October 20-23, 2008
Oct 20 01:21 McCain's Path to Victory Oct 20 03:05 Haven't We Heard This Before? Oct 20 21:15 Fargo Forum Endorses Sen. Coleman Oct 21 02:31 Gov. Pawlenty Campaigns in Princeton, MN Oct 21 15:23 What Is the Princeton School Board Hiding? Oct 21 18:20 Why Hasn't Anyone Asked This Question? Oct 22 04:18 It's Downright Insulting Oct 22 12:01 BREAKING NEWS-LOCAL CANDIDATE VIOLATES CAMPAIGN FINANCE REGULATIONS Oct 23 11:01 Murtha's Grip Loosening?
Prior Months: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep
McCain's Path to Victory
First, I'll be honest and say that Sen. McCain's chances of keeping the White House in GOP control aren't yet to the toss-up stage. Nonetheless, I still think it's quite possible for him to catch and overtake Sen. Obama. Saturday, I laid out the best way to make this happen on King's and Michael's show on the Patriot. Here's my 3 point plan of attack:
1) There's A New Sheriff In Town. Simply put, have John McCain tap into the anger voters feel over (a) the Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac/Subprime Mortgage scandal and (b) the ACORN voter registration fraud scandal. That's right in McCain's wheelhouse. I'd have him incorporate this riff into his stump speech:
My friends, Wall Street and K Street are awash in corruption, a corruption that threatens the health of our economy. Special interests on K Street pushed for legislation that forced banks to lend money to bad credit risks. We're now paying the price for that legislation. A McCain administration will investigate, prosecute and jail the bad actors responsible for this crisis.2)Focus On Card Check Legislation. I strongly recommend that Sen. McCain and the Palins cast a huge spotlight on this as a way to win over blue collar workers. I'd specifically reference George McGovern's op-ed opposing EFCA . Todd Palin would be quite effective in delivering that message to blue collar workers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and western Virginia.
The right to vote is one of our most sacred rights. Unfortunately, that right is in danger because of the fraudulent voter registrations turned in by ACORN in one battleground state after another. A McCain administration will investigate ACORN and like-minded organizations. Where we find proof of voter registration fraud, we will vigorously prosecute those that undermine our electoral system.
Let me be clear: My administration's goal is to have huge voter turnout in every state across America. But high voter turnout can't be the only important thing we focus on. The American people demand electoral integrity. To guarantee that integrity, we demand that ACORN reform its practices. This has gone on far too long. It's time for it to end.
Sen. Obama has promised to sign EFCA into law. Here's what Sen. McGovern said about EFCA in his WSJ op-ed:
The key provision of EFCA is a change in the mechanism by which unions are formed and recognized. Instead of a private election with a secret ballot overseen by an impartial federal board, union organizers would simply need to gather signatures from more than 50% of the employees in a workplace or bargaining unit, a system known as "card-check." There are many documented cases where workers have been pressured, harassed, tricked and intimidated into signing cards that have led to mandatory payment of dues.3) Taxes, Taxes, Taxes. 3) Taxes, Taxes, Taxes. Joe The Plumber is the perfect vehicle to drive this point home.
Under EFCA, workers could lose the freedom to express their will in private, the right to make a decision without anyone peering over their shoulder, free from fear of reprisal.
Last October, King posted something about David Winston's polling regarding tax cuts. Here's what Winston's polling found:
Most voters are unpersuaded by the Republican message that the Bush tax cuts were a resounding success that pumped the economy back to life. Worse, the key independent voters are actually repelled by that message. "It crashes like the Hindenburg," says Richard Thau, who has been monitoring swing voter sentiments across the nation. Why? Because politicians who boast about the rosy economy seem out of touch, even delusional, given the rising costs of gasoline, health insurance and college tuition.Here's the good news from Mr. Winston's polling:
Pollster David Winston, who's been testing the tax issue for Republicans, agrees with that assessment. When Mr. Winston asked a national sample of registered voters last month, "Do you believe or not believe this statement: Given the cost of living these days, now is not the time to raise taxes," 65% believe now isn't the time to raise taxes, while only 31% believe it is.With the stock market in dire straits, the housing bubble having popped, the ensuing Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac crisis and the economy shedding jobs, what are the chances that people think that increasing taxes on anyone is popular? I'd hammer Sen. Obama as being out of touch with Main Street, using his "spread the wealth" comment as proof that his tax policies will hurt all families.
Let me put this succinctly. If Sen. McCain puts together the best finishing kick in American electoral history, he'll win.
Posted Monday, October 20, 2008 1:24 AM
Comment 1 by Freealonzo at 20-Oct-08 07:59 AM
Problem with your first issue is that R's are just as dirty with Fanny and Freddie as the D's. Check this out from Yahoo News:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081020/ap_on_bi_ge/the_influence_game_housing
Second issue is a little too arcane and impacts too few voters to be a major vote mover.
Last point is good, no one wants to pay more taxes now but Obama's proposal of no tax increases for 95 percent of blunts McCain's attacks.
I say McCain focus on the last issue exclusively.
Comment 2 by Gary Gross at 20-Oct-08 09:31 AM
1) McCain will simply say that he's here to root out all corrupt politicians whether they're Republican or Democrat.
2) Au contraire. This is quite a hot issue. Just because the Agenda Media isn't talking about it doesn't mean it isn't gaining traction.
Haven't We Heard This Before?
Speaker Kelliher said that tax increases wouldn't be inevitable if the DFL had a veto-proof majority in the House. We've heard that BS before. Here's how Speaker Kelliher responded to Gov. Pawlenty's claims that the DFL would shove massive tax increases down taxpayers' throats if they get a veto-proof majority in the House:
House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, DFL-Minneapolis, disputes that, saying the DFL doesn't plan tax increases next session, just tax fairness.In June, 2006, I highlighted this part of Mike Hatch's speech after becoming the DFL nominee for governor:
"Minnesotans do want taxes to be paid fairly," Kelliher said in an interview last week. "The governor may even be open to the fair tax argument in terms of how it's structured, because it's critical for the system to operate well, that people are assured there is fairness in the system."
The DFL may propose that fairness by raising the tax rate the most wealthy Minnesotans pay, about 8 percent, to that which most middle-income Minnesotans pay, about 12 percent. Fairness comes when "those who are able to pay, pay," she said, adding the new rate would apply to those making more than $400,000.
Hatch gave his task an initial shot in a rambling acceptance speech that punched some of the right buttons. He cast Pawlenty as too stingy with education, responsible for large class sizes and rising college tuition. He tagged him for an inadequate response to soaring health care costs and the emerging biosciences industry. He promised more state investment in those things. Significantly, he said, "we can do this without raising taxes."Here's what I said in response to Hatch's acceptance speech:
I agree that restoring education funding can be done without raising taxes. That said, does anyone in their right mind think that Democrats won't raise taxes? I'll believe that the day I get photos of a leopard rearranging the spots on his fur. Believing that a Democrat won't raise taxes instinctively is like believing that making sudden movements towards a cobra won't get you bit. You can believe it all you want but reality is reality.The first 6 bills introduced in the Senate included tax increases. When I confronted Tarryl Clark about those bills , here's how she responded:
She said that "there were really only 2 tax bills, one to lower property taxes, the other to raise them." She assured us that the other bills weren't going anywhere and that they "were introduced by individual" legislators and "weren't part of the leadership's agenda."On March 7, 2007, Cy Thao made this outlandish statement to Steve Gottwalt:
"When you guys win, you get to keep your money. When we win, we take your money."As outrageous as that was, that wasn't the most outrageous statement that a DFL legislator made. That 'honor' belongs to Steve Murphy. This is what Murphy said :
"I'm not trying to fool anybody," said Sen. Steve Murphy, DFL-Red Wing, sponsor of the measure that would increase funding for roads and transit by $1.5 billion a year once it was fully implemented in the next decade. "There's a lot of taxes in this bill."This Taxapalooza video is the perfect reminder of the DFL's broken promises on tax increases:
Based on this proof that the DFL won't hesitate to break their campaign promises when it comes to taxes, why should we trust anything that Seaker Kelliher says about holding the line on taxes? Let's remember that the DFL proposed $15 BILLION of tax increases since taking the majority. That's while there was a $2.163 billion surplus.
Thankfully, Gov. Pawlenty and Leader Seifert dismissed Speaker Kelliher's statement:
Pawlenty dismissed the idea, saying that Kelliher made the same pledge in 2006 but after her election as speaker, proposed billions in new taxes. "When the speaker comes around and says we're not going to raise taxes, watch your wallet," the Republican governor said.I'll reiterate what I said earlier:
Seiftert said he likes to call the speaker "Lucy" Kelliher after the Charlie Brown cartoon character that always pulls out the football before Charlie Brown can kick it. "As the voters come running one more time for her to pull the football back and say no tax increases, they go running and hit their back," Seifert said. "I don't believe for one minute they're not interested in it, and they're going to do it."
Believing that a Democrat won't raise taxes instinctively is like believing that making sudden movements towards a cobra won't get you bit.Let's just leave it at that. Nothing more needs be said.
Originally posted Monday, October 20, 2008, revised 03-Dec 11:04 AM
Comment 1 by kb at 20-Oct-08 10:26 AM
Understand their term "tax fairness" to mean "taxes only on our political opponents, with some small payment to our political supporters" and you can say Speaker Kelliher is being truthful. Her political opponents are all tax producers. Her political supporters are all tax consumers.
Comment 2 by Gary Gross at 20-Oct-08 10:37 AM
Exactly right, kb. To normal people, Kelliher's wording is code for tax increases. That should scare every small business owner in the state because, if history is a predictor, that's who the DFL will target with their tax increases.
Fargo Forum Endorses Sen. Coleman
The Fargo Forum endorsed Sen. Norm Coleman for a second term in the United States Senate. Here's the key portion of their endorsement op-ed:
On the economic front, Franken has spent too much time assigning political blame for the nation's current downturn. Coleman worked overtime to secure the rescue legislation that is showing early positive results.Indeed he has. I'll first say that I've disagreed with Sen. Coleman on several things, such as drilling in ANWR and funding the surge in Iraq. Sen. Coleman explained to me in emails why he opposed drilling in ANWR and why he supported the surge in Anbar Province but not in other areas.
Temperament and demeanor are important in a senator. Coleman is a seasoned Minnesota politician, whose life of public service has been exemplary, whether as the successful mayor of St. Paul, a long stint with the state attorney general's office or as a U.S. senator. He knows how to build consensus and work with bipartisan coalitions, both in and out of the Senate. He's developed a sharp ear for the concerns of Minnesotans, and his constituent service is responsive.
Franken's undisguised disdain for the senator is both unwarranted and revealing. The former comedian/satirist seems unable to leave the mean streak of his former work behind. Politics is tough business, but it need not be as unpleasant as the stuff coming out of the Franken camp.
The candidates and their surrogates have not covered themselves with glory regarding the character of their campaigns. But Coleman has tried to clean it up while Franken has opted for the low road.
Franken has not come close to making a case that Coleman should be replaced. Indeed, the campaign has drawn sharp distinctions between the two men, with the senator emerging as a strong and decent voice for Minnesotans and an effective member of the national legislature.
Sen. Coleman has earned a second term.
In explaining why he'd voted this way, he showed that he'd thought things through, had consulted the appropriate experts before saying no. That's the picture of having the right temperament. That's something that Al Franken can't say about how he decides his positions on the issues. I could make a reasonable case that Franken's position on the issues are mailed to him from the DailyKos and less-than-benevolent special interest groups. (See Card Check.)
The last thing we need is a bitter ideologue in the Senate. I didn't say representing Minnesotans because he's more likely to represent factions of the unions that are out of touch with union rank-and-file. Franken's most likely to represent DailyKos. It isn't likely that he'll represent Minnesotans, at least outside the narrow band of stubborn ideologues that constitute his base.
It's time for Minnesotans to vote for the man that has represented them and that shares their priorities. Now isn't the time to vote for a carpetbagger who will represent a narrow ideological view.
Posted Monday, October 20, 2008 9:15 PM
No comments.
Gov. Pawlenty Campaigns in Princeton, MN
I just returned from a special townhall event in Princeton, MN, headlined by Gov. Pawlenty. After giving a 10 minute presentation, Gov. Pawlenty took questions from the audience.
There were a number of highlights during Gov. Pawlenty's opening presentation, including touting his plan to base at least part of a teacher's pay on their performance. Another highlight was his saying that, while we need to adequately fund education from the state, that shouldn't be the only determinant of educational success. He talked about educators accepting accountability for educational outcomes and about how vitally important teachers and parents are in determining classroom success.
Gov. Pawlenty frequently talked about the necessity of re-electing Sondra Erickson to the Minnesota House, electing Mary Kiffmeyer to the HD-16B seat and having Alison Krueger replace Betsy Wergin in the State Senate. Each time he mentioned their names, the crowd of over 100 people roared their approval.
The only negative part of the event came at the end of Gov. Pawlenty's Q and A session. Convicted criminal Mark Olson showed up to campaign amongst the party faithful. He even had the audacity to put a sign up on stage along side the signs for Rep. Erickson, Mary Kiffmeyer and Alison Krueger. The good news is that we kept toppling the signs so they wouldn't get in any pictures with Gov. Pawlenty.
The best news is that support for Olson's write-in campaign is minimal, if not almost invisible. Based on the enthusiasm for Alison Krueger's candidacy, I'm questioning whether Mr. Olson stands the chance of even being a spoiler. Many of the people I spoke with after the event either said that they hoped he'd get treatment for his problems or said that they didn't view him as a serious candidate.
What struck me hardest tonight was the level of support Ms. Krueger has. Person after person approached Ms. Krueger and introduced themselves to her. Many asked how they could contribute to her campaign . Ms. Krueger's assistant quickly gave these people a lit piece talking about her qualifications, along with an addressed envelope with the form to fill out. Others introduced themselves to Ms. Krueger, then told her that they were praying for her .
The other impressive thing about Ms. Krueger's support is that she's connecting with a wide range of demographic groups. Whether it was the guy who runs a local hardware store or farmers from the surrounding area or Christian conservatives to businessmen and women, they all were excited about being able to support Ms. Krueger's campaign.
I briefly interviewed Mary Kiffmeyer when I first arrived. To say that she's got widespread support within her district is understatement. The thing that impressed me the most about Ms. Kiffmeyer is how she's (a) still working hard to increase her support and (b) working hard to get everyone who's voting for her to vote for Ms. Krueger.
I was also able to briefly interview Gov. Pawlenty. Part of his opening presentation dealt with his ability to work out compromises because his veto pen still meant something. When I talked with him, Gov. Pawlenty talked about how important it is to have a check against the "runaway train of bad ideas" being touted by the DFL. He said that having his vetoes sustained was the only thing that prevented the DFL from increasing taxes by billions of dollars.
I mentioned Speaker Kelliher's comments from this Bemidji Pioneer article :
House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, DFL-Minneapolis, disputes that, saying the DFL doesn't plan tax increases next session, just tax fairness.Gov. Pawlenty's response to that was that he'd heard that before, starting in November, 2006. I told him that I'd just written about that here . He said that he knew about that post, saying that he appreciated the title of my post:
"Minnesotans do want taxes to be paid fairly," Kelliher said in an interview last week. "The governor may even be open to the fair tax argument in terms of how it's structured, because it's critical for the system to operate well, that people are assured there is fairness in the system."
Haven't We Heard This Before?There's no doubt in Gov. Pawlenty's mind that the DFL would raise taxes on everyone if they held a veto-proof majority in the House. Based on their voting habits the last two years, it's impossible to disagree with that. Here's what I said in that post:
Believing that Democrats won't reflexively raise taxes is like believing that making sudden movements towards a cobra won't get you bit.Based on my brief interview with Gov. Pawlenty, it's obvious that he agrees with me on the DFL's ambition to raise taxes.
One of the great word pictures that Gov. Pawlenty used during his presentation was on the subject of health care. He asked the audience what would happen if he told them that they could go to Sam's Club or Target or Walmart and buy a TV and that he'd pay for whatever TV they picked. He then asked if anyone in the audience, given those circumstances, would return with a 12" black and white?
He said that, as silly as it sounds, that's what we do with health care. He then told about health care reform that's happening with government employees. He talked with the union leaders, then told them that state government would give these employees a list of the health care providers, telling them who was the cheapest, which had the best ratings and a number of other important considerations.
In short, he told them that they'd become health care consumers.
The great news is that the insurance premiums for these employees are experiencing the lowest rate of increase in the state. Gov. Pawlenty said that this is proof that turning patients into health care shoppers is a great way to reform health care. It's difficult, if not impossible, to argue with that.
He also spoke briefly about paying more to health care providers if they focused on prevention rather than on cures. Gov. Pawlenty talked about how different life would be for people that did things that reduced the risks of getting diabetes, how that person's life would be better if they didn't have to get expensive treatments or having a limb amputated.
Frankly, the timid non-reform reforms that the DFL leadership is touting doesn't compare with the types of reforms that Gov. Pawlenty and the House GOP are proposing. It's time that the GOP touted their health care reform ideas more boldly.
Technnorati: Tim Pawlenty , Mary Kiffmeyer , Sondra Erickson , Alison Krueger , MNGOP , Health Care , Education , Reforms , Mark Olson , Criminal , Election 2008
Posted Tuesday, October 21, 2008 2:31 AM
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What Is the Princeton School Board Hiding?
When I read this article in the Princeton Union-Eagle , the first thing I thought was whether the Princeton School Board was hiding something. Obviously, I'm not the only one thinking that. Here's the opening of Joel Stottrup's article:
Why has Carol Peterson, director of business services for the Princeton School District not been on the job since early August?If I lived in Princeton, I'd want to know why the school district is paying a company almost $5,000 a month to do the business manager's job. Mr. Stottrup's article quotes the district's human resources director as saying that Ms. Peterson hasn't been terminated. If that's true, what's the explanation for Ms. Peterson not working?
She still holds the position, says Brandon Nelson, the district's human resources director. But he is declining to say why she has not been working at the job for more than two months.
The district has been outsourcing much of the work that Peterson would normally be doing to an outside company, School Management Services.
There's an easy way to clear this up. Lisa Fobbe should either compel Mr. Nelson to explain why Ms. Peterson isn't working or she should explain it herself. School board members are public servants. As such, they're accountable to their constituents. If people are asking questions, then they're obligated to answer those questions.
This part of Mr. Stottrup's article has me wondering if something far more sinister is happening:
Mark Anfinson, attorney for the Minnesota Newspaper Association, says the school district does not have to say why an employee is absent but has to say if her employment has been terminated. It has not been terminated, Nelson said. The district does have to make public if any lawsuits have been filed and if so, reveal the contents, Anfinson also said.Nelson's and Torgerson's reply leaves them with some wiggle room. They didn't say that there wasn't a lawsuit, just that they weren't aware of one. It seems rather odd that they didn't check into this so they could give a firm yes or no answer.
The Union-Eagle asked both Nelson and attorney Torgerson about any lawsuits involving the district or its employees. Nelson and Torgerson said they weren't aware of any lawsuits against either the district or any of its employees.
"The district has received no lawsuits and if any was certified and filed, it would be in the courthouse and would be public," Torgerson said. "To my knowledge, there isn't." "We have to protect the school district and its employees unless we have to provide it," Nelson said about answering questions about why Peterson has not been on the job.
I'm also wondering why school board policy discourages transparency. Theoretically, school boards work for the people. If disciplinary action has been taken against Carol Peterson, the public has the right to know. If the school board hasn't taken disciplinary action against her, they need to explain why she hasn't been on the job since July 1.
It's fair to say that I find these things suspicious. I don't think it's coincidence that the school board that Lisa Fobbe chairs isn't answering questions right before Lisa Fobbe faces the voters in a special election against Alison Krueger. If there isn't anything sinister happening, why isn't Ms. Fobbe providing an explanation. She's certainly capable of providing an explanation directly to the press. Another option is for her to have Mr. Nelson provide the explanation.
Another question that demands answering is whether Ms. Peterson is suspended with or without pay. If she isn't suspended, exactly what is her status? I'm automatically suspicious of public officials that won't answer important questions. I'm even more suspicious when that public official won't answer questions right before an important election.
Ms. Fobbe's actions are more than a little suspicious. She isn't answering questions. She isn't showing any leadership. She is showing a fair amount of disdain for transparency. Ms. Fobbe's actions sound alot like a practice in CYA.
People that refuse to be accountable to their constituents should be fired. They shouldn't get promoted.
Originally posted Tuesday, October 21, 2008, revised 03-Mar 12:25 PM
Comment 1 by Walter hanson at 21-Oct-08 09:16 PM
Gary:
How can Alison have this wide range of support? I thought the Republican leaders of Senate District 16 thought that the people overwhelming supported Olson?
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
Comment 2 by Gary Gross at 21-Oct-08 09:30 PM
Walter, I've stated before that the SD-16 Executive Board aren't in touch with the GOP activists. More than anything else, they're Mark Olson cronies.
As evidence, I'd just say that the SD-16 BPOU re-enedorsed Olson's write-in campaign by a 61-18 margin. Mr. Olson got 77% of the vote from the BPOU endorsing committee.
Conversely, Alison won the Sept. 9th primary 1,771-1,518. That figures out to a pro-Alison tilt of 54%-46%.
What's ironic is that Olson's supporters are saying that the State Senate leaderhsip is elitist. RIGHT! Give me a break.
Comment 3 by Interested party at 22-Oct-08 10:03 AM
YES!! People need to ask what the hell is going on! Why is our superintdent doing online dating while he should be working? Why is he sleeping with employees? WHY IS HE OUR SUPERINTENDENT AND WHY IS THE BOARD PROTECTING HIM? Why did he get suspended from his last job in Fergus Falls for inapropriate behavoir and contact with an subordinate? WHY WAS HE HIRED AFTER THAT? Or is no one going to ask anything until he goes after your daughter??????
WHY is Carol Peterson not working but is not on leave and not suspended but not getting paid either? What does she know? What did she do? Why is she unable to comment? Why is the school board having all these closed door meetings???? Something very fishy is going on and someone needs to find out what the heck it is! We pay these people's salaries - they seem to forget they work for the people of this school district. If they don't want to answer to us then they don't need to be elected to another term.
Comment 4 by Do the right thing at 23-Oct-08 03:44 AM
Gary,
How could anyone Dem. or Rep. support Lisa Fobbe. I am a tried and true democrat, but so help me I will vote for the best person for the job. If you would like to see Lisa Fobbe's inability to work for her elected position and the money she earns through that position you should pull up the following webpage:
https://webrh12.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/statutes/?id=121A.61
it will show you a MN state statute, note items Subd. 3, first line and sub items d,f,g,h,i,j,k,l,o and q. Now got to this webpage:
http://www.princeton.k12.mn.us/se3bin/clientgenie.cgi?G5button=89&categoryID=7
and view policy 506 Student Discipline starting at page 9, item C, through to page 11, item K, less item H 1-3, and note when it downloads to your computer that the file name ends in askdebfuture (does this mean DEB ULM who is currently up for re-election to the board?) You will note that even though the state has mandated the school board to comply with the statute and include these items in their policies and procedures the board, led by Lisa Fobbe, has failed to follow state mandate. Even if you go to this webpage:
http://www.princeton.k12.mn.us/school317/FCK/File/HS%20Handbook/handbook.pdf
and view the high schools hand book as directed by the first line of the boards policy you will in fact find that the only thing listed in it's entire 51 pages are the items listed in item H of the policy / item m of the state statute. I have tried to draw this to the attention of several media outlets in the metro area that we live in to no avail. Worst of all is the fact that they are not including the information for the most vulnerable students as stated in the state staute Subd. 3, items j,k,l, and q, students with behavioral problems, students in special education, students with disabilities, and students with severe emotional disturbances. Maybe if these policies had been written and enacted as required by law Princeton would not have many of the problems it has right now, including it's high student suicide rate. In addition you will notice the policy sections are highlighted, why is this you may ask. This is because the board, currently headed by Ms. Fobbe, decided that instead of drafting these policies on their own, that they would purchase a template from the Minnesota School Board Association and just fill it in. You should also then note that even the MSBA, whom they purchased the template from, listed State Staute 121A.61 as a legal reference at the bottom of page 18 of the policy. So, neither the chair, nor the other current board members are following the laws set up by the state of Minnesota. Why would we vote for her to go to the state senate, so that she can go there, not do her job AND get paid more money to not do her job? I don't think so. Wow, she has some nerve. Does she think she lives in the land of the village idiots? This whole Fobbe farce is worse than a bad case of welfare fraud a) because she is an elected offical who should know better and b) because voters entrusted her with their children's future and she just took their money, plus an addition $100, for a total of $350 a month, to open the district up for law suits and not protect the most vulnerable students. Please do not throw our tax dollars away so that Lisa Fobbe can go to St. Paul and not do her job as she has right under our noses for who knows how long.
Comment 5 by Gary Gross at 23-Oct-08 10:13 AM
Right Thing, Thanks for those websites. I promise I'll check them out. First, I'd like to tell you why voting for Alison Krueger is the wisest use of your vote.
1) Alison & Karl Krueger run 3 successful small businesses, including a business that deals with the environment & another business where they buy & fix homes that they then offer modest rent to people who've lost their homes.
In running their businesses, they deal with issues like taxes, regulations & health care.
Alison has a number of common sense solutions for health care.
Alison sees companies leaving Minnesota or Minnesota companies that expand in the Dakotas or Colorado or even Wisconsin. Alison knows that we can't keep raising taxes.
She wants to create a more pro-business climate in the state. The more stable & robust the state economy is, the more stable funding is for schools, roads & other high priority items.
Isn't that the type of state you'd rather live in? That's certainly the type of state I'd prefer living in.
Thanks for stopping in. Stop back again.
Gary
Comment 6 by craig Johnson at 18-Feb-09 05:15 PM
Your artical is not accurate or true. . . .I was on the school board and was never asked any questions. . . .
Why Hasn't Anyone Asked This Question?
Everyone in the Right Blogosphere is buzzing about Sen. Biden's gaffe about there being an international crisis within the first 6 months of an Obama administration. That's a legitimate thing to question. The Politico's Roger Simon has an article posted that says Gen. Powell has "dropped the hammer" on John McCain's presidency.
Later today, I'll fisk Gen. Powell's statements. For now, though, I'll simply focus on how Gen. Powell's statements are overshadowed by Sen. Biden's "mark my words" predictions . Here's a refresher on what Sen. Biden said:
"Mark my words," the Democratic vice presidential nominee warned at the second of his two Seattle fundraisers Sunday. "It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy. The world is looking. We're about to elect a brilliant 47-year-old senator president of the United States of America. Remember I said it standing here if you don't remember anything else I said. Watch, we're gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy."Let's be clear about something. I don't disagree with Sen. Biden. I really do think that Sen. Obama is that inexperienced and that unqualified. I'd bet the proverbial ranch that Ahmadinejad, Putin and Chavez have noticed this. The thing that the pundits haven't talked about is the Biden Factor. An Obama campaign staffer told American Spectator that picking Sen. Biden became necessary after Sen. Obama's European trip flopped badly :
"I can give you at least four or five scenarios from where it might originate," Biden said to Emerald City supporters, mentioning the Middle East and Russia as possibilities. "And he's gonna need help. And the kind of help he's gonna need is, he's gonna need you, not financially to help him, we're gonna need you to use your influence, your influence within the community, to stand with him. Because it's not gonna be apparent initially, it's not gonna be apparent that we're right."
In selecting Sen. Joe Biden as his running mate, Sen. Barack Obama may have selected the safe pick, but according to several campaign insiders, Biden wasn't necessarily his first or even his personal choice.It shouldn't be ignored that Sen. Obama failed miserably when Russia invaded Georgia. These missteps forced Sen. Obama's hand. The conventional wisdom was that those things forced him to pick a foreign policy expert. The CW also said that Sen. Biden would be the perfect choice to fill the VP slot.
"He really wanted [Kansas Gov. Kathleen] Sebelius," says one Obama insider with knowledge of the Democrat candidate's vetting process. "And if our European tour had played better here at home, she might have been the pick."
But, says the insider, the campaign's internal polling indicated what the public polling indicated, that Obama failed in his European sojourn to build out his foreign policy credentials. "We needed the foreign policy on the bottom of the ticket more than we want to admit," says the insider.
Lost in all this is the why question: why hasn't anyone asked if this isn't exactly the reason for Biden being picked as Obama's running mate?
If Sen. Biden is this great foreign policy expert, wouldn't Ahmadinejad, Putin and Chavez tread lightly? That's the historical precedent. During the Iran Hostage Crisis, Ayatollah Khomeini didn't take Jimmy Carter seriously. Five minutes after Reagan's inauguration, Khomeini released the hostages. The last thing he wanted to do was confront someone didn't back down. The last thing Ayatollah Khomeini wanted was to lead a full frontal assault against a president that didn't tolerate inaction.
If world leaders don't respect an Obama-Biden ticket, the other question that should be asked is whether they think that Sen. Biden is a pacifist. It's quite possible that Biden is both a pacifist and a foreign policy expert in the eyes of the Agenda Media.
Posted Tuesday, October 21, 2008 6:21 PM
Comment 1 by Interested party at 22-Oct-08 09:54 AM
YES!! People need to ask what the hell is going on! Why is our superintdent doing online dating while he should be working? Why is he sleeping with employees? WHY IS HE OUR SUPERINTENDENT AND WHY IS THE BOARD PROTECTING HIM? Why did he get suspended from his last job in Fergus Falls for inapropriate behavoir and contact with an subordinate? WHY WAS HE HIRED AFTER THAT? Or is no one going to ask anything until he goes after your daughter??????
WHY is Carol Peterson not working but is not on leave and not suspended but not getting paid either? What does she know? What did she do? Why is she unable to comment? Why is the school board having all these closed door meetings???? Something very fishy is going on and someone needs to find out what the heck it is! We pay these people's salaries - they seem to forget they work for the people of this school district. If they don't want to answer to us then they don't need to be elected to another term.
It's Downright Insulting
I've read lots of LTE's extolling the virtues of various DFLers. None have been as insulting as this LTE , written by Buzz Snyder, the chairman of the SD-14 DFL. Here's the opening insult:
I have come to know Rob well since he won our endorsement in March. He has knocked on thousands of doors, speaking passionately and with "no bull" about the issues that motivated him to enter this race. Jacobs is disgusted with the partisan gamesmanship in St. Paul . He knows the people here deserve better.If Jacobs is "disgusted with the partisan gamesmanship in St. Paul", then he must be disgusted with the DFL because, with only 49 members, the House GOP can't play many games. The DFL's 85 members, on the other hand, are especially ruthless.
Tony Sertich is the expert game-player. We saw that when the House voted 129-0 (twice) to investigate corruption charges in the AG's office. The investigation was assigned to Sertich's Rules Committee, where Sertich shut the investigation down without a hearing.
We saw Sertich's games-playing during the House Permanent Rules debate . Time after time, GOP amendments were defeated with procedural votes, usually with the amendments getting sent to Sertich's Rules Committee.
Here's another insult from Mr. Snyder:
Rob Jacobs will fight for a more equitable tax structure that will give long-overdue relief to middle-income families and seniors struggling to afford to stay in their homes. We don't need more legislators who are rigid ideologues or who blindly follow the party line, in either party.A "more equitable tax structure" that gives "long-overdue relief to middle-income families" is a nice soundbite but anyone that thinks that that'll happen with the DFL in charge, especially with a huge budget deficit, is kidding themselves. Considering this history , why shouldn't people think that the DFL legislature will try raising taxes this winter?
Finally, there's this concluding insult:
In the mold of problem-solvers like Larry Haws and Larry Hosch, Rob Jacobs will be a moderate, plain-speaking representative who seeks practical solutions, not partisan advantage.When did Rep. Haws become a problem solver? Other than on veterans issues, Rep. Haws is a follower. Furthermore, would a moderate say that " free markets shouldn't dictate "? After saying that, Mr. Jacobs said that government has an important role to play in health care reform. Does that sound like a moderate to you?
Finally, I find it difficult to believe that Mr. Jacobs is a problem solver, especially considering how he told the CMTA Forum audience and the St. Cloud Chamber of Commerce audience that he wasn't an expert on transportation or health care issues and that he "wouldn't pretend to be."
How can you be a problem solver if you don't understand the issues?
If there's anything I can't stand, it's people insulting their constituents. Make no mistake about this: Buzz Snyder is insulting the voters in HD-14A. That shouldn't be tolerated.
Posted Wednesday, October 22, 2008 4:19 AM
Comment 1 by Brent Metzler at 25-Oct-08 06:15 AM
Certainly you should know as well I as that "partisan gamesmanship" means there are still members of the opposing party in office. He's obviously upset that the Tsunami of 2006 left some Republicans unscathed.
BREAKING NEWS-LOCAL CANDIDATE VIOLATES CAMPAIGN FINANCE REGULATIONS
This morning, I left a comment on an LTE to the St. Cloud Times. The LTE was the one I talked about here . The candidate, Rob Jacobs, responded to my comments. Here's what I wrote:
Mr. Jacobs' CFB report doesn't show an expenditure for the bus or the custom paint job. The next thing I wondered was if someone had paid for the custom paint job. If someone wanted to do that, that's legal. The thing is that that'd need to be recorded as an in-kind campaign contribution. I didn't see that on Mr. Jacobs' CFB report, either.Mr. Jacobs responded this way:
Mr. Jacobs either got an in-kind campaign contribution & didn't list it, which is a violation of Minnesota's campaign finance laws or he didn't bother listing his expenditure for the bus, which is also a violation of Minnesota's campaign finance laws.
I painted the bus myself, I think that is legal. Custom signs did the lettering. That IS listed as an expenditure on my campaign finance report. I will be listing the "in kind contribution" of using the bus on the final report. It will be listed with a fair market value rental estimate for each day I have used my friend's bus.Mr. Jacobs is right in saying that it's legal for him to paint his friend's bus himself, providing he got his friend's permission. That isn't why Mr. Jacobs is in trouble. I just talked with a person at the CFB office.
Rob Jacobs
First, I explained that a local candidate had used his friend's bus for a number of parades this summer, starting in early June at latest. I said that it's possible they used this bus as early as Memorial Weekend but I didn't know that for certain.
The gentleman I spoke with then said that this candidate needed to report these transactions on the "pre-primary report", which wasn't done. This gentleman at CFB then said that each time the bus was used needed to be recorded as an individual expenditure, provided the value of the transaction was greater than $20. (Any in-kind contributions less than $20 didn't need to be itemized, though they still needed to be recorded.)
The gentleman at CFB then said that he had to believe that renting the bus was easily worth more than $20 each time it was rented. Furthermore, each time the bus was used added to the value of the in-kind campaign contribution. I don't know what the limit is on in-kind campaign contributions is but I've got to believe that it's the same as 'real' contributions, which is $500.
According to the gentleman at CFB, each time the bus was used represented both an in-kind campaign contribution and a campaign expenditure .
When I asked the CFB if that meant that this candidate had violated established CFB regulations, the gentleman affirmatively said that he had.
That isn't the full extent of this matter, either, though that covers the CFB requirements. Here's what I asked in another comment:
Mr. Jacobs, Why didn't you list the in-kind contribution before this? What were you hiding? Don't you believe in transparency ?It will be interesting to see if Mr. Jacobs will get fined for this. If that happens, I'll update you on that.
Your CFB report lists an expenditure of $1,203.75 for "Advertising-General Graphics". Is this the expenditure you're referring to? Which friend lent you the bus? When did this friend lend you this bus?
Again, why didn't you list this in-kind campaign contribution immediately after you started renting the bus? That would've indicated that you weren't just complying with the law but that you were being transparent.
I don't trust you. I demand transparency from candidates and elected officials.
Posted Wednesday, October 22, 2008 12:01 PM
Comment 1 by J. Ewing at 23-Oct-08 08:23 AM
All well and good, but do we really want government deciding which candidate we can support, and in what amounts? I know our local campaigns are constantly jumping through hoops so they don't raise or spend "too much," while outside groups and third partes pour unlimited money into the race, usually in the nastiest ways. Why can't we just have full disclosure-- the crime in this case-- and leave all the other CFB nonsense out of it?
Comment 2 by Gary Gross at 23-Oct-08 10:00 AM
Do we really want government deciding which candidate we can support?
We don't want the government restricting free speech. After that, it's fair to regulate things.
Murtha's Grip Loosening?
Based on this article in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review , it's apparent that John Murtha's steely grip on PA-12 has substantially loosened. Mike Wereschagin and David Brown do a great job of finding people that likely would've voted in virtual lockstep for Rep. Murtha. Now, many are either undecided or voting for William Russell.
Democratic Rep. John Murtha leads retired Army Lt. Col. William Russell by a little more than 4 percentage points, within the Susquehanna Poll's 4.9-point margin of error. The poll of 400 likely voters was conducted for the Tribune-Review on Tuesday, amid uproar over Murtha's statement that some of his constituents are racist.It's my opinion that, if this race were decided on policies and/or ethics, Murtha would've been defeated ages ago. He's a walking corruption zone. Until now, people were willing to overlook the corruption because he brought home the bacon.
Stanley Shemanski, 67, a retired meat cutter who lives in Apollo, said he's undecided about the congressional race. He doesn't know much about Russell, but he's upset with Murtha's comment that racism in the district could hurt Democrat Barack Obama's chances.
"I didn't like that at all. He shouldn't have said it," Shemanski said.
Most of all, the national economy concerns him. "I'm retired, but my daughter, she works for the bank, and I'm worried about that."
While it isn't time to write Rep. Murtha off, it's certainly time to contribute to Russell's campaign . Think of it this way. Your contribution might buy the advertising that breaks the porkster's back and sends him into involuntary retirement.
Murtha's racist/rednecks comments haven't endeared him to his constituents. It's time to defeat him when he's most vulnerable. That's right now. It's unlikely that Rep. Murtha will be more vulnerable than right now. That's why it's important to go for the electoral juglar. It's time to put him out of our misery.
Posted Thursday, October 23, 2008 11:02 AM
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