From: Eva Young <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Thu, 8 Sep 2005 11:01:22 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: [Mpls] Special Interest Contributors McLaughin for Mayor (Just
A-C)
> Hey! My last name starts with "C" and I gave money
> to Peter McLaughlin. Why wasn't I mentioned? What am
> I, chopped liver? I have no connection to the Twins,
> Northwest Airlines, nor any (formal) connection to
> any bars, nor am I a developer, but can't I be old
> guard? Am I too young? Can't a GenX'er be old guard?
> Or is it because I supported Rybak in 2001?
Perhaps you weren't mentioned because the person looking at these campaign
contributions didn't find your contributions worth raising eyebrows
about. It's well worth mentioning Peter's contributions from the Twins,
Unions - as well as the independent expenditures done by those
interests. It's a legitimate question for a taxpayer in the city to ask -
will the Mayor work for his contributors for for the city.
At the same time, Mayor Rybak seems to use city resources for his
campaign. Who needs campaign contributors, when the taxpayers will pay for
your campaign? Recall the newsletter that was sent out in January - that
was basically a Reelect Rybak lit piece.
Nikki Carlson might not have business with the city - but Peter
McLaughlin's contributors who do ARE a legitimate campaign issue - and I
much appreciate people who do some analysis of campaign expenditure reports
and bring these contributions to our attention.
This issue is a huge problem with the Park Board also - Brian Rice -
lawyer/lobbyist/Park Board commissioner major fundraiser is a case in
point. Rice holds fundraisers - and gets his clients from his lobbying
business to come for most of the sitting park board. He gets a good return
on investment on this one.
Meanwhile the Taxpayers are left holding the bag.
> This whole phrase old guard sounds like when Al Gore
> cornered W in a debate about social security and W
> replied that it sounded like fuzzy math. Raise
> legitimate issues? No! You're just old guard. It's
> smart marketing to marginalize your competition but
> in this case, probably a mistake. I mean, a
> candidate can criticize another candidate, but to
> insult the entire group of supporters is like
> calling consumers who use a competitive brand
> stupid. They'll never want to do business with you.
> Oops.
I'm not sure how W's comment about fuzzy math in a debate relates to this
area. But then Karl Rove seems to get used regularly also.
Wizard Marks mentioned that Peter McLaughlin shouldn't be held accountable
for statements made by John Delmonico of the Police Federation comparing
Minneapolis to New Orleans. Well then, Peter always has the option to
publically distance himself from those comments. I'd encourage him to do
so if he finds them excessively demogogic.
Why didn't Lisa McDonald run for Mayor this time? The choices we have for
those wanting a bit more accountability for the taxpayer and a positive
vision for the city aren't there. Lisa has a great vision for the
city. In my opinion - the 13th ward has two good candidates - Mike Hohmann
and Lisa McDonald to choose from (both running against a DFL endorsed
candidate)....
Mark Snyder mentioned that if the Mark Stenglein conflict of interest was
all the opponents of public subsidies for the stadium boondoggle had, then
he'd expect the stadium to get passed at a special session should think
again. On the Twins issue, it looks like Sen Dean Johnson is having
second thoughts about a Stadium Session. Fair Goers gave a clear thumbs
down to the scheme:
http://lloydletta.blogspot.com/2005/09/voters-polled-at-state-fair-give.html
Voters polled at the State Fair Give Thumbs Down to the Stadium Session
From the strib:
Thousands of State Fairgoers who filled out public policy questionnaires
sponsored by the Minnesota House and Senate shared some strong opinions
with legislators:
A special session for stadium proposals? No way (69.3 percent opposed).
A local sales tax increase without voter approval? Not on your life (81.1
percent opposed).
It appears that now Dean Johnson is backing down from his call for a
stadium session:
The Senate poll also offered a detailed description of the Hennepin
County-Twins stadium plan, which hinges on a 0.15-percentage-point sales
tax increase in the county without a public referendum. Only 23.2 percent
favored that, with 67.2 percent calling for a vote or opposing any tax
money for a Twins stadium.
Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson, DFL-Willmar, who joined House Speaker
Steve Sviggum, R-Kenyon, last month in calling for a fall special session,
backed off from that on Tuesday. The survey findings, plus the current
focus of public concern on the hurricane disaster in Louisiana and
Mississippi, militate against summoning legislators back to the Capitol
anytime soon, he said.
"All of our juices are being used up for hurricane response," Johnson said.
"That's where people are centering their attention, and properly so."
Sviggum couldn't be reached for comment Tuesday. Pawlenty has said he'd be
willing to call a limited special session if the legislative caucuses agree
on issues beforehand.
Those pushing for the stadium boondoggle aren't giving up I'm sure. It
would be good if County Commissioner Mark Stenglein (with the conflict of
interest - promoting this boondoggle at the State Fair last Friday) and
Barb Johnson (running unopposed, doing the same) would listen to the voters
on this.
Probable county commissioner candidate Linda Higgins and for sure county
commissioner candidate Greg Gray should also take note of the state fair
poll on this topic.
I've disagreed with Sen. Warren Limmer (R. Maple Grove) on many things (he
likes the sodomy law, is big on marginalizing gays for political gain with
his support of the Bachmann amendment) - but he does oppose socking it to
Hennepin County taxpayers with this stadium boondoggle.
Eva
Eva Young
Near North
Minneapolis
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Lloydletta's Nooz
http://lloydletta.blogspot.com
Dump Michele Bachmann
http://dumpbachmann.blogspot.com
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759,
US author, diplomat, inventor, physicist, politician, & printer (1706 - 1790)
http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/1381.html
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