MN Gov Dayton - Stands Up to ALEC

Thank god for Governor Mark Dayton.

If I have said it once – I will say it a million times – that if we had elected Tom Emmer – we would be Wisconsin #2.

Yesterday Mark Dayton stepped forward to protect the citizens of Minnesota from the tort reform of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)   Mark Dayton not only vetoed the bills – but it also identified them as coming from ALEC.  Good for him!!!

We are all aware that the American Legislative agenda when it comes to tort reform stems from two distinct facts:

One – to save the money and profits of their corporate sector / private enterprise members by taking away the ability for normal citizens to be able to recover damages from ALEC private sector / corporate enterprise members when they cause harm to the citizens of the Untied States.

Two – by imposing more and more tort reform ALEC is trying to destroy the legal system that provides that service and oh, by the way – tends to support the Democratic party )(which by the way stand up for the common folks in this country.

Here’s the Minnesota scoop:

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Gov. Mark Dayton has vetoed four Republican-sponsored lawsuit reform bills, and is again criticizing the GOP as "too extreme to lead."

Dayton said at a news conference Friday that the bills ignored court recommendations and did not work to create jobs. He said the reforms would have mostly benefited out-of-state insurance companies.

Dayton said three of the bills came straight from the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council.

House Speaker Kurt Zellers said he was disappointed by the governor's name calling, and said the governor owed an apology to Minnesota business owners. He said all four bills passed with bipartisan support.

Out of state insurance companies – who probably just happen to be private sector / corporate enterprise members of ALEC.   DUH!!!!!

Grab this for name calling, Zellers – in the eyes of this blogger ALEC is anti-democracy and theses types of bills prove it.  Your support of ALEC legislation – makes you anti-democracy and anti – representation for the people.

Dayton vetoes GOP's lawsuit bills, calls them a "sop" to insurance industry (my emphasis)

In vetoing lawmakers' lawsuit regulation measures Friday, DFL Gov. Mark Dayton reached beyond the four bills to call Republican lawmakers too extreme to lead.

"It is hard for me to believe that this rush it to pass it strategy had any expectation of creating law. Instead, it appears to be just another political ploy by the Republican majorities as they provide their special interest friends, the rich and powerful, with more favors at the expense most other Minnesotans," Dayton said.

He said the measures were a "sop" for the insurance industry and three of the four tort-related measures came directly from the conservative American Exchange Legislative Council. The governor said the measures fell on the side of wrong-doers, not on the side of Minnesotans.

At the same time, Dayton levied his harsh charges against Republicans he said he wanted to work with them on other issues.

"He can pick a fight with us all he wants. He can call us names," said House Speaker Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove. But, Zellers said, he owes businesses across Minnesota an explanation.

"The governor in vetoing them is no friend to Minnesota businesses," said Sen. Julianne Ortman, R-Chanhassen.

The idea of "tort reform" has support from business groups across the state and is part of age-old fight at the Capitol.

While Republican tend to have more campaign backers among business groups than Democrats, Democrats tend to have far more support from lawyers and lawyers' groups.

SOP = standard operating procedure – and for ALEC that means making sure Minnesota ALEC legislators pass legislation that is good for ALEC corporate sector members and kicks Minnesotans in the arse.

"The governor in vetoing them is no friend to Minnesota businesses”  - Get real Ortman – this has nothing to do with Minnesota businesses –w itht the exception of Cargill, Comcast and General Mills – most of them can’t afford $25,000 to be an ALEC member.  This is for ALEC corporations and has nothing to do with “Minnesota businesses”.  I hate it when Repugs spout crap like this!!!

If you have a moment – please send Mark Dayton a thank you for doing this.

Also – did you notice how ALEC member Kurt Zellers is whining.  Now that we know what ALEC is doing and we are stopping what ALEC is doing – their members are starting to whine.  Oh, my we’re picking on them!!!! Oh my, someone is stepping to the forefront and saying no to them – so they are whining.

Get use to it Zellers – because the end game here

is to DESTROY ALEC and you better get use to it.