Yesterday, I wrote about "Gov. T-Bag And The Case Of The Missing TV's". And we talked about it last night, on AM-950 radio (look for "Two Putt Tommy and Dusty Trice fill in for Mark and talk about Banks, the Governor and some missing TV's").
Well, last night after the show was a snowplow night (thank GOD!!!), and I didn't/don't have time to follow up on that. But, the Strib did, in a piece entitled "Saga of the big-screen TVs continues".
From that story:
More than a month after Pawlenty announced that some of the 50-inch flat screen TVs would be given to veterans homes across the state, the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs reports that eight of the 14 TVs it received were damaged when they arrived. Of the remaining six TVs, four have been installed in veterans homes in Minneapolis and Fergus Falls.(emphasis added)(StarTribune.com)
Hmmm....that's funny; the Administrator of the Fergus Falls Veterans Home told me last Monday that the two TV's were NOT installed; they came with wall-mounts but they need "base mounts" to be utilized at Fergus Falls - so, no veterans have watched any football (or, anything else) on 'em.
And, I went to the Minneapolis Veterans Home yesterday; I wasn't getting answers to my questions from the Veterans Homes brass so I went straight to the source and asked a couple of simple questions:
"Did you get the TV's? Were they in working order?"
When they told me that they got two (of the six they were to receive) and they worked, I pulled a Columbo and asked just one more question: "Can I see 'em"?
"Ummm, no" was the answer.
"Why not?"
"Well, they're in the warehouse."
"Why is that?"
"Can't answer that - you'll have to talk to the Press People (a/k/a, "brass")."
And we'll discuss GagGate, later. Right now, I'm tired.
For now, what we do know, is:
What the Strib reporter was told, and had published, is a LOT different from what I was told.
Somebody is playing fast and loose on this one. And I'm smelling coverup.
Then again, coming from the misAdministration of Tim "I'm The Unalotterer!" Pawlenty, no surprise there!
Back in late October, Gov. T-Bag announced he was pulling large screen televisions from the Moose Lake Regional Treatment Center, where the State houses sex offenders that have essentially completed their sentences but are deemed too dangerous to re-enter society.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty ordered 25 TVs removed, after a newspaper reported the 50-inch sets cost about $2,200 each.
On his weekly radio program today, the governor again called putting the TVs in the sex offender treatment facility "a bone-headed move." Pawlenty said 13 of them will be put to better use in five of the state's veterans homes.
"We'll have our American heroes, those folks who have served this country so valiantly, who are now receiving care and housing from our veterans homes in Minnesota, receiving about 13 or 14 of these nice TV sets, so our veterans can watch state-of-the art nice TVs," said Pawlenty.
Pawlenty said the state will sell the rest of the TVs. He said sex offenders can watch smaller, cheaper TVs. Veterans homes that will get the plasma TVs are in Minneapolis, Fergus Falls, Hastings and Silver Bay. (MnPublicRadio)
OK, so - how'd THAT one work out?
Tune in your radio tonight to AM-950, or listen live on your computer, here!
(Eric Zaetsch at Developers Are Crabgrass posted this one today; he graciously agreed to reposting here at MnPP, in it's entirety - TwoPuttTommy)(EZ's original post updated; link at bottom of second page)
The Mary Kiffmeyer - bank closure story is reported first here, with a follow-up account, here.
I want an investigation. The rationale for wanting detail of the failure of Riverside Community Bank, headquartered in Otsego with an Anoka branch, to be fully investigated is basically that one might infer the Pawlenty appointed Commerce Dept. boss had a neck problem from looking the other way on this purported "Christian" governed bank, for the last half year or so (or perhaps longer); with Uncle Sugar now (via the FDIC) on the hook for a reported $20 million. What would losses that way have been if the operation was anesthetized and put under a half year ago?
And yesterday was one of those two least favorite days of the year. I don't escrow, so twice a year I see - and feel the pain - of Gov. T-Bag's "stewardship" of the great state of Minnesota. In 2001, I paid $2,316 in property taxes; as a result of the Property Tax Reform Bill enacted in 2001, and signed by then-Gov. Jesse Ventura, I paid $1,845. Under now-Gov. T-Bag, I paid $3,451 in property taxes this year.
The State House Research Department prepared an eleven page slide show in January of 2007 explaining what the 2001 Property Tax Reform Bill was supposed to accomplish; it's available here.
According to the House Research Department, the goals of that 2001 Reform were:
Realign the state-local fiscal relationship:
• • Increase state's role in funding state priorities (education, courts, transit)
• • Decrease state's role in financing municipal services to give residents more direct responsibility for municipal service decisions
The bottom line, is Gov T-Bag accomplished the latter, while ignoring the former. While researching this post, I noted that MN2020.org has a new report out; published just this morning by Jeff Van Wychen. From it:
Since 2002, Minnesota property taxes, in general, and homeowner property taxes, in particular, have increased rapidly. The cause of the statewide growth in property taxes is not growth in local government budgets. These property tax hikes are the result of state policies that require more public costs to be borne by property taxpayers and a larger share of total property taxes to be borne by homeowners.
Yep - since 2002, my property taxes have increased rapidly; from $1,845 in 2002 to $3,451 in 2009 - dam near doubling during the reign of T-Bag The Terrible (a/k/a, "Worst. Governor. EVER.").
There was a lot - a LOT! - going on last weekend, and yours truly - the ol' TwoPutter - and Dusty Trice will be talking about it today 5 to 6 pm on AM-950 Radio, "The Voice Of Minnesota!"
We'll again be guest hosting for Mike McIntee's "Quick on the Uptake" show. Dusty was in St. Cloud on Saturday covering Bachmann MotorMouth Overdrive's "Town Hall" and subsequent T-Bag Event - I look forward to talking with Dusty about what happened. Feel free to call in and ask Dusty a question yourself! For a sample of what Dusty saw, click on the YouTube, below!
Plus, one lucky caller will win a copy of Bill's exceptional comic book: False Witness! The Michele Bachmann Story (Part 1). The AM-950 call-in number is (952) 946-6205! Well, maybe two callers will win - ya never know!!!
So, tune in your radio today to AM-950, The Voice of Minnesota!
Dusty Trice caught the hypocrisy of Gov. T-Bag's appearance on Faux News yesterday; about how Gov. T-Bag cancelled an appearance at Harvard University when there was a potential for a Swine Flu outbreak but had Pawlenty of time to chat away about teabagger bull(stuff) on Faux News while Minneapolis was cleaning up after yesterday's tornados. It's all about the priorities, doncha know?
The federal government has run every entitlement program they have essentially into the ground Medicare is broke. Medicaid is broke Social Security is broke they've running every program they have them -- that nature into the ground why would we give them another one to run and manage into the ground."
O
M
G.
Just exactly who - WHO - has "run the government" over the last, say, 40 years?
Nixon - 1969 to 1974; Ford 1974 to 1977 (GOP 8, Dems 0)
Carter, 1977 to 1981 (GOP 8, Dems 4)
Reagan 1981 to 1989 (GOP 16, Dems 4)
Bush The Elder, 1989 to 1993 (GOP 20, Dems 4)
Clinton 1993 to 2001 (GOP 20, Dems 12)
Bush The Lesser, 2001 to 2009 (GOP 28, Dems 12)
Over the last 40 years, the GOP has run the federal government, and it's entitlement programs, for 28 of the last 40 years.
So, when Gov. T-Bag says the "government has run everything into the ground" - that's HIS party he's talking about.
And in a way, T-Bag is "right" - we should NOT give the GOP another chance to run government; they break EVERYTHING.
What's needed, is analysis! And fortunately, I'm here to help!!! So, let's take a look at domain names - taken and available and related to those considered "potential candidates" by those from the party that bows to the guy with the big cigar....
On June 12th, from KSTP:
But to get an idea of who might be thinking of running, it's helpful to check the purchase of Internet domain names.
House Minority Leader Marty Seifert also bought a domain, SeifertforGovernor.com, the same day of Pawlenty's announcement.
If KSTP viewers had read MN Progressive Project, they'd have known a full week earlier about what KSTP reported on, and a whole lot more - like who owns the domain names www.SteveSviggum.com and www.Sviggum2010.com and www.SviggumForGovernor.com
So, keep reading this blog - even if we don't get the hat-tips we ought to....
T-Bag announces he's out; which obviously means there's a whole buncha republiCons in. Well, even some Republicans, too. Which begs the question: how serious are they?
It's important to note: what you might find, might simply be "opinions." Well, "opinions" if - and I mean "if" - the following "commentary" is considered "opinion":
D Says:
June 4th, 2009 at 11:27 am
Laura Brod was one of the chief proponents of the "Rape the Taxpayers of Hennepin County to the delight of multi-billionaire Carl Pohlad".
Nobody, I mean NOBODY, in the Hennepin County GOP has forgotten her vote and defense of ripping our right to vote by referendum on the Twins stadium.
And I will take great joy in reminding my state delegate friends of this woman. (MinnesotaDemocratsExposed)
Gotta love them RightWingNuts, "right"?
"Right." Even when they got opinions such as this:
J Says:
June 4th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
Aside from her tax issue which will be huge, Brod will have to answer for her personal behavior if she runs. She's - ahem - played the field. A lot.(MinnesotaDemocratsExposed)
Doncha just love "blogs" "written" and "moderated" by "gentlemen" considered "candidates" for "positions" of "authority" in today's "Family Values" party?
But, I digress. What's "written" is just "opinion."
What's needed, is analysis! And fortunately, I'm here to help!!! So, let's take a look at domain names - taken and available and related to those considered "potential candidates" by those from the party that bows to the guy with the big cigar....
What do rightwingnuts call a non-profit that's backed by a whole bunch o' corporate sponsors, from Allstate Insurance, American Airlines, and AT&T to UPS, Verizon and Wall-Mart?
Yep - "The Admiral" over at Lake Minnetonka Liberty said that, just yesterday, in a post that tried to trash not only Sonia Sotomayer, but an established and respected civil rights organization, too.
To be fair, and so as to not take "The Admiral" out of context, he followed that up with:
I know the loony left will be jumping all over this one. I'm not comparing them with the Klan of old, but with todays Klan. The 1950's and '60's are over with, that's not what we are talking about here. Let's not make me point out the chaos they caused a few years ago with the stated purpose of disruption of commerce, looting, etc... which by the way, they accomplished.
Yeah, "right."
Now, keep in mind Sonia Sotomayor was first appointed to the federal bench by Bush The Elder - and confirmed by the Senate; she was subsequently promoted to the Appellate Court by Bill Clinton, and AGAIN confirmed by Senate vote. And her membership in La Raza was well-known, back then.
Yes, but unlike "The Admiral", they live on Terra Firma.
Oh - and they also aren't the bedrock of today's GreedOverPrinciples party. Sadly, "The Admiral" appears to be "mainstream" - "mainstream" that is, in today's republiCon party.
....Worst. Mayor. Ever. Until Phil Young came along, no one in Eden Prairie ever considered the possibility of a "worst" mayor. I bring this up, because according to a rightwing blogger, Mayor Maybe is being considered as a possibility to replace Carol Molnau as T-Bag's water carrier - should Pawlenty decide to run again. Plus, nationally, leading "conservatives" such as The Maja Druggie (Rush Limbaugh), and Newt "Is My Wife Well Enough To Divorce Yet?" Gingich calling SCOTUS Nominee Sonia Sotomayor a "racist" - I figured this was a good time to remind people that in December 2007, right before Christmas, Mayor Maybe led a grinch-like republiCon-dominated City Council that essentially voted to fire the colored girl, but keep the white guy.
For some background, consider this Letter To The Editor in the Eden Prairie News, written by yours truly, while the debate was raging:
Issue of philosophy
Out of an approximately $32 million annual budget, Housing and Human Services comprises a little more than 1 percent, rounded up to $400,000. Of this, approximately half is payroll; the other half is support to organizations such as PROP, Meals On Wheels, Cornerstone Advocacy Services, and services to seniors.
From what I can surmise, the City Council, led by Mayor Phil Young, wants to cut two of the three city staff positions on Housing and Human Services and cut city financial support to agencies serving city citizens by approximately 40 percent over the next two years.
The issue is not a fiscal/budgetary crisis; the issue is philosophy. According to Mayor Young, and the other Republicans on the council, providing even a meager 1 percent of budget to help our neighbors is not part of their philosophy of this city's core function.
To put these proposed cuts in perspective, the city earns approximately $1 million per year in profit from liquor store operations; profits which are used, according to the city's Web site "to fund several city projects including the pavement management program, facility maintenance and replacement of playground equipment."
Rather than a guiding philosophy of helping those in need best exemplified by "There but by the grace of God go I," this cold-hearted conservatism can be best summed up by paraphrasing a notoriously pompous phrase - "Let them eat park."
