House Dems reveal Health Care Plan

Much to the chagrin of Blue Dogs like myself, the House leadership released their preliminary proposal titled "America's Affordable Health Choices Act,":

a proposal that includes a government-funded health insurance option, requires both individuals and employers to participate, and taxes the wealthy to help cover costs.

Democratic House leaders said the measure, titled "America's Affordable Health Choices Act," met the requirements set by President Obama for health care reform by lowering costs to consumers and businesses, letting people keep their current plan if desired, and preventing denial of coverage due to pre-existing medical conditions.

"The House proposal will begin the process of fixing what's broken about our health care system, reducing costs for all, building on what works, and covering an estimated 97 percent of all Americans," Obama said in a written statement. "And by emphasizing prevention and wellness, it will also help improve the quality of health care for every American."

The proposal does not include the Republican's desire to tax everyones' employer funded health care, an idea that still has some life in the Senate.

The Right is running without offering solutions of their own. Although Rep. Blount did hint at an amendment he would like to proffer:

Blunt said he will offer an amendment requiring all elected federal officials, including Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, to enroll in the new public insurance option.

I would support his amendment as, like the toon below shows, would give them a dog in the fight.

Other items in the proposal:

Specific provisions of the bill include:

-- A Health Insurance Exchange providing individuals and small business with choices for coverage, including a government-funded public option.

-- No more coverage exclusion for pre-existing conditions.

-- Affordability credits for low- and moderate-income individuals and families, available to those with incomes up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level, or $43,000 for individuals and $88,000 for a family of four.

-- Limits on annual out-of-pocket spending.

-- Expanded Medicaid coverage to individuals and families with incomes at or below 133 percent of the federal poverty level.

-- Required participation by individuals, with a penalty of 2.5 percent of adjusted gross income for non-compliance.

-- Requirement that businesses with payrolls exceeding $250,000 provide their employees with health coverage or contribute up to 8 percent of their payroll on their behalf.

-- A series of measures intended to reduce costs of Medicaid, Medicare and other existing systems.

I have been following the development of this, and the Senate bill very closely. I have concerns, especially as they relate to the impact on the pocket books of true middle class Americans. The GOP proposal to tax everyone's employer provided health care benefits, regardless of income, was a non starter for me. The one group I am paying particular attention to is the Blue Dog (read moderate) Democrats. They have same or similar concerns that I have, and have made it clear to the House leadership they aren't ready to sign on to the bill in its current form, specifically related to the public option:

Ross said conservative Democrats have major reservations about how a public option would work. In the letter and in the meeting, the conservative Democrats stressed they did not want a "Medicare-like" structure for a public option.

"What we are saying is if there is a public option, it can't be based on Medicare rates unless the regional disparity in Medicare rates is fixed," said Ross, who also planned to press for more controls on government spending on healthcare and more savings from changes to Medicare.

A Forbes article touches on the other key issues:

Blue Dogs won't vote for the bill if it's not deficit-neutral, if it doesn't adequately protect small businesses and if the public option is structured like Medicare, with below-market reimbursement rates.

However, the one thing I have observed as this debate has evolved, is the frustration of the Right, and especially the chest thumping of those within the industry, that leads me to believe that this proposal has a lot more good in it, then not. See, the greatest fear of the Right is that the Obama administration, and legislative majorities actually succeed. So when they get all uptight it could lead one to believe that is what they are afraid of more than anything else.

So listen as much to the dissenters, and what they have to offer as far as specific solutions, for if all they have is 'no' votes and blind dissension, they are showing their hand more as blind obstructionists and not the reformers they claim to be.

Flash

Motivational Health Care Reform

Seriously, it is the ONLY way this could work!

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Sotomayor Hearings

The Fix has five Senators to watch I think it is more like three.

Franken in his first real test:

Al Franken: The newest member of the Senate -- he was sworn in six days ago -- he might also be its most famous. And that means that whenever Franken speaks, his new colleagues (Democrats and Republicans) will be paying close attention. Franken is on a mission to prove to everyone that he can be a serious contributor in the Senate and now is as good a time as any to prove that. (Worth noting: Franken has the least seniority among Democrats on the panel so his opportunities to speak are likely to be somewhat few and far between.)

Lindsey Graham, more so then the ranking Republicans Sessions, will be the determining factor in a bi partisan wave, or a party line vote:

Lindsey Graham: The South Carolina Republican is seen as one of his party's best debaters and most able communicators. But, early indications are that he will not be the Republican who takes it upon himself to try and eviscerate Sotomayor during his allotted questioning period. Graham said late last week that "I honestly think I could vote for her" -- a statement that was touted far and wide by Democrats to counter criticism of Sotomayor. Graham could be the linchpin vote for other wavering Republicans when Sotomayor comes up for a vote of the full Senate. If he backs her out of Judiciary, expect to see a number of Republicans -- particularly those in Democratic-leaning states -- follow his lead.

Finally, Sen. Spector, who for the first time will be on the outside looking in as low man in the majority, rather than Chairman and leader:

Arlen Specter: Specter, the Pennsylvania now-Democrat, has been at the center of confirmation wars before. He was a critical -- perhaps the critical -- "no" vote on the Judiciary Committee that doomed Robert Bork's confirmation in 1987, and fashions himself as a major player in confirmation politics. The problem for Specter is that since his party switch in late April, he has been relegated to the second most junior slot of the Democratic side of the committee. How does Specter deal with that demotion? And, given that Specter is almost certain to face a primary challenge from his ideological left from Rep. Joe Sestak, is there any way he can be tough (at all) in his questioning of Sotomayor?

Today is a good day for political junkies.

Flash

Parade of Champions

Via DCPlanet:

DCA Showdown Set For Scranton 8/1
Top 6 Head To Head
Written by Tom Peashey, Drum Corps Associates
Wednesday, 08 July 2009

Roll back to the clock to late evening, August 31st 2008 – Rochester, NY, as the announcer (little old me!) read through the endless score upon score, corps fell into their final spots of the season. The anxiety was building. Would anyone challenge the Buccaneer juggernaut? Who would it be that either dethroned or nipped close to the defending champions? DCA’s most storied corps, Hawthorne Caballeros is read in 5th place. We began to get the feeling that perhaps there might be change as the recently resurgent Hurricanes had placed 4th. Wow! Minnesota Brass had made the top 3. Surely they would be next, but NO! Falling to third was Rochester’s Empire Statesmen. Finally it’s set. Bucs reign again as king of DCA, but a thrill of excitement permeates the crowd. DCA Central’s Minnesota Brass, Inc. is left ever so close to the crown and immediately dubbed as the new threat to the Buccaneer Empire.



Move on to 2009 and the schedule has a lot of the old “same old, same old” look - Regional, not too much movement due to expense and the economy. Then, came the word. While the Buccaneers continue to dominate the East, the newly crowded giant killer – MBI – would like to come east. They would like to take their best shot in a regular season show at the Champion, and yes, give everyone else in the top 6 a chance at them.

After much work and some pretty creative fundraising in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota Brass was able to make the request of DCA President, Gil Silva that they had hoped for. “Please allow us to join the rest of the top 6 in Scranton, PA on August 1st.” The showdown is set. Everything is in place. For the first time in many years, last years top 6 corps will meet in head to head competition during the regular season. Will MBI be able to lay claim to the term “Giant Killer” or will one of the others jump up and contend? Will the Reading Pirate ship sail on or get Bushwacked? Whatever the result, it is certain that the expectations will be set and the excitement climaxed as we travel towards the 45th DCA Championship on September 4, 5 and 6th in Rochester.

The Reading Buccaneers, Minnesota Brass, Inc., Rochester’s Empire Statesmen, CT Hurricanes, Hawthorne Caballeros and Harrison Bushwackers will put it all on the line on August 1st in Scranton High School Stadium, Scranton, PA. This will be the definitive show of the 2009 DCA season - the show of shows. For many, it will be the fulfillment of a dream. Showtime is 7:30PM and features an exhibition by the power driven Hawthorne Caballeros Alumni. Tickets are available on line or by phone. Call 888-300-6910 or on line ticket ordering.

A special THANK YOU for those who have taken a moment to pledge to this fine organization. If you haven't yet, take a look at the website and see if you can help out by offering a donation.

The corps will be in Hinckley, Saturday without me as I have a prior commitment. But all day Sunday we will be getting better. If you haven't seen corps in awhile, or are curious as to what this activity is about, consider stopping by Northdale Middle School on Sunday afternoon. Around 3:30 or so we will do a complete performance of this years 2009 program Nocturne: Songs for the Night.

Flash

The Go To Guys

I was pleased to see King Banaian on the cover of my Saint Cloud State University Alumni Magazine 'Outlook'. The article shares the level of credibility that exists within SCSU's Economics departments as folks looking for answer men during the tumult of our economic situation:

Banaian, who has participated in more than 40 off-campus speaking engagements and countless media interviews in the past year, jokes that he kind of misses his life as the “Maytag repairman,” referring to the relatively stable years before the economy plummeted and the public started clamoring for answers.

“Fifteen years ago this topic was unsexy,” said Banaian. Now that many of the unfavorable circumstances he’s been teaching about – and some the books didn’t cover – have come about, the incredible knowledge of local fiscal data and business climate he and MacDonald have amassed makes their kind of expertise a hot commodity.

“We always wanted to get out of the Ivory Tower,” Banaian said. “Now we’re being invited out.”

What's King's perspective of the economy:

Banaian’s perspective on the economy:

“The Fed has emptied the holster. They’ve used all the tools at their disposal.”

“In the Panic of 1907, the last panic before the formation of the Federal Reserve, banks were teetering on collapse. J. Pierpont Morgan gathered bankers in his home and said to them: ‘I’m putting money in. Won’t you join me?’ Now bankers seem to expect government to do it.”

“Banks have changed. Big banks have gone into other stuff. Not all the banks are like the Bailey Building and Loan in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’.”

Some Banaian predictions from the Winter Institute:

1. Oil prices will come up
2. Mortgage rates will be stable
3. Keep an eye on timber prices, and
4. St. Cloud’s economic base to build on: Health, education, business services and transportation

1) After bottoming out in late December, Oil prices did climb modestly before taking a tumble over the last few weeks

2) Mortgage rates HAVE been stable through the winter and Spring. We are now, however, seeing an up tick that some may say is a sign of inflation due to the influx of monies into the economy via the stimulus funds

3) from what I can find, timber prices look to still be dropping do to lowered demand. One can assume that housing stock is still high, therefore new construction is still at a low.

King is a pretty spot on guy, especially when you get him away from his NARNiac friends and isn't influenced by his ScaifeNet contract *grin*

Flash

Bye, Michael

CNN Coverage

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A Senator Al-lan Franken

Just over two years ago, in an Irish Pub in Minneapolis, I sat down with members of Team Franken. The skeletal staff was 'picking the brains' of local bloggers. I was lukewarm at the time, not having settled on a candidate yet. I paid my own tab.

A few months later, I ran into Mr. Franken himself at the 331 Club. We had a candid conversation, where I challenged him on his war stance.

I took a moment to talk about Iraq, the surge, and what the next steps should be. Al's knowledge of the region, his interaction with the troops and Iraqi citizens during his USO excursions, was refreshing. He knows what he is talking about, and it is coming from experiences not advisers and major party talking points.

We didn't agree on much, that evening, but that didn't mean he was going to move on. He spent a nice chunk of time, explaining to me why I was wrong, the importance of the region, and why he felt the way he did. His first priority, it seemed, was not to win my vote, but to make sure I understood why he believed what he did, especially since it was different from my view. It was that evening that Satirist Al Franken, became Candidate Al Franken to me.

Today, the long wait is over, and on the very same bible used by Paul Wellstone, Candidate Franken becomes Senator Allan Franken of Minnesota.

"It is, of course, technically true that this was Paul's U.S. Senate seat. But I don't think Paul saw it that way," Franken said Wednesday, again paying respects to Wellstone.

"This seat belongs to the people of Minnesota, and so did Sen. Wellstone, and so will I," he said as he thanked his wife, Franni, supporters, volunteers, campaign staff members and the people of the state he will represent.

Now, Franken takes on what could be the most influential role of his life as he joins the Senate

The Right, and their fits of rage, have set the bar so low that maintaining a heart beat will be a success, but that won't do for the new junior Senator from Minnesota. He is a policy wonk with priorities. He will hit the ground running, he will show up all those naysayers and become the honorable and respectful man that he is.

Congratulations to Team Franken for a hard fought and well deserved victory. But most importantly, Godspeed to the new Senator!. Today is a day to celebrate, tomorrow we roll up our sleeves and get things done!

Flash

UPDATE: From the Fix:

Franken would do well to follow the examples set by Kennedy and Clinton during their own first years in the Senate. Both came into the body as celebrities -- one was the youngest son of the most famous family in Democratic politics, the other was a former first lady -- and impressed their colleagues by adopting a low-key demeanor that played well in a workplace where each of the 100 employees believes that he or she is the most important man or woman in the world.

One longtime Republican Senate strategist offered two pieces of advice for Franken if he truly wanted to change the way his GOP colleagues perceive him.

First, "be serious," which to be frank (pun intended), Senator Al appears already to be doing.

Second, "vote against the party on something he believes in," a vote of conscience that would show GOPers that Franken is not simply a rank partisan but a thoughtful legislator with a commitment to issues.

Send me to Scranton, I Bleg of you

I have never asked for or received anything in compensation for this blog. I don't expect that to change. But I can't stop you from supporting the organization that I have been involved with for over 30 years.

Last year, Minnesota Brass, Inc. made drum corps history by becoming the FIRST all age drum corps to place in the top 3 at DCA World Championships. It has always been a challenge for us to compete against the East coast big boys due to our geographical location.

This year, we are bigger, better, and bad ass and are committed to doing everything we can to make a run at the title. To do that, we have scheduled a mid season trip to Scranton, PA. The Parade of Champions is where the remaining Top 6 corps will be performing. This mid season showdown will allow everyone to get a solid read all in the same show.

The downside is a trip like this can cost over $20,000 and is above and beyond the standard budget we work with. So I am asking you, and everyone I know, to take a moment and see if you can spare a $5, or a $10, or even $100 or more to build up our coffers and assure this trip does not dismantle our excellent financial state.

Take a look at my FirstGiving page, and help a brother out!



See you on the 50!

Flash

A 2fer

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UNANIMOUS!

Congratulations to Senator Allen Franken on his hard fought victory! My best to Senator Norm Coleman on his future endeavors.

In the ruling:

"Affirmed," wrote the Supreme Court, unanimously rejecting Republican Norm Coleman's claims that inconsistent practices by local elections officials and wrong decisions by a lower court had denied him victory.

"Al Franken received the highest number of votes legally cast and is entitled [under Minnesota law] to receive the certificate of election as United States Senator from the State of Minnesota," the court wrote.

But the court did not grant Franken's bid to make its ruling effective immediately, possibly leaving a window for an appeal by Coleman before Gov. Tim Pawlenty is required to issue an election certificate.

"The bottom line is that the Court says that Franken is entitled to an election certificate, but there is no direct order to the state's governor to sign one," said Loyola Law School professor Richard Hasen, who has followed the case closely. "We'll see what the governor does, if Coleman does not concede, as he well may at this point."

I am somewhat disappointed the court didn't go further and order the Governor to sign the election certificate immediately, but it does put him in a precarious position. With an unanimous decision from a Right leaning court it is doubtful that anything will change at this point.

I suspect there will be a bunch of constituents knocking on his office door tomorrow.

Flash

UPDATE: Senator Coleman takes the high road and concedes, making it moot whether the court order the certificate to be signed or not. With no further roadblock in the way, look for Governor Pawlenty to sign off soon after his return for DC and the seating of Seantor Franken next week when the US Senate return from recess.

CNN has more:

The court's unanimous, unsigned opinion declared that Franken "received the highest number of votes legally cast" and is entitled "to receive the certificate of election as United States senator from the state of Minnesota."

"I just congratulated Al Franken on his victory," Coleman said in a press conference with reporters. "I told him it's the best job he'll ever have representing Minnesota in the United States Senate. The Supreme Court has spoken, I will respect its decision, and abide by its results," Coleman also said.

Sotomayor by Labor Day

In a 5 - 4 ruling the activist wing of the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) overturned the decision made by a lower appellate court which simply followed the rule of law.

The Supreme Court was being asked to decide whether there was a continued need for special treatment for minorities, or whether enough progress has been made to make existing laws obsolete, especially in a political atmosphere in which an African-American occupies the White House

This activist wing decided to write new law from the bench. A decision that, can you believe it, is supported by conservatives across the country who have been belly aching for years about, you guessed it, activist judges legislating from the bench.

And to be clear, Justice Souter, the one Sotomayor will be replacing, sided with the nominee and signed on to the dissenting opinion.

In a dissent read from the bench, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg questioned the fairness of the test, which was 60 percent written and 40 percent oral.

"Relying so heavily on pencil-and-paper exams to select firefighters is a dubious practice," Ginsburg said, calling the majority ruling "troubling."

"Congress endeavored to promote equal opportunity in fact, and not simply in form. The damage today's decision does to that objective is untold," she said.

It is no wonder that the Republican party and Conservatives in general are out of control and out of power. They have abandoned some of the basic tenets of their fight and have simply gone with gut instincts. That means we get to find out who they really are. Its no wonder they lost.

Look for confirmation of Nominee Sotomayor by Labor Day!

Flash

WIthdrawal Transition

US Troops have left Iraqi cities, and frankly, its about time!

According to the officials, within the past 30 days, 30 U.S. military bases have either been closed down or handed over to Iraqi security forces. A total of 150 bases have been shut down or turned over to Iraqis in the past nine months.

Despite the withdrawal, many U.S. military forces will remain in the cities, embedded with Iraqi forces as advisers. They would also act as liaison officers who would be able to summon a U.S. military rapid reaction force if needed -- or also call in U.S. military air strikes.

Now, to be clear, I have supported the war, including the successful surge, consistently and undeniably. But there needed to be an end game. We are not nation builders we are democracy builders. The people of Iraq need to fend for themselves. And after the wounds have heeled, and the leg mends, the crutches need to be tossed.

This is our moment to shine. To show the world that we are not there to impose our will but to encourage others to take responsibility for themselves. The Iraqis are a new people, and a new nation, with a bright future ahead. Lets hope they take advantage of this opportunity to show the rest of the region that secular violence is not a path to success.

Now, Iranian influence is a major concern, and even thought American troops are withdrawing, that down not mean we are abandoning the region. Or work is not done, and with one eye on Afghanistan, and the other on Iran, we will still be busy. But with the successes on display in Iraq, another baby step has been made, and another opportunity exists to rid ourselves of evil.

Thank you President Bush, for making the difficult decisions necessary to protect the Iraqi people, and make our country safe. Thank you President Obama for recognizing Our work there is almost done. Now it is time for the Iraqis to rally around their new found independence and show the world it was worth every life that was sacrificed.

Flash

Wedded Bliss

CONGRATULATIONS to Janet Robert, AM 950 owner, and Bill Luther, former congressman and recent 2006 Attorney General candidate, on their nuptials yesterday. A small family ceremony was held followed by a reception at Janet's home.

I wish them both the best!!

Flash

The Mortal Trifecta

As horrible as the news was, the curse of threes completed yesterday as celebrities across the world breathed a sigh of relief.

First was Ed, the definition of the sidekick, Mr. Hi-Yooooo and Heeeeere's Johnny. He later went on to host Star Search and give away Publisher Clearing house checks. His later life was mixed with financial tumult and at 86 we hear he didn't have much left. But that does not distract from who he was and the legacy he left.

Farrah Fawcett was every high school kids fantasy. As a punk 16 year old when the iconic poster was released, Farrah become the talk of the classroom. And when she began her stint on Charlie's Angels it had everything a kid looked for in TV back then. Hot girls with a PI twist. Although she is mostly tied to Charlie's Angles, it was only a one year stint. Later her performance in the Burning Bed gave her the critical acclaim she deserved. Even in dying she put herself in the public eye for all to see so they would be more aware of the process.

The King of Pop died in a way that immediately reminded me of Elvis. A mysterious premature passing of a music icon. As was the case with the King of Rock, Jacko's death is being reported as Cardiac arrest. But hints of over medication and drug cocktails is starting to swell:

Jackson apparently collapsed in his home in Los Angeles on Thursday and was taken by ambulance to UCLA Medical Center.

Brian Oxman, Jackson family attorney, told CNN Thursday that Jackson's use of medications had gotten in the way of doing rehearsals.

"His injuries, which he had sustained performing, where he had broken a vertebra and he had broken his leg from a fall on the stage, were getting in the way. I do not know the extent of the medications that he was taking," he said.

Oxman in other interviews warned of the impending consequences of over mediacation ans has vowed 'NOT to be Silent!" should pharmaceutical mixtures become the ultimate cause of death.

Micheal's talent is unquestioned, but his evolution from pop icon to eccentric loner may be his legacy. Regardless, his music will remain, and albums like Thriller are as relevant today as it was almost 27 years ago.

What do they all have in common, a perpetuity or legacy that will carry on for generations. Like Johnny Carson, Marlyn Monroe and Elvis the simple passing of their mortal bodies will not stop those of future generations from knowing and appreciating their talents. Regardless of what we may think of them ourselves, they will be missed by many and still enjoyed by future generations to come.

Flash

Summer Doldrums

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What Goes Up, Doesn't Come Down

Property values tend to lag the fluctuations of the market. But in times like this it hits you hardest. Folks in Prior Lake are a bit ticked:

Cries of "unbelievable," "grossly overvalued," even "criminal" rang out in the boardroom of the Scott County Courthouse Tuesday night as homeowners fighting the tax values on their homes appealed to their elected representatives to overturn the judgments of their professional staff.

"There are 72 steps from the water to my cabin," said Charles Menking, of Prior Lake. "That's a lot of steps. I don't want the place. ... I want to sell it."

Fourteen people -- only a smidgen more than last year, but far more than in years past -- were listed on the agenda as taking appeals all the way to the county board.

Now I can appreciate their frustration, but there are folks working long hours and hobbling to their dinky apartments facing far greater issues then this, But the one comment that caught my eye was this one.

A matter of perspective

I wake at 0400, put on my uniform, body armor and don my weapon and off to work I go. The sand blasts me in the face, it's going to be another hot day reaching 130 degrees here in Iraq. All in all your problems aren't that bad.

So really, unless these same folks were at an assessor hearing demanding their values be increased when the market was bubbling, I am not very sympathetic to them if they are frustrated with the lagging decreases.

Flash

Mission Accomplished; Currently #1 in the World

Most recent scores from this weekend:

**** DCA/DCI All-Age Corps - Based on Newest Score ****

01 (02) - 77.375 (1) - Minnesota Brass
02 (01) - 76.438 (3) - Buccaneers
03 (03) - 72.713 (3) - Caballeros
04 (05) - 65.500 (1) - Governaires
05 (04) - 65.375 (3) - Bushwackers
06 (06) - 60.000 (2) - SoCal Dream
07 (07) - 58.650 (3) - Carolina Gold

-------

(1) = 06/22/2009 - Mankato, MN (DCI)
(2) = 06/21/2009 - Riverside, CA (DCI)
(3) = 06/20/2009 - Wildwood, NJ (DCA)

About a third of the All Age corps debuted this weekend, including the defending champion Reading Buccaneers. Although it is difficult to compare numbers across different shows, as the judges themselves are different, the scoring mechanisms is the same so there is at least an argument the corps within a point or two of each other are right in the hunt. Minnesota Brass proved this weekend the rumors were true, and hype hype credible.

I am at work all day, and this evening some much needed R&R, along with a bunch of reading to catch up on. Then, when the Supremes settle our US Senate race there will be much to analyze.

And yes, I need a nap!

Flash

Next opportunity to seem quality drum corp in Minnesota:

Aug. 22 - Sounds of Minnesota; South St. Paul
Aug. 23 - Drum Corps EXPO; St. Peter, MN

Waiting Game

The MN Supreme Court published its ruling at 10:00 am with the MN Contest case in sight. However, Twitter is a buzz, especially this interesting TidBit:

I have a feeling it will be released around 3

Source confirms Supreme Court ruling ready. Favors Franken. Solid giving little room for appeal to us supreme court

Supreme Court Senate '08 Page

Supreme Court Opinions Page

I'm sticking with my leaning yesterday that today is the day! Senator elect Franken will be seated by the end of the week!

Flash

Senator 60

I found it humorous to hear talk of a potential filibuster of the current Supreme Court nominee. Senator 60 will should be seated before Nominee Sotomayor's confirmation hearings begin, and most certainly in time for the vote.

Conventional wisdom has put the MN Supreme Court decision on former Senator Coleman's attempt to over turn the election at 30 - 60 days, so says former Justice Gilbert:

"I thought it would take them between 30 and 60 days to do the final opinion," Gilbert said.

On June 1, the date of the hearing, the justices all met immediately afterward in conference, and that's the date that they voted their preference.

"But then the real writing process starts after that," he said. "To draft the opinion and to circulate that and to make sure all the research is done correctly. So it does take a little time."

I don't buy it, this is a slam dunk case that could have been ruled on later that same afternoon. Look for an answer within a week. Generally the court hands down decisions on Tuesday, so the money call would be June 23rd. But I say we may hear something as soon as tomorrow. You heard it here first.

Flash

Sweeney Tim, the Demon Butcher

Never in my wildest dreams did I think he would be so mean, so cruel, so vicious. Gov. TPaw has made things perfectly clear, today, that he could care less about Minnesota. His Number one priority is his own personal national political standing. He is playing to a national Republican base, not to the constituency he was elected to represent.

He seemed like such a nice guy till the Right wing hate machine got a hold of him.

From the Strib:

Gov. Tim Pawlenty today announced plans to cut $300 million from aids to local governments, $236 million from health and human services programs, $100 million from higher education and to defer nearly $1.8 billion in payments to K-12 schools as he made good his promise to unilaterally slash spending to balance the state’s budget.

People will suffer in the short term, and the Republican party will be dessimanted in the longer term.

Sad, really!

Flash

Tild takes it from here:

Riling in Iran

I have been following the tumult in Iran. With Ahmadinejad now preoccupied with the internal reality of his fragile political landscape it will be interesting to see if the Iranian people will recognize who he really is. If anything, it has changed the rhetoric from America is bad. I suspect that he will need to find something soon to rally the people, or find himself out of power.

Something telss me this will get worse before it gets better.

Donklephant has been doing an excellent job of aggregating the events, CNN, not so much.

Flash

Catching Up

It was nice taking some time away. The kids are done with school, and mine managed to pass all their classes, keeping them on track to graduation. One is officially a Senior, now, the other a Junior. The stress level had dropped dramatically in the home, now that school work is non existent, and the pressure of expectations gone.

I am in the middle of a major re-image project at work, still. The brief down time between regular and Summer school puts us in a position to sneak in this process. After that, Summer School begins and I am back to normal hours. It won't be till the end of July where a more open ended schedule will present itself, and hopefully a return to Buhl for a get away.

But with Drum Corps roaring, and the first show weekend of the year in less than a week, there is much work to be done This weekend is another cleaning camp, at Northdale Middle School in Coon Rapids. If you find yourself in the neighborhood around 5:30 Saturday, or 3:30ish Sunday, stop by for a treat. You will see the best Drum and Bugle corps to ever come out of Minnesota, and maybe the best ever all age corps . . in the world!

Flash

Crossing the Street

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Two Days Left

Two days left of students, and two days left for the two students I have in the home. It will be a hectic close to the year for all of us, which means what little free time I do find will be spent regrouping, recharging, and rethinking.

A year ago the Presidential nominations were winding down, the State DFL convention was choosing candidates, and there was no time for rest. This off year I am going to take advantage of the lull.

Don't worry, if something comes up, I'll be here to wade through the clutter and point you in the correct direction still.

Flash

Elk River Plays for the Title!

UPDATE - Elk River Elks - STATE CHAMPIONS!!

- - -

Below is a repost from Green Tea MN. To be fair, I wrote most of that post anyway. Regardless of what happens today, I can't wait to congratulate my niece tomorrow at her open house.

Proud Uncle Flash!

--
UPDATE: GiGi is in Mankato. The amazing Elk River Elks logged double upsets, yesterday. They first defeated a pesky Mankato West club 1 - 0 and then downed the ranked Hastings team, 2 - 1, behind a stellar outing by Grand Daughter Amy Schiebel. Her 5 hit complete game propelled the Elks to the state championship game this afternoon against a hungry North St. Paul team.

Tomorrow is Amy's Graduation celebration. Regardless of what happens today, it there will be much more to celebrate. But lets cross our fingers for just one more win.

- - - -

My youngest son's, youngest daughter Amy # 21, graduates this year and she has had an awesome year. She loves her fast pitch soft ball and is one of the 2 starters for her High School team. She is being scouted by some of the local colleges and last Thursday she pitched an awesome game helping to send her team to State Finals next week in Mankato Mn.

Can you spell P_R_O_U_D ?

The Elk River Elks won the Region 8AAA championship and are on to state. Pictured is Amy Schiebel.

In the Corner!

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Gov 2010 - GOP In/Out

With Seifert set to announce, here is a list of contenders cribbed from a PiPress article this AM. I'll be adding my own comments in as the day progresses. Anyone missing?!? Check back for updates.

GOP - Probably In

PAT ANDERSON (ed - OK, not officially in, but how could she NOT run!)
The former state auditor said Tuesday she is interested in running. Anderson, 42, was Eagan mayor and headed the state's Department of Employee Relations under Pawlenty before it was eliminated. "I will make up my mind in the next month or two," she said.

MARTY SEIFERT
The House minority leader from Marshall is in his seventh term and knows his way around the halls of the Capitol. Seifert, 37, has scheduled an 11 a.m. news conference today and is rumored to be relinquishing his leadership post. Asked whether he would explore a run for governor, Seifert said: "I'm interested."

DAVID HANN
The 57-year-old assistant minority leader from Eden Prairie is in his second state Senate term and said Tuesday he would decide by the end of the week if he is running. He is an ardent fiscal conservative and advocate of education reform. "I've been encouraged to think about this by a number of people, and I am thinking about it," Hann said.

GOP - Maybe

JIM RAMSTAD
The 63-year-old moderate ex-congressman might have trouble getting the nomination, but he could make an end run around the party process and put his name in the ring for the primary election. He sounded Tuesday like a man who isn't ruling out a run for governor. "Today is not the day to discuss my future plans. It's a day to praise and thank our great governor for outstanding leadership during these challenging times," he said.

NORM COLEMAN
The 59-year-old former St. Paul mayor and U.S. senator has made one run for governor, only to lose to Jesse Ventura. He is still locked in an election recount and court challenge, but one nearing an end. A spokesman did not respond to inquiries about whether he'd be interested in running for governor should the Minnesota Supreme Court rule against him.

BRIAN SULLIVAN
The wealthy, conservative party insider lost the endorse-ment to Pawlenty in 2002. His fortune, from building the maker of PUR water filters, gives him an advantage in a race. Sullivan, 47, couldn't be reached for comment Tuesday.

CHARLIE WEAVER
The executive director of the Minnesota Business Partnership is a longtime friend of Pawlenty's, as well as his former chief of staff. At 51 years old, Weaver has also been a prosecutor, served as commissioner of the Department of Public Safety and was a member of the House for 10 years. "It is certainly something that I would consider," Weaver said.

GEOFF MICHEL
The 45-year-old two-term state senator from Edina was rumored Tuesday to be weighing a run. He is fiscally conservative, having joined an effort during the last legislative session to freeze state pay, but socially moderate and co-sponsored a recent medical marijuana bill that passed the Legislature. He could not be reached Tuesday.

PAUL KOHLS
One of the Republicans' young voices, the 35-year-old from Victoria is in his fourth term. A frequent speechmaker who champions conservative principles, he said Tuesday he'd give himself some time to weigh a run.

LAURA BROD
At 37, the fourth-term representative from New Prague is another young conservative voice. Her floor speeches on taxes, abortion and elections are augmented by frequent "tweets" from her Twitter account, and she has traveled the state on behalf of the party. She sidestepped questions Tuesday about whether she would run.

TOM EMMER
The 48-year-old third-term House member from Delano is known as much for his policy rants on the House floor as for his conservative principles. When reached Tuesday, Emmer said he wasn't closing the door but didn't sound interested.

GOP - Probably Out

MICHELE BACHMANN
Bachmann, 53, of Stillwater, would be a dream for the conservative base and columnists who delight in her sometimes fact-challenged flights of TV punditry. A fierce campaigner, the congresswoman could be a contender for the GOP nomination, but chief of staff Michelle Marston said Tuesday that Bachmann wasn't interested. "She's happy representing the people of the 6th District," Marston said.

TPaw making it Official?

The Governor will have a press conference this afternoon to announce his future plans. 'CCO reports:

Gov. Tim Pawlenty will announce that he will not seek re-election in 2010.

The sources confirmed to WCCO-TV political reporter Pat Kessler that the announcement about Pawlenty's future plans will include an announcement that he will not seek a third term.

Of course, this is old news for Centrisity readers:

Of course, TPaw has no interest or desire to seek a third term. It is way to politically risky to his future national aspirations. That's why he is rolling the stubborn 'who cares about the little guy' dice. His only constituency at this point is the far Right base that will be integral in selecting the MNGOP sacrificial lamb ticket of 2012. Why anyone would stand in line for that slaughter confuses me. But that is what it will be.

Let the battle for the bottom begin!

Flash

UPDATE: Yeap, Its official. The Governor is NOT seeking a 3rd term and not stating anything about his future.

Grand Rounds Ride

Meant to post my bike route from yesterday. Had the day off following camp. Swapped three days over Spring break for three Mondays in May. Turned out to be a great trade as it was cold and icky all during Spring break and all three of my Mondays have been spectacular.

OK, here it is, a modified Grand Rounds ride I guess:

35+ miles
Just over 3 hours on the bike. 30.4 top speed (Down Marshall hill) half hour break at Rock

Starting near Hamline U
Pascal to Marshall
Marshall down the hill over the Lake street bridge to West River Road
W River Road to MInnehaha Falls then 54th
54th to Lake Nokomis
Half Way around Nokomis to Minnehaha Parkway
Minnehaha Parkway to Lake Harriet
Half Way around Lake Hariet and connect to Lake Calhoun
Half way around Calhoun to Kenwood Parkway
Down to the Walker and then across the street to Loring Park,
Through Loring to LaSalle to 9th and then over to Hennepin.

Rest Stop at Rock after 27 miles (9th and Hennepin) *three waters, two Hefes*

Hennepin to 5th
5th through Dinkytown and by the New Gopher Stadium.
UM Transitway to Energy Park Drive.
Hook up with Hamline Pedestrian Bridge over train track
Home

BOOOYA!

It's So Over

I was able to watch the majority of the Supreme court hearing yesterday. The MN Supremes had no problem slapping around the Coleman . Eric Black shares:

1. The questions to Coleman attorney Joe Friedberg were significantly more skeptical and more aggressive and covered a wider range of problems with that side of the case. Anyone who had to guess which way the court will rule based on this morning's exchanges would probably say that it looks bad for Coleman.

I would say it looks terminal for Coleman. Even the staunchest Republican on the bench seemed skeptical of Coleman;s arguments:

Dietzen, who also asked questions of both sides, seemed very troubled by technical problems in Coleman's case that could easily be used to reject the appeal without reaching the big constitutional arguments. I'll give a few details on that below. And I repeat my caution above about inferring a judge's lean from the questions he asks. But no one who was watching this morning could help but notice Dietzen's implications about shortcoming's in Coleman's evidence. If Dietzen -- whose pre-judicial career has the strongest Republican flavor -- isn't voting and arguing for Coleman, the former Senator's goose is cooked.

Dietzens seemed kind of ticked off at the lack of adequate attention to detail:

Dietzen seemed skeptical that Coleman had done enough to even try to meet the burden of proof. Dietzen was very critical of the document, called an offer of proof, that Team Coleman submitted in an effort to show that disparities cost Coleman the election:"I’ve never seen an offer of proof like this," he said. It doesn’t say who the witnesses will be. Why is this not inadequate? he asked. We don’t have admissible evidence to show whether you’ve met your burden.

I think this ruling will come down sooner rather than later. Conventional wisdom, with Tuesday being the normal day for the issuance of decisions, is that this Friday well get some kind of signal from the court, Tuesday it will be come official, and within 24 hours of that, Governor Pawlenty will reluctantly sign the Election Certificate..

Can you believe this may almost be over.

Be sure to ready Eric Black's complete take

Dam Days - The Season Begins

This evening is the first official performance of the Summer season for Minnesota Brass, Inc. We will perform in the Dam Days parade in the Best little town by a damn site, Morristown, MN. Members will converge from all over the state and parts of Wisconsin and the Dakotas. We will meet in this small rural community and perform drum corps to a screaming throng of an unsuspecting audience.

We will make good drum corps . . . and then we will retire . . . to the beer tent, and deliberate on what lies ahead.

The 2009 version of this drum corps, one I have been affiliated with for over 30 years, will step off this evening . . . and heads will turn. We are on a mission, and that mission is to make history!

Resistance is futile!

Flash
Screech 2nd Baritone
MN Brass, Inc.

The Fix Five to Eye

The Fix's Cillizza has the five Senators to watch during the Sonia Sotomayor confirmation process. Excluding the no brainers like "Judiciary Committee Chair Pat Leahy (D-Vt.), ranking member Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) and sherpa Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)" Chris thinks you show key on:

• John Cornyn (R-Texas): As a member of the Judiciary Committee, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee and a senator from a state where the Hispanic vote is big and getting bigger, there's a lot at stake in the Sotomayor confirmation for Big Bad John. Cornyn has made a point at the NRSC of recruiting moderate candidates in places like Pennsylvania, Florida, Delaware and Illinois but his own politics are far more conservative. How does he balance those competing interests? And, if nothing obviously disqualifying comes to light about Sotomayor, can he keep his colleagues in line to avoid a perception problem for his candidates on the trail next November?

• Jim DeMint (R-S.C.): The South Carolina Republican has been viewed as the conservative leader-in-waiting for the Senate GOP for some time. With the conservative base absolutely up in arms about Sotomayor, DeMint is the most likely figure to channel that anger onto the Senate floor and, in doing so, emerge as the next hero of the party's base. Conservatives could do far worse: soft-spoken and unfailingly polite, DeMint is hard to demonize, even for those on the opposite end of the ideological spectrum.

• John Ensign (R-Nev.): Ensign has publicly acknowledged an interest in running for president, which will be formalized by his trip to Iowa next week. That interest would suggest Ensign might be one of the leading voices in opposition to Sotomayor. But, Ensign also represents a state where one in every five residents is Hispanic, a number sure to increase by the time the Nevada Republican is set to stand for reelection in 2012. How Ensign positions himself on Sotomayor then will tell us much about how he sees his political future. Does he hold back on criticizing her in order to preserve his chances at another Senate term? Or does he go all-out in opposition to Sotomayor to raise his national profile and prove his conservative chops to Republican activists who have an outsized say in the identity of the next presidential nominee?

• Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.): The Sotomayor selection is a gift for Gillibrand. Not only is Sotomayor from New York -- meaning that Gillibrand will get some national attention as one of the two home state senators -- but she is also Hispanic, a fact that should allow Gillibrand to make peace with a Hispanic community upset with her past positioning on immigration. Gillibrand -- with a MAJOR assist from the White House -- has done well in clearing the 2010 primary field of serious opposition and, if she plays her hand right in the Sotomayor confirmation, may close the window of opportunity entirely for any ambitious pols thinking of challenging her next year.

• John McCain (R-Ariz.): Even if McCain didn't have a primary challenge from one of the founders of the Minutemen, an anti-illegal immigration group, his status as the GOP's most recent presidential nominee would make him a major player in this debate. Like him or hate him, most (and we emphasize most) of McCain's colleagues respect him and will watch where he comes down on Sotomayor. If McCain ultimately gets behind her, it gives cover to other Republicans to do the same; if he opposes her, it makes life for the nominee -- and the president -- more difficult.

There are also the 8 GOP Senators who in 1998 voted for her confirmation - Bennett (Utah), Cochran, Collins, Gregg, Hatch, Lugar, Snowe and Specter who was GOP at the time and has since switched caucuses.

Conventional wisdom is after the early whining and whimpering the Honorable Sonia Sotomayor will become the next Supreme Court Justice without too much push back. The president's next nominee may not have it so easy.

Flash

The Catholic Court

The boiler plate attacks on Supreme Court Nominee Sonia Sotomayor were predictable, but they struggle reconciling with this fact. Sonia is a Catholic:

Sotomayor was raised Catholic and if she is confirmed, six out of nine, or two-thirds of the justices on the court will be from the faith. Catholics make up about one-quarter of the U.S. population.

I was prepared to vilify the President's picks as a pander play to some gender or racial group. But the more I read about Sonia, the more I realize she was the best choice for the position.

As for the much touted 'appellate courts set policy' video, here is the complete video, within context. It has an entirely different meaning when you view the full two minute clip rather than the 26 second smear clip floating around the net.

Flash

Memorial Day Epilogue

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Remembering on Memorial Day

This morning I point you to two Veterans day posts. One on my civil war ancestor Ansel Eaton, and the other one is my Uncle Bob Dummer, who died in Europe in WWII.

Take a moment to thank a vet, remember a lost loved one, and thank those who place themselves in harms way, so the rest of us can enjoy this beautiful day.

Flash

Conlon to Resign

MinnPost reports the impending departure of the conscience of the St. Paul School Board:

St. Paul School Board Member Tom Conlon -- a rare elected official in St. Paul and Minneapolis who is a Republican -- said today that he will resign his post in July when he moves to North Carolina to run an historic inn.

Conlon was first elected to the school board in 1991 and has been re-elected four times.

Tom is moving to North Carolina to fulfill a dream:

"I am excited for this opportunity to become a managing partner and innkeeper of the Cedar Crest Inn in Asheville, North Carolina," Conlon said. "This has been a goal I have looked at for some time, and an opportunity arose that made this possible.

"At the same time, I am sad to leave the school board and my birth city of St. Paul," he said. "I’ve had a wonderful 18 years of service, and I loved nearly every minute of it. I am grateful for the confidence the citizens of St. Paul placed in me all these years. I will miss serving St. Paul’s families with their constituent needs, the policy discussions, my colleagues and our district staff, and my city."

Director Conlon was a bright spot on the board. A voice of reason and common sense not diluted by an ideology that restrict ones ability to commit to the future of a child's education without breaking the bank in the process. Most recently he was the lone NO vote on the renaming of Webster Elementary school. A vote that was the only correct one on that issue.

Tom, you will be missed, and here is hoping the voters of St. Paul can find a new conscience to keep the District on an appropriate course.

Flash

Losing Ground

Donklephant points us to the latest Gallup demographic break down by ideology. Key demos are slipping by the GOP:
Gardner points out:

the biggest losses are among those who have a college education, but the losses in many important demographic groups like Gen Yers, Midwesteners and moderates are also significant because that’s where the GOP has to be strong or else they’ll lose a generation of voters.

The current in fighting amongst the Right is creating an ideological vacuum that this survey shows is costing the GOP long term voters.

Our political system does not work very well when a party has unfettered control of the process. Checks and balances are the hallmark of our republic. The Right's implosion could have long term effects and unfortunately, they have no interest in the future of the country, just their petty power grabs. What's even worse is the local ScaifeNet's inability to see this and are spiraling down the same rabbit hole.

Flash

Power Quote

via the Moderate Voice:

“Under capitalism, man exploits man. Under communism, it’s just the opposite.” — John Kenneth Galbraith

Looking forward w/Hindsight

Brunswick at the STRIB points it out:

Pawlenty's ultimatum reshaped session-ending negotiations. It may also mean that he will have taken almost sole ownership of budget cuts that cities say will force them to pull cops off the streets and hospitals say will force them to cut vital programs and thousands of jobs.

The move comes amid continuing speculation about Pawlenty's political plans, whether he is running for reelection in 2010 or setting himself up for a bid for national office. In part, Pawlenty is betting on a vigorous economic recovery to boost state revenues and reduce the kinds of cuts he might have to make. But given the potential pain that could be felt by a broad range of Minnesotans, the go-it-alone strategy that delights anti-tax conservatives could carry risks for someone intending to seek a third term.

Of course, TPaw has no interest or desire to seek a third term. It is way to politically risky to his future national aspirations. That's why he is rolling the stubborn 'who cares about the little guy' dice. His only constituency at this point is the far Right base that will be integral in selecting the MNGOP sacrificial lamb ticket of 2012. Why anyone would stand in line for that slaughter confuses me. But that is what it will be.

However, in his selfishness, the Governor is not considering what his actions will do to the future of the MNGOP caucus:

Depending on the impact of Pawlenty's decision, some see moderate county commissioners overseeing local hospitals or city council members hit by local government aid cuts deciding that the Capitol is the problem, labeling themselves as reform-minded DFLers and running for the Legislature in many swing districts.

When Rep. Kim Norton was contemplating running for the state House, she actually was conflicted about whether she would seek the Republican or DFL endorsement. A moderate who grew up in a fiscally conservative family, she eventually decided to run as a DFLer in her Rochester district. She sees many moderate Republican colleagues struggling with their votes at home and their loyalty to Pawlenty.

Next cycle it won't matter if the Governor is from the Right, the veto pen will be made moot thanks to the actions of the current office holder.

Flash

Packing at a Picnic!

LaCrosse County had them packing:

TOWN OF ONALASKA — Anyone who expected to see “Rambo” or “Dirty Harry” types at a picnic Sunday celebrating the right to openly carry handguns would have been disappointed.

On the contrary, it was a sober and decidedly nonflamboyant group that assembled in the neighborhood park adjacent to the Marvin Gardens subdivision.

Many were former military personnel, and the consensus seemed to be that they wanted to put a sensible face on the issue of openly carrying handguns — a right that Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen recently said exists in Wisconsin.

Most secure picnic ever! I wonder if Joel was there.

Flash

Now We Just Have To Clean Clean Clean

After only two drill camp weekends, the complete drill is on the field. Never in my 19 years on the field have we learned drill so quickly or performed the first official run through of the season so early. This is no to say it is easy. We worked or butts off on this complex coordinated animation. And they other amazing sign of an incredible season is everyone was there over the course of the camp. Also, we did have a soprano whole that took only a few days to fill and we are back to 58 bodies for 50 horn spots, plus Pit sops Ray and Roger for 60. Below is my closing drill set (yellow highlight)
This will be another historic year. Regardless of our finish, it is shaping up to be one amazing time on the field.

Mark your calendars NOW for one of these local field show performance opportunities:

June 20 - Drum Beauty, Stillwater MN
June 21 - Drums Along the Red Cedar - Menominee, WI
June 22 - Thunder of Drums - Mankato, MN
Aug. 22 - Sounds of Minnesota; South St. Paul
Aug. 23 - Drum Corps EXPO; St. Peter, MN

For me, I have a pre arranged day off. Quality time with my wife, lunch at Granite City, and my finger on the pulse of the frantic antics at the Capitol

Flash
Screech 2nd Baritone
Minnesota Brass, Inc.

Happy Birthday Sgt. Tom!

Marine Sargent Tom is . . . holy crap 23 ?!? Seems like just yesterday I was teaching him how to walk.

I hope you have a GREAT day Son!

Proud Marine Dad!

Timmeh Punts

So the Governor is throwing a temper tantrum since he can't have its way.

Pledging that there would be no government shutdown or special legislative session, the Republican governor said that every bill sent to him by the Legislature would be subject to his surgical veto pen, and later Thursday, he applied seven line-item vetoes to two bills. Pawlenty said he would use his executive powers to address a $3 billion disparity between expected spending in the DFL bills and anticipated revenues

Tough to be rejected by the electorate. Now, I don't fault him for using every tool that he has at his disposal, he is the Governor. But wouldn't a true leader listen to the people? Wouldn't a true leader recognize that their polices and practices have been soundly rejected? Wouldn't a true leader work together with other dually elected representatives to come to a fair conclusion to this situation? YES, a true leader would. But when you have an empty suit with national aspirations whose constituency is NOT the people of Minnesota but the base of the Republican party, then you get the juvenile temper tantrum we see on display.

The Governor has made one thing perfectly clear, he has absolutely no interest in a third term. His eyes are set on the 2012 sacrificial lamb spot on the GOP ticket. It is the only thing that can reasonably explain him turning his back on the real people he is suppose to be representing. Not the faux constituency the GOP continues to represent.

Flash

Seeing Eye Hubble

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Jimmy Margulies - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

The tricky mission to replace a camera and other maintenance begins this AM. Errant space debris makes this the trickiest of walks, thus the need to have an emergency shuttle on the pad in case it is needed.

Live on NASA TV!

Godspeed!

Flash

Stimulating the Economy - Epilogue

Following President George W Bush's re-election to his second term, I went down to the local dealership and purchased and brand spanking new Pontiac Gran Prix.It was my duty to stimulate the economy the best I could. Yesterday, the lovely Mrs. Flash went down to the local credit union and paid off that beauty 6 months early. It's all mine now.

Not to worry, we bought a brand new Chevrolet Equinox last fall to do are part during the last election cycle as well.

Flash

Eyeing SCOTUS

Donklephant has the goods via First Read:

* Diane Wood - 7th Circuit
* Merrick Garland - DC Circuit Court of Appeals
* Sonia Sotomayor - 2nd Circuit
* Elena Kagan - Solicitor General
* Jennifer Granholm - Michigan Governor
* Janet Napolitano - Homeland Security Secretary

Narrowing it down, it leaves us with . . . .

Personally, I think Napolitano won’t be picked because vacating the Homeland Security spot would give Republicans a very easy way to criticize Obama on national defense.

So my bet is on Kagan because of her background at Harvard law and her affiliation with the University of Chicago. Also, the administration has been hinting that this person would come from a non-traditional avenue, and while that might be a head fake, I think it would rule out Wood.

All I know is this will be a slow and deliberate process. Now rush, no hurry!

Flash

MORE: WaPo points out President Obama's desire for empathy in a justice:

After Souter's plans to retire became public, Obama spoke of empathy as "an essential ingredient for arriving at just decisions and outcomes." He said he would look for someone "who understands that justice isn't about some abstract legal theory."

"It is also about how our laws affect the daily realities of people's lives -- whether they can make a living and care for their families, whether they feel safe in their homes and welcome in their communities."

Obama addressed empathy in his second book, "The Audacity of Hope," placing the capacity to understand others "at the heart of my moral code." To be able to empathize with people richer and poorer, more liberal and more conservative, is to be "forced beyond our limited vision," he wrote.

Happy Birthday, Lothar

My Good friend and long time Drum Corps compatriot would have been 48 today. He went out doing what he loved, collapsing of a heart attack near the end of opener while performing in Preliminary competition at World Championships:

Kiltie mellophone player Joel "Lothar" Magnuson, collapsed in the early moments of the prelims performance at the DCA Senior Drum and Bugle Corps Championships in Scranton, Penn., on Saturday evening, September 3, 2005. He was taken by ambulance from the stadium.

The Kilties reluctantly re-started their performance, this time - "for Lothar." Afterwards, as the Kilties left the group-photo bleachers, they were told that Joel had passed away. Outside the stadium, Joel's horn was placed at the center of a circle of all the members, and the corps song, "Auld Lang Syne" was played for his memory.

Tribute and link page here.

WWBD!

Flash

PS: Looks like some of the links are broke but you get the gist.

Also the Picture above left was taken just moments before he dropped, doing what he loved, and no hint of what was to come.

New Flag

Mom ordered up some flags and was kind enough to pick me up an extra one. The tattered rag from Menard's wasn't even a year old yet, but I know the new one will last much longer.

You can order flags direct for your Congress Critters. We opted to order our through Sen. Klobuchar's office.

Flag Requests

This bright vivid nylon flag with embroidered stars is of a far better quality than the ones at the store, and a bargain to boot:

3' x 5' Nylon - $9.00
3' x 5' Cotton - $9.25
4' x 6' Nylon - $13.50
5' x 8' Nylon - $18.00
5' x 8' Cotton - $20.00

If you are looking to replace yours or start a tradition of your own, you can't go wrong by going straight to the source.

Flash

Beating a Dead Elephant

via Matson:

Snip Snip Here, Snip Snip There!

President Obama begins the slice and dice:

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The White House on Thursday will detail a proposal to save $17 billion next year by eliminating or reducing 121 federal programs, according to a senior administration official.

The President had always said he would line by line the budget, and although it seems these cuts are somewhat reserved, it is the first step to identifiy duplicity within the system and streamline the way we do business. Some of the nuggets going by the wayside:

Among the programs on the president's chopping block:

* A long-range navigation system now made obsolete by the GPS. Cost: $35 million.
* An early education program called Even Start, the performance of which had been poor. Cost: $66 million.
* A Department of Education attaché position in Paris. Cost: $632,000.
* The Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation, which only pays out 20% of its funds in awards every year. Cost: $1 million.
* A program that pays states to clean out abandoned mines even after the mines have been cleaned out. Cost: $142 million.

We are barely 100 days in to the new administration, and the President continues to remain fully engaged in the process both domestically and internationally. The Chicken Little's of the political wonk world will just have to sit back and watch how it is done. They have created a bar so low that this President will continue to be rewarded with huge approval ratings and consistent support from the electorate.

Flash

On Brett Favre

I like Brett! At his peak he was arguably one of the best quarterbacks in the league . . hell, in the history of the game maybe! But he is done. We saw last year how ineffective he can be these days.

Now there is chatter he may come out of retirement, again, and wear purple. Listen folks, I bleed purple. I want nothing but the best for my club and I live for the day we can finally hoist the Lombardi trophy. But not with Brett. It would be tainted, it wouldn't be 'ours', it would still be part of 'theirs'

Should the Queennies bring Favre on board as a player, I will sever my allegiance with the club until he is no longer wearing my Purple. He is not, nor will he ever be a member of the Purple, He is too Green, and it will be a long frustrating season for me should all this rumor mill action come to fruition.

There . . I said it . . sue me!

Flash

Tough Choices at SPPS

The tumult that is St Paul Public Schools comes to head, today:

Tonight, the district might provide some answers.

Administrators in the St. Paul School District will present the school board with a wide-ranging view of where they think the district should be headed.

The names of three elementary schools the district plans to close for the 2010-11 school year will be revealed. So will more details about the plans that will overhaul how St. Paul educates students, from changing how the district decides which school students should attend to changing the way teachers and staff are evaluated.

Along with these difficult decisions, is a look at how school choice is provided.

In a letter I wrote to the School board in February 2004 I offered
suggestions to trim the budget that included:

3) Regional Choice: Currently, there are 5 area Superintendents. Areas A, B, and C include the traditional schools that encompass the school district. Choice can still be provided, but the choices could be limited to the schools within your Area, be at A, B, or C. This would build community, limit transportation miles, and undoubtedly save money.

Last week, in the PiPress, they laid out the District's latest budget cutting maneuvers which included:

The recommendations would reduce the number of application preferences and divide the city into three regions, with students being able to attend any school in their region. Seven schools would remain as citywide options. The three-region plan is estimated to save $2.2 million in transportation costs.

At a time of serious budget strife, it is great to see the Board and district administration looking at serious modifications to the system, even though they were in my view over 5 years ago. Imaging the amount of money that could have been saved during that time if the decisions being made were more proactive rather than reactive. But now is notthe time to look back, it is time to look forward and make the necessary course corrections to stabilize how we provide for the children. Isn't that the most important thing!

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Mitch says Strom is a Liberal

Really, he said that:

Making It Official
After years of insisting he’s “Not the DFL’s Monkey”, rumor has it that former Strib columnist Nick Coleman attended “Drinking Liberally”, the weekly local liberal party

So, according to 'mitch' attending DL makes you a liberal.

See, Strom was a guest not to long ago at DL, so, according to "mitch's" logic, that makes Dave a Liberal!

Connect the dots people . . .

Oh, and this howler in the comments:

There was a local leftyblogger who used to throw a wonderful summer get-together at his place, where he invited people all across the aisle. Later on, I heard that the leftybloggers who attended asked him to stop inviting conservatives.

This is a bold faced lie, as Mitch knows this is not the truth. He will now make up another howler to try to justify his deception.

ScaifeNet, trying to change the story one lie at a time!

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Camp One Photos

Half the drill is under the belt. First outdoor Wednesday rehearsal slated for this week. We'll be at the old SEARS outlet center on Spring street just East of Hoover.

Here a a few pics. I'm the porky old guy in the fishing hat!

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Thanks to BUHL for stopping by and shooting the photos. More here.