DFL Dispatch

September 29, 2006

In this issue:

-               Get involved in our Coordinated Campaign and help elect DFL Candidates

-               Minnesota DFL African American Caucus and the Minnesota DFL Disability Caucus

                meeting announcements

-               A New Chapter in Labor: Andy Stern’s A Country That Works out on October 2

-               This Week in Agriculture: U.S. Reps. Urged to Sign Disaster Relief Petition

-               New poll shows Klobuchar at 15-point lead

-               Wetterling endorsed by former Presidential Candidates John Edwards and Ret. Gen. Wesley Clark   

-               Governor Out-of-Touch: Majority of Corporate Campaign Contributions go to Pawlenty

-               GOP: The Party of Bachmann

-               While Minnesotans Sour on Iraq, Kennedy and Kline Re-affirm Support

-                Editorial: War in Iraq heightens threat to United States

Quote of the Week:

“Having allied herself firmly with the president’s policies on Iraq and privatizing Social Security, [Michele Bachmann] also advocates eliminating the estate tax. For supporting these radical reforms she is called an ‘archconservative,’ though what she is trying to conserve, other than large family fortunes, is never scrupulously clear.”

--Charles Baxter, New York Times Opinion Columnist, writing on the 6^th District Race

*****

The DFL needs your help to elect our DFL candidates!

There are many volunteer opportunities if you have an extra couple hours that you’d like to spend getting our candidates into office.

To get involved in our coordinated campaign, please contact Chelsea Kammerer at ckammerer@dfl.org or 1-866-646-2622. 

Thank you!!!

*****

Here are two meeting notice announcements that people from the African American community and the Disability community are invited to attend. They are the Minnesota DFL African American Caucus and the Minnesota DFL Disability Caucus.

 1.)     You are invited to attend The Minnesota DFL African American Caucus meeting. We will be having a special guest, Amy Klobuchar for United States Senate from Minnesota. Please join us.

When: Thursday, September 28, 2006

Time: 6:00pm

Where: MLK Center

4055 Nicollet Ave S

Minneapolis, MN

http://www.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl&q=4055%20Nicollet%20Ave%20S%2C%20Minneapolis%2C%20MN

2.)     The Minnesota DFL Disability Caucus will be meeting on Monday, October 9 from 6pm to 7:30pm at the Minnesota DFL Party Headquarters-255 E. Plato Blvd., St. Paul. Erin Burke from the Coordinated Campaign will be talking about how to increase the number of people with disabilities in the Get out the Vote (GOTV) effort for our state.

A conference call is available if you can’t attend and want to participate, dial the conference call numbers at the specified time:

1.800.704.9804.

When prompted, enter your Participant Code followed by #.

Your Participant Code is 976153#.

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&lr=&q=255%20E%20Plato%20Blvd%2C%20St.%20Paul%2C%20MN&sa=N&tab=wl

Any questions or for more information contact:

RoseAnn Zimbro

Outreach Director

Minnesota DFL Party

651.251.6321

rzimbro@dfl.org mailto:rzimbro@dfl.org

*****

This Week in Labor:

A Country That Works

Andy Stern

Due out October 2

Over the last several days I have had the chance to speak in a variety of forums: colleges, a management consultant meeting, with SEIU members and leaders in New York, and to SEIU's first ever national meeting of Republican members.

What I find both amazing and gratifying is how much everyone loves our country, and want their children to do better economically. Americans are becoming well aware that our country is growing apart economically -- wages are at the lowest percentage of national income since the great Depression, and corporate profits are at the highest level of national income ever 

For the first time, everyone on the Forbes 400 richest Americans list is a billionaire.

A rising tide is not raising all boats, as John F. Kennedy once discussed. Today, it’s only the luxury liners.

Change is inevitable; progress is optional. That’s why America needs a plan to create a country that works for everyone.

I wrote this book in the hope of further stimulating an American discussion about rewarding and valuing every one's hard work, and about not letting our kids and grandkids be the first generation in American history to do worse than their parents

That is not the America any of us want to be our legacy!

That is the America we need to put back on track.

The ideas for our country to be successful, as I outline in the book, are all around us, and not just centered in Washington DC. And if we use this moment to lift our voices we can lift our country to meet the challenges of this profoundly new economy.

Team USA needs a plan, new relationships and new ideas. Let the debate begin!

*****

This Week in Agriculture

U.S. Reps. Urged to Sign Disaster Assistance Petiti

“A disaster is a disaster - regardless if it comes from a hurricane, tornado, flood or drought. Congress needs to act assist families who are victims of something totally beyond their control,”

                                                --Tom Buis, President, National Farmer’s Union

National Farmers Union and a coalition of agriculture and rural-related organizations that have been working toward the adoption of natural disaster assistance for agriculture for more than a year and are supporting a last-ditch effort to get the assistance approved.

The organizations are urging members of the U.S. House of Representatives to sign a discharge petition on agriculture disaster assistance. The measure would circumvent the committee process and bring legislation directly to the House floor. In order for the Discharge Petition to become effective, it must have 218 signatures.

“More than 34 organizations continue to urge the House to vote on disaster legislation, but a few in the Congressional Leadership who control the House schedule have blocked consideration,” said NFU President Tom Buis, “I am hopeful that farmers and ranchers and rural residents will urge their Representatives to sign the Disaster Discharge Petition early this week so that the bill can still come to the floor before Friday.”

To read about other recent news relevant to Minnesota farmers, click here.                            

*****

Amy Klobuchar News

Klobuchar Leads in new MPR/Pioneer Press Poll

WCCO News

Amy: 52%, Mark 37%

Another independent poll has found Democrat Amy Klobuchar with a big lead over Republican Mark Kennedy in Minnesota's race for the U.S. Senate.

The Mason-Dixon poll conducted for the St. Paul Pioneer Press and Minnesota Public Radio found Klobuchar was supported by 52 percent of registered voters -- a 15-point lead over Kennedy, who was favored by 37 percen

The Mason-Dixon telephone poll of 625 registered voters was taken Sept. 18-20. The margin of error was plus or minus 4 percentage points.

The results are similar to other recent polls that found Klobuchar with a strong lead over Kennedy, a three-term U.S. representative from Watertown.

To read more about Amy’s lead in the Minnesota Senate Race, click here.

*****

Wetterling Endorsed by John Edwards; Wesley Clark

Democratic nominee Patty Wetterling will be endorsed by 2004 Democratic presidential hopeful and retired Gen. Wesley Clark today, days after a visit from 2004 and possible 2008 hopeful, former Sen. John Edwards, according to Roll Call .                                       

To read more about the too-close-to-call 6^th District Race, check out “The Topsy-Turvy Race for Minnesota’s 6^th” posted on dflers.org.

*****

MPR: Majority of Corporate Campaign Contributions go to Pawlenty

Showing once again just how out of touch with Minnesota voters Governor Tim Pawlenty really is, the gubernatorial race for political contributions from corporate CEOs is not even close.

The Business Journal corroborates MPR’s report:

Minnesota's top business leaders have picked sides as next month's gubernatorial vote nears. According to their checkbooks, most want Gov. Tim Pawlenty for another four years.

The Republican incumbent has garnered most of the big donations from business leaders, according to an analysis of campaign finance records. Among the state's 100 largest public companies and 25 largest private companies, 35 CEOs have given money to Pawlenty's campaign

Two have contributed to Independence Party candidate Peter Hutchinson's campaign and one has donated to DFL hopeful and state Attorney General Mike Hatch.

*****

GOP: The Party of Bachmann

Posted by Cass Casper on dflers.org

When Minnesota Republican Party chairman Ron Carey first dubbed the DFL “The Party of Ellison” after the September 12 Primary, it was just one last feeble attempt to suggest that Keith Ellison was a candidate to be ashamed of.

But since the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) sent out a bunch of fliers blatantly lying about Patty Wetterling’s voting history to 6th district voters, I’ve been thinking that Chairman Carey’s poorly considered bit of ‘I’m-so-cleverness’ might be more appropriately applied to Patty’s NRCC sponsored opponent, Michele Bachmann.

Even with her infamous political love affair with the gay marriage issue (“And what a bizarre time we’re in…when a judge will say to little children that you can’t say the pledge of allegiance, but you must learn that homosexuality is normal and you should try it.”-Bachmann on “Prophetic Views behind the News” ), Bachmann has managed to avoid the limelight by toning down her militant fear-rhetoric and mostly avoiding the issues altogether.

In Thursday’s debate for instance, not only did the issue-we-all-were-expecting-to-come-up, not come up, but the typically animated Michele even seemed uncharacteristically scripted. But, why would someone so unusually passionate on one issue, come off as so blasé on an issue as important to Minnesotans as transportation?

Her campaign website has even relegated the marriage issue to a few small paragraphs.

As if hiding her past record on one issue weren’t enough, her silence on education is questionable as well. According to the Pioneer Press , Bachmann claimed in July that public education is her “No. 1 issue” despite having taken nearly $50,000 in campaign contributions from individuals affiliated with The Alliance for the Separation of School and State, a national organization that favors privatizing our schools - and abolishing public education altogether. It’s no wonder she didn’t bring up her “number one issue” in the debate yesterday.

The National Republican Congressional Committee lies to voters about Wetterling in an effort to encourage support for an extreme, one-trick pony who wants to abolish public schools, is militantly concerned with divisive social issues, and fails to represent herself accurately on her website and during debates?

GOP: The Party of Bachmann.

‘Nuff said.

 *****

Minnesota Sours on Iraq

By Rachel E. Stassen-Berger

Pioneer Press

Up from 18 percent in 2003, 42 percent of Minnesotans now disagree with the war in Iraq

Minnesotans have drastically altered their views on the war in Iraq, and this year's congressional election is shaping up to be a referendum on it.

In spring 2003, shortly after a U.S.-led coalition invaded Iraq, only 18 percent of those polled said it was wrong to fight the war.

But in a recent Pioneer Press-Minnesota Public Radio poll, 42 percent said fighting the war was wrong.

Meanwhile, 14 percent said fighting the war was right, and 41 percent said fighting the war was right but that the Bush administration wasn't prepared for its aftermath.

Declining support for the war has affected President Bush's popularity. And Minnesota's congressional candidates' fate on Election Day may depend on their views on the war.

Kennedy, who currently represents Minnesota's 6th Congressional District, said the troops should only come home once the war on terror is won. He voted to authorize the Iraq war and said his support for it has not changed. 

U.S. Rep. John Kline, who is fending off a 2nd District challenge from anti-war Democrat Coleen Rowley, said he has changed his views on tactics but not the war itself. The fight in Iraq is central to the war against terror, said Kline, a former Marine.

To read the rest of this article, click here.

*****

Editorial: War in Iraq heightens threat to United States

Star Tribune

September 26, 2006

Bush's intelligence chiefs agree: Bush's war is a disaster.

Right in the middle of the fall political campaign comes a report from the nation's 16 intelligence agencies that concludes the Bush administration's war in Iraq is impeding U.S. efforts to defeat Islamic terrorism. The war is, in fact, creating an entire new generation of prospective terrorists who hate America. Fighting over there to avoid fighting over here -- the mantra of war supporters -- is thus revealed as the cheap political talking point it always was.

This is no ordinary report. It is the first National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq since the start of the war, and it represents the consensus view of all 16 national intelligence agencies -- most of them run by officials the Bush White House appointed. The Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld crowd's own experts are telling them the only remaining reason they have for justifying the Iraq war is a lie, just as the Iraq's WMD programs and its connections to the 9/11 attacks or Osama bin Laden were lies.

If you were to create a new recruiting poster for the iconic, finger-pointing Uncle Sam, he would say, "We want YOU to fight and die in Iraq so that YOUR families will be at greater risk of terrorist attack." That's the ultimate obscenity of this war: Our young die in the belief that they are protecting Aunt Molly and Uncle Joe, when in actuality the war's effect is to draw bull's-eyes on Molly's back and Joe's forehead.

Most Americans understand that the war in Iraq is a tragic blunder that has gotten the United States now acting like a confused rat in a maze. What to do?

If the war today puts the United States at risk tomorrow, then American troops should be withdrawn as soon as possible in a safe, orderly fashion. A reasonable goal is to bring a first, large contingent home by year's end and have them all out several months later.

Bush won't do that on his own. He'll have to be forced -- by Congress. After the November election. With Democrats and moderate Republicans in control.

Defeat this November is the deserved consequence for every incumbent member of Congress who has sung with gusto the bunting-draped "We'll fight them over there" chorus that was written and produced for them by the White House. Two especially deserving of that consequence in Minnesota are Rep. Mark Kennedy, who is running for the Senate, and Rep. John Kline, who is running for reelection.

Kline's behavior has been especially contemptible because he is a retired Marine officer. It's difficult to comprehend that someone of that background would demonstrate so little regard for the troops that he would vigorously support sending them to fight and die in a war that puts their nation at risk.

The new National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq makes quite clear that Iraq is not the central front in the war on terrorism. It is, rather, the central recruiting office and training ground for new terrorists. The United States needs to find a way out of there. To get out, it needs a transformed Congress capable of forcing a new course on the White House. President Bush refuses to acknowledge the bloody reality he has wrought. The only way he will ever confront that reality is if he is forced, by a Congress stripped of its fall-in-line supporters of the war.

August 31, 2006

In this issue:

-               Victory Dinner with President Bill Clinton: Tickets Available

-               This Week in Labor: Show Your Unity with NWA Flight Attendants!

-               This Week in Agriculture: Drought relief called stingy. Little aid headed for Minnesota, Wisconsin despite dry cropland

-               DFL at the Fair!

-               Amy at the Fair: Tax Breaks for first time Home Buyers at State Fair “Home” Front Porch

-               One Year After Katrina: “A Year of Broken Promises”

-               “Minnesota in Line for more Clout in Democratic House”

-               Keith Ellison Profiled

-               Volunteer to Help Democrats Win!  Email Chelsea Kammer ckammerer@dfl.org today!

Quote of the Week:

St. Paul firefighter union official Patrick Flanigan addressed differences between Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Democratic challenger Mike Hatch.

"I want a nice guy to marry my sister," Flanigan said. "I want Mike Hatch to be governor."

Pawlenty widely is recognized as affable, while Hatch is known as a street fighter.

*****

Minnesota Victory Dinner 2006

The Minnesota DFL is thrilled to present the Minnesota Victory Dinner with former President Bill Clinton on Saturday, September 16^th.  This is a rare and exciting opportunity to see one of the most eloquent presidents of the past twenty years.

Make sure to reserve your tickets now for this once-in-a-lifetime event!

Tickets available here.

*****

This Week in Labor:

Management at Northwest Airlines has torn up the Flight Attendants' contract and imposed unilateral cuts totaling nearly $200 million per year for five and a half years.   Northwest slashed salary and benefits by 40 percent while dramatically increasing work hours.  Show your solidarity by attending the Labor Day Rally!

WHAT:                  Labor Day Rally

WHEN:                  Mon, Sept 4^th.  3pm.

WHERE:                Veteran's Park Picnic Shelter

                                6335 Portland Avenue

                                Richfield, MN

                                (Crosstown 62 to Portland Avenue and go south) 

*****

This Week in Agriculture:

Drought relief called stingy

Little aid headed for Minnesota, Wisconsin despite dry cropland

By Tom Webb

Pioneer Press

"It's like spitting in a blast furnace and calling it a big deal," fumed Doug Peterson, president of the Minnesota Farmers Union. "How dumb do people think we are?"

Check out this article here.

*****

“DFL at the Fair!”

Posted by Nick Kimball on www.dflers.org.

If you haven't made it out there yet, check out some of the pictures below for a little bit of what you can expect when you hit up the DFL booth on the northeast corner of Dan Patch Ave and Cooper St., just a couple blocks in to the Fair from the main entrance on Snelling.

Sorry for the quality of some of the pictures, I only had my cell phone camera for a few of them.

We have candidates speaking in our booth regularly each evening. For the most part, the candidates are speaking each night at 6pm, with one exception. The schedule for the rest of the fair is:

-                      Thursday, August 31, 6pm - Attorney General Mike Hatch (candidate for Governor)

-                      Friday, September 1, 6pm - Rep. Betty McCollum (CD4 Representative)

-                      Saturday, September 2, 6pm - Patty Wetterling (candidate for CD6)

-                      Sunday, September 3, 6pm - Rep. Keith Ellison (candidate for CD5)

-                      Monday, September 4, 6pm - Wendy Wilde (candidate for CD3)

Saturday, we had Agent for Change Coleen Rowley (seen to the left).

Friday, retired Command Sgt. Major Tim Walz blew the crowd away in typical fashion with his optimistic speech articulating his vision for southern Minnesota.

The other fantastic addition to the DFL booth this year is "Doublespeak: Tim Pawlenty's Favorite Political Game" (pictured to the left).

It's our own very own game show, styled after the Memory game we all played in our earlier days. We played on Friday, and plan to play again Saturday at 4pm. We'll play a couple rounds tomorrow, depending on interest. So come on out and try your hand! The winning team gets their choice of a free DFL t-shirt!

All in all of the Fair is a fantastic time. You should come out and see us! If only for your chance to win a free t-shirt!

*****

Amy at the Fair!

Klobuchar Releases Plan to Help First-Time Home Buyers Get Ahead

Posted on amyklobuchar.com.

U.S. Senate Candidate Talks About Tax Breaks for First Time Home Buyers at State Fair “Home” Front Porch

“Americans don’t want more tax breaks and tax shelters for wealthy corporations and billionaires,” said Klobuchar.  “When I get to Washington, I will stand up for middle class families who are saddled by debt and skyrocketing mortgage rates.”

Read the full article here.

*****

“A Year of Broken Promises”

Posted by Ian Christy on www.dflers.org.

For the Gulf Coast, the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina brings a reminder of the past year's underwhelming progress in rebuilding.  In the immediate aftermath of the federal government's bumblred response, President Bush stood in New Orleans's Jackson Square promising to atone for the mistakes of the weeks past and "stay as long as it takes, to help citizens rebuild their communities and their lives."  But time has proven his words hollow and the reconstruction efforts remain at a snail's pace since the media spotlight has shifted elsewhere.

In the year since Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, the federal government has done "just enough to be credible," William Douglas of McClatchy Newspapers reported Tulane University history Prof. Douglas Brinkley stating.

Others monitoring reconstruction efforts agree, according to McClatchy Newspapers:

"From his commitment to make New Orleans' damaged levee system `stronger than it has ever been' to his vow to address the `deep, persistent poverty' with `roots in a history of racial discrimination' that Katrina exposed, Bush has come up short, they say."

A total of $33 billion in appropriated aid has yet to be released, and $33 billion more has yet to be spent.  The escalating violence in the Middle East has kept the Bush administration's attention elsewhere and drained resources from reconstruction efforts.  And for an administration that has ostensibly made homeland security a priority, Bush's failure appears particularly glaring.

*****

“Minnesota in Line for more Clout in Democratic House”

Rob Hotakainen

Star Tribune

Minnesota stands to gain substantial clout and visibility on Capitol Hill if Democrats take control of the House of Representatives this fall, an idea that seemed preposterous only a few months ago. But with Republicans struggling and polls showing widespread dissatisfaction with Congress, a Democratic takeover is now regarded as a real possibility.

Read the full article about Minnesota’s chance to have two representatives (Oberstar and Peterson) chair two major committees (Transportation and Agriculture) in Congress here.

*****

Keith Ellison Profiled

In the City Pages this week, there is an excellent profile of DFL-endorsed Keith Ellison who is running for Congress in the Fifth District.  The article chronicles the vicious political attacks aimed at taking down one of the hardest-working members of the Minnesota State House.

It features long interviews with people who have met and endorsed him.  Sam Kaplan, for example, is a past president of the Minnesota Jewish Federation and said of Ellison, “I have to admit, as we sat and talked to him for two hours, our minds flashed back 16 years and our first long conversation with Paul Wellstone,”

The article thoroughly and accurately analyzes someone who will bring back the enthusiasm and unity that Wellstone represented.  As Ellison begins his stump speech, “I am running for Congress because I believe that we have to boldly and unapologetically assert the idea that we are better off together than we are apart.”

-               This Week in Agriculture:  West Central Tribune Editorial on Mark Kennedy's Farmfest Antics

-               Pelosi Stumps for Democrats in Minnesota

-               Democrats urge "New Direction" in Iraq

-               Farmfest! or “From Redwood County, with Love”

-               Hatch & Dutcher Campaign for Change

-               An Open Letter to Minnesotans

-               Strib Editorial: Cynical Logic that Doesn’t Add Up

-               Legislators Investigate Meth Treatment Expenditures

Quote of the week:

"Any assertion of that type I can just call manure.''

League of Conservation Voters (LCV) spokesman Chuck Pocari, in response to Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mark Kennedy’s assertion that the LCV, which has endorsed DFL candidate Amy Klobuchar, thought manure was “toxic.”

*****

This week in Labor:

“'Bread-and-butter' politics dominate Building Trades convention”

From Workday Minnesota, Aug. 1

By Barb Kucera, Workday Minnesota editor

“DULUTH — Jobs, education, health care, transportation – bread and butter issues – dominated the Minnesota Building Trades' annual convention, where the focus was clearly on this fall's elections.

Retired Sheet Metal Workers representative George Sundstrom set the tone in a rousing speech that condemned the current administrations in Washington and St. Paul.

 

“To Bush, Cheney and Rove, there's nothing wrong with this country that a constitutional amendment banning flag burning and same-sex marriage can't fix, or another tax cut for people who don't need it,” he said to loud applause. Sundstrom and others said Minnesotans need to elect public officials who will support working people and not destroy their jobs, retirement security and health care.

Read the whole story here.

*****

This week in Agriculture:

From an editorial in the August 3 edition of the West Central Tribune

[Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mark] Kennedy Tuesday accused Democratic Senate nominee Amy Klobuchar of believing manure was a toxic waste because a group that supported her believes so and because a Texas judge ruled as such. Klobuchar, who was appearing on crutches due to recent hip surgery, said she didn’t want to “get down in the manure” with Kennedy but said she didn’t believe manure was a toxic waste.

 

[…]

 

Congressman Kennedy will need something more than a toxic issue like manure to overcome his vote for the Central American Free Trade Agreement, especially in sugar beet country. Kennedy’s manure spin just doesn’t pass the smell test compared to his CAFTA vote.

Check out the whole editorial here.

*****

Pelosi Stumps for Democrats in Minnesota:

From Associated Press: "Democratic leader Pelosi making rounds in Minnesota"

On Wednesday, Pelosi attended Farmfest at the invitation of Democratic Rep. Collin Peterson, who represents western Minnesota. Peterson would become chairman of the Agriculture Committee if Democrats win control of the House.

 

[...]

 

She said with Peterson's help the party has been more focused on rural issues, including transportation, health care, housing, education and ethanol.

 

Also, Pelosi will appear at a fundraiser Thursday night for Democratic congressional candidate Patty Wetterling, who is running in the 6th Congressional District against Republican Michele Bachmann and the Independence Party's John Binkowski.

 

[...]

 

"She's an outstanding candidate, and she'll make a great member of Congress," Pelosi said of Wetterling. "And I'm here to help her make Collin Peterson the chairman of the Agriculture Committee."

Check out the whole article here.  And remember, if the Democrats take back Congress, Minnesota will lead with Collin Peterson chairing the Agriculture Committee and Jim Oberstar chairing the Transportation Committee.  Volunteer for Minnesota DFL Congressional challengers Tim Walz, Coleen Rowley, Wendy Wilde and Patty Wetterling and help Democrats win in November.

*****

Democrats urge "New Direction" in Iraq:

From the Washington Post: "Hill Democrats Unite to Urge Bush to Begin Iraq Pullout"

After months of struggling to forge a unified stance on the Iraq war, top congressional Democrats joined voices yesterday to call on President Bush to begin withdrawing U.S. troops by the end of the year and to "transition to a more limited mission" in the war-torn nation.

 

[...]

 

The 12 Democrats, led by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (Nev.), include liberals and centrists who have differed over Iraq in the past. The signers included the top Democrats on the House and Senate committees dealing with armed services, foreign relations, intelligence and military spending.

Check out the whole article here.

*****

“From Redwood County, with Love”

Posted by Nick Kimball on www.dflers.org

The 25th annual Farmfest in Redwood County ends today, and it has been the stage of spirited debates among the Minnesota gubernatorial, U.S. Senate and congressional candidates. Farmfest has been a great opportunity for DFL-endorsed candidates Amy Klobuchar (for Senate, pictured at left), Mike Hatch (for Governor, pictured at right), and our congressional candidates to get the word out about their common-sense agricultural policies.

The Senate debate took place Tuesday, and it included Kennedy’s most hilariously off-base allegation of this campaign yet! What did Makeover Mark have to say?

He accused Klobuchar of thinking manure was toxic .

That’s right. Apparently Kennedy thought that’s how Klobuchar and the League of Conservation Voters, an environmental group that has endorsed, felt about manure. Unfortunately for him, it’s not. Klobuchar made it clear that she did not think manure was toxic, and League of Conservation Voters spokesman Chuck Pocari said Kennedy’s claim was “unfounded and ridiculous,” adding, “Any assertion of that type I can just call manure.”

Klobuchar’s criticisms of Kennedy were much more solid. She criticized Kennedy for his support of the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), which has hurt Minnesota sugar beet farmers.

To me, two quotes from the Farmfest debate define the choice voters will face in November:

“We could have done better for the 30,000 families in the Red River Valley.”

-Amy Klobuchar, referring to Mark Kennedy’s support of CAFTA

“My opponent is supported by an organization that thinks manure is hazardous waste.”

-Mark Kennedy

Yesterday’s gubernatorial debate was also spirited, although all the candidates were a bit more grounded in reality than Kennedy. One of the central issues of this debate was local government aid, which the Pawlenty administration slashed as part of its “No New Taxes (Except Maybe the Occasional Health Impact Fee or More than Occasional Property Tax Hike)” pledge.

Hatch took Pawlenty to task on these cuts, calling them “one of the reasons we have less police” and “one of the reasons why the schools are in trouble in rural Minnesota.”

It was a joy to see Amy Klobuchar and Mike Hatch rise above the “manure” and address the real issues that affect rural Minnesota.

*****

“Hatch & Dutcher Campaign for Change”

Posted by Ian Christy on www.dflers.org

DFL-endorsed candidate for governor Mike Hatch and newly endorsed candidate for lieutenant governor Judi Dutcher have hit the campaign trail to make the case for change with Minnesota voters.  Together, Hatch and Dutcher are poised to put Minnesota back on track with their commitment to fundamental values like quality education, affordable health care and middle class tax justice.

They are proven leaders and have received widespread support from Minnesotans throughout their political careers.  Dutcher received a record number of votes when she ran for state auditor in 1998.  Her record was beaten four years later by Hatch.

For more information on Mike Hatch and Judi Dutcher, click here.

*****

“An Open Letter to Minnesotans”

from Brian Melendez and Donna Cassutt

Dear Minnesota,

This week, the Republican National Committee will hold their summer meeting in our fair city of Minneapolis. Republicans from all over the country will arrive to celebrate their accomplishments and to strategize about pushing even more of their agenda this election season.

It’s very possible that you yourself will even meet such a Republican on Thursday or Friday as they make their way through town. In case you do, the Minnesota DFL Party is offering this list as a handy guide to a pleasant conversation.

Remember, these National Committee delegates set their party’s platform, anoint its candidates and drive the GOP train. They are as close to Republican decision-makers as we will probably get (unless, of course, you were stuck in traffic behind Cheney’s motorcade last month). Please remember to take the opportunity to thank them for everything that Republicans have done for Minnesota and America…like:

          ·        Massive Tax Cuts for Billionaires

          ·        Skyrocketing National Debt

          ·        The Worst Job Record Since Hoover

          ·        Record Oil-Company Profits / Out-of-Control Gas Prices

          ·        No Child Left Behind

          ·        The Medicare Part D Donut Hole

          ·        The Global Warming “Debate”

          ·        Unchecked Executive Power

          ·        Cuts to Law Enforcement

          ·        The Stem-Cell Research Veto

          ·        Politicizing the Judicial Branch

          ·        The GOP Culture of Corruption

          ·        Leaking the Identity of a CIA Agent

          ·        Failing to Secure the Homeland

          ·        No-Bid Contracts

          ·        Trying to Privatize Social Security

          ·        Inadequate Troop Body Armor

          ·        Record Budget Deficits

          ·        Millions More Uninsured Americans

          ·        Disenfranchised Poor, Elderly and Disabled Voters

          ·        Slashing Student-Loan Programs

          ·        Veterans Kicked Off the Health Care System

          ·        Polluter-Friendly Environmental Policies

          ·        The Middle-Class Squeeze

          ·        Unfair Trade

          ·        Domestic Spying

Yes, it’s been a long six years. It seems like ages ago that we had budget surpluses, a burgeoning economy and a responsible national-security strategy. So, Minnesotans, when our friends from the RNC come to town, be sure to thank them for their work over the last six years. It’s been a heckuva ride!

Sincerely,

Brian Melendez, Chair, Minnesota DFL Party

Donna Cassutt, Associate Chair, Minnesota DFL Party

*****

“Strib Editorial: Cynical Logic that Doesn’t Add Up”

Posted by Nick Kimball on www.dflers.org

The Star Tribune ran a wonderful editorial on August 1st on the House Republicans’ boneheaded move to link the elimination of the estate tax to the raising of the minimum wage.

The editorial eloquently argues that this bill proves that House Republicans are true cynics—people who know the price of everything and the value of nothing. The words of the argument are well-chosen and artfully arranged, but they pale in comparison to the cold numbers of this scary plan, which speak volumes:

"[Linking the estate tax and the minimum wage] makes as much sense as joining a wage increase of $2.10 an hour, which would deliver an average annual benefit of $1,200 to some 6.6 million Americans, to an estate-tax cut that would give 8,200 families an average of $1.4 million."

Check out the whole editorial here

*****

“Legislators Investigate Meth Treatment Expenditures”

Posted by Ian Christy on www.dflers.org

In the final days of the 2005 legislative session DFL State Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson and DFL Rep. Al Juhnke, both of Willmar, helped secure $600,000 to establish a methamphetamine treatment, training and resource center.  But while governor Pawlenty agreed to the allocation of funds at the time, his administration has paid little more than lip service to the idea ever since.

As DFLers reported previously, that $600,000 has so far bought two employees and a poorly executed website.  So unless these employees are being paid high six-figure salaries, it's a good bet that at least some of the earmarked funds are still around.  But where?  Johnson and Juhnke wondered just that when they pledged last week to find out what went wrong with the program, the West Central Tribune reported.

Johnson speculates that in an effort to cut costs, the Pawlenty administration may have diverted some of the funds out of the meth program and perhaps even out of the Department of Human Services which administers it.  DHS is currently gathering information on the appropriated funds, which it expects to have ready in a few days.

May 4, 2006

Democrats begin “Cover the Uninsured Week”

-   Gas Price Jeopardy!

-    Peace wants a piece of the pie

-   DFL Volunteers take Minnesota!

-    MissionAccomplished: Three Years of PR Stunts and Misinformation

Quote of the Week:

“If anybody needs anything else at their tables, just speak slowly and clearly into your table numbers. Somebody from the NSA will be right over with a cocktail.”

-    Stephen Colbert, at the Press Correspondents Dinner (read our blog post on his speech!)

Visit the DFL Booth at the Cinco de Mayo Festival:

Enjoy the festival and make sure to visit the DFL booth while you’re there!

DATE:    Saturday, May 6^th

TIME:     Anytime from 9am – 9pm

PLACE:  Cinco de Mayo Fiesta Booth #333

  North side of Cesar Chavez Street between Robert and Livingston

If you’re able to volunteer for this event, please email dcassutt@dfl.org

Spanish speakers appreciated!

This week in Labor:

Earlier this week, a new organization called Make Work Pay launched during Make Work Pay Week from April 24^th – 28^th.  They are a “national movement to restore the American Dream—a paycheck that supports a family, affordable health care, a secure retirement, a voice on the job, and a chance to give their children a better life.”

Visit them at:

www.makeworkpay.org

This week in Agriculture:

High fuel prices and low commodity prices unfortunately can cause financial and emotional distress among farmers.  MFU fields calls from farmers looking for help in dealing with these issues and one place that MFU refers them to is the MN Dept. of Agriculture’s Farm Advocacy Program that has trained advocates who work to provide assistance to farmers. 

For more information checkout this website.

Humphrey Day Dinner audio available!Listen to Senator Barack Obama’s keynote address here.Find out more about Senator Obama’s action committee, Hopefund, which supports candidates with solid records on education, civil liberties, tax policies, and health care here

And don’t forget our blog at www.dflers.org!

*****

DEMOCRATS KICK OFF “COVER THE UNINSURED WEEK”

DFL Party supports three key bills to cover more than half of America’s uninsured 

Democrats nationwide kicked off “Cover the Uninsured Week” Monday to highlight efforts for Americans to come together to solve the health-care crisis facing the country. Specifically, Democrats have introduced three bills designed to bring affordable health care coverage to more than half of America’s 46 million uninsured citizens.

“There are 458,000 uninsured Minnesotans, including 68,000 children, and bold action needs to be taken immediately to turn back this crisis,” Minnesota DFL Chair Brian Melendez said. “Since 2000, the number of uninsured Minnesotans has risen by 66,000. These unacceptable increases are directly due to Governor Pawlenty's draconian policies, including his cutbacks in eligibility for Minnesota Care.

“The only thing that has kept the governor’s policies from having even more catastrophic results has been Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson and the DFL-led Minnesota Senate.”

In the U.S. Congress, Democrats have introduced three bills aimed at addressing the national crisis of the uninsured:

H.R. 2073, the Small Business Health Insurance Promotion Act 
Creates a 50 percent tax credit to reduce health care costs for small businesses, their workers and the self-employed. Currently, more than half of America’s uninsured workers are self-employed or for small businesses with fewer than 50 employees. 

H.R. 2071, the FamilyCare Act
Lowers costs and expands affordable coverage for working parents by making them eligible for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program and Medicaid if their children are eligible.

H.R. 2072, the Medicare Early Access Act
Allows people between the ages of 55 and 64 to purchase Medicare coverage with a subsidized premium. Currently, 3.5 million Americans age 55+ are uninsured and not yet eligible for Medicare. 

“If enacted, the bold measures introduced by Democrats in Congress will cover more than 23 million uninsured Americans,” Melendez said. “It remains to be seen whether the Republican Party will embrace these policy proposals or will ignore the health-care crisis and offer more tax breaks to HMOs, the pharmaceutical industry and big oil companies.” 

*****

GAS PRICE JEOPRADY!

(Posted by Jess McIntosh on our blog at www.dflers.org. Ready to play?)

I'll take Culture of Corruption for $200, Alex.

The answer is $ 256,821,267.

Ooh...What is the amount of energy industry money accepted by the Republican Party since 1994?

Ding ding ding ding! Jess is absolutely correct! The GOP has taken more than a quarter of a billion dollars from Big Oil and Energy since they gained control of Congress!

How about Big Oil Windfalls for $400?

The answer: $8.4 billion, $5.7 billion and $3.3 billion.

I got this one, Alex! What are the profits of ExxonMobil, British Petroleum and Conoco for the past three months?

Ding ding ding ding! You're right, Jess. They did make billions in just three months. And they're only going to make more. Look at those gas prices rise!

Okay, folks, we've come to Final Jeopardy. The topic is National Average Gas Prices. Jess, what do you wager?

I'll wager $2.93, Alex, the national average price of gas today.

Okay. For the win, the answer: $1.52.

(music plays)

What was the price of gas when Bush took office?

Congratulations! You're right. The national price of gas has increased almost 100% since Bush took office!

That's terrific, Alex. What do I win?

Months and months of economic uncertainty! And this balloon.

*****

PEACE WANTS A PIECE OF THE PIE EVENT

DATE:   Monday, May 8^th 

TIME:    11am, Rain or Shine

PLACE:  Rotunda and grounds of the State Capitol, St. Paul

MN Speakers, Free Pie, Cards and Musical Entertainment!

Featuring: U.S. Congressional Representative Betty McCollum, State Congressional Rep. Keith Ellison, State Senator Becky Lourey, Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, Singer/Songwriter Peter Mayer, Spoken word by Grammy-nominated Mariaha Markel

Bring a fork and claim your piece of the pie.  Free Mother's Day Cards!

Sponsors: DoPeace

With support from: DFL Progressive Caucus, Artist to Watch, One-way entertainment, Blue Boat, Up at the Lake and many more...

*****

DFL VOLUNTEERS TAKE MINNESOTA!

Despite terrible weather, hundreds of DFL volunteers knocked on doors across the state last weekend, spreading the DFL message of positive change.

“The response we’ve had to this kick-off event is thrilling,” said Minnesota DFL Chair Brian Melendez. “The DFL message of smart, honest governing is already resonating statewide. Minnesotans who have never been involved in politics before are signing up to talk to their neighbors about why they support the DFL Party.

“Minnesota is fed up with Republican mismanagement and they’re ready to send Bush rubber-stamps like Kennedy, Gutknecht, Kline and Ramstad back to the private sector. This Saturday will show voters the alternative to the GOP culture of corruption. The DFL Party has been running a strong message of common-sense government and focusing on the issues that matter most: education, health care, jobs, transportation, and clean air and water.”

*****

MISSIONACCOMPLISHED: THREE YEARS OF PR STUNTS AND MISINFORMATION

Three years ago Monday, President Bush landed on an aircraft carrier to announce “Mission Accomplished.” Major combat operations in Iraq were over in just six short weeks.

Since then, thousands of U.S. troops have been killed and wounded, billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars have been spent, and Iraq is struggling to calm a civil war. 

“Of course we wanted to believe the President when he said that the mission was accomplished,” Minnesota DFL Chair Brian Melendez said. “We wanted to believe that we would be greeted as liberators. We wanted to believe him when he said that we were after Saddam’s weapons of mass destruction. But he has lost the right to our trust. The Republican Party has conducted a systematic campaign of misinformation in the hopes of distracting the country from their failed leadership.”

“American soldiers deserve a leader who is capable of understanding the mission,” said Command Sgt. Major (retired) Tim Walz. “Stunts like Bush’s aircraft carrier landing three years ago proved that he had absolutely no comprehension of the conflict and sacrifice ahead. Nearly 18,000 troops have been injured and 2,400 are dead. These brave men and women need leadership. They need a president who cares more about their safety than he does about photo-ops. And they need a Congress that’s willing to stand up to bad ideas and misinformation. The key to a successful resolution in Iraq is to elect representatives who will listen to reason, and act with courage and strength.”

The President insists we are making significant progress in Iraq – but U.S. casualties have climbed to more than 2,400.  Tragically, we have now lost more than 2,400 brave men and women of our military and nearly 17,800 have been wounded since the war began.

Most of America’s soldiers in Iraq are on their second or third tour of duty, which places a tremendous strain on families and has resulted in critical recruitment problems.  The Administration’s public promises of significant troop withdrawal have not materialized; in fact, more troops were added in March of this year because of increased violence and “political deadlock.”

Iraqi security forces are still dependent on American and coalition troops. Despite the billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars spent to train Iraqi forces, there are no Iraqi Security Force (ISF) battalions capable of operating without U.S. assistance.  In fact, the U.S. military has new plans to “embed some 200 teams of U.S. military and civilian police mentors in to local police stations” by June of this year.

While some government posts have been filled, the Iraqi government and its police force are in disarray. In the words of a Baghdad police captain, “We have our own civil war in the Ministry of Interior.”  Iraq’s Interior Ministry – charged with overseeing the nation’s police – is riddled with ethnic militias, partisan commandos and “death squads.” The recent designation of another Prime Minister is a step forward, though sadly, the lack of an effective government “is creating the conditions for the insurgency to do what it wants to do,” according to military spokesman Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch.

Attacks against U.S. and coalition troops, Iraqis and critical infrastructure increased 23 percent between 2004 and 2005.  The insurgency has maintained its strength, at least tripling the number of fighters since November 2003 and averaging 75 attacks every day.  This daily violence is costing Iraq at least $11 billion.

The continued war in Iraq comes at considerable cost to American taxpayers.  New cost estimates for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the global war on terror total $811 billion, far exceeding the inflation-adjusted cost of the war in Vietnam.

The Bush Administration claims to be spending $4.5 billion a month in Iraq – or $100,000 per day. But the Congressional Research Service doubles that estimate – putting the monthly cost of war in Iraq at $9.8 billion in FY 2006.

Republicans have turned a blind eye to Iraq reconstruction fraud and abuse. The United States has allocated $50 billion to private contractors for reconstruction and rebuilding efforts in Iraq – much of it squandered on no-bid contracts for Halliburton. These contracts have resulted in the misuse of billions of taxpayer dollars – at least $9 billion has been lost or stolen.

Critical reconstruction projects – including health care clinics and water-treatment facilities – will remain unfinished because of funding overruns. In 2003, the United Nations stated that “unclean water may kill more Iraqi people during the war than bombs and bullets.” Today, doctors in Baghdad’s hospitals identify “dirty water as one of the major killers of infants.”

                                      *****

DFL Dispatch

March 30, 2006

In this issue:

-          First 30 days in the Minnesota Legislature

-          Panic strikes the GOP

-          Representative Kennedy’s heating aid hypocrisy

-          Republican assault on Minnesota’s immigrants goes too far

-          Let’s build a DFL Senior Caucus!

TELL MPR WHAT MATTERS TO YOU

The MPR Newsroom, as part of their Public Insight Journalism Initiative, is asking for your help in covering the 2006 elections.  Please, take a moment to tell MPR which issues matter most to you by filling out their online survey at www.mpr.org/focusontheissues.  Your input on the issues will help shape MPR’s news coverage throughout the election season and beyond.

*****

FIRST 30 DAYS OF LEGISLATIVE SESSION REVEAL DFL PARTY AT WORK

Today marks the 30th day of the Minnesota legislative session. Under the effective leadership of Majority Leader Dean Johnson, the DFL-led Senate has accomplished a remarkable amount of work. But the Republican-controlled House has offered little more than wedge-issue politicking in a failed attempt to distract from their failure to focus on the work of the people.

“Minnesotans should be proud of the work that the DFL-controlled Senate has done for them this month,” Minnesota DFL Chair Brian Melendez said. “March has been one of the most productive months ever seen in St. Paul.

“But on every issue that matters most to Minnesota, the House lags far behind the can-do DFL Senate. The difference illustrates a conscious choice: The Senate has focused on the common problems whose solutions can unite us, and has tackled its agenda with bipartisan support. The House, on the other hand, has focused on issues that divide Minnesotans, and has stalled the people's business. The House has chosen politics, the Senate has chosen governing, and the contrast is stark.”

March in the Minnesota Legislature:

Bonding bill

Senate: $990 million bonding bill passed last week.

House: Committee still compiling the bill, no target set. The governor and speaker failed to pass their own budget resolution.

Education

Senate:  $300 million class size reduction plan passed Senate Education Policy Committee on March 23.

House:   No education finance target set. Any amount for schools will be less than $88 million.

The governor could not garner enough votes for his education package less than 24 hours after his State of the State address.

Property Tax Relief

Senate: Tax relief to homeowners has been proposed and is slated to be addressed by the Senate Tax Committee.

House: House Budget Resolution sets no money aside for property tax relief.

Clean air and water

Senate: Constitutional amendment to dedicate 3/8ths of one percent of additional sales tax towards hunting and fishing priorities, parks and trails, water cleanup and cultural amenities was heard and approved by the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday, March 22.

House: In the Tax Committee, this bill was bogged down with the anti-marriage constitutional amendment and the constitutional amendment dedicating the motor vehicle sales tax to transportation. Arts funding and a tax increase are now also part of the bill.

“The DFL Senate passed the session’s most important piece of legislation on their 23rd day. Meanwhile, the Republicans have introduced ten versions of the anti-marriage amendment in the last two weeks,” Melendez said.

“The Republicans have a lot of explaining to do. They’ve been silent on every issue except for wedge issues that divide our state. Enshrining discrimination in our constitution and imposing draconian measures on our immigrant communities are not the issues Minnesotans want addressed – and they’re not the issues of an effective government. Minnesota needs leaders who will focus on the issues that matter: education, health care, transportation, jobs and conservation. Fortunately, the DFL Party is working hard for Minnesota.”

*****

PANIC STRIKES AMID FADING SUPPORT FOR ANTI-MARRIAGE AMENDMENT

With public support fading for the redundant and discriminatory anti-marriage constitutional amendment, Republican members of the legislature introduced 10 new amendments in the last 16 days -- each with different statutory language.

“Republicans have controlled the governor’s office and the state House since 1999 and have failed to deliver on the bread-and-butter issues of education, health care, transportation, jobs and clean air and water,” Minnesota DFL Chair Brian Melendez said. “And now the united front on their top legislative priority is fracturing.

“As everyday Minnesotans ignore their wedge-issue strategy, Republican officials are panicking. The latest splinter is proof positive that they can campaign on wedge issues, but they can't govern on them, and trying to legislate morality doesn't constitute a strategic plan to govern.”

Recent events suggest the anti-marriage amendment does not have the broad support its proponents often claim:

• A new poll showed that nearly 75 percent of Minnesotans oppose a constitutional amendment that bans civil unions. [Pioneer Press, 3/24/06]

• Two thousand Minnesotans rallied at a “People of Faith” event at the Minnesota Capitol to urge legislators to oppose the anti-marriage amendment. [Star Tribune, 3/24/06]

• A recent rally at the Minnesota Capitol in support of the anti-marriage amendment generated barely half the support of the “People of Faith” rally.  [West Central Tribune, 3/22/06] 

The Minnesota Senate Judiciary Committee will hear the anti-marriage amendment next Tuesday. Its prospects are uncertain.

“The Republican Party’s divisive election-year tactics will fail them just as their attempt at governing has failed Minnesota,” Melendez said. “Minnesotans want better government, not more politics. The Republican Party can’t gain traction with Minnesotans. 

“Only the DFL Party is focusing on an agenda that addresses issues that matter to Minnesotans: education, health care, transportation, jobs and clean air and water.”

*****

REPRESENTATIVE KENNEDY’S LIHEAP HYPOCRISY

On Monday, Mark Kennedy released a campaign statement in which he misrepresents his advocacy for increased Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding.

  “I have been a strong advocate for increasing LIHEAP funding in the House.”

-          Kennedy Campaign Release

The reality is that just last year Kenney voted to cut LIHEAP funding by more than $170 million. The vote came as Americans were about to face the largest one-year jump in home heating prices in three decades – meaning that LIHEAP would require a significant amount of additional funding for fiscal year 2006 to avert widespread hardship. Projections issued by the Department of Energy indicated that home heating prices would average 47.5 percent more in the winter of 2005-2006 than the previous year.

“There is a serious difference between Mark Kennedy the candidate and Mark Kennedy the representative,” said Minnesota DFL Chair Brian Melendez. “Minnesotans deserve to know that what Kennedy says on the campaign trail is often the exact opposite of what he does in Washington. The voters are already familiar with his song and dance as he tries to hide his ties to the president despite his record of voting with President Bush 94 percent of the time. But now he’s misrepresenting his actions in Washington as well as his relationships there.”

*****

REPUBLICAN ASSAULT ON MINNESOTA’S IMMIGRANTS HAS GONE TOO FAR

Over the past month, the Republican-controlled Minnesota House has introduced increasingly harsh measures to attack Minnesota’s immigrants. The Minnesota House has already passed a measure to require police officers to question the status of suspected illegal immigrants, a proposal that the police chiefs of Minneapolis and St. Paul say could greatly reduce the willingness of Minnesota’s immigrant community to report crime and to cooperate with police investigations.

Representative Fran Bradley proposed extending that rule to cover health and human service workers, a measure which could sharply reduce the number of immigrants who seek treatment for injury or illness.

Representative Tom Emmer is already leading the GOP attack with his bill to require a state-issued I.D. at the polls. This week, he upped the ante with a proposal to cut off prenatal and postpartum care for undocumented immigrants. Minnesota law already states that illegal immigrants are not entitled to subsidized health care except in emergencies and for pregnancy, labor, delivery and postpartum care. Representative Emmer’s proposal would cut out even those limited, humanitarian exceptions.

“The Republican-controlled House has gone too far down the road of fear and intolerance,” said Minnesota DFL Chair Brian Melendez. “To propose that we deny medical treatment to pregnant women because of their immigration status is just sick. Whether we provide them a hospital or not, those children will be born, and they will be U.S. citizens. Representative Emmer is talking about denying emergency medical treatment to children being born as American citizens, and to their mothers.

“I am deeply concerned at the escalating attacks on Minnesota’s immigrant community,” said Chair Melendez. “These Republicans are setting dangerous and destructive precedents in the name of their so-called ‘illegal immigration crisis.’ Requiring police to question the status of immigrants when they report a crime discourages cooperation with the police, creates a safe harbor for criminal activity and undermines our security. Requiring a status check before administering care to a pregnant woman undermines our very humanity.”

*****

LET’S BUILD A DFL SENIOR CAUCUS!

Because Seniors:

§Vote in large numbers

§ Are fed up with the Republicans and their agenda

[Plan D, Social Security privatization, etc.]

§ Are seriously impacted by public policy in many areas of their lives

§ Have experience and have time to get things done

Seniors need to play a larger role in the DFL Party because they are a significant constituency with important issues. 

We invite anyone interested to join us at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 15, at DFL Headquarters, 255 East Plato Blvd. St. Paul, MN 55107, to explore forming a Senior Caucus.

Our goals are to increase senior participation in the DFL Party by bringing focus and accountability to senior issues including affordable healthcare, prescription drugs, housing, an adequate safety net, fair tax policy, safe and livable communities, and a peaceful world where our grandchildren have the chance to succeed.

To encourage statewide participation, if you cannot travel to the meeting, a conference call will be set up for your convenience.  To let organizer Linda Feist know if you will be participating by conference call, or for more information contact:

Linda Feist (formerly Wallace)

651-457-5121 or dflelders@yahoo.com

-          The State of the State: New governor needed

-          Responsibility over fear tactics: DFL Senators roll out immigration reform package

-          House DFLers introduce plan to reduce mercury emissions

-          Democracy and taxes

*****

DFL Precinct Caucuses a huge success!

Near record-breaking turnout despite rain, snow, wind, sleet and the general worst of winter

  “The projected turnout was the highest in a non-presidential year for almost a quarter century,” said Minnesota DFL Chair Brian Melendez. “This year’s precinct caucuses are a major success, due in large part to the thousands of volunteers who organized in every one of the 4,125 precincts in Minnesota.”

The DFL Party would like to thank everyone who participated in this important night. These attendance numbers are a testament to your hard work and dedication.

The results of the preferential ballot can be viewed at our blog, www.dflers.org. 86 percent of precincts are currently reporting.

*****

THE STATE OF REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP IS WEAK

Today, Governor Pawlenty gave his State of the State speech and Minnesotans heard much spin and little substance. The DFL Party is offering a tool to help find the truth behind the smoke and mirrors.

Governor Pawlenty told us that Minnesota is secure and prosperous. The truth is that after three and a half years of the Pawlenty administration, our bank accounts are shrinking and our safety is compromised.

“Whether the governor wants to admit to raising our taxes or not is irrelevant when you consider all the other ways his failed policies have contributed to the significant drop in the average Minnesota family income,” said DFL Chair Brian Melendez.

Under Pawlenty the average Minnesota family has seen:

• College tuition increase by 50 percent in the last four years
• Property taxes hiked 10 percent across the board
• Job growth that lags behind the rest of America
• 43,700 manufacturing jobs lost
• Family income drop by over $3,000
• Health care costs increase 63 percent
• Home heating costs rise 74 percent

“Minnesota lost 1,200 jobs in January alone,” said Chair Melendez. “How exactly does the governor think that kind of failure makes us more prosperous?

“What the governor and Republicans spin as good news has been anything but good for most Minnesotans. The state budget is in jeopardy because of Governor Pawlenty’s word games, and most Minnesotans’ finances are far worse off. Their property taxes are up, their health care costs are skyrocketing, and they’re getting no help with increasing heating costs. They certainly don’t have a surplus at home.”

When it comes to keeping Minnesota secure, Governor Pawlenty continues to drop the ball by supporting the Republican agenda.

The truth about Minnesota security:

• The Republican budget slashes funding for the COPS program by 79 percent
• The Local Law Enforcement Grant program is eliminated – along with the $6,871,064 Minnesota receives to train and equip first responders

“Governor Pawlenty’s relentless focus on the so-called ‘illegal immigration crisis’ is just a distraction from the bigger picture: he and his party have failed to keep Minnesota safe,” said Chair Melendez.

“The Bush-Pawlenty agenda plays shell games with our border security and fails to support our troops and veterans. They’ve gutted our first responder system, cut veterans’ benefits and inadequately equipped the 2,893 brave men and women from Minnesota who are fighting overseas.”

STATEMENT BY MINNESOTA DFL CHAIR BRIAN MELENDEZ

“Today, Governor Pawlenty said that his top four priorities are education, health care, jobs and the environment. We can only hope that this uncharacteristic break from the divisive wedge issues favored by Governor Pawlenty, Representative Kennedy and the Minnesota GOP lasts throughout the legislative session.

“Today the governor rolled out initiatives without explaining how he’s going to pay for them. If the governor wants to have a debate on these issues, he’s going to have to talk straight with Minnesotans.

“Last legislative session, the DFL Senate passed dedicated funding for conservation, early-childhood initiatives and the marriage-penalty tax relief. These bills, along with others, address real problems of Minnesota families and are not just happy rhetoric and unfunded mandates like the governor put forth today.

“DFL leadership is committed to restoring the Minnesota values that have made our state the place we love: the values of opportunity, accountability, prosperity and fair play.”

For more analysis of the State of the State address, go to www.dflers.org.

*****

DFL RESPONSIBILITY OVER GOP FEAR: DFL SENATORS ROLL OUT IMMIGRATION REFORM PACKAGE

From the Senate press release: Aiming to increase educational opportunities and enhance the state's workforce, Senate Democrats released a package of legislation today to help new immigrants become contributing members of Minnesota communities.

"The Senate wants to help people become productive citizens of Minnesota," said Senate Majority Leader Dean E. Johnson (DFL-Willmar). "To that end, we are working on a positive approach that will benefit businesses, students and immigrants.  We should be focusing on the positive contributions immigrants make to Minnesota."

The legislation focuses on:

*    English Language Learning: To help immigrants master the English language, the funding cap for Limited English Proficiency programs is increased from five to seven years. (SF 357; Sen. Wes Skoglund)

*    Adult Basic Education: Funding is increased for Adult Basic Education programs that help immigrants obtain citizenship and language training. An adult literacy grant program is also established for recent immigrants. (SF 894; Sen. Tarryl Clark)

*    Dream Act: To give all students an equal chance at a higher education, students who attend for at least two years and graduate from a Minnesota high school will pay in-state college tuition, regardless of the immigration status derived from their parents. (SF 2876; Sen. Sandy Pappas)

*    Tax Credits for Businesses: Businesses will receive an incentive to provide worksite educational programs to immigrants through an income tax credit. Employers that contract with nonprofit organizations to provide worksite English, literacy or citizenship classes would be eligible to receive up to $5,000 in credits. (not yet introduced)

*    Tax Credits for Citizenship: Income tax credits are made available to immigrants to help remove financial barriers to becoming a U.S. citizen. Credits can be claimed for the total amount of fees paid for naturalization and citizenship applications for a taxpayer, his or her spouse and their children. (not yet introduced)

*    Human Trafficking: Three bills target the exploitation of foreign-born individuals by increasing penalties for the trafficking of juveniles and creating a Human Trafficking Task Force; increasing penalties for facilitating sex tourism; and regulating the mail-order bride system. (SF 2870, SF 2574, SF 2575; Sen. Sandy Pappas)

*    Accept the Matricula Consular: To help immigrants learn about and participate in our banking and financial systems, the Senate encourages all financial institutions to observe Minnesota Statute 48.512, which allows the Matricula Consular and other legal documents issued by foreign governments to be recognized as valid forms of identification.

Also included in the package are two Senate Resolutions directing the Governor to create a Commission on New Minnesotans to focus on immigration, and asking the federal government to address significant problems within its Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) system.

"One of the most important roles the state can play is to lobby the federal government to reform immigration laws," said Senate Assistant Majority Leader Ann H. Rest (DFL-New Hope). "We believe state and local resources should not be used to sustain a broken system, and that our time is better spent calling on the federal government to accept its responsibility to monitor and foster immigrants' transition into this country. We can then focus on capturing the positive benefits immigrants provide to our state and local communities."

Senator Johnson said the positive contributions of new Minnesotans will be the key to future economic success. The state's demographer, Tom Gillaspy, cites 2008 as the beginning of a decades-long trend that will see fewer people entering the workforce and more employees--mainly baby boomers--leaving. According to Gillaspy, people moving to Minnesota from other states and countries will be the single most important factor in retaining a strong workforce.

"This is about growing Minnesota's workforce for the future," Sen. Johnson said. "The best way to do that is to invest in education and workforce development opportunities for all Minnesotans."

*****

HOUSE DFL INTRODUCES PLAN TO REDUCE MERCURY EMISSIONS

Amid growing concerns over the danger mercury contamination poses to the health of Minnesota's children and the safety of our water and fish, House DFL lawmakers are fighting to stem the tide of poison and clean up our state.

DFL Representative Carlos Mariani from St. Paul laid this new legislation square at the feet of the governor. “The Governor has the power to implement mercury reductions without legislation; if he was serious about making us safe from toxic mercury he would have made these changes already.”

Some of the ideas outlined yesterday are more common sense than wild innovation. Take the view of Representative Melissa Hortman of Brooklyn Park, "Most consumers don't even know that fluorescent light bulbs contain mercury, or that it's illegal to throw them in the garbage. By recycling fluorescent light bulbs, consumers can take 100 pounds of mercury out of the environment every year."

The bottom line comes from Representative Maria Ruud of Minnetonka, a Nurse Practitioner. “Mercury can have a dangerous effect on fetal development.  Additionally, young children are 4 to 5 times more sensitive to mercury because their nervous systems are still developing. This has real human and economic costs that we cannot afford to ignore.”

****

DEMOCRACY AND TAXES

We’re well into the New Year, so it’s tax time again.  When our government gives port management contracts to countries that helped finance Al Qaeda it sure doesn’t make you feel like paying your taxes does it?  But we will all do our duty as citizens of our great state and nation and file our income tax returns by the 15th of April. And as you fill out your Minnesota income tax return, be sure to check-off box #11 for the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party on the top of your form for the state Matching Fund program. 

The DFL Party and our candidates for Minnesota Constitutional Offices (e.g., Governor) and the State Legislature rely on the state matching funds from the check-off to finance their campaigns.  But if Democrats like you and I forget to check-off, they could find themselves receiving less than what they need to compete with the Republicans.  As you may know, Minnesota has a state campaign finance system where state legislative and candidates for statewide constitutional office receive funds from the state in exchange for limiting their campaign spending.  The amount that a local legislative candidate receives is based in part on how many taxpayers checked-off for the DFL in her or his district. This program helps keep state politics in Minnesota closer to the grassroots than in other states. 

March 2, 2006

In this issue:

• 2006 Minnesota legislative session begins
• The Republican Party brings domestic spying to Minnesota
• New polls show DFL candidates taking the lead in races for governor and U.S. Sena
• Karl Rove headlines Mark Kennedy fundraiser
• Candidate Pawlenty Watch: The CFB has already ruled Pawlenty is a candidate

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2006 SESSION BEGINS AT THE CAPITOL

Minnesota DFL leaders roll out positive agenda for the year

The 2006 state legislature session began on Wednesday, with DFL leaders promoting an optimistic agenda of responsibility, reform and service.   This year, Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson and House Minority Leader Matt Entenza will work with DFL legislators to end government gridlock and get the Capitol working for Minnesota again.

This will be an important and decisive year in St. Paul. The DFL Party will fight to invest in education at all levels – early childhood through college. Our leaders will work to provide affordable health coverage to every Minnesotan. They’ll introduce initiatives to grow emerging industries and keep our state at the forefront of the nation’s economy. And they will refuse to be sidetracked by election-year GOP wedge issues. 

2006 is the year the DFL Party takes back the Capitol.

For a run down of this year’s legislative agenda, read the Winona Daily News.

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DOMESTIC SPYING MOVES TO MINNESOTA

The Republicans have added a new front to their assault on privacy

In their latest crusade, the Republicans will be sending out CD-ROMs on Friday purported to educate the public about the constitutional amendment to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman.

The CD-ROM requires the user to enter personally identifying information, then asks the user to "vote" on a variety of issues, including gay marriage, abortion and the 2nd Amendment. The user is also subject to "educational" videos on these issues.

Unbeknownst to the user, each time the user enters information or "votes" that information is sent over the internet to a database maintained by a 3rd party contracted by the Republican Party of Minnesota. The Republican Party then gets the information.

The Republican Party now says they will add a disclaimer before the CD is sent out on Friday. We are left to wonder what would have happened if they hadn’t been caught.

For the whole story, click here for the MPR report

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NEW POLL SHOWS BOTH DFL CANDIDATES BEATING MARK KENNEDY FOR SENATE

A new Rasmussen poll shows both DFL Senate candidates, Ford Bell and Amy Klobuchar, beating Mark Kennedy in this year’s race for U.S. Senate.

Rasmussen 2/28/06.  Last month’s poll numbers in parentheses.

Klobuchar 45 (43)

Kennedy 42 (42)

Bell 43 (36)

Kennedy 40 (41)

“This poll is obviously great news for both of our DFL candidates for U.S. Senate heading into  the precinct  caucuses on Tuesday the 7th,” said Minnesota DFL Chair Brian Melendez. “Mark Kennedy’s stands on the issues and his close ties to the Bush administration and Congressional Republican leadership are definitely affecting his chances of becoming a senator.  The messages of Ford Bell and Amy Klobuchar about the issues that matter to Minnesotans are clearly resonating with voters, as opposed to the divisive issues of Representative Kennedy and the Republican Party.”

View the complete poll here.

And that’s not the only good news…

NEW POLL HAS TWO DFL GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES POISED TO DETHRONE PAWLENTY

 A new Rasmussen poll released yesterday shows the two DFL gubernatorial candidates polled – Mike Hatch and Steve Kelley – poised to unseat Tim Pawlenty in this year’s race for the governor’s office.

Rasmussen 3/01/06. Last month’s poll numbers in parentheses.

Hatch                     45  (44)

Pawlenty                40  (47)

Kelley                     42  (37)

Pawlenty                42  (46)

 Also from the poll:

“Kelley and Hatch each do better with unaffiliated and moderate voters than Pawlenty does. And Hatch does much better, drawing support from 44 percent of unaffiliated voters versus Pawlenty's 28 percent. Hatch also has support from 55 pecent of moderates versus the governor's 27 percent.”

“The positive message of the DFL Party and its candidates is trumping the divisive wedge-issue politics of the Minnesota GOP and its candidates,” said Minnesota DFL Chair Brian Melendez. “Governor Pawlenty’s strategy of using gay marriage and immigration as his election-year gimmicks is not working. Minnesotans are smarter than Republicans give them credit for. The governor should take this lesson to heart and show some leadership by addressing the things that Minnesotans care about most at the beginning of this legislative session: education, health care, transportation, jobs, and clean air and water. Governor, please take a pledge that you can finally feel good about: pledge that you'll keep divisive wedge issues out of the legislative session, and instead focus on solving the real problems that are staring right at you.”

View the complete poll here.

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WITH ROVE FUNDRAISER, MARK KENNEDY AGAIN SHOWS HE REPRESENTS WASHINGTON, DC   

Karl Rove headlined a Washington, DC, fundraiser for Mark Kennedy’s U.S. Senate campaign this week. Although Mark Kennedy has tried to distance himself from President Bush for his 2006 campaign, he remains a favorite of the White House and national Republicans. 

Over the last year, the Kennedy campaign has shared a stage with President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman. Rep. Kennedy’s voting record also proves his loyalty to the Bush administration and national Republicans; he votes with the president 92 percent of the time. Most recently, Rep. Kennedy demonstrated this loyalty to Bush by voting for CAFTA, which threatens Minnesota’s sugar beet industry, and for a budget plan that includes some of the largest student loan cuts ever.

“Representative Kennedy is truly President Bush’s comrade,” said Minnesota DFL Chair Brian Melendez. “Whether he’s voting for a Bush agenda that hurts Minnesota or getting the White House to return the favor by sending Karl Rove to raise special-interest money for his campaign, Representative Kennedy proves over and over again that he is more beholden to the White House than he is to the Minnesota families that he is supposed to represent.”

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CAMPAIGN FINANCE AND PUBLIC DISCLOSURE BOARD CONSIDERS PAWLENTY A CANDIDATE FOR OFFICE

Friday’s ruling backs up DFL claim; Pawlenty should cease and desist radio show

On Friday, the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board ruled on a 2005 illegal campaign contribution made to the Pawlenty for Governor Committee by a lobbyist during the course of the last legislative session.

In its ruling, the Board used State Statutes 10A.273, subdivision 1 to come to its conclusion.

Using this Statute, the Board clearly defines Governor Pawlenty as a candidate for governor, thus strengthening the case the DFL Party made to the Board earlier this month.

“The Board’s ruling clearly defines Governor Pawlenty as a candidate for office,” said Minnesota DFL Communications Director David Ruth. “We firmly believe that the Board will rule in our favor at its March meeting, but we encourage Governor Pawlenty to do the right thing now: cease and desist his radio show."

The Board moved the DFL complaint to its March meeting.  More on this issue is certainly coming

In this issue:

- DFL Party responds to another visit from President Bush
- Mark Kennedy, Gil Gutknecht and John Kline vote – again – in favor of devastating federal budget
- DFL Party tells Governor Pawlenty that it’s time to make an honest candidate of himself
- Congressman Sabo Editorial: Staying the course serves no one, Mr. Bush

* * * * *
POISED TO CUT EDUCATION FUNDING,BUSH VISITS MINNESOTA TOUTING INVESTMENT

Yesterday was Groundhog Day – a fitting for President Bush to come back to Minnesota.  Like the movie where Bill Murray lives the same day over and over again, Minnesotans got to see the same speech full of the same empty rhetoric yet again – only there aren’t any laughs and no one expects a happy ending.

While in Minnesota, the President rolled out his America Competitiveness Initiative, which focused on investment in education, research and development. Then he flew back to Washin