MN Moderate to Liberal Political Roundtable

In Minnesota, DFL audiences elect delegates who then go on to endorse candidates.  You can be a delegate by either convincing a small group to support you and your candidate (called a walking subcaucus), or by winning the majority vote.

My DFL Senate District convention goers decided to do a majority vote. For me, the handwriting was on the wall because first we elected the men and then we elected the women.  It was easy to see: Men who were “uncommitted” were the ones elected (and one or two that liked Paul Thissen).

As I rose to stand as a possible delegate, my husband said:  “Hey, the uncommitted ones are being elected.”  Before the convention we had figured that would happen since there were so many gub candidates.   If you are uncommitted, audience members can hope you think like they do.  I asked my husband if we wanted to vacation in Duluth, and he wrinkled his nose.  (Not because we don’t like Duluth, in fact we love it.  But we’ve recently been there and we don’t have much money now.)

So, I didn’t go “uncommitted.”  Instead, I made a statement and told the crowd which gubernatorial candidate I’d support, and why.  Jobs are “IT” for me, and I named my candidate.

The result?  I’m only an alternate, which means no Duluth for me.  I will be attending the CD2 convention, however.

SD36 Speakers, what went down

Not one single gub candidate made it to our event.  Communications expert Bridget Cusick was there for Matt Entenza.  Candidate Dan Powers started rough but ended up saying what he would do if elected.  Candidate Shelley Madore rallied the crowd but didn’t say what she would do.  SOS Mark Ritchie appeared and gave a rousing talk about his efforts and asked for support.  And a judge named Baker caught my attention.

Representative Kline, if you actually want to listen, I’m answering # 4 of your latest constituent survey. Across the board income tax cuts won’t work, but giving money directly to the workers will.  Plus, tax cuts are not “free” and DO increase the national debt.

We don’t want the rich to get richer.  We want paychecks, and we won’t get jobs from the rich, or even the middle class, unless the business owner can see value in hiring.  The best way to alleviate our current economic woe is to hand money directly to the worker. Workers with steady paychecks have the courage to buy things and the economic wheel starts to turn in the right direction.

I encourage you to author a companion bill to Democrat Al Franken’s Cash For Jobs, which gives the money directly to the worker and would “reallocate TARP funds and provide $5 billion for wage subsidies to incentivize hiring in the private sector and an additional $5 billion that would be dispursed as direct grants to states, local governments, and tribes to create green jobs.”

Minnesota Senator Franken’s bill is now in committee and is based a program which resulted in immediate hiring, called the Minnesota Emergency Employment Development program.

Note: This is a (every other) Monday theme blogging event. Bloggers who cover John Kline every other Monday are hegemommy, Holly Cairns, MNCentral, MNDem, and newtbuster (mnpAct).

If you want real health care reform, please consider supporting Democrat Dan Powers or Democrat Shelley Madore.

Shelley Madore’s (“Mah-door”) campaign is picking up steam. Please consider donating as she is opposing John Kline in CD2.

Madore for Congress
P.O. Box 241461
Apple Valley, MN 55124
952-232-0649
www.madoreforcongress.com

Contact: Carolyn Sampson, Communications Director
651-470-3937
carolyn@madoreforcongress.com

For Immediate Release

Madore for Congress Announces Additional Campaign Endorsements

Feb. 25, 2010 (Apple Valley, Minn.) – Today the Madore campaign announced two more endorsements of Shelley Madore for Minnesota’s Second Congressional District seat. Teresa Daly, managing partner at Navigate Forward and past Congressional candidate, and Joel Albright, Independent School District 196 board director, each expressed confidence in Madore’s experience and strength as a candidate.

“I am humbled to receive the support and confidence of a growing number of community leaders,” said Madore. “Together we can win this seat and make a difference for the families in our community.

Teresa Daly, who ran for the Second Congressional District seat in 2004, expressed her confidence in Madore’s experience. “Shelley Madore is an exceptionally strong Congressional candidate. She will fight tirelessly to bring real economic security back to families and workers here in Minnesota. We need someone like her working for us in Washington.”

Shelley’s work on behalf of her local school district, as both a volunteer and a state representative, earned her the support of Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School Board member Joel Albright. “In the many years that I have known and worked with Shelley, she has been a tireless advocate for education. With the renewed emphasis on education at the Federal level, Shelley is the perfect person to help craft education policy in Washington to benefit the students, families, and taxpayers of Minnesota’s Second Congressional District,” Albright said.

For more information please visit www.madoreforcongress.com or call 952-232-0649.

Dan Powers called today.

Dan, who is running against Minnesota’s CD2 Representative John Kline, would vote FOR a Health Reform bill, even though he isn’t happy with the House version being discussed due to certain exclusions outlined within the bill.  He feels Democrats need to act, however, and so he’d vote for change and keep working on the health care solution.  He’s a man of action.

Dan runs a small business, and in that capacity he’s been talking with people all throughout his district for some time, now, about what concerns them and possible solutions.

Dan and I talked about Franken’s Cash for Jobs, which is a jobs incentives bill involving wage subsidies, and Dan also talked about state plans to get us back to work.  He is supportive of jobs initiatives.

I told him I liked that he seems genuine and like “one of us”, and that he listened to his constituents.  He seems knowledgeable, and yet I feel comfortable approaching him.

Matt Entenza points out that Tim Pawlenty wants to balance the budget by relying on money he doesn’t yet have while criticizing the federal program he’d get the money from.

I call that the “wave the magic wand” Republican approach!  Over and over, Republicans seem to want good programs but have no plan to sustain the program.  We need fiscally responsible leaders, not ones who think they hold magic wands.

Matt Entenza Statement on Revised Budget Forecast

ST. PAUL, Minn. – In response to the news that Minnesota’s short-term budget situation is better than expected, the long-term situation is worse, and that unemployment has declined only very slightly, Matt Entenza has issued the following statement:

“Essentially, it remains crystal clear that in order to have the funds needed to keep Minnesota moving, we need a plan to get more Minnesotans working. Tim Pawlenty and the GOP have no plan. Rather than make politically difficult but important decisions for Minnesota’s future, they run a shell-game strategy in which they happily claim federal money they don’t even have while bashing the federal recovery plan that would be the source of those funds.

“The shell games need to stop. It’s time to face our challenges and create opportunities for Minnesota to thrive in the future.”

On Feb. 22, a bipartisan group of 42 governors sent a letter urging U.S. House and Senate leaders to extend for at least six months the enhanced federal match for Medicaid included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Tim Pawlenty did not sign this letter. However, on Feb. 15, when Gov. Pawlenty unveiled his state budget proposal, he counted on these funds to balance the budget.

Minnesota’s Republican Congressman John Kline recently said, “Minnesota is known for its excellent health care, with patients flying to the state from around the world.” John Kline also said: “We have the best health care system in the world.”

That reminds me of when, as a kid, I was stuck on the outside of the fence watching other kids jump in the pool. I had forgotten money, and couldn’t get in.

DIY pliers, like ones used in the early '80's. Because we had no money, Dad used a scissors to cut my toe nail from top to bottom before using a pliers to yank out the ingrown portion.

John Kline, I bet you meant to say our health care is “the best money can buy.” The rest of us will be digging out the old pliers for DIY health care, which is the worst health care in the world.

And as for your plans to fix health care, starting over is not acceptable. We’ve waited a long time, and health care is too expensive.

Also, some health care reform plans aren’t realistic. Competition, such as what is promoted by the Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act, won’t help if it’s like what happens at the gas station. Gas prices never seem to go low enough for me. We need additional legislation for the uninsured, and fair prices. Oh, and small groups that advocate for some but not others spell disaster and sound unfair.

We need real action, John Kline, not just an advocate for the rich and powerful.

PS, those same pliers can be used for rotten teeth.

Note: This is a (every other) Monday theme blogging event. Bloggers who cover John Kline every other Monday are hegemommy, Holly Cairns, MNCentral, MNDem, newtbuster (mnpAct) and Thomas Hayes.

If you want real health care reform, please consider supporting Democrat Dan Powers or Democrat Shelley Madore.

Read more about health care for small business groups, called AHP’s.

Read more about recent legislation for competition, called the Health Care Industry Fair Competition Act.

This video makes me nervous for many reasons, but I can see common ground and a place where we all can agree. The US is built on strong, healthy families.

Isolationism = didn’t work, though. IMO, we can strengthen from within, while getting along with the world. And hatred of any kind is a mistake.

video:  John P. Jones, found on Facebook.  A James Pence Video

To save money, some Minnesota School districts are opting for unattended Fridays.  Here’s an excellent story about North Branch, Minnesota, switching to a four day school week.  According to Tom Weber:

The aim is to save the district in the north metro suburbs an estimated $156,000 through fewer bus runs, lower energy costs and less need for substitute teachers.

Hopefully those kids will be studying on Friday, right?

Coming soon near you: “Unattended Fridays:  Sex in the snow.” Produced by Tim Pawlenty’s IOU’s.  /4 stars!

Also near you:  “Minnesota Families:  California or Bust.”  Documentary on rising daycare costs.  Produced by Tim Pawlenty, and narrated by Tom Emmer.  0/4 stars!

Last week, Prince’s representative called to offer MPR’s The Current a new and exclusive song–”Cause and Effect”–and to give it its world debut. Prince has long been a supporter of his home in the Twin Cities, and recently appeared at The Current’s 5th anniversary party at Minnesota’s First Avenue.

I’m blasting it right now.  What’s that line about “…made in the image of God…?”  Hmm.  Deep.

Head over to The Current 89.3 and give your opinion (and donate, if you have a dollar or two).  As usual, start the audio and then hit pause, and wait a while.  Come back later and start it over, it won’t be as choppy.

Reconciliation. Majority Rule. Now get something done.