All posts in the topic Mitch Berg: Defeating Moderate Republicans Is More Important than Defeating DFLers (Short link)
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- There are 3 posts — by 2 authors — in this topic.
- Latest post made by Eva Young at May 05 02:33 UTC
Mitch Berg: Defeating Moderate Republicans Is More Important than Defeating DFLers http://lloydletta.blogspot.com/2008/05/mitch-berg-defeating-moderate.html Peterson explains his vote in an oped to the Strib here: http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentary/16001922.html But the user fee for gas is just one part of the bill. In the bill is municipal state aid, with $11 million for Bloomington, $4.8 million for Edina and $150 million for Hennepin County. This money will be available for street repair and improvements over the next 10 years. If these dollars do not come to our county and cities through this allocation, residents in my district will eventually pay for the improvements through increased real-estate taxes. That is the bottom line. The cities and the county will have no other choice but to go to their primary source of funding, our real estate taxes, to get transportation needs met. With this bill, I voted to avoid higher property taxes. • I supported the bill because we have a slowing economy in our state. People have suggested that an economic downturn is not the time for a bill like this. I believe it is the time. This bill will support thousands of jobs -- jobs with salary dollars that will stay in Minnesota. What is the remedy for a slowing economy? Jobs. We need these dollars in Minnesota. Our way of life here and our future depend on a strong economic base. We bemoan the loss of 900 jobs at Macy's downtown, but we are losing many times that number in our construction industry alone. Think of the positive effect of thousands of Minnesota jobs in the next decade. With this bill, I voted for a stronger economy. • I supported the bill because of the recently released legislative auditor's report. Legislative Auditor James Nobel used the words "downright grim" when looking at the current status of roads and bridges. In his testimony, he gave me no reason to question the talented men and women who are engineers and planners in the Department of Transportation (MnDOT). He did give me the reason MnDOT is in such a mess. Follow the money. We are asking MnDOT to do more and more with less and less. It is a shell game with horrific outcomes. Maintenance deferred, construction postponed -- it is all part of the MnDOT mantra. A MnDOT employee I know well said that it is hard when you can't be proud of the place you work. Without funding. MnDOT's hands are tied. With this bill, I voted as a legislator to accept my part of the transportation problems in this state. • I supported the bill because as a solo business owner, I know the reality of inflation. Over the last three years, we have lost two opportunities to adequately fund road maintenance and construction. This is the third time that a transportation bill has been passed and vetoed. Over this same period, according to the auditor's report, the cost of construction has gone up almost 40 percent. It will continue to escalate, and a transportation bill will keep coming back, each time with a higher price tag, not to do more, but to do less. The reality is the old adage "pay now or pay more later." With this bill, I voted against inflationary increases for transportation. *********************************************** Berg interviewed Jan Schneider, who got the Republican endorsement over Neil Peterson, partly because Peterson voted to override the transportation, but also because Peterson doesn't kowtow to the anti-gay Minnesota Family Council. This is a laugh: "Jan needs your help, of course; Peterson is supported by a phalanx of big unions, including the construction unions that'll be the big beneficiaries of the Transportation Bill." Berg fails to point out that the Chamber of Commerce also supported the Gas Tax Increase. Berg concludes: "Defeating the DFL is important; knocking off the Override Six is almost even bigger, since the long-term viability of this state is so closely tied to the viability of the GOP." And Berg likes to call himself "center-right". Meanwhile, where has Mitch Berg and others concerned about tax policy been about the Mall of America boondoggle? Marty Seifert is on record support that, and why isn't he being held accountable. It reminds me of how the Governor and many "no-new taxes" Republicans were never held accountable by the no-tax crowd for voting to increase taxes in Hennepin County for the Twins Stadium. Eva Young Minneapolis Lloydletta's Nooz http://lloydletta.blogspot.com
Eva's crimes against context continue apace. Suffice
to stay that Eva "Michele Bachmann is a Nazi" Young
will give you about 1/4 of the whole story.
> "Jan needs your help, of course; Peterson is
> supported by a
> phalanx of big unions, including the construction
> unions that'll be
> the big beneficiaries of the Transportation Bill."
>
> Berg fails to point out that the Chamber of Commerce
> also supported
> the Gas Tax Increase.
Actually, we've talked about this in the past on the
show, as well as on my blog. Not sure what you're
getting at, here, Eva - should I be at the beck and
call of the Chamber of Commerce and their urge to pass
some of their costs of business on to the taxpayers?
> Berg concludes:
It's Mitch. Mister Berg if you're nasty.
> "Defeating the DFL is important; knocking off
> the Override Six is
> almost even bigger, since the long-term viability of
> this state is so
> closely tied to the viability of the GOP."
>
> And Berg likes to call himself "center-right".
Correctly so.
And defeating the center-center - the Republicans In
Name Only - is key to making the GOP a viable force in
contesting control of this state and its future.
> Meanwhile, where has Mitch Berg and others concerned
> about tax policy
> been about the Mall of America boondoggle?
Opposed.
But since we're bringing up un-mentioned
non-sequiturs, you've been suspiciously silent on the
issue of teachers gang-raping students.
Curious.
> Republicans were never
> held accountable by the no-tax crowd for voting to
> increase taxes in
> Hennepin County for the Twins Stadium.
Wrong again! I and many other conservatives assailed
everyone involved in the stadium deal. If you're
trying to pin the stadium on me, Eva...
...well, it'd be about as accuate and ethical as you
ever are.
Heh.
Now, count the seconds until Eva pastes this entire
posting onto her little blog. Writing's so much
easier if other people do it all for you - isn't it?
Mitch Berg
The Midway
> > Berg fails to point out that the Chamber of Commerce > > also supported > > the Gas Tax Increase. > > Actually, we've talked about this in the past on the > show, as well as on my blog. Not sure what you're > getting at, here, Eva - should I be at the beck and > call of the Chamber of Commerce and their urge to pass > some of their costs of business on to the taxpayers? No, I just was pointing out that it was business AND labor supporting the gas tax increase - and you could argue that the gas tax increase is a user fee. > > Berg concludes: > > It's Mitch. Mister Berg if you're nasty. Usually Mr., Ms, Mrs. etc. are formal ways of referring to someone. > > > "Defeating the DFL is important; knocking off > > the Override Six is > > almost even bigger, since the long-term viability of > > this state is so > > closely tied to the viability of the GOP." > > > > And Berg likes to call himself "center-right". > > Correctly so. Not correct, if he's interested in purging the party of someone like Neil Peterson - and the rest of the people who overrode the Governor's veto. It's notable that the Governor himself told legislators to "vote your conscience" when he was calling them about this. > And defeating the center-center - the Republicans In > Name Only - is key to making the GOP a viable force in > contesting control of this state and its future. Yes, it makes the party smaller. > > > Meanwhile, where has Mitch Berg and others concerned > > about tax policy > > been about the Mall of America boondoggle? > > Opposed. Where are the posts? Where is the effort to yank party endorsement over this? Did you mention it on your show this weekend to encourage calls to Seifert asking him to pull his support? > > > Republicans were never > > held accountable by the no-tax crowd for voting to > > increase taxes in > > Hennepin County for the Twins Stadium. > > Wrong again! I and many other conservatives assailed > everyone involved in the stadium deal. If you're > trying to pin the stadium on me, Eva... I pin it more on the Governor Tim Pawlenty, the 4 county commissioners (especially Mark Stenglein and Mike Opat) who voted for this, Democrats like Tarryl Clark (Pogemiller ended up doing the right thing), Steve Kelley, Linda Higgins, Margaret Anderson Kelliher - and many outside of Hennepin County legislators - both Democratic and Republican who voted for it. I hold in especial contempt those who claim to be "no new taxes", who voted to increase Hennepin County's taxes for this. > Now, count the seconds until Eva pastes this entire > posting onto her little blog. Writing's so much > easier if other people do it all for you - isn't it? > Not worth it.... Eva Young Near North Minneapolis, MN Lloydletta's Nooz http://lloydletta.blogspot.com