Employee Free Choice Act - needs your support

The Employee Free Choice Act which was blocked by Republicans and President Bush in the last Congress, was looking like it might pass with a new President, but President Obama doesn't seem to be very pro-labor right now and frankly I am disappointed. The President and the Democrats that support this bill NEED to lobby their colleuges in the Senate to get this bill on the floor for a cloture vote. 58 Votes will not cut it. This bill needs 60.

"Specter announced his opposition a day before a new Quinnipiac poll found him down 14 points to conservative former Rep. Pat Toomey, his likely primary opponent in the 2010 Pennsylvania Senate race. His defection left supporters scrambling to find a new way forward amid admissions that some changes are likely." reports POLITICO

"The most likely Republican supporters — Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and George Voinovich of Ohio — have already declared their opposition to the bill."

There is no better time to pass this legislation than now! With executive pay skyrocketting, workers being fired and laid off for frivaless things, a tough economy with a lot of uncertainty and businesses still engaging in union busting, the bill could really help not just the unionized workers of America but all labor. This legislation poses a threat to the status-quo. It could really help curb the exploitation on the average guy by executives.


Labor has been waiting for this bill for years and years. I think if labor doesn't get their way, There is going to be a fight! Labor may only be 11% of the constituents in this country, but it holds a lot of power in PAC money. I guarantee that if the bill doesn't get passed, or a luke-warm bill gets passed than you will see the most aggressive union movement in decades.

To add to that: This is just another Issue where the Republican Senate Campaign Committee is just trying to hold Franken out of office. He would be a very key vote on EFCA and subtracting a vote from the Dems on this one hurts.

Michele Bachman - don't they send these people to school?

I know someone of you have seen this all over the internet already. It makes me wonder how such a person could just sleep through civics class and then get elected to serve 600,000 constituents. Michele Bachmann is dangerous, not because shes tactical, but because she is so misinformed and controversial. They need her to read the constitution.

Article I, section 8 says, "The Congress shall have Power - To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof."

That includes the passage of the Federal Reserve Act of 1913, creating the central banking system. It also includes the legislation passed by Congress that gives th Treasury dept. executive power and money.

The Republicans need to vet this lady before she opens her mouth. It just becomes awkward and embarrassing to the entire minority party.

AIG BAILOUT? More Like AIG Bonuses Fund

Outrageous.... Absolutely outrageous. The greed just never ends does it??

Omnibus Hypocricy in the Senate

It is nice to hear that Senators saying things along the line of "no more bridges to nowhere." I agreed to an extent with the Republican leadership that there were to many solo earmarks in the Omnibus spending bill. What I do not agree with is that out of the Omnibus bill is that they have become hypocrites.


MSNBC Reported

"Indeed, of the 35 U.S. senators who opposed the omnibus spending bill last night -- in the form of a "no" on the cloture vote -- 28 of them had solo earmarks in the legislation.

In total, according to Taxpayers for Common Sense, these 28 senators had a combined 307 solo earmarks totaling nearly $240 million. The breakdown is below."

I commend the 7 principled legislator without earmarks in the bill, but as you can see (from list below) the leadership had more earmarks than any other naysayer. McConnell the minority leader has a lot of answering to do.

McConnell simply said “this spending spree needs to come to an end.”

'Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) called the spending bill a "missed opportunity" and urged President Obama to veto it. "The bill costs far too much for a government that should be watching every dime," he said.'

But what Sen. Mitch McConnell doesn't mention in his comments about spending is that he himself (a member of the Appropriations Cmte.) secured 75 million in earmarks in the bill and 51 million in solo sponsored earmarks.

If you ask me it seems like complete talking point Fraud. Saying one thing, and doing the exact opposite. This is why republican talking points are sometimes effective but often wrong and not founded in reality.

Many point out this bill is bloated but forget to mention, it is bloated with their own pet projects.

Here is the Obama response to the earmark hypocrisy.




Here's the breakdown:
Barrasso (4 earmarks, $2.7 million)
Bayh (4 earmarks, $1.2 million)
Bennett (23 earmarks, $18 million)
Brownback (21 earmaks, $12 million)
Bunning (5 earmarks, $735,000)
Burr (3 earmarks, $1.3 million)
Chambliss (7 earmarks, $4.3 million)
Collins (1 earmark, $380,000)
Corker (1 earmark, $760,000)
Cornyn (5 earmarks, $2.5 million)
Crapo (1 earmark, $100,000)
Enzi (5 earmarks, $1.7 million)
Graham (14 earmarks, $9.5 million)
Grassley (8 earmarks, $350,000)
Gregg (19 earmarks, $10 million)
Hatch (7 earmarks, $700,000)
Hutchison (35 earmarks, $9.9 million)
Inhofe (34 earmarks, $53 million)
Isakson (2 earmarks, $1.4 million)
Kyl (3 earmarks, $5 million)
Lugar (10 earmarks, $3.3 million)
Martinez (8 earmarks, $18.8 million)
McConnell (36 earmarks, $51 million)
Roberts (11 earmarks, $2.2 million)
Sessions (12 earmarks, $4.3 million)
Thune (6 earmarks, $4.3 million)
Vitter (16 earmarks, $4 million)
Voinovich (6 earmarks, $13.5 million)

Should Politicians Twitter?

I read a post in a MNDaily Blog today about politicians and Twitter and it kind of sparked a question in my mind. Should politicians really twitter? Granted it is their first amendment right, but is it ethical, particularly during speeches. Furthermore, I think we expect our politicians to be some of the most articulate and informed individuals and 140 Characters isn't exactly a policy statement.

What do you people think? Leave me a comment, if they should twitter.

Coleman loses another... argument gets weaker

Coleman's chances of winning the election are surely next to nothing. After the three judge panel decided to open as many as 1500 ballots to see if the proper registration was in the wrong envelope. Turns out out of all 1500 hundred ballots..only nearly 90 were actually admissible. Its not sure how many votes Coleman or Franken will net out of this, but one thing that is definitely true is that: 90 < 225. That shows how even at the end of the trial, Coleman is trying to make desperate attempts to get votes. The math just doesn't add up. If Coleman had 226 ballots to show the Judge Panel, he would have already. At this point it just looks like obstruction. If the campaign had any real argument, they wouldn't be caught so many times without comment....like with this latest Star Tribune report

"After the Secretary of State identified the 89 as containing valid registration forms, Franken lawyer Marc Elias said the number was well below the threshold that "might have opened up" the contest. The Coleman campaign did not have an immediate comment."

Michele bachmann - Just can't shut her mouth can she?

The more she speaks, the more [pick your adjective: comical, sad, stupid, party line, alienating] it gets. Shes pulled all stops this time, equating some of the best Presidents including Johnson and FDR to socialism. even further than that she used this "socialism" argument to connect Obama with such radicals as Bill Ayers. So basically what Michelle Bachmann would like you to believe is that Obama isn't trying to act in the best interest of the United States as President, but rather trying to make us a "socialist" society to please lefty radicals.



She said, “But what I think we’re seeing is an implementation of all of the radical ideas that Bill Ayers and Ward Churchill — the radical ideas that we’ve seen on some college campuses, they’re now being implemented in our government, and they’re taking a nefarious route when it looks at the economic recovery.” Reports Mn Independent






I think I have figured out what Bachmann does. She gets her talking points from the House Minority Leadership and takes everything that the talking points might imply and blatantly spews them out. She lets those talking points float around in her head until she can tell us "her opinion," which is more or less connecting the dots that only exist in her head.

Endorsements explained

Mayor - Bob Miller
I am endorsing Bob Miller over incumbent R.T. Rybak because of Bob Miller's strong involvement and support in the Neighborhood Revitalization Project (NRP). Bob Miller has been the President of the NRP since 1992. NRP in my opinion has done a lo for my neighborhood (Audubon Park) and many others across the City. NRP has been on the chop block and looks to be at thing of the past if RT Rybak is reelected.

Ward 1 - Doron Clark
After careful consideration Doron is a young professional very involved in his Windom Park Neighborhood. HE is co-chair of Windom Park Citizens in Action He has a strong volunteer background including through his church and with the Big Brothers. Much like Bob Miller, he is a strong NRP supporter. I think his young energetic leadership can bring some real change to Northeast.

Ward 2 - Cam Gordon
This Green Party Guy is a freshman Council member that has served the University and Seward Area well. He is right on environmental and sustainability issues. Also, I don't see a viable DFL contender.

Park Board District 1 - Michael Rainville
DeLaSalle alum and Labor Endorsed - that's all I need.

Popular Dissent Endorsements

Ward 1 - Doron Clark, Ward 2 - Cam Gordon, Park Board District 1 - Michael Rainville, Mayor - Bob Miller


More detail to follow

MN Daily exposes Charles Carlson

Amendment: After discussing my post and comments with a blogger friend of Mine I have decided to amend a bit of what I said and be more tactful. I believe that Charles went about this all wrong. I in no way want to attack Carlson's claims of Mental Illness because I am not a doctor and I do no know him personally. That being said I do not agree with the way he apologized to his supporters, the claims he used to suspend his campaign. I am glad when he was discovered that he came to his senses before the endorsing process began. My initial reaction was harsh because I have a history w/ disabilities and do not like them used as an excuse.


Corrections made 3/2/09:


I don't really know what to say about this other than...Wow!!! I knew Charles was not a very truthful person according to my good friend Katherine who is an Owatanna native who knew him when she was in high school, but this is kind of ridiculous. Some of this stuff is very concerning. I am very proud of the Minnesota Daily's investigation to expose lies. The last thing we need is more lying politicians. These things are kind of ridiculous.

"
Student to drop from City Council race, lied about past

Subhead:

An investigation by The Minnesota Daily found that Carlson lied on several occasions concerning items such as his college education at Princeton University and where he grew up.

BY Briana Bierschbach
PUBLISHED: 03/02/2009

Just days before DFL caucusing begins for Minneapolis City Council elections, Charles Carlson — University of Minnesota student and Minnesota representative at the Democratic National Convention — said he will announce Monday his withdrawal from the Ward 2 councilmember race following a series of lies regarding his past and his qualifications.

An investigation by The Minnesota Daily found that Carlson lied on several occasions concerning items such as his college education at Princeton University and where he grew up.

Carlson, who speaks with an English accent, previously claimed he grew up in Ramsgate, England, but admitted recently that he grew up in the United States.

The Daily confirmed that Carlson attended elementary school, middle schools and high schools throughout Minnesota, including Northfield High School, where a former classmate said Carlson did not have an accent. Also, the classmate did not have any knowledge of Carlson previously living in England.

In a Feb. 1 Daily article, Carlson said his English background would help him connect with the 2nd Ward’s immigrant population.

Carlson also provided the Daily with two fraudulent transcripts to Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire and Princeton University. These schools, along with two other English schools he claimed to have attended, had no record of Carlson.

Carlson said he has been diagnosed with schizophrenia affective disorder, which impacts an individual’s ability to accurately judge reality. Although he said he did not know whether it has affected his perception, he admitted in a recent interview to making false claims in an attempt to hide a “messy past,” which Carlson said included two years in a mental institution.

“I spent six years being a gay nothing that people just made fun of, and then when I was discharged I found out that people would believe anything you told them,” he said. “And in an effort to substantiate who I am, to be something, I went too far.”

In a recent Daily interview, Carlson apologized for lying during his campaign.

“This campaign was never about me, it was really about the fact that I felt students were being neglected,” Carlson said. “I’m very sorry for not being honest.”

Carlson did participate in a Junior Statesman Summer School program in 2003 at Princeton University, Jeff Harris, executive director of the program, said. But the pressure of the program caused a mental breakdown, Carlson said.

Public records show that an attempt to commit Carlson to a mental institution was made just after his 18th birthday in December 2003, but was dismissed two months later.

Before the case was dismissed, a district court in Rice County, Minn., appointed Carlson a Guardian of the Person, which gives them the same rights and duties as a parent over a minor.

Carlson provided the Daily with court documents that state he was appointed a guardian because he was diagnosed with schizophrenic affective disorder and was unable to take care of himself.

A November 2005 letter from the South Central Human Relations Center, a mental health service provider in Owatonna, Minn., stated that Carlson had been under its care since February 2004, and recommended that his right to care for himself be restored.

Since that time, Carlson attended the DNC as an at-large delegate for Minnesota and has been taking classes at the University of Minnesota since spring 2007, according to Onestop Services.

Carlson said he lied about his past to Daily reporters because he was afraid people would not consider him a feasible candidate.

“The motivation behind my running is that I’m seeing a lot of injustices on campus, and it’s difficult to run a campaign when people don’t consider you viable,” he said. “In an attempt to make my campaign viable, I didn’t want to risk anything.”

Carlson said he is leaving the race because he was offered a job officiating tennis and will have to travel for the position.

Judy Grundstrom, a close friend of Carlson’s and managing principal at Inland Office for Tomorrow’s Architecture, where Carlson has worked, said she was unaware that Carlson did not grow up in England, nor that he had a history of mental illness.

“I’ve known Charles since April and I’ve always been aware that there is something going on with him and … he doesn’t have a lot of people in his life and that I should try and help him,” she said. “I do care about him.”

Carlson said he has already spoken with Ward 2 Councilman Cam Gordon about his concerns for the city and his plans to withdraw from the race.

Gordon said he preferred to not comment about Carlson’s withdrawal.

Other false claims

In a Sept. 2008 article titled, “Minnesota Represented at DNC by U student delegate,” Carlson stated that he officiated tennis at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. On Saturday Carlson admitted this claim is false.

Carlson also stated that he had a personal connection to Sen. Hillary Clinton that dated back to his childhood spent in England, where Clinton shared a crème brûlée torte with him. Carlson said this story is not true.

Carlson said he worked as a communications director on the Hillary Clinton campaign, but the Daily was not able to confirm this independently.

—Staff reporter Tiffany Smith contributed to this story."

Caucus Tomorrow!!!

Heyyy DFL members in Minneapolis..... Tomorrow is caucus night!

Time to nominate City officials.

The City of Minneapolis DFL caucuses are Tuesday, March 3 at 7:00 p.m.

Dear Neighbor,

The City of Minneapolis DFL will hold caucuses on Tuesday, March 3 at 7:00 p.m. to prepare for city elections. The business of these caucuses will be:

1. Elect delegates to ward conventions (to endorse City Council candidates)

2. Elect delegates to the Minneapolis city convention (to endorse Mayor, Park Board, and Board of Estimate and Taxation candidates)

3. Elect ward officers and committee members for ward conventions

There will be no straw polling or other voting at this year's caucus, so we have no reason to anticipate the long lines of 2008.

We hope to see you at caucuses! Although it feels like the 2008 election is not over yet (ahem, Senate race), we do have critical business at the city level.

want to see where to caucus? look, here