October 1-2, 2014
Oct 01 13:20 DFL's deception displayed Oct 01 14:31 Pelosi: Let's sleaze out a victory Oct 01 15:48 Deciphering liberalism Oct 01 18:16 McFadden scores TKO vs. Franken Oct 01 23:49 Gov. Walker's surge continues Oct 02 01:42 McFadden vs. Franken, tale of the tape Oct 02 02:05 What a fundraiser! Oct 02 16:22 MNsure's 4.5% fiction
Prior Months: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep
Prior Years: 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
DFL's deception displayed
Since their foundation, the Alliance for a Better Minnesota has specialized in dishonesty. In fact, they've been one of the most dishonest political actors in Minnesota politics. Their latest ad is titled Impossible:
Here's the transcript of that ad:
My kids and I lived on minimum wage. It was nearly impossible to get by. But TEA Party Republican Jeff Johnson says if he's elected governor, he'll find a bill to reduce the minimum wage. Johnson's plan would hurt over 350,000 Minnesota workers. Johnson opposes raising the minimum wage but he supports tax breaks for big corporations. Jeff Johnson has the wrong priorities for Minnesota.
This ad isn't totally dishonest but it's definitely deceptive. When the woman said that Jeff Johnson opposed raising the minimum wage, ABM cited House Journal page 3417...from May, 2005 . When she talks about "tax breaks for big corporations," she's citing House Journal page 3934...from May, 2005.
What this young lady didn't mention in talking about politicians supporting "tax breaks for big corporations" is that TEA Party Republicans weren't the only people to vote for "tax breaks for big corporations." Democrats like Paul Thissen, Nora Slawik, Pat Opatz, Denise Dittrich, Ron Erhardt, Bev Scalze, Katie Sieben and Ann Lenczewski voted for "tax breaks for big corporations," too. Thissen, of course, is the current Speaker of the House while Katie Sieben is Gov. Dayton's commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, aka DEED.
The first thrust of this ad is that Jeff Johnson's opposition to raising the minimum wage makes him unfit for office while the other thrust of this ad is that people voting for "tax breaks for big corporations" is a trouble-making arch-conservative. Apparently, ABM either didn't do their homework or they chose to omit the fact that "tax breaks for big corporations" had solid bipartisan support. (It's likely the latter because a) it doesn't fit their narrative and b) ABM isn't sloppy with their research.)
What's sad, though, is that this woman apparently was stuck in a minimum wage job for a lengthy period of time. Minnesota's economy should do better than that. The fact that 350,000 people are trapped in minimum wage jobs is an indictment of the Dayton-DFL economy.
Posted Wednesday, October 1, 2014 1:20 PM
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Pelosi: Let's sleaze out a victory
It seems like forever ago that I wrote about Nancy Pelosi's smear campaign against Stewart Mills. In fact, it was months ago that she started lying about what Stewart Mills said. The lies in Pelosi's ad were so disgusting that the ad was taken off the air. That hasn't stopped Ms. Pelosi from attempting to sleaze out another victory for Democrats:
Ms. Pelosi said that she'll provide the context for Stewart Mills' comments. No thanks, Ms. Pelosi. I don't need another recitation of your edited version of what Stewart actually said. Think of Ms. Pelosi's ad as the dishonestly edited version. Here's what Ms. Pelosi's ad said:
'folks saying that 'the wealthy, the wealthy are not paying their fair share...the 2%, the 1%, whatever percent you want: is personally offensive.'
Here's a side-by-side comparison of what Pelosi's ad said and what Stewart said:
HMP/AFSCME Advertisement: 'folks saying that 'the wealthy, the wealthy are not paying their fair share.'
Full Context (11:22): 'What happened in the last round of elections, where you had folks saying that 'the wealthy, the wealthy are not paying their fair share, that there's all these loopholes and they don't pay any taxes and we have to make them pay more.'
HMP/AFSCME Advertisement: 'the 2%, the 1%, whatever percent you want'
Full Context (14:48): 'How come we are not generating the jobs in Northeastern Minnesota that we otherwise would? Well I can tell you why. Because the overwhelming group of people that run businesses, that have the ability to employ people are taxed at that personal rate. They are the villains, they're the bad guys. They're the ones that quote are not paying their fair share. They're the ones quote that 'the 2%, the 1%, whatever percent you want.'
HMP/AFSCME Advertisement: 'is personally offensive.'
Full Context (12:10): 'To be singled out as a deadbeat is personally offensive.'
Ms. Pelosi, why did you feel the need to take a portion of a sentence from 11 minutes into a speech, then combine it with a statement from 15 minutes into that speech, then finish it off with an out-of-context partial statement from 12 minutes into the speech? Ms. Pelosi, why did you choose to create a fictional statement that Stewart never said?
Now you're back, claiming to put everything into its proper context. Simply put, I don't trust you. You've shown your true colors. You're a liar who's willing to say anything to help Democrats win elections. You don't even pretend to battle on the field of ideas. You've chosen to just lie repeatedly if that's what it takes to win.
I find that characteristic "personally offensive."
Posted Wednesday, October 1, 2014 2:31 PM
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Deciphering liberalism
This article has lots of quotes from DFL Chairman Ken Martin. When Bill Hanna of the Mesabi Daily News asked some straightforward questions of Martin, Martin's replies were twisted at best. Here's an example:
But what about Gov. Dayton, who spent millions and millions of his own money to win a U.S. Senate seat? 'That's different. He spent his whole professional life in public service to make the state better. I'm not saying there is a huge difference in their background ... just their approach,' Martin said.
That's rather revealing. Apparently, the DFL thinks that a rich career politician made Minnesota better but a guy whose family owns a profitable business, who worked his way up through the business, who started as a janitor and who's helped create hundreds of good-paying jobs hasn't made Minnesota better.
The thought that public service is honorable but creating private sector jobs isn't honorable is startling and troubling. If anything, I'd argue that the person creating private sector jobs is improving Minnesota and that a career politician is someone totally out of touch with the people.
Career politicians have spent years listening to lobbyists who want their vote on their bill. They've spent years listening to their political consultants who stress staying on message rather than listening to the people.
By comparison, successful entrepreneurs spend their time listening to the people they want to sell their product to. If they don't listen to their customers, they don't make a profit. Then they go out of business.
Dayton implemented MNsure, which doesn't work. It cost $160,000,000 to build a website that still isn't working. Despite its failure, Dayton's financial health hasn't suffered one iota. That's right. There aren't any consequences for Dayton when his policies fail because it isn't his money that's getting spent. Why would he care if his policies fail?
Let's compare that with Stewart Mills. If Stewart Mills' business decisions aren't wise, the company doesn't make a profit. If that continues long enough, the company files for bankruptcy and real people lose their jobs.
An entrepreneur must listen to the people to make a profit. A politician just needs a political machine to keep making mistake after mistake. That machine isn't complete without an apologist like DFL Chairman Martin.
And what of Democratic Minnesota U.S. Sen. Al Franken, who is also now a millionaire with money accumulated as a comedian, actor, author and small businessman, and holds big-buck fundraisers with Hollywood celebrities?
'He understands working class Minnesota. Franken was not born into that money. Mills was born on third base and thought he hit a triple,' Martin said.
Hanging out with Hollywood celebrities isn't how you "understand working class Minnesota." Being a disgustingly obnoxious talk radio host in New York City isn't how you "understand working class Minnesotans."
Martin then tempered his remarks to say his criticism was not against people achieving wealth.
'If you attack wealth, you're attacking the American Dream. I don't want this to come off that I'm attacking that. It's about what you do with it and want to do with it. I just don't understand what his (Mills) motivation is to run ... how he can relate to working class Minnesotans,' Martin said.
The DFL is a bit schizophrenic when it comes to wealth. If a DFL candidates is wealthy, like Gov. Dayton, he's characterized as a great philanthropist dedicated to public service. If a Republican like Stewart Mills is wealthy because he's been part of a successful business that's created hundreds of jobs, the DFL chairman says Mills is an elitist who "started on third base and thinks he hit a triple."
Thankfully, Martin isn't attacking wealth. That'd be un-American.
Posted Wednesday, October 1, 2014 3:48 PM
Comment 1 by Terry Stone at 01-Oct-14 04:26 PM
Class envy and class warfare are probably the least attractive and unjustifiable of DFL core values. Every liberal who buys a lottery ticket aspires to receive great wealth without working for it; to be just like Mark Dayton.
Stewart Mills not only has built substantial wealth of his own, but he is the voters' best chance of becoming wealthy themselves.
Comment 2 by Chad Q at 02-Oct-14 07:42 AM
So if you start out as a janitor at your family company and work your way up the ladder and also inherit some money you're out of touch with MN but if you've never worked at the family company or in the private sector your whole life, inherit millions, and want to tax the living crap out of everyone, you are in touch with MN?
I guess that's the thinking process we have to deal with from the DFL. Unfortunately there are a lot of DFL minions who think the same way.
McFadden scores TKO vs. Franken
The first debate between Al Franken and Mike McFadden is in the books. Suffice it to say that McFadden took the fight to Franken from the opening statements. Here's one of McFadden's statements early in the debate:
We can do so much better. I am so tired of politics as usual. That's why I'm running. I believe that the single biggest issue in this country is we've created this professional class of politician and it's killing us. And I believe that, in six years, Sen. Franken has become part of that profession.
Later in that same response, McFadden made this statement:
Watching the two men on stage was stunning. Franken's posture was terrible. He was shrinking back into himself. McFadden's posture was that of a confident man who was enjoying laying out his positive vision for economic growth. Franken looked bored at times, upset at others. McFadden enjoyed finally being on the same stage with Franken.
I left my job and I put my family at risk because I fundamentally believe that we can do better in this country. We have the opportunity to see our best days ahead of us by getting onto the pathway of growth and prosperity. And it begins with energy, education and effective government. We are sitting on the doorstep of an energy renaissance if we let it happen and get the EPA out of the way. I will get the pipelines built. I will get the mines open. That will allow us to grow at 4-5 percent as opposed to half a percent to one-percent that we've seen under President Obama and Al Franken.
After Sen. Franken responded to a question about bipartisanship, during which time he listed the bipartisan bills that he's sponsored, McFadden responded, saying "one of the things that I'm going to ask everyone to do is watch Sen. Franken's actions, not his words." Later in his rebuttal, McFadden said "he has done nothing to accelerate the PolyMet Mine. He has not approved the Keystone Pipeline, which has been under review for 6 years. PolyMet's been under review for 8 years. Look at his actions, not his words."
When Franken said that some of the partisanship statistics that McFadden cited were from an article that said "Ted Cruz is the most nonpartisan senator", Mr. McFadden quickly followed up, saying "Al Franken is the Ted Cruz of the Democratic Party."
The next topic was about energy, pipelines and getting commodities to market via railroads. Again, Mike McFadden shined:
Then Mr. McFadden went on the attack, saying "Al Franken wants to get rid of the coal industry, which will ruin the port of Duluth. Half of the tonnage that's shipped out of this port is coal. I was up at the Minorca Mine. They spend $1.3 a month on electricity, which is driven by coal." Later, McFadden said "Al, your lack of an energy policy led to the railcar shortage." That's gotta sting. This stung, too:
We've had over 1,000 days in Minnesota where gas prices have been over $3/gallon. In December, 2008, gas was $1.60/gallon. What I know is that, as a businessman, with cheaper energy, we become a manufacturing superpower. Again, we're gonna be able to compete globally.
Al, until you start building pipelines, you'll have a railcar shortage. You are putting Band-Aids instead of going to the root causes. We need pipelines in this country.
Franken's reply was pathetic:
What I voted for was to not circumvent the regulatory process.
That's the definition of pathetic and defensive.
Later, on the subject of precious metals mining, Sen. Franken said that he's got the same view of mining as the Range delegation to the state legislature, which is "let's get this right." Chuck Frederick, the editorial page editor for the Duluth News Tribune, then asked for McFadden's position:
I want everyone in this room to know that I support mining, that I will fight for mining and I'm an advocate to get these mines open. The fact that this has taken 9 years and cost $200,000,000 in regulatory review is not acceptable. It is crazy. And I would remind you that the Democratic Party, in this city, 3 months ago, had the opportunity to put forth in their platform that they support mining and they didn't. And watch Al Franken's actions, not his words. He's done nothing in 6 years to accelerate the review process for PolyMet. He's written multiple times to the FCC and the FEC on communications issues but he hasn't fought for miners. And he won't because he's attached at the hip with environmental extremists.That's a brief summary of the first 22 minutes of the debate. Mike McFadden gave Al Franken an old-fashioned butt-kicking. If you don't believe me, watch the videotape . Make up your own mind. Pay particular attention to Franken's posture while McFadden was lecturing him on getting pipelines built and PolyMet opened.
Posted Wednesday, October 1, 2014 11:19 PM
Comment 1 by walter hanson at 02-Oct-14 01:23 AM
Gary:
I heard a Franken quote on mining on the radio today. I believe Franken said, "We have to get it right."
Um they haven't gotten it right. They haven't approved it even though there are plans that can work. Franken cited as the need to get it right by holding it up we have to have good water. All Franken did was reinforce Minneapolis and Saint Paul liberal votes hoping that will be enough to carry him to victory.
Has Franken forgotten what carried him to victory was when the 8th Congressional district votes came in and carried him to victory. He won't get those votes this time.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
Comment 2 by Gary Gross at 02-Oct-14 01:47 AM
Walter, Check out tomorrow's posts. I'm putting together some videos that will catch your attention.
Gov. Walker's surge continues
According to the latest Marquette Law School Poll , Scott Walker's surge is continuing:
MILWAUKEE - A new Marquette Law School Poll in the Wisconsin governor's race finds Republican Gov. Scott Walker receiving the support of 50 percent of likely voters and Democratic challenger Mary Burke receiving 45 percent support. Another 3 percent say that they are undecided or that they do not know whom they will support, while 1 percent say that they will vote for someone else. Likely voters are those who say they are certain to vote in the November election.
Among registered voters, Walker receives 46 percent and Burke 45 percent, with 4 percent undecided and 1 percent saying they will vote for someone else. This is the first time since March a candidate has held a lead outside the margin of error among likely voters. The results for registered voters remain inside the margin of error. (See clarification above.)
In the previous Marquette poll, conducted Sept. 11-14, Walker held a 49-46 edge over Burke among likely voters and registered voters tied at 46 percent support for each candidate.
I wrote this post less than a week ago. Here's what I said then:
At a time when people are satisfied with how things are going, it isn't helping that Ms. Burke is seen as a marketing specialist. Wisconsinites are looking for a policy wonk, a solutions-oriented person with Wisconsin's best interests at heart. Throughout this fiasco, Burke hasn't fit that part. That's why the wheels keep falling off the bus.
This poll is verifiable proof that I was right about Scott Walker's surge. If Mary Burke doesn't do something to stem this pro-Walker tide, she'll lose. Here's why:
A large gender gap is present in voting for both governor and attorney general. Among likely voters, Walker leads among men with 62 percent to 34 percent for Burke. Among women, Burke leads with 54 percent to Walker's 40 percent. With registered voters, Walker leads among men 54-39 percent while Burke leads among women 50-40 percent.
It isn't surprising that men favor Republicans or that women prefer Democrats. That's been happening for years, if not decades. What's news is that Walker is favored by men by a 2:1 margin. That's stunning and unprecedented.
If Burke doesn't narrow that gap by at least 10 points, she'll get beaten like a drum.
If Gov. Walker's surge continues another week, the RGA could then focus more attention on other competitive gubernatorial race, like the one in Minnesota. If that happens, things will get real interesting real quick.
Posted Wednesday, October 1, 2014 11:49 PM
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McFadden vs. Franken, tale of the tape
Yesterday, I included a link to the Duluth News Tribune's video of the McFadden-Franken debate. This post will include some of my favorite clips from the debate, starting with this one:
Sen. Franken's response was typical DC bureaucratspeak:
Here's what Sen. Franken said:
So much of the rail use is for the Bakken crude. Now I've been going to the Surface Transportation Board since I got to the Senate. Captive rail is something that I've been very interested in. I actually worked with Sen. David Vitter, the Republican of Louisiana, to get the cost of filing a complaint with the Surface Transportation Board, which regulates the railroads, from $20,000 to $350 so people can file a complaint.
Here's McFadden's snappy reply:
Al, with all due respect, your lack of an energy policy and the lack of an energy policy from President Obama has caused the rail car shortage. There's not been one pipeline built. You haven't approved any pipeline. The Keystone Pipeline has been under the review process for 6 years. That is crazy. That is too long. Pipelines are proven to be the most effective, the most efficient, the most environmentally sensitive way to transport oil. Until you start passing pipelines, we'll have a railcar shortage. I know how to fix this economy. I know how to get us back on the road to growth and prosperity and you are putting Band-Aids as opposed to going to root causes. We need pipelines in this country. I want everyone in this room and in this state I am for pipelines. I will get them built.
The contrast in that last exchange is stunning. I hope the McFadden campaign highlights the difference between Sen. Franken's answer and Mr. McFadden's reply because it's the difference between a Washingtonspeak and the voice of a leader who knows how to get things done.
Washingtonspeak is the way bureaucrats and politicians speak. Leaders talk differently because they talk like people on Main Street, Minnesota. The contrast is stark. When leaders speak, Main Street listens. When bureaucrats and politicians speak, people fall asleep or nod sleepily in approval.
Wednesday morning, Duluth saw the difference between Al Franken, the career politician who uses Washingtonspeak, and Mike McFadden, the leader from Main Street, Minnesota.
Posted Thursday, October 2, 2014 1:42 AM
Comment 1 by walter hanson at 03-Oct-14 01:10 AM
Gary:
I kind of wished that Mike had added, "Al you claim that you're for organized labor. Building pipelines will cause thousands of organized members of labor to go to work and make over fifty thousand dollars a year! How can't you be for that if you're for organized labor. I guess I'm the person organized labor should be supporting since you only want the votes of the environment movement."
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
Comment 2 by Gary Gross at 03-Oct-14 01:14 AM
There's a limited amount of time for rebuttals so I understand why he didn't. Still, the people building pipelines know that "environmental extremists" aren't their friends.
Comment 3 by Chad Q at 03-Oct-14 01:28 PM
The people who build pipelines know that environmental extremists aren't their friends but they haven't quite tied that extremism to the DFL because those same people keep voting the DFL into power.
What a fundraiser!
Fundraising: What an Idea!
by Silence Dogood
Last year, Minnesota State University - Moorhead underwent a process to reduce its faculty and staff for this academic year by 10% as a result of a three-year enrollment decline of 11.4%. Ultimately, the enrollment decline cost the university's president her job.
SCSU is in the midst of cutting $8,000,000-10,000,000 from the budget as a result of an 18.0% decline in enrollment over four years. However, it's not getting any better because the university is looking at a fifth year of enrollment decline in a row with a fourth year in a row of enrollment decline over 5%. Clearly, these are not happy times at the university on the oak crowned riverbank!
This summer Anne Blackhurst became Moorhead's newest president. It didn't take too long before she had a significant impact.
Enrollment at Moorhead is predictably down this fall as a result of the 10% reduction in faculty and staff so there is a concomitant loss of tuition revenue to deal with. However, rather than just following through with the knee-jerk reflex reaction and cutting the budget, President Blackhurst took a different path. As part of Homecoming week last Wednesday, she ran 12.5 miles in front of hundreds of students at the school's Ron Masanz track as part of a fundraising stunt. After completing her 50th lap, hundreds of students ran with her in a 'victory' lap. In the end, President Blackhurst raised over $1,200,000, making it the most successful fundraiser in the school's history! President Blackhurst also showed how committed she is by making a $1,000 pledge for each lap she ran. As a result, she is making a donation of $50,000 from her own salary. When you raise that kind of money rather than cut the budget, it is probably not a good idea to call it a 'stunt.' Perhaps 'pure genius' might be a better description!
It certainly wouldn't be fair to expect President Potter to put on his track shoes and run 12.5 miles in what would be a fundraising 'stunt'. However, hopefully, President Potter will take the hint that in dealing with a budget shortfall, there are more options than just budget cutting. Perhaps he might use his extensive contacts from his trips around the globe to help raise funds rather than just cut. Interestingly, if SCSU did not lose over $7,000,000 on the Coborn's Plaza apartments in its first five years of operation, SCSU wouldn't be in such bad financial shape. Unfortunately, Coborn's Plaza has to be a success because President Potter says that it is.
Clearly, there is a new energy and enthusiasm at Moorhead as evidenced by the large crowd of students. Remember, this was not part of the homecoming football game - the crowd was there for over two hours just to watch their new president run 50 laps around the track. I wouldn't want to bet against Minnesota State University - Moorhead turning things around very shortly! This video is truly inspiring because it shows a very committed president:
Posted Thursday, October 2, 2014 2:05 AM
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MNsure's 4.5% fiction
Yesterday was a busy news day, which is why I didn't get to what I'm calling the MNsure 4.5% myth. Yesterday, the Dayton administration highlighted the 'fact' that Minnesota's insurance premiums were increasing by 'only' 4.5%. If I was in a foul mood, I'd call that a bald-faced lie but I'm in a positive mood after Mike McFadden wiped the debate floor with Al Franken's backside.
The 4.5% myth wouldn't be possible if MNsure included the 29,000 Minnesotans whose premiums will increase substantially the minute they can't renew with PreferredOne through MNsure. Their rates will spike dramatically.
The Dayton administration knew that they couldn't let the Commerce Department issue an honest, straightforward report on rate increases. The Dayton Commerce Department cooked the books by not factoring in the significant, budget-busting rate increases that current PreferredOne customers will experience the minute they buy a policy with one of the more expensive insurance companies.
Let's set this explanation up with a statistical foundation. I wrote this post about how many people were initially expected to buy a QHP, the DFL's downward revision of that number, then the actual number who bought a QHP, aka Qualified Health Plan. Here's what the fiscal note said:
Projected Enrollment in March 2013: 164,000 to 270,000
Revised Enrollment Goal in October: 69,904
Actual Enrollment: 47,046
Percentage Below March, 2013 Projection: 71% to 83% below projection
According to the Dayton administration, 47,046 families bought QHPs through the individual market portion of MNsure last fall. Of those 47,000 families, 29,000 of them will see an increase of at least 20% because PreferredOne dropped out of MNsure's individual market. In other words, over 60% of the people who bought a health insurance policy through the individual market will see a premium increase of more than 20% from last year's open enrollment to this year's open enrollment.
To get to a 4.5% increase for everyone in the individual market, the rest of the people would have to see a reduction in their premiums. That isn't what's happening. The 4.5% figure means that the people who can renew their policy with their current provider will see a 4.5% increase. Sixty percent of the people in the individual market can't do that. Those people will have their insurance premiums go up by more than 20%.
That means that the DFL's cooked-the-books rate increase will actually turn into over 10% when this year's open enrollment period closes. The Dayton administration cooked the books. They didn't factor in the 29,000 people who will get hit with a 20% increases into that rate increase because that didn't fit with their spin.
That's before talking about all the people who've already seen rate increases through the small business market. Those people have had their premiums increase dramatically :
This morning, in an exclusive interview with Examiner.com, Plombon went into detail about what's happening with insurance premiums. What Mr. Plombon said is that some people who get their insurance through the small group market are renewing their policies. Thus far, Advantage 1 has seen these clients' premiums increase from as 'little' as 30% to as much as 106%.
The 4.5% figure is fiction. It doesn't have anything to do with reality.
It's shameful that the Dayton administration would put this dishonest information out right before the election, then pretend that it's verifiable information. The DFL's dishonesty is exposed again.
Posted Thursday, October 2, 2014 4:22 PM
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