This has been an incredibly long primary season, and some of us have become extremely frazzled and sometimes upset. I am as guilty as others of falling into the pit of despair because we can't go after McCain yet, our candidates are alienating voters against each other, or there is negative and divisive rhetoric dominating the media.
Well, I think that it would be nice to just take a step back from it all for a moment and look at all the positive. Just look at all the new voters that having two candidates has brought in. So, there is much to be joyful about in the progressive world. In that spirit, I propose a fun diversion from the campaign season. As an admitted Fantasy Football nut, I propose we have a Fantasy Government competition.

No kidding, he's thinking about it! He was already baptized when he was a baby, but that was Episcopalian so it "doesn't count" with the religious right.

So he's thinking about doing it again, because, goddammit, he needs the religious right. Look:

(continued)

The allegations are serious - among others, illegal transfers of party funds from state to federal accounts and failure to properly account for employee retirement monies. Now, it appears that since last Thursday, the Republican Party of Minnesota, under republiCon Ron's "stewardship", has filed 38 Amended Reports with the Federal Election Commission. Just how deep does the incompetence go? Criminal, perhaps?

Remember, the St Paul history of the Rondo neighborhood being destroyed because the government wanted to build a freeway. In the world according to Senile McCain, that was unconstitutional, because McCain said in a speech, noted by both a DailyKOS person listening to CNN and also the Wall Street Journal:

There is a very clear standard in the Constitution requiring not only just compensation in the use of eminent domain, but also that private property may NOT be taken for "public use."
(NWTerriD at DailyKOS)

Both articles also note the other mistakes made in the same speech:

While the speech as written went far to allay conservatives’ concerns, McCain appeared off his game as he delivered it. He said he appreciated the “hospitality of the students and faculty of West Virginia” before immediately correcting himself and saying “Wake Forest.”

He also stumbled over several passages, sometimes changing the meaning of the thought altogether. For example, his prepared remarks read: “There is a very clear standard in the Constitution requiring not only just compensation in the use of eminent domain, but also that private property may be taken only for ‘public use.’” But when McCain delivered the comments, he added “not” – as in “may not be taken only for ‘public use.’
(Wall Street Journal)

This is not the first time that McCain has demonstrated a pattern of confusion.

Minnesota Monitor reports that Sen. Norm Coleman is the #1 Senator for campaign contributions from the real estate industry. This is a surprise to nobody considering he's the Senator who co-authored the HOME Act which is written to help the banks holding subprime mortgages squeeze the last dollar out of homeowners facing foreclosure. The Home Act would allow homeowners more than 60 days overdue on their mortgage payment to withdraw up to $100,000 from their retirement accounts without penalty or taxes to deal with their crisis. They would have to pay that back within three years or the government would place a tax lien on their home. If the homeowner were to go bankrupt, the banks could not otherwise get at their retirement savings.

...A report issued by ACORN reveals that Coleman took $23,000 in contributions from two interest groups strongly opposed to the Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008. But that's small potatoes compared to Coleman's other campaign contributions this year.

According to OpenSecrets.com, Coleman has received a total of $477,000 from the real-estate industry (PACs and individual donors) during this election cycle. That makes him seventh in the Senate when it comes to getting bought out by the real-estate/mortgage industry.

Yet Coleman is actually the No. 1 Senate recipient who isn't running for president of contributions from the combined mortgage, finance, and insurance sector. Those industries are Coleman's biggest backers, with donations totaling $2 million. That's double the amount received from his second-biggest contributor of "miscellaneous businesses" and four times as much as he's received in contributions from agribusiness.
(Minnesota Monitor)

Read more about Norm's stances on this issue on the Norm Coleman Weasel Meter'sforeclosure page

The story has it that, when two Aborigine strangers meet, they pause to talk about their extended families, down to great-great-greats, eighth cousins and quite a few times removed. Supposedly, if they don’t find some remote kinship, they must fight.

There was never a danger of fighting with Charles Johnson when we first met, but we did find some extremely unusual places common to our lives: Kentucky; a small now-defunct Christian college in Enid, Oklahoma; a village about three miles south of the equator on the Congo River in Africa; a Presbyterian college in St. Paul; a Quaker Meeting. I was in an extremely hard place in my personal life, with decades of dreams exploding in my face, and Charles Johnson reached out to me through these strange places. Like he reached out to so many.

(newsflash! - Michael Brodkorb continues the Swifboating of Al Franken.)

Yesterday, Brodkorb ignored Sack’s cartoon and started a post that essentially accuses Franken of forgery, without accusing Franken of committing forgery. It’s this type of “throw crap against the wall and see if it sticks” “journalism” that Brodkorb is infamous for. But since Michael and the Republican Party of Minnesota (as if there’s any difference) want to dwell in the past, let’s take a look back at the republiCon’s Contract On America, or why Congress is such a FUBAR today (we’ll get back to the Brodkorb-inspired regularly programmed reporting on republiCon Ron’s paperwork problems later this week).

Steve Sarvi received the DFL endorsement to face Rep. John Kline (R-MN) in the MN-02 race a week ago yesterday. Now he's starting to get some press coverage. The Red Wing Republican Eagle and the Farmington Independent both provide their readers the basics on his background and campaign.

Steve Sarvi had a soldier's eye view of United States foreign policy while serving in Kosovo and Iraq.
But in deployments over the past five years, the 43-year-old decided he no longer liked what he was seeing.

"I got a sense that they no longer looked up to us as a nation," the National Guard member recalled from encounters with people in Kosovo.

Steve Sarvi, a Second District Democrat from Watertown, Minn., discusses his campaign Tuesday in an interview. He will challenge U.S. Rep. John Kline, a Republican, in November.

Three months after returning from a tour in Iraq, Sarvi decided to do something about it, announcing a bid in October 2007 for Minnesota's Second Congressional District seat.
(Red Wing Republican Eagle)

I attended today's "Explode the Vote" voter registration event in north Minneapolis, co-sponsored by the Obama and Ellison campaigns. We had a good turnout of doorknockers.

Things that really struck me - Keith told us that we are working for the common good. We are all neighbors.

The Ellison campaign slogan is: "Everyone counts. Everyone matters." *

That is what this 2008 election is about - everyone matters, everyone counts. Period.

This precinct caucus year caused me problems. I could see strengths and weaknesses in Clinton, Edwards, and Obama. I was undecided until I cast my vote.

John Edwards understood basic issues for all Americans - poverty, being shut out of our democracy, and lack of healthcare. He spoke plainly, courageously, and passionately. I knew he had some baggage. I was sad when he dropped out of the race.

Y'all probably notice that I don't write about the Presidential race much at all. First because my goal is to write about MN politics. Second cuz I'm a wonk and if I were to start, it'd be all I'd write about ... ever ... its a wee bit complex as you all know. Third, there are MORE than enough people covering it ... from the gasbag, lying, egotistical pundits to sites like Daily Kos, Crooks and Liars, firedoglake and Huffington Post to thousands of blogs across the country.

With so much at stake, we are all very passionate about the candidates we believe in. That is, of course, the danger.

Each side believes they are right and the other is completely and utterly wrong. Because we all feel so strongly about our candidate, we tend to vilify and denigrate the opposing candidate. I find myself doing it, too. Then I see people trash-talking the opposing candidates supporters. I also see the supporters on the winning sides taunting the supporters on the losing side cuz they're winning.

You are not stupid because you do not support my candidate.

You are not less of a Democrat because you do not support my candidate.

Nobody's candidate is perfect despite eveyone's protestations to the contrary.

While it is probably too late, while its probably true that we've already gone too far, can't we all remember this next time?

The Republicans want Sen. Steve Murphy (DFL-Red Wing) to apologize for comments they claim were threatening to MN Governor Tim Pawlenty's main henchman, Brian "McDung" McClung. They are simply trying to draw Murphy into a distraction. The Republicans are shameless. This is simply a ploy to provide the Governor cover so he can veto a bill that would:

• Toughen seat belt laws.
• Prevent teens from driving during the wee hours of he morning.
• Extend the age which kids must ride in car seats.

There's a huge back story to this kerfluffle.

Republicans are really frustrated with Sen. Murphy and have been for a while now. Murphy simply will not let the Republicans sweep the I-35W bridge collapse controversy under the rug. As Governor Tim Pawlenty and then MN Dept of Transprortation (MNDOT) Commissioner Carol Molnau were doing their damnedest to make this issue go away, Murphy wouldn't relent.

Molnau, as Commissioner, hired a law firm that collaborated in the National Transportation Safety Board's investigation. Murphy called into question the objectivity of whatever findings they might conjure up. He led an effort that resulted in an independent investigation into the collapse. As Chair of the MN Senate's Transportation Committee, he became the focus of their ire.

The time has come to institute a comment policy. The trolls have descended and I'd prefer the comments to be substantial. The comments should be above name-calling and baiting. From here on out you will need to create an account and login to post a comment. Here is the policy:

1. If you are wishing to engage in a discussion of issues, you are welcome to post your comments regardless of whether or not the editors of mnblue agree with you.
2. If you are being a troll or if you get abusive, you will get a warning. At the 2nd offense you will be banned for a week.
3. Repeat offenders will be banned permanently as soon as I get tired of them. This is our blog on which we want to discuss issues, not conduct troll patrol. Piss me off one time too many, adios troll.

This is rich. The Replubicans are going to coordinate their efforts to ensure they transition smoothly into cushy lobbying jobs? This is schadenfreude at its best. You'd think that since they are the party of turdblossom, they'd have this all planned out in advance and in secret. If you did, you thought wrong. The Replubican leadership doesn't get along so well. There is a danger that it could undermine Replubican reelection efforts.

But it's all been solved because they've formed a magical panel. They made it an advisory sort of panel which is essential to amplifying its magical qualities. To guarantee its truly magical abilities, they've added a trendy phrase to the title: "rapid-response" -- apparently hyphenating it is also important. Plus, Rep. John Kline (R-MN) was appointed to it.

Last week, I nominated ol' republiCon Ron for the Hypocrite Of The Week award. Today, I find out that's been awarded to John Boehner, R=Hypocrite.

Well, hey! It was close!!!

The Washington Post--among others---has Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty at the top of the prospective Vice Presidents for John McCain. Pawlenty is a Midwest Governor, 47 years old, well liked by both economic and social conservatives, just re-elected in a supposed "battleground" state where the Republican convention will be held this summer, at St. Paul's Ecel Center.

But here's three reasons why nominating Tim Pawlenty would be a good thing for Democrats, and why Tim Pawlenty can't deliver Minnesota to McCain in the Fall:

OK, to review – since at least 2001, when Ron Carey was Party Treasurer, the Minnesota GOP has had financial paperwork “problems”. In 2001, these problems resulted in the Federal Election Commission fining the GOP $16,000. Hey – is that a good use of Joe Sixpack’s $20 dollar donation, or what?

Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) wants to have it both ways on the subprime mortgage, home foreclosure crisis. He wants to bail out the banks who either made the subprime loans or own them now, but wants everyone to think he's looking out for the people who in danger of losing their homes. Norm has co-authored the HOME Act which would allow banks to get homeowners retirement assets before they are forced into bankruptcy. The HOME Act would allow homeowners facing foreclosure to raid their retirement accounts to pay off outstanding mortgage payments. Unfortunately, many homeowners don't have retirement assets and they'd have to pay it all back within 3 years or face severe penalties. Since banks can't get someone's retirement assets if they declare bankruptcy, its just a ploy to help the banks gain access to embattled homeowners money.

But Norm doesn't want you to think about that. He wants voters to see him as a champion for the little guy despite all the evidence to the contrary. Yesterday he held a conference call with Republican bloggers.

Finally, Sen. Coleman is working diligently on the mortgage crisis. He's opposed to Sen. Durbin's "cramdown" approach. Instead, he favors making available fixed rate mortgage money, which the homeowner would have to repay. It would just eliminate the exhorbitant payments they're currently getting buried by.

He isn't in favor of bailing out speculators who simply got stuck while trying to make money on the housing market. I agree with that. People that make commitments while trying to make money know that there's risks involved. If they get hung out to dry, that's part of the inherent risk involved in speculating.
[emphasis added]
(Let Freedom Ring)

This is the opposite of what Norm's HOME Act will do. Has Norm flip-flopped? Or is he just posturing? Here's what the responsible adults in the Senate are proposing.

Ron Carey has blasted Al Franken, calling Franken a liar and worse. At republiCon Ron’s last Press Conference, Carey questioned Franken’s integrity, his credibility, and his word. Carey said there are too many unanswered questions.

Today, Carey’s the one not answering questions – because he’s been completely discredited as a hypocrite of the lowest order.

How far back does Carey’s financial mismanagement go? Here’s the oldest I could find – so far!

Last week, Ron Carey wouldn’t answer a blogger’s question (me!!!). This week, he won’t answer the Star Tribune’s questions. That’s why MN GOP Chair Ron Carey (“republiCon Ron”) is this week’s nominee for the Hypocrite Of The Month Award !

And what didn’t republiCon Ron want to talk about? Well, his “stewardship” of the State GOP Party’s finances! Remember how republiCon Ron ranted and raved about Franken’s financial paperwork? Let’s look at what the Star Tribune found, about his!!!