Politics
Let’s Discuss Social Security
Someone recently wondered why there had not been a PDD post regarding Social Security being “bankrupt.” Here goes:
Social Security currently has a 2.5 trillion dollar surplus. This is partly due to Ronald Reagan raising SS taxes on working people. Then he started to raid the fund to make it look like he could cut taxes on the rich and corporations, bloat the military, and still “balance” the budget. Well, he still wound up turning a surplus into a massive deficit, but I digress.
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Tim Pawlenty on The Daily Show
[This post originally contained an embedded video that is no longer available at its source.]
The complete, unedited interview from last night.
Who’s running for mayor in Superior?
Dave Ross is out after two terms as Superior mayor. He’s taking a job as secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Regulation and Licensing.
Candidates must file the required number of signatures by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 4 to get on the ballot for mayor in Superior. (more…)
Respect Your Elders. Namely Mark Dayton.
At age 63, Mark Dayton is the oldest person to be elected governor of Minnesota. A few weeks after he’s sworn in, he’ll be 64.
From the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library:
Challenged Ballots in the Minnesota Governor’s Race — Duluth Edition
Now that the challenged ballots from St. Louis County are available online, here’s a look at the nine from Duluth.
The first one is from precinct 3 (Lakeside) and the next two are from precinct 7 (Hunters Park).
In the next set, the first is from precinct 11 (Kenwood) and the next two are from precinct 19 (Downtown).
In the last set, the first is from precinct 24 (Duluth Heights), the second is from precinct 27 (Piedmont Heights) and the third is from precinct 34 (West Duluth).
Someone explain why this is so fun.
Oberstar/Cravaack, Chapter 17
I still have one nagging question that came up during the campaign: “Can you get good Malaysian food anywhere near Duluth?”
Anyone have an answer?
Challenged Ballots in Minnesota
Here’s an afternoon killer: Take a look at the challenged ballots in the Minnesota governor’s race recount.
(The three above are from Aitkin County.)
McCain praises Feingold
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAVAk61JVDg&feature=player_embedded
“I can’t do justice in these remarks to all of Russ’ many qualities or express completely how much I think this institution benefited from his service here and how much I benefited from knowing him. I lack the eloquence. I don’t think he is replaceable. We would all do well to keep his example in our minds as we serve our constituents and country and convictions.”
Is Duluth’s fake-reefer madness over?
With the DEA’s emergency ban on the synthetic marijuana compounds used in K2 and other brands, is the local battle between the Duluth City Council and the Last Place on Earth and others over? Should it ever have started?
It was torture to have the City Council’s attention and efforts focused on what was clearly a federal or state issue. With all the money we dump into federal regulatory agencies, we can be certain that if there is something to regulate, they will get around to it. Synthetic reefer had no real special interest or political support. So what were the local yocals we elected spending all their crusade power on? Did they really need to focus their efforts on what chemicals to ban? The last time I checked (about an hour ago) we still had a high rate of unemployment and many people in need. Didn’t we elect council members to improve our local economy and quality of life.
The DEA ban goes into full effect on the Dec. 24. All I want for Christmas is local government that does some real work to make Duluth more perfecter.
Rod Grams’ revenge
Chip Cravaack news release:
NORTH BRANCH – The week after edging out Minnesota’s longest-serving Congressperson in state history, Congressman-elect Chip Cravaack has named Senator Rod Grams as his interim chief of staff.
“Senator Grams brings a wealth of knowledge expertise on Washington D.C. and the 8th District to our team,” Cravaack said. “His previous experience serving the state of Minnesota will be invaluable as we prepare to hit the ground running on behalf of all the residents of our district.”
Senator Rod Grams was elected to Congress in 1992 and then to the Senate in 1994.
Cravaack also announced that campaign consultant Tony Post will oversee the transition. Campaign communications director Kyler Nerison will continue in that position during the transition.
What part of a district should an elected official live in?
I’ve seen several references to Cravaack living in an outer ring suburb, and the implication that this is inappropriate. It appears he lives in Chisago City, which, while perhaps being a Cities outer ring suburb, still falls into the 8th Congressional district. If, indeed, this is in the district, then what’s the point, really, of implying he is inappropriate to be the district’s rep?
I suppose it’s been conventional that the rep comes from Duluth or the Range but from the geographic perspective, any resident of a district should be eligible to be elected as long as they meet other legal requirements, no?
To imply that someone who lives on the outer edges of a legally defined district should not be its elected rep seems specious to me. That’d be like saying a person who comes from Maine or Washington State or some such location distant from the geographic or population centers of our country should not be able to be elected president.
This is why it is important to pay attention to who gets to draw the legislative districts–there is real power in being able to carve up districts to benefit your party, especially given the information that is available via databases about demographics, voting patterns, income, etc.
I’m not a partisan of Cravaack and did not vote for him, so I am neither defending nor attacking him–just wonder if the PDD community has any thoughts on the idea that a representative should come from a particular part of district to represent it.
Secretary Oberstar?
From Star Tribune/Hot Dish Politics:
[T]he president called at breakfast Wednesday morning … Staffers who were gathered with Oberstar at the Duluth Holiday Inn heard Oberstar tell Obama, “Mr. President, I want you to know that while my service in Congress has ended, my commitment to public service has not, and I’m ready to assist your administration in any way.”
To which, the president reportedly replied, “Let’s let the dust settle and talk again.”
Straw Poll: Who Shocked the World More?
I woke up today with an otherworldly, twilight zone-like feeling similar to the one I had in November of 1998, like where I had to check multiple news sources to see if I was understanding the election results correctly and then check back again to make sure. Shocked I tell you. Shocked.
My question to the PDD brain trust: What was more shocking Jesse’s win or Chip’s? And you can do a “where were you” personal memory or two if you want for color and flavor.
Love, Wild Goose
Duluth 2010 General Election Results
With all precincts reporting, here are the statewide numbers for Minnesota races related to Duluth and St. Louis County. (more…)
Join LakeVoice in our election Tweets
The LakeVoice editing team will be Tweeting the local Midterm election today. Feel free to follow us below or on Twitter and add your own perspectives by using the hashtag #DuluthVotes10 (that’s Twitter talk).
Vote Proudly!
The Daily Beast: The Most Political States
Over the past 30 years Minnesota has the highest voter registration and participation of any state in the union!
Average voter registration rate: 83.8
Average voter participation rate: 69.8
UMD journalism students countdown the Midterm election
Today the LakeVoice editing team presents its Election Guide 2010. The guide is designed to help Duluth citizens understand how the November vote affects their lives. It includes a rundown of the races, discussions with candidates and questions generated by community members themselves.
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PDD Poll: Campaign 2010
It’s been a few years since Perfect Duluth Day has conducted a poll, but with one of the most important races in Minnesota history being decided on Tuesday, it seems like now is a good time for it.
So …
[poll id=”3″]
Author Jay Weiner to speak tonight at The Bookstore at Fitgers
Author Jay Weiner will be in Duluth tonight for a talk and book signing for his new book This Is Not Florida: How Al Franken Won the Minnesota Senate Recount.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
5:00-8:00 pm
The Bookstore at Fitger’s
600 E. Superior St.
Duluth, MN 55802
Sample Ballot for Duluth, St. Louis County, Minnesota 2010 General Election
This sample ballot is for House District 7B, so, depending on where you live, it might include some stuff you won’t get to vote on (like State Rep for 7B or State Senator for 7) and might not include some stuff you will get to vote on (like State Rep for 7A or 6B, or the big race for District 1 County Commissioner). So heads up on that.
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Sample Ballot for Superior, Douglas County, Wisconsin 2010 General Election
Here it is, a sample ballot so all the folks in Douglas County can practice at home.
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Independence of Duluth News Tribune Political Endorsements
The recent DNT endorsement of Chip Cravaack, a conservative Republican who enjoys a lot of Tea Party support, made me want to tap the PDD community for information and discussion of the DNT endorsements over the years. The Fargo-based, private company Forum Communications became owner of the DNT in 2006. Since then, the DNT and the many other Forum newspapers overwhelmingly tend to endorse conservatives and Republicans as a bloc.
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Monahan Brothers Make it to D.C.!!
Remember back in May!?!?! Well, 3,100 miles later, the old guys made it! This photo was taken at the Lincoln Memorial on Wednesday, where organizers from movetoamend.org unfurled a ginormous (20×100 ft.) preamble to the Constitution for people to sign. It was quite a display, both visually and emotionally (I’m pretty proud of my pops). The crowd was receptive and security was … cooperative. Pics from the action made it into USA Today and the Washington Post. Anyway, what a day! If this is inspiring at all, consider signing the motion at movetoamend.org. If you’re curious, here are the rest of the pics from my epic political activism adventure:
Rowdy crowd at Oberstar/Cravaack forum
It was an emotional crowd at the Congressman Jim Oberstar and challenger Chip Cravaack forum on Tuesday, Oct. 19. A crowd filled the main level of the DECC Auditorium and didn’t heed the requests of forum moderators Dave Orman or Chuck Frederick to keep the event civil.
At the beginning Orman told the crowd that there had been a fist fight in the Skywalk (which this blogger thought was a joke, but apparently not). See more photos and the whole Hillsider blog post here.