The Minnesota Critic

Republicans Hate Peace

2005-09-23T08:51:00.000-05:00

I guess it was obvious, but Republicans are now on the record hating peace. They're against a department that would develop policies ranging from international conflict-resolution to reducing domestic abuse.

It's established fact that Republicans love war and are so eager to start them that they'll lie to peace-loving Americans in order to justify their wars. But even I didn't think they were as bad as to support domestic abuse.

Minnesota GOP Executive Director Bill Walsh called the idea an "unreasonable approach to dealing with the problems of the 21st century, including international terrorism."

Uh-huh. And the Republicans have proven their incompentence in dealing with international terrorism.

George Bush Has No Moral Clarity, But He's Not Purely Evil

2005-09-19T21:07:00.000-05:00

You want moral clarity? Consult Bill Maher and his New Rules:

Is George Bush purely evil? Of course not. And that's what's so evil about him. He doesn't twirl a mustache and smirk and cackle. Well, he doesn't twirl a mustache. He's like the Peanuts character Pigpen. Wherever he goes, he stirs up such a humongous mess it can only be cleaned up by Halliburton. But he is not pure evil.
Because evil is a chain. Did any one person doom New Orleans? No, it's a chain. People vote for a corrupt leader; a corrupt leader puts unqualified cronies in high places, and when those cronies fuck up, evil gets done. The devil didn't fly up from hell and knock a hole in that levee. The levee just didn't get built because the money for it went to rich people's tax cuts and pork projects and corporate welfare.
Evil isn't "Salem's Lot." It's Trent Lott. This week, an ailing American bald eagle was found to be dying from mercury poisoning. Republicans immediately tried to blame it on the eagle's lifestyle choices. But it's worth noting that also this week, the White House threatened to veto limits on mercury pollution. Now, pure evil would be if George Bush sat around the White House saying, "Let's poison eagles!" And even I don't believe George Bush would do that.
Cheney would do that. And even he is not pure evil. Dick Cheney doesn't hate poor children and caribou. They're just in the way.
Bottom line: some people think Satan is real and some people think global warming is real. If you think stopping gays from doing it is more important than the ice caps melting, the boogeyman is you...

Seventy-One Percent Think Randy Kelly Is Unfit For Office

2005-09-14T11:25:00.000-05:00

How bad is the covert Republican mayor of St. Paul, Randy Kelly? He is so horrible, that he got only 27% of the vote in yesterday's primary. The Green Party candidate got 19%, fer Chrissakes! The good people of Saint Paul know something about floods and they've seen in New Orleans how Bush-loving, government-hating Republicans treat flooded cities and you know what? They want absolutely no part of it.

No surprise, then, that they are so enthusiastic for DFLer Chris Coleman that they gave him 52% of the vote.

"George Bush doesn't care about black people."

2005-09-04T12:42:00.000-05:00

That sentence was uttered by rapper Kanye West's during NBC's "A Concert for Hurricane Relief" telethon. But NBC's viewers didn't hear it because the corporate media giant censored West.

The truth hurts.

The Cost Of Bush's Inaction

2005-09-02T12:45:00.000-05:00

This man is dead

This woman is dying.

This is the price of misrule.

Photos courtesy Star Tribune.

New Orleans Is Screwed By Bush's Feeble Response

2005-09-01T15:28:00.000-05:00

It ain't just me.

The editorial pages of perhaps the most conservative newspaper in the country, the Union Leader of New Hampshire, blasted George Bush for his complete failure in response to Hurricane Katrina:

"A better leader would have flown straight to the disaster zone and announced the immediate mobilization of every available resource to rescue the stranded, find and bury the dead, and keep the survivors fed, clothed, sheltered and free of disease...The cool, confident, intuitive leadership Bush exhibited in his first term, particularly in the months immediately following Sept. 11, 2001, has vanished. In its place is a diffident detachment unsuitable for the leader of a nation facing war, natural disaster and economic uncertainty."

Anyone who does not agree is simply, pathetically blinded by their partisanship or foolishly, willfully blind.

Snipers are shooting at hospital vehicles, the old and infirm are dying outside the Convention Center with no help in sight. New Orleans is indeed in anarchy.

From watching Fox News, you'd never guess the magnitude of this catastrophic tragedy. According to Fox, there are only some house fires and looters in New Orleans--not black, poor people dying like flies because their government has failed them.

Thank God for CNN's Jack Cafferty, who, apparently, is the only journalist in America with enough guts to tell it like it is: A complete and abysmal failure by the Bush administration with it's most fundamental obligation, the protection of its own citizens.

Bush's Failure Of Leadership Costs Hurricane Victims

2005-08-31T19:36:00.000-05:00

It took George Bush two whole days to come back from vacation to deal with Hurricane Katrina and it's aftermath.

FEMA has thus far been AWOL.
There is widespread looting and lawlessness in New Orleans.
A massive public health threat looms.
The death toll may reach the thousands.
The scope of human suffering and tragedy is staggering.

And what does Bush do? Calls a press conference, two days too late. These are Americans suffering, Mr. President. Get to goddamn work!

Secretary Of State Mary Kiffmeyer Opposed To Ethics Code

2005-08-31T10:50:00.000-05:00

Minnesota Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer opposes a proposed Code of Integrity " that would bar formal partisan activity by the office," the Star Tribune reports.

Just why the far right wing conservative Kiffmeyer opposes such a reasonable measure is a bit of a mystery. Could it be because she wants to be sure she can be partisan in the future, just as she has in the past? Such as in 2004 when she attended a campaign even on behalf of Laura Bush.

It's no secret that Kiffmeyer has politicized a formerly neutral office. She has, for example, stocked the office with far right wing staffers from organizations such as the radical right wing fundamentalist Christian organization Minnesota Family Council.

Kiffmeyer should support Integrity in election activities, not oppose it.

More Proof Conservatives Hate Poor People

2005-08-30T11:08:00.001-05:00

This is what you get when you let the Barbarians rule: Four straight years of poor people getting screwed, the Associated Press reports.

The nation's poverty rate is at almost 13 percent.

Next year it could be you if we don't wrest power from their greedy little fingers.

Poor Florida - Cheri Pierson Yecke Headed To Sunshine State To Cloud Young Floridians' Minds

2005-08-30T10:56:00.000-05:00

Florida's parents should expect their kids textbooks to be bereft of any mention of Democratic presidents, but they should find plenty of Creationism there now that Cheri Pierson Yecke has been hired by Florida Governor Gov. Jeb Bush to head their education department, the Star Tribune reports.

That's the type lunatic fringe crap Yecke tried to pull on us ordinary, hard-working Minnesotans ever since Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty inflicted this horrible woman on us.

Jeb Bush knows exactly what he's getting--and he likes it--but poor Floridians probably don't.

As if Floridians don't have enough to worry about, what with deadly hurricanes constantly pounding their shore, Republicans always stealing their votes, now they've got to monitor their kid's textbooks for lies.

Tim Pawlenty Insults Women

2005-08-26T10:54:00.000-05:00

Governor Names Patronizing, Far Right Wing Lynda Boudreau To Health Post

"Former state Rep. Lynda Boudreau has been named deputy commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Health," the Star Tribune reports.

Boudreau, you'll remember, authored such anti-health bills such as the so-called Citizens Personal Protection Act, hoping to make our streets more dangerous by innundate them with gun-toting people. As if that weren't bad enough, Boudreau also authored the patronizing Women's Right To Know Bill--rightly derided as the Women Are Stupid Act--that required a waiting period before women had an abortion to give the far right wing religious nutjobs a better chance at intervening.

Hate Mail Par For The Course For Far Right Religious Nutbags

2005-08-26T10:41:00.000-05:00

"Dr. Catherine DeAngelis is a staunch Roman Catholic, used to give communion to her patients and says she strongly opposes abortion," the Associated Press reports. Yet that hasn't stopped the wild-eyed far right wing nutjobs from innundating her with hate mail for publishing as study in JAMA that dared to call into question their political argument that fetuses feel pain.

Sadly, this what we've come to expect from the Republicans far right wing fundamentalist Christian base: Hate.

Let The Character Assassignation Begin - President Goes After Cindy Sheehan

2005-08-24T13:49:00.000-05:00

Get ready for the Republican slime machine to unleash it's wrath on Gold Star mom Cindy Sheehan for having the gall to question President Bush just why her son died in Iraq.

President Bush dismissed Sheehan by saying that her "views" did not represent the opinions of most of the military families he has met, even though all she wants is an answer to why her sone died in Iraq. Even though, as the Los Angeles Times reports:

another mother protesting in Crawford, Karen Meredith of Mountain View, Calif., said that the president was "fooling himself" and that he had met with only a small fraction of families of slain soldiers.

As an example, said Meredith, whose son, Army Lt. Ken Ballard, was killed in 2004, Bush had not met with her yet. "I'm in his back yard, so I'd love to come over and have a lemonade with him, because many families feel the same way that we do," she said.

Not only are they now going after Sheehan, but they're lying about her argument. Bush is saying an "immediate withdrawl" from Iraq would be a disaster, even though nobody is suggesting that.

In Fact, Operation Truth's Paul Rieckhoff, an Iraq veteran, was on MSNBC's Hardball recently saying that what we need is an exit strategy. And that's a fact the Bush administration does not want discussed.

Does Bush Agree With Pat Robertson, His Right Wing Religious Radical Friend?

2005-08-24T13:32:00.000-05:00

Far, far right wing religious radical Pat Robertson's call to break longstanding United States law and assasinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was met with silence from President George Bush and mild quasi-denunciations from administration officials.

The New York Times quotes Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld saying only, "Certainly, it's against the law. Our department doesn't do that type of thing. Private citizens say all kinds of things all the time."

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said "This is not the policy of the United States government. We do not share his views."

Private citizens say things?!? We do not share his views? Those are not denuciations; it's weasley word play. Just the type of thing we've come to expect from this irresponsible administration.

But then that's what you get when far right wing conservatives control everything--support for the irrational and irresponsible.

Church Leaders Challenge Pawlenty Administration's Interference Of Religious Freedom

2005-08-23T10:22:00.000-05:00

Church leaders are challenging Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty's administration's unprecedented infringement on freedom of religion, the Star Tribune reports.

Absolutely appalling.

Conservatives - They Lie And Cheat

2005-08-21T14:21:00.000-05:00

As if we needed it, still more proof is revealed that all Conservatives care about is their own power. And they are perfectly happy to lie and cheat in order to keep it, the Star Tribune reports:

In his recent book, "Steal This Vote" -- a very judicious work, despite its title -- Andrew Gumbel, a U.S. correspondent for the British newspaper the Independent, provides the best overview I've seen of the 2000 Florida vote. And he documents the simple truth: "Al Gore won the 2000 presidential election."

Two different news media consortiums reviewed Florida's ballots; both found that a full manual recount would have given the election to Gore. This was true despite a host of efforts by state and local officials to suppress likely Gore votes, most notably Harris' "felon purge," which disenfranchised large numbers of valid voters.

Let's face it, the reason Democrats continue to lose elections is that they love Democracy too much and, as a result, they abide by the rules and play fair during elections.

Conservatives hate Democracy and they demonstrate this hatred by saying and doing absolutely anything to maintain their iron grip on power. And it's only going to get worse because, as the paper reports:

Our current political leaders would suffer greatly if either house of Congress changed hands in 2006, or if the presidency changed hands in 2008. The lids would come off all the simmering scandals, from the selling of the Iraq war to profiteering by politically connected companies. The Republicans will be strongly tempted to make sure that they win those elections by any means necessary. And everything we've seen suggests that they will give in to that temptation.

Bush Callously Dismisses Mother Dead Soldier

2005-08-12T10:05:00.000-05:00

In a stunning case of in-your-face dismissal, President Bush used the occasion of a vigil by the mother of a solider killed in Iraq to insist that more of America's sons and daughters should die needlessly in his incompetently-run occupation, the Star Tribune reports.

Extremist Randy Kelly's Flip-Flop Too Little, Too Late On Crime

2005-08-12T09:54:00.000-05:00

Last year the St. Paul City Council was on top of the city's violent crime problem when they proposed a 2% property tax levy to put more cops on the streets. Covert Republican Mayor Randy Kelly opposed safer streets for ordinary, hard-working St. Paul families, calling the Council's proposal "extremist," the Star Tribune reports.

Now that violent criminals are ravaging the city's residents, the Bush-lovin mayor is flippin and floppin like a fish out of water, proposing his own 3% tax increase to cover his ass.

St. Paul needs a real leader, not a flip-flopper.

Stones Fans On Edge: Will Bush Ban Them?

2005-08-11T10:43:00.000-05:00

"The Rolling Stones' upcoming album contains a song seemingly critical of President Bush," the Star Tribune reports.

A song--"Sweet Neo Con"--from their new album A Bigger Bang, refers to Halliburton but does not name administration officials specifically. However, It is decidedly critical of the administration. The song includes the following line:

"How come you're so wrong? My sweet neo-con, where's the money gone, in the Pentagon,"

The Stones kick off their tour in Boston this month but fans across the world are wondering if the the group will find itself on a terrorist watch list because of their criticism of the administration.

Oil Prices Soar, Bush Does Nothing

2005-08-09T13:22:00.000-05:00

The AP reports oil prices reaching $64 a barrel and yet President Bush sits on his hands and does nothing.

But then what do you expect from a pro-Big Oil administration?

Randy Kelly - Soft On Crime

2005-08-09T13:13:00.000-05:00

St. Paul Mayor and covert Republican Randy Kelly disasterous lack of leadership of our Capitol City has lead to an alarming rise in violent crime in St. Paul, the Pioneer Press reports.

"Serious offenses in St. Paul have surged noticeably this year, according to St. Paul Police Department data," the paper reports. Aggravated assualts have risen by 10%; robbery by 16%; and forcible rape by an appalling 20 percent.

Shameful.

Mayor Kelly should spend less time hosting out of state politicians and rubbing shoulders with national far right wing Republicans and more time on the job protecting St. Paul's ordinary, hard-working families.

Pawlenty's Blame Game Continues

2005-08-05T09:12:00.000-05:00

Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty continues to refuse to take repsonsibility for his disasterous scheme to shut down state government and, stand up guy that he isn't, instead is trying to distract ordinary, hard-working Minnesota families by pointing his childish finger of blame at anyone but himself with his new gimmicky "Performance Pay for Politicians" proposal, the Star Tribune reports.

The adult at the Capitol, National Guard chaplain and Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson, will have none of Pawlenty's childish games. The paper quotes Sentator Johnson:

"The Minnesota Senate will concentrate on bonding, pension reform and cleaning up Minnesota water," Johnson said, "not waste time."

Amen, Senator Johnson. Amen.

Flop: Norm Coleman's Stem Cell Reversal Reveals Lack Of Core Beliefs

2005-08-05T08:56:00.000-05:00

For once, political chameleon Norm Quimby Coleman has taken the correct stance on an issue. But he flipped and flopped before arriving at the decision to support allow expanded stem cell research.

That doesn't sit well with his far, far right wing radical supporters for two reasons--one of them right and one of them wrong. The wrong reason, as articulated by the director of Prolife Across America in an op-ed piece in today's Strib, is that Coleman's new position is contrary to the radical right's irrational insistence on opposing new cures for deadly diseases. The correct reason for the far right wing's displeasure with Coleman is their disdain for his breathtaking political expediency over an issue they consider one of paramount principle.

Coleman's flop on the stem cell issue only highlights his lack of any deeply held beliefs; the only thing the Senator seems to fundamentally believe in is his own political power.

Fecke's The Best

2005-08-01T12:18:00.000-05:00

Forgive me, O Lord, for this, my dreadful toadying.

Fecke, over at Moderate Left, has a great piece on Powerline's Bush syncophancy. The pull quote is priceless.

And, God, whenever the Monty Python quote fits, use it!

Props.

Local Chapter Of John Roberts' Secret Society Scammed State Education Credits

2005-08-01T11:58:00.000-05:00

The Minnesota chapter of the Federalist Society--the secret society that George Bush's Supreme Court appointee John Roberts "can't remember" if he belonged to despite evidence to the contrary--shamelessly scammed credits the state's continuing legal education system, the Star Tribune reports.

The paper reports today that:

Lawyers were getting state continuing education credit for the category "elimination of bias" with a conference whose main thrust was to question whether the system is biased at all.

No wonder Roberts is lying about his membership.

Partisan Hack Cheri Pierson Yecke On Ugliness

2005-07-27T10:19:00.000-05:00

Out of state partisan hack Cheri Pierson Yucke is bleating on and on again in the pages of the Star Tribune.

Yecke, you'll remember, was appointed to be Education Commissioner by Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty in 2003 but was not confirmed because, among many things, she tried to have Democrat presidents removed from our state's education standards! You cannot get any partisan than that. Now she wants to be our Congresswoman in the 6th district.

In today's paper, she whines about some imagined left-wing conspiracy to attack conservative women because they are ugly. Her starting point is Supreme Court nominee John Roberts' wife, whom, she says, a "fashion maven" criticized their attire.

Perhaps you don't understand, Cheri, but that's what fashion mavens do: Criticize.

Yecke cites Condoleeza Rice as an example of the strong, successful conservative women who are criticized for their looks. She complains that a columnist called then-Florida Secretary of State Kathleen Harris, "Cruella De Vil." Sorry, Cheri; that's not mean so much as it is hilarious.

Oddly, Yecke cites Linda Tripp as one of her apparently strong, successful conservative women who've been attacked for being ugly. Yecke is right on at least one count: Tripp was criticized for being ugly.

And though Tripp was a hag, as even Yecke acknowledges through Tripp's own words, it was her conniving personality more than her appearance that was so repulsive.

Anyway, add it all up and Yecke has a left-wing conspiracy to label conservative women ugly. Yecke conveniently omits that endless attacks their looks that Hillary Clinton endured as First Lady or Janet Reno as Attorney General. Even more glaringly, Yecke fails to mention the cruel joke far right wing Senator John McCain made at a child's expense: "Do you know why Chelsea Clinton is so ugly? Because Janet Reno is her father."

But then, that would destroy her argument, wouldn't it?

Okay, I'll bite. Allow me to add to Yecke's paranoia: Perhaps she's so passionate about this because the subject is so close to home?

I'm only saying...

Photo courtesy of MPR.

Ethicist: Pawlenty's Met Council Appointee - Chris Georgacas - Has "ongoing conflict of interest"

2005-07-25T10:02:00.000-05:00

The fist vice chair of the Metropolitan Council Chris Georgacas "is benefiting from a $200,000 government consulting contract related to a major transit issue in St. Paul," the Star Tribune reports.

Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty appointed Georgacas to the Met Council in March 2003. Georgacas works for a local PR firm and is a registered lobbyist. He worked on political chameleon Norm Quimby Coleman's short-lived gubernatorial campaign in 1998. In 2002 he was campaign chair for Governor Pawlenty. He worked for the far right wing Minnesota hack tank, the Center of the American Experiement. And he was the chair of the Minnesota Republican Party.

While neither Georgacas nor Met Council Chair Peter Bell appear to have a problem with Georgacas benefitting from his position, government ethicist David Schultz of Hamline University does. The paper reports:

Georgacas' disclosures and recusals don't change the fact that he "has got an ongoing conflict of interest." The conflict, Schultz said, is that Georgacas is benefitting financially as Goff & Howard continues to bill the Railroad Authority for services at the agreed rate of $115 an hour.

Even Republican and frequent political commentator on MPR Tom Horner sees a problem with Georgacas' situation: "When we go into public service, we acknowledge that it is going to close the doors to some business."

When Jesse Ventura personally benefitted from his governorship, conservatives squealed with outrage but now that it's one of their own, well, I guess it's just a harmless case of back-scratching.

What A Joke: Divisive Randy Kelly To Run As Uniter

2005-07-19T11:58:00.000-05:00

St. Paul Mayor and covert Republican Randy Kelly announced yesterday that he would "bridges between the political parties, the races and the classes" as he took a walk across the Wabasha bridge during a cheesy, publicity-stund riddled annoucement, the Star Tribune reports.

This from a man who, without even a hint of shame, fully embraced The Great Divider, George Bush.

The real question reporters should have asked is if Kelly will switch to the Republican Party before or after the election.

There's no question of Democrat Chris Coleman's party affiliation. And you won't find him running around with a crowd that engages in the politics of personal destruction.

Bush Breaks Another Promise; Sets Phenomenally Low Ethical Standard For Staff

2005-07-19T11:51:00.000-05:00

Face with mounting evidence that Karl Rove may have leaked the name of an undercover CIA agent during a despicable political hit job on an administration critic, President George Bush broke his promise that he would fire anyone involved in leaking former undercover CIA agent Valerie Plame's name to the press by saying he would fire any staffer "who committed a crime," the New York Times reported.

The only logical conclusion is that Bush approves of not only despicable acts of political smear jobs, but that damaging national security by exposing undercover agents is no big deal in this White House.

Tom Hauser's KSTP TV At Issue Program Favors Republicans

2005-07-17T16:43:00.000-05:00

If KSTP TV's political "reporter" Tom Hauser fancies himself an objective reporter, he's not fooling anyone. This Sunday's broadcast provided ample evidence that Hauser's At Issue show is merely an excuse to turn the airwaves over to conservative rhetoric with no pretense at fairness or balance.

In an extraordinarly cozy interview, Hauser tossed up one softball after another for Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty to hit out of the park. A few examples:

Hauser: The interesting thing that I found was that the health impact fee--which I think everybody, one thing that everybody has to agree on, that is what ultimately broke this logjam but, the thing is, you proposed that back in middle to late May, why'd it take till the middle of July for essentially the same deal to finally get passed?

Pawlenty, as Hauser no doubt wanted, went on to bash and blame National Guard chaplain and Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson and DFLers but took no responsiblity himself. But even that wasn't good enough for the partisan Hauser, he wanted to make sure his viewers knew who to blame for Pawlenty's government shutdown:

Hauser: Do you think they were dead-set on shutting down state government, to make you look bad?

Oh. My. God. Could you ask a more leading or biased question?

Hauser gave Pawlenty a full 8 minutes of campaign airtime without anyone there to contest or challenge the governor (he certainly went unchallenged by Hauser).

During a segment with the House Speaker, Weasly Stevie Sviggum, and Minority Leader Matt Entenza, Hauser called the fee/tax argument silly.

Really? So the governor breaks a campaign promise and then lies about it, and it's merely silly?

The next segment featured Republican Sara Jancek and DFL former governor Wendy Anderson in a point/counterpoint segement. Only problem is, KSTP picked the one DFLer who is probably the most sympathetic to Pawlenty. Week after week, Anderson sympathizes, empathizes, understands and basically coddles Pawlenty and, even when criticizing the governor, does so with the softest of velvet gloves.

Next up, surprise!, another Conservative without anyone there to contest him: Far, far right wing conservative and George Bush yes-man Congressman Johnny Kline, just back from the Guantanamo Bay prisoner camp where he says everything is just fine and nothing ever bad happened there.

More softballs for Kline.

Hauser: So I know from the people that you talked to down there, you didn't find, you didn't even get an inkling, of any idea that there may be some systemic torture or mistreatment of prisoners. But is it possible that there have been isolated cases of that, or is this all smoke and no fire?

Kline responded by saying "it's all smoke" and "there was no torture and no inhumane treatment" despite the government's own reports to the contrary.

On Karl Rove, rather than asking Kline important questions such the appropriateness of a man serving in the White House who may have outed an undercover CIA agent, Hauser's next question set Kline up to attack Democrats for partisanship:

Hauser: How concerned are you about the allegations about Karl Rove possibly outing a CIA agent and how is that poisoning the well, the political well in Congress in both the House and Senate?

Pllllllleeeeease. What an absolutely weanie question. Hauser's got no shame. Kline, of course, ran with it and blamed everything on the Democrats.

Hauser ended by showing a picture of Kline's son, who is one of our brave Blackhawk pilots and is set to ship off to Iraq and after some give and take designed to remind everyone of Kline's military experience, Hauser tops it off with "and despite Michael Moore's assertion that no sons of Congressmen or women are serving overseas, you are evidence to the contrary."

Nevermind the fact that the assertion was true when Moore made it. Bush league. But then what do you expect from a Bush media lackey.

The final segment features KSTP AM nutbag Dave Thompson (notice the media incest?) as the conservative and DFLer Ember Reichgott-Junge, another ineffective liberal spokesperson.

That's how this station and this show operates.

For the record:

2 segments featuring Republicans but no Democrat to oppose them
2 segments featuring an ineffective liberal counterpoint
1 segment featuring 2 conservatives (the host and Sviggum) and 1 Democrat, Entenza
The 5 segments totaled 31 minutes in length. Of those 31 minutes, a grand total of 4 minutes, 58 seconds were devoted to a Democratic or liberal point of view (and I'm including Wendy Anderson's pro-Pawlenty comments in that total)

You can complain to KSTP TV's newsroom by calling 612-588-6397, email Tom Hauser at atissue@kstp.com, but I wouldn't hold my breath. You would really get KSTP's attention if you watched some previous broadcasts of At Issue and then contact their advertisers to let them know that you don't appreciate them advertising on such a blatantly biased program.

Far Right Religious Radicals To Freak Out Tonight

2005-07-15T14:06:00.000-05:00

Far right religious radicals are bracing themselves today in expectation of flipping out over the midnight release tonight of the latest Harry Potter book, Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince.

Egged on by Pope Benedict XVI himself (a man who dismissed the Catholic church's pedophilia as a media invention), fundamentalist freakazoids across the nation are expected to totally freak out tonight as children everywhere are, they believe, seduced by the devil.

Authorities across the nation are concerned over a potential widespread outbreak of exploding heads among these conservative cuckoos.

Norm Coleman Arrogantly Dismisses Consitutents In Favor Of Political Hack, Karl Rove

2005-07-14T10:34:00.000-05:00

As the point man for the Republican smear campaign to lie about Democrats in order to divert attention from Karl Rove's role in outing an undercover CIA agent--which is a federal crime--political chameleon Norm Quimby Coleman is arrogantly dismissing the concerns of his consitutents in order to advance his own political career.

The Star Tribune reports:

But Chris Lisi, a top Dayton aide, said his office received 100 phone calls Wednesday "requesting that Rove be fired...No one has called in support of waiting for an investigation."

But Coleman arrogantly the many similar calls he has recieved as merely an "organized effort" to be ignored.

At least we know that Norm Coleman stands against Minnesotans and with Karl Rove, a man who may have damaged our national security by revealing the identity of a covert CIA agent.

Conservatives As Bad With Their Own Money As They Are With Taxpayers'

2005-07-14T10:33:00.000-05:00

At least they're consistent.

DFLSenate reports that the GOP has fallen way behind Senate Democrats in fundraising. Could it be that they've driven the economy so far into the ground that even their Fat Cat Supporters can't afford to contribute to the Republican Party anymore?

Press Becomes Responsible Again? Don't Hold Your Breath

2005-07-14T10:31:00.000-05:00

In an op-ed piece in today's Star Tribune, Gary Gilson, the executive director of the Minnesota News Council, hopes that the drubbing White House spokesman Scott McClellan got at the hands of the press over his contradictary statements regarding Karl Rove's involvement in the outing of an undercover CIA agent--a federal crime--signals a newly responsible press corps willing to again ask the tough questions, the right questions, and willing to do the hard work to get the truth.

Wish away.

I, for one, will take a lot of convincing.

Gilson does, however, provide an eloquent indictment of exactly what is wrong with our national press corps. For that reason alone, it is well worth the read.

Rehnquist's Legacy: Less Work, More Money

2005-07-14T10:23:00.000-05:00

Chief Justice William Rehnquist's real legacy, the Star Tribune reports, is the fact that he drastically reduced his own workload while constantly complaining about his pay.

"In 1986, the year Rehnquist was confirmed as chief justice, the Supreme Court decided 159 cases on the merits. This past term, which concluded on June 27, the court decided an abysmally low 80 of the more than 7,000 cases filed with the court...Ironically, Rehnquist's radical reshaping of the Supreme Court's docket has coincided with his own repeated pleas to boost judicial salaries," the paper reports.

Typical.

More Evidence Bush's FDA Looks The Other Way

2005-07-14T10:12:00.000-05:00

The results of reseach conducted last year by the Environmental Working Group shows that new-born babies are chock-full of man-made chemicals. "The latest research detected a total of 287 compounds in the 10 samples, she said, including 209 that have never been reported previously in newborn blood," the Star Tribune reports.

"In most cases, Houlihan [vice president for research at the Environmental Working Group] said, the chemicals were approved for use too quickly, and without adequate health and safety testing," the paper reported.

The Strib also noted that "a report by the Government Accountability Office released Wednesday faulted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for not protecting the public adequately from tens of thousands of toxic compounds."

Why isn't the EPA protecting us ordinary, hard-working Americans? Because we haven't got millions in campaing contributions like the pharmaceutical industry does. And because George Bush hates science.

It's Official: Tim Pawlenty Has No Core Beliefs

2005-07-13T13:42:00.000-05:00

Minnesota Republican Watch reports that Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty's approval ratings are in a free fall.

Maybe it's because Minnesotan's have discovered that the governor holds no deep beliefs.

They could have got an inkling back when he was running for governor and did an abrupt about-face on the Northstar Rail when he discovered that it would cost him votes.

It became too obvious to ignore when he decided to raise taxes and promote gambling, two bedrock conservative principles he discarded.

Perhaps he's been getting lessons from Minnesota's other political chameleon, Norm Quimby Coleman.

Scratch Tim Pawlenty and you get the other side; and all that remains on your fingernail is the residue of his gargantuan political ambition.

Clueless George Bush Believes Hockey Is Played On Grass!!

2005-07-13T13:28:00.000-05:00

The Minnesota Gophers women's hockey team had to be extraordinarily embarassed as they listened to our klutz of a president say that the game they love is played on grass!

The Golden Gophers women's hockey team was at the White House Tuesday for a ceremony honoring their 2005 NCAA championship, the Star Tribune reports. The paper quoted the president saying: "You probably don't realize it, but when you're in the field of play, there's a lot of kids wondering what it takes."

First of all, it takes ice, Mr. President. Ice. Hockey is played on ice, with skates, not in a field with grass. The kids certainly aren't wondering about that.

Americans Demand White House Stop Rove Cover-Up

2005-07-13T13:17:00.000-05:00

Americans are demanding that the White House stop the Karl Rove cover-up by adding their names to a petition demanding that George Bush come clean and to stand by his previous promise to fire anyone who damaged out national security by their involvement in leaking the identity of an undercover CIA agent.

Suddenly, as media reports mount that Karl Rove may have been the source, the White House has "no comment."

Americans are demanding accountability.

Rep. John Kline Acknowledges Gitmo Junket A Cheap Publicity Stunt

2005-07-13T12:53:00.000-05:00

Far, far right wing conservative, 2nd District Republican and Bush Yes-Man Johnny Kline, returned from a juket to the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and predictably pronounced everything fine, that there is no abuse being conducted there against prisoners, even though he acknowledged "that a congressional delegation was unlikely to witness mistreatment of prisoners," according to the Star Tribune, defeating the very purpose of the trip.

Clearly, the real purpose of the trip was to generate positive headlines for the Bush Administration, coming as it does on the very same day that we learn that a military recommendation for reprimand of the prison's former commander was ignored.

The Two Faces Of Norm Coleman Don't Please Minnesotans

2005-07-13T12:45:00.000-05:00

Minnesota Senator Norm Quimby Coleman--a man who always has a moment to raise a finger to the political winds--has not pleased Minnesota's sugar beet farmers with his support for the Central American Free Trade Agreement, the Star Tribune reports.

What's more, the political opportunist rubbed our state's sugar beet farmers' faces in the dirt by taking their money, and then doing the Bush Administration's bidding by voting against them!, Three Way News reports.

Shameless: Memo Tells State Republicans To Lie About Democrats

2005-07-13T12:30:00.000-05:00

We can expect Minnesota conservatives to begin spreading malicious lies about Democrats any day now, according to the Washington Post.

The paper reports that the Republican National Committe issued talking points that "instructed GOP legislators, lobbyists and state officials to accuse Democrats of dirty politics," in an attempt to deflect attention away from Karl Rove.

Three Way News reports that none other than Minnesota's own preeminent political opportunist, Senator Norm Quimby Coleman, will be the point man for the Republican smear machine.

WCCO TV Says Sauerkraut Wrestlers "Beat Each Other Off"

2005-07-11T13:16:00.000-05:00

Viewers watching WCCO TV's Sunday 10 p.m. news broadcast were treated to one of those typically inane local TV stories that are a complete waste of time and have no bearing on anything whatsoever.

Sunday's installment was a story on sauerkraut wrestling in New Ulm.

Toward the end of the piece, anchor Terri Gruca (who's a Leo, by the way) said that the sauerkraut wrestlers "even beat each other off with brauts."

Hey, they said it, not me. I report, you decide.

Watch.

Sen. Bill Belanger Claims $924 Per Diem Payments During Government Shutdown

2005-07-09T11:16:00.000-05:00

The Star Tribune reports that Republican Senator Billy Belanger of Bloomington claimed $924 in per diem payments during the special sessions that included Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty's selfish government shutdown.

Nearly a thousand dollars! While 9,000 ordinary, hard-working Minnesotans were booted from their jobs!

Rep. Fran Bradley Claims Highest Per Diem Payment During Shutdown

2005-07-09T11:09:00.000-05:00

The Star Tribune reports that Republican Representative Francis Bradley of Rochester claimed $660 in per diem payments during the special sessions that included Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty's selfish government shutdown.

Six hundred sixty dollars! While 9,000 ordinary, hard-working Minnesotans were booted from their jobs!

Democrats End Tim Pawlenty's Government Shutdown

2005-07-09T10:47:00.000-05:00

For nearly sixteen hours House Minority Leader Matt Entenza and National Guard chaplain and Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson relentlessly pursued a solution on behalf of ordinary, hard-working Minnesota families to end Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty's reckless, irresponsible, costly and needless government shutdown that put 9,000 innocent Minnesotans out of work.

The DFLers' solution puts the 9,000 state workers back on the job immediately, increases funding for our neighborhood public schools, introduces responsible performance incentives for teachers, protects health insurance for the working-poor from Republican budget knives, and accepts Pawlenty's 75-centa-a-pack cigarette tax, the Star Tribune reports.

All along, Democrats took a firm, principled stand against the governor's scheme to expand the destructive practice of gambling by opposing a racino at Canterbury Park.

Bless you, DFLers, for putting our state back to work again!

Green Party St. Paul Mayoral Candidate Suffers Devastating Blow

2005-07-08T18:53:00.000-05:00

If any group is likely to back a Green Party candidate, Progressive Minnesota is.

But that's not what they did. They gave their support to former City Council Member, DFLer Chris Coleman, over Greenie Elizabeth Dickinson in his effort to oust the covert Republican mayor of St. Paul and Bush lackey, Randy Kelly, the Pioneer Press reports.

Democrats Close To Ending Pawlenty's Government Shutdown

2005-07-08T18:37:00.000-05:00

National Guard chaplain and Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson and DFL leaders appear close to ending Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty's government shutdown, the Star Tribune reports.

DFLers have gone well beyond the call of duty, going far more than halfway to meet Pawlenty's outrageous demands in order spare ordinary, hard-working Minnesota families the pain of his unnecessary government shutdown.

While DFLers boldly stood on principle with untold numbers of conservatives and liberals alike against exanding the destructive habit of gambling, as Pawlenty wanted, they have "agreed to some form of performance-based teacher pay" and, at Pawlenty's insistence, they have "dropped at least some of their proposals to close what they describe as tax "loopholes" on foreign operating corporations," the paper reports.

The Democrats have accepted Pawlenty's 75-cents-a-pack cigarette tax "and a similar charge on other tobacco products sold at the wholesale level."

Only time will tell when, and if, Pawlenty finally decides to accept the Democrats' proposal to end his government shutdown.

Taxpayers' Cost For Pawlenty's Government Shutdown - Day 8: $37.44 Million

2005-07-08T18:31:00.000-05:00

The cost to us ordinary, hard-working Minnesota families today, the eighth day of Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty's shut down of Minnesota state government is $37.44 million!

Will the Governor figure it out and accept the DFL's reasonable proposal to end his government shutdown? The nation awaits...

Rep. Phil Krinkie--Dr. No--Is A Quitter!

2005-07-08T18:20:00.000-05:00

Representative Phil Krinkie--widely known as Dr. No--has quit the budget negotiations.

"Sviggum and Pawlenty's push for the racino also prompted the lead House tax negotiator to say he'll step down from the post. Republican Phil Krinkie of Shoreview says he strongly disagrees with both an expansion of gambling and a proposed cigarette tax increase," Minnesota Public Radio reported yesterday about the quitter.

When the going gets tough, Phil Krinkie quits.

Photo courtesy MPR.

Record Profits For Bush's Big Oil Buddies

2005-07-07T09:57:00.000-05:00

President Georgie Bush's Big Oil buddies just keep getting richer.

"Oil prices climbed nearly 3 percent to finish at a record above $61 a barrel," the Star Tribune reports, which means, no doubt, that we ordinary, hard-working Americans will see a hike in the already outrageous gas prices.

Taxpayers' Cost For Pawlenty's Government Shutdown - Day 7: $32.76 Million

2005-07-07T08:17:00.000-05:00

The cost to us ordinary, hard-working Minnesota families today, the seventh day of Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty's shut down of Minnesota state government is $32.76 million!

The DFL has an eminently reasonable offer on the table, Governor; take it and end your shutdown!

Terrorists Attack London, Threat Level Remains The Same Here

2005-07-07T08:13:00.000-05:00

Terrorists have brutally attacked innocent Londoners, killing at least two people and injuring 190, reports the Associated Press.

The terrorist threat-level in this country, however, remained the same, despite the attacks of our staunchest ally.

Must not be any elections coming up.

Dems Offer Major Concessions, Pawlenty Stubbornly Insists On More Gambling

2005-07-07T08:09:00.000-05:00

The Democrats have again offered an eminently reasonable proposal to end Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty's government shutdown, but the Governor is stubbornly insisting on expanding gambling in Minnesota, the Star Tribune reports.

The DFL wants "to add $867 million in new K-12 education spending, working out to 5-percent increases in per-pupil funding for schools in each of the next two years," the paper reports. The Dems also want to save MinnesotaCare, the state health insurance program for ordinary, hard-working Minnesotans considered the working-poor. "The Senate's proposal included provisions to restore lost pay and benefits for workers idled in the shutdown, increase aid to local governments and make it harder for corporations to shelter foreign income from state taxes," the Strib reports.

The Democrats have conceded to Pawlenty his 75-cent-a-pack cigarette tax but the sticking point is Pawlenty's stubborn insistence on expanding the socially-destructive practice of gambling.

Rep. Barb Sykora Proud Of Cheap Publicity Stunt

2005-07-07T08:05:00.000-05:00

In an op-ed piece in today's Pioneer Press, Republican state Representative Barbie Sykora, amazingly, not just admitted to, but even indicated she was proud of neglecting her job in favor of the cheap publicity stunt of stalking National Guard chaplain and Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson outside his office, rather than doing the work of the people: "We even began a stakeout in front of his office," she said.

Sykora bleats on and on in the piece trying to justify why she and her conservative House cronies stubbornly refuse any reasonable offer put forth by DFLers.

The nerve.

Time Person Of The Year To Challenge Bush Lackey

2005-07-07T00:23:00.000-05:00

Time magazine's Person of the Year, bold Democrat Coleen Rowley, the former FBI agent know for her "her whistle-blowing critique of the agency's pre-9/11 security lapses," will run against 2nd Congressional District incumbent, the far, far right-wing conservative Bush lackey, John Kline, the Star Tribune reports.

The paper reports that Rowley would sensibly:

"run on the themes of "ethical decision-making," independence from partisan dogma," and balancing security needs with civil liberties, which she said the Bush administration has damaged by overreacting in the war on terror.

Check out Inside Minnesota Politics for the podcast interview with Rowley and "Today" show host Katie Couric's interview with Rowley.

Ron Carey, the far, far, far right wing religious radical chair of the Minnesota GOP was lightning-quick to pull out the long attack knives of the Republican attack machine to criticize Crowley.

He didn't even give this brave American the common decency of enjoying the announcement of her willingness to fight for ordinary, hard-working Minnesota families for one measly day.

The Prelude To Pawlenty's Government Shutdown

2005-07-07T00:17:00.000-05:00

The City Pages has an excellent piece on National Guard chaplain & strong Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson that succinctly explains how Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty cynically painted himself into the budget box he now stubbornly refuses to climb out of.

To wit, back in 2002 as Representative Pawlenty was running for governor, he:

"struck a deal to essentially postpone reckoning on the budget, shifting costs and instituting insidious gimmicks such as counting the dollars inflation adds to the state's coffers but ignoring those same adjustments when calibrating the cost of government services. "

"Consequently, two years ago, the newly elected Governor Pawlenty faced a whopping $4.2 billion deficit in the pending biennial budget, a situation made more intractable by his campaign pledge not to raise taxes. Even after raiding every funding source he could find, he had to hack more than $2 billion worth of services to balance the budget. "

When all else fails, shut down the government, right Governor?

Democrat Garrison Keillor Wants To Create More Minnesota Jobs

2005-07-07T00:15:00.000-05:00

Democrat Garrison Keillor is looking for about 850 adults to work as extras on his ovie, Prairie Home Companion, the Star Tribune reports.

Maybe Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty could tell those 9,000 state workers he laid off when he shut down the government about the jobs.

Call for more information 651-224-7541.

Self-Consumed: Irresponsible Conservative Press Chases Wrong Story, Again

2005-07-07T00:13:00.000-05:00

One hundred fifty of our local journalists--mostly from the Star Tribune--according to, yep, the Star Tribune, rallied in support of New York Times reporter Judith Miller, who was ordered to jail for refusing to reveal a source who named Valerie Plame as a CIA agent. It is a crime to reveal the identity of covert government agents.

Anyone who has followed this story, of course, knows that Plame was outed, according to Newsweek, by Karl Rove, as political retribution toward her husband, White House critic Joseph Wilson. Isn't that what they should be "reporting" instead of their self-consumed mirror-gazing?

But why do the tough work of real investigative reporting when it's so much easier and fun to "report" about yourself?

Oh, by the way, the newsies were also lobbying for "passage of a bill now before Congress that would establish a federal "shield" for reporters and confidential sources."

Photo courtesy KSTP TV.

Turns Out, Lying About War IS Worse Than Lying About Sex

2005-07-07T00:11:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Michael Tortorello at the City Pages Blotter for ferreting out this one.

A recent Zogby poll shows that "more than two-in-five voters (42%) say they would favor impeachment proceedings if it is found the President misled the nation about his reasons for going to war with Iraq."

Tortorello characterized the poll as "underreported." You think? First time I heard about it was in, that's right!, The Blotter.

More interestingly than the 43% that favor impeachment, as Tortorello points out, is the fact that "a full one-in-four (25%) [Republicans] indicate they would favor impeaching the President under these circumstances."

COMPLETELY Biased Katherine Kersten Doesn't Bother With Opposing Views

2005-07-07T00:10:00.000-05:00

Far, far right wing ideologue Katherine Kersten now wants to justify the fact that Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty and his House henchman, weasely Stevie Sviggum, want to take health insurance away from ordinary, hard-working Minnesotans.

When you're intent on spewing the party line, why bother with such journalistic standards such as presenting a contrary point of view? Kersten's sources for her bit of biased bile? Pawlenty, his Human Services Commissioner Kevin Goodno, and Sviggum. The very people who want to kill MinnesotaCare!

The Star Tribune should be deeply ashamed for allowing this propaganda within their pages.

Ordinary, Hard-Working Minnesotans Fight Back Against Pawlenty's Shutdown

2005-07-07T00:08:00.000-05:00

A group of concerned citizens are taking matters into their own hands in an effort to end Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty's profoundly stupid government shutdown, the Star Tribune reports.

"They've collected more than 500 signatures so far and delivered them to Gov. Tim Pawlenty and legislative leaders," the paper reports.

You can sign their petition at www.mnfirst.org.

Klutz: Little Georgie Bush Falls Off Bike Again

2005-07-06T18:19:00.000-05:00

Somebody get the man some training wheels, please.

Little Georgie Bush has fallen off his bike again, CNN reports, this time in Scotland; and he wiped out a Bobbie in the process. The President scraped his arms and hands. You'll remember that he scraped his knees in May last year, the last time he took a spill on his bike.

Word to the wise: Our clumsy Governor, Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty, might not want to invite the president to go ATVing the next time he's in town to raise gobs of money for the governor.

Taxpayers' Cost For Pawlenty's Government Shutdown - Day 6: $28.08 Million

2005-07-06T13:28:00.000-05:00

The cost to us ordinary, hard-working Minnesota families today, the sixth day of Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty's shut down of Minnesota state government is $28.08 million!

So not only has Pawlenty's shutdown cost 9,000 Minnesotans their jobs and put an enormous burden on their families, they're going to have to help foot the bill for his expensive, profoundly stupid government shutdown.

Photo courtesy Star Tribune.

Pawlenty To State's Convenience Store Workers: Clean The Latrine

2005-07-06T13:11:00.000-05:00

As the Star Tribune points out today, Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty's government shutdown is forcing an untold number of low-paid convenience store workers to clean disgusting rest rooms far more often than usual as the closure of state rest areas has forced travellers to empty their bowels and bladders in private establishments' bathrooms.

The Strib piece illustrated the state of these bathrooms thusly:

"The plumbing leaked, the floor was slick, and the smell was worse than any that Gov. Tim Pawlenty encountered when he was growing up near the South St. Paul
stockyard... the rank stench and raw filth of the surroundings...floor is littered with cigarette butts and crumpled lottery tickets and corroded pennies and other people's hair and squashed ketchup packets and shredded, soaked globs of paper hand towels."

Ordinary, hard-working Minnesota convenience store workers didn't do anything to deserve this, Governor. Spare them you're profoundly stupid shutdown.

Steve Sviggum & House Republicans Vote To Continue Shutdown

2005-07-06T13:01:00.000-05:00

The Star Tribune reports today that "Once again, the House defeated a move to approve a temporary "lights-on" bill that would put back on the job some 9,000 idled state workers."

This is just nuts.

Democrats get slapped in the face every time they propose a solution to end Pawlenty's profoundly stupid government shutdown. But I guess it's not surprising considering, as Minnesota Republican Watch observed, House Speaker Steve Sviggum is the radicals' lead cheerleader.

Pawlenty's Government Shutdown: Grave Consequences For Minnesotans

2005-07-06T12:43:00.000-05:00

Every day ordinary, hard-working Minnesotans are paying for Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty's government shutdown. According to today's Star Tribune, some of the consequences are:

Public health is at risk as a vastly understaffed Health Department has to deal with "reports of outbreaks of salmonella, Legionnaires' disease and West Nile virus."
Family instability: State payments for foster children have been put on hold.
More Family instability: Mothers are on their own because "State child-care referral agencies are mostly closed."
Deadbeat dads don't have to pay as "requests from other states for help in securing payments from deadbeat parents in Minnesota are going unanswered."
"About 600 [road and bridge] inspectors have been deemed unessential," so be careful where you drive.
More sleepy semi-truck drivers on our roads because closing the rest areas "forces truckers to violate federal and state laws that require them to rest for 10 hours after 14 hours of continuous driving."
Homes and large equipment cannot be moved because of "The disruption in wide-load permits."

Thanks, Governor.

Pawlenty's Government Shutdown Turns Minnesota Into National Laughing Stock

2005-07-05T11:55:00.000-05:00

The whole nation, no, world, is watching and laughing at us because of Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty's wreckless scheme to shut down Minnesota government.

South Dakota's laughing at us, as is the LA Times, the Houston Chronicle, USA Today, Bloomberg, the San Diego Union Tribune, Reuters, the Grand Forks Herald in North Dakota, Wisconsin, Iowa, the Chicago Tribune, the Washington Post, the Seattle Times, the Boston Globe and ABC News and MSNBC. Arizona is laughing at us, as is Arkansas and Indiana and Kentucky and North Carolina and Utah and Vermont and Wyoming and, ah, Texas and Pennsylvania and Virginia and Kansas and, cruel, cruel fate, Missourri is laughing at us.

The Brits are laughing at us along with the Canadians and India.

Timmy, get to work and end this embarassment.

Taxpayers' Cost For Pawlenty's Government Shutdown - Day 5: $23.4 Million

2005-07-05T11:46:00.000-05:00

The cost to us ordinary, hard-working Minnesota families today, the fifth day of Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty's shut down of Minnesota state government is $23.4 million!

Fiscally responsible, indeed!

Taxpayers' Cost For Pawlenty's Government Shutdown - Day 4: $18.72 Million

2005-07-04T14:37:00.000-05:00

The cost to us ordinary, hard-working Minnesota families today, the fourth day of Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty's shut down of Minnesota state government is $18.72 million!

[Sigh.] So it goes...

America, I Love Thee

2005-07-04T11:07:00.000-05:00

America, how much do I love thee? Let me, in no particular order, count the ways:

I love the fact that an Australian uber-conservative can come to this country and build a media empire that produces some of the most irreverant, liberal, and, not coincidentally, best shows on television.
I love the fact that people from all over the world believe in our country so much that they will risk their lives to come here.
I love the fact that we have freedom of the press...so far.
I love the fact that we have the power to remove our leaders, even if that power is sometimes grossly abused.
I love the fact that a pornographer is one of our most ardent champions of the First Amendment.
I love the fact that in our country people can believe what they want to believe, however nuts.
I love the fact that we have the most kick-ass military in the world.
I love the fact that we are an enormously generous people.
I love the fact that so many of the world's innovations were a result of American inventions.
I love the fact that our political system protects the rights of the minority...so far.
I love that we are a nation willing to immerse ourselves in epic deeds.
I love the fact that as a nation we are sometimes big enough to apologize for our misdeeds.
I love the fact that we have abundance.
Maddening as it sometimes is, I still love the fact that we have the luxury to become obsessed with things like reality TV.
I love the fact that it is possible to become rich.
I love the fact that we invented the Internet.
I love the fact that despite all our many faults, we remain, the greatest nation on earth.
Finally, I love the fact that I can tell those despicable far right wing conservatives who would question my patriotism to go fuck themselves.

Happy Indpendence Day! Go do something tonight.

Katherine Kersten Divisive Even On 4th Of July

2005-07-04T10:19:00.000-05:00

Oh my God.

This really is a full-time job, keeping these far right wingers honest. They continue to spew out their divisive rhetoric--even on the 4th of July, a day on which we should be One America.

It's sad.

Last week the Star Tribune's far right wing hyper conservative writer Katherine Kersten provided political cover for our changeling Senator Norm Quimby Coleman to say Bush should not appoint a moderate to the Supreme Court one day before Justice Sandra Day O'Connor announced her retirement.

Today--Independence Day--Kersten devotes 27 ^3/4 column inches, 858 glowing words, to the Daughters of the American Revolution, "a sororal association dedicated to historic preservation, education, and patriotic endeavor," but one with an infamous past.

The preponderance of Kersten's piece is devoted to extolling the patriotic virtues of the organization, heavily emphasizing their devotion to American history.

Outrageously, Kersten does not even mention the Daughters of the American Revolution's own high-profile role in a significant event in American history: their discrimination against African American singer Marian Anderson by prohibiting her from from performing at their Constitution Hall headquarters on Easter Sunday in 1939.

The racist slight prompted Democratic First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to resign her membership to the organization and to arrange for Anderson to sing "My Country 'Tis of Thee" on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial before 70,000 people and live radio coverage.

Kersten should be ashamed.

Happy Birthday To Us

2005-07-04T09:37:00.000-05:00

Happy birthday to us
Happy birthday to us
Happy biiiiiiiirrrrrrrrthday, deeeeeeeearrrr uuuuuuuuussss
Happy birthday to us!

Happy birthday, my fellow Americans. You might want to celebrate our national birthday with some music. To that end, I give you some patriotic MP3s:

You can find a lot more music at the Library of Congress' I Hear America Singing website.

Taxpayers Cost For Pawlenty's Government Shutdown - Day 3: $14.04 Million

2005-07-03T17:56:00.000-05:00

The cost to us ordinary, hard-working Minnesota families today, the third day of Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty's shut down of Minnesota state government is $14.04 million!

So, Timmy, are you planning to work this off yourself so we taxpayers don't have to foot the bill for your profoundly stupid government shutdown?

AMAZING: Weasely Stevie Sviggum Wants Reporter To Do His Job!!

2005-07-03T16:10:00.000-05:00

During an interview on Minnesota Public Radio's Midmorning show on Friday, Weasely Stevie Sviggum refused to answer host Karri Miller's questions and even went so far as to say that she should do his job for him!! We knew this crowd didn't want to work on behalf of ordinary, hard-working Minnesota families, but they've never been this honest about it! See the transcript below:

Miller: Mr. Speaker, can this be characterized as anything other than a failure and don't you have to take some repsonsibility for that?

Weasely Stevie: Well, I suppose if you want to lay some blame at my footstep, I'd be willing to accept it, ah, Karrie. Um, I guess everybody gets in the blame game, everybody gets tarnished a little bit. But, um, ah, Kerri, I think this was a strategy from the get-go and it's pretty easy to see it unveil. Um, it was a strategy of ah, of ah, the DFL Senate, of certain Senate members, ah, DFLers, to get Governor Pawlenty to ah, to tarnish him with a shutdown. Um, ah, it's all about politics, unfortunately, and um, ah, they probably got their goal, they got their headline about government shutting down and um, um, ah, I suspect that hopefully calm, reasonable minds can now get together and and ah finish the deal. It's not been, been because we haven't been willing to outreach and compromise.

Me: Except that you just hemmed and hawed your way out of accepting absolutely any responsibility for the government shutdown and unfairly pinned all the blame on the DFL. Stand up guy, you are, Stevie.

Miller: Mr. Speaker, I want to ask you about leadership style, which is something we were discussing before you joined our conversation. I mean, the voters of Minnesota elect all of you, the Governor, the Speaker of the House, when you run for re-election in your district, and the Senate Majority Leader, with the confidence that when the going gets tough, you'll get it done. That you will not go down the path of, well, we didn't want to give and take enough and we didn't want to compromise, so the next best thing is to shut things down. I--I'd ask you now why any voter should have any kind of confidence in your leadership or the Governor's leadership or the Senate Majority Leader's leadership?

Weasely Stevie: Well, that's a fairly direct question. [Laughs]. I guess, Karri, the only thing I can say is that there are individuals here who are trying, ah, trying to put it together. There are individuals who, um, ah feel very, very strongly about the best interests of Minnesota but also have, ah, in the same vein, some values and principles by which they feel Minnesota should be run and that they, ah, they move forward. And certainly if you look at the negotiations, Karri, ah, the Governor took great bold risks. Ah...The governor outreached and outreached very, very significantly ah, and tried to cooperate. I think the House did the same. Ah, the movement from the Senate was much less than that, ah, if you look at the numbers, it certainly bears it out. Um, but Karri, I think--

Miller: But Mr. Speaker, you have the cards that you're dealt. And the voters don't say, well, you know what? If it gets tough, go ahead and shut things down. They say, we send you there to make it work.

Weasely Stevie: Kay, well you know what, Karri? I'm gonna just take a second and throw it back to you. Ah, if you don't mind, and I'll put you on the spot. Give me Karri Miller's solution--

Miller: [Laughs] Oh my God. Mr. Speaker, I'm nowhere near as wise as you are about these things.

Weasely Stevie: No, no, no. You're laying, you're laying a lot of questions and probably appropriately so, ah, eh, eh, eh, I want to uh, ah, have Karri Miller's solution to end the session [Miller laughs] and then I will give you the consequences to that and let's see if Karri Miller could get 68 votes in the House, ah, 34 in the Senate, and get the Governor to sign the bill.

Miller: Mr. Speaker, what you're saying is it's tough. [Weasely Stevie laughs] And I think, [Stevie, over Miller: "And you're not, you're not..."] I think the voters ["...accepting my challenge."] I'm not an elected official, Mr. Speaker. I'm nowhere near as wise as you are, but I, I hear you--

Weasely Stevie: You know that's not true.

Miller: --I hear you acknowledging that these things are tough.

Weasely Stevie: They're very tough.

Miller: We're gonna take some, we're gonna take some calls from some [Stevie: "What you can.."] listeners this morning ["..what you can.."] and we're gonna say why can't you get it done?
Weasely Stevie: Karri, I'm trying to listen but what you're acknowledging is you're willing to criticize me but you don't have the solution [Laughs].

Miller: I'm not--I haven't been elected to find the solution, Mr. Speaker.

Weasely Stevie: That's very fair, Karri, that's very fair.

Me: No shit, Stevie.

Miller: So what about to the question of leadership and the confidence in the voters of when the going gets tough, you get it done?

Weasely Stevie: Um, let me tell you that I have seen Governor Pawlenty act, act in this with probably the, ah, the greatest degree of calmness, ah, cooperation, and outreach of compromise that I can ever expect any person to do. Um, ah, he has been and, um, I would, from my perspection, and I've been involved in this and treated somewhat disrespectfully from the Senate, ah, whether it be the return calls, whether it be the words, the handshakes, which have not followed through. Two of 'em just yesterday, two of 'em, by the way, announced by the Senate to your colleagues in the press, Karri, one the bridge ammendment to the ag economic and development bill, and then just last night, Karri, at 9:30 the Senate Majority Leaders said we're this close and, ah, we can finish of this concept, the terms of the agreement, and ah, and move ahead in a way not to shut down government then, ah, forty-five minutes later he's adjourning the Senate himself, adjourning by himself, without any knowledge to the Governor or information respective of even letting us know, so, I, Karri, I-I-I I think the Governor has shown great, great leadership. Ah, will people disagree with him? Obviously, certainly that's true, but the--from the standpoint of an individual who's concerned about Minnesota and getting it done, this guy's been there.

Me: So you're saying you don't want to answer the question about your failed leadership, then?

Senate Republicans Ignore Chaplain's Prayer

2005-07-03T15:57:00.000-05:00

Senate chaplain Kisten Thompson's prayer for legislators to "let go of blame" apparently fell on deaf Republican ears.

According to the Star Tribune, minutes after Thompson's prayer, 12 Republican senators did just the opposite and turned to the blame game as they "tried to lodge a formal protest of the Senate's mid-evening adjournment Thursday."

Stop following the lead of the governor, and get to work on behalf of ordinary, hard-working Minnesota families to end Pawlenty's government shut down.

Senate Dems Pass Lights On Bill But House Republicans Say Keep Em Off!

2005-07-03T15:45:00.000-05:00

The Star Tribune reported yesterday:

"Democrats in the Senate, hoping to halt the shutdown that's left 9,000 state employees out of work and interrupted the delivery of some services, passed a bill that would re-open government through July 11, allowing negotiators time to finish their work.

House Democrats attempted to pass a similar bill there, But Republicans who control the chamber refused to consider such a move"

At least one Republican recognized the damage his party was causing the state by observing that "The confidence the public has in this Legislature, which was probably low to begin with, is probably nonexistent now,'' the paper quoted Sen. Dave Kleis, R-St. Cloud.

Conservative Tom Hauser Turns His KSTP TV At Issue Program Over To Republicans

2005-07-03T15:15:00.000-05:00

Big surprise.

KSTP TV, the channel owned by far right wing ultra rich conservative Stanley Hubbard, and the channel that employs the former aid to a Republican governor, the haggard Cyndy Brucato, allowed political "reporter" Tom Hauser (who spends his free time visiting with such groups as the Minnesota Federation of Republican Women) to turn control of his "At Issue" political talk show over to state Republicans to bash Democrats this Sunday.

Completely irresponsible.

Pawlenty's Education Policy = Crowded Classrooms

2005-07-03T15:05:00.000-05:00

Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty's own Auditor admitted that "In the Twin Cities, many school districts have seen their student-teacher ratios soar by double-digit percentages between 2000 and 2004," the Star Tribune reports.

Educators agree that the increases are due to the Governor underfunding of our children's education.

Vote Early And Often: Conservative KSTP TV's Loaded Poll

2005-07-03T14:52:00.000-05:00

The hyper conservative viewers of ultra conservative KSTP TV are at it again, skewing the results of their online poll asking who's to blame for Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty's government shutdown and distorting the truth.

Vote Now!

Pawlenty's Gift To Big Oil: Vetoes Environment, Alternative Energy Projects

2005-07-03T14:26:00.000-05:00

Apparently taking his cue from his good buddy President Bush's love of the Big Oil industry, Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty vetoed a handful of education and alternative energy projects, the Star Tribune reports.

Pawlenty vetoed a project to study climate change research on aquatic systems. More proof conservatives hate science and are dangerously ignoring the fact of global warming.
Pawlenty vetoed a project to try and improve water quality.
Pawlenty vetoed a project to "plant 1,000 acres of trees as part of a biomass power plant project."
Pawlenty vetoed a project to "help build a district energy system fueled by wood waste."
Pawlenty vetoed money for an environmental watchdog panel, the very one he wants to detroy.
And Pawlenty vetoed money for the Minnesota Conservation Corps.

Why do Conservatives and the Governor hate science and the environment so much?

Bizarre: Dick Day Takes Shot At Randy Moss

2005-07-03T14:14:00.000-05:00

Strangely, the far right wing conservative Senate Minority Leader Dick Day took a shot at former Viking wide receiver Randy Moss, saying the Senate DFLers were using the "Randy Moss playbook," the Star Tribune reported, implying that they left the field before the game was over even though "every single DFL legislator actually voted against the shutdown and for a lights-on bill, while almost every Republican voted against a resolution."

What it is that Moss did to earn Dick's approbrium isn't clear.

Childish Pawlenty Calling People Names Again

2005-07-03T13:45:00.000-05:00

Governor Tim Pawlenty is getting a reputation as something of a childish little boy when he doesn't get his way. Pawlenty, who has called those who disagree with him "profoundly stupid," again resorted to name calling, reports the Star Tribune.

Pawlenty said National Guard chaplain and Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson and the Senate DFLers had a "lack of intelligence."

Grow up, Mr. Governor; grow up.

Go Piss In The Woods, Grandma

2005-07-03T13:24:00.000-05:00

Yesterday's Star Tribune quotes traveller Jim Payson of Vadnais Heights commenting on Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty's government shutdown of the state's rest areas:

"I'm concerned about all the elderly people who will be traveling this weekend and can't use the rest stops. What are they supposed to do, go in the woods?"

While Democrats doggedly work to open up the state's rest rooms so Grandma doesn't have to piss in the woods Governor Pawlenty and his House cronies stubbornly stand in the way.

Pawlenty's Business-Hostile Shutdown Onerous For Entrepreneurs

2005-07-03T13:06:00.000-05:00

The Star Tribune reported yesterday on the enormous burdens Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty's business-hostile government shutdown has placed on Minnesota's small business owners.

Because Pawlenty's shut down the state's rest areas, small businesses across the state are seeing far greater traffic through their stores but no purchases from those visitors. Why? The Strib quotes a shift-manager at the Little Store:

"They come in and ask, 'Where's the restroom?' " said shift manager Roxy Orvis. "And then they're right out the door and gone."

Businesses must devote employee's time to attend to the non-customers but they get no sales to compensate, thus decreasing productivity.

And that's just one example.

Imagine how hard it is on business such as trucking companies and taxi companies who depend on their employees license renewals? They're shit out of luck.

C'mon, Mr. Governor, put Minnesota back to work!

Taxpayers Tab For Pawlenty's Government Shutdown - Day 2: $9.36 Million

2005-07-02T11:38:00.000-05:00

The cost to us ordinary, hard-working Minnesota families today, the second day of Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty's shut down of Minnesota state government is $9.36 million!

Thanks, Timmy; with that money we could have bought 32,032,854 textbooks for the elementary students of ordinary, hard-working Minnesota families.

But you'd rather flush it down the drain with your wasteful government shut down.

Play By Play Of Pawlenty's Government Shut Down

2005-07-01T18:10:00.000-05:00

Speaking of most excellent reads: North Star Politics has an absolutely must-read blow by blow account of how Pawlenty and his far right wing House conservatives shut down Minnesota government.

Amazing.

Vote Early And Often

2005-07-01T18:02:00.000-05:00

Vote now at the Pioneer Press' online poll asking who is to blame for Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty's government shutdown.

Not like we need a poll to figure that one out but it's good to vote anyway.

Many thanks to StrongerDFL for rooting that one out because God do I hate trying to wade through the absolutely horribly designed PiPress site. Ugh.

While you're at StrongerDFL be sure to read the most excellent backgrounder piece on how the far right conservatives in the House and Governor Pawlenty shut down state government.

Tim Pawlenty Shuts Down Minnesota Government

2005-07-01T12:03:00.000-05:00

Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty wrecklessly shut down state government, despite the valiant efforts of National Guard chaplain and Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson who tried to prevent Pawlenty's shutdown scheme by sucessfully sheparding a continuing resolution through the state Senate that would keep government operating indefinitely.

But Pawlenty would have none of it; he and his House cronies insisted on shutting down state government by not passing Johnson's resolution to spare ordinary, hard-working Minnesota families the expense of a government shutdown.

"All our offers are off the table," the Star Tribune quoted the petulant Pawlenty.

Typical.

Even Republican Julianne Ortman indicted Pawlenty's government shut down as "The Great Ugliness of 2005," according to the paper.

One of the major sticking points was Pawlenty's effort slash as many as 22,000 to 40,000 ordinary Minnesotans from their health insurance, the Star Tribune reported.

Unconscionable.

Taxpayers Tab For Pawlenty's Government Shutdown - Day 1: $4.68 Million

2005-07-01T11:46:00.000-05:00

The cost to us ordinary, hard-working Minnesota families today, the first day of Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty's shut down of Minnesota state government is $4.68 million!

Thanks, Timmy. At least your buddy Rep. Mark Buesgens is happy.

Again: Tough Shit, Grandma

2005-07-01T11:38:00.000-05:00

Minnesota's courageous attorney general, DFLer Mike Hatch prevailed over Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty's scheme to kick ordinary Minnesotan's off their health care, the Star Tribune reports.

(It was only last month that Canada--under pressure from Pawlenty's good buddy, President Bush--would prohibit Americans from buying their low-cost prescription drugs.)

Pawlenty used his lawyer, former far right wing conservative Lake Elmo state Representative Eric Lipman, to try and persuade the court to kick Minnesotans off their health care.

But Hatch shot down Pawlenty's scheme by arguing that these health care programs are "critical to the health and lives of thousands of state residents."

Thank you, Mr. Hatch.

Normie Coleman To Bush: NO MODERATES On Supreme Court!

2005-07-01T11:36:00.000-05:00

The Associated Press reports that Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, the justice who kept the far, far right wing of this conservative court from descending into sheer lunacy, has announced that she will retire.

It looks like preeminent political chameleon, Senator Norm Quimby Coleman, will get his wish that President Bush appoint an extreme right wing radical to replace the moderate O'Connnor.

Bush's Big Oil Buddies Push Up Price Of Airline Tickets, Too

2005-06-30T13:26:00.000-05:00

Not content with sending gas prices skyrocketing, President Georgie Bush's Big Oil buddies' price hikes are forcing airlines to raise their rates, as well.

The Star Tribune reports that "Northwest Airlines Corp. said Wednesday that high fuel prices are prompting it to try another fare increase" adding "$50 each way to fares" due to rising oil prices.

Thanks, Mr. President; ordinary, hard-working American family vacations just got far more expensive.

Democrat Keillor, Lindsay Lohan Bring Excitement To Minnesota

2005-06-30T13:01:00.000-05:00

Minnesotans in general and Saint Paulites in particular are excited about the filming of Prairie Home Companion, starring Lindsay Lohan.

The big budget film was brought to Minnesota by Democrat Garrison Keillor.

While conservatives bring Minnesota government shutdowns, political sniping, and job destruction, Democrats bring our lovely state more beauty.

Norm Coleman: Bush Should Nominate Far Right Wingers To Supreme Court, Not Moderates

2005-06-30T12:18:00.000-05:00

In a despicable act of journalistic irresponsiblity, one of the Star Tribune's far right wing conserative writers, Katherine Kersten, provided political cover for finger-to-the-wind Senator Norman Quimby Coleman in a gauzy, softball-filled piece on the criteria on which Coleman would judge Bush's court appointments.

Even though the piece was intended to portray the ever-shifting Coleman as the very voice of reason, two things slipped through.

Coleman's second point about the imminent Supreme Court vacancy is that Bush should not nominate a "moderate"

And:

Coleman says he believes the nominee should share the president's political philosophy.

So, according to the logic of Norm Coleman--the politician whose ambition knows no bounds--the president should nominate people to the Supreme Court who hate science, give huge handouts to the oil industry, are willing to manipulate the democratic process when it suits their needs, and who would establish far, far right wing fundmentalist Christianity as the official state religion.

Sounds like Coleman is shaping his beliefs again to align with those he'll need in the not too distant future: The far right wing religious radical base of the Republican party in his quest for the White House.

Minnesotans Can Celebrate Independence Day, Thanks To Democrats

2005-06-30T11:06:00.000-05:00

National Guard chaplain and Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson vowed that he wouldn't allow Tax & Spend Timmy Pawlenty's government shut down to interfere with patriotic Minnesota's July 4th celebrations.

The Star Tribune today quotes Johnson assuring his fellow Minnesotans:

"Continue your plans to go to state parks," Johnson, DFL-Willmar, said, noting that there are 100,000 camping reservations over the July 4th weekend for an estimated 330,000 Minnesotans. "Minnesota state parks will stay open."

Norm Coleman, Mark Kennedy Vow To Kill Minnesota Jobs

2005-06-30T10:48:00.000-05:00

Seething with political ambition, Sen. Norman Quimby Coleman and the personality-deprived congressman, far right wing conservative Marky Kennedy, vowed to back the proposed Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), which would threaten 32,500 sugar industry jobs in Minnesota, the Star Tribune reports.

32,500 jobs!

The paper quotes sugar beet farmer champion, the jobs-protecting Democrat Rep. Collin Peterson, about Coleman and Kennedy's maneuvering:

"This is all smoke and mirrors," he said. "They're just looking for some cover so they can go home and say they did something. ... It's nothing. Zero."

General: Parents Shouldn't Stop Kids From Getting Killed Or Maimed

2005-06-30T10:39:00.000-05:00

Stunningly, the Star Tribune reports that President Georgie Bush's vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Peter Pace told America's ordinary, hard-working parents who are worried that their kids will be killed or maimed to encourage their kids to enlist in the military under Bush's disasterous leadership.

Funny, he never mentioned the skyrocketing divorce rates among military families.

Bush's Commitment To Family: Military Divorce Rates Double

2005-06-30T10:31:00.000-05:00

Way to go, Georgie Bush.

Yet another casualty of your ill-concieved and disasterous plan to lose the war on terrorism and bog us down in a quagmire in Iraq: The marriages of our brave troops who so valiantly defend our freedoms.

"Between 2001 and 2004, divorces among active-duty Army officers and enlisted personnel nearly doubled, from 5,658 to 10,477," the Associate Press reports.

Consorting With Theives: Bush Buddy Putin A Common Shoplifter

2005-06-29T19:56:00.000-05:00

Turns out, President Georgie Bush's good buddy, Communist Strong Man Vladimir Putin, is nothing but a common shoplifter. According to the Associated Press, the Russian "President" stole New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft's diamond-encrusted (124 of them!) Super Bowl ring:

Following a meeting of American business executives and Putin at Konstantinovsky Palace near St. Petersburg on Saturday, Kraft showed the ring to Putin — who tried it on, put it in his pocket and left, according to Russian news reports.

In 2001, President Bush said he had looked into Putin's very soul and liked what he saw and that's why we could trust the Communist leader.

Since then, CNN reports, Putin has had rivals for power arrested, has supressed a free press, has had laws changed to consolidate his own political power, cooperated with the fundamentalist Islamic state of Iran to help them expand their nuclear capacity and sold missles to Syria, a country that is sending Jihadists across the Syria/Iraqi border to kill our brave troops.

It's a good thing President Bush doesn't make the actual judgments about which souls get into heaven because, honestly, he's quite remarkably lacking in soul-judging skills.

I'm just saying.