September 9-11, 2011
Sep 09 03:06 Klobuchar urges passage of America Invents Act Sep 09 09:08 A businessman's perspective on President Obama's speech Sep 09 15:53 Mr. President, Enough with the failed policies of the last 32 months Sep 09 16:46 MPP's hissy fit Sep 10 03:40 Franken Scare Sep 10 10:25 What Obama Jobs Bounce? Sep 11 01:33 Remembering 9/11 and the greatest presidential speech of my lifetime Sep 11 11:48 A Stunt I'd Expect From a Democrat
Prior Months: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug
Prior Years: 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Klobuchar urges passage of America Invents Act
Sen. Amy Klobuchar is getting her name in the headlines againby advocating for swift passage of the America Invents Act :
Minnesotans have brought the world everything from the Pacemaker to the Post-it Note. These innovations would not have been possible without the patent system. This is why our state ranks sixth in the nation for patents per capita and we are number one per capita for Fortune 500 companies.
Companies like 3M, Eco Lab, and Medtronic need a patent system. It is also companies that rely on patents to grow their companies and create jobs in America.
From 1990 to 2001 all the net job growth in our country came from companies that were less than five years old. It's the person in the garage building a mousetrap or, in the case of Medtronic, the first battery-powered pacemaker that drives our economy forward and creates the products that Americans can make and sell to the world.
That's nice but patent reform won't jumpstart the economy. What's needed is to overhaul or scrap the EPA and the NLRB. The EPA is issuing junk regulations that help special interests bottle up mining and oil exploration projects.
The NLRB stepped in where it didn't belong when it filed a lawsuit stopping Boeing from opening a major construction plant in South Carolina, killing 2,000 high-paying jobs.
Sen. Klobuchar has co-sponsored minor legislation and been part of a ton of photo ops but she's disappeared when it's come to addressing the biggest problems facing our economy.
Sen. Klobuchar's disappearing act is typical of Senate Democrats. They're at every photo op but they get little done on the important things. For that matter, they haven't gotten routine things like passing budgets done lately.
Thursday night's speech should've been given in a Democratic Senate Caucus meeting. It should've been given to Senate Democrats. They should've gotten a major tongue-lashing for being the do-nothings in Congress. Harry Reid's troops, Sen. Klobuchar included, have been the obstructionists.
Sen. Klobuchar hasn't gotten important things done, partially because she's the queen of small ball legislation.
The Senate's inaction isn't sitting well with the American people. That's why Republicans will have the committee gavels starting in 2013. The Democrats' majority has taken the fun out of dysfunctional.
Posted Friday, September 9, 2011 3:06 AM
Comment 1 by Chad Quigley at 09-Sep-11 10:37 AM
How is it that over 50% believe this worthless person is doing a good job representing MN? This lady has done nothing but continually screw us by voting for bills she hasn't read or creates legislation to combat some freak accident.
Comment 2 by nerdbert at 12-Sep-11 11:03 AM
It's even worse than you believe. The AIA does almost nothing to reform patents. As a patent holder I can tell you the patent system is horribly broken and needs real reform, but this particular Act was put together by the big technology companies and will serve their needs alone, not the real needs of the system.
A businessman's perspective on President Obama's speech
State Sen. John Pederson appeared this morning on KNSI's Hot Talk with the Ox radio program. During the interview, Sen. Pederson talked about a series of meetings the Senate Jobs and Economic Growth Committee would be holding in St. Cloud today.
Later in the interview, Sen. Pederson was asked to put his businessman's hat on to evaluate President Obama's speech. Specifically, he was asked to talk about what jumped out at him.
Sen. Pederson said that the tax credits stood out to him, saying that anytime the government is issuing tax credits, it means additional paperwork. Sen. Pederson then asked "Do you think a business owner whose company employs 200 people or less has time to fill out government paperwork?"
Therein lies one of the many weaknesses of President Obama's speech. Rather than proposing reforming the tax code, President Obama's proposal adds to the list of gimmicks in the code. As Sen. Pederson said, the tax credit is offset with the cost of filling out paperwork.
Reforming the federal tax code would drop marginal tax rates and reducing time spent complying with the tax code. Any reform of the federal tax code should be permanent so businesses don't have to guess whether the code will change year to year.
If President Obama truly wants to get America's economy working again, he'd listen to Sen. Pederson's suggestions. That he's proposing tax code gimmicks suggests that he didn't listen to the business community. It suggests that he just pulled some things together and called them tax cuts.
That way, when Republicans criticize them, he can say that he tried proposing things Republicans like but they rejected them.
If President Obama was serious about getting America's economy going, he'd listen to business owners. Instead, President Obama just proposed adding gimmicks to the tax code.
Posted Friday, September 9, 2011 9:08 AM
Comment 1 by Bob J. at 09-Sep-11 10:36 AM
Smoke, mirrors, campaign rhetoric and the same tired old ideas which failed in 2009. But then, who really thought we'd see anything different?
Mr. President, Enough with the failed policies of the last 32 months
Mr. President, your economic policies have been utter failures. Cash for Clunkers just moved up the purchase of cars. It didn't trigger an increase in demand or manufacturing. The bailouts helped unions fund Democrats' campaigns but little else. How did that work out? This week, Solyndra became the poster child of the stimulus bill's crony capitalism.
Mr. President, you've said that people voted for divided government, not dysfunctional government. That's true. Unfortunately, the dysfunction isn't with the Republican House. It's found in the Do-Nothing Senate of Harry Reid. It's found in this administration.
Mr. President, it's time to issue a cease and desist order to the EPA. It isn't in the EPA's job description to make it difficult for domestic energy companies to produce energy. Still, that's been the EPA's mission from the start of your administration.
Mr. President, it's time to tell the NLRB that it isn't in their job description to be the union's puppet. When Big Labor tells the NLRB to shut down Boeing's South Carolina plant, the NLRB shouldn't reflexively do what they're told.
Mr. President, when Big Labor tells your administration to kill thousands of jobs, it's your responsibility to stand up for all American workers, not just the ones that contributed to you in 2008. Apparently, you've forgotten the words of your 2004 convention speech.
That's the one where you said that there shouldn't be blue states or red states but the United States. Apparently, you didn't mean that because your administration differentiates between workers and blue workers. If a worker belongs to a union, this administration treats them like royalty. If a worker's shirt has a white collar, they're treated like the scum of the earth.
Mr. President, last night's speech wasn't about jobs. It was about telling your cronies that your administration would fight for the failed policies of the last 32 months. Your administration must stop with the crony capitalism that is the hallmark of this administration.
Mr. President, refusal to make serious, permanent structural changes in the economy will be seen as your hostility to prosperity. If that happens, know that We The People will replace you in 14 months.
Mr. President, keep fighting for the failed policies of the last 32 months and be a failed one-term president or change directions, start listening to what small businesses are saying and get the American economy back on track.
Mr. President, the choice is that simple.
Posted Friday, September 9, 2011 3:53 PM
No comments.
MPP's hissy fit
If people trusted MPP's take on last night's speech , they'd think that Chip Cravaack's missing President Obama's campaign speech address to a joint session of Congress was an act of treason. Thankfully, people aren't stupid enough to think that missing last night's rehash of this administration's failed policies was a big deal.
President Barack Obama addressed a Joint Session of Congress on Thursday evening, presenting his plan for job creation and economic growth. Members from both sides of the aisle eagerly gathered to hear the details of the American Jobs Act. All it seems except the Darling of the Tea Party, Michele Bachmann (MN06) and her protegee Chip Cravaack (MN08/NH).
Bachmann claims transportation issues kept her from arriving in time for the Presidential address. But Cravaack, who was in the District, was instead "huddled with staffers" according to his office.
Let me get this straight: a United States congressman representing an area with higher than average unemployment blows off a Joint Session of Congress convened to hear an important job creation and economic development policy initiative from the President of the United States, choosing instead to "huddle" with a staffer?
Unbelievable.
That the former naval officer so blatantly thumbed his nose at his Commander in Chief and refused to attend a mission-essential meeting is indeed shocking. I wonder how this behavior would be viewed in the military? Insubordination and dereliction of duty come to mind.
The first thing that jumps to mind is that KeewatinRose needs some valium because she's obviously hyperventillating and delirious. The next thing that leaps to mind is that KR is overstating the military charges in an attempt to make it sound like missing last night's speech was essential to representing Chip's district. The other thing it tells me is that KR worships at the altar of President Obama's failed economic policies.
The first question people should ask is whether KR understands that a sitting member of Congress isn't a member of the military anymore. The next question people should ask is whether KR understands that a president's commander-in-chief authority only extends to military matters.
With far left lefties, it isn't certain whether they're just playing a drama queen or if they're that clueless about the military. If I had to bet, I'd bet that KR isn't that ignorant, that she's just trying to make a big stink about a nothing incident.
Chip was more productive huddling with his staffers than he would've been listening to President Obama relitigate the failed policies of the past 32 months.
Rather than criticizing Chip for supposedly missing the economic speech of the century, people should praise Chip for having the common sense to avoid having his mind polluted by a president whose only understanding of capitalism is that of crony capitalism.
Posted Friday, September 9, 2011 4:46 PM
Comment 1 by Alec at 10-Sep-11 10:15 AM
Republican economist Mark Zandi said the plan would create 2 million jobs.
Also, in the last paragraph you use the word "relitigate" in a way that makes no sense. You most likely meant "regurgitate". For someone criticizing the written form, your grasp of the English language is tenuous at best. Obama was not contesting a law or instigating a lawsuit.
Comment 2 by Alec at 10-Sep-11 10:24 AM
Also, could you please clarify your own military experience from which you speak with such authority? It would really help the readers understand how you sepak on military matters with such certitude.
Comment 3 by Gary Gross at 10-Sep-11 10:35 AM
Alec, If Mark Zandi is predicting 2,000,000 jobs will be created by Son of Stimulus, then he's a blithering idiot. I'm skeptical that it'll create 200,000 jobs.
Next, relitigate is the word I wanted. In President Obama's mind, he thinks he can win that argument. Thursday night's speech was more a statement that he thinks the original stimulus worked.
Finally, it's laughable to think people need to serve in the military to know what the Constitution says.
Comment 4 by walter hanson at 10-Sep-11 11:12 AM
Gary:
I think I would've attacked a couple of things else instead of what you did.
One, did the president actually present a plan. To the best of knowledge there is no formal especially since part of this plan was to have the gang of 12 create the spending cuts for him.
Two, Chip apparently spent his time better that day then Obama. Chip was working with the folks who he represented and then sat down and listened to the speech and immediately talked to his staff about the proposal. Um isn't that what a Congressman is suppose to do?
Three, how does sitting in the House of Representatives listening to the speech make it any better than I as an American would've done. Of course I didn't listen to the speech at all because it was just a speech and not a plan.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
Comment 5 by walter hanson at 10-Sep-11 11:14 AM
Alec:
I wonder if that's the same economist that told us if we passed the stimulus bill instead of doing nothing unemployment woudn't break 8%.
If you didn't notice Gary they did a prediction what will happen if we did nothing and we're worse off than the nothing.
So when Obama said this will create jobs he's lying. I know it! More important you know it!! So quit lying when you post.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
Comment 6 by Tony at 10-Sep-11 04:43 PM
You complain about KR throwing a "hissy fit" and then immediately launch into an ad hominem tirade during which you argue that KR "needs some valium." This Ad hominem attack seems a rather weak form of argumentation.
Also, if you are interested in the specific details of the jobs plan, you can find them here:
http://money.cnn.com/2011/09/08/news/economy/obama_stimulus_plan/index.htm?hpt=hp_c2
Response 6.1 by Gary Gross at 10-Sep-11 05:23 PM
That's ad hominem? It was a way to mock her post.
Next, there isn't a jobs plan. There's a jobs outline but I haven't seen a jobs plan yet. Finally, what I heard Thursday night wasn't significantly different than President Obama's stimulus plan. If there's a nuance here or there that's different, I don't care. At this point nuances won't change this economy's direction. Micromanaged economies fail. What's needed is true, unbridled capitalism.
Comment 7 by Alec at 10-Sep-11 08:36 PM
How is whether or not he attended a constitutional issue? Nice misdirection. It's a respect issue. A respect for American tradition and the American presidency.
Response 7.1 by Gary Gross at 11-Sep-11 01:15 AM
How isn't it a constitutional issue? KR talked about a military officer disobeying the orders of a commander-in-chief, though I suspect the real purpose was to make it sound terrible.
As for American tradition & the American presidency, addresses to a joint session of Congress have been traditionally reserved for huge speeches of national crises. Like the speech President Bush delivered on Sept. 20, 2001. That was an important speech at a time of national crisis.
The speech President Obama gave Thursday night didn't rise to that level of importance. It wasn't even close.
Of all the people who disrespected American traditions, it was President Obama.
Comment 8 by walter hanson at 10-Sep-11 10:05 PM
Alec:
Where was the respect for President Bush among Democrats. You are aware that then candidate Obama called Bush unpatrotic for something Obama then went and did in just three years instead of eight years.
Where was the respect the President should show people like Paul Ryan by inviting him to be in the front row of a speech and blasting him.
You and the Democrats have no right to lecture about respect!
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
Franken Scare
It's frightening to think that Al Franken is a U.S. Senator. The things he's said while shilling for President Obama are intellectually bankrupt. The latest intellectually bankrupt quote is this quote :
When asked if Americans want more federal spending to create jobs, Franken replied: 'I think they do if it's in the context of long-term deficit reduction.'
Sen. Franken's statement indicates, beyond all doubt, that he's a blithering idiot. Spending hundreds of billions of dollars to pay off the Democrats' special interest allies won't get the debt under control.
Quite the opposite. It's the policy that created annual deficits exceeding $1,000,000,000,000. The payroll tax isn't a cut anymore since it's an extension. The infrastructure bank is a euphemism for shovel-ready jobs. Thanks to President Obama's admission, we know that shovel-ready jobs "aren't so shovel-ready after all."
Extending unemployment benefits is more of the same, too. How will following the formula that didn't create jobs help solve our long-term deficit problem?
Sen. Franken should've listened to this time-tested maxim:
Better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.
Posted Saturday, September 10, 2011 3:40 AM
Comment 1 by walter hanson at 10-Sep-11 11:06 AM
Al:
In order to get long term deficit reduction you have to have spending cuts. Being a US Senator doesn't give you the right to behave like one of the stupid characters you played on SNL.
Walter Hanson
Minneapois, MN
What Obama Jobs Bounce?
The conventional wisdom heading into President Obama's jobs speech was that he'd get a temporary bounce in the poll. The conventional wisdom further held that that bounce would disappear quickly.
This morning's Rasmussen polling says the American people skipped the bounce :
The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Saturday shows that 20% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as president. Forty-three percent (43%) Strongly Disapprove, giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -23.
Most importantly, here's this week's trend :
9/10: -23
9/09: -24
9/08: -22
9/07: -22
9/06: -22
9/05: -23
9/04: -23
There's alot of things we could call these statistics. I'm calling it the bounce that wasn't.
I didn't dispute the conventional wisdom because I thought it was reasonable. That said, this trend isn't surprising.
That trend isn't just from this week. Looking at the trend graphics, we see that President Obama's approval rating has been above -20 for a month.
First, President Obama overhyped the speech to the point that it was impossible to live up to expectations. Most importantly, his speech was a rehash of failed policies. It didn't have anything in it that told people there was reason for hope that the economy would recover.
Alot of people think President Obama isn't capable of getting the economy growing again. There's a track record available that says he's in over his head. The fact that President Obama's approval rating has been stuck below -20 for a month says that the American people have rejected President Obama's leadership and President Obama's policies.
This isn't the history that gets presidents re-elected. It's the history of a president who'll be a one-termer.
Posted Saturday, September 10, 2011 10:25 AM
Comment 1 by walter hanson at 10-Sep-11 11:04 AM
Gary:
The thing that amazes is that there is still 20% of the population that thinks the President is doing a great job (why else strongly approve). I guess that's the size of the population that expects and loves government handouts.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
Remembering 9/11 and the greatest presidential speech of my lifetime
Today marks the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on New York and the Pentagon. It also marks the 10th anniversary of what President Bush rightly calls "the first counteroffensive in the war on terror."
Ten years ago today is the day that terrorists interrupted a gorgeous autumn morning with the despicable acts of terrorists whose goal it was to destroy those who disagreed with them. Fear reigned as the sun set that night, with Americans horrified and fearing that more attacks were coming.
Nine days later, however, President George W. Bush delivered a stirring, emotional speech that set the course for our nation for the rest of his administration. That speech, in my opinion, is the greatest presidential speech in many generations, certainly the greatest presidential speech of my lifetime. Here are the most noteworthy parts of President Bush's speech delivered Sept. 20, 2001, starting with a strong opening:
Mr. Speaker, Mr. President Pro Tempore, members of Congress, and fellow Americans, in the normal course of events, presidents come to this chamber to report on the state of the union. Tonight, no such report is needed; it has already been delivered by the American people.
We have seen it in the courage of passengers who rushed terrorists to save others on the ground. Passengers like an exceptional man named Todd Beamer. And would you please help me welcome his wife Lisa Beamer here tonight.
Continuing with the theme that ordinary Americans had done heroic things under the most unthinkable conditions, President Bush continued:
We have seen the state of our union in the endurance of rescuers working past exhaustion.
We've seen the unfurling of flags, the lighting of candles, the giving of blood, the saying of prayers in English, Hebrew and Arabic.
We have seen the decency of a loving and giving people who have made. My fellow citizens, for the last nine days, the entire world has seen for itself the state of our union, and it is strong.
I can't forget the thought of workers at Ground Zero attempting to rescue people trapped inside the rubble of the collapsed trade towers. None of us will forget President Bush's iconic, brief speech standing atop a pile of rubble with now-retired firefighter Bob Beckwith.
That memory is forever etched into our nation's memory. This is another part of President Bush's speech on Sept. 20,2001 that won't be forgotten:
America has no truer friend than Great Britain. (APPLAUSE) Once again, we are joined together in a great cause.
I'm so honored the British prime minister has crossed an ocean to show his unity with America. Thank you for coming, friend.
That night, the nation saw the first chapter in the strong friendship and partnership between President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Between them, they represented a powerful force fighting for worldwide liberty.
Thanks to their partnership and persistence, 50,000,000 people were freed from the tyrannical rule of Islamic extremists.
This was the most powerful part of the speech:
These terrorists kill not merely to end lives, but to disrupt and end a way of life. With every atrocity, they hope that America grows fearful, retreating from the world and forsaking our friends. They stand against us because we stand in their way.
We're not deceived by their pretenses to piety.
We have seen their kind before. They're the heirs of all the murderous ideologies of the 20th century. By sacrificing human life to serve their radical visions, by abandoning every value except the will to power, they follow in the path of fascism, Nazism and totalitarianism. And they will follow that path all the way to where it ends in history's unmarked grave of discarded lies.
This was the clarion call of the speech. This defined our mission. It stated that we would be resilient until the last jihadist was killed on the battlefield or was executed in a military prison.
It's important that we remember the heinous, despicable acts of 9/11. It's the day we learned that the terrorists had been waging war on us for a generation.
As important as it is to remember the horrific acts of violence of 9/11, it's equally important that we remember that a great speech on Sept. 20, 2001 restored our confidence and our determination to end the war on terror on our terms.
When the world is shaken, it's important to remember the basics. That's what President Bush supplied in this passage:
I ask your continued participation and confidence in the American economy. Terrorists attacked a symbol of American prosperity; they did not touch its source.
America is successful because of the hard work and creativity and enterprise of our people. These were the true strengths of our economy before September 11, and they are our strengths today.
As we commemorate the horrific attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, let us never forget those who paid the ultimate price to save others. Let us never forget the resolve we felt shortly after those horrific attacks.
Most importantly, let's forever remember how we rallied to carry the fight to the jihadists.
That fighting spirit, not the physical symbols of the Twin Towers or even the Pentagon, is what truly makes America great.
Posted Sunday, September 11, 2011 1:33 AM
No comments.
A Stunt I'd Expect From a Democrat
I fully expected Mitt Romney to attack Rick Perry in Florida on his Social Security statements. I didn't expect him to attack Perry like this :
The top of the flier has pictures of a smiling Romney and a surly-looking Perry, and reads: "Two candidates. Only one will protect what's important to you."
"Rick Perry believes Social Security is a 'failure,'" the flier says, quoting the Texas governor's book. "Rick Perry believes Social Security is unconstitutional...Rick Perry does not believe Social Security should exist...How can we trust anyone who wants to kill Social Security?"
It's one thing to say "Two candidates. Only one will protect what's important to you." It's another to say "Rick Perry doesn't believe Social Security should exist." That's something I'd expect from a Democrat.
During Wednesday night's debate, Gov. Perry made an important clarifying statement when he talked about the need to reform Social Security. Gov. Perry criticized people for telling 20-somethings that the current system is sustainable. It isn't.
Gov. Perry is wrong to say that Social Security is a failure. He's right, however, to say that it's a Ponzi Scheme.
It's interesting to note that Mitt's issue page doesn't say a thing about Social Security. He talks about jobs, fiscal responsibility, health care and foreign policy. There's nothing on reforming Social Security. The closest Mitt comes is this:
As President, Mitt Romney will cut federal spending and bring much-needed reforms to entitlement programs. Mitt will work toward balancing the budget, reducing the size and reach of the federal government, and returning power to states and the people.
When Mitt's talked about entitlement reform, he's talked about Medicare and Medicaid. He hasn't talked about Social Security.
The point is Mitt hasn't thought about Social Security until this mailing. I won't say that Mitt doesn't care about Social Security. I'll just say that it hasn't been a priority of his to talk about strengthening it.
This mailing plays fast and loose with the truth. It makes statements that the Romney campaign can't prove.
I can't trust someone who's willing to use the Democrats' tactics while smearing his Republican opponent.
Posted Sunday, September 11, 2011 11:48 AM
Comment 1 by walter hanson at 11-Sep-11 11:53 PM
I thought Mitt Rommey was suppose to be this smart businessman. How does a so call smart businessman not recognize a ponzi scheme?
I guess this shows that Mitt isn't qualified to be President let alone claim he's a smart businessman.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
Comment 2 by Bob J. at 12-Sep-11 09:38 AM
Walter, Myth Romney loves Ponzi schemes as the statist that he is. You can't explain Romneycare any other way.
Comment 3 by walter hanson at 12-Sep-11 01:27 PM
Bob:
Government run healthcare isn't a good thing either. I was just pointing out on this issue Perry stated we needed reforms because it's a ponzi scheme and Rommey is acting like that it's not.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
