MN GOP Can Go straight to Hell!

They countered Dayton today

    Take away $400 million dollars from K-12
    Take $400 milllion away from the tobacco settlement meant to pay for illnesses that are tobacco
       related from a tobacco lawsuit
    Take $200 million away from other places

That's a billion dollars of negotiations
A billion dollars screwing the sick, the kids and who knows who else.

No new taxes -
They are protecting their wealthy benefactors and throwing everyone else under the bus.

Assholes - just plain assholes!


MN GOP are a bunch of assholes and they can go straight to hell as far as I'm concerned.

Conservative - Rewriting the Bible - Removing Liberal Bias

Well - those nut jobs over on the right never cease to amaze me.....

Today I found out that the conservatives are re-writing the Bible.

A conservative jacka$$ by the name of Andy Schlafly - has a web page named Conservapediea - where evidently he is the "ruler of all mankind" - he is the great spiritual leader - I wouldn't even doubt if he considers himself a prophet.

Well if you looked at the main page
you will see his preponderance of proselytizing and,
of course, he is the "teacher" of all you behold.

Well one of the things on that main page is the
Conservative Bible Project.

He and his followers are over 1/2 done with re-writing the Bible.
He is re-writing the Bible to remove any liberal bias found in the Bible.  
He removing  that stuff that we've been taught that you should be kind to your neighbor, treat your neighbor as yourself - take care of the poor - be nice to people. 

Well not anymore - the Bible will now include the information that liberals took out of the Bible like free-market capitalism (No shit - honest)  (remind you of ALEC?) and less about liberal socialism and humanitarian pursuits.

Oh, yeh - I forgot - he's actually deleting whole sections of the Bible that he thinks were put in the Bible, specifically by Liberals - on purpose.


A vengeful Christian would say - I hope God strikes him dead and he burns in hell.

Ya know - I'm an agnostic -
As an agnostic - I hope an oak tree falls on him and while he is dying in agony - I hope every bird in the neighborhood comes by to crap on his lifeless body.

These damn wingnuts can't be stopped - what in the hell are we going to do?
And with so few people paying attention - or doing anything - I am beginning to think we have lost the Battle.
(Doyaknow who won The Voice last night?)

God, I wish I still smoked dope -

I've looked at life from both sides now

From win and lose and still somehow

It's life's illusions I recall

I really don't know life at all

Maybe we all should start smoking dope again.

DOJ Asks to Investigate Voter ID Bills

Earlier today I wrote about NH State Senator Marcia Moody editorial regarding ALEC model legislation.

Today another first happened - which is proof that all the hard work we are doing as bloggers is helping.

Reported by Campus Progress

"Today, Senator Michael Bennett (D-CO) submitted a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder urging the Department of Justice to conduct an investigation into restrictive voter ID laws that have cropped up in several states across the country. The letter was co-signed by 15 Senators: Majority Leader Harry Reid (NV) and U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin (IL), Chuck Schumer (NY), Kirsten Gillibrand (NY), Sherrod Brown (OH), Jeanne Shaheen (NH), Jeff Merkley (OR), Mark Begich (AK), Ben Cardin (MD), Mary Landrieu (LA), Patty Murray (WA), Ron Wyden (OR), Tom Harkin (IA), Herb Kohl (WI) and Tom Udall (NM)."

The article says bills are similar to those distributed by ALEC.  I've done the research - they are ALEC.

Congratulations folks - keep it up - the more pressure we put on by keeping ALEC in the headlines - the more people that will step forward to make sure that the right thing is done.

The goal is make ALEC IMPLODE!

I Support Dayton - I Blame Amy Koch & Joe McDonald

Dayton is my governor

Amy Koch is my senator

Joe McDonald is my representative

I live in Republican world - Wright county Minnesota.

My governor has compromised - the Republicans have not.

The Republicans are to blame for Minnesota's state shut down if it occurs.

LONG-TERM Implications of the Republican Budget

Here are just a few  of the LONG-TERM changes that will be a result of the Republicans budget – This is just some of them, a few of them  and these changes will be around a lot longer than the State shut-down. 

(Source)

·     Under their proposal, health care systems would only receive an estimated $930 per patient per year to provide health care

·     repealing health care coverage through Medical Assistance for over 100,000 Minnesotans.

·     $50 million in cuts that threaten the supply of affordable, high quality child care.  $50 million in cuts that threaten the supply of affordable, high quality child care.

·     a 17.5 percent cut to Office of Justice Programs that would result in drastic cuts to domestic violence services statewide.

·    proposed elimination of a $952,000 state grant, which would result in the cancellation of the Caregiver Respite program and loss of $2.1 million a year in federal matching funds.  Caregiver Respite enables many older or sick adults to live at home instead of institutional settings.

·    proposed $1.6 billion in cuts to health and human services, including limiting access to chemical health treatment.

·    cuts that would eliminate school-linked mental health services.

·    proposed a 17.5 percent cut to the state Department of Public Safety's Office of Justice Programs, which houses the Youth Intervention Program.

·    proposed the elimination of the entire general fund allocation to metro area transit, $130 million over the next two years, and a devastating $7.6 million cut to Greater Minnesota transit.  More than 100,000 people - seniors, students and working adults - depend on transit every day just in the metro area.

·    proposed a 16 percent cut to the Minnesota Job Skills Partnership, jeopardizing training opportunities.

·     proposed a 14 percent cut for higher education - which will result in the lowest level of funding in over a decade.

·    proposed a 65 percent cut to the Minnesota Department of Human Rights.  Department of Human Rights' mission: to make Minnesota discrimination free.  Our vision: That we will eradicate discrimination and empower every person in Minnesota with the ability to enjoy all of the benefits of society regardless of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, disability, age, sexual orientation, familial status, and public assistance status.

Maybe Minnesotans should start thinking about

the millions of people who will go without services –

permanently

because of the Republican budget plan.

UPDATE:

The GOP shut down the state.

They refuse to tax the 7,700  wealthiest MInnesotans who are making / earning a million dollars or more a year.

To hell with everyone else - the State of Minnesota is owned by the 89,000 wealthiest Minnesotans and they have a hosue and senate to prove it.

Plutocracy, anyone?



KUDO's to Marcia Moody (D-NH)

Marcia Moody is the first legislator to take a stand against ALEC legislation - PUBLICLY - in an op ed that was reported on DKos this morning.  This is an important read!!!!

This takes guts - and I applaud this woman.

Hopefully she has started a trend and more legislators will have the cojones to stand up to ALEC and challenge them.

KUDO's Marcia Moody

from the editorial -

The group lavishly wines and dines lawmakers while giving them a chance to "collaborate on legislation" previously researched and introduced by the policy groups of its corporate members. For example, Speaker of the House William O'Brien wouldn't sign off on the budget until he returned from a meeting in Washington, D.C., with the Heritage Foundation, the Cato Institute and the tobacco industry. Then, in the budget meeting, he demanded that the N.H. tobacco tax be cut by 10 cents a pack. This is going to cost New Hampshire at least $30 million in lost revenues during the next biennium. According to ALEC in 2009, there were 826 "model bills" introduced in state legislatures, 115 of those bills were enacted into law.

McDonnell (VA) and Perry (TX) - KOCH Toys

Both attended the Koch brothers PRIVATE event in Vail - for the wealthiest of the wealthiest.  The place the richest 2% go to buy off Supreme Court Justices and evidently governors.

Eighth time McDonnell went to the private party-
aren't you just so proud Virginia -
isn't it time to get rid of this Kochroach?

VA Atty General Cuccinelli was there also - Virgina you are screwed.
Koch owns Virginia!!!!



And then there's Rick Perry - KOCH's new presidential candidate -
Sorry Mitt - you must have screwed up!

Rick Scott - Florida's KOCH Boy

Scott is so special he got invited to the Koch brothers PRIVATE event in Vail - for the wealthiest of the wealthiest.  The place the richest 2% go to buy off Supreme Court Justices and evidently governors.



This is very bad news - very bad - Florida - you are screwed.

Bachmann's ex-Chair Dumps her in Iowa!

You gotta read this

Bachmann is so not ready for presidency, but Pawlenty has the judgment and skills

Bernie Sanders - Always Representing US

Bernie Sanders is about the only hope left for the citizens of the United Sates.
No one else - no one - gives us a voice like Bernie.

He has written a letter to the President that
he wants you to co-sign the letter with him.

This is 40 second of your time and could make a world of difference -
PLEASE do this.  Please take the time!

"Mr. President, please listen to the overwhelming majority of the American people who believe that deficit reduction must be about shared sacrifice. The wealthiest Americans and the most profitable corporations in this country must pay their fair share."

UPDATE:
11:00am central time - Bernie's site has over twenty thousand Facebook shares
and Only forty thousand signature.  Posted on Dkos also.
SAD - DISGUSTING - Who got kicked off bachelorette last night?

Supreme Court Screws Citizens

and does the bidding of corporate America - becausetheycan.

When you step into the voting booth - there is more at stake than who will be president.

You have to consider appointments to the Supreme Court.
If you don't this is what happens when you have a Supreme Court that is pro-business.

  Taking generic medicine - you've got complications, you die - too bad -
  the corporations win.

  Getting screwed by a company over a service they provided? 
   Know others in the same situation - too bad!   
   Go to mediation over your complaint, no class action suit available for you
      anymore.  Mediation with a corporation, yeh - screwed!
   The corporations win!

   Victim of sexual discrimination - well, too damn bad - the corporations win!

Koch brothers just had their annual meeting of the rich and powerful. 
Wonder which Supreme Court justices went this time to suck up to the Koch brothers and their rich corporate buddies??
To encourage new participants [to attend the Rancho Mirage Koch Network Meeting], Mr. Koch offers to waive the $1,500 registration fee. And he notes that previous guests have included Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas of the Supreme Court, Gov. Haley Barbour and Gov. Bobby Jindal, Senators Jim DeMint and Tom Coburn, and Representatives Mike Pence, Tom Price and Paul D. Ryan.

Once upon a time the United States had democracy with three branches of government.
Now we have a facist plutocracy - run by the Koch brothers and ALEC.

And, by the way - who did the bachelorette kick off last night?

The bacherolette's crocodile tears are more

important than our democracy -

what a f#cking disgrace!

That's the problem folks!  That's the problem!!

Bachmann Did It Again - She is so damn Dumb!

On Fox News she made this statement
""Well what I want them to know is just like, John Wayne was from Waterloo, Iowa. That's the kind of spirit that I have, too," she said."

Well... THE John Wayne is not from Waterloo
John Wayne Gacy - the serial murderer lived in Waterloo and it was there that he was convicted of his first of many crimes.  (Later found guilty of 33 counts of murder.)

Bachmann - is so damn dumb that she wouldn't know a fact  - if it slapped her upside the head.
Bachmann wouldn't know the truth - if it slapped her upside the head.
And there are all the exaggerations - that she thinks are true.

Bachmann has diarrhea of the mouth.
Her mouth just keeps on running, running, running and spews out only crap.

I have never been able to understand why the people of the 6th district elected her and now here she is on the national platform.

What in the hell has happened to America that we would let an imbecile get this far?

Yeh - she's like John Wayne - John Wayne Gacy -
a psychopathic, narcissist, pathological liar.

Durbin (D-IL) - Stands Up Against ALEC Privatization of Assets

First of all - I'm not a big fan of Durbin right now - he has a tendency to be too "blue-dog" for me on some issues.

But he recently introduced legislation that would stop or put a big hold on ALEC privatization of government assets and that's a good thing. 

Why do I refer to his bill as an ALEC stopper - cause who else is trying to take over this country through asset acquisitions and privatization  - it sure isn't the Eastern bloc communists - it's ALEC corporate members.

Durbin knows who that bill is aimed at - you and I know who that bill is aimed at -

but the media and our leaders refuse to say the name.

It's ALEC - ALEC - ALEC - destroying the democracy of the United States of America.

(Source) The American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC, is one of the prime conduits between corporations seeking privatization and legislators. They build legislation that conservative lawmakers then replicate in states all over the country. Their Publicopoly fake board game is a road map to how to privatize seven different government sectors: government operations, education, transportation and infrastructure, public safety, environment, health and telecommunications.

Dick Durbin, who saw first-hand in Illinois the horror of privatizing Chicago parking meters, is trying one of the first push-backs to this mad rush to privatization. He has introduced legislation that would slow down the privatization of public assets in the states and municipalities. They would have to repay any federal funding used to build or maintain those assets before leasing them to private companies. I’ll let Durbin explain it:

Having billions of dollars immediately available to plug budget holes without raising taxes is very appealing. And to the delight of Wall Street investors, state and local governments often fail to ask the important questions or consider the long-term impact [...]

The Protecting Taxpayers in Transportation Asset Transfers Act would require full disclosure of the terms and conditions of any privatization of an asset that was built with federal tax dollars.

The bill would attach a lien to existing federally funded major transportation projects that have received more than $25 million in federal funding or have a value over $500 million. The lien would only be removed after state and local governments repay the depreciated value of federal funds used to build and maintain the asset.

Instead of incentivizing quick, short-term decisions, the federal government should be asking the tough questions when governments turn over publicly funded transportation assets to for-profit operators. This legislation will make sure those questions are answered before we sell our public assets.

Almost immediately, Durbin faced a counterpoint from his fellow Senator from Illinois, Mark Kirk, who put forward legislation encouraging MORE privatization. This is obviously going to be a bitterly protracted fight. But it’s an incredibly important one. Private sales of physical assets are changing the very nature of sovereignty in a 21st-century world

Think I just found my next target.

It would be interesting to know if KIRK is ALEC Alumni????? 

------------------------------------------
UPDATE 2
Mark Kirk is liked by the Koch family - look at the personal contributions made to him in 2010

Contributor	Occupation	Date	Amount	Recipient
KOCH, ELIZABETH		10/29/2010	$2,400	Kirk, Mark (R)
KOCH, WILLIAM	OXBOW CORPORATION/CEO	10/7/2010	$2,400	Kirk, Mark (R)
KOCH, CHASE	KOCH NITROGEN CO./VICE PRESIDENT	9/9/2010	$2,400	Kirk, Mark (R)
KOCH, DAVID	KOCH INDUSTRIES/EXEC. VP	7/7/2010	$2,400	Kirk, Mark (R)
KOCH, JULIA	NONE/HOMEMAKER	7/7/2010	$2,400	Kirk, Mark (R)
KOCH, CHARLES	KOCH INDUSTRIES/EXECUTIVE	5/24/2010	$2,400	Kirk, Mark (R)
			$14,400

UPDATE #3
Well, Kirk has learned to suck at the teat of PAC money.
In one year - mind you one year - he collected $1,489,716 in PAC money,
Well Illinois - Kirk's not! representing you.

ALEC - destroying US democracy becausetheycan.

We must - over the course of the next two elections

Remove EVERY ALEC member from state and federal office.

Without legislators to pass ALEC corporate drafted legislation

ALEC will implode.

ALEC ALUMNI Unwilling to Compromise. - Deficit/Debt Talks Stalled

Following on a decision by House Majority Leader Rep. Eric Cantor, (R-Va.),to pull out of the White House-led debt and deficit talks on Thursday, the other Republican negotiator, Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona, has also dropped out.

The new GOP position appears to be that they will not negotiate any further until Democrats take tax increases off the table. That stance seems to reflect their assessment that there are not the votes in the House to pass any deal that includes tax increases.

Kyl - ALEC ALUMNI
Cantor - ALEC ALUMNI

Now it's up to Obama and Boehner

Boehner - ALEC ALUMNI

Let's start calling it what it is.

Screw this - they are

ALEC ALUMNI unwilling to compromise.

All three - educated and trained  by ALEC.

Byron (R-VA) - ALEC Member - Please do not re-elect

Del. Kathy J. Byron, who represents the 22nd District including part of Campbell County, this week announced her candidacy for an eighth term in the Virginia House of Delegates.

Having already secured the Republican nomination, Byron's name will appear on the ballot in the Nov. 8 election.

"It has been an honor to serve the people of the 22nd District, and I am asking for their continued support as I continue my work on workforce development, job creation, business growth and standing up for our values in Richmond," Byron said in an emailed press release. "Considering the seniority I have earned in the House since my first election in 1997, I am now ideally positioned to deliver positive results and effective representation for the people of Bedford, Campbell, Franklin and Lynchburg.

She is a member of the American Legislative Exchange Council and serves on the organization's Telecommunications Task Force."

This is where it starts folks -

when ALEC members come up for re-election

you have to do everything you can

to make sure they are defeated.

It does not matter what her record is -

It matters that Byron has chosen to be part of a conservative organization that distributes legislation that hurts the general public and promotes legislation for their corporate members.

Byron is an ACTIVE member of ALEC - including serving on a Task Force

Byron knows ALEC's philosophy and what ALEC does.

Byron chooses to maintain a membership with ALEC and represent corporate interests.

Choices have consequences - Byron must not be re-elected.

GOP Message to US Women - DIE! Sooner than later, is better.

Couldn't help jumping to this conclusion - it's just too damn convenient.

People Who Voted Democratic

(Presidential Election)

Year	Men	Women
2008	49%	56%
2004	41%	51%
2000	42%	54%
1996	43%	54%

"The Republican agenda is indeed pro-woman," said freshmen Rep. Kristi Noem, R-S.D. "It is pro-woman because it is pro-small business, pro-entrepreneur, pro-family and pro-economic growth."
(Musta been edjumacated by Palin and Bachmann - can say the words, don't know what they mean.)

The Republican agenda for women - "DIE! Sooner than later, is better."

   GOP is de-funding Planned parenthood  every chance they can -
   Planned Parenthood provides breast and cervical cancer screening -
   GOP plan , no funding - more dead women, faster

   Women are 57 percent of Social Security beneficiaries ages 62 and older,
   according to Social Security Works, and roughly 69 percent of beneficiaries
      ages 85 and older.

   GOP plan - cut funding - more dead women, faster

   Medicare provides basic health care for 22 million women -
   GOP plan, cut funding - more dead women, faster

   Cut funding to Meals on Wheels -

   Nearly six million seniors faced the threat of hunger in 2007.

   11.4 percent of all seniors experienced some form of food insecurity

   I'm pretty sure some of those are women.

   GOP plan - cut funding - more dead women, faster

   Cut funding to WIC  - Food for Women and Children

   GOP plan, cut funding - more dead women, faster

  
GOP Message to US Women - DIE!  Sooner than later, is better.
   We don't want you voting!
*
*

I'd can't even imagine the magnitude of the statistics
if we were added in people of color to this conclusion I have drawn.

*
*

GOP  just wants anyone who isn't a rich white male to DIE! -
    sooner than later, is better.

Koch Foundations - Talking Points on Social Security Exposed

This was interesting - everytime I tried insert the Greenwald video of this from youtube  -  the browse gave me porn videos.  Six times I tried - six times I got porned.

So - I'm not inserting a video clip - but giving you the  link to
Koch Brothers Exposed web page.
Enjoy!
This is a must watch for all ages!

If you can - please donate to Greenwald -
it's a 501c3 - 
so you can write your donation off on your taxes.

A follow-up article on this by Huffington - worth the read.

Bachmann - Run, baby, run!

I live in Bachmann's district in Minnesota.  The district is about 66% ultra-conservative Republicans.  It gets kind of lonely and scary over on my side of the district, being a liberal.  The last election when volunteers for a Democratic candidate went door to door - they were called  "communists" by some of the people who answered the door.

Back to Bachmann
Yesterday Ed Schultz was pontificating about how Bachmann was going to get the Republican nomination for 2012.

The whole time he was talking - all I could think was - "The longer she stays in the 2012 presidential race, the less chance we have of her running for office in the sixth district again."  Woo- Hoo!

But I say that cautiously - I really don't think she has a chance at the national level, but I don't ever take anything for granted - Minnesotans did vote Jesse Ventura into office - so you never know what will happen during an election.

So, Michele - you go ahead - move forward on your national political agenda.

Run, baby, run.
And hopefully we won't have to listen to your crap in the sixth district ever again.

Looking for Tenured Prof to Debunk ALEC Report

There is a Professor in Colorado who has had the guts to refute the ALEC report "Report Card on America" and show where ALEC's logic is illogical and where their statistics stink.

We need a professor to step up to the plate and debunk the crap that is in this report
ALEC's "Rich States, Poor States"

I found an article that actually debunks the Rich States, Poor States rankings - but I would like to have someone else take a whack at it also.

As you will see from the blog entry shown below -
this report will and historically has been the impetus for budget legislation passed in our state legislatures.
This ALEC report is the Bible to ALEC legislators when it comes to budget legislation.

Someone needs to come forward and critically review this ALEC report,
and develop a cogent argument why this report is "Truth to Power", ALEC crap.
We all know it is ALEC garbage, someone needs to write an article why it is.
If we don't refute this ALEC report - everyone accepts it as truth and it is not.

If you don't act -

the current budget issues of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio

will be in your state next.

This report contains the ALEC marching orders for every state legislator,

for new budget legislation,

for the next budget in every state.

Ralph Benko Forbes Blogger notes:

One of this columnist’s spies nabbed one of only three advance copies of the forthcoming American Legislative Exchange Council’s new Rich States, Poor States. This eagerly awaited work’s new edition, bearing a foreword by Gov. Sam Brownback and advance praise from Govs. John Kasich and Rick Scott is not scheduled for release until Wednesday.  It adds to the library of data on key pathways to economic growth.

Rich States, Poor States tells the real story about which states are flourishing and which are decaying, and why.  It speaks Truth to Power in laying out some of the scandalous specifics of the $2.5 trillion state public employee pension liabilities.  (Appreciation to State Budget Solutions.)  It shames the big-government stagnating-states in what its authors call “the new Rust Belt,” the Northeast.  It warns laggards (spoiler alert:  like New York!) of the penury their policies are causing with much worse yet to come.

Rich States, Poor States is authored by some leading authorities on economic growth: Arthur B. Laffer, Stephen Moore and ALEC’s own Jonathan Williams.  ALEC is a profoundly influential network of over 2,000 state legislators who take this organization’s findings very seriously.  This injects a rare note of sanity and affects change for the better.

ALEC Petition - Call for Action

On Daily Kos there is a diary that in the top third of the diary gives you a link to an online petition that you can sign.

               Right below the link is the text of the petition you are signing.

              When you sign the petition - a copy of it is sent to the
              Governor of your state,
              your representatives & your senators from your district.
(The sample letter shows Indiana - that's just an example - it really does go to your state reps.)

Folks - it doesn't get any simpler than this -
Time to take action!!!!!!

This costs you nothing - but 30 seconds of your time
and can make a world of difference.

Please  - lets make this petition go viral!!!!!!!!!!!

Boycott Coke Because They Belong to ALEC

As I have said in earlier posts - I don't generally support boycotts.  To date this will be my third request - Johnsonville Brats and Koch Industries and now Coke.

The reason I support this boycott is because this webpage took the time to develop a cogent argument about Coke's participation in  ALEC.

Please read the article (it is very well written) and then boycott Coke - but email Coke and tell them why - otherwise, they won't know why sales are going down.

I am no longer buying Coke products because of your involvement with the American Legislative Exchange Council.

•  Coca-Cola

•  Diet Coke

•  Fanta

•  Sprite

•  Minute Maid

•  Powerade

•  Dasani

ALEC & WI - A State Bought by Big Business

What is necessary right now is to do what was done in the “Wizard of Oz” movie: Pull back the curtain and expose for all citizens to see that ALEC is the “wizard” behind the major legislative proposals of Walker and the current crop of Wisconsin Republican legislators. Wisconsin voters need to see that their state is not just “open for business” as Walker repeatedly claims, but rather that Wisconsin has been “bought by big business.”

The Cap Times in Madison Wisconsin has had a plethora of great articles about the Wisconsin situation and the influence of ALEC.  Most of them have been very well written and have accurately exposed ALEC for the part that it is playing in the state - rather then speculating.

I republish this article here because

while it is written for the Wisconsin audience -

it has implications for the entire United States.

CWA - Explains Right Wing Attack on Workers

I use to be a member of the CWA.

It does my heart good to see an article where the CWA leadership is talking frankly about the issues in Wisconsin and Ohio and actually naming ALEC as a cause.  It's only one mention - but one mention will become two and two becomes three and eventually everyone will know about ALEC.

Do you notice how the interviewer just brushes past the ALEC mention?  I wonder how much the media is getting paid by Koch and others to make sure they keep criticism of ALEC and even mentions of ALEC out of the mainstream news.

This article is a good read and shows that some people are on our side -
Which people? 
The Unions, duh!

Kudos to OH Legislators Lundy and Phillips

Did you know that ALEC has Model Legislation titled:

The Transparency and Government Accountability Act

The irony of that "Model Legislation" is that it applies to anyone that ALEC wants to be transparent but doesn't apply to ALEC members.

ALEC members are Hypocrites - with a capital H.

Ohio has got a couple of legislators with guts, and they are requesting transparency from Kasich and he is balking.

Action Needed

OHIO - Stand behind your legislators and write Kasich's office and tell him to comply with this request.

It's just transparency in government after all and that's what ALEC tells him to do.

I applaud Lundy and Phillips.

Kudos of the day to Lundy and Phillips!!

ALEC Annual Meeting Needs You!

New Orleans August 5th.

Be part of this by
   attending the rally
or
   donating to help them cover expenses


The Cincy protest was a good start with over 200 people (organized in less than a month).

There is good feedback coming back about the organizing skills of the students in Louisiana.

The weather is not the only thing that is going to be hot on August 5th in New Orleans.

ALEC - The Move to State Dictators

I have run into another aspect of ALEC that is causing me to pace around my house while I try to keep myself sane.  This is so damn crazy and because it’s a new line of research for me – I am still trying to put my arms around all the implications of this insanity. (Please bear with me and any misteps in  logic, while I try to get my head around this  - more to come.)

*********************

This new area of ALEC is their position on Federalism and State Sovereignty.

Let me paint a scenario for you.

What is you lived in a state like Wisconsin that was run by ALEC – like Wisconsin or Ohio currently is?

Based on the current ALEC agenda –

Scott Walker and John Kasich would become your state dictator

with the ability to separate your state from Federal regulations  - becausetheycan -

that they decided they didn’t like or they thought were costing too much money.  

They could do this without you input!

What is your state dictator didn’t want to abide by

EEOC regulations,

EPA regulations,

NLRB regulations,

OSHA regulations,

FTC regulations?

What if your state government could say NO! to any federal government law or regulation they decided they didn’t want?

*********************

Inside ALEC: April 2011

The state legislatures need to do the same today by leading the charge to amend the U.S. Constitution to give two-thirds of states the power to repeal any law or regulation of Congress. It is called the Repeal Amendment and its text is simple:

“Any provision of law or regulation of the United States may be repealed by the several states, and such repeal shall be effective when the legislatures of two-thirds of the several states approve resolutions for this purpose that particularly describe the same provision or provisions of law or regulation to be repealed.”

*********************

“They [states] can repeal regulations and laws that we [The Federal government] do.

As you watch the video keep this in mind

Enzi (WY)– ALEC Alumni

Bishop (UT) – ALEC Alumni

Broun (GA)

Griffith (VA) – ALEC Alumni

Hatch (UT)

Barasso (WY) – Regularly noted as a speaker at ALEC meetings

As you watch this video keep in mind that ALEC has distributed the necessary state resolution/amendment to all their members in every state.

Get in touch with your US Senator or House Member and say, NO! to the Repeal Amendment.

We HAVE TO remove ALL ALEC members

from the State and Federal governments

in the next two elections.

WE HAVE TO!!!!

ALEC Training - Screwing Minnesotans

From the April 2011 of Inside ALEC the following item:

ALEC led a five-hour intensive training session on budget reform

for Minnesota state legislators. Jonathan Williams and Bob Williams,

Private Sector Chair of the Tax & Fiscal Policy Task Force,

both spoke and educated legislators on ALEC’s budget reform

ideas. Approximately 75 legislators and staff—including committee

chairs and senior legislators—participated in this valuable

training.


Valuable training that promotes corporatocracy.
Valuable training that destroys the concept of representative government.
Valuable training that has nothing to do with the constituents of the State of MN.
Valuable training that screws every Minnesotan.

I can't remember the last time the constituents got five f#cking hours with their legislator.

We pay the bills - the corporations get the benefits.
What a crock of shit and no one with the power to do anything is saying or doing anything about this scourge on democracy.

I'm coming to the conclusion that the Kochs have won and the average citizen is screwed.

Wisconsin - ALEC & Walker Privatizes Bail Bonds

This exchange happened in another discussion group that I belong to - but I wanted to bring it to your attention.  I did not write this - but I ask that you take the action requested, as this gives you enough information to act.  I gave you an example at the end of something you might write.  Comments are more effective if they come from a Wisconsinite.


Here is a link to an article today out of Wisconsin on the legislation legalizing private sector bail bonding: http://www.jsonline.com/....  This is something that was outlawed in 1979 and under Walker is being brought back.  As most of you are aware, ALEC has an entire section of Model Legislation regarding bail bonds.  They held a task force workshop on that topic in December 2009 - with American Bail Coalition President (and ALEC Board Member) Dennis Bartlett and a surety company.  They instructed lawmakers how to initiate such legislation in their states.  There is a nine part video presentation on YouTube from that workshop.  Here is part one: http://www.youtube.com/.... In part two is where Bartlett begins his discussion and at parts 7-10 members ask questions about the ALEC initiative.

In today's article ALEC "emphatically" denies having any part in the bail bond initiative in Wisconsin - and Bartlett denies ALEC had any input in the Wisconsin effort.  

I posted a comment, because we all need to call them out and provide the readers and general public of the deliberate disinformation put out by ALEC when they are accused of providing their model legislation at the state level.  They are such liars and it sickens me that they continue to get away with those lies, when their involvement in state policies and legislation is so insidious.  We must stop the lies, if only by reacting to any statement issued by them immediately.

Please make a comment and if nothing else - just say something like this.

this legislation written by the corporate bailsbond company that sits on the Board of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).  Wisconsin didn't ask for this, Wisconsin doesn't need it, Wisconsin doesn't want it.  It's another example of Scott Walker's ties to ALEC and the selling Wisconsin out to Corporate America members of ALEC.

The more we bring these damn Kochroaches of ALEC out into the light - the more they will destruct.

Thank you!!!!

I Support Gov. Dayton - Mn GOP Can Leave the State, PERMANENTLY.

Not a happy camper today.
I'm sick to death of the Republican legislators in our state
and their inability to compromise.
They put out talking points that they "are compromising".
The compromises they are offering are insulting to the general public
and an insult to the democratic process.
As far as I'm concerned they can all move to
Arizona and kiss Jan Brewers butt for the next four years.

I never use to hate Republicans, I tolerated them
 - but I'm learning to hate them.

Short Term Thinking

ALL of our local news is ONLY covering  the implications of a possible government shutdown – oh, my.

They are choosing to only look at the short-term implications of this budget battle  Bunch of butt wipes, not newscasters.

Dayton has made huge compromises to the budget that he originally proposed after elected to office and is down to his last offer (1.89 Billion tax increases on the wealthy)  and I agree with him.

The Republican’s want Dayton to fold on his entire budget.

He has not  and I applaud him!

The Minnesota Republicans are a bunch of arrogant jerks – who believe they are gods of the state.  It's their way – and ONLY their way and they are GOD!  No one should question them and we should just bow down and kiss their butts, because we have the privilege to live in the same state as them.  They are the all knowing, they are the righteous, they are the almighty lords of politics,  they are the political gods of the universe.  They are arrogant jerks!

To the latest Republican budget proposal Dayton responded:

"Once again their position, implicitly, is I have [to] agree entirely to them. I have to give up 100 percent of everything I believe in and am convinced is right for the people of Minnesota and cave in to their offer or there's not going to be an agreement," Dayton said.

LONG-TERM Implications of the Republican Budget

Here are just a few  of the LONG-TERM changes that will be a result of the Republicans budget – This is just some of them, a few of them 

and these changes will be around a lot longer than the State shut-down. 

(Source)

·     Under their proposal, health care systems would only receive an estimated $930 per patient per year to provide health care

·     repealing health care coverage through Medical Assistance for over 100,000 Minnesotans.

·     $50 million in cuts that threaten the supply of affordable, high quality child care.  $50 million in cuts that threaten the supply of affordable, high quality child care.

·     a 17.5 percent cut to Office of Justice Programs that would result in drastic cuts to domestic violence services statewide.

·    proposed elimination of a $952,000 state grant, which would result in the cancellation of the Caregiver Respite program and loss of $2.1 million a year in federal matching funds.  Caregiver Respite enables many older or sick adults to live at home instead of institutional settings.

·    proposed $1.6 billion in cuts to health and human services, including limiting access to chemical health treatment.

·    cuts that would eliminate school-linked mental health services.

·    proposed a 17.5 percent cut to the state Department of Public Safety's Office of Justice Programs, which houses the Youth Intervention Program.

·    proposed the elimination of the entire general fund allocation to metro area transit, $130 million over the next two years, and a devastating $7.6 million cut to Greater Minnesota transit.  More than 100,000 people - seniors, students and working adults - depend on transit every day just in the metro area.

·    proposed a 16 percent cut to the Minnesota Job Skills Partnership, jeopardizing training opportunities.

·     proposed a 14 percent cut for higher education - which will result in the lowest level of funding in over a decade.

·    proposed a 65 percent cut to the Minnesota Department of Human Rights.  Department of Human Rights' mission: to make Minnesota discrimination free.  Our vision: That we will eradicate discrimination and empower every person in Minnesota with the ability to enjoy all of the benefits of society regardless of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, disability, age, sexual orientation, familial status, and public assistance status.

The MInnesota  media in Minnesota is ONLY reporting 

about people who will go without their services due to the government shutdown.

Maybe the Minnesota media should start reporting

      on the millions of people who will go without services –

     permanently

      because of the Republican budget plan.

UPDATE:

The GOP shut down the state.

They refuse to tax the 7,700  wealthiest MInnesotans who are making / earning a million dollars or more a year.

To hell with everyone else - teh State of Minnesota is owned by the 89,000 wealthiest Minnesotans and they have a hosue and senate to prove it.

Plutocracy, anyone?