Truth Surfer

I attended SD38’s annual picnic yesterday in Eagan. You could have fried an egg on the cement from the stifling heat…but the turn out by local Democrats was great. Mark Dayton gave a rousing speech about how the current republicans in office and the Bu$h administration say they want to build a consensus and bi-partisan government, but they really don't. To them bi-partisan means 'do it our way' or 'you’re being partisan or an obstructionist'. It's about press talking points but not about what's really happening. This behavior is highlighted by CD2's Congressman John Kline’s own record verses his words. While saying he wants to reach out and work for Minnesotans, his partisan voting record speaks for itself. So to all the talking heads that tell us 'we need to be bi-partisan' (but they don't), being a partisan isn’t a sin in itself…I read this great blog entry from Jane Hamsher posted up at firedoglake entitled “I’m Proud to be a Partisan”....

Inside Minnesota Politics has a story on why the over-exposed Minnesota republican thuggery blog, has an under-exposed blogger disclosure. It also links to a Star Tribune article about some of the in-fighting going on in the Minnesota Republican State Party. Woot, looks like some bullsh#t explaining is due.

At a news conference this morning , the governor said wait staff should be paid less than the new minimum wage as long as their tips make up the difference. I guess that's his 'tip' to all those that wait tables for a living! Guess this would just one more example of Timmy spreading 'great Minnesota ideas' , just like this one .

Remember when newspapers actually reported the news instead of having fluff spreads? I do, but really, those times are beginning to fade much like the Strib's readership. Three pages of fluff on the madwomen Bachman…Hello? No-one wants to read more fiction parlay as news? Eric Black shows us another side of the red queen in which her darkness threatens even her own party members. Bachman chants “you will pay”…and certainly Minnesotans have and will continue while she's in office. How about a three page spread on her weak record and religious insanity. Dressing For Success Sure it was 95 degrees, but why should Hillary be dressing comfortable? In the interest of fairness will The Washington Pos t now be reviewing the size of Obama and Edwards’s ‘packages’? Corny Story There is more acreage planted with corn in our nation than ever before…and the yield is double per acre from 25 years ago. But climatologist are now saying there’s a problem with that regarding dew points and pow...

Minnesotans, American Troops, Our World Status, Iraqis, Balanced Budget, and Peace... Today Senator Norm Coleman voted once again with the Bush administration to continue this endless senseless war over a well managed mission with defined timetables. In essence Republican Norm Coleman snubbed his nose at 7 out of 10 Minnesotans who are asking for the war (at the very least) to have defined goals with end marks. Where's the leadership in that? Expect this endless war to continue until voters elect leaders that start reflecting their values, opinions and beliefs. In other words, as soon as we show obstructionist like Senator Coleman to the door for supporting Bush over Minnesotans.

The message is clear to Senator Coleman...stand with Minnesotans and support a time line to bring the troops home from Iraq... I attended a DFL Veteran's Caucus houseparty last night and can tell you, these Veterans are serious about affecting change is the current failed war policy to protect and support the troops . "Who is more important to Senator Coleman? The President or the people of Minnesota?" "The time for action is NOW" You Tube link

So Kiffmeyer's mistakes (made public by an audit) finds that she overpaid employees by $190,000 and was personally overpaid for mileage reimbursement and asked to be reimbursed after traveling on 17 occasions when "the public purpose of the trip was not adequately identified"....ouch! Looks like Minnesotans voted her out just in time. Wonder where the taxpayer league stands on all of this? Article at http://www.startribune.com/587/story/1302379.html

With a special election slated for August 7, there are two candidates running for the seat in 28B that Steve Sviggum vacated... Linda Pfeilsticker (D) , and Steve Drazkowski. (R) While the voting public is particularly fickle, I think Linda has the background, integrity, morals, temperament, experience and leadership that voters want in their representative. Give her staffer Katy Smith a call at 507.452.6643 and offer to help out the campaign or donate! Linda Pfeilsticker is a winner!

Sometimes a picture tells it all...from frameshop : The one photo the GOP does not want anyone to see was snapped at yesterday's NAACP GOP Presidential Candidate Forum. The NAACP invited all 9 Republican candidates to the forum, but only one showed up: Tom Tancredo . All the Democratic Presidential hopefuls showed up for their forum. Wonder why we don't see this picture in mainsteam media?

Hot Rockin' I’m at a lost as to how mega-star rock concert(s) can save us from global warming…but I guess either way…time will tell…in the meanwhile could someone turn on the fan it’s hot as hell around here. Summorum Pontificum It’s almost impossible to imagine that the Catholic Church could take steps backward in time… sigh…but they have . Fortunately I know latin and I believe in science, technology, progressive nature, cultural and philosophic works, … (giving me an edge over most priests)..while they pray for my conversion , I’ll pray they emerge from their self imposed dark ages . “Could a Scooter Libby be hired by DOD?” Standards?! The DOD doesn’t need no stinking standards ! It’s not that I don’t think individuals can’t change, but certain positions especially those dealing with our country’s defense need a higher standard or at the very least a period of time established to show the changes appears real! While I don’t doubt that many criminals run our county , shouldn’t ...

The cost of the war in dollars: 12 billion dollars a month! But it doesn’t stop there …lives, families, healthcare, environment… FYI- Interesting read from Kung Fu Monkey “lions lead by donkeys” ….I set forth, as first principle, that this Administration is failing to do its job in fulfilling our responsibilities to the troops. We will make sure you have the equipment you need. It is inarguable that the troops were sent into Iraq without the proper body armor or vehicles. Even now we have reports that Halliburton has been providng the troops with contiminated water . (and so imagine the shit they're getting away with we don't know about) * This is the richest nation in the world, and it's not like Saddam went all Pearl Harbor on our asses. We had a fair chunk of time to figure out there'd be shooting in the sand. Hell, it was on our own timetable. This is inexcusable. We will make sure you have a clearly defined mission . "Fighting terror" is not a clearly de...

Can't say that I'm surprised... My Liberal Identity: You are a Peace Patroller , also known as an anti-war liberal or hippie. You believe in putting an end to American imperial conquest, stopping wars that have already been lost, and supporting our troops by bringing them home. Take the quiz at www.FightConservatives.com

This is Bush lying during the 2002 election: "Governor Bush believes that the best way to protect the innocent is to fully enforce the law and to ensure swift and sure punishment for criminals." This is Bush's message yesterday to his criminal friends:

Evil never dies, but good does...by the hand of those entrusted to ensure our constitution for those less powerful. From killing racial diversity, to placing limitations on women's rights to choose, to ruling against women who suffer from institutionalized pay discrimination, to depriving basic civil rights to student, this group of judges has ruled in favor of the powerful....all the while eroding away what our forefathers put in place...RIP

'No bad deed goes unrewarded in the Bush administration!' Bush sends a message as clear as day: He is above the law…and our constitution… Bush is complicit in the cover-up, the lying and obstruction. No wonder Libby is smirking... Via The Nation It's appropriate. The president who led the nation into a disastrous war in Iraq by peddling false statements and misrepresentations has come to the rescue of a White House aide convicted of lying by commuting his sentence. Before the ink was dry on today's court order denying Scooter Libby's latest appeal--a motion to allow him to stay out of jail while he was challenging his conviction--George W. Bush commuted Libby's sentence.