Not "who do you think will win" or "who do you think is the most electable", because those are separate and different questions.
Who are you supporting?
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That being said, in the general election, I'll be voting for the DFLer without so much as a single whine or whimper even if it's not 'my guy.'
In the caucuses, let's get behind whoever we think is the best candidate (for me, that's John Marty). In the general election, though, it's whoever has the DFL next to their name, no matter who it is. I mean, let's face it... we have a great selection of candidates on our side of the aisle.
Matt Entenza has outraised everyone so far!
Matt Entenza is leading in the poll!
Do I sense... Momentum for Matt!
But for now, Thissen is a rising young star running on the same old progressive DFL platform. Only Matt has the 21st century vision (note his advocacy for green energy) to solve 21st century problems.
With so much great competition, the only choice is the one that seems most honest, consistent, and visionary. For me, that man is John Marty!
Every issue we care about, John is as close to perfect on it as is humanely possible.
Seriously George, the momentum for Matt is measurable in ways beyond this poll. At the CD7 candidate forum yesterday Matt was frequently interupted by the audience's applause during his presentation, the other candidates pretty much just got the customary "Minnesota nice" applause at the end of their presentations. Afterward it took forever to get Matt out of the place- seemed like everyone wanted to talk to him.
Also, after the forum was over, he wandered around the room and had to walk up and engage people, while other candidates stood by the door and got swarmed. Not sure what you saw that indicated otherwise.
On another note, its nice to see the United HealthCare $$$$$$ put to good use with paid advertisments and paid staffers obviously rigging this poll ;-)! "...if my thought-dreams could be seen, they'd probably put my head in a guillotine..."----Bob Dylan, 1965.
Perhaps you should do something like that in future polls like this -- limit voting to people who were registered at least 24 hours before the poll is announced. That might keep the results more representative.
(So far today, I've received emails from 3 different campaigns urging me to vote in this poll.)
Multiply those savings by the hundreds of state and local government agencies statewide and we're probably looking at billions in savings in energy costs. Then figure in the tax revenues from the labor intensive work of installing these energy upgrades and we might very well solve the budget shortfall. Then figure in the companies that will move to Minnesota to take advantage of our low energy costs and we just might have another Minnesota miracle without a tax increase.
You obviously believe everything Entenza says, but Minnesota voters are going to see Entenza as a liar and a cheater, and a guy who is only still around because he has his wife's United Health Care millions to spend.
Beyond ideology, honesty and integrity are of paramount importance to voters. And the perception of Matt Entenza is going to be that he is a liar and a cheater, who is buying the election with his wife's ill-gotten money.
My preference would be for Thissen or Rybak, but basically anyone except Matt Entenza, who would have no chance if he didn't have millions of dollars to pour into the race. And yes, pretending this isn't a big deal is idiotic.
So Dan, if you've got some evidence take it to the relevant prosecuting attorney... And if I see any more of your baseless accuasations around the blogosphere I'll just assume you're a republicon troll.
http://minnesota.publicradio.o...
Entenza has been charged with more than a parking ticket, by the way. He has been charged with multiple campaign finance violations and has paid thousands of dollars in fines. Another link for your reading pleasure:
http://wcco.com/local/entenza....
A $28,000 fine sounds like a bigger deal than a parking ticket.
And while Entenza's wife has not personally been charged with any crimes (she has been sued personally for civil fraud, however) for her work with United Health Care, the company has been prosecuted and fined in nearly every state. You can read about this lovely outfit that paid Ms. Entenza $35 million dollars here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U...
Hatch was one of the attorney generals investigating United Health Care, which is why it was a big deal that a United Health Care exec's husband running for AG investigating Hatch was such a big deal - that's the ethics thing I was talking about.
Dan, if you haven't noticed, you're the only person in this discussion alleging ethical transgressions by any DFL candidate. To top it off, your allegations include a really twisted and perverse conspiracy theory that Matt's alleged investigation of the AG's office was connected to some AG's office investigation of United Health. You present no evidence to support said perverse conspiracy theory.
In conclusion Dan, you ain't come up with any nonsense I ain't already seen, and you'd be laughed out of any prosecutor's office with the "evidence" you've got.
Yes, Entenza and his supporters certainly do have their own ethics.
And the last I heard, being unethical and a liar is not against the law, more's the pity. Don't cook your own goose.
Seriously, let's have a moratorium on comments on each other's motives, character, or states of delusion.
I have been leaning towards Dayton, Marty or Entenza, but yesterday's shenanigans at the DFL Progressive Caucus make it harder to consider supporting Marty. He may be the best candidate, and the strongest candidate on issues, legislative track-record and has improved his presentation and style as a candidate dramatically, that move by key supporters or staff was a blunder. I wish the effort taken to keep that endorsement process closed had been spent on either growing the progressive caucus or on legitimate campaign activity on behalf of a legitimately progressive candidate.
John Marty is a recognized progressive leader in the state so by definition he occupies space on the political "left". But your CONSTANT "warnings" of Marty being "too far left" are disingenuous, outdated, and sounds too much like a Republican attack.
As you know, I was at the SD 50/51 Candidates forum last Thursday and there is NOT very much difference between all of the candidates (and even your preferred candidate Mark Dayton). They are ALL progressive and by definition would be considered on the "left" politically.
My point is then twofold. First, please stop using Republican rhetoric by using the term and warnings about ANY candidate being "too far left" when ALL of them are on the left. Secondly, given the histrorical circumstances we currently living in, we need to embrace our progressive values and not automatically dismiss them as "too far left". Now is the time to be proud about standing up for the right things, not hide away from them because DESPERATE Repulbicans might be "mean" to us and call us names. "...if my thought-dreams could be seen, they'd probably put my head in a guillotine..."----Bob Dylan, 1965.
I also have seen that John can really get things done on important issues like health care, and the Minnesota Health Plan. We can't wait for federal Medicare for all, and sorry Matt, MN Medicare just won't work.
John Marty gets it, and is able to bring together the diverse stakeholders necessary to actually make change happen and get from lofty ideas to a really better everyday for everybody.
That's why he's my guy.
The Reid and Pelosi bills may ultimately no be reconciled, or reconciled bills may be rejected by one or both Houses after the confrerence report. Either way, as Conyers has said, Obama is viewed as a failure now if nothing passes before Christmas (oops!) or as a failure when the current bill is enacted and does not fix anything.
The unions and the progressives who are cynical about the federal process came onboard too late to support the Weiner and Kucinich amendments last time. The Minnesota Health Act supporters must realize that a few Federal reforms are necessary to make the Marty bill even feasible, and engage our federal representatives.
