Republicans Believe In States' Rights (Except When They Don't)

Some days, Republicans believe in a quaint notion called “state’s rights.” For instance, Texas Republicans believe in the primacy of state’s rights regarding the death penalty, even if it invovles executing the mentally retarded. Other days, not so much – like with California and medical marijuana, approved by California voters in 1996.

George W. Bush used to be the prime example of a Republican that believed in state’s rights (except when he didn’t). As Texas Governor, Dubya relished Texas’ sovereignty and eagerly affirmed each and every death penalty he could. As President, Dubya’s administration frequently ignored California’s sovereignty by frequently raiding medical marijuana distributors.

Then yesterday, along comes Michele Bachmann, giving the guy she “enjoys a great relationship” with, a run for his money on ignoring state’s rights. Here’s what Michele Bachmann said yesterday, at her Lake Elmo “Forum”:

“We could do this: there’s a law right now at the federal level that says that states can, in effect, draw boundaries around their state and insurance companies don’t have to compete with other companies outside of their state. This drives, this jacks the cost of healthcare way higher than what it would need to be. If we took a big eraser, and erased those lines, of each state’s boundaries, and allowed people to buy health care anywhere in the United States…in other words, if we, if we allowed more competition among insurance companies, rather than less competition, we would see more insurance products, cheaper prices, and people could buy what they want.” – Rep. Michele Bachmann, Lake Elmo, MN, August 27th, 2009

“If we took a big eraser, and erased those lines, of each state’s boundaries…”

O
M
G.

What other issues does Michele Bachmann feel states shouldn’t control; other issues to pull out a “big eraser” and obliterate state borders?

And that’s before examining her claim of being consumer friendly…..

Let’s take what Bachmann said, replace “insurance” with “credit cards”, and see how it reads…although not an exact analogy, you’ll get the picture of how Bachmann’s “insurance” plan just might work out – for “insurance” guys like Billion Dollar Bill McGuire!

“We could do this: there’s a law right now at the federal level that says that states can, in effect, draw boundaries around their state and credit card companies don’t have to compete with other companies outside of their state. This drives, this jacks the cost of credit cards way higher than what it would need to be. If we took a big eraser, and erased those lines, of each state’s boundaries, and allowed people to get credit cards anywhere in the United States…in other words, if we, if we allowed more competition among credit card companies, rather than less competition, we would see more credit card products, cheaper prices, and people could buy what they want.”

Yeah, “right.”

Barry Goldwater has got to be spinning in his grave, over what Boy Blunder and Bachmann MotorMouth Overdrive have done and said. And Michele Bachmann has once again proven that GOP does indeed stand for GreedOverPrinciples.

(originally published at MnProgressiveProject.com)

"Has enough kerosene been poured on the flames?"

That’s a question that should be asked, if – IF – Kline and Paulsen actually schedule, and Bachmann actually follows through, with Town Hall Meetings.

The question should also be asked of GOP State Chair Tony Sutton, and GOP State Deputy Chair Michael Brodkorb.

There’s a powder keg out there, with a short fuse. And today’s GOP leadership is sending out sparks. If one of those sparks catches, well……you can be sure, the GOP will blame it on anybody and everybody but themselves.

Here’s Rachel Maddow:

And speaking of the “MOB” – I noted this:

Moving The MOB
August 13th, 2009 by Mitch Berg
Well, the verdict (throwing out all the votest for “crashing Drinking Liberally”) was pretty decisive. People want the MOB Summer Party moved to September 12.

So moved it shall be!

Location to be officially announced later.

Who knows? Might be a real barnburner….

(h/t to CrooksAndLiars.com)

(crossposted from MnProgressiveProject)

Disinformation – Makin' Stuff Up, The RightWing Way!

That bloggers wrote about Michael Brodkorb’s blatant hypocrisy with regards to Colin Peterson’s decision to no longer hold Town Hall meetings is no surprise; MudSlingerMike’s pals at his old radio gig tagged him as being in charge of “special ops.” What is surprising is one member of the traditional media picking up on it. Monday’s St. Cloud Times Editorial noted:

Really, though, the worst out of all this is the state Republican Party’s attempt to turn his (Rep. Peterson’s) comment into a campaign issue. It plans to run advertisements about it across the district this week.

“Really, Collin, 25 percent of your constituents are so out of touch they believe the U.S. government caused 9/11?” the commercial says. “So you won’t hold town meetings? They’re not out of touch. You are.”

Then what about Peterson’s neighbor, the GOP’s own 6th District Rep. Michele Bachmann?

Except for one tightly controlled forum at which she barely spoke, we don’t recall any town meetings she’s held in this area since elected.(St. Cloud Times)

This causes the question – why would one of this state’s shrewdest (cynical?) political opportunists, the ol’ MudSlingerMike himself, take such a chance at being called out for hypocrisy? Well, not by the RightWingLeaning PiPress, and certainly not by the RightWingOwned Avista Capital Partner’s Strib – no, ol’ MudSlingerMike and the GOP knows how to shove them around – remember the film of Seifert dissing the Strib at the GOP Convention? But still, why would he do that?

Perhaps what’s happening at Town Hall Meetings elsewhere might be an indication of why MudSlingerMike is disappointed. Rachel Maddow has the report; let’s look!

(Link here if video doesn’t play)

Disinformation, and organized anarchy – which Rachel called “hooliganism” at Democratic Party Representatives’ Town Halls, and MudSlingerMike of the State GOP going after DFL Rep. Colin Peterson…..hmmmm….hmmm….

Hey! Is it possible that MudSlingerMike weighed the odds of bein’ called out by the Strib and/or PiPress (somewhere between “slim” and “none”) and figured it was worth the chance to try and shame Peterson into holding meetings, in order to practice the same disinformation and organized anarchy GOPers are getting to ply elsewhere?

We don’t know, but we do know that you cannot spell “dirty politicking” without “GOP”.

Link here, for the memo Rachel referenced.

Link here, for a picture of the known GOPers in a “grassroots uprising”.

Link here to watch Brodkorb’s blatant hypocrisy.

(hat tip to CrooksAndLiars.com)

(crossposted from MnProgressiveProject)

Katie Kersten, boiled down: "It's the blacks' fault they're profiled."

It seems the Strib disabled “reader comments” under Katie Kersten’s bizarre screed today. Perhaps Strib misManagement knew – just KNEW – that Katie’s ideologically-driven “blame the blacks” ravings would ignite a flame war that even the Strib couldn’t stomach.

Kersten and her ilk hate everything that has to do with government; Kersten specifically has railed about “the nanny state.” In Kersten’s world and among those denizens, the only good government program is a cancelled/eliminated program. Keep that in mind, while you read how Kersten ends her diatribe:

It’s tragic that a small group of black Americans commit such a high percentage of our nation’s violent crime. But until this changes, we’ll continue to have a steady stream of Henry Louis Gates-like incidents. (Strib.com)

Amazing, isn’t it? Oppose every program that could possibly eliminate the problem and cause change (after all, government “is” the problem), but bemoan the lack of change.

Karl Rove would be proud of the fine job Kersten did today in demonstrating the basic principle underlying every single play in today’s GreedOverPrinciples playbook:

“More hate – less tolerance.”

So I’m not going to take the time to fisk the intolerant tripe Kersten serves up today; no one should – Kersten’s insenstive divisiveness speaks for itself.

Instead, I’m recommending everyone should forward that pathetic piece of rightwing rubbish to everyone they know.

Kersten and her clan advocate holding people “responsible” – by forwarding Kersten’s bile, you can hold both her AND her party responsible for the destructive divisiveness they preach.

(crossposted from MnProgressiveProject)

MudSlingerMike Tweets It

So, I see the tweet, from MudSlingerMike:

mbrodkorb The bad press continues for Congressman Collin Peterson; http://tinyurl.com/m3n23w; #mngop #mn2010

So, I link on the tinyurl, and read this:

But Republicans on Tuesday saw the gaffe as an opportunity to make headway in Peterson’s conservative Seventh Congressional District, which he has securely held for many years. In 2008, he won 72 percent of the vote.

Got that? Less than a year ago, DFLer Colin Peterson won 72% of the vote.

So, what does the intrepid Deputy Chair of the GreedOverPrinciples Party say about Colin Peterson?

“This has really I think energized activists in the area and is going to lend [itself] to a first-tier candidate coming forward to run against him next year,” said Minnesota GOP deputy chair Michael Brodkorb, adding that there has been an “absolute explosion” of interest in the seat in the past 24 hours.” (Strib)

Say, Brodkorb? An “absolute explosion” of interest in taking on a guy that just won with 72 percent of the vote??!?

Yeah, “right.”

And a “first tier” candidate to boot? Not gonna happen – no “first tier” candidates remain in today’s GreedOverPrinciples party. T-baggers and “birthers”? You got pawlenty. “First tier”? Not so much.

Oh, noticed this tweet, from MudSlingerMike, too:

RT @MinnPostRSS: Minnesota GOP ready to launch ad campaign against Peterson remarks: http://bit.ly/DByJR

Say, Mikey? Good luck with that “ad buy” you’re tryin’ to sell. When you say “five figure ad buy” that really means “$999.99 or less” – yes?

Although personally, I wish the GOPers would dump a coupla hundred thousand into the 7th, between now and the new year….

(crossposted from <a href="http://www.mnprogressiveproject.com/diary/3669/mudslingermike-tweets-it&quot;MnProgressiveProject)

The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same, or…

…how Zellers’ election demonstrates – once again – that GOP still stands for GreedOverPrinciples.

GOPers are always claiming to be “the party of fiscal responsibilty.” Are they? Let’s take a quick look!

First up, Governor T-Bag:

I’d always heard that Governor T-Bag racked up the largest fines of any Minnesota politician, EVER. Well, I don’t know if that’s true or not, but a quick google search – a REAL quick Google search (tim + pawlenty + campaign + finance + violations) – turned up this one, in second place on the first page!

In the Matter of the (Tim) Pawlenty for Governor Committee, 15475

Hmmm…. second spot, first page….website of the Campaign Finance Board….let’s look!

NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the mutual covenants contained herein, and other good and valuable consideration, the parties agree as follows:

1. The Pawlenty Committee agrees to pay a civil penalty of $100,000.00 to be paid to the Campaign Board and deposited in the General Fund of the State. The Campaign Board acknowledges receipt of the fine from the Pawlenty Committee. It is agreed that the civil penalty is deemed a noncampaign expenditure and shall not be assessed against Tim Pawlenty individually. (emphasis added) (Mn Campaign Finance Board)

WOW!!! T-Bag got smacked for a hunnerd-thousand smackers in fines, and T-Bag AGREED to it!!!!

And who knows? That might not be the biggest fine T-Bag paid….that was just the second hit on the first page!!!

OK, now let’s take a look at the newly elected Chair of Minnesota’s GreedOverPrinciples Party, Tony “Lost Credibility” Sutton!

From Mr. Lost Credibility’s website:

Dear Fellow Republicans,

Like many of you, I am not happy about the direction our Republican Party has taken the last few election cycles. I have been frustrated by the philosophical and ideology drift our party has experienced in recent years.

What was the party of fiscal responsibility doing? Spending money like drunken sailors in Washington.

O
M
G
!

Here you got Mr. Lost Accountability* rippin’ on the folks in D.C. when this guy was the Secretary And Treasurer of the State Party while it was leading the nation – yes, leading the nation – in screwed up FEC Reports! While them republiCons were “spending” money like drunken sailors in D.C., Tony an’ the gang were “typing” FEC reports like drunken sailors here at home!!! As noted last May at Mn Blue:

“And we anticipate filing some amendments…”

…is an exact quote from a July 20th, 2007 letter from the Republican Party of Minnesota to the Federal Elections Commission.

“SOME” amendments?

How about SEVENTY amendments!!!

One for each month of 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, and the months of January through November of 2007.

Is that “some”?

Ladies and Gentlemen, under Ron Carey’s “stewardship” in leadership roles, the RepubliCan Party of Minnesota has been paying fines to the FEC, going back to 2001 and a fine of $16,000. Since 2002, the FEC has repeatedly and continually asked for clarification of those monthly reports because, well, they simply don’t add up nor make sense.

And they STILL don’t make sense; just last month they had to amend their 2008 Year End FEC Filing. Tony “Lost Credibility” Sutton was Secretary/Treasurer when that was written; Tony “Lost Credibility” Sutton has been involved with the State GOP going back a long ways – he became Executive Director way back when, in 1998. And, one might wonder, what happened way back when, when Tony was Executive Director?

Well, fines! Yep – $16,000 of ’em!

So, what is one reason not to be surprised that Kurt Zeller was just elected by the GreedOverPrinciples party?

Fines!

Yep – “right” after Zeller was elected, I saw the tweet from Dusty Trice:

4. The parties agree that the Volunteers for Kurt Zellers Committee accepted excessive contributions from special sources resulting in an inadvertent violation of Minn. Stat. §10A. 27, subd. 11, in calendar year 2004.

Thanks for the tweet, Dusty! I’m sure the new Minority Leader appreciates it!!!

Now, what I found interesting, while googling to verify Dusty’s “fine” find, was this!

Click to access Zellers_Kurt_060127.pdf

IOW – the “fine” find Dusty found, was NOT the only fine!

So, it seems the “Party Of Fiscal unAccountability”, by electing Zellers to a leadership position, is merely continuing the legacy of T-Bag and Sutton. Oh – it also ensures that GOP continues to stand for GreedOverPrinciples.

Stay tuned!

* “Going forward we must be unashamed and unabashed liberty-loving conservatives – we must have confidence in our ideas and agenda and promote them loudly and boldly. Only then will we regain the confidence of the voters with whom we have lost credibility over the last few years.” — Tony “Lost Credibility” Sutton, State Chair of Minnesota’s GreedOverPrinciples Party.

(crossposted from MnProgressiveProject)

Another Example Of Why You Cannot Trust republiCons

For some reason, Mitch Berg’s blog won’t let me sign in. And I can’t e-mail him, because he proudly boasts he’ll publicly post not only the e-mail address, but IP address, too – of anyone he sees fit any e-mail he considers “abusive”.

So, I’ll take up this example of republiCons makin’ stuff up here, on MnBlue.

Here’s the question, Rick Warren asked:

Q. The courts. Let me ask it this way. Which Supreme Court Justice (emphasis added) would you not have nominated? (Rick Warren News)

Now, that should be clear to reasonable and objective observers: Rick Warren asked “which ONE.” (CNN has it “singular”, too – but rightwingnuts don’t “trust” CNN, so I sourced it to Rick Warren first)

But even though Obama was clearly asked “which one”, reasonable people need to remember that rightwingnuts never let facts get in the way of an opportunity for a chance to jump into the gutter and go for a gratuitous smear. Here’s what Mitch Berg just posted, a little ago:

Bring On The Debates!
By Mitch Berg

Paul Mirengoff from Powerline’s takeaway from Mac and Barry’s go-round at Saddleback – in this case, on the candidates’ answers about their Supreme Court choices:

In any case, what’s most telling here is Obama’s unwillingness or inability to do what McCain did — identify the four (or five) Justices he obviously wouldn’t have nominated, and articulate the simple and obvious reason. Instead, Obama gave an incomplete answer coupled with an irrelevant reference to Thomas’ level of experience, a plug for his status as a “professor,” and (after prompting) a cheap shot at Roberts.(Powerline)

Read the whole thing for the context, obviously.

But this highlights how, via inexperience or (messianic) temperament, Obama’s just not ready for prime time in the “think on your feet” department. (Shot In The Dark)

Only in the rightwingnut world, is answering the question as asked (“which Supreme Court JUSTICE”) considered “inexperience or (messianic) temperament”, and worse.

Mitch Berg is simply demonstrating, to reasonable people, why reasonable people cannot trust republiCons to tell the truth — and is also demonstrating why GOP now stands for GreedOverPrinciples.

Reasonable people understand that when stuff has to be make up to make a point, the point isn’t worth making. Obama was asked a question; Obama answered the question as asked; but rightwingnuts make stuff up for some gratuitous cheap-shots that allegedly make a point.

Fortunately, the electorate has begun to realize that rightwingnuts make stuff up all the time, which is why the “Republican” brand has been completely trashed.

Some day, good and decent Republicans are going to reclaim their party’s leadership from the republiCons that have hijacked the once-Grand Old Party. Until then, reasonable people need to remain vigilant – as this tripe from Mitch Berg and Powerline so clearly demonstrates.

(originally published at MnBlue.com)

Unanswered Questions

So, there I am, blogging on the DFL Presser, when the guy from The UpTake wants to interview me. Why? It seems that republiCon Leadership STILL doesn’t answer questions, from bloggers. Let me back up – let’s look back to republiCon Ron’s presser last April, where republiCon Ron wouldn’t answer this blogger’s question, which was along the lines of: “Mr. Chairman, given your “stewardship” of the State GOP finances first as Treasurer and now as chair, and given the fines and amended and then re-amended financial reports, aren’t you and the republiCons trying to hold Mr. Franken to a standard you and the party have not been able to meet, yourself?”

So, at yesterday’s presser, after republiCon Spokesman Mark Drake commandeered the podium and then (lamely) ripped Franken’s “four letter language”, I asked Mark: “Mark, isn’t the GOP’s criticism of Franken’s language trying to hold him to a standard that Vice-President Cheney, in the Senate, didn’t manage to meet?”

Well, tried to. Watch for yourself, ol’ Smokescreen’s Spokesman, Mark Drake, refuse to answer my question.

The republiCon Party Of Minnesota LOVES to demand others answer questions; the fact that they – including Team Smokescreen – won’t answer questions only serves to demonstrate, once again:

“Hypocrisy, Thy Party is GOP (GreedOverPrinciples).”

Oh, and if someone has Mark’s e-mail address, please forward this to him. I’d like to let Mark know, now and for certain, that the reason Franken called republiCons “Shameless D*cks”, is, as you, yourself proved, once again yesterday, YOU ARE “Shameless D*cks.”

The DFL schedules a presser, then you, Mark Drake, official spokesman for Team Smokescreen, commandeer the podium, and then refuse to answer questions at a room booked by someone else?

Shameless, Mark – simply shameless. You should go (cheney) yourself.

Oh, and in the immortal words of D*ck (cheney)in’ Cheney, to Neil Cavuto, on Fox TV, when Cheney was asked about telling someone to “Go (cheney) yourself”, what I just said is “appropriate.”

Hey – if it works for Cheney, without a peep of reproach from the republiCons, then it works for me. Unless, of course, the republiCons demonstrate their usual hypocrisy…….

(originally published at MnBlue.com)