Talk about season of the witch…

Let me first state the obvious truth:  You must govern now.  It’s one thing to be the engine of virulent, persistent agitation.  Now, you must make laws.  I hope you can actually achieve this, considering you’ve had a grand time standing on the sidelines for two years saying no to everything.  I applaud the strategy.  It delivered you the House of Representatives.

Now, on to other matters.  This victory has secured the legacy of the tea party insurgency–for better or for worse.  There were countless tea party candidates taking established republican and democratic candidates to the woodshed during primary season, and on election day. Speaker-elect John Boehner now must integrate a wild-eyed bunch of tea party newbies into a coalition of dedicated legislators.

Herein lies the dilemma: these insurgent congressman don’t seem up for compromise… at all.  How will the new speaker manage his crew, work with a democratic president,and get the people’s work done– knowing that behind him is a frothing, ambitious congresswoman from the sixth district of Minnesota garnering power– and threatening to hijack any attempt at centrist governance.  Boehner will soon find out the speaker’s chair is a different political animal than his comfy place as minority leader.

Boehner has already stated there will be no compromise with President Obama, but is he speaking for himself or for the tea party insurgents?  He’s not speaking for the American public, and because of this his reign as speaker may be a short one.

So John Boehner has his wish–his tears last night burnished that notion.  But he should be warned:  The wave he rode into the speakership clearly was not because of his stellar work in congress–it was because of voter angst–personified by tea party power.  Clearly the personification of tea party power lay with Michele Bachmann, and her newly elected minions.  It may just be a matter of time before Boehner’s will is shaped to fit the cudgel she and her supporters wield.

Welcome to the new, more rancorous form of partisanship:  The 112 Congress.

Image by asterix611 via Flickr

Related articles

• Michele Bachmann Not Willing To Commit To John Boehner For Speaker (huffingtonpost.com)

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

What does this really solve?

As a sheriff’s deputy dumped the contents of Joy Uhlmeyer’s purse into a sealed bag, she begged to know why she had just been arrested while driving home to Richfield after an Easter visit with her elderly mother.

No one had an answer. Uhlmeyer spent a sleepless night in a frigid Anoka County holding cell, her hands tucked under her armpits for warmth. Then, handcuffed in a squad car, she was taken to downtown Minneapolis for booking. Finally, after 16 hours in limbo, jail officials fingerprinted Uhlmeyer and explained her offense — missing a court hearing over an unpaid debt. “They have no right to do this to me,” said the 57-year-old patient care advocate, her voice as soft as a whisper. “Not for a stupid credit card.”

And after all of this, you probably still won’t get the money you were hoping to get.  Sort of like the blood and stone analogy.  I’m disheartened to know that the state of Minnesota is wasting its resources on debtor prisons.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

From the Minnesota Independent:

The Mille Lacs Tea Party Patriots drew about 60 attendees to their Tax Day Tea Party a week and a half ago, and one statement by Sue Bicar, an organizer for the central Minnesota chapter, is raising some eyebrows on blogs this week: Bicar compared the movement to those who lost their lives in the Holocaust.

Bicar told tea partiers at the April 15 rally in Milaca that they needed to get more active in the movement.

“If we do nothing, we are no better than the Jews who stood in line for the gas chambers,” Bicar said, according to the Mille Lacs County Times.

The Minnesota Independent attempted to contact Bicar about her statement. We’ll pass along any comment we receive.

Pretty pathetic.  You have just marginalized genocide, and equated your own government to Nazism.  These people have lost touch with reality.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Dr. Maureen Reed

Today in Minnesota, GOP congresswoman Michele Bachmann will receive a visit from former Alaska governor Sarah Palin.  Sarah Palin’s ability to rally the conservative base is well documented, and Bachmann’s popularity in her district–while not wavering–could use a shot of Palin’s manufactured rhetoric.  But why is Bachmann hosting an event–purported to help her in her re-election bid– outside of the sixth congressional district?  Jason Isaacson, campaign manager for  Dr. Maureen Reed– a challenger for Bachmann’s congressional seat– teed off on the congresswoman’s decision:

“I can’t help asking the question – ‘what was she thinking?’ – what good reason does Michele Bachmann have to hold her rally and event in Minneapolis, outside her district, when there are some world class venues located in St, Cloud, Blaine and Stillwater?” Jason Isaacson, Reed’s campaign manager said in a statement Tuesday. “In tough economic times, it would make sense that Michele Bachmann would show pride in where she lives and help residents and businesses benefit financially by scheduling her events in the district that sent her to Washington, D.C.”

While Bachmann’s political aspirations may have been met, her constituents have not faired nearly as well:

Bachmann Voted against extending unemployment benefits:

• Last summer, in the middle of the worse economic downturn in decades, Bachmann refused to assist her constituents and voted against unemployment benefits for workers and families.

Bachmann Voted against the Health Care bill that would have:

• In the 6^th District alone, improved coverage for 575,000 residents with health insurance and gave tax credits and other assistance to up to 134,000 families and 16,100 small businesses to help them afford coverage.
• Allowed 65,000 6^th district young adults the ability to stay on their parent’s policy.

I’m assuming one of the reasons for the decision to hold the rally in Minneapolis is the sheer size of the crowds expected– due to Palin’s high-voltage star power. Perhaps a good practical decision, but not a wise strategic or politically astute decision.  Surely congresswoman Bachmann could find some venue in her district for the rally, or at least make the attempt to find one.  In the end, while her event will bring widespread energy, attention and money to the Bachmann camp, it has to make you wonder how important her constituents are to her.

As her image in Washington grows larger, the shadow she casts back home in Minnesota grows as well.  Her thirst for the national spotlight is hindering her ability to assess the needs of the people in her district.

Figures courtesy of Maureen Reed For Congress

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Truth carrying scourge of health care reform, Michele Bachmann (R-MN), speaking about “killing the legislation.”  I’m all for the speech– you know, first amendment thing– until she starts comparing President Obama to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.  Really?  I’m also not sure what being a “Post modern American president” means.  Maybe you all can figure it out.  Check out Michele ranting below.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

wrightandleftreport’s candidate for the sixth congressional district in Minnesota, Dr. Maureen Reed, speaks at the Senate District 14 Convention. Dr. Reed is challenging incumbent Republican congresswoman Michele Bachmann.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Watch Dr. Reed’s speech to the SD-19 Convention.  Dr. Reed is challenging incumbent congresswoman Michele Bachmann in Minnesota’s sixth district.  She’s also a delightful, highly bright, accomplished woman. wrightandleftreport is supporting her candidacy for congress.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

“Our country is being destroyed. Every generation has had to fight the fight for freedom… Terrorism? Yes. That’s not the big battle,” he said. “The big battle is in D.C. with the radicals. They aren’t liberals. They are radicals. Obama, Pelosi, Walz: They’re not liberals, they’re radicals. They are destroying our country.” — Republican Allen Quist, running for congress in Minnesota’s first congressional district.

Do we need another ideologue in Congress like Allen Quist?   I say that not to just single out Republicans for their views.  Both parties are seemingly cemented in their ideologies today, and that’s caused a gridlock that has the potential to affect millions of American lives.  But it has not extinguished all the bright stars in the sky.  In fact, one particular star seems to be burning brighter than ever.

Want to know what makes Dr. Maureen Reed extraordinary?  Plain, old fashioned common sense.  It’s not fancy or flashy.  In these polarized times– where the dearth of common sense is quite palpable– Dr. Reed stands out as the lighthouse does in the deep black of night.  I spoke to Dr. Reed last last week about a variety of subjects, one of which included the great partisan divide that is engulfing our nation’s capital:

“Too many people in Washington have narrow political backgrounds.  They’ve spent most of their adult lives as political people.  There are far too few people in Washington, with backgrounds in health care, and business, and education.  We need many more people with broad backgrounds working on capital hill.  Narrow backgrounds lead to narrow thinking.”

Narrow backgrounds lead to narrow thinking.  Dr. Reed’s line perfectly encapsulates the state of  politics today.  She went on to explain how important issues facing Americans like health care and education, need to be addressed by those who have “deep experience” in those areas.  Sounds like a common sense approach to me.  To illustrate:  In congress, there are 435 members.  Of that number, only 24 have a background in health care.  24.  How is it possible that such an important piece of legislation as health care reform, is delegated to a body where less than five percent of its members are qualified to discuss it, let alone craft the legislation?  Dr. Reed:

” In other sectors, we don’t hand over problems to people who have not had a lot of experience in that field and ask them to craft a solution.  What are they going to do?  They’re going to turn to the arm chair experts, and the special interests.”

And while mismanagement and misallotment of resources is nothing new in Washington political circles,  Dr. Reed provided a fresh take on the approach taken by the administration and congress.  It’s a case study in political rigidity and inflexibility–both of which explains the D.C. bone yard  built for failed policy initiatives.  We discussed in detail the political polarization blanketing Washington and the entire country– and I asked Dr. Reed what her thoughts were on this partisan rancor gripping us all:

“Most Minnesotans reside in the middle of the political spectrum.  Our elected officials are more polarized, and have moved to the far left and the far right.  I am a big tent Democrat, which means I have an appreciation for opinions from the left and the right, the up and the down.  There is no appreciation for the views of the middle ground.  The middle is where the work gets done.”

Another relevant line considering that moderates and independents have proven that they– and not the ideologues on the left or right– swing elections.  Here’s more from Dr. Reed on the issue of polarization:

“Somewhere along the way, these career politicians lost their ability to dial down rhetoric, and solve problems.  Sound bites don’t equal debate.  Polarizing rhetoric leads to an inability to get stuff done.  It is intended to inject fear and anger into people– When people are afraid, they do not solve problems well.  Professionals try to dial down fear and anger in order to make better decisions and provide solutions.”

In other words– it’s not a technical problem– it’s a political problem.  It seems that the “professionals” in Washington, care more about providing venomous soundbites– than offering concrete solutions to help Minnesotans and all other Americans find jobs.  People are worried about what they may potentially lose, not the political blame game hijacking our discourse. Dr. Reed injects a measure of clarity into this debate that is rarely seen.  Her candor and her honest approach is more than refreshing.  In a district currently represented by conservative ideologue Michele Bachmann, Reed proves herself the antithesis of the oft-times controversial Congresswoman.  If you examine her record closely, you’ll notice that she’s more than qualified for her upcoming battle.  But delve a little deeper.  Look past her success as a physician, and President of the Board of Regents at The University of Minnesota.  What you will find is her intimate connection with real people, and her innate sense of collaboration and sacrifice.

In 2010, we all must adhere to Dr. Reed’s mantra that “all Americans can solve tough problems.”  By believing in common sense solutions and ignoring ideological boundaries–Dr. Reed is perfectly positioned  to lead the sixth district in Minnesota as part of its delegation to the United States Congress– one technical solution at a time.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

She is the centerpiece of a post that will be up on the blog Monday. She is amazing, and her work even more so. Looking forward to sharing some of her comments with you all.  She is the type of common sense  leadership lacking in Washington today.

UPDATE:  This post will be up Tuesday.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.