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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Can we talk about T. Paw and Bachmann for a sec?
I'm sure that a lot of people are watching everything Bachmann and T. Paw are up to these days. We are all familiar with the recent debate and the gaffes and media crap going on. Personally I think MN is going to get a bad rap from all of this nonsense, if we haven't already.
Here's my question though (and forgive me if I haven't been paying close enough attention over the past few years): what exactly have these two accomplished while in office for the State of Minnesota? Is there credible, unbiased information out there as to what they have actually done? Good, bad or indifferent, I'm not asking whether you agree with what they've accomplished while in office. I am merely asking what they did do while in office.
Re: Can we talk about T. Paw and Bachmann for a sec?
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I can tell you that Pawlenty didn't raise State (income) taxes. This is, for him, a major accomplishment.
Of course his actions caused a domino effect that ended with my property taxes going up - but he doesn't tell that part of the story. {sorry - I am biased in my reporting!}
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I agree with this...
Even more interesting is the wikipedia of Betty McCollum...Now I ask what the heck has she done in 11 years in congress??? Boy oh boy how I wish the re-districting would put her up against Keith Ellison...maybe then she'd actually have to do something!
I read this article last week: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/michele-bachmanns-holy-war-20110622 about Bachmann. It reminded me of some of the things that she did as a state legislator. It also made me realize that she could end up having a chance at the presidency.
I'm not a fan of either of them, so it's hard for me to come up with things that they accomplished.
I heard a clip of M.B. on the radio that went something like "Yay America! Live free or DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" that was way too dramatic for my taste.
Can we cut the theatrics and just get down to the nuts and bolts of what these people stand for? Politics piss me off. It seems to be 2% real and 98% b.s. Blerg.
I still say Oprah for prez.
This is how I feel. It seems like there's more BS out there than anything, which causes me not to take any of it seriously!
PolitiFact is an interesting website. Bachmann has lots of "barely true", "false" and "pants on fire" ratings.
Mr. Sammy Dog
I live in Bachmann's district and I like to keep tabs on what she's up to, legislation-wise. I don't believe she has any significant legislative accomplishments at the state or Federal level. A few amendments passed but zero bills passed (ETA: actually, one that she co-sponsored passed in 2008).
From Politico: Now in her third House term, Bachmann has never had a bill or resolution she?s sponsored signed into law, and she?s never wielded a committee gavel, either at the full or subcommittee level. Bachmann?s amendments and bills have rarely been considered by any committee, even with the House under GOP control. In a chamber that rewards substantive policy work and insider maneuvering, Bachmann has shunned the inside game, choosing to be more of a bomb thrower than a legislator.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0611/57885.html#ixzz1Qm2xRW4m
What I find the must frustrating is that she has been a vocal opponent of earmarks, yet has jumped in to take credit for earmark projects, like the Hwy 23 bridge in St. Cloud. I was at the bridge opening - she didn't hesitate to take credit for making the bridge happen despite being opposed to earmarks for the project (it's been a while, but I think former Rep. Oberstar, as chair of the House Transportation Committee, helped get funding for the bridge). I found it galling that she was opposed - the closing and reconstruction of that bridge was a serious issue for lots of people in her district. As someone who has spent the majority of her life living in MN-06, it's frustrating to see her more concerned with getting national attention - well before she announced her candidacy - than with actually working for the district she represents. It's disappointing. She is a demagogue, plain and simple.
I happen to completely disagree with her politics, but I would respect her if she worked for her constituents. But she sees election to Congress as a license to follow her own agenda. It's such a stark contrast to, say, Sen. Klobuchar. Aside from senators having more legislative power, I see all of the non-partisan legislation that Klobuchar has worked on - especially for children and families - and it makes me sad, because I want someone like that for my district.
This sums me up perfectly.
What I remember T Paw most for is "saving the state thousands of dollars" by appointing the Lieutenant Governor Carol Molnau head of MNDot. With MNDot responsible for bridge maintenance, the 35W bridge collapsed during Molnau's charge. After that, I believe the state passed a law that said the head of the Transportation Board has to have an engineering degree.
If Pawlenty ever becomes a contendor for the presidency, I believe he can kiss his chances goodbye base on this one ill-advised decision.