Friday, February 26, 2010

Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Forum at the Ramada Inn, Rochester, Minnesota

Over 100 people attended tonight's Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Forum featuring leanding contenders Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Delano) and Marty Seifert (R-Marshall). The forum was moderated by the indefaticable author, historian and political commentator Tom Ostrom.

Keynote speaker and former First District Congressman Gil Gutknencht exorted those in attendance not to be overconfident in the face of the Obama admnistration's recent failings and weaknesses, reminding them that the purpose of a political party is to offer superior ideas. He also asked three very pointed questions for reflection:


"Are Republicans prepared to win the seats Democrats are expected to lose?"

"How long can Minnesota continue to export wealth and import dependence?"

"Are we consigning future generations to a lower standard of living?"

And following Minnesota Republican Party Chair Tony Sutton's rousing speech regarding the unique electoral opportunities before Republican candidates this fall, the forum began with a series of questions:

GMAC: What do you know about it?

Seifert: Voted to deconstruct the program and move the beneficiaries to other programs. GAMC is growing above and beyond capacity to pay for itself.

Emmer: The wrong idea at the wrong time. $400 million dollars every two years for 40,000 people. You can not continue to make deals on things that do not work.

Pull government out of those programs. It's time to negotiate outcomes that are based on less government. More government is not the solution.

Q: How would you prioritize the state budget and balance the books?

Emmer: Tax cuts alone are not the answer but you have to attack the structural size of government. Redefine priorities and redesign government. Create an economy that attracts business to Minnesota. Attract new horses to pull the wagon of Minnesota.

Seifert: Reduce taxes, paperwork and costly mandates that keeps business away from Minnesota. Cut government. This state is spending $2-$3 million dollars more a day than it takes in. Prioritize people over bureaucracy.

Q: How would you have approached the bonding bill that the governor vetoed?

Seifert: Minnesota government is broke. When it comes to these projects, the bonding bill costs $1 billion plus $400,000 in debt services.

Not just line item; stop the spending.

Emmer: We should have taken this opportunity to address the structure of government. After six years in office, I have yet to see a bonding bill that prioritizes the needs of Minnesota.

Q: Should the state of Minnesota mandate that a certain amount of energy be produced by renewable sources?

Emmer: Cap and trade is already here. I offered a bill to repeal it. We want to be good stewards of the environment but not at the expense of our children's future.

Seifert: I voted for the bill in 2005 but would veto it if it came to my desk. I voted for the bill but it's the wrong priority. My plan is to lift the nuclear ban, import clean coal and promote market based energy policies.

Q: What is your plan to keep Minnesota competitive in the job market and how would you change state law to make it happen?

Emmer: Redesign a smaller government, bring taxes down, eliminate licensing and costly mandates and requirements for businesses and health care. The 68 mandates in health care raise the cost for every one of us. You must have tort reform for contractors: loser pays. Workers compensation reform to bring costs down.

Seifert: We need to downsize, right size and economize state government. Worker compensation reform. Reduction of fees that make Minnesota less competitive. Tax, fees, licenses have to be reformed and sometimes done away with.

Q: Would you oppose the implementation of President Barack Obama's health care reform and how?

Seifert: The best health care provides in the country are in Minnesota and the federal government wants to screw that. We need to say "no" to Obamacare and exercise our 10th Amendment rights. We need to push back because it is the right thing for the people of Minnesota.

Emmer: I have been doing that already. I offered a bill that provides government cannot pass a law that interferes with an individual's ability to chose one's doctor. Make sure we maintain the best care and drive the cost down ourselves. Deduct cost of their health care insurance, reduce mandates and encourage competition.

Q: What is your voting record on tort reform?

Emmer: We need comprehensive tort reform, not pick and choose who it applies to. Caps are part of the answer. Tort reform based on best practices.

Seifert: 100% in favor of reform. Voted for every tort reform bill that has come across the legislature. Caps on attorneys fees are a good idea. Judges should not be allowed to go above what the compensation is.

Q: Will you honor the endorsement process and ensure a unified party?

Seifert: Yes, I will abide by the endorsement. I believe very firmly that we have to be united as a party. I have no backup plan. I feel very confident that I will be the candidate.

Emmer: Yes. It's about leadership and decisions that affect people's lives.


Closing Statement:

Emmer: Jackie and I have been blessed with 7 children, 6 boys and one beautiful girl. I have been in the legislature for 5 years. Jackie and I were dumb enough to believe this was a part time job. What we did in the early 70s was to make this an every other year proposition. It has become a career. Decisions are now made based on what is going to be best for the next election. It is no longer community service.

People are fed up with the growth of governemtn and career politicians. We need to put up authentic people who do what they say they are going to do.

Seifert: An opportunity to right size, downsize and economize government. They believe now that they are the boss and the people are servants. Elected officials feel entitled to teach teachers how to teach, farmers how to farm and business owners how to conduct their business. I don't want us to become a colder and smaller California, where people leave at a rate of 1,000 people a day. 1,000 people a month move to Minnesota for welfare purposes.

As Republicans, we must prioritize. When everything is a priority, nothing is a priority. It's not about limiting government but cutting it. Repealing laws, not creating more.

Questions from the audience:

Q: How do we deal with the situation with education?

Seifert: The federal government to stay out of local education. Children should be treated equally despite of where they live. Children spend less time in school today than they have ever had before even though we spend more money on education than ever before.

Emmer: Adress funding disparities. Tie the funding to the child. Parents are the ones who need to make the best educational decision for their children. The future in this state is moving to a public charter school model. Reward good teachers and let the poor ones go.

Q: Would you work to make voter ID a reality?

Emmer: Yes! WE should have voter ID.

Seifert: You need a photo ID to get a library card, a credit card, etc. It must be included as a reform item.

Q: If you could take back one vote, what would it be?

Seifert: The energy vote was the one in which the governor of my party cleaned it up but it wasn't the best of both worlds. An error is not a mistake until you refuse to correct it.

Emmer: There isn't one. I read everything before I vote. I base my decisions based on life, liberty and property. I have been applying those principles from day one.



Thursday, February 11, 2010

Stupid Does as Stupid Is


By Michael Barone
February 11, 2010

How could such smart people do so many stupid things? That question, or variations on it, is being asked in Washington and around the country about the Obama administration.

The same people who directed the campaign that defeated Hillary Clinton and routed John McCain, a campaign that raised far more money and attracted far more volunteers than any before it, have within a year come up with a legislative program that is crashing in ruins and that, to judge from recent polls, has left the Democratic Party weaker than I have seen it in almost 50 years of closely following politics.

The 2008 campaign was an impressive achievement. So, in a negative way, is the 2009 legislative program that has left the Democrats in such woeful shape in 2010. [
More]

The Obamanoids came in declaring they were intellectually superior to every previous administration. What they have done, however, proves what many of us knew from the start: they were stupid to beging with. Their actions prove their stupidity regardless of what they said and continue to say.

Joe Biden: Barack Obama's "Effin' Retard" VP



Who knew?

Thank goodness, Vice President Joe Biden went on CNN to chat with Larry King Wednesday night. So many think things are not going so well for the Democrat administration, as The Ticket chronicled here.


Many Americans recall the ex-Sen. Biden's Democratic primary plans to give in to Iraq's fractious factions and carve the country into three territories. And even more probably recall Biden's boss' plan to halt the Iraq war years ago. As long as it got started anyway without the permission of the then state senator. [More]





Just when Barack thought it was safe to let him out of the White House alone, Joe "Stand up, Chuck! Let 'em see you" Biden goes off script again.

Biden, who built a second career out of criticizing the Iraq war and the surge in troops that followed it, now wants to take credit for the relative stability in that Middle Eastern country and count it as one of Obama's nonexistent "great accomplishments."

Can't necessarily blame Biden on this one. Obama has had a year of failures. From health care to the economy to unemployment, Barack's many failings and inadequacies for the office of President of the United States of America are self-evident. What's left other than taking credit for a policy of the administration that he does nothing but vilify. Pathetic.

Here are some of Biden's shining moments. What a moron.




Stand Up, Chuck!:






Biden's "Iraq Plan":



Biden: "Break up Iraq!"

Saturday, February 06, 2010

Sally Jo Sorensen: Tim Walz's Flunky Blogger from the 7TH (!) District

You know Tim Walz, Nancy Pelosi's favorite Congressman, is in serious trouble when his 7th congressional district toadie blogger goes on her smear rampages. Sally Jo Sorensen, of Bluestem Prairie infamy is at it again. This time she is firing in all directions as the number of worthy Walz's challengers grows.

"Ollie Ox," her appropriately bovine pen name, is busy these days besmirching the character of better men than her beloved and embattled First District Congressman. As I research the causes of her newfound fears, please enjoy the following video clips. They will shed light on who Sally Jo Sorensen is (the short answer is, "Nobody!") and why her posts are so despicably full of lies (hint: Do the words "low self esteem" ring a bell?).

Here's Sally Joe, Tim Walz's "Overzealous Flunky":


Congressman Walz Uses Blogger to Attack Constituents. - The best free videos are right here



And here's the guy for whom she is going to bat. Birds of a feather flocking together?


Tim Walz: D.U.I. - More amazing video clips are a click away

Tim Walz is on a script and won't answer any questions that will deviate him from it.


Congressman Tim Walz Dodges Question of Constituent!! - Watch more amazing videos here