November 9-12, 2017
Nov 09 01:04 Lobbyists hate GOP tax reform Nov 09 10:32 BREAKING: Interim president announcement Nov 09 12:02 DFL frontrunner Walz criticizes farmers Nov 10 01:58 The next step at St. Cloud State Nov 10 13:59 The worst news possible Nov 12 06:06 St. Cloud State's next president Nov 12 07:19 The GOP's pro-growth campaign
Prior Months: Jan Feb ~ May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct
Prior Years: 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Lobbyists hate GOP tax reform
If any paragraph written establishes as fact that tax simplification is needed, it's found in this article . Specifically, the paragraph that says "To finance a 15 percent cut in the corporate tax rate, House Republicans have already signed on to revenue-generating measures that would weaken the real-estate market , hurt orphans , disadvantage the disabled , hobble research on cures for rare diseases , make it harder for veterans to find jobs, soak upper-middle-class voters in blue states - and, thereby, put their caucus's most vulnerable members at grave political risk."
Predictably, every DC lobbyist is whining about their special carve-outs getting eliminated. The lobbyists' goal is to portray each deduction as essential to the health of that specific industry. In 1986, most of the tax code's deductions were stripped away. Not only didn't the economy falter, the economy kept chugging along.
Think of this hysteria as a Chicken Little defense.
This is a bit deceptive:
According to the JCT, if the Republican plan passes, one-fifth of American households will pay higher taxes in 2027. While more middle-class families would be helped than hurt by the GOP plan, the fact that any will wind up forking over more money to Uncle Sam, while the super rich and corporate America collect trillions in benefits, is a political migraine for Trump & Co.
If the bill is passed using reconciliation, the tax cuts expire in 2026. The chances of those tax cuts being allowed to expire isn't nothing but the chances aren't exactly high, either.
There is one way around this impasse. Republicans could make the House plan better for the middle class, and easier on the deficit, at the same time, if they'd only scale back their $2 trillion giveaway to corporate America.
Thanks to the Obama tax increase, there's now over $4,000,000,000,000 in profits sitting overseas rather than being invested here in the United States. Fairness sounds nice but it's the best way to quiet the US economy. The Obama administration was famous for economic silence. We don't want a replay of those years. The quack that wrote the base article is hysterical, not credible. The expert in this video is credible:
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Posted Thursday, November 9, 2017 1:07 AM
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BREAKING: Interim president announcement
This morning, Devinder Malhotra, the interim chancellor for MnSCU, published a letter announcing that Ashish Vaidya, the interim president of St. Cloud State, "has accepted the presidency at Northern Kentucky University", adding that "President Vaidya came into his current presidency at a very difficult time. With the sudden passing of President Earl Potter, St. Cloud State University needed a leader who could not only keep the university moving forward in a positive manner but also help the university heal."
Later in the letter, Malhotra wrote "Both in his time as provost and as interim president, President Vaidya has brought to the university a laser focus that faculty and staff needed to address the institution's challenges, which culminated in the successful completion of the strategic plan with a strong focus on growing enrollment and retention."
Still later in the letter, Malhotra said "President Vaidya had strong support both across campus and in the St. Cloud community. It was their feedback that prompted me to develop a path to retain him. In my conversations with President Vaidya, he shared how difficult this decision was for him. I respect his decision as he pursues the next phase of his professional career."
First, it's impossible for me to believe that this was a difficult decision. The University's CFO is leaving. Programs are being reduced in size. Enrollment is down. Further, the deficits keep 'arriving' annually. Further, President Vaidya hasn't been at the University very long. What part of that sounds like a dream job scenario?
Here's the full text of the letter:
Dear Colleagues, As you know, Interim President Ashish Vaidya has accepted the presidency at Northern Kentucky University. Please join me in congratulating him on this great honor. President Vaidya came into his current presidency at a very difficult time. With the sudden passing of President Earl Potter, St. Cloud State University needed a leader who could not only keep the university moving forward in a positive manner but also help the university heal. He did just that. President Vaidya mourned along with students, faculty, staff, and the community but also gave them something to hope for. A stronger and better university - a stronger and better St. Cloud.
Both in his time as provost and as interim president, President Vaidya has brought to the university a laser focus that faculty and staff needed to address the institution's challenges, which culminated in the successful completion of the strategic plan with a strong focus on growing enrollment and retention. In the last year, he led the effort to raise $4.1 million, which represents a 22 percent increase over the previous year; and worked with the legislative delegation to secure $18 million for the Eastman Hall project. In addition, he has fostered deep relationships with the city and the community, serving on multiple boards including the Central Minnesota Initiative Foundation and the Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation.
His leadership was perhaps best witnessed during the events that followed the St. Cloud Crossroads Mall stabbing. President Vaidya along with university and community leaders came together in an incredible demonstration of support. He engaged students, faculty, and staff and listened - he trusted in their leadership that together they would find a way for the university and the community to move forward. Perhaps that is his greatest talent - the ability to listen and for others to be heard. For that we are grateful for his contributions and leadership not only to St. Cloud State University but to Minnesota State as well.
The feedback I received from internal and external stakeholders was abundantly clear during my recent visit to campus. President Vaidya had strong support both across campus and in the St. Cloud community. It was their feedback that prompted me to develop a path to retain him. In my conversations with President Vaidya, he shared how difficult this decision was for him. I respect his decision as he pursues the next phase of his professional career.
In my brief time as chancellor, I have been impressed with President Vaidya's strategic and analytical mind, his integrity, and his deep passion and commitment for the university and student success. So it is understandable that Northern Kentucky University saw those same qualities. The students, faculty, and staff at NKU are fortunate to have a leader of President Vaidya's caliber to lead the university.
President Vaidya will see his commitment to St. Cloud State University through until June 30, 2018, successfully completing his two-year contract. We will begin a national search immediately. The services of AGB Search have been secured, and a search chair will be named by the end of this week. A timeline of events will be shared in the coming week. It is my intention to kick off the search prior to the Thanksgiving holiday. In order to do that I need your help to give me insight on the qualities that you would like to see in the next president of St. Cloud State University. I also will be asking for your help as we all need to be in recruiting mode over the weeks ahead to have a strong pool of candidates to invite to campus.
I look forward to working with you over the next few months to find a leader who can continue to build on the great work of President Vaidya and the SCSU community.
Best,
Devinder Malhotra
Interim Chancellor
Rumors started surfacing months ago that Vaidya was interviewing for other jobs. This announcement isn't surprising from the standpoint that people expected him to leave this situation. The instability, both of the University and at MnSCU, doesn't lend itself to attracting the best candidates for major offices. Malhotra is the interim Chancellor of MnSCU. St Cloud State's problems keep multiplying.
It's "bullroar" to think that Vaidya successfully completed "the strategic plan with a strong focus on growing enrollment and retention." Enrollment is still declining and retention isn't good. I'm not blaming these things on President Vaidya. He inherited a difficult situation. I'm merely stating that he didn't accomplish what Malhotra said he accomplished.
UPDATE: Here's Vaidya's announcement from NKU:
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Posted Thursday, November 9, 2017 3:29 PM
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DFL frontrunner Walz criticizes farmers
Displaying incredible elitism, DFL gubernatorial candidate Tim Walz criticized farmers . Walz said "You see those maps. Red and blue and there's all that red across there. And Democrats go into a depression over it. It's mostly rocks and cows that are in that red area ."
Coming from a guy who represents tons of farmer in Washington, DC, that's a pretty elitist-sounding statement. Jeff Johnson and Matt Dean quickly pounced on Walz's statement. Dean quickly posted a statement on Facebook , saying in part "Rocks & Cows? I'd say Cows Rock! Dairy is an important industry in greater MN. Tim Walz should get out of DC and visit a dairy farm. We've had seven years of greater Minnesota being treated like lesser Minnesota. Things are going to change and we make a greater Minnesota for everyone."
Later in the statement, Dean said "My windshield time is best spent talking to people I'm going to meet along the way. Many of those conversations are polite but short because of the unbelievable amount of harvest work that needs to be done. I've learned so much in such a very short time because you do need to meet people where they are when they are that busy. I thought my door-knocking days were winding down, but I've surprised many folks at home or on the farm. How gracious they are."
This is pitch perfect:
Mr. Walz should do 87in87. Heck, he should just visit his own constituents . The First district has awesome farmers. They aren't red or blue. They are hardworking people. They are getting their teeth kicked in by Healthcare costs and low prices for their crops. The corn prices are so low they can't afford the healthcare they had last year. Now the crops are so wet, they can't get the money or the propane to dry them out! And snow is already here.
Commissioner Johnson replied in this Facebook post "Once again, a DFLer slips up and tells us what he really thinks about Greater MN. Tim Walz says much of rural Minnesota is just 'rocks and cows.' As someone whose roots, family and values are all in Northwestern Minnesota, I find that statement both arrogant and ignorant. Yes, there are lots of rocks and lots of cows in parts of Greater MN, but more importantly there are lots of decent, hard-working, patriotic Americans. Let's focus on them for a change rather than dismissing them as irrelevant or unimportant. Minnesotans deserve better than what the DFL is giving us."
Here's the video of Walz acting like a jackass:
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That's frighteningly insensitive. Years ago, Mike Kinsley said that "a gaffe is when you accidentally tell the truth." This fits into that category. It's apparent that Walz is pandering to the metro DFL activists. Don't forget that Walz already renounced the NRA :
Walz recanted his prior support for the NRA and announced that he would donate money given to him by the pro-Second Amendment group to a charity helping veterans and their families. 'The politics is secondary,' Walz told Murphy on Sunday. 'I have got friends who have been, had gun violence in their family and like so many responsible gun owners, it's what I grew up on.''
Criticizing farmers and gun owners is political suicide in the general election. It might help him get the DFL endorsement but it's a killer for the big election.
Posted Thursday, November 9, 2017 12:02 PM
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The next step at St. Cloud State
Thursday afternoon, I appeared on KNSI's Ox in the Afternoon to talk about Ashish Vaidya's announcement that he's leaving MnSCU (and Minnesota) to become the next president at Northern Kentucky University. Follow this link to listen to that interview. It's the third interview on the page. But I digress.
During the interview, Ox brought up the subject of what's next for the University. He mentioned this while questioning whether the University was beyond the point of saving. At that point, I said that, had someone told me 5 years ago that we'd be having this conversation, I likely would've taken that bet. The possibility of St. Cloud shutting its doors was unthinkable at that time. It isn't unthinkable anymore.
To be substantive, though, what's needed is a rethinking of the management style at SCSU. First, what's required is a president who isn't worried about whether his decisions will hurt his career. What's needed is someone with the intelligence, and willingness , to trim the fat from the administration. Initially, those savings should go into rebuilding the faculty and into scholarships to get students interested in the University.
The other thing that's needed is the rebuilding of the Aviation Department. Frankly, it was a major mistake to eliminate that program. Right now, there are major wildfires burning in the mountain west. There's no reason why SCSU couldn't have a program that trains students in firefighting and rescue operations. It isn't like they're getting trained at community colleges or trade schools. Another program that should fit into that Aviation Department is drone training.
With border security becoming a high priority with the federal government, new high-paying jobs are virtually guaranteed upon graduation. From what I'm told, those jobs come with $50,000-$75,000 a year starting pay and virtually 100% placement upon graduation. Call me crazy but a program like that sounds like an enrollment magnet.
Once the enrollment starts improving, there will be other issues that need addressing. A major review and overhaul of the University's financial decisions is required. Systems need to be put in place to eliminate some of the past decisions and prevent them from happening again. There can't be another contract signed with the Wedum Foundation. That contract hurt the University badly. I know the perfect person for that position.
We need a president that will instantly connect with area principals. What's needed, too, is someone who will sell the University's programs. It's imperative to immediately create a positive buzz about the University. There isn't time for a search committee. What's needed is someone who's already familiar with SCSU and someone who's a no-nonsense person. That immediately eliminates Roland Specht-Jarvis from serious consideration. He knows the turf but he's too into playing politics.
The next president needs to be given the authority to clean house. He needs to be able to pick his own team and the authority to make unpopular but needed decisions. Another thing that the next president will need is unwavering support from civic leaders and financial help from the legislature. I'm not proposing throwing good money after bad. I'm talking about the next president having a plan that they want to execute and the wherewithal to implement that plan.
That plan needs to return the University to the things that made it successful. Rebuild the School of Business. Restart the Aviation Program. Re-open other successful schools. Implementing that plan will create a positive buzz that turns the University around in a proverbial heartbeat.
The Chamber of Commerce needs to step forward and support the new president. A failing university isn't helping St. Cloud's economy. If they prefer playing both sides, the University loses. If the University loses, so does St. Cloud's economy.
The reforms that St. Cloud State needs also are required at MnSCU. My hope is that GOP gubernatorial candidates take this opportunity to fix the disaster that was created in the 1990s. MnSCU has been a disaster from the day it was signed into law. It's accountable to no one. It hasn't done what it promised to do. MnSCU's Board of Trustees is filled with ex-politicians who are essentially waiting for their next political campaign to happen. Universities need to be accountable to their communities, not to a bunch of career politicians 50+ miles away.
This is a nice blueprint to copy:
The presidential search committee, composed of NKU's Board of Regents, faculty, staff, students and community members, recommended Vaidya after an eight-month process. The board of regents unanimously elected him Wednesday morning.
It isn't that MnSCU needs a search committee to find the next president of St. Cloud State. It's that the next president needs the support of "faculty, staff, students and community members."
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Posted Friday, November 10, 2017 1:58 AM
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The worst news possible
This article confirms my worst fear for St. Cloud State going forward. It's disturbing because it reports that "Minnesota State's Interim Chancellor Devinder Malhotra says they are beginning a national search immediately. They are working with a professional firm, AGB Search, and the Chancellor will name a search chair by the end of the week. He says it's his intention to kick off the search prior to the Thanksgiving holiday."
A new president who doesn't know the terrain will require on-the-job training. With St. Cloud State experiencing a financial crisis, the University can't afford someone whose first steps will be to get to know the communities he or she will serve. As I said in this post , I said "We need a president that will instantly connect with area principals. What's needed is someone who will sell the University's programs. It's imperative to immediately create a positive buzz about the University. There isn't time for a search committee. What's needed is someone who's already familiar with SCSU and someone who's a no-nonsense person."
Frankly, MnSCU has screwed up so many appointments that they shouldn't get the benefit of any doubts. Until they start making smart decisions on the biggest decisions, they should be kept on the sidelines. At minimum, MnSCU should consult with community leaders heavily before making a decision. Further, it's imperative that our legislative leaders and community leaders be listened to.
We don't need another pointy-headed academic with a vision for what he wants. Altogether too often, St. Cloud State hasn't done what the community needs it to do. What's needed is someone who will rebuild St. Cloud State, not rebrand it. St. Cloud State hasn't put a priority on rebuilding the University. Fairly or unfairly, people think that they've put a higher priority on building new buildings than they've put on maintaining great academic programs.
St. Cloud State needs to be responsive and accountable to the city. St. Cloud has been a blue collar city. St. Cloud State hasn't been a blue collar university. It was predictable that the Wedum project would fail. Then we found out that the administration signed a terrible contract with the Foundation. Building upscale apartments for college students is as foolish as building a condo unit across from a bar.
At what point will the city say 'Stop making stupid decisions with the taxpayers' money?' This is infuriating. What's more infuriating is the fact that there's a highly qualified candidate right here in town. This candidate knows the area. Most importantly, he's got a plan to rebuild St. Cloud State.
Hiring him would help St. Cloud State and MnSCU avoid making another foolish mistake.
Posted Friday, November 10, 2017 1:59 PM
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St. Cloud State's next president
Forgive me for being cynical at this point but I'm not optimistic that the MnSCU nationwide search committee will hire the right person for the job. I won't be surprised if the next president of St. Cloud State is a social justice hire. I can picture MnSCU hiring a minority female with little or no executive experience, much less executive success.
What's required is a no-frills leader with a comprehensive plan to rebuild, not rebrand, St. Cloud State. The biggest change St. Cloud State has made in the last decade is that they've tried changing the University's identity. It wasn't that long ago that St. Cloud State was known as having great programs like accounting, aviation, criminal justice and education. These days, those programs aren't featured. In the case of aviation, it was sneered at, then eliminated.
That was stupid on multiple levels. First, the program was growing at the time it was cancelled. Next, those students were taking lots of science classes, which increased the health of the science department. Third, the cost of the department to the University was minimal. Programs that are growing, healthy and inexpensive should be programs that should be prioritized, not eliminated. This was a case of campus politics defeated common sense. As taxpayers, we have the right to demand intelligent use of our taxes. We have the right to demand that campus politics be kept to a minimum, too.
By re-establishing St. Cloud State as a serious academic institution, the University gives students a reason for attending St. Cloud State. You give parents a reason for sending their kids to St. Cloud State. In a recent St. Cloud Times spin piece on enrollment, they talked about how enrollment had declined again but the 'silver lining' was that diversity was better. What student or parent thinks of diversity as a major selling point to a university? Seriously, any administrator that's using that as a talking point should be fired ASAP.
Another thing that must change at St. Cloud State is that the new administration must require professors to actually teach classes. A new president likely won't notice that Mark Jaede is essentially paid to be a union representative and political activist. That dead weight must end immediately.
The next president must also be at a stage in their career where they can do what's best for the University without worrying about the impact their decisions will have on their career.
In summarization, St. Cloud State's next president must have a plan to immediately turn the University around. That president must have the leadership skills to execute their plan, too. The next president can't hesitate in refocusing the University's resources on what's most important. To modify a phrase used by the Clinton team in 1992, 'it's the academics, stupid.' Finally, it's about creating a university that's pumping out tons of well-educated graduates that fit right into a vibrant economy.
If the next president of St. Cloud State doesn't have those traits, then the University has short-changed itself.
Posted Sunday, November 12, 2017 6:06 AM
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The GOP's pro-growth campaign
This week, Democrats are crowing about their victories in New Jersey and Virginia. That's fair enough. They turned out the vote in Virginia bigtime. Meanwhile, Republicans are left wondering how they'll fare in the 2018 midterms. If I was advising House Republicans, I'd tell them to start early with a steady diet of granting TV and radio interviews to local shows with the major focus being on the strong economy and the other focus being on what the House has passed to help the economy grow.
Part of that growth message would focus on the robust energy industry growth. Another part of that message would highlight the candidate's willingness to vote for building pipelines and other vital infrastructure. Whenever possible, highlight the times when you've worked with President Trump on these issues.
The thing that brings all Republicans together is economic growth. Voting for the tax reform legislation is still a positive, especially in the Midwest. Republicans shouldn't be shy in highlighting the Democrats' opposition to everything on Trump's agenda, either. It's one thing to be the loyal opposition. It's another to simply oppose everything. The other thing Republicans shouldn't hesitate in doing is calling out Bernie's candidates. Republicans shouldn't hesitate in exposing the Democrats' beliefs.
Right now, Democrats are opposing the GOP tax plan because, in their words, it explodes the deficit. At the same time, Democrats are extolling the virtues of Bernie's single-payer health care plan. The estimated cost of single-payer in California is $400,000,000,000 per year. The national tax cuts that Democrats oppose on the basis that it explodes the deficit adds less than $150,000,000,000 to the deficit per year. Force Bernie's brigades to explain why they support something that expensive but reject something that puts money in middle class families' pockets.
This isn't a time for GOP timidity. It's a time for them to go on offense. The Democrats don't have an agenda except opposition to everything. Republicans have a record of accomplishments that have helped the economy grow. Not going on offense in this situation is sinful.
If Democrats ask for a Republican's opinion on President Trump's latest Twitter storm, that Republican should reflexively reply 'I'm here to talk about how to improve families' lives, not provide commentary on the latest from Page 6.' The point is that this is about positive change that people are noticing. Unemployment is dropping. The economy is growing. People's 401(k)s are growing rapidly. By Election Day, 2018, millions of jobs will have been created. Taxes will have been cut. Anti-mining regulations have been repealed.
Finally, does anyone think that this would be happening if Democrats held the gavels in the House or Senate? The Democrats' Resistance Movement would certainly have led to a government shutdown, financial instability and tepid economic growth.
Bernie Sanders' economic policies don't lead to prosperity. They lead to income inequality, increased government dependency and stagnant wages. We know this because we just lived through 8 years of it.
Republicans need to do a compare-and-contrast with Democrats on economic growth, job creation and consumer confidence. Then Republicans should ask whether people think whether Democrats are capable of delivering economic growth, robust job creation and soaring consumer confidence.
Twenty-five minutes into this video, Kim Strassel nails it:;
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People want to know that their policymakers are putting policies in place that quickly help them. Republicans haven't gotten big ticket items passed but they've implemented important pro-growth economic policies. If you ask families whether it's more important to get high-profile legislation enacted or whether it's more important to get the economy running, I'm fairly certain that they'll pick the strong economy.
Posted Sunday, November 12, 2017 7:19 AM
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