email levels suddenly fall...

The GOP have the power now, prepare for the end! On a similar note, remember all those newly elected Minnesota representatives who promised to make their number one priority when elected to balance the budget without raising your taxes....well they changed their minds...They much rather address who you sleep with, who you can marry, what medical procedures you can get, who gets to be a citizen and require you to carry ID at all times..rather then take care of the looming budget crisis....fun times for all.

'Ah what do we care' - The Lizard King

New Year Omens

2011-01-04T08:26:00.006-06:00

First, Minnesotans elect a GOP legislature (House and Senate)... Then the USA elects a GOP House...

So it's not surprising that there's a bizarre massive fish and bird kill. No, it's not impossible, in fact, my theory is better than the loud noise being offered!

This will only be the start of coming signs...look for the MN GOP to repeal the ban on coal and nuclear plants, then a gaggle of laws to be introduced that they say will protect us from...gays, terrorist, the 'godless', and ourselves. Finally somewhere along the line, the $6.2 billion dollar Minnesota deficit may be addressed by terminating more social services and putting more folks out of work...fun times for all...

I don't suppose there will be a mass kill off of mosquitoes...but maybe some frog mutations from more nuclear plant storage. Really the only thing standing between the end of timers and us is ~~Moses~~..er...Governor Mark Dayton...Judgement has begun...save yourselves and next time vote Democratic!

"Take a whiff on me, that ain't no rose!
Roll up yer window and hold yer nose
You don't have to look and you don't have to see
'Cause you can feel it in your olfactory "....

Hello? I'd Rather Be Robbed Than Murdered!

2010-12-20T07:36:00.004-06:00

- Good news! er, sorta... violent crimes like rape and robbery are down in Minneapolis...but not so much murder! And the media is all over this one...sigh..'oh look a bright shiny violent crime down'...let's not talk about murder!

- Odd even for Minnesotans....Who would have thought we'd live to see the words Michelle Bachmann and Intelligence in the same sentence let alone on a House committee. Another sign that the Apocalypse is nearing for Minnesotans. So we seat batshit crazy Bachmann who still can't intellectually understand the cost savings of compact fluorescent light bulbs over conventional bulbs just to prove to the world we still have a sense of humor?...I guess we should be thankful we're off of cooper candle lanterns.

- Move along nothing to see. Remember the non stop coverage of possible voter fraud in Crow County, Minnesota? Well here' s the non-coverage of it's outcome! Another urban voter fraud legend screamed all over the blogs, websites, newspapers and tv...only to die a quiet lonely death. Ssshush, or the truth just may get out!

- Get out of here...no really just leave! If you don't want to follow the constitution regardless if the majority of your good ole boys vote against it...You should not be part of the union and any federal dollars should be sent elsewhere...you know, ah where they actually follow the constitution.

Legislative leaders in Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, South Carolina, Texas and Utah, as well as Virginia, who are backing the repeal amendment shouldn't be in office...if they don't believe in the United States...they should be in jail for treason or living somewhere else.

- "The good people are in jail"...Peace Now... Several Minnesotans were among those jailed this weekend demonstrating with Vets for Peace on the White House lawn...how much longer will this illegal war be allowed to go on?

A Cup of Racism in the Morning

2010-12-16T14:00:00.000-06:00

Usually I don't listen to radio during my morning commute but my disc player wasn't working so I had a new experience...I'd liken it to smelling the aroma a skunk leaves for the first time...unique not very pleasant, downright foul and somewhat painful. Yes, it was just that bad.

What I'm talking about is listening for about ten minutes on the ride into work to KQRS in the morning...After ten minutes I would have bet my last dollar the KKK runs the morning show or at least a closely veiled group with similar views, but surprise, it's owned by Walt Disney Corporation.

The radio announcers commented on the latest census data showing Minnesota has a large and growing Somali population (true) but then went on to peppered comments like "it's because Minnesota offers the best welfare" but if that was true why is Minnesota ranked 17th ? And assorted other comments regarding the typical jackboot comments against minorities like...a lack of work ethics, being Muslim, having terrorist supporters and if the census data say it, then it's double the number of 'them' in Minnesota...it was like a coffee clatch of Mel Gibson, Charlie Sheen, and Michael Richards. They presented it as acceptable 'down home' racism...

On and redneck lie on the show went on...but the gist couldn't be missed... THEY ARE OPENLY SUPPORTING RACIST behavior and stereotyping of a entire group of people and promoting it via radio...

When I went to google them, it was no surprise at the numbers of complaints, or the various groups that they have attacked under the guise of 'entertainment'. In lieu of the type of morning show they run, I'd like to make a couple of recommendations to really improve KQRS format:

Change the call numbers from KQRS to KKKs, that way we all know what to expect and move them to 66.6 on the radio.

Hold KQRS accountable for anyone that has ever listen to them and then commits a 'hate crime' of any kind. I'm sure they believe strongly in accountability!

Talk about the immense welfare state for the wealthy. The wealth of Minnesota millionaires has doubled under the Pawlenty administration, as their state and local tax rates have decreased by 4 percent but our taxes has gone up...

Require that talking heads of any type be able to provide the 'facts' not just blow smoke up our arses to support their views or allow equal time for those that do, and fine them if they don't or others prove they are blowing smoke!

Just as TV must label itself every 15minutes as being for a mature audience, have KQRS label itself every 15 minutes as being a mature and racist radio program.

KQRS is owned by the Walt Disney Corporation, so have Mickey as the hate DJ...let's really show the young the Disney Corp. world view they are supporting.

Do they have a right to freedom of speech even if that speech is intolerant, ignorant, and inflammatory? Sure, I guess so, I can always turn them off, but like all shock jocks, when they openly pander to the hate crowded, they should take some responsibility and accountability by sharing in the costs to society and individuals by hate crimes.

Dining on Minnesota Politics

2010-12-14T09:36:00.005-06:00

Seems like I live on a diet of politics...maybe I need to adjust this for my New Year resolution, but during this holiday season there seems to be more than enough baked goods to go around.

Apéritif
The dynamic duo of DFLers Ken Martin and Marge Hoffa are running for Chair/Associate Chair of the DFL. Will they pull it? Possibly. I actually haven't heard of anyone else running against them, and certainly many of the bread and butter DFLers are lined up behind them given their extensive time and experience in the party. Do I support them? Possibly. Think I'll wait and see if anyone else throws their champagne glass down...I was really hoping Howard Dean would move here but I guess I need to put that fantasy away.

Entree
Minnesotan Norm Coleman would like a turn at the RNC buffet, but was politely waiting for Michael Steele to finish up and step away...unfortunately... Steele surprised most by announcing he's seeking a second term as Chair of the RNC...apparently, the fried chicken and potato salad is too good to pass up a second helping...

Coleman, feeling the bangs of hunger, changed his mind again (something Minnesotans have grown accustom to Norm repeatedly doing if it's self serving), and is still considering a run for RNC Chair. Other than lutefish, not sure Norm brings much of anything else to the table.

Dessert
I like a small sample of a rich dessert, but instead will offer up a big sample of a sour lemon cream pie in the face...Out of a field of GOP failures, Bachman leads in the polling to run against Senator Amy Klobuchar (D). Even MN. Governor Tim Pawlenty is left with flour smeared on his face...this is just so bittersweet...probably not the best way to end a meal...

I will be blogging infrequently (about once a week) during the holiday season while I dine on butter cookies, chocolates, russian tea cakes and variously other holiday treats...It's not that I don't have a lot to say, but my fingers get too sticky to type during this time of year...be of good cheer around your soulful xmas tree!

This Is Friday's Rant

2010-12-09T13:55:00.002-06:00

Hmm...I see that several local blogs are turning the 'great eye sauron' on to Brian Melendez and his future (or not) as the DFL Chair. Overall Brian has performed well during his tenure. He took the DFL from a basically 'oshucks non-communication folksy good boy operation' and moved it up into this century. Under his tutelage the DFL is more open and wired (website and calendar with lower DFL units linkage). He installed a communication department and continues maintaining the bones of the DFL through fundraising and making tweets and changes that have organized and improved operations. Simply stated, Brian Melendez was the right person to lead...at that time.

Are there complaints, sure... things can always be improved, but given where the DFL was when Brian started, he's made a real impact during his time in office...

The question everyone is asking, Is he the right person now? I've heard (as has others) that Brian won't run again which eliminates the need for the question. But we all know how very grueling and tiring anyone in leadership can be coming out of campaign season. Factor in the recount, and this becomes doubly so. A quick decision made coming out of this can always be changed...but for the sake of brevity, lets say Brian isn't running...

There are plenty of rumours as to who is...and some I see as strong candidates while others I don't view as being viable...but I wouldn't want to start posting on what isn't confirmed yet...waste of my time and yours...however I would be remiss if I didn't point out that while money/fundraising is an important factor, one rich donor doesn't equate, nor should it, into what's best for the DFL or who should be the DFL Chair...we're a big tent with plenty of ideology of which fundraising is just one important area!

DFLers are diverse, but we all have the community at heart. I've no doubt that whoever is elected the 2011 Chair, they will want to continue to expanding the role of the DFL as Brian has in supporting communities, help those less fortunate, advocate for civil rights and play a major role in Minnesota state policy. That is what brings us all together.

I'm shortening my week until we're through the holidays, so today is my Friday..cya next week...

Say What?!

2010-12-09T08:51:00.006-06:00

I hear Obama called me...'sanctimonious'...je? Well, I've had enough, call the attorneys, where's that taxi, I'm going to my mothers....wait, you want me to compromise again?...no, I can't do it, no more chances, I'm through, I'm leaving now...where's my jacket?

I have a firm policy of not dealing with hostage takers and a long memory to go along with the history of what happens when you do...so make your unreasonable, unjustifiable, unbelieveably bad deal Mr. Obama, but don't look for me to stand by your side...the honeymoon is over...

"With the pain in my chest, I still wish you the best, but forget you"...

The Fat Lady Sings For A Better Minnesota!

2010-12-08T10:50:00.004-06:00

It's official, the Honorable Mark Dayton is Minnesota's new Governor by roughly 9000 votes. Mark will assume office January 3, with the Legislature to convene the next day. Dayton will be also be facing a GOP Legislature and a $6.2 billion Minnesota State budget deficit.

Dayton's win also means Democrats will have a seat at the table when it comes to redrawing the state's congressional and legislative districts. Mark Dayton really cares about families, communities and doing good. I am a bit surprise that Mark's opponent, Tom Emmer. decided not to pursue a frivolous losing election battle. I underestimated his ability to do the expedient and correct thing for Minnesotans.

So a Republican majority in both the Minnesota House and Senate, a new elected MN DFL Governor, 18 disconnected GOPers, a 6.2 billion dollar deficit and redistricting...Should be an interesting time...stay tuned and make a toast tonight to our newly elected MN Governor Mark Dayton!

Tax Breaks Won't Stop The Boat From Sinking!

2010-12-08T07:09:00.010-06:00

What good is government when it can't provide for those in need without paying a tariff to the wealthy? Wasn't that one of the reasons our country was founded?...to avoid this kind of crap!

"So this notion that somehow we are willing to compromise too much reminds me of the debate that we had during health care. This is the public option debate all over again… People will have the satisfaction of having a purist position and no victories for the American people. "

President Obama,

This isn't about compromise or purist positions or even victories. Maintaining the status quo of the last 8 years is not providing for the under employed, and it sure as hell isn't resolving any of our problems...Where's the job creation, the training or the economic stimulus? All I see is more of the same...and the massive 'piling on' of debt to enrich the few.

Two years from now, under your 'compromise', the rich will have more, while the majority of Americans slip further into the sea of poverty...This is not a win, or a compromise, or acceptable. This is what spurs revolutions. Promises and deal making of 'more of the same' is not a solution, acceptable, moral, ethical or the least bit understandable by the majority of Americans left with the fall out of debt.

Continuing to allow the wealthiest 3% of Americans to benefit, while offering an additional 900 billion to the deficit for the majority of us... is like drowning at sea... next to the luxury liner...who's rich owners are waving and taking our pictures. The boat America is sinking. Stop toasting champagne with the rich folks long enough to actually throw the rest of us a life line...or we will all be swimming in the deep end 2 years from now.

Sincerely pissed off- The TruthSurfer

People movin' out
People movin' in
Why, because of the color of their skin
Run, run, run, but you sho' can't hide
An eye for an eye
A tooth for a tooth
Vote for me, and I'll set you free
Rap on brother, rap on
Well, the only person talkin'
'Bout love thy brother is the preacher
And it seems,
Nobody is interested in learnin'
But the teacher
Segregation, determination, demonstration,
Integration, aggravation,
Humiliation, obligation to our nation
Ball of Confusion
That's what the world is today

The sale of pills are at an all time high
Young folks walk around with
Their heads in the sky
Cities aflame in the summer time
And, the beat goes on

Air pollution, revolution, gun control,
Sound of soul
Shootin' rockets to the moon
Kids growin' up too soon
Politicians say more taxes will
Solve everything
And the band played on
So round 'n' round 'n' round we go
Where the world's headed, nobody knows
Just a Ball of Confusion
Oh yea, that's what the wold is today

Fear in the air, tension everywhere
Unemployment rising fast,
The Beatles' new record's a gas
And the only safe place to live is
On an indian reservation
And the band played on
Eve of destruction, tax deduction
City inspectors, bill collectors
Mod clothes in demand,
Population out of hand
Suicide, too many bills, hippies movin'
To the hills
People all over the world, are shoutin'
End the war
And the band played on.

A Special Letter from John Kline: This Holiday Season Save The Wealthy!

2010-12-06T13:20:00.001-06:00

An urgent special message from Minnesota Rep. John Kline (R-02)

Dear Friends-

As you ~~probably should~~ know by now, I am deeply concerned that "the Washington culture of taxing, borrowing and spending is doing nothing to stem the tide of lost jobs and economic uncertainty." But I am convinced that if we continue tax breaks for our millionaire and billionaire Americans, this culture can be broken.

Sure, Minnesota is in a mess, which is why you put your faith in me this past election. You realize, that after my years in Washington, if there is one thing your old buddy John Kline knows, it's how to recognize a mess when I ~~make~~ see one.

Now I know what you're thinking, ~~I've been in office for a decade and still~~ the deficit keeps getting bigger, the gap between the middle class and the wealthy looms larger than ever and ~~after four my terms in office,~~ things aren't improving, they are getting much worse, but this time in office ~~much like the last four~~ I really think helping out the wealthy among us is necessary and vital to not just economic health but also homeland security.

This alarming situation where the wealthy 2 percent of Americans might be forced to pay their ~~any~~ fair share demands my immediate and full attention. Forget that Lockheed Martin is closing it's Eagan plant, that a forth of my constituents don't have health care, and that unemployment benefits are running out of 2.5 million Americans, saving the wealthy must take precedence over everything else. The ~~aid~~ desperate plight of Minnesota's millionaires demands my full attention.

Yes, I know I said 'we can't fund everything' and that there are people who are jobless and can't even give their kids one Christmas present this year let alone take them to the doctor when they get sick, but that's President Obama's fault, ~~after all he's been in office a fourth of the length of time I've been in office!~~

And yes, I understand that the last 18 years have shown us that in fact, the wealthier 2 percent of Americans don't use their wealth to 'trickle down' and give us jobs, but by saving them, ~~I help myself~~ , I help you!

Don't concern yourselves with the poorer ~~fools~~ souls, especially since I've already promised to give all of our tax money to Minnesota's wealthiest. We must save the wealthy! I can always take care of feeding the poor or putting on another job fair for the homeless unemployed later...

We must take care of our millionaires first. Won't you please help me help them? A $700 million increase to the deficit is a small price for you and your children and children's children to pay for saving more wealth for the wealthiest among us.

Have a happy joyous holiday season knowing you can make a difference in increasing the gross income of the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans through deficit spending! I know it makes me ~~laugh~~ sleep better at night.

More GOP Much Ado About Nothing

2010-12-03T12:40:00.003-06:00

In Shakespeare's play 'In Much Ado About Nothing', there are many examples of deception and self-deception. The games and tricks played on people often have the best intentions—to make people fall in love, to help someone get what they want, or to make someone realise their mistake. In our case, the GOP's take on the recount is an example of this deception and self delusion but for not the best of intentions...

The Fact: If every single Emmer challenge (both deemed legitimate and frivolous) were accepted, Dayton would still lead by over 5,000 votes.

Instead of accepting the lost, Tom Emmer and the GOP will drag this out costing (gasp!) government workers time and (gasp again!) at tax payer expense. Yeah I know, they ran on shrinking government, getting government out of our business, not filing frivolous lawsuits, or spending taxpayers money for stupid things but...yeah...well ya know. with .0008 percent MN voter fraud in 2008, this is important to every man, women and child...blab, blab, blab...!

What the GOP gets is rewarded for drawing out this losing battle by Pawlenty staying in office to sign off on legislation that otherwise would get veto...like the expanding government and costs legislation of every voter must produce a state ID, or marriage is one man and one women!

In the end of the play, the couples find true happiness, but taxpayers in Minnesota will just find empty wallets paying for more 'much ado about nothing' government involvement into our personal lives and already competent voter system... welcome to the new 'slash your services while we tax and spend' party of GOP.

Have a nice weekend, stay safe and warm!

The New MN Reps. Taxing and Spending and Growing Goverment Already?

2010-12-01T10:20:00.012-06:00

The party of small government and no taxes in Minnesota are preparing to grow the role of government and do so at taxpayer expense...yes once again, those GOP candidates that got elected by promising to stop out-of-control government spending is working behind the scenes do do just that...

MN Voters Alliance has put out an email saying they are working closely with board member and former Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer to introduce a bill mandating a statewide photo ID as a first priority.

"...If Governor Pawlenty is still in office in January, he would undoubtedly sign it. If Dayton wins and is seated sooner rather than later, we are already preparing a campaign to urge him to sign the bill, including our PHOTO ID petition in St. Paul which we have nearly 3,000 signatures."

The question to ask is: Will our newly elected GOP allow an outer space, right wing, moon bat group that alleges widespread voter fraud but can't prove it because they pull them out of their paranoid tin foil hats, increase both taypayers costs and time while growing government bureaucracy? Well will they?

Never mind the facts...that voter fraud in Minnesota is virtually non-existent. That in 2008 only 26 people out of the entire state were convicted of voter fraud. And most of those cases would not have been prevented with a state ID...hardly worth the government involvement or cost to taxpayers...from the Minnesota County Attorneys Association...

"The report found that only 26 people had been convicted of voter fraud in the 2008 election (because the statute of limitations on voter fraud is two years, that number is not likely to change). That comes to 0.00089 percent of votes cast in 2008."

So by all means, throw taxpayer money away because a group of morons make statements that aren't based in fact...and let's grow government even larger to placate these idiots...because there will be another election in two years and there will be accountability......go ahead, you either support small government and less taxes, or you don't...time to put up or shut up. Taxing. spending and growing government over a non-issue will define you next election.

Day: T Minus One

2010-11-24T11:01:00.007-06:00

Thankfully, I'll be taking the next few days off to eat turkey and sit mindlessly in front of the big screen TV if not actually sleeping..my life is great and I've got at least 8770 reasons to say so!

I can't blame the turkey for causing the drowsiness associated with eating a large Thanksgiving meal. Studies show it's the large, carbohydrate rich meal rather than just the turkey that releases tryptophans in the brain causing drowsiness after eating...

About that turkey...I got a fresh, locally grown, organic turkey...did you know Minnesota raises more turkeys than any other state?...An estimated 45 million turkeys will be eaten tomorrow (or 675 million pounds of turkey!) and most of them came from Minnesota.

Starting with Harry Truman in 1947, the National Turkey Federation has presented the U.S. President with a live turkey in celebration of Thanksgiving. Each year, the live turkey is “pardoned” by the president and most recently has been flown to Disney world to serve as the grand marshal of the Disney world Thanksgiving Day Parade. Although I hear the 'pardoned cranberry' (turkey) may run for office in two years!

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble, If you're leaving town, travel safe, enjoy your full body scan and/or pat down...Happy Thanksgiving! Eat, Smile, Be Happy...

Obama Outlines Moral, Philosophical Justifications For Turkey Pardon

You Can Have This, or You Can Have That!

2010-11-23T08:12:00.008-06:00

Tom Emmer's Recount Petition...denied by Minnesota Supreme Court. Recount on...

Alisha and Pete Arnold (BirthOrNot.com...aka right-wing internet troll Zeeboid. )...Fake. But even that misses the point that Pro-Choice is just that...having a choice about your own reproduction and not having a poll or ? decide for you.

Governor Tim Pawlenty fails even when judged by the 'google idiot index'. Number of Google-Indexed Web Pages featuring the phrase “[GOP Contender Name] is an Idiot”

Although I would have bet my last dollar Pawlenty was called an idiot more often than not...hmmm..who knew! Sarah Palin is the queen of idiots and Ron Paul their king...no surprise there:

Haley Barbour: 23,700
Jim DeMint: 11,600
Newt Gingrich: 13,300
Mike Huckabee: 7,230
Sarah Palin: 60,500
Ron Paul: 70,500
Tim Pawlenty: 9
Mitt Romney: 8,300

Holy Bat Signal- Eagan,MN Is In Trouble!

2010-11-18T09:20:00.014-06:00

Tip O'Neill—a longtime Speaker of the House in the U.S. Congress—once declared, "All politics is local." He was explaining how the problems and concerns of towns and cities around the country affect the actions of their representatives and senators in Washington, D.C.

If that still holds true, then look for Minnesota's City of Eagan to play a major role in the upcoming legislative session not because of who they elected, but because of several major announcements this week of...

Thomson Reuter cutting 60 jobs this month in addition to the 130 workers from Eagan and Rochester, NY to accept buyouts announced in September (they eliminated 120 last December).
Lockheed Martin is closing its sprawling Eagan facility by 2013. That will cost over 1,000 jobs.

Both companies say they are restructuring..blab, blab, budget, blab, blab, competitive edge...but the message boards say they are both transferring work overseas and out-sourcing many tasks once performed within the company. Like other companies that have sent jobs away (overseas or not), this is a major blow to the local economy of Eagan.

Eagan is in trouble and needs help. With the announcement today showing unemployment rose last month to 7.1 percent, the future doesn't look promising for those looking for work especially in Eagan. More people who had given up looking for work are now back in the job market, but construction and manufacturing are still down.

With the three republican newbies for legislative representations (Diane Anderson, 38A, Doug Wardlow, 38B, and Ted Daley, SD38), don't look for any immediate action to stem the job loss bleeding. Doug Wardlow ran on job creation, so now that the fat is in the frying pan, let's see what he does.

For starters they might ask that Governor Pawlenty, who resides in Eagan, to be a little more hands on in trying to negotiate with Lockheed Martin besides just letter writing. Governor Tim Pawlenty pledged his support in a letter to the CEO. The Governor said he’ll encourage significant and innovative incentives to keep the plant in Eagan. State leaders believe they still have time to fight. However gauging from Tim Pawlenty's total lack of progress in the last several years with the soon-to-be-closed Ford plant in St. Paul, don't hold on too tightly to any hope.

Driving through Eagan is depressing these days due to the sheer number of foreclosures. Property went up 2.8 percent this year. The city says most of that increase is to cover all of the foreclosed homes that likely won't bring in any taxes. I suppose we will see the number of foreclosures and property taxes raise even more in the next two years as Lockheed Martin closes their campus. It's time to send for some super hero help.

TPaw 2B The Next US President?

2010-11-17T09:34:00.010-06:00

A Gallup Poll released earlier this week showed support for Republican presidential hopefuls. In it, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty is tied for sixth with 4 percent. That's an improvement from June when he was tied at 2% with 'none of the above'!

Currently the four clear front-runners are : Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin, Mike Huckabee and Newt Gingrich. Each has 80% name recognition among Republicans, and they are about 10 points ahead of any other candidates in trial heats and polling that have tested various combinations of the candidates against one another.

In general terms, Pawlenty lacks a strong national profile but could emerge as competitive candidate if he can gather support away from the front runner Massachusetts Gov Mitt Romney who is at 19 %.

Currently Tim Pawlenty is seen as being fourth in terms of the political futures market InTrade, the current “power ranking” according to the National Journal’s Hot Line which uses the average standing in five recent polls of prospective Republican primary voters and favourably ratings among Republican adults according to the recent A.P.-G.f.K. survey.

However, given that a vast majority of Minnesotans would probably not vote for Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty for president even if he won the 2012 presidential primary, Timmy has a steep if not impossible incline to climb if he wants to be the next US President.

Pawlenty belongs to a Baptist General Conference Church, the Evangelical Christian Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie. Perhaps they will do commercials much like the Mormons do in bolstering understanding of his religion? Will it be enough?

Lunch with Timmy

2010-11-15T07:08:00.006-06:00

Governor Pawlenty had an emergency lunch on Friday...How do I know? Well his car was parked in the 'Do Not Park' zone for 'handicap' parking - van access- all during his lunch at Kyoto's in Eagan.

There was 'pawlenty of open parking' but apparently, the governor likes to keep his driver close...I'm guess in case of emergencies...although two spaces down was an open 'legal' parking space. hmmm... Wonder is that's just another government office perk?

Timmy sat with another suit, at a window table. I didn't see who picked up the tab for the 'business lunch' that spanned over an hour. Must be nice being king.

Note to Pawlenty: The Minnesota's Driver's Manual can be downloaded online and at no charge. To obstruct handicap parking spaces is to break the law. In Minnesota to be eligible for handicap parking you must meet one of the following eligibility (note that governor is not considered a handicap): To be eligible for a disability parking certificate the applicant must meet one or more described definition(s) of a "physically disabled person". Determination of eligibility is based on the physician or chiropractor's signature, ah, but surely the Minnesota Governor knows that?

Get Your Game On - The Minnesota Recount

2010-11-11T07:00:00.010-06:00

It's the post election season in Minnesota. Ah, smell the recount in the air!

Given the current lead of Democratic candidate Mark Dayton, a Minnesota Democratic Governorship is a done deal...but hold up...there's more at stake than the actual position. Look for more GOP foot dragging, delaying, and pretending to want 'every vote to count'. This isn't about winning anymore but more about using the situation to further GOP ideology and push through legislation.

While the recount continues, Tim Pawlenty keeps his role as Minnesota's Governor. With a Republican MN house and senate, partisan GOP legislation can easily pass without the worry of a Democratic Governor Mark Dayton veto.

With it virtually statistically impossible for Emmer to win with the current vote gap, the recount and any challenge to it is more about furthering a GOP agenda by passing partisan legislation.

Incoming state House Speaker-designate Kurt Zellers (R) issued a statement on Monday saying that the GOP would not take unfair advantage of the situation, however according to the Star Tribune, an anonymous top-level GOP official said:

"I don't think there's any downside to keeping this recount going on as long as possible, If we keep the process going, there are opportunities for us in the upcoming legislative session."

Typically, the Republicans are saying one thing to the media and public while plotting in private. GOP chairman Tony Sutton said on Wednesday that his party has no intention of taking up a lost cause, saying it would pursue only a "credible" court challenge if needed. Yet, Dayton's lead appears to be hold at the upper limit of the margin that would trigger any other recount making it statistically impossible for a GOP legal challenge to change the outcome. Which begs to question, why the GOP would want to delay the inevitable unless it's about passing their personal partisan agenda?

However, as every Minnesota House and Senate member is up for re-election in two years, any hijacking of the election to fulfill partisan needs would be seen as a betrayal of Minnesotan voters and could backfire when they go to the polls again.

Train Spotting in Minnesota

2010-11-10T07:08:00.009-06:00

All Aboard!
If u don't eat ur meat u kant have the figgy pudding if you don't...er...It's simple, build the high speed trains or give back the money...Apparently Wisconsin wants to keep their federal high speed train money not to have trains but to repair roads...the feds say no, can't be done....

"The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which allocated an initial $8 billion for a high-speed rail program, doesn't allow the money to be spend for other purposes, said Ross Capon, executive director of the National Association of Railroad Passengers."

As Minnesota has a joint study with Wisconsin on plans for a fast train that would connect the Twin Cities with Madison, this could be an issue. For now Minnesota officials are going ahead with their plans but may run out of steam and chug to a stop shortly!

Getting Off Track
The race for the chairmanship of House Republican conference–a match between Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and Rep. Jeb Hensarling of Texas, is heating up. While Michelle Bachmann has the support of Minnesotans Reps. John Kline, Erik Paulsen and Chip Cravaack, apparently the more mainstreamed, established and well-known conservatives are not backing 'batcrap' Bachmann in lieu of their support for Texas Rep. Jeb Hensarling. Even the odd Teabagger seems to be supporting Hensarling.

Bachmann said that win or lose she wants to form a new group in Congress focused on adhering to principles in the Constitution. "It's important that we continue to learn more about the document we pledge to uphold,"

Personally, I think it's a good thing that Bachmann wants to study the American Constitution, it's about time she figures out the power given to take the census! Although if she's what passes for an expert on the Constitution, OMG help us, we are doomed!

The Freight Train Just Rolled Through Town
Okay Obama, time to face reality and find your ballz...in 2008 it was acceptable to try and work with the opposition party, your conciliatory message evoked earlier kinder and gentler times, you know... when American dogs and cats could play together...but by now even you have to realize being continually kicked in the teeth doesn't accomplish squat.

Man up, knock off the kumbaya crap and start taking names. Hell I'll send you the baseball bat...If you aren't capable of being the bulldog call me..but 'git er done' or get ready to face some mean looking folks carrying torches and pitchforks. It's just common sense to stop repeating message failure or did you end up with turnip brains from trying to reach out to mean monkeys? Quit pandering to the 1 percenters and the Corporatocracy and start working for the people who elected you in the first fuck sake! Don't ignore the freight train that just moved through town... it will return on schedule.

Emmer Holds News Conference To Blame The Media

2010-11-09T13:31:00.009-06:00

Minnesota's biggest loser Tom Emmer said at his news conference today... 'it taint over till the fat voter sings'...er or something like that....sigh, remember when news conferences actually had news facts instead of innuendo, lies, and misinformation.

In the Franken/Coleman recount, after going over each ballot by hand and through 3 courts, the fraudulent votes came to .00006 percent! BTW Jay Weiner has a nice reply to Michael Thielen's post regarding it's inaccurate information on the Minnesota recount...what is it with outsiders wanting to paint a total public, legal, and transparent recount system in Minnesota as a conspiracy when 'their' horse in the race comes up lame?

In addition, if you work with numbers, while not entirely impossible, Emmer would have a better chance buying a lotto ticket for his next big windfall than waiting for 40 times more changed votes than the 2008 recount. Even Coleman's attorney says the fat voter sang for Dayton!

My favorite moment is when Emmer blamed the media for his lost in a Republican year... "Poor reporting; I think that was it."

Yeah that's the ticket, be a stand up official and blame others (Emmer excuse generator)...who did vote for this clown? Ah must have been all those millionaire waitresses. But they will drag this out until the bitter end, how else can they keep a GOP ex-governor in place while they enact their agenda. Is this the intent of the voters? I don't think so.

I'm Coping, Sort Of...

2010-11-05T10:09:00.004-06:00

Sorry for not blogging this last week...I was in a deep sleep and having the worse nightmare ever where the Democrats got routed by teabaggers...er...nevermind...

So we lost the MN House and Senate...not good. Dayton, when he's confirmed a year or so from now, will be are only line of defense (probably not how he envisioned doing his job!)...

Unfortunately Governor Timmy and et al GOP will have passed a hell of a lot of hurt by then including...look for no money for true sex education, only the fake abstinence scam, no money for anyone poor, but more tax cuts for wealthy, and some kind of marriage bill stating the usual swill of one man and one women (it's worked so well so far)...sigh...Maybe I should go back to bed as it looks to be a long two years...

I see on the national scene, women got handed their walking papers...we actually lost representation...sigh

It's ugly...and I need a few more days to try and cope with this reality:

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs reiterated on Thursday that the president will be open to extending the upper-end Bush tax cuts for one or two years as part of a broader compromise with Republicans.

It's like I fell down the rabbit hole...hopefully this has a happy ending but I don't know...

They Mostly Come Out At Night....Mostly...

2010-11-02T08:01:00.000-06:00

To use the word 'Integrity' and 'Minnesota Majority' in the same sentence is something of a paradox. This group might find a few voter issues but to characterize it as being widespread or pervasive in Minnesota is a joke. It's like using a stick of dynamite to blow up one pesty house fly..

This very small problem (estimates are less than half a percent statewide!) has creased to be voter fraud but instead is now their over the top thuggery reaction. To use their own emailed words ...

"This is just another example of "~~government~~ [teabagger wingbat ahole brown shirts Minnesota Majority] gone wild" with exercising authority not granted to it by our laws or the Constitution".

Don't confuse their over reactions with CIVIL disobedience! Their interfering intimidation, and gestapo like tactics with the American elections process is meant to cause voter suppression which harms us all.

The MN Star Tribune: Where Zombies Fear To Roam

2010-10-27T07:06:00.010-06:00

I've blogged recently about how zombies apparently ate the brains of the Pioneer Press editorial staff - but I might have been a wee bit too hasty in my rush to judgement. Instead, it appears the Pioneer Press editorial staff brains were in fact given to the Star Tribune editorial Staff...at least in so far as the Star's endorsement of Rep. Mike Obermueller in 38B:

"Like his father, the 32-year-old Wardlow is bright and personable. He also is among the most doctrinaire conservative candidates we met this year. The more moderate 37-year-old Obermueller gets our nod.

Obermueller, a farm-raised, Iowa-educated commercial litigator, isn't a show horse at the Capitol. But he works hard. He made his specialty the important but obscure House Bioscience and Workforce Development Committee, which strives to assure bioscience entrepreneurs that Minnesota can supply the educated workforce they'll need to thrive.

A fiscal moderate, Obermueller is in no hurry to raise taxes. But he will be a firm voice for a lasting fix for the state budget in 2011, rather than another round of temporary measures. That's the right resolve."

I'm still at a lost as to why the Pioneer Press newspaper didn't make the same rational endorsement decision but hey, that's 'zombies under the bridge' for now... especially since I decided to stop feeding the Pioneer Press's tolls/zombies/weak editorial staff by canceling my subscription. (Truth be told, I did this a couple of years ago when it was apparent that the Press endorsement process was a poorly run sham that relied on mistaken information from a part time staffer and GOP blogger!)

The Minnesota Star Tribune also endorsed Mick McGuire's candidacy for the Minnesota House in 25A (also in CD2).

"As mayor, McGuire knows first-hand how to creatively cut spending to preserve basic services. He also knows that for cities like his, core services are now unavoidably on the chopping block if state aid cuts continue. State government could use that kind of knowledge."

It's nice to know one of Minnesota's newspapers is worthy of more than just starting the morning fire:-)

School Age Bullies

2010-10-26T13:09:00.005-06:00

Remember the good ole days when Mom sent you off to face the bullies at school , but you had to find your own weapons?

"This emergency is one of our own creation; we can respond," Sen. Scott Dibble said today. "We can change this. We can take those affirmative steps so that every kid who goes to school knows that they are valued, that they'll be safe, that they're loved, that they're going to get an equal shot at a good start in life."

We've all been through it, but that doesn't make it right...School need to look at their culture to make sure any bullying is appropriately address including gender based bashing. Here's a couple of articles regarding the legislation in Minnesota regarding bullying... MPR, The Minnesota Independent

Did I mention I had to walk ten miles, in the snow, no shoes, at night, with a broken leg, carrying my own books to school...no? Funny how time tends to shade the past...whatever, wish I had the kid to walk with...gives a whole new meaning to bullying...

Mummurs on Monday

2010-10-25T13:00:00.001-06:00

If Virginia Calls, hang up
Creepy doesn’t begin to cover how I feel about Justice Clarence Thomas.

"He was always actively watching the women he worked with to see if they could be potential partners," McEwen said matter-of-factly. "It was a hobby of his."

Which goes a ways to explaining his wife Virginia Thomas’ total break with reality in demanding one of his victims apology...

Why the Pope Hates Gays and Women
Inbreeding...It’s a story choked filled with ‘back room’ doings, intrigue, sabotage, condemnation, and much evil. From this story emerged two Americans that now go on to be named the newest cardinals. Seems like the road to a ‘red hat’ includes both ‘gay bashing’ and ‘women hating’…sigh, and this group will be ‘giving birth’ to a new pope. G*d save us all. Amen.

What Name is Your Reservation Under Sir?
MN GOP Gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer was left with what many of us face on a Friday night, no reservation due to lack of planning…Just as well, I don’t think crow was on the menu.

Take One 4 The Team
OK, I like sports, but not this much! In this day and age, this is too much. I'm outraged enough to go get the baseball bat...screw the legal system...

Don’t Try This On Superman
A revolutionary superglue dubbed Kryptonite can improve the recovery of heart patients recovering from open-chest surgery, however, be forewarned....it will hurt Superman.

Go Ahead, Make My Day
Sure it’s it’s whacked and wild and likely to not happen…but…we all have our dreams

Freaky Friday In Minnesota's Governors Race

2010-10-22T14:06:00.001-06:00

Is it just me, or does it seem like Halloween came early..with the Minnesota Tag Team Endorsement from Hell....

First Mike Ciresi, then Jessee 'the body' Ventura...wow just two more reasons not to support Horner!
We've seen MN Gubernatorial candidate Tom Horner peak...it's all down hill for Horner from here. Although to be honest, it wasn't much of a hill. I'm just waiting now for the 'nail in the coffin' endorsement from Ole Savior.

Well, He's right only I'm not 300 #s, a guy and don't have a beard...but close enough...
Let's eat the pizza with grandma...er..I guess I'm the grandma...sorry kids and grandkids. Have a great weekend...

Yipes! Zombies Sucked MN Pioneer Press Brains!

2010-10-20T12:19:00.002-06:00

Say What? The Minnesota Pioneer Press endorsed Doug Wardlow for having a 'slight advantage' over the outstanding DFL candidate Rep. Mike Obermueller (MN-38B)? Say it isn't true!
...Folks this was a no brainer...

Mike Obermueller has both the experiences and personality that makes him not a good Minnesota Representative, but a GREAT Representative for the local district. The reason the PP stated giving the endorsement to the far right Wardlow was....wait for it...."international trade issues in Washington"....Hmm, so if you want to be a MINNESOTA Rep, all you need is 'international trade' experience?

That's quite the reach compared with Mike's stellar record actually doing the job the last two years, his ability to compromise and reach across both party and ideology lines, his work integrity, and he's lived in the district instead of recently 'coming home' like Wardlow Jr....yep...'international trade' experience slight edge my ghoul ass!

This is why the paper's readership has steadily declined: They lack the ability to 'grow a pair' when it comes to bucking any far right ideology. Even the weakly thin reason cited fails to resonate within the local district. Local voters don't give a rats tail about international trade, they care about the ability to do the job as necessary, something Mike Obermueller has shown time and again along with being consistent, fair, practical, open and ethical.

The MN Pioneer Press endorsement of the far right ideologist in Wardlow Jr. that blogs that same ideology while working in a non-partisan position as a law clerk (doesn't say much for Doug Wardlow morals or his ability to be non-partisan even during working hours!) is both a shame and a sham.

Doug Wardlow is a tea bagger who will cut all services for cutting taxes for the wealthy and deregulated government to the point of drowning it in a bathtub with no drivable streets or funded schools...sound familiar, it should, we lived under that ideology with Tim Pawlenty for the last four years...(bwt this is in fact Pawlenty's Senate District!).

Readership is down at the Pioneer Press, and given this failed endorsement...so is their credibility...They are one of the top ten newspapers expected to fail as they are heavily leveraged, with loans from Hearst, Gannett and even Bill Gates, and short on cash. And while they filed for bankruptcy protection in 2009, they are just sinking deeper in debt. Part of their struggle is based on making a whole series of mismanaged wrong choices including endorsement of Doug Wardlow this weekend..er...unless there really are brain eating zombies loose in their office...just saying...

All You Need To Know

2010-10-18T10:59:00.000-06:00

In Minnesota at the state level there is the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, State Auditor, and Attorney General. Although elected, each needs to work in a non-partisan ways toward improving Minnesota for all the citizens. The DFL elected officials and candidates within this group are each outstanding with proven track records of accomplishments and working in the best interests of Minnesotans.

We have DFL candidate for MN Governor Mark Dayton and running mate Yvonne Prettner (DFL Lieutenant Governor candidate) campaigning for a better Minnesota! As Mark says, we can, and we must do better!

Then 'we are blessed with fair elections and great officials' like Secretary of State Mark Ritchie. An outstanding hard worker and manager, he has improved the use of voter technology.. Ritchie oversaw the epic Coleman/Franken U.S. Senate recount, a role that the MN Supreme Court verified 'was done correctly'.

We also have MN State Auditor Rebecca Otto who cut her own funds by $1 MILLION and gave the money to the legislature to put toward the budget deficit!

And finally we have MN Attorney General Lori Swanson protecting and fighting for our rights. Lori Swanson is the first women to be elected to the office in Minnesota and was one of only four women Attorney Generals out of the 50 United States.Tell your family, friends and neighbors to vote and let them know who you support. Who we elect to office will determines the future of Minnesota. Go Vote!

Government By The People?

2010-10-15T10:47:00.000-06:00

The Chamber of Commerce Horrors
First, the Chamber of Commerce lies about membership numbers, then they hurt local jobs by advocating outsourcing, and finally they support political agendas and campaigns with anonymous donations including foreign dollars mostly for the GOP (or party of no business regulations) and attack Democrats...

"The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which does not have to disclose its corporate donors, plans to spend $75 million on political advertising in this election, nearly all of it on behalf of Republican candidates. That's twice what it spent two years ago."

In Minnesota, the CoC is using/funding the front group, Coalition of Minnesota Businesses (CMB) PAC, for the worse kind of personal attacks against local Democrats like Rep. David Bly in SD25B, with their negative and misleading ads. Less than a third of organizations spending money on the fall elections thus far are disclosing their sources of funds, thereby denying citizens any knowledge of who is trying to influence the election, let alone toward what end.

These front organization often have the words Minnesota, American, Freedom, Small Business, Truth, and Free Enterprise in their organizations name, but don't be fooled, they are supported by and for big business and don't have the communities best interest as their goals. Their influx of big dollars can buy a candidate that will defend their special interests over our families and communities well being.

If things continue like this, next thing you know they will be filing for tax exempt status as a church (see below)...

The devil works in strange ways.

Federal law prohibits tax-exempt churches from publicly backing political candidates. But that’s not stopping Brad Brandon of Berean Bible Baptist Church in Hastings, Minnesota or Greg Stone of Jesus Assembly of God in St. Peter, Minnesota, according to the Minnesota Independent.

To repair our badly broken campaign finance system and restore a government that is – in the words of Abraham Lincoln – of, by, and for the people, Congress should take campaigns out of the hands of special interests by passing Fair Elections. This includes all business, corporations, religions and special interests.

Don't be surprised if you read about some church goer being disruptive during services this weekend...it's just me busy doing the good work. Have a nice weekend...cya 'out and about'...

Cheeseburger Vellings

2010-10-13T13:50:00.000-06:00

Pants on Fire

I find it so funny sad that Republicant John Kline (R-MN-02) who voted against the Employee Free Choice Act and is sooooooooooo out spoken and intent on breaking unions....accepts union endorsements. What's up with that? Well let's hope nobody notices them smooching in the closet!

To the Highest Bidder

MN Rep. Michele Bachmann, much like Rep. John Kline, won't show up at debates but will travel the world for any wingbat tea party gathering...Guess 'Silence is Golden' given their campaign war chests are full of out of state PAC money. Maybe to get them to show, their Democratic challengers and local voters can counter-offered with money? Nothing else seems to motivate them but greenbacks.

Now Who isn't the American?
Whoo...you mean Obama is related to Palin (or is it Palin related to Obama)? Maybe we should be asking for Palin's birth certificate? Yipes, that would make for one really awkward Thanksgiving family meal. I thought we all were related to Adam and Eve? Or is that just for some? Will my dog meet me in heaven? Why does any of this matter?

No Sharing of Anonymous GOP Lovers
The surge of anonymous money is the latest development in corporate America’s efforts to influence the agenda in Washington...the best GOP representatives money can buy....Naturally the GOP frame it up under 'freedom of speech' and advocate keeping their 'sugar daddies' anonymous. Most kept whores understand why.

It's Easy Peasy and Cheesy
There's chilling magazine tips to would-be militants on how to kill Americans. And no, it doesn't include eating at McDonalds three times a day, although that would probably do it if they're willing to wait long enough.

I Am Not A Witch or A Quisling

2010-10-12T14:09:00.000-06:00

Most folks aren't against motherhood, apple pie, American anything including baseball, or puppy dogs. Just like most folks (myself included) don't use the term 'quisling' or start a commercial by saying we're not a witch...Word up...if you do either of these things, you've already lost!

I didn't even know what a quisling was until I looked it up! So I found it to be profound that it just slipped out during from the MN GOP Chair, Tony Sutton, while describing former Republicans that endorse the Independent Republican Tom Horner as traitors (quislings) that were going to hell...oops.. not just hell, but a 'special place in hell'. Wow...

Some advice to Tony, Klingon is probably a much better obscure language choice.

"Quisling-noun: a person who betrays his or her own country by aiding an invading enemy, often serving later in a puppet government; fifth columnist. Origin: 1940; after Vidkun Quisling (1887-1945), pro-Nazi Norwegian leader."

So back to puppy dogs, butterflies, motherhood, and the real winner, Soon-to-be Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton!

UFFDAH Monday!

2010-10-11T12:01:00.000-06:00

Obama-MN-izeme! Yes, TruthSurfer called it first... that Obama would be in MN stumping for Mark Dayton...and I still want that Obama guy we elected in 2008 to be the one that shows up. From the DFL State Website:

"Please join Mark Dayton and the DFL Party in welcoming the President back to Minnesota for an early kick off of our get-out-the-vote (GOTV) efforts. We don’t have all the details yet, but you can click here to sign up to attend the event and get the details for the President’s visit as we get them."

Down Low On Wardlow (R-MN-38B)
While Doug Wardlow is running for a government office, he apparently wants to keep his options open regarding which parts of the American Constitution he'll support...nice, very teabagger to support only those founding principles you agree with and to compare the U.S. Supreme Court to 'like-minded foreigners'!

Per Doug Warlow:

"Because I do not believe that the meaning of the Eighth Amendment, any more than the meaning of other provisions of our Constitution, should be determined by the subjective views of five Members of this Court [Supreme] and like-minded foreigners, I dissent."

His opponent Democratic Representative Mike Obermueller believes in the American Constitution without having to pick and choose which principles to support or not.

What's Up with Minnesota's Weather?
Obviously the temperature is UP! Global Warming now in MN? Well, I guess it's possible. If it keeps up, I can just retire in Minnesota and not move south for warmer weather...although called 'global warming' the outcome is severe and unusual weather that cause flooding, droughts, more tornadoes... What we have come to see in Minnesota:

The average temperature in Minnesota has risen almost one degree Fahrenheit over the past century.
Since 1900, precipitation has increased by about 20 percent in parts of Minnesota, especially southern Minnesota.
Shifts in location of Minnesota forests and grasslands, changing the types of plants and animals that live in the state.
Increase damages from floods and violent storms.
Reduced water quality— increased algal blooms and less oxygen in warmer waters.
Less habitat for trout, whitefish, and other cold water species.

But this weather change is occurring everywhere...I know that flat earthers like to say it's a natural occurring event and I'm okay with that...probably too late to change our global population behavior significantly enough to enact positive change through understanding something like science... but I reserve the right to say "I told you so".

Democratic Rep Sandra Masin (MN-02-38A) or Teabagger Diane Anderson?

2010-10-06T07:16:00.001-06:00

In CD2 there are several races seen to be close by the political pundits...one is between Rep Sandra Masin (D-38A) and challenger Diane Anderson (R). Being a bit of an issue wonk, I took a look at each of their positions...and it became apparent that while Sandra Masin issue's are based solid and proven facts with a voting record to support that, Ms. Anderson is something of a weak teabagger...white washing issues with broad stokes of cute slogans and mantras and little understanding of the big picture...let's review some of Diane Anderson's failed policy stances:

Drill Baby Drill:
D Anderson: "To lower the gas prices the government should get rid of the government restrictions and allow the usage of the natural resources we have in the United States"
Me: Wonder what the gulf coast residence think of getting rid of government restrictions since the BP spill? I don't hear anyone anymore chanting the 'drill baby drill' mantra...er, wait...., no not even them now...seems Diane is a lone voice since the choir moved on.

Snake Oil:
D Anderson: "Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s Q-Comp incentive compensation for teachers is an important step to modernizing our educational system"
ME: Another faked, expensive and failed program...First, teacher incentives or bonuses don't work - studies have proven this. Secondly The OLA report found that of almost 500 Minnesota school districts and charter schools, only 72 are participating in Q Comp this year (they figured out it was snake oil!). Participating districts receive an additional $260 per student. In fiscal year 2009, Q Comp costed the state about $49 million OUCH that's a lot of school books which I hear still work in teaching!

Self Policing:
D Anderson: "Government’s role should be to loosen the tax and regulatory policies that have made health care more expensive."
ME: So we loosen those ‘regulatory policies' in banking… then the housing mortgage industry…and then in off shore drilling…well you get the picture... How's that 'self policing' been working out for Americans? This is text book GOP talking to justify corporation greed over American family needs. Perhaps Diane doesn't mind picking bugs out of her breakfast cereal but most of us understand the need for some government regulations...

Us Verse Them:
D Anderson: "Diane Anderson believes Minnesota's education funding formula must be fixed so that it no longer shortchanges suburban schools'
ME: Tell me again about why it's not about ALL Minnesota schools and just Suburban schools verses rural or urban schools in Minnesota? Of all the teabagger reframes , this one of 'I got mine and don't care about yours' is the most telling about the lack of leadership. Especially when you compare suburban education funding against rural and urban...

On Diane Anderson's website it says "Common Sense Leadership for Common Sense Reform!", unfortunately, we know better based on her failed issue stances that mirrors those of Pawlenty and Kline.

If this is, in fact, a close race, we need to get the word out to voters in the district about Anderson's teabag based leadership. To do this, Sandra Masin's campaign needs both volunteers and money....Please help her out by contributing today.

'You Know You Make Me Wanta Shout!'

2010-10-05T08:18:00.001-06:00

G*ddammit..
Come on you bigoted holierthang*d jerks...there is no 'marriage issue'...it doesn't threaten marriages (trust me after 36 years of marriage never once was it threaten or harmed by gay marriage!), it doesn't pose a "dangerous risk" to society. and 'it' (one man:one woman only marriage) isn't a critical question as presented by the poisoned wealthy asshole archbishop and the soulless Illuminati of freak bishops that follow his lead.

This is a politically charged crusade against gays raised four weeks before the new Minnesota Governor takes office.... Cut the crap and call it for what it is: A power grab by old men in black clothing attempting to throw support to GOP Mad Hatter and Teabagger Tom Emmer while controlling what goes on between adults and denying basic civil marriage rights...And oh yeah, an 'anonymous donation' !? Tell me another one about how moral these bastards are that they won't even disclose where the money came from (mana from heaven?)...May they burn in hell. Amen

Mo' Trouble At UofM
We've all been there...a frat party like in the movie 'Animal House' where the sheer number of partiers made it impossible for fraternities to control who's in their house and what up they're up...the booze flows and drugs are dappled with...

According to the 'Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life' "Being a fraternity or sorority member is unlike any other experience you will ever have". Unfortunately, for three girls in the last couple of weeks, that experience included rape. The police say the three assaults are not related to each other but alcohol was a factor in each. The rapes prompted the 24 fraternity leaders at the University of Minnesota to take the unusual step of banning alcohol whenever guests are present.

In listening to interviews with party attendees, I was fascinated with what the girls were saying...they all said they never attend these parties alone, they always have someone who 'looks out' for them, and that you need to be 'smart' about your personal safety....

sigh, I better talk some more with my daughter as she will be going to college next year...

Less' Trouble At UofM
A couple of weeks after the University of Minnesota announced they would not allow the showing of the documentary "Trouble Waters" due to 'concerns about it's content', they've changed their minds...The film is a documentary on the state of the Mississippi River and how runoff from agricultural fields and cities contributes to pollution in the Gulf of Mexico. An Emmy Award-winning team from Minnesota created the film that uses beautiful photography and inspiring narrative, offering solutions to the river's troubles through fresh ideas and concrete solutions.

The Oct. 3 screening will be held at the Bell Museum on the U of M's Minneapolis campus and be followed with an open forum discussion. The film is also scheduled to be broadcast on Twin Cities Public Television tpt2 on Tuesday, October 5 at 8 PM, and again on October 6 at 2 AM. A third broadcast is set for October 6 at 4 PM
Sure it's an oldie...

Mixed Bag of Minnesota

2010-10-01T13:42:00.001-06:00

Former President Bill Clinton made a stop in town for Dayton ...and then I thought, well VP Biden was here...so maybe Minnesotans will see Obama come to town for Dayton...then I read the Borowitz Report...that guy is so freaking funny...and sometimes even true!

“We were sitting around thinking of who we could put out there on the campaign trail to get people energized again,” said party chairman Tim Kaine. “And then I was like, what about that guy who played Obama in ’08? He was amazing!”

So let get it going now... I really really really want Obama to come stump for Mark Dayton...you know, that guy who played Obama in 2008:-)

Mark Dayton has a nearly unbeatable 11% lead of Emmer...With 30 days to go, looks like the Democratic drought of 24 years is about to get rained on! The last time Minnesota had a Democratic Governor and two Democratic Senators was in 1978.

"With your help, we'll build a better Minnesota by investing in education, creating new jobs, and providing affordable health care.We hope that you'll join us".

Hell yes, I'm with Mark Dayton!

And oh, yeah, Michele Bachmann...as Garrison Keillor says, Michele Bachmann Is 'Embarrassing'. It's one thing to have a crazy person full of entertaining stories that play loose with the truth, it's another to elect them to office representing Minnesota.

Congressman John Kline (R-MN-02) still freeloading by not working to bring back our federal tax dollars...there is an alternative who promises to actually try and get funding for transportation, small business, roads and schools...

Got to go...throwing a 'Emanuel left the White House, now let the walls come tumbling down' party...Enjoy your weekend...

Doug Wardlow -GOP 38B - Let's Talk Intolerance!

2010-09-28T13:01:00.000-06:00

Dave Mindeman at mnpACT! has posted up on GOP MN House candidate in 38B, Doug Wardlow. He cites Wardlow's anonymous blogging at The Rostra that was maintained while Doug clerked (or do I mean 'while clerking'?). But his anonymous posting of partisan viewpoints wasn't as damming as his over excessive characterization and need to vilify anyone with different views than his own.

Like many of the 'talkingheads from the right, Doug Wardlow like to tell us what the 'the liberals', 'the left', 'the media' thinks thereby defining them. He sustains his point of view by distortion and demonizing, vilifying, marginalizing, and trivializing those with different views. It's the classic 'us' and 'them' mentality that leads to unresolved problems while our elected politicians argue on, block and obstruct.

From his post entitled "Extreme Liberals: Motivated by Hate"

"They hate Republicans, and hate being out of power. And they are so blinded by their hatred and liberal ideology that they place regaining power and destroying the policies and preferences of the Republican majority above even sustaining American democracy -- and hence they feel no qualms about utilizing liberal judges to enact law from the bench where their ideas lose in the court of public opinion."

Wardlow's intolerance of anyone without his views leads us to ask...'How can he possibly be in a position to reach across the isle and move Minnesota forward?' Clearly, Wardlow won't be able to reach out to anyone that doesn't hold his narrow views. Doug even goes so far as to cite the nightly news in his list of intolerable things calling them 'Machiavellian'.

"I have now actually reached a point where I find it very, very difficult to watch the nightly news or read CNN's web page" (feb 2)

Scared yet? Then this should make you stay awake at night worried about the election outcome.... Doug Wardlow states he doesn't have to believe in the provisions of our Constitution or the Supreme Court of America because it (they) don't hold his 'correct' position! (Almost makes you wonder why he's not running Tea Party instead of GOP given how right of the right his issue base is!)

"Because I do not believe that the meaning of the Eighth Amendment, any more than the meaning of other provisions of our Constitution, should be determined by the subjective views of five Members of this Court [Supreme Court] and like-minded foreigners, I dissent." (march 1)

Wardlow's disdain for our system, the America's Supreme Court, our laws and politicians leads us to wonder if he's running to just break it permanently? Moreover, is this the person to represent us in Eagan?

Lastly...Wardlow scrubbed some of his post...including the one I have posted in it's entirety below....In it Doug Wardlow rails against campaign reform offered by the bi-partisan McCain-Feingold bill and instead defends the wealthy's ability to buy free speech unfairly...

"We must reverse course, we must not be fooled into thinking that fairness and equality in political speech can justify putting irons on the eloquent and wealthy"

From Rosta (cached file on google)
Wednesday, August 25, 2004

McCain-Feingold: The End of Political Free Speech and the Erosion of the Rule of Law

Of all of the types of speech implicated by the first amendment, political speech has always been deemed the most important. Our right to criticize the government, to call into question the policies, actions, and even character of our leaders, incumbent candidates, and political challengers ought to be the most cherished part of the freedoms that the first amendment attempts to protect. Even if Madison’s initial opposition to the bill of rights had been successful, freedom of political speech would still be implicit in the structures of our government as laid out in the constitution, structures that, in the absence of free speech, could not properly function.

But now the warning of Justice Scalia in his McConnell dissent has been proven all too true: in our zealousness to achieve equality and fairness on playing field of politics, we have dealt serious blows to that most critical institution, our freedom to criticize our government. We have allowed those in office, those who have the most vested, parochial interest in regulating the course of our political discourse, to shape and limit it. And, as Scalia also points out, now that the Court has announced that preventing circumvention of campaign finance laws is a valid justification for promulgating new, more restrictive campaign finance laws, no logical principle remains to prevent Congress from regulating political free speech into total oblivion.

That government may not mute or muffle the voice of one so as to allow another to be heard has always been a primary principle of the first amendment. Liberty is the end, not equality. Liberty, a substantive value respecting the dignity and autonomy of man, as opposed to equality, a mere measurement or comparison that cannot justify anything without reference to some other value, has always been the core of first amendment jurisprudence. Just as it would be ludicrous to put irons on the athlete born naturally quick in order to foster equality, just as it would be ridiculous to limit the speeches of those born eloquent, it is equally abhorrent when the government attempts to limit the amount of money an individual may spend on communicating his political message such that others with less resources may be heard.

But this is where we are. Money is not speech, said the Supreme Court in McConnell, and therefore it may be regulated. But, as Justice Scalia pointed out, how is saying that money is not speech any different from saying that paper is not speech, and then passing an act that all paper must bear a stamp indicating that tax has been payed? How is saying that money is not speech any different from saying that book binding and publishing is not speech, and then regulating who may and may not bind and publish books? There is no difference.

The idiotic complexity of our campaign finance law, born of the reality that we cannot remove money from politics without stifling political speech entirely but attempting to do just that anyway, is so monstrous that we are at the point where no citizen can truly know if the expenditures he makes to voice his opinion are legal or not. Reference to the law is no help without the aid of a team of expensive attorneys. And so a system of laws so incoherent and dense as to at least temporarily befuddle even the most astute lawyer has become a political tool, a weapon wielded only by those with huge resources, to force the political discourse in the direction the person with the best lawyers and advisers hopes to move it. Aristotle had a name for such a regime: Not democracy, but oligarchy.

An oligarchy of the lawyers and the wealthy, of the Kerrys and the Edwardses, of the sophists. When citizens were free to spend their money on expressing their opinions, to pool it as they see fit in the forms they so desired, we were virtually guaranteed that there would be wealthy contributors on all sides of every issue -- if there were not, perhaps that said something about the argument being made. Thus, a certain natural equality was born of that liberty of political expression. Now, I am hard pressed even to tell my mother whether she may distribute a leaflet to churchgoers mentioning a candidate for federal office with impunity, and to the extent I can, it is only because I am trained in the law already. Now, John Kerry can make wild claims that the President is violating campaign finance laws, and the average citizen has no way of checking the veracity of Kerry’s assertion -- the campaign finance laws might as well be written in ancient Etruscan. And Kerry depends on that forced ignorance of the law to garner support and demonize the President.

The rule of law, that eminent principle which we so cherish because it secures for us our liberty, is undermined when the demos cannot understand the law. Freedom is in name only when the laws that govern us are unknowable to us. When that unknowable law is one governing our political speech, our very system is in jeopardy. We might as well be living under the hand of a dictator that punishes political speech by his will -- the difference between that and being punished for violating a law the average person has no means of understanding is frighteningly small.

We must reverse course, we must not be fooled into thinking that fairness and equality in political speech can justify putting irons on the eloquent and wealthy. If we do not, we may end up fighting for liberty and freedom abroad even as we let it slip away at home.

posted by HoyaLawyer at 7:09 PM

Hot Dish In Minnesota's CD2

2010-09-24T09:21:00.000-06:00

Pioneer Press Still Unprofessional In Endorsement Practices
CD2 DFL Candidate of Minnesota Representative, Colin Lee, posted up at MN Progressive Project on his experience of being vetted by the Pioneer Press this week....not a really pretty picture but given the PP's prior history of endorsement...not a surprise that they should still run such an unprofessional endorsement process.

Colin Lee is running in Lakeville Senate District 36A, advocating for for among other things, campaign reform by not taking special interest monies:

My opponents just released their voluntary campaign finance disclosures. The incumbent in my race accepted no less than $4,100 from lobbyists, PACs, and special interests. I am the only candidate in my race who has sworn to "Take the High Road" by refusing all donations from lobbyists, corporations, and political action committees.

Minnesota has the most lobbyists per capital of any state in the country. My opponent received well over fifty percent of contributions from lobbyists and political action committees in her last election. These abuses of the public interest must end

Colin, a software engineer, has also been crossed endorsed by the Independence Party of Minnesota.

Move along, no surprise here!
CD2 Rep. John Kline is still refusing to debate, even when asked nicely...sigh...
still refusing to take pork (sort of)...
still wanting to give the wealthiest 2% tax breaks (calls it a 'Pledge to America' like we're that stupid!),
still working for special interest money.

BTW, I like what Jon Stewart calls the 'Pledge to America' as it's much more fitting:

"So two years ago America broke up with you, because you had badly mistreated her. ... And you come back rapping on our door, hat in hand, and you say, "Baby, I know you love me. But if we get back together, I pledge to you, I promise you, I will still try to f*ck your sister every chance I get." [Watch the video here]

Stay dry and on the high road to avoid flooding this weekend!

I'd like to dedicate this video to Flying Burrito and Dot Peace (my dogs!):

Minnesota Archbishop Nienstedt's Gospel Of Hate

2010-09-23T09:08:00.000-06:00

Check your mailboxes! The Catholic Bishops are sending you a GOSPEL OF HATE..... The Minnesota Catholic Bishops have launched an aggressive and expensive six week campaign telling Catholics to hate gays, urging them to contact their legislators calling for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, and vote in the November 2 elections for legislators that will support their homophobic hate agenda.

Minnesota Archbishop John Nienstedt, who leads the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, is calling for this a religious right constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage. Part of his reasoning (if you call hate reasoning) says a lot about the state of marriage in our culture and has nothing to do with gays:

"...we all know the state of marriage in our society today -- the fact that ... four to five out of every ten marriages ends in divorce, the rate of cohabitation has gone from half a million in 1965 to over 5 million couples today. One out of every three Americans over the age of fifteen has never been married. And there are 19 million children being raised by single parents."

I'm a widow but was married for 36 years to the same guy. Never once was our marriage threaten, harmed, or endangered by gays, gays unions, or same-sex marriages. We even lived in San Francisco for awhile! This isn't about helping marriages but retaining power, old out-dated dogma, and dictate their religious insanity that institutionalizes their prejudices into our government!

Archbishop Nienstedt's hate crusade against homosexuality is religious fanaticism...wouldn't it be nice if he spend as much or more time crusading for women's rights, children's welfare, the poor, hungry and homeless? In Nienstedt's own words, the rape of children is 'a sin that cries out for forgiveness' rather than a crime that cries out of justice. Nienstedt excused pedophilia in his church by linking it to the sexual revolution of the 60's and 70's which is both inaccurate and irrelevant. His lackadaisical efforts in exposing and covering up this abuse goes a long way in explaining his lack of immoral leadership in calling for anti-gay hate legislation in Minnesota.

The Archbishop is blandly misusing his church position to elect the GOP candidate Emmer who is also homophobic and doesn't support same sex marriage while Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party candidate Mark Dayton and Independence Party candidate Tom Horner support the rights of the GLBT community. This is outrageous from a religious leader and institution exempt from taxes. Where's the separation of Church and State?

It should go without saying that each of us should be allowed to marry whomever we choose. Until the right-wing, religious fanatics like Archbishop Nienstedt stop trying to control everybody else and force his “morals” down the throat of our government, there can be no real freedom. Civil rights can't be "voted away," that is the purpose of the Bill of Rights. He can legislate the Vatican, but he should have no power over our government!

Additionally, at a time when poverty in America is affect one out of seven, the Knights of Columbus are spending MILLIONS fighting same sex marriages. This includes funneling monies through NOM to keep donor names undisclosed. According to Phil Attey, executive director of Catholics for Equality:

“You’ve got this really interesting funnel of tax-free money coming from the Dioceses and the Council of Bishops and the Knights of Columbus directly to these campaigns. Why are groups like NOM hiding where they’re getting their money? If it turns out to be a front group for the conservative side of the church, Catholics have the right to know because the majority of American Catholics, and we can show you heaps of polls, don’t support that [kind of spending].”

If you receive the 'piece of crap' DVD touting anti-gay hate legislation, mark it 'returned to sender'. Although the cost of sending it back will be nothing compared to what Nienstedt and the Catholic Bishops want the GLBT community to pay by taking away their human rights.

This and That- Emmer, Mark Buesgens, Jannaya LaFrance

2010-09-22T12:52:00.000-06:00

Self Serving Emmer in Deed
Say what? Minnesota Gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer is again (sigh) caught stretching the truth regarding his former campaign manager Rep. Mark Buesgens...well it shows a lack of character and inability to be real.

First we have the mis-statement (better know as the self-serving lie) that Minnesota waitresses can pull in 100K a year, then we have the bad math (better know as a self-serving lie) that "only about half the cities in this state get any local government aid" when in fact it's 85%, then we see that Emmer doesn't plan to pay back the $1.4 billion in deferred funding to the school districts (better know as self serving budget), and now the retro-active, back dating replacement of his manager done conveniently after his DWI...hmm...(very self serving!)

Opportunity Knocks for Jannaya LaFrance!
While I'm sorry for Mark Buesgens troubles and his current inability to cope, many voters probably feel it won't help to put him back into office without a real resolution to his financial and drinking problems (instead of apologizing, Mark's first statement on the DWI was he wasn't going to talk until he talked with his attorney after which he then apologied!). Mark's current misfortunes is good news for DFLer Jannaya LaFrance, the endorsed Democratic candidate for the seat in SD35B.

Jannaya LaFrance and RT Rybak

Jannaya is young and energetic mother who has been consistently working for the past several months in an area previously thought to be solidly GOP. Given what has happen in the past week, her chances have improved dramatically. Visit her website and give a little to her campaign!

"Jannaya has no problem admitting that she is a political newcomer because she honestly believes government needs more people like her. Regular people representing regular people, keeping everyone’s needs in mind and in heart. Jannaya’s passion is not politics. Her passion is people, and doing whatever it takes to get things done right to benefit her fellow Minnesotans"

Shout Out
Have I mentioned how progressive and hard working State Rep. David Bly (MN-25B) is?

I'ma easily entertained, and a cross over between DC/Marvel and Trekkies makes sense to me! lol

Setting the Record Straight

2010-09-21T09:07:00.001-06:00

Why yes Mr. PZ Myers, UofM Prof, I have soul and tentacles so I would be uniquely qualified to answer this question....

... the Pope's astronomer says:

Any entity — no matter how many tentacles it has — has a soul.

Guy Consolmagno-

No entity — no matter how many tentacles it has — has a soul

PZ Myers-

I can count tentacles. I can't count souls, and neither can anyone else.

TruthSurfer-

EasyPeazy, I got your tentacles right here. And I've always had soul....

Next up: the Chicken or the Egg, myth (El Papa) verses reality (Truthsurfer).

What Color is Your Neighborhood?

2010-09-21T07:49:00.000-06:00

Found through GAWKERS, 'How White is your neighborhood'...and was not surprised at how white Minneapolis and St. Paul are especially compared to the other major US cities. Like most of the top 40 cities in the United States however, the concentrated pockets of colors tell the story.

Photographer Eric Fischer's color-coded maps of racial segregation are captivating, particularly once you find your own neighborhood.

Fisher used a straight forward method borrowed from Rankin: Using U.S. Census data from 2000, he created a map where one dot equals 25 people. The dots are then color-coded based on race: White is pink; Black is blue; Hispanic is orange, and Asian is green. [Mpls, St. Paul is pictured below.]

When I first saw this I noticed how red Minneapolis/St. Paul were compared to the other major cities posted up...then I found out one red dot represented 25 whites. Most all the cities showed specific pocket groupings for the races.

It would be interesting to see this with an overlay of: income, real estate prices, and school funding...BTW, I live in a neighborhood with no blacks, one Asian family, and two India families and oh yeah, one Minnesota Governor but he;s not home much since deciding to run for President. The rest is all white, as is most of the southern suburbs.

It's Always About The Money

2010-09-17T12:36:00.000-06:00

It's now official, during the recent spat of hard times, the rich got richer and the poor got poorer and the middle class is shrinking while joining the ranks of poor and (big inhale) the rich apparently get's what the middle class had...Meanwhile locally....

In Minnesota's Second Congressional District, Rep. John Kline (R-MN) is busy putting his personal agenda of obstruction and word smiting into play while his district suffers from his lack ethical behavior. Ah don't forget to visit his good friend John Boehner's new website crated by the DNC...notice a pattern here?

It wasn't a surprise when I learned that Rep. Kline's “no earmark” slogan means that the second district is losing quality infrastructure and jobs. The second district is the poorest district in the state in terms of federal funding, getting less than half the state average back from the money its taxpayers send to Washington through Federal income and gasoline taxes. It also results in lost jobs and businesses that provide jobs due to his unwillingness to provide Federal dollars to build and maintain infrastructure like roads, schools and other projects eligible for Federal funding.

It's almost always about the money, John Kline uses his time and resources to go after lobbyist money for his personal PAC and his campaign but refuses to go after our own Federal tax money for our jobs and our infrastructure...just who is he working for?

Have a great weekend! Stay dry and be safe.

Money, so they say
Is the root of all evil
Today

But if you ask for a rise
It's no surprise that they're
Giving none away

Away
Away
Away
Away...

One Out of Three!

2010-09-16T12:11:00.000-06:00

Minnesota's Economy

The Gubernatorial candidates have squared off several times and the state budget always seems to be the number one issue. Each candidate has their own take but here's what I think is significant: Mark Dayton is willing to work with the Legislature to find new revenue and develop a state budget as mandated by the State constitution. The other two candidates (Tom Emmer-R and Tom Horner-I) don't see working with elected officials as being part of the budget plan. In toady's fluid economic times, that one trait, 'being willing to work with MN legislaturers', is probably the most important.

Whatever all three candidates balance today, could be off by tomorrow because of inflation, recession, disasters, and the stock market. But the willingness to adjust by working as a team member with the legislation is pivotal. Our example has been Pawlenty's use of vetoes and unallotment to budget because of his inability to sit down at the table with the legislaturers.

When you think State Budget, think who will be willing to work with others. Tom Emmer's style of leadership is similar if not more radical than Pawlenty. Emmer’s uncompromising style has even alienated House GOP colleagues!

Small Business Sense

The below chart from Paul Krugman, shows 24 years of data from small business owners on the biggest problem(s) they have to face. The last two years the percentage saying "poor sales" is significantly higher than any other issue/time. Look for the trending to go even historically higher given the poverty rate is 14.3% (highest since 1994). When you don't have money, you can't afford to buy!

"...: if you ask businesses - as opposed to their lobbyists - what their problem is, you find no hint of the stories the usual suspects are telling you about government interference, political uncertainty, etc.. Businesses aren't hiring because of poor sales, period, end of story.... "

The simple truth is: Make the rich pay their fair share and put incentives in place to allow the middle class to spend more. Obama's plan is a win/win. BTW, in case you're wondering if you are poor, here's the official guidelines.

Chum for the Sharks

2010-09-14T07:19:00.000-06:00

So Americans have put 9-11 behind them? I don't thinks this is the way to do so...I'm just saying that 19 of the 20 terrorist that attacked the United States on 9-11 held Saudi passports...so why in the fricken heck would we be selling them this crap? Most of the ~~schools~~ camps the terrorist attended were funded by Saudi Arabia, and their religious fervor for killing was stroked by Saudi religious leaders. This is still the same.

Big of us to get over it and arm them for another day. It's moments like this that brings to mind my daddy...he was old school southern gentleman that often offered up advise in parables and adages. I can hear him now saying something about not crawling into a bed filled with rattlesnakes and making deals with the devil. Look me up for the "I told you so" rant, shortly. As again daddy would say America is 'sowing the oats of their own destruction' with Nobel Peace prize winner Obama leading the way!

We're number one! America the Great! WMD!

Freaky Friday's Extended Forecast Calls For More Fricken Media Coverage

2010-09-10T12:18:00.001-06:00

Shut up or the bunny dies!

Ever notice how life can be explained by South Park episodes...Seems like every other week I see the connection...this week it's the dust up over burning the Koran... Just switch South Park School bus driver Ms. Veronica "Muffin" Lee Crabtree out for Florida nutcase cult leader Pastor Terry Jones and instead of the bunny, use the Koran. It all makes sense to me but then I did fully partake in the '60s. At lease comes the closes to explaining what's going on.

...BTW this headline:

Pastor Terry Jones' 9/11 Koran burn fuels copycats in U.S., violent protests abroad

is wrong. The media, giving his racist cult a national press platform has spurred the violence abroad. Instead of reporting that Mr. Jones is the exception and totally bat winged, they put him in the national spotlight without showing that he statistically represents no one in the United States.

Hell my conservative neighbor Bob threatens to burn my blog every couple of weeks and the media hasn't covered that...hey wait just a minute...Is that because I'm a Jew? Shut up or I'll kill the dust bunny under my bed! (which I'm really going to do tomorrow)

Hmm..I need to ponder this more...but I'm sure the press will be splashing it over over the world...soon...have a nice weekend...