Why?

Because that number is pure BS.

Cue MPR’s Tom Scheck!

Republican official: MN GOP’s debt load ‘some ugly stuff’
by Tom Scheck, Minnesota Public Radio
December 30, 2011

St. Paul, Minn. — The Republican Party of Minnesota is heading into the 2012 elections with massive debt that could be as high as $2 million, party officials disclosed Friday.

A day before Republican delegates were to elect a new chairman, party officials conceded that the obligations include some debts the GOP had not disclosed. That could prompt additional fines from state and federal regulators. (more, here)

“…additional fines…” – Say, like the recent and near-record $170,000 fine the MN GOP was smacked with?

Yep!

Now, let’s take a look at just one recently (December 20th, 2011) reported debt:

OK, it’s a little small. Here’s what that December 20th, 2011 debt reads:

Cardinals FEC Compliance Services — $42,915

But, what did the MN GOP tell the media, and and what did MPR report, about the MN GOP’s updated debts? Let’s look!

Cardinals FEC Compliance Services — $89,997

Ladies and Gentlemen, the MN GOP misreported to the FEC how much they owed the vendor they contracted with to ensure FEC reporting compliance!!!

And this is the party – the GOP – that’s always lecturing other people about fiscal responsibility?

Yep!

Because, Republicans are always demanding fiscal responsibility – of OTHERS.

(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject; comments welcome there)

So today’s song choice, for the next to last day of Zappadan 2011, has to be “Dirty Love!” Now, Frank always had a “secret word” at his concerts, for fun and entertainment. With the sordid and scandalous behavior by drop trou GOPers at the Minnesota Senate, I picked this song cause there’s a secret word in it, too! Well, phrase, to be exact: “The poodle bites – c’mon Frenchy!” If what I’m hearing is correct, the significance of that “secret word” will become very apparent in just a pew, er, ‘scuse me, “few” days!

Which is why I added the “Pew d’Etat” to the title, there’s a new crew taking advantage and taking over the GOPer side o’ the aisle in the Minnesota State Senate! While past performance doesn’t guarantee future results, smart money is betting after their Pew d’Etate that it’ll just be SSDD….

Without any further ado – “Dirty Love!”

Frank Zappa tribute with ex-band members and many guests, recorded in November 1991 in New York City. Frank was too ill at this time, so he couldn´t attend.

Hope you enjoyed that; I’m sure Frank would be having a field day writing new songs based on the antics of Today’s GOP: Morally Bankrupt, Intellectually Dishonest, and Institutionally Corrupt.

***

Previous posts on MPP, referencing Frank Zappa:

“Zappadan 2011, Day 11″ by TPT on Wednesday December 14th

“Zappadan 2011, Day 6″ by TPT on Friday December 9th, 2011

“Zappadan 2011, Day 4″ by TPT on Wednesday December 7th, 2011

“Zappadan 2011, Day 2″ by TPT on Monday December 5th, 2011

“That’s right folks, don’t touch that dial!” by TPT on Saturday November 19th, 2011

“One Year Later – Who Opposes HCR? Or…a picture says a thousand words.” by TPT, Thursday March 24th, 2011

“Watermellon In Easter Hay – May 17th, 1988, Barcelona, Spain” by TPT, Friday August 21st, 2009

“Progressive Nation 2009 Concert Tour” by TPT, Wednesday June 17th, 2009

***
Where I get my Zappa music: The Electric Fetus

(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject; comments welcome there)

In today’s Star Tribune, noted GOPer apologist Jason Lewis demonstrates this continues to be true. I’d fact-check Jason, but what’s the point? It’s not like pointing out (one again) that Reagan said “facts are stupid things” and GOPers live it will really change their deceitful ways. No, today Jason whipped out something that needs to simply be mocked, ridiculed and scorned: Jason calling the pot black. Here’s what he wrote:

“The glorified mob, from Athens to New York, is threatening social instability if it doesn’t get what it wants (as Chris Christie once pointed out, this trait is also quite prevalent among 9-year-olds), but it will bring about only the economic chaos it pretends to oppose.” (emphasis added)

Earth to Jason; earth to Jason! Republicans gave Wall Street Banksters everything – EVERYTHING – they wanted, and the results is not only the economic chaos we are still in, but driving the world’s economic system to the brink of meltdown.

When reading Lewis, and Kersten too, it’s pretty easy to tell who are the whiny 9 year olds demanding everything they want – it’s the less-regulation/no regulation, “my way or the highway” GOP.

Gentle Readers may recall GOPers – like the whiny, (mentally) 9 year old Lewis – ranting about their belief in “free markets” and “competition” and what wonderful things that “competition” will do for the economy. Well, remember those words while we take a look at the results of their deeds:

Only a fool would believe what GOPers say – and what their apologists, like Jason Lewis and Katherine Kersten, write.

Jason Lewis is simply today’s example of: “You Couldn’t Trust The GOP Then, You Still Can’t Now, And Tomorrow Won’t Be Any Different.”

(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)

H/T to Eric Black at MinnPost!

Eric writes (in part):

Romney is gifted in a few of the categories. He exudes intelligence when he speaks. He is the current king of electability in the current Repub crop. But one of the keys to his electability — that he comes across as less of a right-winger than the others — is a serious problem as he seeks the nomination from a party dominated by its right wing. Romney actually currently has the currently acceptable conservative position on almost every issue. It’s just that some of those positions contradict positions he has held previously in his public career. Abortion is one of the big ones. Romney could not have been elected governor of Massachusetts if he had been an anti-abortion stalwart. And he wasn’t. And now he couldn’t hope to get the Repub nomination for prez unless he declares himself to be categorically “pro-life.” And he does. This is a potential killer problem as far as appealing to the social conservatives. And if he does get the nomination, it’s virtually an established fact that Pres. Obama will run against him as a candidate lacking core beliefs, willing to adopt whatever positions will appeal in the moment.

The YouTube in Eric’s post is from an interview Romney had with Seacoast Media Group, a Fox subsidiary. Romney is asked about his serial inconsistencies. Let’s watch Romney answer!!!

“I’ve been as consistent as human beings can be”??!?

No, “I’ve been as consistent as REPUBLICANS can be”!!!

Which, of course, is consistently INCONSISTENT.

(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)

Hey – just like some on the so-called “Eden Prairie School Board Accountability” objected because Jeff Strate was going to use exact quotes!

Here’s a quote from the Facebook page, read, that goes to that point:

Michelle Fourre If anyone would like to send their thoughts about this to the Dunn Bros Smith Douglas More location, their email is dunnbros30@dunnbros.com
Friday at 12:06am

OK, if you’ll note on the poster, above, the reading was held (and will be held again this Sunday!) at Camp Eden Wood. Why? Because there are people that pressured Dunn Bros Coffee to cancel Jeff ‘n Doug out; apparently, they didn’t want what they had written to be reread in public.

How’s THAT for “accountability”?

Here’s some more quotes. This by someone going by the nom de plume o’ “William Felt”:

William Felt, Facebook page – Oct 26, 2011
Compared to the last couple years, tonight [school] Board meeting was boring. For a change Patricia Magnuson didn’t lie, mislead, and misdirect the Board – as she didn’t attend.



Character assassination, by an anonymous poster – standard operating procedure on that Facebook page — as long as you’re ripping the proper person, of course….

Dunno if this is a real name or not, but here’s a beauty that was posted on the on-line Eden Prairie News:

« jkester wrote on Wednesday, Sep 21, 2011 at 01:39 PM » Eden Prairie News
You overpay some crazy liberal superintendant for years who develops an entitlement royalty personality, redistricts what was a nice place into some bizarre integrated social experiment, people are bailing out in droves, the superintendant packs her suitcase full of OUR TAX MONEY and leaves town. Then you sit around, look at each other and wonder, with that innocent passive aggressive Minnesota attitude “Why did this happen to me?” You get what you deserve, liberals, and if you want a social experiment, it can be FUN for you, BUT AS YOU ARE LEARNING ITS VERY EXPENSIVE…think what your beloved neighborhood will look like in 10 years …exactly..THE HOOD…

It’s too bad that guy didn’t say how he really feels….

OK, another!

ruphina Sep. 29, 1111:32 PM StarTribune
The improvements came as the schools got less integrated, by natural selection. That should suggest that segregating the schools by income level would increase results even more! But the God of Diversity demands that all “professional” education “leaders” bow down and chant the hallowed mantra of “We will balance each school, class, team, work group and play group by counting noses by skin color.” What a complete joke! Bill G.

It should be noted that when the School administration came up with the “controversial” school boundry changes, the rallying cry for those against was: “it’s NOT about race!!!”

Yeah, “right.”

Maybe that guy didn’t get the memo…

Another rallying cry is that the upcoming election isn’t about party affiliation. Some folk seem to feel differently:

dflleft Oct. 15, 11 9:59 PM Star Tribune
DFL LEFT THEORY is pretty much all this plan is; Krull is now gone and this election will do away with the plan. tip your hat to residents of EP who took back their school district. If you want to see what a DFL infested district looks like, Minneapolis and St Paul are 2 good examples; and who would want that?

And what’s the local GOP have to say, about the candidates running for election?

Disclaimer: The links above are provided for information purposes only. The Senate District 42 Republican Party has not officially endorsed any candidate or campaign.

Really? Go look for yourself.

For a comparison/contrast between the parties, good luck finding anything out about the candidates on the SD42 DFL webpage…

Back to the readings!

posted by MuffyAl on Oct. 14, 10 at 8:11 AM Star Tribune
I moved there 20 years ago because of the class of people who lived there, the schools and the ammenities. The integrity of the city and the school district has gone down dramatically because of the increases in section 8 housing and open enrollment. Hey EP, how you going to get tax money out of the working poor that now flood the city?

wwallace67, Oct. 18, 10, 8:09 AM Star Tribune
Another consideration, in the minds of left wing social engineers, is to Americanize the children from a certain African nation. Disperse them to the winds, allow them to make friends with their iphone toting American counterparts. Destroy their culture.

Well, enough with the Strib, even though there was more read – AND UNREAD.

This one from the Facebook page, about the readings and before the readings were held:

Kenzie Carlson October 27 at 8:56pm Sick, just plain sick. Poking “fun” at our kids’ educational experience. Who could even THINK of doing such a thing?

Say, Kenzie? The “poking fun” was at the (alleged) adults….

I’m glad I went last night – and I wish there were more than the Baker’s Dozen that watched. If you get a chance, attend Sunday’s reading — time and place on the poster, above. I’m guessing Jeff ‘n Doug will go through some of the same, and some new ones. It’s not like there’s any shortage of unread material — like this one:

posted by mnmostlynice on Mar. 12, 11 at 8:45 PM Star Tribune
Whenever parents say it’s all about the kids…………it’s not about the kids.

(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)

A little background:

I went K through 12 in the Eden Prairie School District; one kid did the same – but one did not. We made the choice to put one in a private school. Eden Prairie, like so many other schools, has been under attack by “constitutional conservatives” that believe in the constitution (except when they don’t). The constitution referred to here, is Minnesota’s Constitution, which declares (and I quote):

Article 8

Section 1. The stability of a republican form of government depending mainly upon the intelligence of the people, it is the duty of the legislature to establish a general and uniform system of public schools. The legislature shall make such provisions by taxation or otherwise as will secure a thorough and efficient system of public schools throughout the state.

To make a long story short, it’s not a real “uniform” system in Eden Prairie – nor is it throughout the entire state, where nearly 1 in 3 school districts have a referendum on the ballot – they are going to the local taxpayers to pay for what the Republicans in St. Paul won’t. So we put a kid in private school, to meet her needs that public education in Eden Prairie couldn’t (because GOPers don’t want to PAY for what it takes for a constitutional educational system).

To be fair, the other kid excelled – I mean really, Really, REALLY excelled – in Eden Prairie. At her college’s “Parent Orientation/Freshman Class Registration” it literally went: “You took that class at EP, you don’t have to take this class here.” For several classes.

So I’ve been aware for a long time about the problems with a school system that tries to do the best it can with the limited resources it has. Resources, on the other hand, have nothing to do with the poor communications coming from the District’s administration; a district that threatened to trespass the local Sun newspaper. I could go on; suffice it to say the district’s communications guru – isn’t.

Anyway, back in January I read on that Facebook page that the Koch Brothers “American Majority” was holding a training session for City Council and School Board candidates. On that link, you’ll read a comment by Sheila Kihne, noted GOPer activist in CD3 and a resident in Eden Prairie:

Sheila Kihne said, I posted this up on the Eden Prairie School Board Accountability web page- we need conservative leadership here!

So I went. And they made no bones about it, this training was about getting conservatives elected at the local level so they could move ‘em up the political ladder.

There was one guy there from Eden Prairie that wanted to be a candidate; he’s not now on the ballot for November 8th. And another guy there for training as a staffer; not sure if he’s working on anyone on the ballot or not. But one has to wonder. And it kind of blows a hole in that Facebook’s claim that they want to keep politics out of the school board election.

I hadn’t gone back to that Facebook page, for months and Months and MONTHS – until just the other day, when I got a phone call that said they were trashing me on it. So I went and looked – and to be quite honest, it was pretty tame ‘n lame – local GOPers have done and said MUCH worse. But what got me very quickly was how quickly I noticed that in that barnyard, some animals were more equal than others. Some folk there think is just swell to rip other people and candidates, but – BUT – they turned out to have a real thin-skin when the ol’ TwoPutter took issue with what they wrote and commenced to ripping them.

Which, by the way, is the classic definition of a bully – can dish it, but slinks and whines when what they done did, is done unto them.

So, how did they handle ol’ TwoPutter pointing out the hypcrisy, in addition to encouraging blatant lawless electioneering for their favored candidates?

Let’s look!

Yep – that’s a screen shot of their Facebook page; you’ll note that the ol’ TwoPutter has done been kicked out.

The Braxton Bullies, in a nutshell? “We can’t HEAR you!!!”

Well, that’s ok – others will.

They’ve endorsed Karla Bratrud and Dave Espe and John Estall and Holly Parker – the so-called “B.E.E.P” ticket. If you’re eligible to vote on November 8th, a question you may want to ask is how they’re going to deal with these bullies if they get elected.

And bullies they are; they’ve already bullied one local establishment into cancelling a public reading Jeff Strate was going to do.

Why?

Because Jeff Strate (along with Doug Lind) has the audacity to do a public reading of the exact words these bullies have used in the past.

And Lord knows, there’s nothing a conservative and/or bully hates more, than being accurately quoted…..

(cross posted on MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)

As have a lot of people. Jeff Rosenberg at MnPublius , early in the month last March, (last March!!!) pointed out a quote by the Mower County Auditor/Treasurer:

“Since December, I’ve had repeated conversations about when we’ll get paid,” said Doug Groh, auditor/treasurer of Mower County. “I had no problem with the Democrats paying, but the Republicans are fudging, because they’re short of money — that’s what I was told in December.”

Since then, Groh said, he’s been told the invoice was lost; on three different occasions, he was told — literally — the check was in the mail.

So when you read the following quote – you might think it, too, has to do with Tony Sutton’s RPM stiffing Minnesota Counties on the rightfully owed Recount bills:

“Not paying vendors on a timely basis, berating them when they call for payment, and then refusing to pay interest charges owed them for services rendered in good faith.”

Yep! Sounds EXACTLY like what FEC Tony’s RPM has been doin’ lately!!!

Well, except for the interest charges; the Counties haven’t been charging interest.

But that quote’s actually from several years ago.

You see, the RPM is notorious for it’s internal financial mismanagement. And I’m calling Minnesota’s GOP party “RPM” because that’s how they’re referred to by the Federal Elections Commission- a Federal Elections Commission that’s very familiar with the RPM (“Republican Party of Minnesota”) and Tony Sutton – reasons that cause me to refer to Tony Sutton, current chair of the RPM, as “FEC Tony.”

I’ll let Spot, at The Cucking Stool, do the intro:

Friday, July 31, 2009

Where have I heard that name before?

Something that’s been percolating around my brain for a while is a question about this Tony Sutton dude. No, not whether the Mexican restaurant chain is introducing a line of chimichangas named after prominent GOP gasbags, but his new gig as Chair of the Republican Party of Minnesota. As I read about his new job, I had this sneaking suspicion that his name was not entirely new to me, that there was something in the past that he’d done.

Then it came flooding back to me. This Sutton guy was, before ascending to the throne room at the RPM, the treasurer of the RPM. He’s the one whose name is most closely associated with the horrific accounting and auditing nightmare that is the treasury of the RPM. He’s been front and center in that complaint filed with the Federal Elections Commission and he’s the one who has had rather pointed questions directed at him by the FEC here, here, here, and here. He also had to send in those humiliating letters – over and over and over again – stating that “An amended report correcting this error will be filed when the committee’s internal audit has been completed.” In short, he was apparently the doofus in charge as this mess was allowed to fester and grow into what some think will eventually lead to the largest FEC fine in history for poor bookkeeping.

For most of us, being so intimately connected with this monumental mess would be such a professional embarrassment that we’d slink off to North Dakota or something. We’d at least have the good sense to drop out of politics.

But not Mr. Sutton.
(more, here)

Indeed – not Mr. Sutton, a/k/a “FEC Tony”.

Yes, this quote – “Not paying vendors on a timely basis, berating them when they call for payment, and then refusing to pay interest charges owed them for services rendered in god faith.” – is from a RPM Staffer, back in February 2007, back when FEC Tony was RPM Treasurer.

This quote - “Since December, I’ve had repeated conversations about when we’ll get paid,” said Doug Groh, auditor/treasurer of Mower County. “I had no problem with the Democrats paying, but the Republicans are fudging, because they’re short of money — that’s what I was told in December.” – is from a RPM Vendor, this year, with FEC Tony as the RPM Chair.

And how does the GOP Faithful reward FEC Tony for his financial mismanagement – besides promoting him from the elected Treasurer to Chair?

By putting FEC Tony on the party payroll! $100,000 smackers worth! Good thing – for FEC Tony – that Tom Emmer covered the deadbeat RMP’s recount bills to the counties!

If there were any justice in this world, whey you googled “Peter Principle” a picture of FEC Tony would pop up – a picture from back during his tenure as RPM Treasurer, that is. Because as those two quotes show, the more things change, the more the fiscal mismanagement at the RPM doesn’t.

Hey – at least FEC Tony is on the RPM Payroll; the RPM Deputy Chair – Michael Brodkorb – well, the RPM stuck him on the Taxpayer’s tab.

Reasonable people have no reason to reasonably believe anything the RPM says. This whole sordid and scandalous RPM County Recount saga demonstrates once again that Republicans believe in fiscal accountability (except when they don’t) – and that Republicans are always demanding “fiscal responsibility” – of OTHERS.

* * *
(image credit: Tildology)

(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)

And that’s just here, at MPP – - SallyJo at Bluestem Prairie has been all over this scandal, too.

And just this morning, I found two, and possibly three, Counties that STILL HAVEN’T BEEN PAID – Cass, Fillmore, and Grant. There may be more; after two “No” and a “Don’t think so; will get back to you” why keep going?

The funny thing is, despite Tony Sutton claiming way back in March that the MnGOP would pay it’s bills, it took someone else to to it!

Yes, Beltrami, Chisago, and Clearwater counties told me earlier today that Tom Emmer stepped up and did what Tony Sutton’s MnGOP wouldn’t – pay some bills.

Does it really surprise anyone that a party that would stiff counties for months and Months and MONTHS would drive a state to shutdown? Because that’s exactly what the MnGOP will do this Friday – shut this state down.

Oh – and can someone call Emmer, and tell him there’s still a few more counties out there, that Tony Sutton’s MnGOP has stiffed?

* * *
Previous MPP Posts:

“Deadbeat MnGOP Still Owes Omsted County” – 13 April 2011

“Deadbeat MnGOP Still Owes Martin, Nicollet, And Sibley Counties, or…” “…GOPers are always demanding “fiscal responsibility” – of OTHERS.” — 25 April 2011

“Today’s Example Of Why Reasonable People Cannot Reasonably Believe What GOPers Say: Recount” — 07 June 2011

(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject; comments welcome there)

So when you hear Minnesota’s Senate and House GOPers talk about “their” numbers that “they” arrived at, remember National GOPers that said (stuff) like:

“It is unimaginable that the United States would have to contribute hundreds of billions of dollars and highly unlikely that we would have to contribute even tens of billions of dollars.”
Kenneth Pollack — former director for Persian Gulf affairs, National Security Council — September 2002

“The costs of any intervention would be very small.”
Glenn Hubbard — White House economic adviser — October 4, 2002

“The United States is very committed to helping Iraq recover from the conflict, but Iraq will not require sustained aid.”
Mitchell Daniels — Director, White House Office of Management and Budget — April 21, 2003

And there’s plenty more quotes about the “affordability” of Iraq from Boy Blunder And The Plunderers; keep them in mind when local GOPers talk about the accuracy of their numbers. Based on the GOP’s track record, why anyone believes the numbers they come up with, let alone the result of what those numbers will do, is beyond me. GOPers simply make (stuff) up, and then make more (stuff) up when what the (stuff) they made up doesn’t happen. And this repeats over and Over and OVER.

Today’s example of just that?

‘They’re going to get paid, that’s going to happen.” This month? “Absolutely.” — MNGOP Chair Tony Sutton, March 4th, 2011 (RochesterPostBulletin)

Yep! Tony said that, over 3 months ago. Think that happened? Of course not. From an editorial on Sunday, June 5th in the Winona Daily News:

Our view: GOP, practice what you preach
By Daily News editorial board

Good grief. Where do we start? Let’s see … what about the party that preaches fiscal responsibility running up debt and not paying it off?

Or what about the irony of wanting to cut “bloated” and “irresponsible” government, only to realize that those same nameless government workers are the people who run elections and recounts?

Oh yeah, then there’s election reform. There’s pretty rich irony there.

But maybe the most galling part is the same group of political operatives who demanded nearly immediate attention of countless government officials are the same people who now refuse to pay for those same services.

The issue we’re talking about, of course, is the state Republican party’s inability to pay local counties for work they did on the party’s behalf in the gubernatorial race between now-Gov. Mark Dayton and GOP challenger Tom Emmer.
.
.
This is the same party that has preached a doctrine of government responsibility and fiscal solvency.

State Republican lawmakers have urged the state to live within its means. That may be good advice, but it becomes cheapened — if not discredited — when the same party can’t live within its own means.

(more, here)

Back in 2009, then-Chair of the Republican National Committee Michael Steele said: “You have absolutely no reason – none – to trust our words or our actions at this point.”

Fast forward to today, and the current chair of the Republican Party of Minnesota clearly demonstrates today is no different.

And here’s but a few more examples of why reasonable people cannot reasonably believe what GOPers say:

Today’s Example Of Why Reasonable People Cannot Reasonably Believe What GOPers Say: Screenshots

“His Remark Was Not Intended To Be A Factual Statement”

Today’s Example Of Why Reasonable People Cannot Reasonably Believe What GOPers Say: Capitol Damage

Today’s Example Of Why Reasonable People Cannot Reasonably Believe What GOPers Say: Katy Kersten

Today’s Example Of Why Reasonable People Cannot Believe Anything A GOPer Says: Ben Golnik

Mitch Berg – The Poster Boy Of Why Reasonable People Cannot Reasonably Believe republiCons

You Couldn’t Trust The GOP Then, You Still Can’t Now, And Tomorrow Won’t Be Any Different

– hat-tip to Sally Jo at BluestemPrairie; she’s been doing a great job covering the Deadbeat MNGOP and their nonpayment of their recount bills.

(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject; comments welcome there)

The MM&B’s Fiscal Note shows this GOPer Bill will cost – yes, COST – taxpayers almost a half MILLION ($435,000.00, actually) over the next biennium.

GOPers have been taking fire over their Enron Accounting gimmicks. What do good GOPers do, when people they can’t control don’t give them what they want? Fire ‘em! Just like Nixon did with The Saturday Night Massacre, just like republiCon Ron’s response to The Tostenson Memo, “Fire ‘EM!!” — it’s a time honored tradition in the Greed Over Principles Party!

Hmmm… who to do the dirty deed? Need someone you can count on… a reliable numbers guy….. Hey! Here’s where “Stats” Banaian comes in!!! I saw this in a tweet, and sure enough, there it was:

There’s a lot these GOPers have been doing in this session, that reminds me of Nixon. Sometime, I might just make a list. If I do, “Stats” Banaian is sure to be on it.

(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject; comments welcome there)