Chris Fields speaking at 2012 Minnesota Republican Convention

Chris Fields is running in Congressional District 5 against Keith Ellison.  He spoke for 5 minutes at the 2012 Minnesota Republican Convention.  Here is his speech in video and text.  He is a dynamic Marine and makes great sense.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOKoNYZa2Ag

Ladies and gentlemen, Minneapolis and the 5th Congressional District is home to wonderful people and wonderful Fortune 500 companies.  We are also the home of the largest achievement gap in education between black and white students in the entire country.  We are also home to the largest unemployment gap between blacks and whites in the entire country.  And here's why I need you to care, because failed policies, bad leadership,  are making our district and in fact our state a National embarrassment.  I am the endorsed republican challenger to Keith Maurice Ellison, and I will take the fifth back.  My name is Chris Fields, I'm a 21 year combat veteran of the United States Marine Corp.  Look, I'll be the first to tell folks, I was not born and raised in Minnesota.  I was born and raised in the south Bronx.  Born to a fifteen year old welfare Mother, who had three kids before she was twenty.  And for that reason, I am very unapologetic about being pro-life. I know first hand what failed policies do to the most vulnerable amongst us.  I have personally felt the sting and shame of walking in and out of welfare offices and using foods stamps.  Those experiences left me with a deep desire to work, earn, and achieve, and I have achieved. But because I have achieved, that's why I am standing before you.  But that's not my purpose.  My purpose is so that I can help everyone achieve.  They tell me that winning back the 5th is going to be tough.  But I stand here fully prepared because I know what it takes to win tough battles.  Growing up dirt poor in New York City, that's tough.  Fighting in Iraq, that's tough.  We can win in the fifth.  And in order to win I need every single delegate and alternate, and republican, and independent, and conservative democrat in this state to get involved so we can take it back.  I'll give you a couple of ways you can get involved, friend us, like our Facebook page.  That's not tough.  Follow us on Twitter. That's not tough.  Send a letter to the editor. That's not tough.  Buy a T-Shirt, we take credit cards, its really not that tough.  Send in 10 bucks, tell your friends about this race.  This one will be one for ages. Because while Keith has run around, talking with all of his special interest buddies about how the earth has a fever, and we can't drill for oil because of that.  And while he's doing all those things, I will be focussed on the fifth congressional district, and Minneapolis, and I'm going to build together a coalition that is ready to bring in a new era of leadership.  And he will try those old stale techniques of trying to divide people and tell them that 2012 is about choosing between left and right.  I will unite the people and remind them this is about choosing what's right.  And let me tell you, what's right is a full and complete audit of the Fed.  What's right is ending the war in Afghanistan. What's right is standing up for America.  What's right is standing up for single Mom's and single Dad's.  What's right is standing up for students and standing up for the middle class, and standing up for our seniors and our veterans.  What's right is when the entire GOP decides to fight in Minneapolis and the Fifth Congressional district so we can give ourselves a chance to win state wide races.  That's whats right.  And whats right is fighting in Minneapolis so we can keep Keith Ellison's million dollar fund raising machine out of your district.  And finally, when the doubters and nay-sayers come, they look at me and they say Hey Chris Fields, who do you think you are Allen West?  My answer would be this, No, because frankly I'm better looking.  And when they come up to me and they say do you really think you can win in the fifth?  Do you really think you can beat Keith Ellison, your not even from here.  Well I will stare at them with the steely eyed look of a Marine and give them two words … "You Betcha"!  Thank you and God Bless You, God Bless the United States of America."

Tony Hernandez Speech at 2012 Minnesota Republican Convention

Tony Hernandez spoke for 5 minutes at the 2012 Minnesota Republican State Convention.  He addressed immigration and economic issues in his contest with Betty McCollum for the Fourth Congressional District (MNCD4) in Minnesota.
http://www.hernandezusa.com/

Tony says that he and his bride Leona believe that marriage is a mission, and can think of no better way to start their family together than to fight to restore constitutional principles to America, to fight for limited government, reduce spending, cap the National Debt (he knows they already owe approximately $277,000  http://www.usdebtclock.org/  between them now for National Debt), a right to life, culture of family.  That's what they are going to fight for in Washington DC.

Tony addressed immigration and the economy.  Many people have called him Latino-American, Hispanic-American, or a Mexican-American.  He rejects this, he is an American! Period!  He is a patriot.

"But we must remember nobody in the history of this world  has done more to build the American Dream than the immigrants who built this country.  Those who held onto that dream and passed it to their children.  We are all proof, right here in this room, of the American Dream.  We are all immigrants who are here because of that dream and the United States of America.  President Obama has set many records in the past four years.  He has amassed the largest debt the history of world has ever seen.  There are more people on food stamps than ever before.  And he has deported more immigrants than any other US President in history. This tragic trifecta is an avalanche of errors that threatens to destroy the American Dream, the fabric of our country.  The net immigration from Mexico has reached zero. This means that for every person coming into this country another person was leaving. Its not because our boarders are stronger!  Its because this administration, along with Betty McCollum, their solution to immigration has been to make the economic environment so caustic that it doesn't even support life any more, and we need to change that. This is not about citizenship, this is not about amnesty, this is about creating an easier path to legal immigration.  To build a base of consumers, home owners, contributors, entrepreneurs, to be as it always has been, that the foundation of America's greatness and prosperity has been in the hard work and blood, sweat and tears of the immigrant.  This nation must return to what it once was capturing the imagination of our worlds youth, the worlds greatest visionaries risk takers and entrepreneurs.  We must restore the American values by unraveling Obama's, McCollums, and Klobuchars's government failure.  And legal immigration must be a part of that.  The American Dream is on the shoulder of all of us, the immigrants, we must all rise from the ashes of this administration.  To once again amaze the world and capture its imagination.  Not with how far we have fallen, but where we will go."

Klobamanomics vs Econ 101 A New Teacher's in Town

The Senate has not passed a budget in three plus years since Obama became president.  That form of "Klobamanomics" (Bills description) will meet real world Econ 101 with Kurt Bill's endorsement at the 2012 MInnesota Republican Convention.  No more rubber stamping of Obama's failing economic policies that exist with Amy Klobuchar (and Betty McCollum…).

Kurt Bills won the endorsement in two ballots, with a strong swell of support from the Ron Paul enthusiasts.

	Ballot 1	Ballot 2
Kurt Bills	1135	1353
Pete Hegseth	450	316
Doc Severson	501	439
Harold Shudley	35	---

Kurt Bills Speech seeking endorsement at the convention center in Saint Cloud
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=AJdC-poHI-Y

Kurt Bills acceptance of the endorsement for US Senate at the 2012 Republican Convention
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHuFFOEesaw

Oakdale MN Economic Development Commission Jobs Report Presentation

Rachel Vilsack, Coordinator of Special Projects, Labor Market Information Office, gave a semi-annual presentation on Labor data, at the Oakdale Minnesota, Economic Development Commission meeting on Wednesday 5/9/2012.  The presentation focused on Minnesota vs the US labor rates and gave some specific information about the City of Oakdale employment picture.  The presentation was a very good summary of the effects of the recession and the status of the job recovery. One I believe you will find very watchable and informative. The Oakdale specific information is a unique view into the economy of our community, one I don't think you can readily find in such a nice presentation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Lob84OYyfo

Highlights were:

Total employment statistics had peaked at nearly 2.8 million jobs in Feb 2008.  We subsequently lost 154,000 or 5.5% in Minnesota, and US lost at 6.4%.  Feb 2010 was our minimum/trough, and we have regained about 79,000 as of March 2012  If we maintain adding jobs at the current rate, about 2700 jobs per month, we will regain our pre-recession peak in May of 2014.  The charts and statistics show that Minnesota, and as Rachel relates, in fact most of the midwestern states, were less affected than the nation as a whole.  Not that that makes any of those affected feel any less pain as they became one of the statistics, and hopefully part of the in progress recovery.

As employment has increased, the average weekly hours and wages have begun returning, and we should regain the 2008 level in just a couple of months (from May 2012).  Also average earnings have improved by $1.15/hour bringing it to $24.57 per hour.

Oakdale  (employers located in Oakdale, MN) Third Quarter statistics are:

Category	2000	2009	2011
Establishments	516	585	580
Jobs	6902	7251	8197
Total Wages (millions)	$69	$71	$90
Ave Weekly Wage	$773	$760	$848

Oakdale Minnesota Industry Trends
Largest employing industries 3Q 2011

Sector	Jobs in 3Q 2011	Change from 3Q 2009 to 3Q2011
Retail	1369( (17%)
Accommodation and food services	1106 (14%)
Manufacturing	828 (10%)	- 128
Finance and insurance	810 (10%)	+ 369
Health care and social assistance	558 (7%)	+ 91
Administrative and Support		+ 320
Educational services		- 58
Arts and Entertainment		- 41

Unemployment rates for Minnesota peaked at 8.5% while US peaked at 10.2%.  Declines in the unemployment rate can also be seen as the result of fewer people actively seeking employment and dropping out of the labor market.  This can be due to many reasons, the recent recession as well as long term demographic trends of retiring baby boomers.  The number of people who have not been able to find employment for well over a year also continues to swell.  Many people are continuing to find challenges in their personal economic situation.  Rachel further discusses some more of the participation rate in the video.  [Note: I plan on making that a subject for a later discussion.]

At the peak in 2009 there were 8 jobs seekers per job vacancy.  That number has fallen to about 3 job seekers per opening at the end of 2011.

Minnesota industry projections, 2010 to 2020 show the largest new job growth areas to be in Construction +42.3% (37,103 jobs) and Education and Health Services +32.1% (142,776), with manufacturing only gaining +4.9% (14,198). Recovery from steep job losses in the recession will likely boost job growth in Minnesota during this decade.  Slowing as baby boomer retirements peak and the number of people entering the labor force slows considerably. Replacement workers to fill vacancies (retirements, or leaving profession) will be 670,000.  I have a great video of a presentation done by the Minnesota Economist and Demographer that is a very good introduction of the topic of "The Boomer Tsunami" demographics and the economy.    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFjV8pDFR-s

In summary, we are in a protracted recovery period that still has a way go to return to where we were pre-recession.  The good news is that the recovery, anemic though it might be, is in progress.  The difficulty lies in the job market makeup (kinds of jobs) and the job increase versus (or keeping apace with) population growth.

Voter ID Myths De-Mystified by Lucky

Lucky Rosenbloom, Member of the State Council of Black Minnesotans, takes voting rights and voting very seriously.  He eloquently states his case for passing the Voter ID Amendment.  His words are filled with passion and a wonderful ability to sprinkle humor with his message.  His presentations are very moving and interesting.  Demonstrating the falsity of the opposition arguments that often fall back on blaming an "incapable citizenry" as the reason to oppose this movement supported by 80%  of the people.

I have been to League of Women Voters Myths presentations, where untruths and myths about this issue are spoken with little evidence or chance for rebuttal.  And the cloistered attitude of never letting a video be taken and shown are strong (see this video from another LWV session). 

At a Congressional Convention this weekend, 4/21/2012, I first met "Mr. Lucky" and had the experience of seeing his dynamic personality and message.  I met him after his presentation to tell him how much I enjoyed it, and to ask his permission to present it to you.  I hope you enjoy this brief, but entertaining rebuttal to the misrepresentations we get on this issue.  He discusses the "Myths" about Voter ID that are being perpetuated by the LWV and other opponent organizations.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOECxUU3J9o

If you enjoyed his presentation and information, then there are other videos available where you can see more of him:

1) His testimony where he brings his message of the empowerment of Voter ID in testifying before the legislature.  "People will no longer be turned away because they do not have a utility bill".  A problem he experienced himself
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0v8-1zBFoE

2) Lucky's debate on the February 24, 2012 Twin Cities Public Television's Almanac show opposite Dan McGrath of "Take Action Minnesota" where he dismantles the opposition arguments. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVvnv4YiSF4

The claim of the progressive Take Action Dan McGrath (not to be confused), that the issue does not exist, further run counter to the real evidence shown by Dan McGrath of Minnesota Majority, in my earlier article.


See more from Lucky Rosenbloom at:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lucky-rosenbloom
http://www.youtube.com/user/WeWantVoterID
http://www.wewantvoterid.com/blog/

Carver County Judiciary Investigation Requested

Julianne Ortman, member of the Judiciary Committee for Senate, on April 17, 2012 has sent a letter to the Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court asking for an immediate review of Carver County Family Court proceedings to help restore confidence in the courts.  Several other legislators have also signed onto the document.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/89923217/OrtmanLetterToSupremeCourt

There have been long standing issues with judicial actions in Carver County that have no explanation and violate first amendment rights.

One outstanding case is that of Lea Sage-Banken  carvercountycorruption.com.  A young mother who was divorced by her husband while she was pregnant with their third child, and was then denied access to her children with no specified reason. Current law generally has a presumption of 25% parenting time, but such was not the case in Carver County in this case.  Shortly after the birth of her third child, the court took the baby away, giving sole rights to the wealthy father.

There were no finding of fact, no abuse, alcoholism, psychological evaluations or any other charges to indicate or explain why she should be denied rights to see her children.  The outrageousness of this case, and the free speech issue, is such that most other judges and lawyers simply say it cannot happen.  And often simply no longer respond when presented documents from the case.

This case was first discussed on Speechless last year, September 22, 2011.  Here is the video of that interview.

Lea Banken then put up a blog, carvercountycorruption.wordpress.com to discuss the issues of her case and show just cause of claiming corruption in the system.  The judge in the case, Judge Richard C. Perkins, objected and issued an order to take down the blog.  Then he issued a fine of $50/day, ultimately totaling thousands of dollars.  There were a number of people involved in the blog beyond just Ms Banken.  While this seems a clear violation of free speech, stifling legitimate criticism, that blog was ultimately forced down by the judge.  Another blog, carvercountycorruption.com, was created by a group continuing the efforts to expose many more cases of unreasonable behavior in Carver County Family Court.
 
In testimony before the legislature, the following video shows Judge Jeff Thompson calling blogs on the internet the "vanity press of the demented".  He claims that "lazy judges, bad judges, arrogant judges," are well policed and held accountable by the board of judicial standards, and basically denies judicial corruption.  When Lea Banken testifies immediately following you can see Judge Thompson in the background reacting to her.  Minnesota State Rep Steve Simon (DFL 44A) then waves aside the claims of corruption as disgruntled litigants who simply don't like the outcome, stating a "wrong call" is not corruption.  While the distinction is a valid one, it ignores the first amendment violations and failing to issue findings of fact and conclusions of law etc that are present in the cases presented.

There are other cases in Carver County that show a similar trend of ignoring the rights of the citizens and they have also been testified to before the House and Senate committees this year.  While nothing has yet been rectified, the legislative request for investigation is a significant step forward in the effort to hold the Carver County Family Court Judiciary accountable.

Tax Day 2012, next year Taxmaggedon!

If your like many others, you abhor Tax Day.  Might even make you want to attend the annual Tax Cut Rally Saturday, April 28, 2012 at the State Capital.  The excessive spending in Washington, with the dramatic increase in the Administration bureaucracy (here and here) and the frivolous spending exemplified by the recent GSA scandal should put you off pretty strongly.

In fact such reactions just may have culminated in a new "honor" last year for Minneapolis which made it into the top 10 tax procrastinating cities in the country for the first time

Intuits Comments on Minneapolis first time showing in the top 10 procrastinator cities:

Minneapolis – (First timer!): So many theaters, so little time! The TwinCities must be too busy theater hopping instead of hopping to start those
taxes!

But a more realistic/rational reason is likely the depths of distrust and dislike for our taxation system, and government arrogance as typified by the GSA scandal.  However if you didn't dislike the tax system before, or even if you did, you are in for a very rude awakening next year.  Unless the unlikely happens and President Obama and the Democratic Senate see the light on helping to fix the impending avalanche of taxes due to occur for 2013, when current law expires! 
An analysis shows:

If President Obama and Congress fail to act this year, an enormous, unprecedented tax increase will fall on American taxpayers starting on January 1, 2013. The Washington Post called the looming tax increase “Taxmageddon,”[1] and Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke called it a “massive fiscal cliff.”[2]
...
Congress and President Obama have developed a penchant for waiting until the very last minute to act on pressing tax legislation. In 2010, they waited until late December to extend the expiring Bush tax cuts for two years. At the end of 2011, they waited again until late December to extend the expiring payroll tax holiday. They should break themselves of this bad habit.
Instead, Obama and Congress should remove the uncertainty clouding jobs and family finances by removing the threat of Taxmageddon now. Businesses, families, and investors need to know as soon as possible that this massive tax increase will not hit them as they awaken on New Year’s Day 2013.

The Democrats (incl Rep Betty McCollum) and their minions in the media have taken great efforts to paint the "Bush Tax Cuts" as a favor done for the wealthy.  The truth is a little different.  It greatly increased the progressiveness of the tax system and gave huge benefits to the lower income groups, virtually eliminating many from paying any income taxes at all.

The Bush tax cuts included a radical increase in the progressivity of the Tax Code.  "[T]he share of overall tax liabilities of the top 1% increased from 22.9% to 25.3%, as the result of a tax system which became more progressive since 2000."  Bush "cut the lowest income tax bracket by one-third and doubled the refundable child tax credit -- taking 10 million low-income families off the income tax rolls. In fact, the poorest 40 percent of households now pay zero income taxes, and many actually receive checks from Washington on April 15."

Our Congressional Representative of course does not agree with that and follows the Obama message of increasing taxation.  From Rep Betty McCollum's website:

Rep. Betty McCollum, a Democrat, has never voted to instate or extend the Bush tax cuts. She said she's not about to start now.

But isn't Rep McCollum and President Obama's message that they wouldn't increase taxes on middle and lower income people? Yet that is where the main impact of these cuts are:

Taxmageddon Hits the Middle Class: Taxmageddon falls primarily on middle- and low-income Americans. That’s because 60 percent of the Bush tax cuts went to middle and low-income taxpayers. The expiration of the patch on the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) will cause these taxpayers to pay a tax they were never supposed to be hit with, and the expiration of the payroll tax cut is a tax hike almost exclusively on middle- and low-income families. That’s just the direct impact. Americans at all income levels will feel the pain of Taxmageddon because it will slow job creation and wage growth.

The failures to address the lapsing "Bush Tax Cuts" accounts for about 34% of the Taxmageddon bill, but another tax that has been coming up year after year is the AMT, which accounts for an additional 25% of Taxmageddon.  The AMT was/is another misguided attempt to "tax the rich"

Congress enacted the AMT in 1969 following testimony by the Secretary of the Treasury that 155 people with adjusted gross income above $200,000 had paid zero federal income tax on their 1967 tax returns. (See Appendix for the AMT’s legislative history.) In inflation-adjusted terms, those 1967 incomes would be roughly $1.17 million in today’s dollars.

The AMT has the typical "unintended consequences" that have since become a threat to the middle class that requires an annual change in law to prevent

Another important tax break that's late in getting renewed -- assuming it does -- is the higher exemption from the dreaded alternative minimum tax. Originally envisioned as a way to capture at least some tax revenue from ultra-rich taxpayers who took advantage of other provisions to pay very little in taxes, the AMT now hits an estimated 3.8 million taxpayers. The number of people paying AMT would skyrocket by as much as 30 million if lawmakers don't get around to passing their annual "patch" in time -- and the extra tax bill could come to $8,000 for some of those taxpayers.

Sound familiar?  Its a lot like the motivations for the current discussions for the "Buffet Rule", which is targeted to affect wealthy taxpayers, except its namesake Warren Buffet. The Buffett Rule would affect only 2% of the 400,000 Americans making more than a million. That’s why it raises only $47 billion over the next decade.  Imagine an alternative of a 1% cut in each department in the federal government?  That would reduce spending by $33.6 billion.  And it would not create yet another impending unintended consequence for us to have to deal with in the future.  Hmmm, maybe revisiting the concepts like the fair tax, the flat tax, or possibly even the 999 plan (as long as its kept that way, er..., perhaps too much opportunity there for increasing the tax) don't sound so bad.