I Like Guns - Steve Lee

The Power & Danger of Iconography

Command and Control, or Empower and Liberate?

“Strive to create the most business-friendly economy in the
nation and jobs WILL follow!”

By Representative Mark Buesgens

I just spent four months on something created by DFL House
Speaker Margaret Kelliher called the Minnesota House Jobs
Task Force. During countless hours of hearings and
testimony from a dizzying array of political wonks,
(with a minimal number of business owners sprinkled in),
the goal of a more business-friendly economy rarely
came up. Instead, we heard a lot of talk about the need
for moregovernment intervention.

Democrats (who dominated the committee 28-8) are lining up
another mammoth round of borrowing, which creates only
short-term jobs in sectors dictated by the government.
They want to embark on new spending under the Orwellian
pretense of retraining workers for “new” jobs -dictated by
the government.  Perhaps most amazing, they cling to the
fading hopes of re-orienting the nation’s economy based on
the discredited premise of preventing climate change.

Their type of “command-and-control” governing suffers from
two fatal flaws that make it incompatible with a business-
friendly economy: it is grounded in the notion that
government creates jobs and wealth, and it relies on
raising taxes – on everybody.

The DFL proposals necessitate government picking economic
winners & losers to create a sustainable business climate.
This model is challenged very simply by asking the
following questions: Who has created more jobs, Nancy Pelosi
and Harry Reid, or Bill Gates and Fred Smith?  And another
critical question: When did government identify the next
Steve Jobs or Sam Walton?  Politicians cannot create the same
high-quality jobs as entrepreneurs and business owners.
Government has not picked out the next innovator or success
story, and it never will. In short, government is worthless
at picking winners & losers—but that is what the DFL's
agenda is.

The DFL proposals must raise taxes today to cover new
spending, and raise taxes tomorrow to cover new borrowing.
We can’t even afford the government we already have.  There
is no possible way we can afford the government Democrats
want without reaching even deeper into our already pilfered
pockets.  This threat suffocates any discussion of new
job growth.

Thankfully, there exists another path.  By liberating
individuals and businesses from the burdens of government
and empowering them to create new growth, we can turn a
future of high taxes and deep deficits into one of new
prosperity and common good.  We know that catchy slogans
fail to get the job done (remember Hope and Change?). Here
are three concrete steps for making Minnesota more
job-friendly.

Reduce the regulatory burdens that weigh on expansion.
Environmentalists (the Copenhagen types) have an iron
grip on the state’s environmental and energy policies that
are choking the life out of our economy.  Permits and
reviews drag on for months while other states finish them in
days or weeks, making us a less attractive place to start a
business.  In good economic times these regulations made job
growth difficult. In tough economic times they make job
growth impossible.

End the pandemic of uncertainty.  The risks of new income
taxes, hugely expensive cap-and-trade energy schemes, or
expensive new health care mandates are making expansion an
uncertain endeavor in this time of already tight margins.
Resisting these damaging policies will send the clear message
that we prioritize job creation in Minnesota and will free up
capital currently forced to the sidelines.

Balance the employer-employee relationship.  In order for the
employer-employee relationship to be of mutual benefit, both
sides have to be on a level playing field.  Transitioning to
a right-to-work state and resisting the call of more mandated
benefits will send potential job creators the message that
Minnesota welcomes their entrepreneurial spirit.

Instead of relying on tax increases, these three steps to job
growth rely on the government exercising fiscal restraint and
responsibility. This will accomplish two things.  First, it
will prevent the government sprawl we have seen with its
involvement in banking, the auto industry and now health care.
Second, it will force government to run more efficiently,
reforming the programs that need change and jettisoning those
that are unnecessary.  A more efficient delivery of government
services means less demand for higher taxes and tells
potential job creators that we would love to have them relocate
to our state.

Four months of the Speaker’s Jobs Task Force has produced
nothing that would encourage potential private sector job
providers. Instead, it has only served to heighten uncertainty
and concerns and exacerbated our job loss condition.  We can
no longer afford to sit on our hands while jobs, people and
economic capital leave for warmer and more affordable
pastures. The time for real leadership and action is now. 

Franken's loud enough, he's rude enough

And, gosh darn it, people hate him



When Sen. Al Franken, Minnesota Democrat, was a comedian, he was never that funny. Take the title of his book "Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot" - that's some high-quality humor there. Clever, daring and yet so second grade. But when Minnesotans elected him to the Senate, Mr. Franken promised that those days were behind him and that he would work hard to win over his colleagues. So far, his presence in the Senate is making it a less civil place. If the old Mr. Franken were to write a book about it, the title might be "Al Franken Is a Dirty Rotten Liar."



The above from an editorial printed recently in the Washington Times about our Minnesota embarrassment, Senator Al Franken. What a shame we will have live with him for six years. Read the rest of the story here...

Some comments left on the Washington Times website,

"What were the idiot voters of MN thinking to send a snollygoster like franken to the Senate."

"Many of us have highly partisan elected officials, at least our have the good sense to keep their mouths shut. Franken may not be that funny, but he has turned Minnesota into a laughingstock."

"As usual, the emptiest barrel always makes the most noise. ...............FRANKEN is a certified MORON. Minnesota should be duly embarrassed and shamed by their electing such a WASTE."

"People that keep electing buffoons like Franken, the Kennedys, Barbara Boxer, and Dick Durbin should be none too surprised if the rest of the nation questions their ability to wisely select their political leaders. A lot of these type of dysfunctional leaders are the very ones behind the policies that have created most of these states' major problems in the first place. Unfortunately, when these morons get elected as senator, now that state's dysfunctionality ends up becoming the whole nation's problem."

"Like his master, Obama, Franken has all the makings of a populist demagogue. One could almost imagine him in another era as a brown-shirted SA bully."

"The Franken ilk rises to office because the voters that "sent them up" are either ignorant, ill informed, naive, or looking for a hand out. Way too many from that state that elects this kind of reptile and more like them in my home state of Louisiana are little more than mouth breathers. Like the man said. elections are where the ignorant and ill informed legitimize the corrupt and unconscionable.............welcome to Obamanation!"

"Minnesotans get to watch someone else make an ass of himself since Jesse Ventura isn't around for laughs anymore. Actually Jesse was funnier than Al, and not half as dangerous. Electing Al was the only way we could figure to get him out of the State. Seemed like a good idea at the time. We don't need distractions while we labor to turn Minneapolis into the next Detroit."

"When you meet someone from Minn make sure you say something really rude to them but preface it with, "As your Senator Al Franken would say, what the f--- do you know? Isn't he a great guy?"

"Regardless of party affiliation, the man is graceless and obnoxious. The people who voted him in should think twice before reelecting him. He, clearly, does not bring honor to the Senate and is just out of his depth. He hurls insults because he has no ideas."

"You all seem to be forgetting that this posterboy for the modern democrat party was not elected. It took an army of lawyers (ACORN staffers?), countless recounts and "adjustments" to get this turd into office."

"Your right; Franken was never that funny! Now with his attempts to immitate a real Senator, he's still not funny! However if he's trying to imitate an idiot, he's doing a great job."

A Carol from Flanders

by Frederick Niven (1878-1944)

This poem recounts the story of the spontaneous 1914 Christmas truce
along the lines of the Western front.

In Flanders on the Christmas morn
The trenched foemen lay,
the German and the Briton born,
And it was Christmas Day.

The red sun rose on fields accurst,
The gray fog fled away;
But neither cared to fire the first,
For it was Christmas Day!

They called from each to each across
The hideous disarray,
For terrible has been their loss:
"Oh, this is Christmas Day!"

Their rifles all they set aside,
One impulse to obey;
'Twas just the men on either side,
Just men — and Christmas Day.

They dug the graves for all their dead
And over them did pray:
And Englishmen and Germans said:
"How strange a Christmas Day!"

Between the trenches then they met,
Shook hands, and e'en did play
At games on which their hearts were set
On happy Christmas Day.

Not all the emperors and kings,
Financiers and they
Who rule us could prevent these things —
For it was Christmas Day.

Oh ye who read this truthful rime
From Flanders, kneel and say:
God speed the time when every day
Shall be as Christmas Day.

Stolen from a blog comment....

I saw this in a comment on a news story today. It's too good to pass up.....

"Let me get this straight. We just passed a health care plan written by a committee whose head says he doesn't understand it, passed by a Congress that hasn't read it but exempts themselves from it, to be signed by a president that also hasn't read it, and who smokes, with funding to be administered by a treasury chief who didn't pay his taxes, overseen by a surgeon general who is obese, and financed by a country that's nearly broke. What possibly could go wrong? - Dave"

Merry Christmas

"Here then, for one night only, each home throughout the
English-speaking world should be a brightly lighted island of happiness
and peace. Let the children have their night of fun and laughter. Let
the gifts of Father Christmas delight their play. Let us grown-ups
share to the full in their unstinted pleasures before we turn again to
the stern tasks and formidable year that lie before us. Resolved that
by our sacrifice and daring these same children shall not be robbed of
their inheritance or denied their right to live in a free and decent
world.

And so, in God's mercy, a happy Christmas to you all."

Winston Churchill - 1941

Franken, Klobuchar Vote For Massive Tax Increases, Deep Medicare Cuts & Taxpayer Funded Abortions

St. Paul- Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman Tony Sutton issued the following statement today regarding Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar’s votes in favor of the Senate health care bill.

“After weeks of shady backroom payoffs, unseemly sweetheart deals and Enron style accounting, Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar sold out Minnesota today by voting for a reckless nearly trillion dollar spending bill that increases premiums, raises taxes by $500 billion, cuts Medicare by over $470 billion and mandates that taxpayers fund abortion on demand. Candidate Obama promised America an open legislative process played out on C-SPAN. Instead, we saw a sleazy, secretive power play where Harry Reid bought off senators to get to 60 votes. In 2010, Democrats will pay a steep political price for their decision to ram this unpopular bill down the throats of the American people.”

Get the Race Card Advantage: A Free Pass on Everything!

From Sonja Schmidt at PajamasTV.com, an advertisement for the Deck-o-Race Cards!




OK. I'm on a Sonja Schmidt kick at the moment. Here are a couple more videos from my favorite woman of the moment,

DOJ Decision Can’t Obscure Rybak’s Woeful Record Cutting Cops, Wasting Money

St. Paul- Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman Tony Sutton issued the following statement today regarding the decision by the United States Department of Justice to grant approval to the city of Minneapolis’ application for a grant to hire 13 police officers fired by R.T. Rybak.

“R.T. Rybak is the king of wasteful spending. As mayor, he’s wasted millions in taxpayer dollars on artistic water fountains, the promotion of tap water and vegetative roofs. Today’s decision by the Department of Justice allowing the city of Minneapolis to rehire 13 police officers who never should have been fired in the first place can’t obscure the fact Rybak has recklessly cut cops and squandered millions on frivolous and ridiculous spending sprees.”

Rybak’s Ridiculous & Wasteful Spending: A Primer

Rybak Spent $500,000 On 10 Water Fountains. “During the Aquatennial festival that begins Friday, the city plans to unveil concepts for 10 artist-designed drinking fountains that Rybak championed at $50,000 each. Typical park fountains cost as little as $6,000.” (Steve Brandt, “Price tag on drinking fountains causes a lot of gulps,” Star Tribune, July 12, 2008)

• “Rybak said he wants bubbling, gurgling fountains reminiscent of the kind he drank from as a kid growing up in the city. ‘I want that romance of water in a city of waters to be something that's just core to living in our city,’ he said.” (Steve Brandt, “Price tag on drinking fountains causes a lot of gulps,” Star Tribune, July 12, 2008)

Rybak Spent $180,000 To Promote City Tap Water. “The city of Minneapolis is spending nearly $200,000 to sell something that would seem to sell itself: tap water. … Tap Minneapolis is the city's new web site, and PR campaign to promote the city's tap water. But unlike tap water, it's not cheap. The web site costs $75,000. The total cost paid to the PR firm was $180,000.” (“Mpls Taxpayer Money to Promote Tap Water,” KMSP, Watch Here, June 22, 2009)

• “The water campaign was Mayor R.T. Rybak’s idea. He also brought us those decorative water fountains a year ago.” (“Mpls Taxpayer Money to Promote Tap Water,” KMSP, Watch Here, June 22, 2009)

Rybak Brought In $175 An Hour Facilitator To Help City Council Members Trust One Another. “Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and the new City Council sat down for more than three hours Thursday morning in an attempt to ease the lingering bitterness from the previous day's leadership votes. The meeting focused on trust and on when a person's word can be relied upon. Rybak brought in facilitator Linda Houden - at $175 an hour - to help council members find ways to work together effectively.” (Rochelle Olson, “Sore feelings on the City Council,” Star Tribune, January 4, 2002)

• Rybak Later Returned Campaign Cash From Facilitator. “Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak will return contributions made to his campaign last year by the $175-an-hour facilitator hired by the city to help him and City Council members develop good working relationships. … [Linda] Houden, of the Minneapolis firm DOR & Associates, donated $650 to Rybak's campaign through Oct. 22, according to Rybak's most recent disclosure form. Individuals are limited to $500 in contributions to mayoral campaigns in election years, and Sether said it was likely the campaign previously refunded the extra $150.” (Rochelle Olson, “Rybak says he'll return donation from facilitator,” Star Tribune, January 5, 2002)

Minneapolis Taxpayers Responsible For Shelling Out $5.3 Million For Target Center’s Vegetative Roof. “The Minneapolis City Council marked its last meeting of the year Friday with a flurry of actions that imposed a hiring freeze, regulated news boxes, approved a green roof for the Target Center and created a zone aimed at a cleaner, safer downtown. … A $5.3 million reroofing of the Target Center that includes a vegetative main roof was approved as part of the city's environmental sustainability agenda.” (Steve Brandt, “Minneapolis freezes hiring, fearing aid cuts,” Star Tribune, December 13, 2008)

Rybak Reimbursed Taxpayers $10,000 Over Newsletter He Used For Self Promotion. “Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak decided Tuesday to reimburse taxpayers $10,000 for the glossy newsletter he sent at a cost of $42,556 to all city residents at the start of an election year. … ‘I will hold myself to a higher standard by reimbursing the City $10,000, which is half of the production cost of the newsletter,’ the mayor said in a written statement. The payment comes three months after state Auditor Pat Anderson called on Rybak to reimburse the city because she said parts of the newsletter violated the law against using taxpayer funds for self-promotion.” (Rochelle Olson, “City ethics panel clears Rybak, but he agrees to pay for part of pamphlet,” Star Tribune, April 20, 2005)

• “Rybak's eight-page newsletter included five pictures of Rybak and the headline, ‘Minneapolis news from Mayor R.T. Rybak.’ State law allows politicians to inform the general public of activities. It also says the ‘report or publication must not include pictures of elected officials nor any other pictorial or graphic device that would tend to attribute the publication to an individual or group of individuals instead of the political subdivision. Portions of Rybak's newsletter crossed that line, Anderson said.” (Rochelle Olson, “City ethics panel clears Rybak, but he agrees to pay for part of pamphlet,” Star Tribune, April 20, 2005)

Illegal Immigrants in Cambodia

We need more immigration officials, (and policies) like they have in Cambodia. The law is the law and "illegal immigrant" has real meaning to the officials in Cambodia. Our government should "send them back" also.

Muslim Uighurs to be Expelled from Cambodia

Cambodia said Saturday it would expel 20 Muslim Uighurs who sought refuge after unrest in China's Xinjiang region, despite protests from the United States and rights activists.

Cambodian foreign ministry spokesman Koy Kuong declined to say where the Uighurs would be sent, but exile groups said the group would be deported to China where they could face torture.

"They are illegal immigrants and according to Cambodian immigration law they should be expelled from the country. So we must expel them," the spokesman said.

Interior ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak said it would "take seven days to send all of them out of Cambodia".

The group arrived at the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office after clashes between Xinjiang's Uighurs and China's majority Han ethnic group in July nearly 200 dead and 1,600 injured, according to official tolls. (hat tip Atlas Shrugs)

Health care and abortion

If you want to distill why the health care "reform" currently before the US Senate is a Bad Idea, you need look no further than the issue of abortion.

Abortion is an issue where there is very little middle ground. Either it is the taking of human life, or it's not. If you believe that it is, then there is very little justification for murder. If you believe that abortion is not - that a fetus is just a lump of flesh - then abortion is a right, and should be exercised freely and state funding must not be denied.

The health care "reform" is the classic "one size fits all". The senate bill will allow the federal government to dictate what will and won't be covered by insurance policies nationwide. It will become illegal to sell insurance, and effectively to provide medical services without the approval of federal regulators.

If passed, federal health care officials will be required to decide on the question of abortion. Will it be covered by insurance or not? If covered, it is inevitable that it will also be funded by taxpayers. If it is not covered, it will be far more difficult (or even impossible) to get a doctor to perform an abortion.

Who supports such a "one size fits all" solution for the explosive issue of abortion?

Who supports giving our right to debate and legislate on this issue over to unelected federal bureaucrats?

Who wants to give an elite group of Washington DC insiders the power to make our most intimate decisions for us?

The Government Takeover of Medicine (aka "health care reform") is a very bad idea. Write or call your representatives and tell them, before it's too late.

7 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW About Obama Democrats' Binge Spending

1. Dems Will Pay For Binge Spending With $1.8 Trillion Increase In Limit On Taxpayers' Credit Card, Largest 1-Time Increase In History. (David Rogers, "Dems To Lift Debt Ceiling By $1.8 Trillion, Fear 2010 Backlash," Politico, 12/9/09; White House Office Of Management And Budget, "Table 7.3--Statutory Limits On Federal Debt: 1940-Current," Accessed 12/11/09)

2. Obama's Deficit In 1^st Month Of 1^st Full Fiscal Year: $176 Billion; Deficit During Bush's Entire 1^st Full Fiscal Year: $159 Billion. (Monthly Budget Review: Fiscal Year 2002: A Congressional Budget Office Analysis, Congressional Budget Office, 11/8/02; Jeanne Sahadi, "October Deficit $176 Billion," CNNMoney.com, 12/10/09)

3. Obama Rang Up Record-Setting $1.42 Trillion Deficit In 1^st Year In Office, Nearly Triple The Previous Record. (David Jackson, "Obama Team Makes It Official, Budget Deficit Hits Record. By A Lot," USA Today's "The Oval" Blog, 10/16/09)

4. Obama's Non-Defense Discretionary Spending To Increase By 16 Percent This Year, Highest 1-Year Increase Since Jimmy Carter In 1978. (White House Office Of Management And Budget, "Table 8.7--Outlays For Discretionary Programs: 1962-2014," Accessed 12/11/09)

5. Obama's Binge Spending Will Nearly Double National Debt Over 9 Years, From $11.9 Trillion To $23 Trillion. (White House Office Of Management And Budget, "Mid-Session Review: Fiscal Year 2010," 8/25/09)

6. Obama's Binge Spending Will Lead To National Debt Being 76 Percent Of GDP By 2019, Largest Percentage In 60 Years. ("Report To The Secretary Of The Treasury: Financial Audit: Bureau Of The Public Debt's Fiscal Years 2009 And 2008 Schedules Of Federal Debt," United States Government Accounting Office, 11/09; Lori Montgomery, "Deficit Projected To Soar With New Programs," The Washington Post, 8/26/09)

7. Obama Has Increased Size Of Government By 64 Percent Since Taking Office, Largest Increase In At Least 3 Decades. (White House Office Of Management And Budget, "Discretionary Budget Authority By Agency: 1976-2014," Accessed, 12/11/09)

Pat Anderson on the Next Generation Energy Act

This is too good for me to pass up. She sure sticks it to one of her opponents!


Minnesota's own job-killing energy legislation imposes higher energy prices on Minnesotans

In 2007 with the blessing of Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty and Democratic leadership and some bi-partisan support in the House and Senate, the Legislature passed the "Next Generation Energy Act" with fanfare about it being a bold investment in renewable power that would motivate energy conservation and decrease Minnesota's contribution to global warming. Noble-sounding ideas at the time, but as people tell me on the campaign trail the immediate consequence is a 20 percent rate increase in their utility bills for next year.

Duluth-based Minnesota Power, for example, is seeking a new rate increase before the end of 2009, citing, in part, the cost of increasing renewable-energy generation. Under the Next Generation Energy Act of 2007, utilities must generate a quarter of their energy from renewable resources by 2025.

It should be noted that not all Republican legislators succumbed to pressure from environmental groups and the governor's office to foist the Next Generation Energy Act on Minnesotans. Two of my opponents in this race showed political courage and did the right thing and voted against the conference committee report. In the House, Rep. Tom Emmer voted against the legislation, voting against House Minority Leader Mary Seifert, who helped engineer a large margin of victory for the DFL-sponsored bill (S.F.145). In the Senate, Sen. David Hann stood up and voted against the bill.

The Next Generation Energy Act set two overall energy goals for the state: (1) the per capita use of fossil fuel as an energy input be reduced by 15 percent by the year 2015, through increased reliance on energy efficiency and renewable energy alternatives; and (2) 25 percent of the total energy used in the state be derived from renewable energy resources by the year 2025. That's a lot of windmills and solar panels.

The legislation has no basis in reality.

Of course, there was no methodology or justification for those ambitious goals in either the legislation or the reports that recommended the targets. In a paper published by the Minnesota Free Market Institute, David Strom notes that the report of the Minnesota Climate Change Advisory Group (MCCAG) on which the Next Generation Energy Act was based "overstates the costs of CO2 emissions, overstates the benefits of reduction measures, understates the costs and difficulties of remediation measures, and calls for actions that are directly at odds with Minnesota's recently adopted transportation policies."

One doesn't need to be a policy researcher to understand the concerns. The Next Generation Energy Act is a political document, not science-based energy policy. It is a less-than-transparent attempt to expand government control over a greater share of the state economy with utter disregard for the impact on the average Minnesotan. We are seeing that same disregard today in Washington and Copenhagen.

To the point of the people I'm talking to around the state: Because of the Next Generation Energy Act, utility companies like Minnesota Power are raising the cost of energy to current customers to pay for the necessary capital investments to meet the renewable standards. In other words, Minnesotans are today footing the bill for renewable energy they are not even getting and that will cost them even more in the future. They are paying more and getting less.

We must undo the damage.

First, immediately, the next governor must use her authority as chief executive to ensure consumer interests are represented at the Public Utility Commission. Today, the input the commission receives is dominated by environmental groups and special interests and the consumer has virtually no voice. This must change, and the governor, irrespective of legislative action, has authority to act.

Second, the next governor must throw her support to repeal of unrealistic energy targets and actions that would cripple the economy but have little impact on environmental protection. Minnesota must have clean, reliable, and inexpensive sources of energy. We must pass legislation that enables all forms of energy to compete in the marketplace, which certainly includes renewable. However, we must also remove unnecessary barriers to clean coal and nuclear power.

Third, we must insist that any future energy legislation be based on scientific and economic reality and not political agendas. Playing the "green job card" is a simplistic way to curry favor with the media and enhance one's political capital, but it is not the way to a better Minnesota. You don't create "green jobs" or any other color jobs when you impose legislation that requires producing less energy at greater cost. You can't achieve emission targets by simply imposing them when the technology is not there to achieve them.

We Republicans cannot run away from this one. Some in our party leadership were as complicit as the Democrats in passing the Next Generation Energy Act. It's a prime example of what went wrong with the Republican Party. Trying to "move to the middle" by buying into the left's agenda is once more coming back to haunt us. And it's Minnesotans that have to live with the consequences.

Now is the time to undo what was done. As your governor, I pledge no less.

Thanks for your support --

Pat

First Amendment on drugs

The FCC's proposed "Net Neutrality" rules put the FCC in control of internet content. The newspaper equivalent would be the federal government deciding that it needs to monitor and regulate what newspapers print - from front page to advertising circular

The logic of proponents of these rules is loosely modeled on the "fairness doctrine" for broadcasting, which is, of course, anything but fair.

This post is an excellent treatment of the law, history and philosophical and political heritage of the "Net Neutralistas".

Net Neutrality - using the first amendment to control free speech.

Only in America.....

Shelley Madore Set To Challenge Kline in 2nd District

I first was witness to what I judge as a total lack of class by ex-representative, Shelley Madore, after a forum at the Eagan Community Center, Madore stood with a group of people and publicly bashed fellow legislators.

After losing to Tara Mack for reelection last year, she is now stepping forward to challenge John Kline for his seat as Congressman from Minnesota's 2nd congressional district.

In a year that was a blowout for democrats, Madore lost. Does anyone really think she has a chance of unseating Kline? I highly doubt it and personally hope she gets the endorsement.

My experience witnessing Madore in action reminded me of a coarse, loud, and obnoxious Rosey O'Donnel. No class whatsoever. Her irritating performance occurred immediately following a forum sponsored by the Transportation Alliance of Minnesota. Her badmouthing of her fellow state representatives went on for over a half hour. I was in the hallway with a group of people and we were wondering what set her off!

With a candidate like Madore stepping up to the plate, the GOP can look forward to great successes next year!

Republican Liberty Caucus of Minnesota granted MNGOP Affiliate Status

ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA - The Republican Party of Minnesota voted to approve the Minnesota Chapter of the Republican Liberty Caucus (RLCMN) as an official party Affiliate at the semiannual meeting of the State Central Committee on Saturday. The RLCMN is the first chapter to be added as an Affiliate since 2005.

"Accepting the RLCMN as an affiliate group sends the message that the Minnesota GOP is truly the party that stands for limited government, individual rights and free markets," said David FitzSimmons, chairman of the RLCMN. "That message resonates with the many Minnesotans who feel the party and the state have moved away from those core principles. Like other affiliate groups, the RLCMN offers a path into the Republican Party for people who believe in our principles but haven't thought of themselves as Republicans."

The Republican Liberty Caucus is a national organization that advocates for public policies that restore liberty, not restrict it; shrink government, not expand it; reduce taxes, not raise them; abolish programs, not create them; promote the freedom and independence of citizens, not the interferences of government in their lives; and observe the limited, enumerated powers of our Constitution, not ignore them. The Minnesota Chapter was chartered in 2003. It has experienced triple digit growth in the last year as more conservatives and independents have become concerned about the expansion of government into the private sector. More information can be found at http://rlcmn.org

Infant left to die by socialized medicine‏

Someone emailed this to me,

Doctors left a premature baby to die because he was born two days too early, his devastated mother claimed yesterday.

Sarah Capewell begged them to save her tiny son, who was born just 21 weeks and five days into her pregnancy - almost four months early.

They ignored her pleas and allegedly told her they were following national guidelines that babies born before 22 weeks should not be given medical treatment.

Read more here...

DEMS TO SENIORS: BID FAREWELL TO YOUR DOCTORS, BENEFITS

Senate Dems Vote To Cut Hundreds Of Billions From Medicare To Fund Their Health Care Experiment

View This Research Briefing At GOP.com

SENATE DEMS VOTE TO KEEP NEARLY $500 BILLION IN MEDICARE CUTS TO FUND TWO NEW ENTITLEMENTS IN THEIR HEALTH CARE EXPERIMENT

CBO Says Sen. Harry Reid's (D-NV) Health Care Experiment "Cuts Medicare Spending By $491 Billion Over 10 Years." (Chris Frates, "CBO Score," Politico's "Live Pulse" Blog, 11/18/09)

• Cuts That CBO Says Could "Reduce Access To Care Or Diminish The Quality Of Care." (CBO Director Doug Elmendorf, Letter To Sen. Harry Reid, 11/18/09, P. 1, 17)

• To Help Pay For New Subsidies In Government-Run Health Insurance Scheme. "The bill is ... intended to make the middle class more dependent on government ... It creates a vast new entitlement, financed by European levels of taxation on business and individuals." (Editorial, "The Lords Of Entitlement," The Wall Street Journal, 11/9/09)

• And Fund A Long-Term Care Entitlement Program That Many Senate Dems Say Will "Increase Deficits." "Senators Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) wrote in the letter that they are concerned the CLASS Act would increase deficits. ... 'We have grave concerns that the real effect of the provisions would be to create a new federal entitlement program with large, long term spending increases that far exceed revenues,' they wrote." (Stephanie Condon, "Moderate Senators Oppose Long Term Health Care Proposal," CBS News's "Political Hot Sheet" Blog, 10/28/09)

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) Proposed An Amendment To Restore Funding To Medicare. "Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, has offered his party's first amendment - an attempt to remove all of the Democrats' proposals to slow the growth in Medicare spending." (David M. Herszenhorn, "Senators Begin Offering Amendments," The New York Times' "Prescriptions" Blog, 11/30/09)

• But Democrat Senators Evan Bayh (D-IN), Mark Begich (D-AK), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Tom Carper (D-DE), Kent Conrad (D-ND), Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Russ Feingold (D-WI), Kay Hagan (D-NC), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Mark Pryor (D-AR), Jon Tester (D-MT), And Mark Warner (D-VA) Vote Against Protecting Seniors And Their Medicare Benefits. (H.R. 3590, Vote On The Motion To Recommit, Roll Call Vote Failed 42-58; R: 40-0; D: 2-56; I: 0-2, 12/3/09)

BUT SENATORS NELSON (D-NE), WEBB (D-VA) ACKNOWLEDGE CUTS TO MEDICARE BY VOTING FOR MCCAIN'S AMENDMENT

Sens. Ben Nelson (D-NE) And Jim Webb (D-VA) Vote For McCain's Amendment. (H.R. 3590, Vote On The Motion To Recommit, Roll Call Vote Failed 42-58; R: 40-0; D: 2-56; I: 0-2, 12/3/09)

WILL NELSON AND WEBB VOTE AGAINST FINAL BILL WITH MEDICARE CUTS

THAT WILL CAUSE SENIORS TO LOSE THEIR DOCTORS AND BENEFITS?

Dems Admit Cuts "Will Force Doctors To Decline Medicare Patients." "Rep. Eric Massa said tightening provider payments could lead to access problems for patients. 'We will force doctors to decline Medicare patients ...'" (Ceci Connolly, "Seniors Remain Wary of Health-Care Reform," The Washington Post, 8/9/09)

• And Payment Cuts To Cardiologists Could "Threaten Access" To Needed Heart Treatments. "Medicare officials recently proposed changes that could increase payments for some primary care services but reduce payments to many specialists. Cardiologists would be especially hard hit ... 'Cuts of this magnitude could cripple cardiology practices and threaten access to services for millions of patients,' said Dr. John C. Lewin, chief executive of the American College of Cardiology." (Robert Pear, "A Basis Is Seen For Some Health Plan Fears Among The Elderly," The New York Times, 8/20/09)

Senate Dems' Bill Will Slash Medicare Advantage. "Setting payment rates in the Medicare Advantage program on the basis of the average of the bids submitted by Medicare Advantage plans in each market, yielding savings of an estimated $118 billion (before interactions) over the 2010-2019 period." (Douglas W. Elmendorf, Letter To Senator Harry Reid, 11/18/09)

• CBO Director Says Cuts To Medicare Advantage Means Many Seniors Seeing Benefits Cut In Half. SEN. MIKE CRAPO (R-ID): "So approximately half of the additional benefit would be lost to those current Medicare Advantage policy holders." ELMENDORF: "Those who would be enrolled otherwise under current law, yes..." (Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID) And CBO Director Douglas W. Elmendorf, Senate Finance Committee Markup Hearing, 9/22/09)

• 20 States Would See More Than 50,000 Seniors Being Dropped From Medicare Advantage. "If Congress sets MA rates at the level of county FFS spending, 11 states are predicted to lose more than 100,000 MA enrollees each, including: California, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Massachusetts, Wisconsin and Illinois. An additional 13 states would lose between 50,000 and 100,000 MA enrollees, including: Missouri, North Carolina, New Jersey, Alabama, Georgia, Minnesota, Florida, New York, Louisiana, Kentucky, Virginia, Indiana and Tennessee." (Adam Atherly, Ph.D. and Kenneth E. Thorpe, Ph.D., Emory School Of Public Health, "The Impact Of Reductions In Medicare Advantage Funding On Beneficiaries," 4/07)