Thank God it's Over

Minnesota's long running 2008 Senatorial contest has - finally - come to an end. Norm Coleman has - finally - admitted defeat. Al Franken has - finally - been declared as the winner.

I can't say I'm sorry to see Norm go.

I know Norm Coleman once tried to be an honorable man. But, somewhere along the line he changed.

I hope he can find gainful employment outside the public sector where his misguided views will not have such a negative, divisive, impact on the long suffering citizens of Minnesota.

For Senator Franken, let's hope that he's able to maintain perspective. People do matter - more so than special interest groups. And, certainly more than how one politician fares in the next election.

Norm Coleman - Hypocrite

Normally, Norm Coleman, and his fellow Republicans, are loathe to criticize small businesses and free-market enterprise. At every opportunity, they tout small business as the reason to give massive tax breaks to the wealthy (while failing to mention that the vast majority of small business owners are not wealthy).

However, in a bizarre press release from the Coleman for Senate campaign, Norm Coleman appears to have gone on record criticizing a small businessman who sold his services to some of the Wall Street firms involved in the credit crunch affecting our failing economy.

It seems that the small businessman had listed his speaking fees ($50,000 to $75,000) on a web site, along with a partial list of clients (which included some of the Wall Street firms). Apparently, someone on the Coleman campaign staff used the web site to determine that over the years the businessman had given 30 speeches to Wall Street firms. At his published speaker's fee, it was estimated that the businessman collected between $1.5 Million and $2.25 Million for his work.

Why does Norm Coleman criticize one businessman who dared to conduct legal free-market business with now troubled Wall Street firms and ignore all other businesses which did the same?

Norm Coleman has labeled the private businessman as a hypocrite for collecting fees for his services, because the businessman has criticized lawmaker Norm Coleman for taking fees (or contributions - supposedly not for services rendered) from the same Wall Street firms.

Talk about hypocritical.

Norm, there's a big difference between a private businessman collecting a fee for a legal service, and a politician collecting a "fee" from the same business which is now seeking a share of a $700 Billion public bailout.

To be fair, the small businessman in this case is Al Franken. Al Franken, a businessman turned politician. Al's looking to change careers and take Norm's job.

Let's hope he succeeds.

Businessman Al Franken earned his Wall Street fees honestly.

Unlike some politicians, it's expected that Senator Al Franken will be more likely to represent the people who elected him rather than only representing Special Interests.

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.

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.

Higher Taxes Aren't Very Funny

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a pro-business special interest group closely connected to Norm Coleman, has come up with another attack ad against Al Franken.

It suggests that every time Al opens his mouth, he's saying that he's going to raise your takes. Talk about deceptive. It's my understanding that Al is right in line with Barack Obama. He'd roll back the unfair Bush tax cuts to the wealthy, and lower taxes for the majority of Americans.

The ad also claims that Norm Coleman is working hard to secure better health care for Minnesotans, while keeping the government out of our health care decisions, or some such drivel. It deceptively raises fears that we'll no longer be able to see the doctor of our choice and that some faceless government bureaucrat will make health care decisions for us.

Anyone who has had to deal with a private insurance company knows that there are plenty of faceless bureaucrats involved in making health care decisions for us. Except, they're not government bureaucrats --- they're employed by private insurance companies.

Over the past 10 years, health care costs have gone up at an incredible rate. Health care coverage has gone down. Monthly insurance rates and copays have gone up. And, more people have become uninsured.

Republican politicians are fine with the current health care situation. They have low cost health care insurance, and their wealthy friends are happy.

Norm Coleman has fought to bring us better health care? Now, that would be funny, if the truth weren't so sad. Casual observation, and those damned statistics would seem to prove otherwise.

The only thing Norm Coleman has fought for is the interests of his wealthy friends. He's given away billions of taxpayer dollars to satisfy wealthy special interests. He conspired with a lobbyist (who happened to be a Republican Congressman at the time) to help pass the Medicare prescription drug bill. In typical Republican speak, the law was supposed to help seniors afford expensive medications. In reality, it's done more to help the drug companies than it has to help seniors.

How would you like to be prohibited - by law - from negotiating the best price on your next car? Most of us would find that totally unacceptable. Yet, Norm and his co-conspirators added just such a prohibition to the prescription drug law. Our government - spending taxpayer money - is prohibited from negotiating the best price for the Medicare Part D drugs it buys.

The commercial suggests that we call Al Franken and tell him that "Higher Taxes Aren't Very Funny."

What's not funny is deceptive advertising.

Instead, I would recommend that everyone call the U. S. Chamber of Commerce (1-800-638-6582) - and their local Chamber of Commerce. Request that they stop deceptive advertising.

Request that they spend their money supporting the American people who have brought them so much wealth.