Political Notebook

Health care debate gets heated

U.S. DFL Rep. Tim Walz is getting a taste of just how volatile the debate surrounding health care reform can be.

Janet Kubat Willette, a reporter from the Post-Bulletin-owned Agri-News paper, was in Redwood Falls yesterday when an audience member got the First District Congressman fired up. Walz and  Rep. Collin Peterson were answering questions during a farm policy forum when a woman stood up in the audience and said the proposed health care reform legislation was a "step toward communism."

The comment drew applause and a quick response from Walz. 

"I didn't spend 24 years in the military to be called a Communist, I can tell you that," Walz said.

The questioner would not let the congressmen explain their positions on health care requiring moderator Ken Thiesse to ask ther to let them answer.

She left and Walz and Peterson explained their stances on health care reform with Walz saying there needs to be market reform in health care because there is no price transparency and doctors are given incentives to do more tests.

"No market can function without referees," he said.

Walz is getting a boost of support courtesy of the Democratic National Committee. Starting today, radio ads will begin running in the districts of 23 House members — including Walz. The ad blitz funded by the committee applauds lawmakers for their support of health care reform. While the ad thanks Walz for his efforts, it takes aim at insurance companies.

"Health insurance companies have made record profits by doubling premiums and denying people coverage. And now, they and their lobbyists are fighting tooth and nail to stop reform and protect the status quo -—  and their profits — at the expense of affordable health care for families, small businesses and millions of Americans."

As I wrote about earlier, the Republican National Committee has already announced it has purchased ads in southern Minnesota criticizing Democrats and the health care reform proposals.

Will he run? Pawlenty to announce decision soon

Looks like we won't have to wait long to find out whether Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty will seek a third term in office. In an interview with Minnesota Public Radio, Pawlenty said he plans to announce his decision this summer. Here's a link to the interview.

There has been plenty of speculation about Pawlenty possibly running for president in 2012. KSTP has posted a story on its Web site with the headline "Signs point to no third-term for Pawlenty." The reason? During an interview with the TV station, Pawlenty said anyone who runs for the office should be expected to serve a full four years. If he has national political ambitions, that is likely a promise Pawlenty could not make.

It turns out Pawlenty is also slated to headline a fundraiser for the Arkansas Republican Party in Little Rock next month.

New billboard asking Pawlenty to 'do his legal duty'

A new billboard is being unveiled this morning at the corner of I-94 and Snelling Avenue in St. Paul. The billboard aims to put pressure on Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty to sign an election certificate for DFLer Al Franken if the Minnesota Supreme Court declares him the winner in the long running U.S. Senate race.

Pawlenty has not said whether he would sign an election certificate. Meanwhile, the chairman of the Republican National Committee Michael Steele was asked whether Norm Coleman should concede if the state court declares Franken the winner. His response? "No, hell no. Whatever the outcome, it's going to be get bumped to the next level." Here is a link to a story with more on Steele's response.

The billboard will ask Pawlenty "what he will choose: The people of Minnesota or his own national political ambitions?" It is being sponsored by American United for Change, Alliance for a Better Minnesota, MN AFL-CIO, AFSCME Council 5, Working America and SEIU MN State Council.

The billboard follows an ad running in Rochester and the Twin Cities that also pressures Pawlenty to sign an election certificate.

Senator and would-be senator talk up stimulus

DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken, who has begun referring to himself as "senator elect" are both making stops in Rochester talking up the federal stimulus package.

Klobuchar stopped by the Post-Bulletin at 9 a.m. to meet with the editorial board. During the meeting, she said that while the $787 billion stimulus package is not perfect, it was needed. She said it will create an estimate 3.5 million jobs nationwide and 66,000 jobs for Minnesota. She said it is also an investment in the country's infrastructure to help the nation remain competitive on a global level.

"The idea here is not just those short-term jobs, but also to have something to show for it in the long-term," Klobuchar said.

Meanwhile, Franken has announced he will be dropping by Rochester City Hall at 2 p.m. today to discuss the stimulus plan. His staff has begun referring to the DFLer as "senator elect." Meanwhile, the legal case drags on between Franken and Republican Sen. Norm Coleman over who won the November election.

Roch mayor says city — not state — should get stimulus dollars

At a listening session this afternoon hosted by First District Congressman Tim Walz, Rochester Mayor Ardell Brede voiced concern about federal stimulus dollars going to the state instead of directly to the city. Brede said he recently attended a meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and there was agreement that those dollars for local project should go straight to the cities, counties and school districts — instead of being divvied out by the state.

"A strong request is that the money come directly to the cities or the counties using the community development block grant model," Brede said. "Sometimes as it comes to the state or others it gets hung up and there are I'll say some handling fees added on."

Walz said he agrees with Brede, but making that happen is unlikely.

"I thought for this stimulus for impact, for accountability and the biggest bang for the buck for our local constituents and taxpayers was to do the model the mayor is asking for. I don't think they are going to do it," Walz said.

The reason? Walz said President Barack Obama's administration wants to make sure there is control over the process so that dollars are spent wisely. But Walz said he believes there is actually more accountability at the local level, where voters can oust officials if they are irresponsible with the dollars.

A pile of donkey dung?

Senate Transportation Chair Steve Murphy has some big problems with the federal stimulus package working its way through the U.S. House of Representatives. The Red Wing Democrat said it spends far too little on transportation, while funneling money into education and health and human services, which will not generate the jobs needed to jump start the economy.

"That bill that came out of the House of Representatives is a pile of donkey dung. It's not going to do any good," Murphy said. "They've got their priorities bass-ackwards. The majority of that money should be for infrastructure."

But according to a story today in The Washington Post, the proposal is getting a positive review from congressional budget analysts. First District Congressman Tim Walz is expected to come to Rochester on Thursday to discuss the stimulus package.

Pawlenty pushes biz tax cuts and credits to solve state deficit

In his State of the State address, Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty urged lawmakers to support business tax cuts and credits with the goal of stimulating the state's sagging economy.

"Minnesota has to come to grips with this fact: In 2009, it costs too much for employers to create and keeps jobs in this state. If we want to build up employment, we have to bring those costs down," Pawlenty said.

He also urged lawmakers not to raise taxes to solve the nearly $5 billion budget deficit.

At a news conference after the address, DFL leaders criticized the governor's proposal saying he is looking at spending more money and reducing state revenue at a time when the state faces a serious budget crisis. Among local lawmakers, the reaction differed along party lines.

Senate Minority Leader Dave Senjem, R-Rochester, praised the speech governor's address "his most inspiring speech in terms of reform and revolution."

He applauded the governor for looking to improve the state's tax climate for business and support Pawlenty's call not to raise taxes.

Rep. Tina Liebling, DFL-Rochester, said while she believes the legislature shares many of the governor's goals when it comes to stimulating the economy, she said cutting business taxes is not the best approach.

"It appears he is sticking to the same old, trickle-down economics," she said. "I think we've had eight years to know that doesn't work and it's gotten us in the situation we're in."

"Tense and tedious" recount meeting

Fellow Post-Bulletin reporter Matt Russell headed to the Olmsted County Government Center this afternoon and watched as campaign representatives for Democrat Al Franken and Republican Sen. Norm Coleman debated which absentee ballots were improperly rejected. Here is an excerpt from his story for tomorrow:

   With Franken’s statewide lead at 50 votes, election officials and campaign representatives held a tense and tedious two-hour meeting at the city-county Government Center to determine whether 66 rejected and unopened absentee ballots should be counted by the state’s canvassing board.

   A total of 13 ballots were rejected during the meeting, 11 by the Franken campaign and two by the Coleman campaign.
   As a result, 53 rejected ballots will be sent to the canvassing board for consideration next week, 49 from Olmsted County and four from Fillmore County. There had to be unanimous agreement between the campaigns and county election officials for each ballot to be forwarded to the state.

Russell also noticed a difference in how the campaigns handled the ballot situation.

 
 The Franken campaign was more aggressive in challenging ballots, asking for proof of registration and examining signatures to make sure they matched. The approach led to a few testy exchanges between the two sides.

Recount returns to Rochester

Campaign representatives for Democrat Al Franken and Republican Sen. Norm Coleman return to Rochester tomorrow to hash over which absentee ballots were improperly rejected. The work begins at 1 p.m. at the Olmsted County Government Center in Conference Room 1. As part of these meetings, campaign representatives and county officials will be working together to try to develop a consensus over which absentee ballots were illegally tossed out. Olmsted County election officials have identified 50 ballots they say were improperly rejected.

Based on this Star Tribune story, odds are this could end up being a contentious gathering. Meanwhile, the haggling has left some voters in limbo wondering whether they're ballot will be counted. That's the case for Rochester's Richard Haefner. I write about that in today's column.

Let the ballot counting fun continue

The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled Thursday that improperly rejected absentee ballots should be counted as part of the U.S. senate race. With an estimated 1,600 of these ballots statewide, that means the razor-close race for between Democrat Al Franken and Republican Sen. Norm Coleman remains up in the air. The Associated Press reports that the recent court decision makes it unlikely the winner will be known before the new year.

So what does this mean in Olmsted County, where election officials have already sorted through the more than 300 rejected absentee ballots? Olmsted County Attorney Mark Ostrem said this morning it appears the county will not have to re-sort the ballots. Rather, the 50 ballots identified by election officials as improperly rejected will have to be reviewed again by the county's canvassing board and both campaigns to make sure everyone agrees these ballots were wrongly tossed out. He said the county is looking at trying to get this done early next week.