Norm Coleman - Unfit for Office

Norm Coleman, and his special interest allies - through lies, half truths, and innuendo - continue to hammer the message that Al Franken is somehow "unfit for office."

Many families with young children wish that Norm Coleman, and his allies, would put "Parental Disclaimers" on his adult content ads, to allow them to get the children out of the room before they run.

Meanwhile, our economy continues its long decline. The Republican social experiment in wealth redistribution called "trickle down economics" has woefully failed the country. The wealthy got wealthier - and greedier -while the middle class lost ground.

While many blame George W. Bush, the Republican party - and the special interest groups they cater to - are to blame. Republicans have consistently supported "trickle down economics" and opposed reasonable policies and regulations to protect average citizens.

I cringe every time I hear a Republican ad stating that the Democrats "will raise your taxes." If I didn't know the facts, I might conclude that the average Minnesota family was doing reasonably well - earning more than $250,000 per year.

But the fact is that the average Minnesota family doesn't earn more than $250,00 a year. The average Minnesota family is in trouble. They have lost ground in the last decade under Republican "leadership." Meanwhile, the wealthy have gotten much wealthier, and the Republicans want to cut their taxes even more.

Note to Norm Coleman - Leadership is not being a lapdog to special interests. Leadership means you have a spine and know how to use it. Leadership is not about political ideology or extremist religious beliefs. Leadership is looking beyond the next election. Leadership is putting the Country First - not as an empty John McCain campaign slogan, but in real actions which support the average citizen, not just the special interests.

Norm, I've seen great leaders. You are not a leader. Not even close. You are unfit for office.

Seven Hundred Billion Dollar Bailout

The "talking heads" on the Sunday talk shows indicate that the 700 Billion dollar bailout of Wall Street and big business is needed to avoid bigger problems later. (Actually, I believe the dollar figure is closer to one trillion dollars, if the money already spent is included. But, why argue over a few hundred billion dollars in an election year.)

Treasury Secretary, Henry M. Paulson, Jr., made the rounds of the talk shows to "sell" the notion that the massive bailout is necessary.

Given the penchant of the Bush Administration to lie to the American people, I'm not confident that we know the whole story. Mr. Paulson says that the additional 700 billion dollars will be used to buy impaired assets and we will get our money back when those assets are sold. These comforting words come from an administration which told us that Iraqi oil would pay for Bush's Three Trillion Dollar War.

I sure wish that there was an authoritative source of unbiased information to help guide us in deciding what's right.

One thing for sure. A select group of individuals got wealthy by selling loans to people who could not afford to repay them. Too many people bought this bad debt, some of whom were not aware that it was impaired. A number of CEOs were given big bonuses based on the returns "earned" on this bad debt.

The CEOs and executives will walk away from the mess with their large bonus payments. Some will also walk away with large severance payments. Some large firms will cease to exist. Many "innocent" employees will lose their jobs. And, a number of families will be forced out of homes that they couldn't afford in the first place.

As is typical in such situations, the average innocent citizen will be hurt the most.

Homeowners who have faithfully made their mortgage payments for years will suffer from a double hit - the declining value of their homes due to the number of foreclosed homes being offered at "bargain" prices, and the tax burden (whether direct, or through inflation, or both) caused by the one trillion dollar (so far) bailout.

For far too long the Republicans have indicated that free markets will solve all evils. The don't. They've also indicated that enriching the wealthy is good, as the money from the wealthy will trickle down to those of lesser means. While it may flood into political campaign coffers, it never quite makes it down to average citizens.

The wealthy can survive a downturn with a little pain ("My portfolio lost a billion dollars today. I'm so unhappy."). For those of lesser means - without a financial cushion - a downturn can quickly turn to disaster ("I'm 57 and was just laid off. I can't afford my mortgage payment. I can't afford tuition for my two kids in college. What will I do?").

We're long past the point where the Republican's failed social experiment needs to be ended.

The greedy cannot be trusted to regulate their businesses or their industries. Government must provide reasonable regulation to keep the actions of the greedy from crippling the dreams of all.

The tax breaks for the wealthy must be ended. The taxes they don't pay are a "hidden tax" on the remainder of the population.

Trickle Down Economics has failed. It's time for executive salaries to return from the stratosphere. America's workers deserve fair compensation.

And, yes, Senator McCain, starting a war then refusing to raise taxes to pay for it is unpatriotic. Future generations are being charged this stealth tax by your not paying for the war now.

It is time for a change. Vote accordingly.

Then, continue to demand change.

The Great White Hope

Courtesy of KSTP DTV-2, I was able to watch today's McCain-Palin rally at the Blaine airport live.

One overriding question remains. The McCain campaign is stressing "Country First." Just what - or who - does he think this country consists of? Rich white folks?

Other than the Secret Service Agents, just how many people of color were in attendance at today's rally? While a review of the tape would probably reveal more, I counted two (and one was placed strategically behind the candidates, so that she would always appear on camera).

Two - One. Two. Not exactly a representative demographic.

A few weeks ago, the ladies on The View were joking about the news media repeatedly interviewing the single black man or black woman they found at the Republican National Convention. The demographics of today's rally indicate little improvement has been made in selling the "Republican message" to anyone but rich white people.

On the issues, John McCain is almost sounding like a "liberal Democrat" these days. Today he's calling for more regulation of business. He even extolled the unthinkable for the Republican business lobby by suggesting that discredited executives "give back" their ill gotten gains.

No way do I believe that John McCain actually believes half the stuff he says while out on the stump. But which half does he believe? He seems to have put his campaign in the hands of the Karl Rove "win at all costs" crowd.

The wild Maverick has been broken. The "Straight Talk Express" has been silenced.

Whether John McCain becomes a good "trail horse" for the Republicans and their special interests remains to be seen. Right now, he seems to be the "good soldier" following orders from the commander managing his campaign.

Norm Coleman's Crummy Picture

After another brutal day on Wall Street, where hardworking Minnesotans have seen tens of thousands of dollars of their hard earned retirement dollars lost, what has Norm Coleman been doing?

According to his latest ad, he's obsessed that someone leaked a photo of him taken after a night of hard partying with his special interest friends. In it, he looks "crummy." At least that's what I think he was saying. Political "Norm Speak" is even harder to comprehend than normal "Norm Speak" sometimes.

Now, we know Norm's a good looking guy. And, I can see see how he would be concerned that such a "crummy" photo might harm his "clean" image (thank God the video of what he did at the party hasn't come out as yet).

So, as hardworking Minnesotans lose tens of thousands of dollars due to the failing economy caused by Republican incompetence, Norm is concerned about his image.

The fact is, Republican Trickle Down Economics have been disastrous for the average hard working Minnesotan, as well as for hard working individuals throughout the nation. Sure, the wealthiest 5% of the population has gotten much wealthier, but the other 95% have been hurting.

The stock market has remained essentially flat over the last ten years. Billions of dollars have been lost. Tens of thousands of good paying jobs have been lost. Median income for the middle class has actually declined in the last decade. Employers have eliminated defined benefit pension plans. Republicans even attempted to do the same with Social Security.

And, there's still the outstanding bill for Bush's three trillion dollar war.

Norm's response? Nothing of substance. He's concerned about his appearance.

It's a shame Norm has no conscience. It's a shame he has so little regard for hard working Minnesotans.

We deserve better.

Norm Coleman is a Whore

Norm Coleman has released his hardest hitting non-issue TV ad to date. Norm starts by "apologetically" telling us that he "approves this message because it's important for you to see" or some such drivel.

The rest shows a passionate, apparently foul mouthed, Al Franken doing his job. For those who have seen the recurring "This Week in Unnecessary Censorship" feature on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," you know the drill.

But, wait, perhaps the clips are real. Perhaps Al Franken, in the course of doing his job, uttered some harsh words about incompetent Republicans. So what? Al Franken was one of the few speaking out against Republican incompetence at the time. Is Norm suggesting that speaking honestly in a past job should disqualify someone from being a US Senator?

If so, Norm's past - and current - position as a special interest whore must surely disqualify him from further profiteering off of the American people. Not only is Norm a whore, but he's a dishonest one at that. He refuses to acknowledge that he's a whore for special interests. He continues to try to convince us that he's on our side. Bull Hooey.

Al Franken is a passionate guy who will work hard to serve the people of Minnesota.

On the other hand, reflecting the special interest whore that he is, all we can expect from Norm Coleman is his continued detached, dispassionate, screwing of the people of Minnesota.

I guess we shouldn't be too surprised that Norm Coleman is running non-issue attack ads. That's what Karl Rove worshipers do. Besides, Norm has to spend all those special interest dollars somehow. And, he certainly doesn't have any real issues to run on.

Norm, you're an embarrassment.

What's the Deal with Cindy McCain?

A friend of mine recently asked: "What's the deal with Cindy McCain?" We'd both noticed that she always seems to be with John McCain while he's on the stump.

My friend asked if I thought Cindy McCain was so insecure that she had to accompany John McCain everywhere. After all, John had just selected a much younger - and most unqualified - woman to run with him. In the age of Viagra, there might be something stirring in his loins.

While that's possible, I'd come up with another explanation. The last time the Republicans ran an "experienced" (well, actually, old) guy for President, he had many problems and needed much handling. Among other things, his mind was going. His wife, Nancy, took to managing him closely. She even used a psychic to offer proper guidance to "Ronnie."

The official word was that the "old gipper" was very healthy. Those who looked more closely saw the truth.

Perhaps Cindy McCain is hovering about to keep John McCain focused, on message, and out of trouble. While his mind seems okay, how is anyone supposed to know for sure? I suppose that when he starts calling Cindy "Mommy" the truth will be out.

If John McCain is elected, one thing for sure is that the Republicans will attempt to "fix" Social Security the same way they did with their last old President. They'll prop up their really old President - no matter how diminished he might be - as a perfect example of how people can continue to work well into their seventies, eighties, and beyond. They'll declare the only way to fix Social Security is to raise the retirement age to 76 years old (or older).

But, maybe raising the retirement age to 76 won't be so bad. With the fine economic mess the Republicans have created, retirement is a shattered dream for most Americans anyway.

Besides, with the failed health care system the Republicans keep promoting, the average American doesn't have a prayer of living to be 76 years old.

Norm Coleman - In Bed with the Oil Companies?

We've been saying for some time that Norm Coleman, like the rest of the Republican Party, is in bed with the oil companies.

A new report indicates that for regulators with the Minerals Management Service, being in bed with the industry seems to have been literally true.

Now, we know Norm Coleman has accepted "gifts" from powerful special interest groups (the ones identified in official reports reflect much special interest paid travel). Do we need to ask Norm for a more detailed report on his involvement with special interests? I doubt we'd get one.

For those who believe that the Republicans have been screwing American taxpayers - or more specifically those American taxpayers of modest means - for years, the report seems to offer yet another example.

What - exactly - have Republicans received in exchange for their tax breaks to Big Oil and other special interests?

We know what the average citizen got - higher costs, higher unemployment, broken pension promises, giveaways to one favored industry after another, poor industry oversight (resulting in the loss of billions of dollars), and a failed economy.

Yet, Norm continues to run on a "more of the same" platform.

Norm, we deserve better.

Norm Coleman - Getting It Done

In the days following the I-35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis, politicians of all stripes came forward, vowing to rebuild. Then, unlike what happened in New Orleans (remember, they were poor and unworthy of Republican support), they proceeded to do so. Money was appropriated. Money was spent. The new bridge nears completion.

This morning, we're treated to another message from Norm's "bowling buddy" spokesperson who claims that Norm's "leadership" provided the money to rebuild the I-35W bridge.

To be fair, Norm Coleman, and the Republicans, did help in securing bridge replacement funds. But, "leadership" from Norm? I think not. As a country, we have always come together after a crisis or a natural disaster (New Orleans being a major exception). Securing the money to rebuild was assured from the start.

Besides, the I-35W collapse happened on the watch of a Republican governor known for vetoing transportation bills, along with others necessary for infrastructure maintenance and repair. They had to support Tim Pawlenty (unlike what happened with a Democrat as governor in Louisiana).

As long as Norm wants to take responsibility for funding the I-35W bridge replacement, perhaps he's willing to take responsibility for the country's infrastructure decline while he's been in office.

Norm has voted to spend billions of dollars in his support for Iraq (which now has a huge budget surplus). Meanwhile, in our country, governmental agencies and programs suffer from inadequate funding.

Norm, and his fellow Republicans, have their priorities wrong. They'd rather run up huge debts funding a senseless war, while allowing our country's assets to deteriorate to the point of collapse.

Norm, when will you start to take responsibility for the failures of the Republican "trickle down" economic policies and quit rushing to take credit for the work of others?

Liar. Liar. Liar.

The latest John McCain ad includes the catchy phrase:

"They're Ready to Tax. They're Ready to Spend. But They're Not Ready to Lead."

The ad goes on to declare that Obama "and out of touch Congressional leaders plan to implement painful tax increases on working American families." It claims the Democrats will produce "years of deficits," and "no balanced budgets."

What a despicable bunch of Lies.

Unfortunately, they're just more Lies from a once honorable man formerly known for his "straight talk." Is there any Republican capable of speaking the truth these days?

What's happened to John McCain? His moral compass appears to have been lost. He knows, or should know, that the ads he's approving are filled with Lies. I think most of us are willing to accept a little "embellishment" during a political campaign. But, repeated lying is despicable.

Shame on you, John McCain. You may be a war hero, but your current conduct reveals some very serious character flaws.

FactCheck.org, a nonpartisan "consumer advocate" for voters, has examined Barack Obama's tax plan, and determined that it would produce a tax cut for over 81.3 percent of all households, and 95.5 percent of all households with children.

Not exactly the "painful tax increases on working American families" described in John McCain's commercial.

FactCheck.org has identified a "pattern of deceit" in John McCain's ads. Straight talkers would call it a pattern of Lying.

Republicans have repeatedly used scare tactics to get elected. George W. Bush lied to start a war. Apparently, John McCain believes in doing the same to get elected.

Mr. McCain, we expected better from you.

Back to Work

With the hurricane danger past, at least for now, the Republicans can get pack to work in St. Paul.

The convention leadership did a reasonably good job of subduing the celebrations in St. Paul, while people on the Gulf coast were being evacuated.

I wonder where the compassionate Republicans were the last time around - Katrina - when George W. Bush, and the Karl Rove wing of the party, were blaming the victims for Republican incompetence.

I'm glad to hear that damage on the Gulf coast was lighter than it was during Katrina. But, it would have been great political fun to watch the networks provide a split screen of the Republicans partying while New Orleans was being destroyed.

So, let's bring on the soaring rhetoric of John McClain. Then, let's politely ask the Republicans to get the hell out of town.

Abortion Politics

Republican Vice Presidential nominee, Sarah Palin, announced today that her 17 year old daughter, Bristol, is 5 months pregnant. To reassure her core special interest groups, she stressed that her daughter had decided to keep the baby, and would be marrying the father.

She is quoted as saying: "We're proud of Bristol's decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents. As Bristol faces the responsibilities of adulthood, she knows she has our unconditional love and support. Bristol and the young man she will marry are going to realize very quickly the difficulties of raising a child, which is why they will have the love and support of our entire family."

Clearly Ms. Palin seems to be a loving - if somewhat misguided - parent. After all, she's opposed to sex education in schools, even though it's been proven to be an effective deterrent to teenage pregnancy.

There's no word on whether sex was openly discussed in the home before the pregnancy occurred. And there's no word on whether the young couple has been given the option of not getting married, as teenage marriage often ends in divorce.

What is wonderful to hear from a strict anti-abortion supporter such as Ms. Palin is that her daughter had a choice. Ms. Palin and her husband were proud of their daughter's decision to have the baby.

What's troubling is that Ms. Palin, John McCain, and the Republican party would deny the same choice to millions of American woman to satisfy a special interest group. Instead of offering unconditional love and support to all families, she would demand adherence to the views of religious special interest groups.

Ms. Palin has asked for privacy for her children. This, too, is ironic. Ms. Palin, and the Republicans, want to keep government out of our lives - except when it comes to sex. She would have the government regulate who can marry and whether or not a pregnancy must be carried to term.

Sure, Ms. Palin's family deserves some choice. But, so do the millions of American families who are under constant assault from the anti-gay and anti-abortion special interest groups.

Republicans need to stop selling themselves to such special interest groups, and concentrate on unconditional support for all Americans instead.

That's a change which is long overdue in this country.