Politics Posts

The Corporate Coup is Complete

SCOTUS

SCOTUS

Landmark Supreme Court ruling allows corporate political cash

SMDC Rejects Contract Offer, Authorizes Strike

http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/156923/publisher_ID/36/

FYI, SMDC netted $28.7 million in profits (despite being a “nonprofit” hospital) in 2007 and purchased over $5 million worth of property last year. CEO Peter Person makes $1.1 million per year. The average medical transcriptionist makes just on the threshold of a living wage – $35,000 per year. Solidarity! (Stay tuned for info on how you can help out…)

You don’t bring a gun to a snowball fight

News story

Does anyone feel like throwing snowballs around 1 at Lake and Superior today? Just don’t bring any guns.

Merry Christmas!!

Kenny wishes you all a Happy Holiday!

Kenny wishes you all a Happy Holiday!

After numerous comments on my “Merry F***ing Christmas” thread, I got a phone call from Chief Gordon Ramsey. He was most cordial and apologetic about my ticket and offered to take care of it in a manner amenable to me. So, I deleted the previous thread- and have a lot of respect for the power of this little ol’ PDD blog and for our DPD Chief. Kenny wishes you all a Happy Holiday (and he is still for sale).

A little history

In 1998, Dick Cheney made this statement. “I cannot think of a time when we have had a region emerge as suddenly to become as significant as the Caspian. But the gas and oil there is worthless until it is moved. The only route which makes both political and economic sense is through Afghanistan”

Feb. 28, 1998. Unocal states that the Taliban government should be removed and replaced by a government acceptable to his company. He argued that the creation of a 42-inch pipeline across Afghanistan would yield a Western profit increase of 500% by 2015.

There is much more history but it certainly appears our newly elected Republican president has bought into this, otherwise we certainly would be doing a green energy revolution, the change that I voted for.

Washington Times Ad: Obama’s Lack of Eligibility

Full page ad in Washington Times by Protect Our Liberty. Wow!

Northern Lights Express could cost $1 billion

From the Minneapolis Star Tribune:

The proposed Northern Lights Express from Minneapolis to Duluth runs into complications after a MnDOT “worst-case” estimate comes in much higher than a more conservative estimate by rail supporters.

David Guttenfelder: AP photographer with Wisconsin ties

MarineInAfganiztan

AP Chief Asian Photographer David Guttenfelder has been covering Afghanistan since 2001. His photos are impressive to say the least.

He vacations every summer with his wife and two daughters at Three Lakes, near Eagle River, Wis. His wife is from Neenah.

Listen to Mike Simonson’s interview with Guttenfelder on KUWS.fm.
View Guttenfelder’s photos on Denverpost.com.

Duluth 2009 General Election Results

These are the final numbers.

Still no mandate on the school district’s long-range facilities plan. Half of the opponents of the plan were elected, and half were not. Jim Stauber is the comeback kid in the at-large city council race.

Duluth Second District City Councilor
Patrick Boyle – 2,543 | 78%
Rob Wagner – 668 | 21%

Duluth Fourth District City Councilor
Kerry Gauthier – 1,932 | 52%
Gordon Grant – 1,779 | 48%

Duluth At-large City Councilor
Top two candidates are elected
Dan Hartman – 9,322 | 26%
James Stauber – 9,045 | 25%
Beth Olson – 8,851 | 25%
Becky Hall – 8,256 | 23%

Question 1: Amending the city charter so the mayor can appoint a communications and policy officer and a community relations officer.
Yes – 10,797 | 59%
No – 7,431 | 41%

Question 2: Amending the city charter so city employees are not required to take a leave of absence from city employment to run for any political office, except city offices or Duluth’s board of education.
No – 9,069 | 50.07%
Yes – 9,044 | 49.93%

Duluth District One School Board
Ann Wasson – 2,925 | 54%
Marcia Stromgren – 2,513 | 46%

Duluth District Four School Board
Art Johnston – 1,972 | 53%
Laura Condon – 1,770 | 47%

Duluth At-large School Board
Top two candidates are elected
Tom Kasper – 11,757 | 32%
Mary Cameron – 8,960 | 24%
Nancy Nilsen – 8,308 | 22%
Maureen Booth – 7,975 | 21%

Remember to vote

Tuesday, Nov. 3, municipal elections will be held in Duluth. Vote early, vote often.

AFSCME’s endorsed candidates are: Kerry Gauthier, Beth Olson, Daniel Hartman, and Patrick Boyle. If you are a public employee, my wife is probably going to knock on your door or call you tonight. Be nice.

http://www.sos.state.mn.us/index.aspx?page=134

Gutter Politics

GutterPolitics34892

I cleaned the gutters on my house today and found, among the clumps of various yard waste, a flier for a school board candidate forum and a slice of bologna slathered in mustard.

Trick or treat?

State of Minnesota too polite to ask for federal funding

Although many of its highways and bridges are in severe disrepair, the traditionally undemanding state of Minnesota isn’t comfortable asking for more interstate funding, sources reported Monday.

Read the story in the Onion.

“Duluth said it has some scrap metal we might be able to melt down to make some lamp poles.”

Blue Law Blues

According to estimates by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, Minnesota could raise $10 million in tax revenues simply by allowing liquor stores to sell on Sundays.

Read this brief story from Saint Paul Legal Ledger Capitol Report for more info.

But the real reason to allow liquor stores to sell on Sundays is because it’s stupid not to, right?

Candidate Forums

Do you know how you’re voting on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3? There’s no substitute to hearing the candidates speak in person. You may surprise yourself and change your mind after attending the following candidate forums.

Please join us:
School Board Candidate Forum
Thursday, Oct. 22
Lowell Elementary Music Magnet School
2000 Rice Lake Road, Duluth, MN 55811
6:30 – 7:00 PM Tour Lowell’s renovation
7:00 – 9:00 PM Forum with Questions from Co-Sponsors, Students, & the Audience
Co-Sponsored by League of Women Voters Duluth and the Duluth PTSA Council – Parent Teacher Student Association

At-Large, District 2, and District 4 City Council Candidate Forum
Thursday, Oct. 29
Holy Family Church
2430 W. Third Street, Duluth
6:00 – 8:30 PM Forum
Co-Sponsored by League of Women Voters Duluth, Community Safety Initiative (Duluth Local Initiatives Support Corporation), Neighborhood Housing Services, and Churches United in Ministry.

Vote on Election Day Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009
If you have any questions about where to vote or exactly what school district you live in check out www.lwvmn.org. The Minnesota League of Women Voters website can help you answer any of your questions about election day.

Duluth 2009 General Election Sample Ballot

You’ll probably be surprised to discover there are two questions on the Nov. 3 ballot regarding amendments to the City Charter. There’s nothing highly sexy about the questions, so there hasn’t been much reporting about them. Read the questions and you’ll pretty much get the gist.

Another note: There are more races going on than the ballot image above indicates. What will be on your ballot depends on what precinct you vote in.

A complete and more legible list of candidates can be found here. PDD presents this ballot image because, well, some of us are visual learners.

Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site!