What’s Happenin’ in DFL58

It is time for DFLers in Senate District 58, and really DFLers across the state, because what DFLer doesn’t want to get rid of Dave Thompson, Pat Garofalo and Mary Liz Holberg, to step up and support the DFL candidates in Southern Dakota County.

Andrew Brobston will be endorsed by the DFL at the next meeting on June 7. Andrew is running for Minnesota State Senate 58 against Dave Thompson. If you recall, Dave Thompson is the candidate who took $70,000 in pay in 2010 from the Republican Party while he was running for state senate as a Republican. We found out there is no law against that in Minnesota. It’s unethical, but who knew it wasn’t illegal? Thompson also is the author of the Voter ID amendment which will definitely prevent some seniors from voting. I can name two who will swear up a storm against Dave Thompson if this passes, but are in no condition from a health standpoint to make the trip to go get an ID.

Even a small donation will help Andrew: CLICK HERE TO MAKE AN ONLINE DONATION

In 58A, Colin Lee is running for state House against Mary Liz Holberg. Mary Liz Holberg is a lifelong, ultra-partisan politician who thinks it is fine to shut down our government. Besides shutting down the government, what else has Holberg done recently? If you look at Holberg’s list of accomplishments on her own campaign website, even her list of accomplishments end in 2006. Being “one of 100 people to watch in 2000” doesn’t mean anything if in 2012 you did nothing but watch. Mary Liz Holberg has become such a career politician that when her district’s borders were redrawn, splitting Lakeville, she moved to the district that had a bigger share of Lakeville. I can only assume it was so she didn’t have to work very hard on her reelection with more voters who already know her.

Colin is working very hard, please send him a donation: CLICK HERE TO MAKE AN ONLINE DONATION

Jim Arlt is running against Pat Garofalo in Minnesota House district 58B. Pat is best known for being a squeaky wheel who make inappropriate comments, and whose main purpose at the capital seems to be to gain the ire of Democrats and teachers. Garofalo who constantly uses Twitter to insult Democrats, both elected Democrats and average DFL voters, hilariously has a highlighted blurb on the front page of his campaign website that says: “WORKING WITH DEMOCRATS: Representative Garofalo has worked to bring Republicans and Democrats together.” This is coming from the man who recently called all the Democratic House members “deadbeat Democrats.” I’m pretty sure if you talk to Paul Thissen, Ryan Winkler or Tom Rukavina, they might refute his claim.

Jim is a very strong candidate, and needs your help: CLICK HERE TO MAKE A DONATION

We are very excited in DFL58, but we need your help!

A Strong Minnesota Needs Strong Public Education

I saw this old photo on Facebook today.  I love it! 

We will be strong, whether we are talking about our economy or our position in the world by having the smartest and best educated kids.  Yet, we continue to weaken our nation by slashing funds to schools, teaching rote skills based on broad legislative standards instead of teaching individual creativity, and letting politicians get in the way of what subjects are taught, how they are taught, which textbooks we use and whose education standards we use.

Education is a local issue, and A Strong Minnesota Needs Strong Public Education.  It is time for politicians to realize education is an investment in the future and in a strong Minnesota.  Let’s treat it like an investment and fund it so that every kid has an opportunity to excel.

Which DFL Candidates Connect With Us

Facebook and Twitter are important tools for candidates.  It surprises me that a couple of the candidates for governor are not utilizing the medium well, or at all.  Statewide campaigns end up being big machines, and the social networking sites are a great tool to either provide information or plan meetings.  The social network sites can even create mini-campaign machines for individuals to bundle information from the candidates they support to distribute to their friends.

While Facebook and Twitter seem to be a great tools for candidate’s information, I contend that the personal notes that can be posted have an effect in making a candidate more human, and less politician. 

If everything is campaign, campaign, campaign, people tune out.  But throw in a little personal note that normal people can relate to, and the candidate has made a connection.  Make a few connections and you have a chance to lasso a committed delegate.  That’s the current goal right now right, to have delegates going into the local conventions, making the pitch and working the walking caucus. 

Connections and friendship are what get people to work for a candidate, and feel that sense of required attendance at the caucus and conventions.  Facebook is such an easy way to do it.  Mark Dayton has made comments about his sons, grandfather and a family that adopted a few Russian kids recently.  Yes, it is all campaigning, but it isn’t pure propaganda, it’s personal.  And just think how impressed some people would be if a candidate commented on their post.

Of course I realize some candidates have people posting for them, I didn’t say we still need to trust them, I’m just saying it creates connection.  So what would connect us today?  Something interesting has happened over the last couple of days.  There have been many posts on Facebook about the Twins, the Vikings and Brett Favre, and to a lesser extent the Wild and Gophers.  Sorry Timberwolves fans, zero.  Anyway, people I don’t recall posting about sports have posted about those subjects, and it is the amount of sports related posts that made me think about the candidates and social networking.

I was curious which candidates were posting about these events of unimportance that seem to be important to so many of us.  I knew Mark Dayton and R.T. Rybak had posted sports related post what about the rest of the candidates? 

I looked at the post from the beginning of the month until just after the Twins win tonight.

Margaret Anderson Kelliher
Nothing

Tom Bakk
“is pretty impressed with the stretch of Minnesota sports going on right now . . . Gophers, Twin, Vikings, Wild, and the TC Marathon. Rock on, MN.”

Chris Coleman
TC Marathon comment on Twitter

Mark Dayton
“Celebrating now! VIKINGS 30- Packers 23. 4th Quarter a little “too close for comfort.” Sidney Rice is an all-pro on-sides kick catcher!” Twitter
“VIKINGS 14-Packers 7, 2nd Q. Too early to celebrate, but #4 can still throw the ball!!!” Twitter
“CONGRATULATIONS, Twins, for your sweep of KC, & GOOD LUCK in Tuesday’s game against Detroit. Baseball at the Dome lives! AND GO VIKINGS!” Twitter

Matt Entenza
Nothing

Steve Kelley
I don’t think he Tweets, and I am not friends on Facebook yet.

John Marty
“…enjoyed watching the Vikings win last night.” Facebook (by the way, that is so vanilla)

Tom Rukavina
“Brett Favre continues to show how much better he is for MN than T-Paw! Go Vikes!!” Twitter

R.T. Rybak
“Next up from the sports capitol of the world: Thunderdome, Part II. Go Twins!” Twitter
“Why do otherwise high-functioning people turn into Cheeseheads during Packer week? Clearly, a breach of border security.” Twitter

Paul Thissen
“Great Donkey Chili in Pine County – listening to Twins win and Metrodome memories on the way up & back to boot.” Twitter

Nothing really big, no earth shattering news or enlightenment, I’m just pointing out an example of a missed opportunity to connect.

Van Susteren or Van Halen?

I’ve been pretty busy with school recently, I’m going to stick with that being the reason I haven’t blogged very much. It has nothing to do with being tired of this election cycle. Ignore the fact that I spend my time in the car scanning through my XM looking for Van Halen, Journey or whatever 80s rock I can find, my current music obsession, rather than listening to NPR or America Left.

And ignore the fact that I am sitting here watching the LSU-Florida football game, two teams I don’t care at all about, but I don’t have cable so I can’t watch the Wild. And I really don’t know anything about number 70, Ciron Black, the left tackle for LSU, but he has pulled to the left leading sweeps, and he has just flattened a couple Gators. He is even fast enough to stay in front of a receiver on a swing pass, blocking both a linebacker and a defensive back. I think the Vikings could use him leading Adrian Peterson. Anyway, I’m going to spend the second half watching him.

I was watching the senatorial debate on CSPAN.com, and kept watching Sarah Palin for a while, but my interest level is really waning. My wife told me channel 4 had a commercial on that was birds chirping and grass waving or something like that, that said the ad was a break from political ads from WCCO. I’m really looking forward to more Tidy Cat and Glade Air Freshener commercials soon.

Ohio McCain-Palin Rally

I listened to the Ohio John McCain rally on CSPAN today. Prior to the VP introduction, it was a typical republican rally. Outside of the standard rhetoric regarding taxes, freedom and the military ( all of which have been completely ignored over the last 14 years by the Republicans,) the speakers talked about how inexperienced Barack Obama is. How much Obama will raise taxes. How empty his eloquent words and speeches are. How he can’t face the “violent Islamic attacks.” There were regular chants of U-S-A from the crowd, and the Republican speakers talked about the pivotal election, the serious challenges facing America, and the dangerous and uncertain times. Of course, they failed to say who is responsible for those challenges and who contributed to these “dangerous times” (whispered) the Republicans.

When McCain introduced Gov. Palin as his running mate, I think he stressed her “executive” leadership, so I assume next week there will be an addition to Barack’s lack of experience in that he doesn’t have “executive” experience.

My belief is that today’s VP pick is an indication of fear and weakness from the McCain campaign. Rather than choose an experienced known commodity such as a Romney or a… well, I guess there aren’t that many good candidates, McCain chose a desperation candidate. Three years ago, Gov. Sarah Palin was Mayor of Wasilla Alaska, a town of 5500 people.

Barack Obama is such a strong candidate, that the only thing the Republicans think can stick is if they say he is inexperienced. Funny that their candidate chooses a running mate who doesn’t have a fraction of the experience, both lifetime and political experience, that Barack Obama has. It is pure hypocrisy. Republicans say one thing then do another.

At the end of her remarks, Gov. Palin mentioned Geraldine Ferraro and congratulated Hillary Clinton. That proved in my mind that this decision was made out of desperation by John McCain. I don’t know, she may have been truly proud of those two, but I think she, and ultimately he, was trying to appeal to women who he thinks might have voted for Hillary simply because she is a woman. McCain thinks those women will vote for him, despite the fact that his voting record shows he doesn’t believe in equal rights for women or believe that women should control their own bodies. How shallow he must view women voters?

On a side note, I knew McCain couldn’t pick Tim Pawlenty. He is whiney and wimpy. He can’t even stand up straight half the time. He would get mauled in a real debate, just like he has shown signs of when trying to keep up with people on the Sunday morning talk shows. That said, I am glad he didn’t choose Pawlenty, because I think it would have given McCain a five point bump in Minnesota, now we can chalk Minnesota up in the Obama column for sure.