Polinaut: August 30, 2007 Archive

Daily Digest 8-30-07

Posted at 7:22 AM on August 30, 2007 by Mike Mulcahy
Filed under: Daily Digest

By now it's becoming painfully clear we won't have a Twins playoff run to divert our attention from more serious stories...like the travails of Sen. Larry Craig. So we'd better start the digest there again.

2008

You've probably already heard that Sen. Norm Coleman was one of the first Republican senators to call for Craig to resign. The Washington Post reports he's also returned some campaign money Craig gave him.

But Coleman isn't the only 2008 Senate candidate from Minnesota who's returning campaign contributions. You can see that Democrat Al Franken is too when you read this NY Times piece about a donor who gave Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign $23,000.

And back in Sen. Craig's home state, a report that conservatives were already upset with him.

Iraq

With about two weeks to go before the White House is due to weigh in with its progress report on Iraq, a draft of a GAO report has leaked, and it's not looking good.

Yet the NY Times reports that the Bush administration believes it's gaining the upper hand in the debate over the troop surge.

Minnesota

Gov. Pawlenty now says he'll support a nickel per gallon gas tax increase, but he still wants it to be temporary and at least partially offset by an income tax cut. The Pioneer Press interprets some of Pawlenty's remarks as meaning he doesn't necessarily want a special session.

And as the Twins hold a ceremonial groundbreaking for their new stadium today, the Vikings have backed off a plan to buy some downtown Minneapolis real estate from the Star Tribune's new owner. The Strib, Pioneer Press and AP have stories.

MPR has a piece about the U of M getting ready for bridge collapse-related transportation problems when school starts next week.

Finally

As if the (unofficial) end of summer this weekend wasn't bad enough, now we have a new mosquito to contend with. I guess a drought, a flood and a bridge collapse just weren't enough this year! Enjoy your picnic this weekend and bring the DEET.

Dear candidates: How 'bout that Constitution, eh?

Posted at 9:31 AM on August 30, 2007 by Bob Collins (1 Comments)

I guess this is "Constitution Week" at Polinaut, for it has already been an interesting week to look at questions of civil rights and government guarantee of rights, based on several court cases and news stories.

During the last campaign, I lamented on Polinaut that I really don't end up knowing very much about the candidates because the "issues" usually fall into several very general categories, and, besides, I don't know anything about them as people; only as politicians.

Iraq, taxes, abortion, guns, education are the usual issues that will be asked in the usual way and answered in the usual way. They're not unimportant, they just don't always lead to a revelation of the thought process.

I want to throw some hypotheticals at the candidates in the campaigns of '08 to see what they think about the reach and limits of government, and the rights we are afforded.

A judge in New York has ordered a Web site to shut down because it sells materials that can help people legally stop paying taxes. Judge Thomas J. McAvoy wrote that "the First Amendment did (does) not protect the two organizations that operate the Web site... because it incites criminal conduct.

Oh, wait, it gets better. The judge ordered that the names, addresses, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses and Social Security numbers as well as e-mail addresses of all customers be turned over to the government.

Now, the debate here isn't whether people should or shouldn't pay their taxes, or even whether tax evasion is or isn't legal. The question is whether the Constitution protects you from, say, selling your opinion of those questions that could then be used to commit an illegal act.

The effect of this question, it seems to me far outweighs an analysis of some senator's "wide stance." I'd sure like to hear what the candidates think of the ruling, because I think it would yield some insight (as opposed to incite, a bad thing, I guess) into a fairly significant aspect of their service in office -- the Constitution, which I hear they're sworn to uphold, and protect, and defend. Perhaps we should add "define" to that.

Here's a question for the statewide candidates stemming from the work of the Legislature last spring. Do I, under the Constitution, have a right to sell an American flag that's not made in America?

I bet we'd learn a lot more from candidates if we pressed them on real-life constitutional questions. And since at least two of the folks running for U.S. Senate are attorneys, it shouldn't be too hard for 'em.

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The anti-authority authority

Posted at 2:02 PM on August 30, 2007 by Bob Collins (1 Comments)

The anarchists of Minnesota are meeting this weekend to go over strategy for the Republican National Convention. In the process of disseminating their information, the anarchists apparently share a lot in common with "the State," which they so despise.

Registration for the Sunday events will occur at Saturday morning’s brunch, and people will be admitted to the Strat and Breakout sessions from the list created there. In order to register, you will need two other people at the pReNC to vouch for you. We use the term “vouch” rather loosely here- we just want to know that others can identify you and know your background. If you don’t know two people in attendance, you’ll need to provide the Security Team with contacts to check out before Sunday. Again, our purpose with this process is to get the good guys in, and keep the State out. If you cannot make it to Saturday’s brunch or feel that the contacts you provide may be insufficient, talk to us and we’ll do our best to work it out. Likewise, if you have concerns about or objections to this process, please let us know.

Well, OK, no concerns per se, except for the hint of jackbooted Stalinists, of course. They're concerned about being infiltrated by the cops (a concern that is entirely valid). They also are concerned, I guess, about reporters and bloggers who may not be out to overthrow the state, but are just interested in people who are.

Curiously, the anarchists Web site on security details insists the events are "open to the public," but apparently they're only opened to the public the way, say, that Vice President Cheney's meetings with the energy industry are open to the public.

A lot in common, indeed.

Anyway, if you're going to the anarchists' festival this weekend, I'd be interested in what you find.

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Thompson to announce next week

Posted at 3:12 PM on August 30, 2007 by Bob Collins

Fred Thompson will announce his candidacy on September 6. Following in the footsteps of other presidential contenders, he'll make the announcement on his Web site as a webcast.

Just the facts

Posted at 4:48 PM on August 30, 2007 by Bob Collins (1 Comments)

CNN is playing the Larry Craig interrogation tape ad nauseum. Listen.

Alternately, you can watch a dramatization of the police report instead.

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