There are now 222 Co-Sponsors – and finally – FINALLY – Paulsen is one of ‘em. To be fair, “Bachmann” nor “Cravaack” nor “Kline” aren’t. In a nutshell, the bill in question – Congressman Tim Walz’ “Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act” – would make illegal behavior by Members of Congress that already is illegal for virtually everyone else. For instance, the kind of trading behavior that landed Martha Stewart in ClubFed.
For a more in-depth look at this bill, see the Wall Street Journal’s “Congress Pushing Curb On Trading”. The status quo eems to work for Members of Congress, yes?
Now, this is simple math: 435 House Members and 222 Co-sponsors means over half – HALF – of the House support this bill. And there are well over 70 GOPers that co-sponsored the bill. and again, to be fair, while Paulsen finally saw the light/felt the heat, neither “Bachmann” nor “Cravaack” nor “Kline” are among them.
So what’s a GOPer Party Boss to do, when a bill with over half the votes needed for passage are co-sponsors?
Why, exactly what House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-VA did: kill a scheduled vote.
Way back in January of 2008, when Paulsen announced he was running, the very first line of his press release said, and I quote: “Saying ‘Congress is broken, I will work to fix it,’ Erik Paulsen….”. That, Ladies and Gentlemen, is a promise by then-candidate Erik Paulsen.
If there was ever a time for Erik Paulsen to stand up and finally keep a promise, Tim Walz’ STOCK Act is it. Paulsen needs to stand up to the House GOPer Bosses and the GOP’s Boardroom Base and do what’s right: help get this bill passed. Paulsen needs to pay attention to Main Street – NOT Wall Street. Paulsen needs to help pass this law making what’s illegal for virtually everyone else also illegal for Members of Congress – like himself.
Don’t hold your breath. Paulsen knows which street butters his bread.
***
Previous posts on this subject:
“Congressional Insider Trading Bill: 99 Co-Sponsors And None Of Them Named Paulsen” by TPT 28 November 2011
“Two GOPers Co-sponsor Tim Walz’ STOCK Act – And Neither Is Named Paulsen” by TPT 16 November 2011
(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject; comments welcome there)
Update – 09 December 2011: here are now 222 Co-Sponsors – and finally – FINALLY – Paulsen is one of ‘em. To be fair, “Bachmann” nor “Cravaack” nor “Kline” aren’t.
Update – 08 December 2011: there are now 202 Co-Sponsors – and still, none of them are named “Paulsen”. Well, to be fair: none are named “Bachmann” nor “Cravaack” nor “Kline”…
Update – 07 December 2011: there are now 180 Co-Sponsors
Update – 03 December 2011: there are now 153 Co-Sponsors
Update #2 – 02 December 2011: The House Financial Services Committee website now lists a hearing on December 6th.
Update – 02 December 2011: there are now 141 Co-Sponsors — and a Star Tribune editorial, too.
Update – 01 December 2011: there are now 131 Co-Sponsors
Update – 30 November 2011: there are now 117 Co-Sponsors — and still, none of them are named “Paulsen.” Well, to be fair: none are named “Bachmann” nor “Cravaack” nor “Kline”…
It’s been a half a month since “60 Minutes” ran a story on national TV: “Congress: Trading stock on inside information?” In that half a month, 90 U.S. Representatives in Congress have added their names to a Bill (H.R. 1148) Tim Walz, MN-01 introduced last March – including 21 GOPers. None of the now 99 Co-Sponsors (now including 22 GOPers) are named “Erik Paulsen, MN-03.”
This bill really isn’t controversial; what it would do is make it illegal for Members of Congress to make security trades (stocks, etc) based on information gained in the performance of their official duties- it would make illegal the same kind of behavior that landed, for instance, Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling of ENRON infamy seats behind the defendant’s table in a Courtroom.
This bill would make illegal behavior by Members of Congress that already is illegal for virtually everyone else.
So, what’s Paulsen’s excuse for not signing on? As best as I can tell, his only public statement was released through a representative a week ago (Nov. 18th):
Referring to hearings scheduled in the House to look into the issue, Rep. Erik Paulsen’s spokesman Tom Erickson wrote, “To operate effectively, Congress must have the trust of the American people. Erik supports disclosure and is looking forward to hearing what the bipartisan Financial Services Committee thinks.” (mpr.org)
Except don’t expect any hearings from that “bi-partisan” committee any time soon. Even though the Committee chair, GOPer Spencer Bachus, sent a letter to Ranking Member Barney Frank on November 17th stating it was “his intention” to schedule a hearing on December 6th, the committee’s website doesn’t list a hearing – and a press release from the committee on November 22nd doesn’t have the bill on the schedule for the week of December 12th.
Walz’ Bill currently has 99 co-sponsors – including one Republican Member of that Financial Services Committee – Walter Jones from North Carolina. Rep. Jones co-sponsored well over a month before the “60 Minutes” story broke. Over a half a month after the story broke, Paulsen hasn’t – and if he’s waiting for a hearing (that may or may not happen) to decide to co-sponsor a bill that would require the Congress to be like virtually everyone that isn’t in Congress, he might be waiting a long time.
Here’s what Brian Barnes, who is seeling the DFL endorsement to challenge Paulsen next November, had to say:
“It’s been a week and a half since the representative’s office promised Minnesotans that Erik Paulsen is determined to help Congress ‘operate effectively.’ But to date, he hasn’t been willing to lend his support to Tim Walz’s STOCK Act, a bill that would prevent members of Congress from engaging in the type of insider trading that would land businesspeople in jail.
“Ninety-nine members of the House of Representatives have signed on as supporters of this important legislation—including some of the chamber’s most liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans.
“I wish I could say I’m shocked that Rep. Paulsen hasn’t joined this bi-partisan group of lawmakers in doing the right thing, but I’m not. He hasn’t led in his nearly two-decade career in the Minnesota Legislature and the Congress. So it’s no surprise that he hasn’t done anything over the last 10 days to move the ball forward on the kind of transparency he claims to support.
“As usual, it’s all talk and no walk from a congressman who’s too busy cashing checks from Wall Street and awaiting marching orders from his Inside-the-Beltway handlers.”
I’m not shocked either.
When Paulsen announced to run for Congress, in January 2008, the very first line of his press release at that announcement read:
‘Congress is broken, I will work to fix it.’
No, career-politician Erik Paulsen won’t.
And his refusal to co-sponsor this bill is but one example. It’s also an example of where Paulsen’s loyalties lie: his Boardroom Base.
(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject; comments welcome there)
There’s a reason the New Hampshire Gazette has Willard Mitt Romney listed in it’s “Chickenhawk Hall Of Shame.”
And stuff like this is going to keep Romney in it:
Maybe some enterprising main-stream media type will ask if John Kline, Erik Paulsen, Michele Bachmann & Chip Cravaack are in with Mitt on this scheme to screw veterans for corporate gain?
(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)
There are two announced DFL candidates to take on GOPer Erik Bachmann Michele Paulsen Erik Paulsen in Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional District – Sharon Sund of Plymouth and Brian Barnes of Edina.
To help ensure the defeat of Paulsen, who claims he’s a moderate but acts like a teabagger, the DFL’s 3rd CD is hosting a fundraiser & Silent Auction tomorrow, Saturday, in Wayzata! Hey – just $35 gets you in the door – where you can bid on some fabulous items!
Personally, Im going to be bidding on a breakfast with DFL Party Chair Ken Martin.
This is a great chance to meet the candidates and help with that essential campaign resource: money.
If you can’t make it, but want to help, you can donate directly to the candidates via ActBlue. Click here for Sharon Sund and/or click here for Brian Barnes.
Both Sharon and Brian are great people with compelling stories; it’s going to be interesting to see who builds the best campaign.
Visit their campaign websites for more info: SharonSund.com and Barnes.mn.
And hopefully, I’ll see you tomorrow night!
(graphic via the amazing Tild!)
(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)
I often say that the main difference between Michele Bachmann, R=BizarroWorld and Eirk Paulsen, R=TargetCorp, is that Paulsen isn’t stupid enough to say the crazy stuff that Bachmann does. Because when it comes down to issues, they’re an awful (and I do mean “awful”) lot alike. Now, here’s what Bachmann’s Congressional webpage says about Veterans:
It is imperative that America’s military men and women receive the support they deserve for the sacrifices they have made. Our members of the Armed Forces have fought to preserve the freedoms we cherish and I believe Congress must be steadfast in honoring our commitment to them.
Here’s what Paulsen’s Congressional webpage says:
As elected officials one of our greatest responsibilities is to honor the service and sacrifice of our service members and their families. I take that commitment seriously and I am actively working to uphold that commitment already in Congress.
Sounds good, “right”? But how do Tweedle-Dee’s and Tweedle-GaffeMachine’s actual records look? Let’s look!!!
The Veterans Of Foreign Wars just happens to track who sponsors and co-sponsors bills that actually do things to honor the commitment to Veterans that Paulsen and Bachmann often claim to do – and they even have a swell webpage for voters to hold them accountable. Go ahead; click on “Elected Officials” an check on anyone in Congress you want to!
Here’s Paulsen’s page; now click on “Bills” and you’ll see a list under the headings “Bill Name” and “Co-Sponsor?”
And please note that after each and every single bill to help Veterans, under the “Co-Sponsor?” header is: “No”
And if you hit the “More Bills” icon, you’ll find that they still are all: “No”
No surprise there! But, what about Bachmann? Let’s look!!!
Here’s Bachmann’s page; now click on “Bills” and you’ll see a list under the headings “Bill Name” and “Co-Sponsor?”
And please note that after each and every single bill to help Veterans, under the “Co-Sponsor?” header is: “No”
All eleven – ELEVEN - of ‘em.
And if you hit the “More Bills” icon, you’ll find eight – EIGHT - more bills supporting Veterans, that Bachmann doesn’t support.
But, here’s the kicker – way at the bottom of the list, there actually are two bills that Bachmann did support – meaning as p*ss-poor of support Bachmann gave for Veterans, Paulsen was even worse.
Now, what are some of these Bills Paulsen and Bachmann won’t co-sponsor? Here’s just a couple:
H.R.2074 – Veterans Sexual Assault Prevention Act
H.R.115 – CHAMPVA Children’s Protection Act of 2011
Paulsen & Bachmaann – talking the talk but not walking the walk.
No suprise there!
graphic via the amazing Tild)
(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)
“Oh, but TwoPutt: Brodkorb doesn’t own that blog anymore!”
Yeah, “right.”
Until it’s registered to somebody, it’s still Brodkorb’s blog and all the filth and slime that still is on it is simply the continuation of Mud Slinger Mike’s “work.” And this “work” is the stuff that continues to stoke the GOP’s extremist base; the base, for example, that rallied behind candidates such as Tom Emmer, who said: “I don’t think you can call yourself a freedom-loving American and be a Democrat.”
Or, for example, Michele Bachmann, who stated on right wing radio:
“I want people in Minnesota armed and dangerous on this issue of the energy tax because we need to fight back. Thomas Jefferson told us, having a revolution every now and then is a good thing, and the people — we the people — are going to have to fight back hard if we’re not going to lose our country. “
Take a look at the YouTube below the ad Brodkorb’s Blog named the “3rd Best Political Ad of 2010. For a full minute, you have an exceedingly angry former Marine acting like a crazed cowboy; waving a rifle around and then firing a round to land God knows where.
By now, you should have seen the map Palin put on her website, “targeting” Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. It’s now been taken down.
Will Brodkorb take back his gushing plattitudes for Bachmann and Palin, who Brodkorb called the GOP’s “Gold Standard“?
Don’t hold your breath.
Then again, maybe you won’t have to; some GOPer with a gun just might take your breath away.
It’s been said if you’re not a part of the solution you’re part of the problem.
Brodkorb, Brodkorb’s Blog, and Brodkorb’s “Gold Standard” mentality are the epitome of the problem.
That YouTube “featured” on Brodkorb’s Blog’s “3rd best ad” is below.
I
(cross posted from MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)
…”not too shabby for a quitter.”
Hey – the Half-Time Governor gives Bachmann MotorMouth Overdrive something to shoot for next year!
(cross posted from MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)
Ladies and Gentlemen, yours truly – the ol’ TwoPutter – is hosting tonight’s “Nancy Nelson Show” on AM-950 KTNF, The Progressive Talk Station! The show runs from 5:00 to 6pm. So, tune in your radio today to AM-950, or listen live on your computer, here.
I’ll be talking about, and asking listeners to call in about, particularly egregious examples of Republicans behaving badly during this election cycle. In particular, I’ll be singling out Republican State Representative Mary Kiffmeyer.
Here’s the artwork that once adorned a wall at Kiffmeyer’s failed bank; I call it “Jesus At The Closing Table”:
I’ll also be joined by Spot from The Cucking Stool to talk about his video series “Standing on the Brink of Insurrection and Treason.” You thought GOPers were crazy? Wait’ll you here Spot discussing “Tenther” Tom Emmer’s thoughts!!!
We’ll also play “False Or False Witness!” where one lucky caller will have to correctly identify if a quote I read was actually uttered by Michele Bachmann (answer “False Witness!”) or if yours truly, the ol’ TwoPutter, simply made it up (answer “false”). The fabulous prize awarded, courtesy of show sponsor Common Good Books, is one copy of Bill Prendergast’s exceptional comic book: False Witness! The Michele Bachmann Story (Volume 3)!
So, again, tune in the radio today to AM-950, or listen live on your computer, here.
(cross posted from MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)
Last Sunday Morning, on Esme Murphy’s WCCO show, MN GOP Deputy Chair Michael Brodkorb said:
“Congresswoman Bachmann, Governor Palin, are just the gold standard right now inside our party.” (WCCO.com)
The amazing thing about that statement, by Brodkorb, is he said it in a segment immediately preceeded by a Pat Kessler “Reality Check”. And in Kessler’s “Reality Check” – on Bachmann’s outrageous fabrications concerning the economy – Kessler found Bachmann’s claims, and I quote: “That’s factually WRONG and “This is FALSE” and “This starts with a kernel of truth, but is OUT OF CONTEXT” and “This is NOT TRUE.”.
“WRONG”, “FALSE”, “OUT OF CONTEXT”, and “NOT TRUE” – all from just one appearance from Bachmann on March 28th’s “Face The Nation”. Essentially, Kessler all but called Bachmann a liar.
Now, that “Reality Check”, by Pat Kessler, was actually aired twice – once on March 30th, as a result of the above mentioned “Face The Nation” appearance, and again last Sunday, just before Brodkorb’s appearance on Esme Murphy’s Show.
So, gentle readers, wouldn’t you expect that someone spewing stuff debunked – twice – might just drop that cr@ppola from their repertoire?
For GOPers, NOT A CHANCE. Yesterday, at her Fool’s Gold Express stop on The Bachmann MotorMouth Overdrive Tour at the Minneapolis Convention Center, Bachmann repeated that debunked cr@ppola, once again.
Shameless – completely shameless. And the Fools gathered by the GOP to watch their Standards, ate it up.
But that shamelessness really isn’t surprising, coming from Bachmann – a Finalist in Politifact.com’s “2009 Lie Of The Year” contest. Indeed, Politifact.com recently checked another Bachmann Statement, one that Kessler checked, too, and found Bachmann’s statement, on the Truth-O-Meter, to register as false.
That makes Bachmann ZERO for NINE on claims checked by Politifact.com.
What IS surprising, is 3rd CD GOP Incumbent Erik Paulsen, R=BoughtAndPaidFor, hitching his wagon to the GOP Fool’s Gold Express. Conventional Wisdom suggests he should be running as far away and as fast as he can from Bachmann and Palin – that Fool’s Gold Express may play in Minnesota’s nutjob 6th Congressional District, but I highly doubt it will in the 3rd.
For a good recap, with plenty of pictures, of yesterday’s Fool’s Gold Express Stop on The Bachmann MotorMouth Overdrive Tour, link here.
(cross posted from MnProgressiveProject; comments welcome there)
It’s been a busy week, and I wanted to touch back on the Bachmann MotorMouth Overdrive FEC problems reported by Karl Bremer over at Dump Bachmann. It seems Bachmann has some serious paperwork problems with the FEC, and that’s FEC problems from BEFORE she hired republiCon Ron.
The Minnesota GOPers have a longstanding tradition of running a completely FUBAR paperwork operation; for example, here’s the infamous “Tostenson Memo”.
And I wanted to share one FEC Filing from the MN GOP that just warms my heart:
GOPers simply have to wonder where their “donations” to the GOP go. We know at the national level, donations fund stuff like “meals” at bondage clubs. And I’m sure it warms local GOPer’s hearts, too, knowing that their donations went to pay for Senator Franken’s legal fees….
(cross posted from MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)
