Sample ballot:
http://www.duluthmn.gov/clerk/voting/index.cfm
Election info:
http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/tag/group/News/tag/elections

Please go out and vote. Also, remember that AFSCME may not necessarily represent your best interests as a property owner and/or a citizen. Vote for whomever you feel will best represent your interests.

I'm voting for the AFSCME endorsed candidates and doing so proudly.

Why? Because they are far superior to everyone else running, from Becky Hall, "I embrace family and have 5 kids and am just a bored housewife" Hall to Jim "Vote for me b/c I've been there forever" Stauber.  Sheez, is this the best the righties can do?

Anyway, I predict a clean sweep of people who will lead Duluth into the 21st century, so I expect to hoist a pint or two at Carmody tomorrow night in celebration. It's just time for some new blood in there.

I have my new "I voted sticker" already.  We had a line at our polling place - well 3 people waiting for the clock to tick to 7 a.m.

Calk, it's interesting how you always put your political leanings first, rather than what is best for the city. Democrat or Republican- makes no difference. The truth is that AFSCME leaders are nepotistic sycophants that REALLY DON'T CARE ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY! They have financially ruined our city through their fat-cat closed meetings and back room deals, as well as making Duluth be associated with the stigma of being anti-business. Then you slam Becky Hall for being pro-family? We need a town full of people like the Halls. People that you can trust, people that will be good neighbors, people that understand the value of small business growth. All of you people that vote AFSCME lock step should be ashamed of yourselves. Until you start voting with your brain, we will continue to struggle to have a viable economy outside of tourism, hospitals and government. And when we go bankrupt, it will be you who cries first because you lost your cushy little government job. I too will raise a pint or two, but my celebration will have to wait until people like you move on to greener pastures.

Jim, I said no townhall screamers, please.

Paul,
I agree!  The flyers in the mail are also ridiculous!  I got three of the same AFSCME fliers yesterday (granted I only check my mail once a week).  I don't consider myself a tree hugger but just think of the trees that lost their lives so they could print all those stupid fliers that most people just toss in the trash or end up as road litter.

Jim, I'll try to ignore your emotional outburst and silly insults and point out that I'm not "slamming" Becky Hall for being pro-family. I myself am very pro-family, as anyone who knows me would attest.

Becky Hall's own campaign literature makes a big deal out of the fact that she has five children and that someone supporting her also has five children. In fact, Hall's lit piece doesn't just have a pic of her with her large family, it also has a photo of a woman I don't know who's supporting her, along with that woman's large family. I just don't see how that, together with her talking point about "embracing family" are at all relevant to a city council seat. Maybe this emphasis on her large family and her supporter's large family would be more appropriate if she ran for school board.

I think your claim that people vote "lockstep" with AFSCME-endorsed candidates is also silly. Believe me, Jim, I do vote with my brain. Most people I know do as well, as you'd know if you heard recent debates I've witnessed re The Red Plan. I've attended candidate forums, I've read media coverage, including that devastating profile of Becky Hall in which she claimed to be just an average housewife. I've even talked to the candidates. And neither Becky Hall nor Jim Stauber gave me good enough reasons to vote for them. I said it before, I'll say it again: Becky Hall wants me to vote for her because she's into family values, and Jim Stauber wants me to vote for him b/c he's been on city council forever. 

Sorry, not good enough for me. I consider voting for a candidate who can't give me good reasons to vote for him or her, beyond mealy-mouthed platitudes and vague generalities, as an insult to my intelligence. It's like someone telling me that I should be supporting a candidate who's obviously unqualified just because he's a minority.

The right to vote is so valuable;  people have been imprisoned, and have died so that we can have the right to vote. I am not going to squander that hard-won right by casting a thoughtless vote. And that's why I'm voting for Beth Olson, Dan Hartman, and Patrick Boyle today. They *earned* my vote.

I am always nice to the people who knock on my door, but I also can't help asking them if they really believe they can change someone's mind by interupting dinner, or family time, or Monday night football - just to talk one-sided politics.  I form the opinions behind my vote through objective discussions with friends and loved ones, and I like these discussions to explore each candidate individually and independently.  After all that, how is some stranger going to show up on my doorstep the night before the election and expect to change my mind?  Give us some more credit.  Same with the flyers/litter on my car.  How many people went to their car, looked at a flyer, and decided it was compelling enough to win their vote.  Seriously.  Why waste your money?

Jim;

Could you please delineate what "extremist lesbian values" are?  I'm interested.

I would be interested to hear some of our social services people weigh in the whole "family values" discussion.  I imagine that people who actually work with families will confirm my belief that there are plenty of hetrosexual couples who are awful parents and lack family values of any kind.  I have also met homosexual couples who have created a loving, structured home environment for their children.  I'm sure the opposite is also true in both accounts, but do any of you have proof that heterosexual couples have a lock on family values while homosexual couples are 100% against them?  It is an honest question, especially with such high divorce rates among heterosexual couples.

I'd vote for sex in the council chambers...

I never wrote any letters to the editor against Tim Little.

Wait a minute Bennie...what did I say about that other "blog"?

Please Calk- I don't need your pity. As far as the city being ruined, I guess you don't include the highest unemployment rate in the state as being noteworthy. Or, that we're on the brink of being bankrupt, and the worst financial shape of any city (in Minnesota) our size. Or that we have the only city in Minnesota that will picket a mom and pop business for using non-union workers. Or, that our young people can't wait to escape when they graduate. Or, that our biggest employers are government and a non-profit. None of these are obviously an indicator for you. Are you living in a cave?!!! (This is where I'd slap your face)Wake up and smell the coffee, dude. We're in terrible shape, and it's ALL because of flakes like you. Yes, YOU! City and County pensions were discussed as a major future financial burden when Doty was a Commisioner! They ALL knew it, but if you didn't play the AFSCME game, you were going to have jack-booted pin heads doing everything possible to keep you out of office. That's right, if you didn't play by their rules, you were out of the game. Funny thing is that it's still going on today! Career ticks like Oberstar make their living off of my money, while supporting people that will keep him in office. Let me ask you this- do you REALLY think its right that AFSCME members deserve better employment packages than private sector jobs? Is it right that a County Commissioner only has to attend ONE meeting per year to earn their pay of over $40,000 per year, despite being labeled a part time position? Well, DO YOU? DO YOU? How can you look at yourself in the mirror knowing that is their position? We've got thousands of struggling people in this town, and you are supporting the very scum that put us in this position. I don't pity you, I loathe you.

As far as being a homophobe, fine. Typical euphorian- don't agree with my view, label me as being anti-gay. How about this measure- I'll tell you what I am for, then you can tag me with something else. I'm for Moms and Dads. Silly me, I think that in order for a kid to have a healthy upbringing, they need a father AND a mother, not two mothers- of which one has short hair and a deep voice. Or, for that matter, a Dad that would rather get drunk with his buddies and screw around with a whore than spend time with his kids. Beyond that, do whatever you want to in the confines of your own home, but enough of the marching, bumper stickers, educational brainwashing, disrupting and strong arm shaming. Town Howlers have nothing on the likes of Beth Olson. She's an expert at disrupting public meetings to make people aware of her homo-plight. There is where your sympathy should be placed. I get it. You want to have a life partner, I say great. Just don't call it marriage, because it isn't. And don't use science to bring kids into the world for your amusement, because that's all it is- nothing more than a pet you can hold in front of everyone so you can push your agenda on society. 

Lastly, why do you think that our family value system is unraveling? I believe its for lots of reasons. If I had to point my finger, I would blame the media and its inability to check itself. There isn't a respect for life anymore- just check out the games kids play. They can kill and rape for hours with no consequence. They listen to songs with hate messages (check out crack a bottle by eminem), they are taught in school that it's not important to have a Mom and Dad in their life. They are taught to live in the now- get pregnant? Don't worry about it- we have a pill that will make "it" go away. Child molesters are given smaller sentences than a guy caught with a gram of coke or an ounce of weed. Why is the divorce rate growing you ask? Look in the mirror my liberal whiner. YOU are the problem. It is YOU who is legislating this turn in society that is eating at us like a cancer. Soon it will be too late. Just like the frog in the cool pot of water with a low flame under it.

Hey douchebag, you're on the wrong blog.
http://www.duluthcitizensblog.com/

Regardless of the the point or two that this guy was actually right about (there were a couple of correct statements in there, IMO) that was HI-larious.

Damn straight I'm pissed. I'm sick of whiny week knee liberals. My turn C-Freak. Cozy up with your partner and cry over a cup of chai. I don't think your gal Muffy Olson is going to make it.

Claire,

Don't twist the short reply I had into something else.  My point was, you claim others are spewing hatred or villifying you because their opinions or beliefs don't match yours.  And yet, you tend to be the first to cast stones or villify those who you don't agree with.  I said, why don't you lead by example.  That's it.

Enough said.  Then anyone else can take some shots at you under the guise of "free speech", under any different monikers that they may employ.  And I suspect that you'll stop whining about "spewing venom" and "misplaced hate" from this point forward.  I'm done with topic and am going to peruse other PDD favorites, but I suspect the other sharks in the water may carry this thread further.  I won't cast stones, but on the other hand, others may feel partial to the "eye for an eye" theory, too.  Have a good night, Claire.

He he.  I like Benny.

Our Cities problems are directly related to Saint Paul?! Are you frickin kidding me?! Why- because they didn't put a toll booth on Thompson Hill? How about a little culpability! You "labor" lackies have been hacking away at our economy so long there is NOTHING left. Don't you look at the streets? And unemployment? Again, our two biggest employers are SMDC and the Government. They have had a far lighter rate of layoffs than the private sector. Check your stats. What does that mean? In areas that count (like small business owners) we are dying and have a rate close to double that of the rest of the state. Even if you don't factor that in, we're the worst of all large cities in MN. Don't believe me? Do your research for before spewing more liberal garbage. According to the Dept. of Labor, of the top 7 cities- Fargo 4%, Grand Forks 4%, Mankato 6%, MSP 7%, Rochester 6%, St. Cloud 7% Duluth has the highest rate- over 8% (close to 9 last month). Yeah, I know Aitkin and Hibbing probably are higher. They probably had a republican town clerk or something back in the 80's. They probably caused the housing crash too, not the Fannies or Bubba Clinton. As far as Wall Street is concerned, that doesn't have anything to do with non-partisan greed or European world banks or the devaluation of the dollar or leaving the gold standard. Yes Patsy, you have all the answers. Maybe, if you opened up your eyes to the reality of the situation instead of being lulled to sleep by the DFL spin doctors you would see what is happening. We are on the brink. Unemployment is running out for lots of folks. The commercial real estate market is nose diving, which means businesses are closing. The Fact is that we are on extremely thin ice. Our decades of irresponsible spending has got us in a world of hurt, and it will continue to get worse as long as the DFL is in charge of the public coffer. 

Lastly, I don't think the Republicans are any better. In my mind they are just as bad as the Libs. If I had my druthers, I would make both parties take an elephant walk and start electing no bullshite reps that want to limit government and grow business. Period. 

To Calk and Patsy- a sincere thank you. I do feel much, much better now.

But, a few notes: In a fashion, the term "marriage" is just a word. It does come with a lot of institutional support and for that reason I feel it is an important issue for same sex partners to achieve that level of parity. However, from the standpoint of child rearing all studies done to date indicate children of gay parents are... well just like children of non-gay parents. There has been no head to head study between gay couples and non-gay couples so we can not make any assertions on that level, except that being legally married, or not, does not constitute a "couple". I know several "straight" families that are not "married" but have children and live as a functional, traditional, happy family. 

IRT to the studies of single parents vs together parents, those studies are important, but limited, while it indicated that children growing up with a father do better than those that do not, it leaves out any number of variables. Do children in single parent homes do better than children in two parent homes where there is significant domestic, substance or child abuse? Why does the often quoted study only reference absent fathers? How about children who grow up absent a father but with an extended support network? There are many configurations or reasons for single parenthood that don't get factored in. 

It is a bit tenuous to take a study that says one small thing and try and apply it across the spectrum. I think a problem we face is that for so long we have had it in our heads (culturally) that "family" means one thing (mom, dad, kids), and so everything is designed to accommodate that perception rather than seeing a family, in whatever form it may take (single parent, two same sex parents, multiple caregivers....), and saying how can we help that family succeed.

Sorry, don't agree at all. The gay community seems to concentrate so much of their efforts on the term, versus the parity. Supposedly it's equal rights that they want. If they get all of the legal protection from a civil union, minus the label, shouldn't that be good enough? This has been proposed over and over, yet the gays say nay- we want the legal protection and the label. 

As far as the studies, there are many holes in the variables you pointed out. Typical science will break down everytime you reduce it to its elements. Look at it from a logical point of view- we are created to procreate one way. Nature intended us to have moms and dads. Sometimes that doesn't work out. When it doesn't, the strong survive and the weak get eaten. Anything else is a less than ideal situation, both for parents and offspring. In the long run, it won't matter. Women will eventually rule. Check out the Bonobos. They are way ahead of their time...

Nature intended us to have moms and dads? That's pretty naive thinking, considering that nature allows for homosexuality, and nature made male-female monogamous parenting uncommon in the animal world. Do not assume what nature has intended for us.

Enough--let's just let Jim shuffle back under his bridge.

Yea, I know it's bad to feed the trolls, but they're just so fucking stupid!
Ahh well, live and let live - the stupid and hateful will die alone and friendless.

First of all, we are not wholly products of "nature", I, and I suspect many of us over the age of 30 would not be alive if it was not for some really "unnatural" cultural advantages. The entire thrust of culture is to disseminate information and to protect one another.

Even so, the only thing "nature" requires there be is a sperm donor and an egg donor amongst animals who reproduce sexually. That is all nature requires. Even a womb is optional in some cases. How offspring are raised is as varied as you can possible imagine. Maternal, paternal, community, no caregiver, multiple caregivers... You simply CAN NOT point to nature and say, well obviously we need to do it like this because it is natural. Additionally, as Badcat indicates there are ample cases of homosexual behavior in the so called natural world. 

Typical science will not break down every time you reduce it to its elements. Typical science says something very specific, it is when we try to interpret it, especially into social contexts that things break down. If designed and implemented correctly the science is perfectly valid. WHAT IT SAYS often gets twisted out of whack and misappropriated into much more general statements without taking what it _does not_ say into context.

I don't entirely disagree with the "civil union" approach to benefits for same sex couples, but there is a strong argument that doing so creates a "separate but equal" situation, which has some pretty negative associations stuck with it. So, in my opinion the State should reduce all legal unions to "Civil Union" and reserve the term "marriage" for a religious ceremony, if the partners so want one, and place very few restriction (age limits...) on that.

If you really ascribe to the "strong survive, weak get eaten" mindset, ignoring for the moment the inherent strength in cooperation and social networks, then you are saying it is ok for someone to come over, beat you up take your possessions and your family and toss you in the lake to freeze to death. Anyone helping you is a sign of individual weakness and should be discouraged because it would water down the evolutionary stock. Frankly, that line of thinking and mode of operation is pure crap, and very very few people actually practice what they preach in regards to it. I certainly don't want that to happen to you, because... well because we live in a community and count on one another even if we disagree vehemently about certain things.

Yakk! Evidently Washington School let the monkeys out. Bad Cat and the rest of you weenies--you must not have a mirror to look into. Maybe the cesspool created by your political leanings will offer you enough of a reflection to realize what a hypocrite you are. Despite your obvious hate of those who don't agree with you, the majority of the country shares my views.  Since you trod on my bridge, I'll come out again to tell you. Homosexuality is an abnorality. No different than a cat with 6 toes. Marriage should be between a man and woman, as God intended it to be. Privately, people don't agree with homosexuality, or their agenda. When people are in the comforts of a private voting booth, they will vote their conscious, thus the outcome in Maine on Tuesday. Despite the GLBT's best efforts, including legislating contrary to public opinion, it FAILED, just like EVERY other time it has been put to a vote! 34 times it has been asked of the people. 34 times it was voted down. What does that tell you beyond your simplistic view that conservative Americans are stupid? Are we all wrong?! Out of fear of being labeled, people keep their opinion to themselves until it's time to vote. Most people don't like to advertise their private business,contrary to the GLBT's desire to become a public Gomorrah.  You can argue that homosexuality is found in nature--to what point? So is cannibalism and inner family breeding. My dog will occasionaly dine on a turd too, despite having good kibble at home. So have at it. Eat all the turds you want. Share your leftovers with your friends, because I'm sure they'll want to dig in once they find out how much you enjoyed it. Feel free to continue to deny any existance of "normal", because that will remove you from any type of personal responsibility or culpability, which is what all Democrats seem to want now days. By the way, you have a piece of spinach from my last  dinner on your tooth...

Jim, the twenty percenter, thinks that his dying opinions are somewhat relevant to the debate.   It might be true among his Tuesday morning coffee clatch, but not in the real world (especially in the bluest county in all of Minnesota)

On the most recent referendum in Maine, 18-24 year old Mainers voted to allow gay marriage by 80% to 20%  We are moving to equality, jimmy.  Get used to it, or get digging.

Well said, Tony Ramone. Gay marriage rights is the civil rights issue of our time. It will be the law of the land by the time my child is an adult, just as segregation was commonplace when I was born, but inter-racial marriage became the law of the land by the time I became an adult.

Embrace and unite? Isn't that the Washington School I was referring to? 

I find it very entertaining to be among you and have the chance to call out the truth-- and in a sense, force you to read the truth. You are a very small minority. Most people in private will vote just like me. The 18-25 year olds you are referring to are mothing more than selfish little products of the liberal education system. Once they grow up, they either become awakened and vote a bit more conservative, or they move to Washington School in Duluth, MN and unite and embrace. Oh, and parade too. Don't forget about the gay daze spectacular in the summer. You know the one, where all the flamers come out in their hot pants and french kiss in front of our children going out to eat with their family. Yeah, you "guys" are right. It's only a matter of time...

*sigh* Jim, you really aren't among anyone. You are sitting alone on a computer, yanking people's chain by throwing stuff out randomly that isn't thought-out or even remotely internally consistent. All you got is insults and juvenile behavior. By all means continue to make a jackass out of yourself.