Category: Tim Pawlenty

by Dave Mindeman

The headlines have criss-crossed the State:

"Special Session Imminent"
"Pawlenty to Call Special Session Soon"
"Governor to Call Special Session on Disasters"
"Legislature Ready -- Governor to Act Soon"

Except nothing is happening.

Our Governor, like George Bush, is squandering an opportunity. After 9/11, President Bush had an opportunity to lead. He could have lead a unified nation to take on terrorism wherever it decided to hide, and the world was eager to help us. Instead he lead us into another direction which resulted in a quagmire of a war that has divided this nation, maybe irreparably.

This state came together after the bridge fell. We were unified in our resolve to fix this problem. Bridges will not fall again... not on our watch. The legislature is ready to act..... but suddenly we have a governor who cannot.

We have a Governor who wants to move ahead and do the right thing, he wants to take advantage of the unified resolve. But he cannot trust.

He doesn't trust the legislature to use good judgment. He doesn't trust his supporters to accept his judgment. He doesn't trust that the people of Minnesota can be fair in their own judgment.

Governor Pawlenty is standing in the way of any solution right now. We can probably survive till the next session starts, but help delayed is pain prolonged. And if the Governor strings this out, he will increase the rancor within the legislative process, much the way George Bush did by leading us into the wrong war.

Come on Governor Pawlenty... show some trust. You still have your veto pen. You still have the Governor's megaphone. Allow the legislature to do what they were elected to do.

Call the special session.

Category: Society

by Tom Hammond

The trouble with Christian Conservative Republicans is that they love to preach their religion but they don’t like to practice it.

Senator Larry Craig’s men’s room escapade is just the most recent example of preaching one thing and doing another. Republican Congressman Mark Foley presented that Sunday morning image while searching for those Saturday night sexual opportunities with teen age pages.

Conservative preacher Ted Haggard was having sex with a male prostitute while he led 30 million Christian Evangelicals in bashing gay Americans. And then there was Republican Senator David Vitters. In public he was the holiest of the holy, but in private, it was no holds barred (if you know what I mean!)

The simple fact is that within the Republican party today, there is a pack of bible toting, scripture quoting, psalm singing, self-righteous, holier-than- thou hypocrites that have ever walked the face of this earth. Their hypocrisy is disgusting.

Category: Norm Coleman

by Dave Mindeman

"Senator Craig pled guilty to a crime involving conduct unbecoming a senator, he should resign.” --Sen. Norm Coleman

Senator Coleman's reaction was swift and complete. Yet, one has to ask, What is conduct unbecoming for a Senator?

Senator Craig plead guilty to be sure, but it was to disorderly conduct. Is that conduct unbecoming?

Let's compare Senator Craig to Senator Vitter:

Senator Craig denies behavior that constitutes anything more than disorderly conduct.
Senator Vitter is on the DC Madam's telephone list and says he committed a very serious sin (which would be adultery, yes?).

Conduct unbecoming? Who wins?

Senator Craig's biggest crime to me is his hypocrisy. As a Senator he works against gay and lesbian rights; as a private citizen he tries to have it both ways. (hmmm, that was kind of a pun).

Roll Call points out the dilemma for the House Ethics Committee. Senator Craig's guilty plea is not exactly the type of charge that automatically warrants an investigation. It is the details surrounding it that will have to be extracted in what is sure to be, uncomfortable testimony. It's important to note that Senator Craig has not admitted to any of these "details" and although the police report hints at solicitation, that was not the charge. Senator Vitter's evidence is clearly more damaging, yet no ethics probe has been called for by his colleagues.

So, if I am to interpet Senator Coleman's statement, then I would have to simplify it to this:

Senator Craig's "conduct unbecoming" involves being a closeted gay man more than any actual crime.

I guess that is the way they will have to proceed, because if "conduct unbecoming" was hypocrisy, there wouldn't be anyone left to conduct the ethics hearing.