May 18, 2008
May 18 00:34 The Latest From the Capitol May 18 04:36 Obama's Next Mission: Restoring the Aura of Inevitability May 18 12:13 Obama the Uniter? May 18 16:06 It's a Done Deal May 18 16:57 The Cost of Illegal Immigration May 18 20:27 The Cost of Liberal Majorities
The Latest From the Capitol
Steve Gottwalt just sent out an email update a few minutes ago on the state of negotiations. I found several things particularly interesting. Let's start with health care:
We just arrived at a compromise agreement on health care reform. Republicans brought back the issue for bi-partisan negotiations after the Governor vetoed a package that included far too much expansion of public programs at huge cost to taxpayers. The new agreement includes expansion of MinnesotaCare to cover another 7,000 people, and private sector tax credits to cover another 5,000. It includes health care provider cost and quality transparency, and "health care homes" to coordinate care for public enrollees with major chronic conditions. It includes grants for community-based health improvement initiatives, electronic prescriptions ("e-prescriptions"), study of health care worker shortages in the state, and some incremental steps toward payment reforms.All in all, I'd say that that's a decent outcome all things considered. It's good to see Steve's finders fee provision included in the negotiated bill. It's an intelligent way of getting people enrolled that qualify.
The health care reform agreement also includes a provision I offered earlier this session that gives state licensed health insurance agents a modest "finders fee" to identify and enroll people who are eligible for state health care programs. It's estimated more than half of those who are uninsured in Minnesota are already eligible for public programs, so this common sense measure is a simple, cost-effective approach to getting more people covered. This proposal earned bi-partisan support in committee, and I'm glad negotiators saw fit to include it in the
final agreement.
The next thing Steve mentioned was property taxes. Here's the latest on what's happening there:
The Governor has compromised significantly on local property tax levy limits. He has offered a generous limit on local levy increases of 3.9 percent (that's well above what our local governments have typically enacted), and no levy limit for public safety expenditures like police and firefighters. In return, the state would give $60 million more in Local Government Aid (LGA), and $25 million in direct property taxAgain, this seems like a reasonable compromise considering the numbers that the GOP was facing. It's far from ideal but I can live with it. It appears as though the GOP staved off some terrible education policy:
relief.
I have always opposed hard levy caps on local governments, so I'm glad to see this flexibility. We're always told that the Legislature "drives up" local property taxes when it cuts or doesn't give enough LGA. So, conversely, if the Legislature increases state aid to local governments, we at least see some limit on the growth of local property taxes. This is a responsible and reasonable compromise, and I
hope it succeeds.
In the area of Education Policy, we have stood strong and forced removal of terrible provisions, including mandatory "comprehensive sex education" (which includes instruction about anal sex, oral sex and sex for pleasure among teens).What on God's green earth was the DFL thinking? Thankfully, the GOP stopped these provisions dead in their tracks. Then there's this:
We have also forced negotiation of a supplemental K-12 Finance Bill that gets real money to our students, and does not gut education reforms like QComp in return for one-time money.If they can increase K-12 spending while reprioritizing spending elsewhere, I'll be a happy camper.
Again, I supported an 8 percent increase in K-12 funding last year, while the Democrats supported only 3 percent. This year, as we face a state budget deficit, additional money for our schools needs to come from reprioritizing other state spending, particularly from the massive expansion of human services and welfare programs enacted last year (17 percent increase). This common sense compromise looks likely to happen.
Finally, it wouldn't be a last minute budget negotiation if Larry Pogemiller didn't attempt to throw a wrench into it:
Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller (DFL-Minneapolis) shifted his position in negotiations several times over the last day or so, seeking increases in welfare. There is bi-partisan frustration, particularly among my colleagues in the House, that Sen. Pogemiller seems to delight in stringing along negotiations to the eleventh hour. We need to stop playing such games, and resolve the remaining issues in the best interests of all Minnesotans.This is mostly done, I suspect, because of Pogie's utter frustration in dealing with Gov. Pawlenty. It's sad that he's willing to do this out of personal animosity. That's what spoiled brats do. Isn't it time we got some adults in charge?
Posted Sunday, May 18, 2008 12:34 AM
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Obama's Next Mission: Restoring the Aura of Inevitability
As strange as it seems, Larry Rohter of the NY Times says that Barack Obama's next mission is to regain his aura of inevitability . I suspect that it won't be easy to relocate that aura. Anyways, here's a rather humorous section of the article:
If things continue to go as well for Obama this week as they have so far this month, with a romp in North Carolina, a strong showing in Indiana and daily growth in his support among party superdelegates, he could end up with enough pledged delegates to proclaim, without fear of contradiction, that he is now the Democratic nominee for president.It's interesting that they didn't mention that he got the worst horsewhipping I've ever seen in last Tuesday's West Virginia primary. I've never seen a party's presumptive nominee get beat by 41 points before. As the presumptive nominee, he should win out unless one of the states is his opponent's home state or something similar to that.
To lose by double digits is rare, possibly unprecedented. To lose by 20 points is an embarassment. To lose by 41 points is a butt-kicking of historic proportions. It says that the presumptive nominee has some major problems staring him in the face. The Obama campaign will say otherwise but it's the unvarnished truth.
It's pathetic to hear Obama already admitting he'll get beat in Kentucky, too. What's worse is hearing Sen. Obama blaming his impending loss in Kentucky on...Fox News. In fact, he's accusing Fox News of spreading gossip about him. I can't imagine that that's the way to restore an aura of inevitability.
This past week, for instance, Obama of Illinois visited two of the states that Psaki mentioned: Michigan, whose disputed primary has provided the Democratic Party with headaches, and Missouri. Two more are on Obama's radar for this week: Florida, whose primary results are also being debated and where Obama plans to spend three days, and Iowa, where everything started.Obama doesn't have a chance of winning in florida. PERIOD. Therefore, I hope he spends alot of time campaigning there. I can't imagine him having an aura of inevitability in Michigan either, especially since he plans on contesting the seating of their delegation at the Democratic Convention in Denver.
If McCain flips Michigan into the red column, then Obama can't win. It's that simple.
Posted Sunday, May 18, 2008 4:37 AM
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Obama the Uniter?
Most of Barack Obama's success in the early primaries is attributable to his selling the notion that he would step beyond the partisan politics practiced by mere mortals. He would be a uniter of all people, causing racism and poverty to disappear. Now that the bloom is off that rose, facts are contradicting that image. The Detroit Free Press is reporting that Sen. Obama met with one of the most anti-semitic Muslim clerics in America during his recent visit to Michigan. Here's some of the details:
Imam Hassan Qazwini, head of the Islamic Center of America, said in an email that he met with Obama at Macomb Community College. A mosque spokesman, Eide Alawan, confirmed that the meeting took place. During the meeting, the two discussed the Presidential election, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the Iraq war, according to Qazwini.As usual, Debbie Schlussel asked the most important question :
Barack Obama claims he's against HAMAS and Hezbollah and is offended by President Bush's speech in Israel about Obama's ethos of "appeasement." So why is he meeting with one of Hezbollah's most important imams and agents in America, Imam Hassan Qazwini ? And why is this open anti-Semite and supporter of Israel's annihilation getting to discuss "the Arab-Israeli conflict" in a private one-on-one meeting with Obama? What was said? I think we can do the math.This week, Sen. Obama took offense at being called an appeaser, then spent the rest of the week distancing himself from his statement at the YouTube debate . One of his minions even tried ignoring the fact that Obama originally said that he'd meet with Ahmadinejad, Castro, Chavez and Kim Jung Il without preconditions. This after Sen. Obama fired Robert Malley for having contact with a member of Hamas.
The first, and most obvious, question I have is this: If it's wrong for a campaign staffer to meet with Hamas, why isn't it equally wrong to meet with Hezbollah? Both terrorist organizations are dedicated to Israel's destruction. Both terrorist organizations commit acts of violence against Israel in the form of rocket attacks. The inevitable conclusion one must draw of Hamas and Hezbollah is that there isn't a dime's worth of difference between them.
The next question I have is why this isn't being reported in the press. Is the media that unaware of the meeting? Or are they that disinterested in the meeting? You'd think it was big news if a presidential candidate meets with an agent of Hezbollah.
Here's more of what Debbie Schlussel is reporting about Qazwini and his mosque:
Qazwini is very open about his support for Palestinian homicide bombings, HAMAS, and Hezbollah. And he's a good friend of Hezbollah spiritual leader, Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah--the man who issued the fatwa to Hezbollah terrorists to murder over 300 U.S. Marines and U.S. Embassy civilians in cold blood. Qazwini's mosque has held rallies and celebrations in support of Hezbollah, and many of Hezbollah's biggest money-launderers and agents in America are his congregants.What are we supposed to believe about Obama's policies towards terrorists? If he's willing to meet with them here in America, why should we think that he won't meet with terrorist-sponsoring leaders like Chavez and Ahmadinejad?
When I went undercover to his mosque in 1998, he and others welcomed Nation of Islam chief racist Louis Farrakhan as "our dear brother" and "a freedom fighter." Qazwini applauded Farrakhan's anti-Semitic statements saying that Jews were the "forces of Satan" and that there needed to be a "jihad" on the American people.
I don't see anything virtuous about sitting down with terrorists, which is what Sen. Obama did in meeting with Qazwini. In fact, he gave Qazwini a special, private meeting.
Another question I have is why his campaign didn't publicize the meeting. If Sen. Obama thinks that this is simply outreach to the Muslim community, shouldn't he highlight this on his website? The fact that it isn't highlighted on his website tells me that he didn't want this publicized because of the meeting's controversial nature it points out another weakness in Obama's candidacy.
He's had difficulty earning the trust of Jewish voters throughout this process. While many Jews are liberal, I'd doubt that anyone in the Jewish community would tolerate him meeting with a representative of Hezbollah. This meeting will fortify Jews' belief that Sen. Obama can't be trusted.
This meeting also reinforces the image of Sen. Obama being a Cartesque pacifist, too. People like inclusive candidates only until they start including terrorists in their meetings.
Posted Sunday, May 18, 2008 12:14 PM
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It's a Done Deal
Here are some highlights from the press conference that literally took place minutes ago:
GOVERNOR PAWLENTYThat's a pretty good result considering the numerical odds stacked against the GOP.
- Final deal highlights our common interests for Minnesota
- Erases budget deficit, leaves some money on the bottom line and lives within our means
- Provides property tax relief, nationwide leading health care reform, increased funding for nursing homes and schools, tax credits for military veterans
- Passes a bonding bill that lives within the 3% debt limit
SPEAKER KELLIHERI don't think balancing the budget is an accomplishment considering they entered with a $2.2 billion surplus. I'd consider that more of a negative. Only a liberal would think that spending the surplus while raising taxes is an accomplishment. I think that people on mainstreet would reject Speaker Kelliher's spin.
- This was the most productive session in a very long time.
- We reduced partisanship and worked hard to get the job done.
- We produced results.
- We produced more and better jobs via the bonding and transportation bills
- We balanced the budget.
- We provided property tax relief.
- We helped create a healthier Minnesota through cost containment, quality and access
- We planned for our legacy (bonding bill in specific Central Corridor and Vermillion)
As for reducing partisanship, get serious.
SENATOR POGEMILLERSen. Pogemiller and bipartisan manner in the same sentence? Please. That's insulting.
- We came together to unite Minnesota in a bipartisan manner
- Heralded the 3/8 constitutional amendment, transportation bill 22 years in making, health care reform that creates access, a cost savings of 15 percent, access for 12,000 Minnesotans ("We are not yet there on universal but we are on the right path)
- Made cautious statements re: the structural deficit which according to Pogemiller could be anywhere between $1 billion to $2 billion. ("This must be fixed')
- Added new permanent money for education
As for not getting universal health care passed, it ain't gonna happen. We're at 93% right now. Couple that with the House and Senate adopting Steve Gottwalt's amendment giving insurance agents a finders fee for enrolling people already eligible for taxpayer-subsidized health insurance and you're within whispering distance of covering everyone without passing universal health care.
MINORITY LEADER SEIFERTCongratulations, Leader Seifert. You kept your caucus together, hardly a foregone conclusion after the defections on the transportation bill. You kept the DFL's feet to the fire, forcing the DFL into true bipartisan negotiations.
- This was a bipartisan agreement. Republicans helped deliver property tax relief/reform, tax credits for health care and helped live within out means.
Here's Gov. Pawlenty's press release on the budget agreement:
Saint Paul - Governor Tim Pawlenty and legislative leaders have agreedThanks to Gov. Pawlenty's vetoes and Leader Seifert's keeping the caucus together in sustaining Gov. Pawlenty's vetoes, Republicans can now talk about holding fast to the principles of fiscal restraint.
on a plan to balance the state budget without raising taxes while providing significant tax relief for Minnesotans. The agreement erases a projected $935 million deficit and includes the Governor's plan for a property tax cap and tax relief for veterans and military members.
During several days of negotiations leading up to the agreement, Governor Pawlenty fought for a property tax cap to protect homeowners from rapidly increasing property taxes. The agreement includes a cap that will limit cities and counties to an increase of 3.9 percent per year. Governor Pawlenty's property tax cap and related relief is projected to save taxpayers $78.5 million in 2009 and $460.5 million over the next three years. Also, cities and counties will receive additional aid.
"Minnesotans deserve tax relief and a state government that lives within its means," Governor Pawlenty said. "This agreement delivers both. I want to thank legislative leaders from both parties for their hard work and willingness to seek out solutions. The result is a balanced budget, a strong property tax cap, additional tax relief, reduced government spending, no additional taxes, health care reform, a new state park and new facilities at the Minneapolis Veterans Home."
Highlights of the overall package include:
Property tax cap of 3.9 percent, plus household growth, for three years
$25 million in property tax relief through the property tax refund program which provides direct relief to homeowners and $60 million in local government aids and credits
Tax relief for veterans and members of the military, including a new tax credit of up to $750 per person annually for those who served more than 20 years or were disabled in service, a doubling of the existing overseas deployment tax credit to $120 per month deployed and an exemption from state income taxes for drills and similar activity
An overall reduction in state government spending and a balanced budget for FY 2008-09
Progress toward resolving the projected budget deficit for FY 2010-11
Total bonding within the state's 3 percent debt service limit,including funding for Central Corridor, a nursing facility at the Minneapolis Veterans Home and Lake Vermilion State Park
Nation-leading health care reform that includes increased transparency, pay for performance, required e-prescribing by 2011 and tax credits
Increased funding for K-12 schools and nursing homes
Not only that but the amendments offered, particularly those offered by Reps. Buesgens, Gottwalt, Emmer, Brod, Seifert and Garofalo, we've got a positive list of things they can run on. I can't emphasize this enough: It's great to say we stopped bad things from happening but it's vital that we can say that we have a positive reform-minded agenda to run on.
Posted Sunday, May 18, 2008 4:06 PM
Comment 1 by Brent Metzler at 18-May-08 07:59 PM
Let's make it easier next time by voting for more Republicans this November.
No, wait, that's right, it's more important to teach those Republicans a lesson. Do the right thing in Nov and vote more Republicans out, I'm sure things will still end well teaching them a lesson, just like they did today.
Comment 2 by Matt at 19-May-08 03:41 PM
Did you see the Bunk study stating 2/3 of doctors in America want National Health Care. The doctors who did this study also conducted one in 2002 and found that the majority of doctors did not want national health care, the problem with this is that the 2 question surveys drastically differ in there 2nd question. I found this article, 60% of Physicians Surveyed Oppose Switching to a National Health Care Plan, It's worth a read.
Comment 3 by Gary Gross at 19-May-08 05:41 PM
Thanks Matt. I'll certainly check it out.
The Cost of Illegal Immigration
I just got some information in an email from a dedicated LFR reader. Here's one portion of the highlights from that email:
You think the war in Iraq is costing us too much? Read this:I normally don't post something this statistic-laden but I thought it important in this instance because I felt it was the best way to highlight how much illegal immigration costs each one of us.
1. $11 Billion to $22 billion is spent on welfare to illegal aliens each year by state governments.
2. $2.2 Billion dollars a year is spent on food assistance programs such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches for illegal aliens.
3. $2.5 Billion dollars a year is spent on Medicaid for illegal aliens.
4. $12 Billion dollars a year is spent on primary and secondary school education for children here illegally and they cannot speak a word of English!
5. $17 Billion dollars a year is spent for education for the American-born children of illegal aliens, known as anchor babies.
6. $3 Million Dollars a DAY is spent to incarcerate illegal aliens.
7. 30% percent of all Federal Prison inmates are illegal aliens.
8. $90 Billion Dollars a year is spent on illegal aliens for Welfare & social services by the American taxpayers.
9. $200 Billion Dollars a year in suppressed American wages are caused by the illegal aliens.
10. The illegal aliens in the United States have a crime rate that's two and a half times that of white non-illegal aliens. In particular, their children are going to make a huge additional crime problem in the US.
11. During the year of 2005 there were 4 to 10 MILLION illegal aliens that crossed our Southern Border also, as many as 19,500 illegal aliens from Terrorist Countries. Millions of pounds of drugs, cocaine, meth, heroin and marijuana and, crossed into the U. S from the Southern border.
12. The National Policy Institute, 'estimated that the total cost of mass deportation would be between $206 and $230 billion or an average cost of between $41 and $46 billion annually over a five year period.'
13. In 2006 illegal aliens sent home $45 BILLION in remittances back to their countries of origin.
14. 'The Dark Side of Illegal Immigration: Nearly One Million Sex Crimes Committed by Illegal Immigrants In The United States.'
The total cost is a whopping $ 338.3 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
Posted Sunday, May 18, 2008 4:59 PM
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The Cost of Liberal Majorities
Here's a great illustration of the deterioration of our economy since Democrats took control:
Remember the election in 2006? Thought you might like to read the following:Several points must be made here:
A little over one year ago:
1) Consumer confidence stood at a 2 1/2 year high;
2) Regular gasoline sold for $2.19 a gallon;
3) The unemployment rate was 4.5%.
Since voting in a Democratic Congress in 2006 we have seen:
1) Consumer confidence plummet;
2) The cost of regular gasoline soar to over $3.50 a gallon;
3) Unemployment is up to 5% (a 10% increase);
4) American households have seen $2.3 trillion in equity value evaporate
(stock and mutual fund losses)
5) Americans have seen their home equity drop by $1.2 trillion dollars;
6) 1% of American homes are in foreclosure.
America voted for change in 2006, and we got it! Remember, it's the Congress that makes law, not the President. He has to work with what's handed to him.
Quote of the Day........'My friends, we live in the greatest nation in the history of the world. I hope you'll join with me as we try to change it.' -- Barack Obama
Taxes...Whether Democrat or a Republican you will find these statistics enlightening and amazing.
Taxes under Clinton 1999
Single making 30K - tax $8,400
Single making 50K - tax $ 14,000
Single making 75K - tax $23,250
Married making 60K - tax $16,800
Married making 75K - tax $21,000
Married making 125K - tax $38,750
Taxes under Bush 2008
Single making 30K - tax $4,500
Single making 50K - tax $12,500
Single making 75K - tax $18,750
Married making 60K- tax $9,000
Married making 75K - tax $18,750
Married making 125K - tax $31,250
Both democratic candidates will return to the higher tax rates.
The last thing families need are tax increases. They're taxed enough already. Furthermore, we're paying too much for gas. We need a real energy plan, one that includes drilling in ANWR. If we don't do that for the short term, then we'll be subjected to high gas prices & an ailing economy.
Originally posted Sunday, May 18, 2008, revised 21-May 3:36 AM
Comment 1 by andy at 18-May-08 11:50 PM
"it's the Congress that makes law, not the President. He has to work with what's handed to him."
And he has veto power and there is no veto-proof majority (as evidenced by a lack of veto overrides).
The buck stops at the White House with a conservative at the helm.
Simple minds would blame liberals. A real political thinker would be watching both sides of the aisle. Politics is a bit more complicated.
Comment 2 by Linda LaRocca at 20-May-08 08:25 PM
We as a country were in the black and now we are so in the red. The country has gone to hell in a handbasket during the Bush term. He put two businesses into bankruptsy and now our country is there. I wish we could bring back Sudam Hussain. There country is in ruin like ours. There were no weapons of mass destruction. I am apalled at the Dems for going along with this idiot. We have lost over 3,000 boys for nothing and think of the numbers of Iraqis that have lost their lives. Bin Laudin is in Afganistan. Please let the President know this. He needs to follow the news. Osoma is the only one who saw through this ploy to get oil. Hell our gas should be free. Also the 911 crew was from Saudi Arabia. What a mess. Just like Viet Namn. We lost that one and communism did not spread world wide like they said. We now have a huge population of Vietnamese in America and we can go to their country anytime we want. Give Bush a map of the world YOU ARE HERE, BIN LAUDEN IS THERE!
Comment 3 by MisterC at 20-May-08 09:48 PM
That's a nice quote of the day, but it's fictitious. Check out Snopes.com: http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/change.asp
Sorry, Gary. I'm as Conservative as you are, but you just missed this one.
