So, I’m down at GOPer Sloganville, and I get the email that “@MnGOPInfo” is following me on Twitter. (FYI – I’m at @TwoPuttTommy – hint, HINT!!!) Initially, I figure it’s just another one o’ MudSlingerMike’s astroturf “MOB” groups, based on the name. But, what the (cheney) – ya never know, “right”? So, I always check ‘em out, before hittin’ the ol’ Twitter “Follow” button.
And, what to my wondering eyes should appear??!?
Go look!!!
If you’re on Twitter (and if you’re reading this, you’d BETTER be), go to “@MnGOPInfo” and click “follow.” Then, go to www.MnGOP.Info and add ‘em to your RSS Feed.
It seems that a few folk other than ol’ MudSlingerMike attended the prestigious Limbaugh Institute of Modifying Policy – DEMONrats, Independents and Commies Keepout….
But, to Brodkorb’s chagrin, they just might beat the ol’ MudSlinger at his own game!
(cross posted from MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)
… “A Peak Through The Flaps Of The Small Tent Party”
Part 1 is here. In part 2, we’ll talk briefly about Day 2 (more, next Monday) – plus, there’s some pictures below the fold!!!
On Friday, Tom Emmer was working the delegates over by Vendor Row; he saw me and said: “Hey, TwoPutt!” – which explains one picture (below the fold!). I’ve talked to Emmer several times over the last many months; like at last October at the Veterans Protest outside of the GOPer Trial-Run Convention in St. Paul; in the “Spin Room” after the Minnesota News Council/League of Women Voters Guv Debate in January; at the GOPer SD-42 Caucus in February (where I met his wife, Jacquie); and those are just off-the-top…
The thing about Emmer, is – just like Wellstone; just like Ventura; hey – just like Tommy Rukavina!!! — when you ask Emmer a question you get an answer. You may not like the answer, but you get one and it’s NOT an answer based upon what you want to hear — it’s based upon what they think.
And a LOT of voters like that, in a candidate.
That said, Emmer also – often! – says some really, Really, REALLY polarizing things, such as:
“I don’t think you can call yourself a freedom-loving American and be a Democrat.” — Tom Emmer, 9-26-09 (MarshallIndependent.com)
So, can a guy like Emmer, saying stuff like that, really, Really, REALLY get elected?
Well, this guy did:
“Children who are victims of failed personal responsibility are not my problem, nor are they the problem for our government.” — Majority Leader Tim Pawlenty, April 2001 – as quoted in the Aitkin Independent Newspaper
More, on Monday, and enjoy the pics below!
Oh – and the slogan of the day, at Sloganville, was:
“Constitutional Conservatism”
Which is rather funny, coming from The Party Of Watergate & Iran-Contra & Boy Blunder…
The ol’ TwoPutter, with the then-not-endorsed Tom Emmer on Friday, April 30th:
The ol’ TwoPutter, with GOPer SD42 State Rep. Jenifer loon:
Here’s a poll on what “new media” training GOPer Convention attendees want next; my question is what training is the DFL gonna provide first??!?
Media Central, which the ol’ TwoPutter was specifically kept OUT of:
A union Steel Worker – let me repeat that, A UNION STEEL WORKER – with delegate credentials at the GOP Convention; talk about voting AGAINST your own economic self-interest…
Here’s two bumperstickers on a GOPer Vendor’s table; let’s hope the top guy meets the same fate as the bottom guy’s last election:
(cross posted from MnProgressiveProject; comments welcome there)
… “A Peak Through The Flaps Of The Small Tent Party”
I’ll start this post out dealing with the Fear Factor! As expected yesterday, Minnesota’s GOPers weren’t gonna give the ol’ TwoPutter Media Credentials. But, that’s no surprise; they didn’t credential The UpTake, either. As a matter o’ fact, the MN GOP is none-too-keen about letting “just anyone in” to see the goings ons o’ their party; no one – and I mean NO ONE – can wander on in and watch how The Small Tent Party conducts their business, without bein’ approved to do said watching.
One wonders what would happen, were a teacher to bring a coupla kids down to the Mpls Convention Center, for a teachable moment about democracy – GOPer Style. I’m guessing it would be a real teachable moment; GOPers refusing school kids to watch ‘em in action!!!
Compare/contrast with the DFL’s “Open Door – Open Look” policy in Duluth…which explains a lot about the difference between parties. Well, the average DFLer’s “Open Mind” and average GOPer’s “Closed Mind” does, too.
Here’s the tweet, about my exchange with MN GOP Communications Director Mark Drake concerning my Media Credentials:
Drake: “U didn’t rgstr in time” Me: “What was deadline?” Drake: “Didn’t u get my memo?” Me: “U r a funny guy, Mark”
#mngop10 #Stribpol
about 14 hours ago via web
We’ll post a whole buncha more tweets, down below the fold!
Getting back to Sloganville – apparently, judging by the “speeches” by GOPer Candidates and almost all of the Delegates and Alternates I talked with, the main qualification for elective office is “who loves freedom and liberty and hates tyranny more” and who hates “the direction our country is headed” the most. They all want to “cut gubmint spending” and “shrink gubmint” – although the GOPer Sloganeers don’t talk much about what they’ll whack once they get back power. Presumably, everything is on the table. Well, except Defense, I guess, because they’re all “strong” on National Defense.
Pretty hard to be “strong” on National Defense whilst whacking a National Defense Budget that spends more than….well, probably the rest of the world combined. Nope! Can’t whack that!!!
And Veterans, apparently, can’t be whacked either. Here’s a snippet from that notoriously liberal/leftist/socialist America-hating dam-near commie rag, The Moonie Washington Times:
Mr. Obama’s proposed VA budget for fiscal 2011 asks for $125 billion – a 10 percent jump from what Congress enacted for 2010, which was itself more than 16 percent more than 2009. The discretionary portion of next year’s budget request – the part the administration and Congress have the most direct control over – is up nearly 20 percent since 2009, to total $60.3 billion.
.
.
Perhaps one of the reasons Mr. Obama’s veterans policies have flown under the radar – relative to his hard-fought victory on the health care overhaul – is they draw bipartisan support at a time when the nation is still fighting two wars. In addition to approving double-digit budget increases, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle came together last year on a bill that put the portion of the VA’s budget that deals with medical care on a two-year track to insulate it from legislative delays.They also signed off on the post-9/11 GI bill, which provides Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with money for tuition and housing while in school.
More recently, the Senate last week approved a bipartisan bill that expands benefits for the caregivers of wounded veterans and tries to accommodate those in rural areas by expanding the VA’s telemedicine program and travel reimbursements. The bill, authored by Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Daniel K. Akaka, Hawaii Democrat, now awaits the president’s signature.
“I would think there’s more agreement than disagreement” on veterans’ issues, said Brooks Tucker, deputy staff director for Republicans on the committee. (WashingtonTimes.com)
So, apparently, “shrinking the size of gubmint” doesn’t include Veterans Benefits – in the view of The Small Tent Party.
So, just WT(C) do they want to whack? I dunno; I haven’t heard it yet.
They certainly don’t want to whack Border Security; that’s a big topic down there in Sloganville.
Maybe in the RightWingNutJobWorld, “Border Security” can magically be expanded, and be paid for by…..
….hmmm…
How DO they want to pay for it??!?
I’ll keep asking, today, as I head back to gather material for Fear And Loathing In Sloganville, Part Two – or … “A Peak Through The Flaps Of The Small Tent Party”
Oh – and here’s the tweet, describing how I got A “Guest Pass”
I’m in! A fellow VFW Member thought #mngop10 policy is bogus, and invited me in as a Guest! #Stribpol
about 14 hours ago via web
Here’s the list of tweets sent yesterday, over the three hours between not getting Media Credentials, getting a “Guest Pass” and the GOPers actually letting me in, using said “Guest Pass”:
_ To no surprise, no Media Credential for the ol’ TwoPutter! What is @mngop hiding behind the closed flaps of The Small Tent Party? #Stribpol
about 15 hours ago via web_ @sturdevant Hey, Lori – out of curiosity, when did you register for press credentials?
about 15 hours ago via web_ According to a Sergeant-At-Arms, all persons entering must have a pass @mngop10 #stribpol about 15 hours ago via web
_ According to @mngop10 info desk, must be a guest of delegate or alternate to get a guest pass – no casual observers allowed. #Stribpol about 15 hours ago via web
_ Drake: “U didn’t rgstr in time” Me: “What was deadline?” Drake: “Didn’t u get my memo?” Me: “U r a funny guy, Mark” #mngop10 #Stribpol about 14 hours ago via web
_ I’m in! A fellow VFW Member thought #mngop10 policy is bogus, and invited me in as a Guest! #Stribpol about 14 hours ago via web
_ Ruh-roh – #mngop10 not a “happy face” w/ my “Guest Pass” and are not allowing me in! In limbo… #Sribpol about 14 hours ago via web
_ Just saw a kid w/ a “Guest Pass” leave the hall; but my “Guest Pass” apparently, mine won’t let me in. #mngpo10 #stribpol about 14 hours ago via web
_ Just saw a #mngop10 “Guest Pass” go in; Security explains: “That Guest Pass was typed; yours is handwritten” – still in limbo… #Stribpol about 13 hours ago via web
_ There goes ANOTHER “hand-written” “Guest Pass”!!! Me? Still in #mngop10 limbo! #Stribpol about 13 hours ago via web
_ Security: “Can he (me!) go in yet?” #mngop10 MediaType: “No.” Me: “Orders from above?” MediaType: “Yep.” #Stribpol about 13 hours ago via web
_ Followed the rules; paid my $20 and a fellow Veteran sponsored my “Guest Pass” and I’m still not in. #mngop10 #stribpol about 13 hours ago via web
_ Taking a quick break from limbo and sitting down; the hard floors here are rough. #mngop10 about 12 hours ago via web
_ Break over; #MNGOP10 MediaType indicates my bought ‘n paid for “Guest Pass” still isn’t a “pass.” Standing by, by the Stanek booth.. about 12 hours ago via web
_ I’m in! #mngop10 musta got tired o’ my tweets… about 12 hours ago via web
(cross posted from MnProgressiveProject; comments welcome there)
On last Tuesday, I called the MN GOP to get Media Credentials for their State Convention; the nice person that answered the phone told me to talk to Mark Drake and gave me Mark’s email and patched me through to Mark’s voicemail. So, I left a message and sent an email. Didn’t hear back. So I called and emailed again yesterday – and didn’t hear back. So I emailed and called again today – and haven’t heard back.
So, will the GOPers give the ol’ TwoPutter media credentials?
Well, if The UpTake is any indication, don’t bet on it!
Take a look at what The UpTake.org posted earlier today:
Here’s The UpTake’s post, today, about that video:
Back in 2008 when he was a blogger, Michael Brodkorb told The UpTake how pleased he was that the DFL was giving him access and said that GOP conventions should give all bloggers and members of the opposition parties access.
Brodkorb told The UpTake in 2008 “I do believe, and I’ve said this before on my blog that I do believe that conventions should be open to the opposition and political parties. I think Republicans should let Democrat bloggers in and vice versa. From an openness standpoint that’s important to do”
But now that Brodkorb is GOP State Deputy Chair, his party has taken just the opposite stance. DFL officials report that they are being refused admission to the GOP party convention scheduled to begin tomorrow in Minneapolis. GOP Communications Director Mark Drake has even refused press credentials to The UpTake calling the non-partisan nonprofit that has streamed debates, thousands of hours of the legislature and every moment of the Norm Coleman/Al Franken Election Contest trial a “partisan DFL organization”.
DFL Communications Director Kristen Sosanie says all media that requested credentials for last week’s DFL convention in Duluth were given them. That includes the FOX News Network. However FOX News was asked to share video with one of the local TV stations instead of setting up its own camera and then decided not to attend the convention. She says “We did not turn anyone away and in fact did everything we could to accommodate even those TV and print journalists who did not RSVP but showed up the day of the convention.”
Sosanie points out that the DFL allowed Brodkorb and Drake to attend the DFL convention, a courtesy the DFL has offered to other Republicans in the past. But the DFL has not had equal treatment in return.
“They have said repeatedly that DFL staff will not be allowed into the GOP convention, and they kicked every one of our staff or volunteers out of all the local unit conventions as well. So it’s not just media they are keeping out, which leads to the question: what are they hiding?”
The UpTake will be covering the convention the best we can considering the circumstances. (UpTake.org)
I’ll be at the GOP Convention today; whether or not the GOP offers me media credentials remains to be seen.
Stay tuned!!!
(cross posted from MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)
After the slow ride to Duluth, a few cajun martinis, and some afternoon golf, tomorrow marks the begining of the end of convention season. It’s been a wild one, what with covering all the GOPer Conventions that I did – such as getting threatened to be buried in the basement of Grace “Church” and the whackjob GOPer resolutions and Emmer’s “Dynamite!” moment and….well, I’ll highlight ‘em next week. For now, it’s all about Duluth.
First off, every – and I mean EVERY – candidate going for endorsement has the same baggage: GOPers.
And by that I mean that each and every endorsed candidate is gonna get slimed by the GreedOverPrinciples Smear Merchants. Doesn’t matter who it is; and it really doesn’t matter to the GOP if there’s any truth to the smear or not: GOPers don’t care if the smear is true; they only care that THE VOTERS think the smear is true.
Case in point: Incumbent SOS Mark Ritchie, who is still accused on a regular basis of stealing the election from ol’ Smokescreen. Facts be damned, “Normie wuz ROBBED!” is how the GOP portrays the recount.
So everyone has the same baggage; a GOP perfectly happy to smile at a camera and lie through their teeth.
It’s a strong field running for the DFL and almost all of the candidates for the corner office TBag abandoned long ago is capable of winning (sorry, Ole – you ain’t one o’ the capable).
As I see it, there is one candidate that if on the ticket in November, is a sure winner: Tommy Rukavina. All of the others (except Ole…well, Gaertner, too) can win the election come November, but: if Rukavina is on the ticket, game over; DFL wins.
Now, who will get the endorsement, this weekend?
I’d offer some profound punditry, but: I also predicted ol’ Smokescreen would enter the race on the GreedOverPrinciples side no later than 2nd weekend in February, and I also recently predicted Hackett on the 3rd ballot.
So, in the interests of not putting a Bambino Curse on any candidate, I’ll remain silent as to who gets the endorsement.
On the other hand, feel free to opine below!
(cross posted from MnProgressiveProject; comments welcome there)
Some days, Republicans believe in a quaint notion called “state’s rights.” For instance, Texas Republicans believe in the primacy of state’s rights regarding the death penalty, even if it invovles executing the mentally retarded. Other days, not so much – like with California and medical marijuana, approved by California voters in 1996.
George W. Bush used to be the prime example of a Republican that believed in state’s rights (except when he didn’t). As Texas Governor, Dubya relished Texas’ sovereignty and eagerly affirmed each and every death penalty he could. As President, Dubya’s administration frequently ignored California’s sovereignty by frequently raiding medical marijuana distributors.
Then yesterday, along comes Michele Bachmann, giving the guy she “enjoys a great relationship” with, a run for his money on ignoring state’s rights. Here’s what Michele Bachmann said yesterday, at her Lake Elmo “Forum”:
“We could do this: there’s a law right now at the federal level that says that states can, in effect, draw boundaries around their state and insurance companies don’t have to compete with other companies outside of their state. This drives, this jacks the cost of healthcare way higher than what it would need to be. If we took a big eraser, and erased those lines, of each state’s boundaries, and allowed people to buy health care anywhere in the United States…in other words, if we, if we allowed more competition among insurance companies, rather than less competition, we would see more insurance products, cheaper prices, and people could buy what they want.” – Rep. Michele Bachmann, Lake Elmo, MN, August 27th, 2009
“If we took a big eraser, and erased those lines, of each state’s boundaries…”
O
M
G.
What other issues does Michele Bachmann feel states shouldn’t control; other issues to pull out a “big eraser” and obliterate state borders?
And that’s before examining her claim of being consumer friendly…..
Let’s take what Bachmann said, replace “insurance” with “credit cards”, and see how it reads…although not an exact analogy, you’ll get the picture of how Bachmann’s “insurance” plan just might work out – for “insurance” guys like Billion Dollar Bill McGuire!
“We could do this: there’s a law right now at the federal level that says that states can, in effect, draw boundaries around their state and credit card companies don’t have to compete with other companies outside of their state. This drives, this jacks the cost of credit cards way higher than what it would need to be. If we took a big eraser, and erased those lines, of each state’s boundaries, and allowed people to get credit cards anywhere in the United States…in other words, if we, if we allowed more competition among credit card companies, rather than less competition, we would see more credit card products, cheaper prices, and people could buy what they want.”
Yeah, “right.”
Barry Goldwater has got to be spinning in his grave, over what Boy Blunder and Bachmann MotorMouth Overdrive have done and said. And Michele Bachmann has once again proven that GOP does indeed stand for GreedOverPrinciples.
(originally published at MnProgressiveProject.com)
That bloggers wrote about Michael Brodkorb’s blatant hypocrisy with regards to Colin Peterson’s decision to no longer hold Town Hall meetings is no surprise; MudSlingerMike’s pals at his old radio gig tagged him as being in charge of “special ops.” What is surprising is one member of the traditional media picking up on it. Monday’s St. Cloud Times Editorial noted:
Really, though, the worst out of all this is the state Republican Party’s attempt to turn his (Rep. Peterson’s) comment into a campaign issue. It plans to run advertisements about it across the district this week.
“Really, Collin, 25 percent of your constituents are so out of touch they believe the U.S. government caused 9/11?” the commercial says. “So you won’t hold town meetings? They’re not out of touch. You are.”
Then what about Peterson’s neighbor, the GOP’s own 6th District Rep. Michele Bachmann?
Except for one tightly controlled forum at which she barely spoke, we don’t recall any town meetings she’s held in this area since elected.(St. Cloud Times)
This causes the question – why would one of this state’s shrewdest (cynical?) political opportunists, the ol’ MudSlingerMike himself, take such a chance at being called out for hypocrisy? Well, not by the RightWingLeaning PiPress, and certainly not by the RightWingOwned Avista Capital Partner’s Strib – no, ol’ MudSlingerMike and the GOP knows how to shove them around – remember the film of Seifert dissing the Strib at the GOP Convention? But still, why would he do that?
Perhaps what’s happening at Town Hall Meetings elsewhere might be an indication of why MudSlingerMike is disappointed. Rachel Maddow has the report; let’s look!
(Link here if video doesn’t play)
Disinformation, and organized anarchy – which Rachel called “hooliganism” at Democratic Party Representatives’ Town Halls, and MudSlingerMike of the State GOP going after DFL Rep. Colin Peterson…..hmmmm….hmmm….
Hey! Is it possible that MudSlingerMike weighed the odds of bein’ called out by the Strib and/or PiPress (somewhere between “slim” and “none”) and figured it was worth the chance to try and shame Peterson into holding meetings, in order to practice the same disinformation and organized anarchy GOPers are getting to ply elsewhere?
We don’t know, but we do know that you cannot spell “dirty politicking” without “GOP”.
Link here, for the memo Rachel referenced.
Link here, for a picture of the known GOPers in a “grassroots uprising”.
Link here to watch Brodkorb’s blatant hypocrisy.
(hat tip to CrooksAndLiars.com)
(crossposted from MnProgressiveProject)
It seems the Strib disabled “reader comments” under Katie Kersten’s bizarre screed today. Perhaps Strib misManagement knew – just KNEW – that Katie’s ideologically-driven “blame the blacks” ravings would ignite a flame war that even the Strib couldn’t stomach.
Kersten and her ilk hate everything that has to do with government; Kersten specifically has railed about “the nanny state.” In Kersten’s world and among those denizens, the only good government program is a cancelled/eliminated program. Keep that in mind, while you read how Kersten ends her diatribe:
It’s tragic that a small group of black Americans commit such a high percentage of our nation’s violent crime. But until this changes, we’ll continue to have a steady stream of Henry Louis Gates-like incidents. (Strib.com)
Amazing, isn’t it? Oppose every program that could possibly eliminate the problem and cause change (after all, government “is” the problem), but bemoan the lack of change.
Karl Rove would be proud of the fine job Kersten did today in demonstrating the basic principle underlying every single play in today’s GreedOverPrinciples playbook:
“More hate – less tolerance.”
So I’m not going to take the time to fisk the intolerant tripe Kersten serves up today; no one should – Kersten’s insenstive divisiveness speaks for itself.
Instead, I’m recommending everyone should forward that pathetic piece of rightwing rubbish to everyone they know.
Kersten and her clan advocate holding people “responsible” – by forwarding Kersten’s bile, you can hold both her AND her party responsible for the destructive divisiveness they preach.
(crossposted from MnProgressiveProject)
So, I see the tweet, from MudSlingerMike:
mbrodkorb The bad press continues for Congressman Collin Peterson; http://tinyurl.com/m3n23w; #mngop #mn2010
So, I link on the tinyurl, and read this:
But Republicans on Tuesday saw the gaffe as an opportunity to make headway in Peterson’s conservative Seventh Congressional District, which he has securely held for many years. In 2008, he won 72 percent of the vote.
Got that? Less than a year ago, DFLer Colin Peterson won 72% of the vote.
So, what does the intrepid Deputy Chair of the GreedOverPrinciples Party say about Colin Peterson?
“This has really I think energized activists in the area and is going to lend [itself] to a first-tier candidate coming forward to run against him next year,” said Minnesota GOP deputy chair Michael Brodkorb, adding that there has been an “absolute explosion” of interest in the seat in the past 24 hours.” (Strib)
Say, Brodkorb? An “absolute explosion” of interest in taking on a guy that just won with 72 percent of the vote??!?
Yeah, “right.”
And a “first tier” candidate to boot? Not gonna happen – no “first tier” candidates remain in today’s GreedOverPrinciples party. T-baggers and “birthers”? You got pawlenty. “First tier”? Not so much.
Oh, noticed this tweet, from MudSlingerMike, too:
RT @MinnPostRSS: Minnesota GOP ready to launch ad campaign against Peterson remarks: http://bit.ly/DByJR
Say, Mikey? Good luck with that “ad buy” you’re tryin’ to sell. When you say “five figure ad buy” that really means “$999.99 or less” – yes?
Although personally, I wish the GOPers would dump a coupla hundred thousand into the 7th, between now and the new year….
(crossposted from MnProgressiveProject)
