Capitol View: August 19, 2010 Archive
The Daily Digest
Posted at 6:38 AM on August 19, 2010
by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Daily Digest
Democrat Mark Dayton and IP candidate will debate the issues at the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities conference today. Republican Tom Emmer can't attend because of a scheduling conflict.
Horner will release his budget plan and TV ads next week.
WCCO fact checks Dayton's 4-day school week claim.
A new political group with ties to A Stronger America-Minnesota, has popped up in Minnesota.
Race for Congress
DFL Rep. Tim Walz and Republican Randy Demmer start the horse trading on the number of debates they should have.
Democrats and Emily's List want GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann and other Republicans to apologize for a video put on a Senate District 56 GOP video.
Emily's List is also talking up Bachmann's opponent, Democrat Tarryl Clark.
Democrat Jim Meffert wants stimulus money used to retrofit schools.
Under the Dome
Duluth nurses reject a contract offer and ok a one-day strike.
Gov. Pawlenty rejected $1 million in federal health care money.
A MnDOT official says Rochester will get high-speed rail eventually.
A transit study gets the ok from the Gateway Corridor Commission.
Congress
The last U.S. combat team is leaving Iraq. Roughly fifty thousand military trainers will stay in the country.
President Obama campaigns for Democrats in a few swing states.
He also said the economy is slowly coming back.
His comments come at a time when a poll says Obama gets his lowest marks when it comes to handling the economy.
GM is planning a stock sale a year after declaring bankruptcy.
DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar joins the Military Families Caucus.
Minneapolis Police are investigating a shot at DFL Sen. Al Franken's Minneapolis home.
Franken will hold a meeting on internet issues tonight in Minneapolis. Two FCC chairs will also attend.
Franken also raised money for the Democratic candidate for governor in Illinois and will raise money for an Ohio Senate candidate on Saturday.
DFL Rep. Keith Ellison talks about why the proposed mosque should not be moved in NYC with Time. He also talked other issues dealing with his faith. Ellison is a Muslim.
DFL Rep. Collin Peterson wants to set aside a huge area of land to offset Fargo/Moorhead flooding.
Pawlenty for Prez Watch
Politico says Gov. Pawlenty is following Mitt Romney's lead when it comes to campaign fundraising. The key step is state PACs.
The Iowa Republican says Pawlenty has a shot at winning the state.
Romney isn't making a stop at the Iowa State Fair this year.
Bachmann worried about PBGC proposal
Posted at 10:45 AM on August 19, 2010
by Annie Baxter
Filed under: Campaign 2010: U.S. House
U.S. Congresswoman Michele Bachmann says on Townhall.com that she's worried about a plan to create a special fund in the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC). She says:
On the heels of last week's $26 billion spending bill, of which much is going to public sector unions, a new union bailout bill may be gaining traction for discussion this fall.
The context of her points isn't quite accurate-- Polinaut refuted Bachmann's claims that the spending bill is going to public sector unions.
But here's what Bachmann's worried about. It's Senator Bob Casey's proposal to use tax money to shore up some underfunded union pension plans. Bachmann cites a recent Wall Street Journal piece. The Journal says:
The PBGC is already significantly underfunded and taxpayers are its ultimate backstop. Yet the Casey bailout could dump as much as $165 billion in new liabilities on the PBGC, while multi-employer plans would get a clean bill of health.
Bachmann says she's worried that the support of Senator Dick Durbin, Democratic Majority Whip, will give the proposal steam and that it will get voted on by the full Senate and House:
Enough is enough. Democrats have proven time and time again they are not shy when spending your taxpayer dollars, especially when it comes to their union buddies. It is time for Washington to stop the futile bailouts and end the reckless spending spree for good.
The Washington Examiner, a conservative paper, expresses further worries about the plan here.
MSNBC rejects MoveOn ad
Posted at 11:52 AM on August 19, 2010
by Tom Scheck
(1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor
MSNBC announced today that it's rejecting a MoveOn.org ad that's criticizing Target Corporation for giving $150,000 to MN Forward, which is supporting Republican Tom Emmer's campaign for governor. MSNBC's spokeswoman tells the AP that they aren't airing the ad because it specifically attacks one company.
MoveOn's executive director Justin Ruben criticized MSNBC's decision in a news release.
"According to MSNBC and GE it is alright for corporations, like Target, to attack candidates and buy elections, but it is not OK for citizen organizations, like MoveOn, to fight back. This is the height of hypocrisy," said Justin Ruben, Executive Director of MoveOn.org. "Target Corporation decided to use the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision to try to buy the Minnesota Governor's election and now GE and MSNBC are protecting them from deserved consumer backlash. It's good to know that cronyism is alive and well in the corporate takeover of America."
PoliGraph: Alliance right about Emmer's missed votes
Posted at 3:08 PM on August 19, 2010
by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, PoliGraph
The Alliance for a Better Minnesota, a labor-backed organization, has a new ad knocking Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer for missing votes during the most recent legislative session.
As an invisible red pen marks days on a calendar, the voice over asks, "What would happen if you missed one out of every five days of work for a year?"
"I wouldn't have a job," says one woman.
"My boss would kill me," says another.
"Tom Emmer missed one out of every five votes in the state legislature," the voice-over says. That's "142 missed votes in 2010 alone. Votes on education, veterans' affairs, and jobs."
The Alliance for a Better Minnesota gets its numbers right. But viewers beware: Understanding this ad requires some context.
The Evidence
Election season was already heating up when the legislature met for its 2010 session. And that means several lawmakers, including the Democratic candidate for governor, House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, and state Rep. Randy Demmer, R-Hayfield, a congressional candidate, also missed votes to campaign.
Emmer, of Delano, was among those missing in action. In 2010, House legislators cast 621 votes, including votes on big ticket issues, such as education funding, as well as non-controversial resolutions and procedural moves. Emmer missed 142 of those votes, about 20 percent - or one in five votes - during the session.
It's also true that Emmer missed votes on education issues, such as a bill to fund K-12 schools, veterans' affairs, and two votes on an employment and economic development policy bill.
So, the Alliance for a Better Minnesota is on the mark with Emmer's missed votes.
But it's still important to put this ad in context. Here's how Emmer's absences break down:
This year's session lasted a little over 14 weeks, and Emmer missed votes on 15 of those days. So, that's roughly equivalent to one day for every week the legislature met. However, he was present for some votes on eight of those days.
Furthermore, Emmer missed most of those votes on a few days clustered at the end of the session; he did not take one day off every week for the entire session as the ad implies. Emmer's campaign manager Cullen Sheehan didn't say where he was on those days, only that he takes his job "very seriously."
The Verdict
Though the Alliance for a Better Minnesota omits some context from its ad, the claim is essentially accurate. The group correctly points out that Emmer missed one out of every five votes this session. And most of those votes were indeed on significant issues facing the state, including education funding, taxes and the environment.
SOURCES
Alliance for a Better Minnesota, Really?, accessed Aug. 17, 2010
Minnesota Public Radio News, Some legislators skip votes to campaign, by Tom Scheck, April 22, 2010
Minnesota Public Radio News, Where's Emmer? DFL questions missed votes, by Tim Pugmire, May 13, 2010
Minnesota Public Radio News, House GOP hits back on Kelliher's missed votes, by Tom Scheck, May 13, 2010
Minnesota State Legislature, Recorded Roll Call Floor Votes By Date, 2009-2010 Regular Session, accessed Aug. 17, 2010
Alliance for a Better Minnesota, Tom Emmer's Missed Votes in 2010, accessed Aug. 17, 2010
Interview, Xavier Lopez-Ayala, spokesman, Alliance for a Better Minnesota, Aug. 17, 2010
Interview, Cullen Sheehan, campaign manager, Emmer for Governor, Aug. 17, 2010
More
Pawlenty fundraiser for Emmer in Shorewood
Posted at 6:27 PM on August 19, 2010
by Tom Scheck
(3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor
Republican Tom Emmer's campaign for governor released more information on where Gov. Pawlenty's fundraiser for the Emmer campaign will be held.
The Emmer campaign says Pawlenty will host the fundraiser (along with Norm Coleman, John Kline, Michele Bachmann and Erik Paulsen) at the home of Marty & Anne Davis in Shorewood.
Campaign finance reports show that Marty Davis, an executive with Davisco Foods, has given mostly to Norm Coleman's campaign between 2006 and 2010. He also donated to the MNGOP, Texas Congressman Ted Poe, Phil Krinkie's failed campaign for Congress and Republican Brian Davis' failed campaign for Congress in 2008.
Emmer's campaign says the event will be closed to the press.
Here's the info from the fundraising invite:
Please join Governor Tim Pawlenty, Sen. Norm Coleman, Rep. John Kline, Rep. Michele Bachmann and Rep. Erik Paulsen for an exclusive event for Tom EmmerMonday, August 23
General Reception 5:30 - 7 pm $500 per person / $1,000 per couple
VIP "Max-Out' Dinner with Hosts 7- 8:30 pm
Co-Hosts George & Barbara Anderson · Doug & Julie Baker Tim & Emily Berkness · Steve & Barbara Cossack Mark & Mary Davis · Marty & Anne Davis Ken & Midge Dean · Dennis & Megan Doyle Bob & Mary Fayfield · David & Sandra Frauenshuh Stan & Karen Hubbard · Doug & Julie Huseby Steve & Jennifer Knuth · Jack & Annette Meeks Greg & Cindy Page · Andrew & Leslie Parker Bernadette Perryman · Brad & Melanie Rixmann Dan & Jodi Rosen · Ron & Janet Schutz Denny & Amanda Walsh
The Home of Marty & Anne Davis
Shorewood, MN
(Note: I intentionally left off the address of the fundraiser)
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