I Don’t Hate America!

Much fanfare has been made on the other side of the aisle about GOP activist/operative/consultant/blogger Michael Brodkorb’s decision to leave Minnesota Democrats Exposed.

In light of this departure, I am left with a couple of simple questions:

Mike, why was it no problem for you to continue blogging at MDE after you began accepting paychecks from the taxpayers upon starting your position at the Minnesota Senate, yet now that you are Deputy Chair of the Republican Party of Minnesota (a gig from which you proclaimed you will draw no salary at all), why do you all of a sudden now feel that you are prevented from blogging?

Is there something you feel you owe the rank and file of the Minnesota GOP in preventing a conflict of interest that you didn’t also owe the taxpayers?

Inquiring minds want to know.  Thanks.

Your pal,

DJ D

Congrats to Sen. Franken!  Read the decision here (PDF):

http://www.mncourts.gov/opinions/sc/current/OPA090697-6030.pdf

The University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute’s blog Smart Politics wondered aloud whether new Minnesota House GOP Minority Leader Kurt Zellers is politically vulnerable.

Their post looked at results from Zellers’s previous elections and found him to win each of his races by competitive margins, including a squeaker in 2006 when he won by only 356 votes.  This strongly contrasts with those who have been in GOP leadership positions over the past 15 years (Steve Sviggum, Tim Pawlenty, Erik Paulsen, and Marty Seifert) who all routinely won elections by margins greater than 20 points.

Smart Politics draws from these data that yes, Zellers is vulnerable. We conclude that not only do they think he’s vulnerable; in 2008 the Republican Party and ally groups thought he was as well.

Campaign finance reports show the House Republican Campaign Committee (a group which Zellers now leads) spending a whopping $41,305.50 on independent expenditures in favor of Rep. Zellers in 2008.  It doesn’t end there:  the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Leadership Fund spent $18,296.88 and the Republican Party of Minnesota dropped $11,772.01.  The Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life PAC threw in $716.47 for good measure.

But as Ron Popeil would say on an infomercial:

“BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!”

In the 2008 campaign, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Leadership Fund spent $11,558.16 against Zellers’s DFL opponent Lee Carlson.

This adds up to a very significant figure of $83,648.52 spent by outside groups either in support of Zellers’s campaign or against his opponent’s.  For context, the House DFL Caucus, Conservation Minnesota, and Education Minnesota combined to spend $6,856.61 for Carlson and against Zellers.

Zellers would go on to win the 2008 race by 6.29 percent.

Throughout the campaign for minority leader, Marty Seifert often put emphasis on the fundraising effort for the caucus his successor would have to commit to.   While Zellers is telling Politics in Minnesota which brand of shoes is the best for doorknocking, the question now has to be asked: to what extent will Zellers have to raise massive amounts of money in order for the caucus, of which he is the leader, to sustain efforts in his own district?

Earlier this week I asked a simple three letter question about South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford.  I guess he answered that question today.

I hope the Argentina trip was worth it.  I hope we can continue to hear more from his Republican colleagues about family values in the next 17 months.

Thanks for playing, Mark.  Enjoy this lovely totebag as a parting gift:

You can have it for just $9.99!

Hat-tip to the Uptake for their video from the White House featuring President Barack Obama grilling ribeye steaks and sweet corn with Food Network’s Bobby Flay.

Following an inquiry from Flay, Obama revealed he likes his steak medium-well.  While Obama has previously dealt with controversy stemming from his decision to order a hamburger at such an unreasonable doneness, this revelation on the White House lawn raises some new questions:

1. Is our president scared of mad-cow disease or some other food borne illness?

2. Were the Founding Fathers, who fought for our freedom, “scared” of mad-cow or other food borne illnesses?

3. Are the troops fighting for democracy in Iraq “scared” of any such illness?

Considering Obama’s cowardice as to order a delicious ribeye steak at a doneness greater than medium-rare, in addition to prior questions about his citizenship status, he should step away from the grill and do the honorable thing: resign.  Ordering a steak medium-well not only shows a lack of patriotism, but is considerably disrespectful to the animal.

If he doesn’t resign, Obama at the very least should commit to not continuing the practice of ruining perfectly good pieces of beef by having them cooked to the consistency of shoe leather.

To think here in Minnesota we just speak about our beloved Gov. Tim Pawlenty being absent from the real work of governing as figurative speech.  Maybe he can take a hint from South Carolina’s Mark Sanford about how to get lost for real:

The governor went missing four days ago and his state is in a tizzy.

Sanford ditched his security detail on Thursday, missed Father’s Day weekend with his family, and didn’t show up at work Monday.

Neither his wife, nor the state’s lieutenant governor, nor police officials know where he is, South Carolina newspapers reported.

But Jenny Sanford told the Associated Press she wasn’t worried.

“He was writing something and wanted some space to get away from the kids,” she said while vacationing with the couple’s four sons.

Cute.  Nothing says “family values” like getting away from the kids on Father’s Day!

Earlier today, when the S.C. legislature overrode ten of his vetoes (ouch!), it was discovered he was somewhere off on the Appalachian Trail.  Hopefully on the trail for the GOP presidential nomination, likely candidate Sanford will eventually give likely candidate Pawlenty advice on how to take a hike. 

Ha Ha! I’ll be here all week.  Be sure to tip your bartender!

I guess this is my next step in my blogging…ahem…career: blogging from a mobile device. Yes, as I sit in the backyard on this 90 degree day, while my dog is chillin’ in a kiddie pool, I’m attempting to post from my Palm Centro. Here goes nothing. Maybe I’ll check in later after I get some sunscreen on the ole’ noggin.

UPDATE: Geekitude successful
Sunscreen applied.

From the Strib:

The subject divides the Twins clubhouse. Kevin Slowey has strong feelings on the issue. Glen Perkins reserves the right to change his mind. The position players look at those pitchers and roll their eyes. “I give them grief all the time,” outfielder Michael Cuddyer said. There’s only one subject that could cause such rancor in the clubhouse: uniforms. The starting pitcher gets to choose which top to wear, and it has some Twins players shaking their heads.

First, the history. Since teams began wearing alternate uniforms, pitchers had options. The Twins began wearing alternate tops in 1997, when they wore blue and the infamous red. Red tops were worn twice — with the Twins getting clobbered both times — before being banished.

The Twins have four different home tops: the standard white, blue, a sleeveless white and a throwback white worn every Saturday home game (pitchers can’t choose those days). Pitchers choose between grey and blue on the road. Scott Baker is the only starter to have consistently worn the standard white tops.

I move to insert the option of the 1980s powder blue uniforms.  Tacky? Perhaps, but they would at least allow fans to be sentimental for a period when the Metrodome was a state-of-the-art facility, and not an inflated concrete eyesore.

Hell, what do I know? I was just a toddler!

Hi everyone.  Remember me?  Well, if you don’t, it’s okay.  I logged into this site for the first time in a about a year-and-a-half a few days ago.  Tonight, I saw something on Facebook which told me “Gosh darnit’ DJ, you should resume blogging.” Especially in an age of “new media” and “Web 2.0″ I had to mention it here.

Inserted below is that image:

Yes, Facebook, via automated suggestion, thinks I should add the man who brought me arguably more fun and enjoyment than any other subject during my time blogging here at IDHA! as a friend.

If you need a refresher, Dr. Brian Davis was the Republican nominee for Congress from Minnesota’s First District in 2008.  He went on a remarkable roller coaster of a race from political neophyte/Olmsted County GOP officer to credible candidate against a supposed vulnerable incumbent to competitive candidate for the GOP endorsement to GOP endorsed candidate to GOP front runner in a heated primary to fledgling nominee following said primary to struggling for dollars and hope to, finally, what I considered him as all along since my first introduction to the man: sacrificial lamb.

After all was said and done, Dr. Davis lost by nearly 30 points to the very capable Congressman Tim Walz.  Throughout the campaign, while recognizing why the CD1 GOP needed to nominate him, I still regarded Dr. Davis as someone who would lose with the incumbent getting 60% of the vote.  I regarded him as a sacrificial lamb running too ineffective of a campaign to beat a very effective federal legislator.

By individuals involved in important campaigns, activists in CD1, and informed, interested observers, I was told I was crazy.  I was told that as a freshman, Rep. Walz had no ability to win by such a large margin.  The district, I was told, was much too conservative.

“Nonsense,” I continued to say.  In response, I would point to very ominous underwhelming performances/mistakes throughout calendar year 2007 Jason B. and I documented on this very blog.  Here are some examples:

http://idonthateamerica.com/2007/08/16/dr-brian-davis-candidate-against-walz-is-questioned/

http://idonthateamerica.com/2007/10/30/do-southern-minnesota-republicans-support-brian-davis/

http://idonthateamerica.com/2007/11/03/brian-davis-goes-trick-or-treating/

http://idonthateamerica.com/2007/11/05/of-tricks-and-treats-but-mostly-tricks-brian-davis-for-congress-math-struggles-for-the-doc/

http://idonthateamerica.com/2007/11/07/breaking-news-davis-shows-chuckle-impressive-chuckle-fourth-quarter-in-state-fundraising/

http://idonthateamerica.com/2007/11/08/brian-davis-negative-toward-gop-opponents-already/

http://idonthateamerica.com/2007/11/14/dfl-senate-debate-observations-dj-meets-davis/

http://idonthateamerica.com/2008/01/11/team-3-d-debate-in-rochester-day-demmer-davis-try-to-pull-away-from-pack/

In fact, while trying not to sound too arrogant, Jason and I absolutely destroyed Dr. Davis in this series of political wrestling matches.

Okay, too arrogant?  Sorry, there’s no way to sugarcoat it.  When he engaged us in battle, we destroyed him.

The end of the election would see Walz winning handily on election night with 62.5 percent to Davis’s 32.9 percent, while taking every single county.

The purpose of this post is to say this:

Dr. Davis, if you are in ear shot of this message, I kindly give you the encouragement to run a second time for Congress.  In a midterm cycle with only the constitutional officers as statewide candidates on the ballot, your effort would provide a much needed occasional laugh in the realm of electoral politics.  Please, I beg you: run again.  Also, if you feel the need to engage lefty bloggers for Round 2, Uncle DJ will be right here waiting.

As far a taking up Facebook on the friend suggestion? Ah, shucks, I already hit the X button.  Oh well, there is one politician whos friendship I have requested that has continued to ignore me:

After a Bush presidency where an expansion on a successful childrens’ health insurance program was not worth an increase in tobacco taxes, Obama will be able to decide in his first days in office if he believes in this same logic.

What I find most interesting is according to the CDC, tobacco is responsible for the deaths of 5 million people worldwide every year.  Raising taxes would give one way to curb its use to those who are needing a reason to quit.  This is similar to what happened when oil prices sky rocketed last year.  When gas prices were at all time highs, Americans drove much less and public transportation was used much more (Smackers, 2008). This gave us an opportunity to call out for alternative fuel sources, use energy efficient sources, and require politicians to endorse it in their speeches.

According to UPI, the SCHIP bill calls for a “61-cent-per-pack increase in the federal cigarette tax.”  The Cigar Aficionado, a website I do not regularly read, posts that “legislation would impose a revised federal excise tax on large cigars—52.4 percent, with a maximum tax cap of 40 cents per cigar.”  I am not sure if this includes the Strawberry flavored Swisher Sweet’s at this time.

From Tim Walz press release:

WALZ SAYS CHILDRENS HEALTHCARE EXPANSION FISCALLY AND MORALLY RESPONSIBLE

Twice vetoed by Bush, SCHIP expansion passes House with wide bipartisan majority on its way to Obama’s desk

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Congressman Tim Walz voted with a bipartisan majority of his colleague to expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, providing 11 million American children with health coverage. Growing unemployment, which reached 7.2 percent in the 4th quarter of 2008, combined with the housing crises mean that more children will need health insurance than when President Bush first vetoed the plan in 2007.

“During these tough economic times, when millions of middle-class Americans are losing their jobs and health care, it is essential that health care coverage for children be expanded without further delay,” said Walz. “This bill is the best of both worlds – it is fully paid for and insures an additional 4 million children who are not covered today.”

“This bill makes it easier for those 11 million kids to get preventative care and for their parents to reduce health care costs by replacing emergency room care with access to critical preventive health services,” continued Walz. “I believe that expanding health care coverage for children is a powerful statement about the value that we as a country put on our children’s health. Children’s healthcare is not just another detail — it is critical to strengthening the American family, and it deserves our continued attention. With the Senate’s help, this bill will land on President Obama’s desk in the next few weeks.”

The State Children’s Health Insurance Program was created under a Republican Congress in 1997, and has been wildly successful at providing health care for children whose parents earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, but not enough to afford private insurance. SCHIP is a program any fiscal conservative can support — it costs less than $3.50 a day to cover a child through the program, and it saves money in the long run, as providing children with routine preventive care means that families no longer have to rely on emergency rooms for their medical care.

Under SCHIP, private health care plans run by private insurers work with individual states to cover uninsured children. That innovative public-private partnership is the reason this legislation has been endorsed by America’s Health Insurance Plans, the American Medical Association and the American Hospital Association. Those groups recognize that this program is good for the health care industry, as well as being good for America’s kids.

The expanded SCHIP program passed today by the House of Representatives:

Ensures health care coverage for 11 million American children. The bill renews and improves the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), reauthorizing it for four and a half years – through FY 2013. The bill ensures that the 7 million children who currently participate in SCHIP continue to receive coverage. It also extends coverage to 4 million uninsured children, according to the nonpartisan CBO.

Improves care and strengthens funding. The bill invests billions in new funding over five years in SCHIP in order to strengthen SCHIP’s financing; increase health care coverage for low-income, uninsured children; and improve the quality of health care children receive.

Provides resources for states to reach uninsured children who are today eligible for SCHIP and Medicaid but not yet enrolled. Two-thirds of uninsured children are currently eligible for coverage through SCHIP or Medicaid – but better outreach and adequate funding are needed to identify and enroll them. This bill gives states the resources and incentives necessary to reach and cover millions of uninsured children who are eligible for, but not enrolled in, SCHIP and Medicaid.

Improves SCHIP benefits – ensuring dental coverage and mental health parity. Under the bill, quality dental coverage will now be provided to all children enrolled in SCHIP. The bill also ensures that states will offer mental health services on par with medical and surgical benefits covered under SCHIP.

Improves outreach tools to streamline enrollment of eligible children. The bill provides $100 million in grants for new outreach activities to states, local governments, schools, community-based organizations, safety-net providers and others.

Improves the quality of care for low-income children. The bill establishes a new initiative to develop and implement pediatric health quality measures and improve state reporting of quality data.

IDHA Side Notes:

-  IDHA is still around so please don’t delete us from your blogroll just yet.  We currently have one blogger on staff, but have some plans in the works.  It may be slow, but we are still around.

- Close friend of IDHA and also a personal/political blogger, Chad Larimer recently lost his mother to illness.  Our deepest condolences go out to him and his family through this rough time.  We ask that the blogosphere keep Chad in their thoughts and prayers.