Bluestem Prairie: news about Tim Walz (MN-1)

Agitated? Irritable? Hostile?: WaPo's Milbank on Election Anxiety Disorder

The passive construction "was discovered" doesn't let on about the blog where this connection was first posted, but whatever.

Agitated? Irritable? Hostile? Aggressive? Impulsive? Restless?, Dana Milbank's piece about the House's reaction to the connection between NRCC's "Change You Deserve" and Wyeth's Effexor, is pretty doggone funny.

A hoot, as we say on the prairies. The slideshow is highly entertaining, too.

Milbank writes about episodes triggered by the news:

House Republicans may be heading off a cliff in November, but give them credit for perseverance. Even after the new slogan they floated -- "The Change You Deserve" -- was discovered to be trademarked ad copy for the antidepressant drug Effexor, GOP leaders decided to go with the rollout anyway.

"The Republican agenda, 'The Change You Deserve,' is directed at America's families," Rep. Kay Granger (R-Tex.) announced at a televised news conference with House Republican leaders yesterday morning. "And you may be a little surprised at this agenda."

Why, yes, we are. And Democrats are manic over the medicinal mantra.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) called reporters into his office. "Democrats, not drugs, is what the American people need," he said. He flashed the Effexor side effects on a large flat-screen television. "Nausea, up to 58 percent," Hoyer said. "Actually it's higher than that for Republicans."

"Are depression symptoms keeping you from where you want to be?" Effexor's maker, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, asks in its promotions. "Not feeling as good as you used to?"

For House Republicans, the diagnosis is obvious: They are suffering from Election Anxiety Disorder. Tuesday night, they lost the third special election in a row to Democrats in heavily Republican congressional districts. Eighty-two percent of Americans say the country is on the wrong track, and they're largely holding President Bush and his party responsible. This week, panicked House Republicans defied Bush and voted with Democrats to pass a farm bill and to divert oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

Reports are also coming in about other public outbursts in Minnesota, though the primary cause of that behavior is most likely found here. The DFL offered a second opinion  more in line with Milbank's diagnosis. The Post's columnist concludes:

But Election Anxiety Disorder is a serious ailment, and only about two dozen Republican members had the courage to show up for the rollout. Fortunately for the rest of the GOP caucus, the change they deserve is within reach: The recommended starting dosage of Effexor is 75 milligrams a day.

As we noted earlier, Democrats aren't the only ones to notice Election Anxiety Disorder in the NRCC. America's leading authority on stupid Michelle Malkin felt embarrassment, while Rush Limbaugh finally met a drug he'd never heard of.  Now that's breaking news.

 

Veto-proof majority: House passes Farm Bill with key Walz initiatives

We just returned from a day in the Cities to find the following press release from Congressman Walz in our inbox:

HOUSE PASSES FARM BILL  WITH KEY WALZ INITIATIVES
Conference report passes House with veto-proof, bipartisan majority

(Washington D.C.) - Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the final version of the new Farm Bill with an overwhelming bipartisan majority.  The Conference Report to the "The Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008," otherwise known as the new Farm Bill passed by a margin of 318 to 106 votes, demonstrating more than enough support to override a threatened Presidential veto.

Congressman Walz said that the legislation includes several major initiatives he championed, which will make it easier for southern Minnesota's farmers to enroll in conservation programs, give farmers more flexibility to determine the crops they plant, and several provisions which will help beginning farmers and ranchers get their start in agriculture. 

"I'm pleased that the House has, at long last, finished its work on the farm bill," said Walz.  "The Farm Bill will provide stability to our rural communities and agricultural producers, as well as ensuring a safe, affordable food supply for Americans and the world."

"And I am especially pleased that the Farm Bill includes several key provisions I authored.  This bill will provide more flexibility for Minnesota's farmers, who will be able to plant more fruits and vegetables, instead of being locked into planting what the government requires."

"This Farm Bill includes a section I added which will make it easier for southeastern Minnesota's organic producers to participate in the Farm Bill's conservation programs.  And I am especially proud that the farm bill includes half-a-dozen important changes I pushed for which will help beginning farmers and ranchers get their start on the land."

"Finally, the Farm Bill includes a provision I wrote which requires USDA to study the impact of rail service on rural America and report to Congress on whether additional competition is needed in the rail industry to protect our grain elevators and other agricultural shippersfrom abusive rail rates," said Walz. 

Despite its name, nearly three-quarters of the Farm Bill's funding goes to USDA nutrition programs like the Food Stamp Program and the School Lunch Program.  Walz said the new Farm Bill provides an additional $10.4 billion for these nutrition programs, which help 38 million American families secure access to healthy food.  During this time of high food prices, the Farm Bill also provides much-needed support to hungry Americans through food banks, food pantries and soup kitchens, by increasing funding for the Emergency Food Assistance Program by $1.25 billion.

Additionally, the Farm Bill takes a critical step in transitioning biofuels beyond corn, by reducing the current tax credit for corn-based ethanol and creating a new tax credit to promote the production of cellulosic biofuels. The legislation invests $1 billion in renewable energy, including $320 million in loan guarantees for biorefineries that produce advanced biofuels and a new program to encourage the production of new biomass for cellulosic ethanol and other energy production. 

The Farm Bill also reforms traditional agriculture programs, by phasing out help to farmers who don't need assistance.

The roll call vote on the bill is here.  With the exception of Michele Bachmann and Jim Ramstad, all of Minnesota representatives voted for the bill.

Our friends at the Farmers Union (we're a member) also sent a press release praising the passage of the bill. Read what

 

Wednesday morning news digest: bellwether friends editions

Here are a couple of paragraphs we liked in Doug Grow's column about MN-05 Republican Barbara Davis White at Minnpost:

Davis White isn't the only Republican congressional candidate facing a very steep climb this year. Despite the fact that Minnesota is supposed to be less blue from years past, despite the fact that Sen. Norm Coleman seems to be in solid shape in his Senate race, the Republican candidates in four congressional districts face odds similar to Davis White's.

To make matters more difficult for the state party, it faces stiff competition even in districts once considered safe. DFLer Tim Walz snatched a victory from six-term incumbent Gil Gutknecht two years ago and now seems stronger than ever in the 1st District. In the 2nd , Steve Sarvi is expected to make Republicans and John Kline sweat for a fourth term.  In the 6th,   DFLer Elwyn Tinklenberg is moderate enough to give Michele Bachmann a strong run.

Our favorite quote so far about the Democratic win in yesterday's Mississippi special election:

Marty Wiseman, a political scientist at Mississippi State University, said if Democrats can carry districts that traditionally have been safe bets for the GOP, "Republican strategists have to be terrified."

CQPolitics writes:

. . .The Republican committee’s wasted seven-figure expenditures on its three special election defeats have left it with little remaining cash to put into bids to take over Democratic seats in this fall’s election and to play defense against other strong Democratic takeover bids.

The Washington Post reports Miss. Win May be Bellwether.  The article concludes with Boehner touting the "Change He Deserves" rebranding plan that Bluestem linked to a trademarked Wyeth anti-depressant slogan:

This week, House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) unveiled a new campaign theme that directly embraced Obama's "change" message by establishing "change you deserve" as the new mantra for the House Republican Conference.

The Mississippi result "should serve as a wake-up call to Republican candidates nationwide," Boehner said in a statement last night. "As I've said before, this is a change election, and if we want Americans to vote for us, we have to convince them that we can fix Washington."

It looks like he doesn't pay any more attention to advice about the rollout from Malkin or Limbaugh than he does to commentary from blogging cows.

The Albert Lea Tribune editorial board says Voters are smarter than GOP thinks about gas prices.

Good  times in Austin this weekend for those of us who dig supporting our troops and birding: Armed Forces Day marked by car show and Austin to host Oak Savanna Birding Festival. Come for the "cool" cars and stay for the peeps at Mower County's famous Great Lakes.

The Farm Bill is likely to come up for a vote today in the House. House Ag committee chair Collin Peterson told the AP he's hoping for 300 votes in favor of the bill.

We're off to the metro area for some hobnobbing with our social overlords, but will dip into the Tubes as we are able, given our interesting the Farm Bill and other congressional antics.

Photos: Depressed elephant  in Portland Zoo (top); Anti-depressant (bottom).

McConnell Amendment to drill in ANWR defeated in Senate

Like the endorsed Republican MN-01 candidate he has mentored, John Kline has taken up the drill-our-way-out of high gas prices proposal for tapping deposits in ANWR and off-shore. It's a keystone of House Republican energy policy. Never mind that the oil, which won't be available for at least ten years, will be a drop in the global petroleum market's drum if it were tapped.

Touting the idea isn't universally shared by Republicans in Minnesota's congressional delegation. Indeed, Senator Norm Coleman campaigned against drilling in ANWR in 2002 and voted against it several times in the past--indeed, as recently as yesterday. Coleman voted against the "McConnell Amendment," which went down 42-56 in the Senate on Tuesday morning.

The League of Conservation Voters was direct about the McConnell Amendment's defeat:

"The Republican Leadership who sponsored this amendment did something of a public service today: they compiled a list of some of the worst ideas to deal with America's energy future, our economy and the environment and put them all in one place for the Senate to reject by a significant margin," League legislative director Tiernan Sittenfield said.

We're looking forward to the joint campaign appearances and lit drops for Coleman and a couple of Southern Minnesota's Republican congressional candidates. First the Farm Bill, now this.

The larger debate on energy policy will go on.  There's much fascinating reading out there. An instance we found this morning is The Reason Behind High Oil Prices, published by those socialists at Business Week.

Big River: one Davis down in Mississippi's First

Will Bardwell, live blogging in Mississippi's own Fighting First, has called the special election on behalf of Democratic candidate Travis Childers, over Republican Greg Davis.

The Associated Press follows suit with Miss. Democrat wins House seat in GOP stronghold:

Democrat Travis Childers wins a U.S. House seat in Mississippi's deeply Republican 1st Congressional District.

Childers defeated Republican Greg Davis in a special election to fill the final few months of a two-year term in Congress. The seat was vacated when Roger Wicker was appointed to the U.S. Senate after Trent Lott resigned.

The win allows Democrats to add to their 235-199 majority in Congress — if only for a few months until November's general elections.

Childers, Davis and two other candidates face off again in November's general election.

Childers' election marks the third special election this year in which a Democrat has taken a Republican seat.  This loss should provoke panic in MN-01's Republicans. Why? Money and message.

The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza notes in Democrat Wins Mississippi Special Election:

House Democrats won a conservative northern Mississippi House seat in a special election tonight, a victory certain to send shock waves through the ranks of congressional GOPers.

The Associated Press called the race for Prentiss County Chancery Clerk Travis Childers (D), shortly after 10 p.m. eastern time. With 81 percent of precincts reporting, Childers held a 51 to 49 percent edge over Southhaven Mayor Greg Davis (R).

The victory marked the third time this election cycle that Democrats have won a Republican-held seat in a special election and seemed to suggest that the national political atmosphere could significantly broaden the House playing field in the fall.

Mississippi's 1st district had long been a conservative stronghold. President George W. Bush won it with 59 percent of the vote in 2000 and 62 percent in 2004. Roger Wicker (R), whose appointment to the Senate seat vacated by Trent Lott (R) created the vacancy in the House, had held the district easily since 1994 -- never winning reelection with less than 63 percent of the vote.

But, the confluence of a treacherous national politicial environment for Republicans, a divisive GOP primary and the emergence of Childers, a social conservative from the more rural reaches of the districts, as the Democratic candidate combined to make the race an unlikely pickup opportunity.

The fallout from this trio of losses is sure to be significant for House Republicans. . . .

Farm Bill Conference Report available online

A kind congressional staffer just sent us news that the Farm Bill Conference Report has been posted online at the House Ag Committee's web site. We'll be taking a look after we finish reading the district newspapers this morning.

We recommend the title-by-title Fact Sheets for those wishing to gain a quick understanding of what's in the conference report that both houses of congress will have to consider.

Representative Walz serves on the House Ag committee.

The change they deserve: it's the NRCC's story and they're sticking to it

Yesterday's story about the drug-laced past of the NRCC's new slogan "The Change You Deserve" campaign spread virally across the nation.

But to judge from news accounts, the waves of laughter sweeping the country aren't going get the House Republicans down. Nope. According to CQ Politics' House GOP   New Motto: "Change You Deserve":

. . .Under that banner, House Republicans plan to offer a series of ideas for health care, the economy, energy and security.

GOP leaders developed the platform over the past year, using focus groups to test its appeal and, more recently, consulting with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., to be sure it didn’t stray too far from McCain’s presidential proposals.

With both Democratic contenders for the presidency stressing messages of change, Boehner, R-Ohio, has challenged his members to help get the public to view the GOP as a vehicle for new ideas.

But Boehner spokesman Michael Steel admitted it is a work in progress. “It’s a goal that we can be viewed as agents of change,’’ he said.

We're curious that the committee wasn't aware of the trademark Wyeth holds on the slogan for its anti-depressant Effexor™, a drugs used to treat depression, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and panic disorder in adults. And does Rep. John Kline know that Steel is echoing the "change agent" theme his last opponent used in Minnesota's Second?

And we're surprised to learn that all those ads and jabs linking House Democrats in special elections to Obama and Pelosi were just expensive placekeepers, until the real, focus-group tested message was rolled out in May, months after the word "change" became the signature for Brand Obama.

And in Republican Slogan Borrowed From Antidepressant, Carl Hulse's post at the New York Times blog, The Crypt, a House Republican spokester said cross-marketing poses no problem. It's their story and they're sticking to it:

Republicans said they had no hesitation about sticking with the slogan as they prepared to roll out their new policy agenda. And The “Change You Deserve” is just one variation on the theme.

“Republicans are committed to delivering the change American families really deserve,” said a House Republican spokesman, saying the cross-marketing was not a problem.

  And really, given the problems besetting House Republicans recently, don’t they deserve a break today?

Well, we're loving it.

Update: We're loving it even more as we look at the definition of "cross-marketing."  We find explanations like this one from Wikipedia:

A marketing co-operation or marketing cooperation is a partnership of at least two companies on the value chain level of marketing with the objective to tap the full potential of a market by bundling specific competences or resources. Other terms for marketing co-operation are marketing alliance, marketing partnership, co-marketing, and cross-marketing.

So does Wyeth know it's suddenly the National Republican Congressional Committee's marketing partner? How do the Federal Election Commission's rules specify that this be tallied in its required reports?  Or is this a matter for the Food and Drug Administration's regulatory authority? Do Republicans get discounts on prescriptions? Inquiring minds want to know.

Update: The Nitpicker called our attention to the following observations:

Republicans don't think homeowners deserve help in the housing crisis. They don't think veterans deserve a  G.I. Bill that would actually, you know, cover college. They don't think the American public deserves to be listened to on issues. Hell, they don't even think that mothers deserve Mother's Day more than they deserve to play politics.

So, when it comes down to it, how much change do Republicans probably think you deserve? Not much.

Photo: Depressed elephant at the Portland Zoo.

 

Tuesday morning netroots digest: new G.I. Bill edition

Overcome by yesterday's blog traffic, we headed out to do some birding and catch Ironman at the local theater. Enormous fun, though we all shuddered during the attack on the Humvee convoy in Afghanistan: one of the young men in the theater is in the reserves, who (like the rest of us) has been listening to vets returned from the real thing.

The real stories and the need to revisit veterans' programs is driving legislation aimed at paying back their sacrifice and commitment to our country.  In the First, the netroots have engaged that conversation. In yesterday's Corner House Comments,  we read that 21st Century GI Bill Will Come To A Vote Soon!.

The southwestern Minnesota blogger, father of an Iraq war vet, promotes a comment from Minnesota Central about the roadblocks Blue Dog Democrats are putting up.  CHC follows with an appeal from the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) for support for the legislation:

Last week, despite enormous momentum, a vote on the GI Bill was delayed by a small group of Democrats in the House. Believe it or not, they’re concerned about the cost of the bill, which amounts to less than 0.5% of war funding for the year. This is Washington ineffectiveness at its worst.

We’ve been pounding the pavement here in DC every day, meeting with all the key players in the fight for a new GI Bill, and today we need your support.

Please take a minute now to call your Representative, and urge them to show their support for a new GI Bill by voting to fund it this week. We’ve included some talking points at the bottom of this email that you can use during your call.

Despite deep bi-partisan support, the endorsement of every major veterans’ organization, and studies showing that a new GI Bill is a fiscally sound investment in our nation’s future, a few members of the House are standing in its way at this late, critical stage.

If you haven’t already, please take a minute now to call your Representative and tell them that you support education benefits for the men and women coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan.

The new GI Bill (HR 5740) has broad bi-partisan support, and leading Democrats and Republicans have been fighting for it since day one. But thanks to this small group that is mounting an ill-advised opposition, the vote is going to be close, and we need your help to make sure Congress does the right thing.

In our view, the GI Bill is a cost of war, and a smart investment in one of the most motivated, deserving groups of people our country has to offer.

So please take a minute now to tell your Representative to show real support for our troops and veterans by supporting the new GI Bill.

After your call, please take a minute to tell us about it here.

Over at Minnesota Campaign Report, First District diarist Jacob Grippen looks at the GI Bill, beginning with  a discussion of the Senate version of the bill, which John McCain objects to as too generous. Grippen concludes:

Too generous?  We are denying our Veterans the truth about their comrades' suicides, we're treating them to horrible conditions at VA hospitals, yes, I suppose passing Senator Webb's new GI Bill would be a change in policy.   I'm just glad that many Republicans are co-sponsoring this bill.  The total number of co-sponsors (bi-partisan) so far is up to 57.

Our soldiers deserve every benefit our government and its citizens can give them.

Tim Walz had this to say back in April about revamping the GI Bill:

"To enhance the ability of not only of the soldier but of their family members to get an education and get them back in training for a new profession"

What say you Minnesota?

We say that our young friends in the Navy, Marines, Army and Air Force deserve the best for what they're willing to put on the line for the rest of us.  Go over to CHC and MNCR to share your thoughts.

In other netroots news, The Hill's Blog Briefing Room » Daily Kos looks at Mcjoan's post about the Frontiers of Freedom robocalls campaign.

Photo: Airmen in a Humvee rollover training exercise at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan.

Anxiety disorders: House Republicans swipe marketing slogan

Update #2: Welcome Huffington Post readers. We really, really appreciate the hat tip from HP here at the little blog on the prairie. Thank you! [end update].

Update #3: And welcome to everybody here from Andrew Sullivan's Daily Dish and MyDD. [end update]

We knew the National Republican Congressional Committee, its chair Tom Cole, and House minority leader John Boehner were not enjoying Congress like they used to when they had control back in 2006.

And their get-up-and-go had diminished to procedural games and time chewing motions to adjourn. Their gloom was so bad last week, the caucus by and large voted against Motherhood, as the WaPo reported.

Nonetheless, we were alarmed by the slogan for the minority caucus's re-branding campaign, for it directly--though probably inadvertently--addresses the depressed opportunities House Republicans might be feeling of late.

In the New York Times article, House G.O.P. Adopts Change Theme, we learn:

It looks like Republicans will counter the Democratic push for change from the years of the Bush administration with their own pledge to deliver, drum roll please, “the change you deserve.” The first element of the party agenda developed over the past few months by the leadership and select party members will focus on family issues.

“Through our “Change You Deserve” message and through our “American Families Agenda,” House Republicans will continue our efforts to speak directly to an American public looking for leaders who will offer real solutions for the challenges they confront every day,” said the memo prepared for lawmakers.

We think the slogan will only heighten the public's perception that the House Republican caucus needs help. After all, Americans have heard that slogan time and again.

Unfortunately, it wasn't pimped for political discourse, but to market an anti-depressant.

According to Wikipedia, the prescription drug "Venlafaxine is used primarily for the treatment of depression, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and panic disorder in adults."

The brand name version, Effexor, is sold by Wyeth, which marketed it using the slogan, "The Change You Deserve™."

According to a December 2007 Alternet article, Are You One of Big Pharma's Lab Animals?, the drug company's ad agency came up with this marketing slant:

Wyeth's ad agency serenaded the nation with the message in its "The Change You Deserve™" campaign that, if we were not enjoying things the way we used to do, if we were lacking in what agencies used to call get-up-and-go, it was time to go on the antidepressant Effexor.

"The Change You Deserve™" was trademarked by Wyeth, so we're wondering if that will be a problem for the NRCC, regardless of the unfortunate analogy between its political fortunes and the genuine suffering that  plagues people experiencing depression. Evidence of trademark and the analogy are found in this promotional text sponsored by Wyeth:

The Change You Deserve™

Are these symptoms of depression interfering with your life?

• Not involved with family and friends the way you used to be?
• Low energy, fatigue?
• Not motivated to do the things you once looked forward to doing?
• Not feeling as good as you used to?

If you're experiencing symptoms of depression and you're not where you want to be, talk to your doctor about your treatment options.

Learn more about a treatment option that may help you get back to your life again.

We don't intend to make light of depression or any mental illness, for we've known far too many people who have suffered from them; MN-03 Republican congressman Jim Ramstad can retire with well-earned pride for his work on getting the Wellstone Mental Health Parity Act passed.

Nonetheless, using a well-known shrug drug's advertising slogan for rebranding is unfortunate at best. A Freudian slip? Self-sabotage? Who knows. Somehow, we doubt the slogan for a red pill with "W" on it will help the GOP much in November.

Update: read the full memo here.

Wow! This story--though not a direct link--has made it up to the Daily Show's Indecision blog. Jeepers! What can start with an old heifer nibbling her way through her morning reading.

Truth about Vet Suicides hearing: Walz speaks up for vets, county service officers

We're not entirely comfortable with the headline chosen for a post at Minnesota Central, since we're somewhat old school in believing that all Americans should take an interest in doing what's best for veterans, leaving partisanship behind.

Still, it's hard not to share some of our friend's conclusions when we read the Stars & Stripes article that's the springboard for his analysis and conclusion. Go read what MC has to say.

The Stars and Stripes article was headlined Democrats press VA on suicide rate. McPherson Hall  adds to the story by sharing his reflections on the hearings available on the webcast of the full committee hearing, “The Truth About Veteran Suicides”. 

It's a must watch for those interested in veterans issues.

Walz's questions, referenced by Minnesota Central and media accounts, start around 1:59. Walz is passionate and non-partisan, as MC points out, drawing attention to the successes the Minnesota National Guard and Pawlenty administration have enjoyed in the Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Campaign.

And as he promised veterans at the roundtable at the Veterans Medical Center on April 21, he's bringing their stories forward in Washington.

He also praises the professionalism and understanding of county veteran service officers. For rural vets, contact with county service officers is often crucial, given their distance from the main hospital in Minneapolis

It's all about the veterans, Walz says, and ranking Republican member Steve Buyer follows up on Walz's questions and supports his mission. This is what we want to see in Washington DC.

Today's New York Times editorial, The Suffering of Soldiers, reviews the problems. It concludes:

. . .Fortunately, the solutions are clear: more money for mental health services, closer tracking of suicides and more aggressive preventive efforts, more efficiency at managing veterans’ treatment and more help for their families. If this country gave back to wounded troops even a fraction of the commitment and service that it has received from them, they will be well cared for.

That's pretty much the sentiment in the circles we run in.  Let's hope all of America's new veterans get the level of service the Minnesota National Guard and the State of Minnesota have provided.

Meanwhile, Senator Day joins the fashion vigilantes

A recent netlet in the Star Tribune reminded readers of Senator Day's heroic run for the border back in October (best illustrated here by the divine Ms. Tild), though the reader seemed to think it was only weeks, not months ago.

That was then; this is now.

Day has taken up a new role in trying to enforce Minnesota Senate fashion decorum, much in the spirit of last fall's oh-so-courageous weekend with the Minutemen in Arizona.

ECM Publishers's Hometown Source has the scoop about Day taking the rules into his own hands in Sen. Dick Day sheds tie to make point about colleague's lack of tie:

Sen. Dick Day, R-Owatonna, sat tieless in the Senate Chamber Wednesday (May 7) night after rising on the Senate floor to object about the attire Sen. Satveer Chaudhary, DFL-Fridley, was wearing. Chaudhary, whose parents immigrated to America from India, was wearing a Nehru-style jacket on the Senate floor — a jacket on which ties aren't worn.

Day complained that Chaudhary was not properly attired. If Chaudhary wasn't going to observe Senate customs, he explained, then he would take off his tie.

After a recess, Day could be seen tieless and open collared on the Senate floor. Chaudhary continued to wear his Nehru jacket. Senate Minority Leader David Senjem, R-Rochester, spoke of the Senate looking the other way that night. But as far he knew, custom and usage dictated more formal attire, he explained.

"And if that's the custom and usage around here I think we ought to follow it," said Senjem.

Chaudhary's Nehru jackets drew a comment from a Republican senator once before.

Senators are expected to wear jackets and ties. Day said if Chaudhary wasn't going change what he was wearing, he'd take off his tie.

And First District voters can rest assured that if elected, Day will focus on serious policy issues, rather than partisan games like these that grind the people's business to a halt, right?

If nothing else,  primary challenger Day's sense of style should breathe some life into the Republican side of the congressional contest in Minnesota's Fighting First.

Republican commenter pushing urban legend at Post Bulletin

Our regular readers know we're awfully fond of finding instances of people using urban legends to support their arguments.

A kind friend  in Rochester alerted us to a recent example in the Rochester Post Bulletin online. "Patriot," a regular pro-Republican commenter, pasted a whopper into the PB comments section last week. His comments supposedly refute yet another letter decrying the GOP endorsed candidate's column proposing drilling our way out of high oil prices.

Here's what Patriot pasted posted at the PB Online:

Remember the election in 2006?

A little over one year ago:
1) Consumer confidence stood at a 2 1/2 year high;
2) Regular gasoline sold for $2.19 a gallon;
3) The unemployment rate was 4.5%.

Since voting in a Democratic Congress in 2006 we have seen:
1) Consumer confidence plummet;
2) The cost of regular gasoline soar to over $3.50 a gallon;
3) Unemployment is up to 5% (a 10% increase);
4) American households have seen $2.3 trillion in equity value evaporate (stock and mutual fund losses);
5) Americans have seen their home equity drop by $1.2 trillion dollars;
6) 1% of American homes are in foreclosure.

America voted for change in 2006 and we got it!
Remember it's Congress that makes law not the President. He has to work with what's handed to him.

Claim: The 2008 U.S. economic downturn resulted from the Democratic control of Congress in 2007.

One of the commenters decided to fact check Patriot's posterior.  Here's what Thorstein turned up:

Patriot, Apparently you quoted your statistics from an e-mail that has been circulating around the web. FactCheck.org examined the email's claims and found them either false or inaccurate. In short, BS. See http://www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/did_electing_a_democratic_congress_in_2006.htm

According to its "About" page, FactCheck.org is:

We are a nonpartisan, nonprofit, "consumer advocate" for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. We monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews, and news releases. Our goal is to apply the best practices of both journalism and scholarship, and to increase public knowledge and understanding.

The Annenberg Political Fact Check is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. The APPC was established by publisher and philanthropist Walter Annenberg in 1994 to create a community of scholars within the University of Pennsylvania that would address public policy issues at the local, state, and federal levels.

The APPC accepts NO funding from business corporations, labor unions, political parties, lobbying organizations or individuals. It is funded primarily by the Annenberg Foundation.

And what does FactCheck.org say about the email? Check it out:

Did electing a Democratic Congress in 2006 really lead to increased unemployment, higher gas prices and more home foreclosures?

I received this [Patriot's pasted text] by e-mail and I’ve also seen it posted as a comment on a lot of blogs and news sites. Is there any truth to it?

No, and most of the figures in a widely-circulated e-mail are made up. In fact, the entire premise of the e-mail is a logical fallacy.

Like most of the chain e-mails making the rounds, this one is inaccurate. Some claims are outright false while others are grossly out of context. Overall, the e-mail commits the logical fallacy known as post hoc ergo propter hoc (or after the fact, therefore because of the fact).

Read the rest at FactCheck.org.

FactCheck.org isn't the only online truth squad calling foul on this one. Let's see if the blither has hit snopes.com.

 

Saturday morning news digest:penny pinchers' edition

The Red Wing Republican Eagle reports Sarvi sets his sights on Congress.  Sarvi is compared to Walz by DFLers, and today marks his first day as a fulltime candidate.  Go over to Steve's site and show him some greenback love. Consider volunteering.

One of the things Steve will need in Washington D.C. is the ability to pinch pennies, since the cost of living is among the highest in the nation. MinnPost's feature Political penny pinchers: Minnesota's congressional delegation tries to cut living expenses takes a look at the situation:

. . .Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Reps. Tim Walz and Michele Bachmann say they were blown away by real estate prices in Washington, where one-bedroom apartments start at $250,000 and rent averages at $1,100 a month.. . .

. . .In 2006, it cost about $80,000 a year to live in the DC metro area, while the cost of living hovered around half that in Minneapolis.

(The cost of living in Mankato is close to the metro average, a union friend who negotiates contracts in both places tell us.)

Cost cutting
Certainly, members of Congress make plenty of money. The salary for rank-and-file members is $169,300 this year, and that sum is annually adjusted to match the cost of living in Washington. (According to the U.S. Census Bureau [PDF], the median household income in the United States was $48,201 in 2006.)

Walz returned his raise to the U.S. Treasury

While no member of Minnesota's freshman class is poor — Klobuchar, Ellison and Bachmann all have law degrees, while Walz was a high school teacher — they're not independently wealthy like former Sens. Rudy Boschwitz or Mark Dayton, whose net worth was nearly $4 million in 2003. . . .

. . . The Minnesota delegation has also cultivated their own money saving techniques for living in the city. Like Ellison, Walz moved to an efficiency apartment after sharing a place with another member of Congress that cost as much as his mortgage in Minnesota and provided about a quarter of the space.

"It was a hole in the wall," he said.

Walz's assessment?  Typical Tim:

Walz says that all the annoyances that go along with being a member of Congress are "just part of the job."

Speaking of pennies, legislation to change the composition of metals in them is making its way through Congress; the Bush administration isn't happy with the measure. In To coin a phrase, live with it, the Mankato Free Press board gives the administration a thumbs down:

Thumbs down

To the U.S. Mint and the Bush administration for yet another attempted executive-branch power grab.

Article 2, Section 8 of the Constitution explicitly gives Congress the power “to coin Money (and) regulate the value thereof.” Legislation that passed the House Thursday that would change the metallic composition of the penny and nickel — a measure intended to make it cheaper to make those small-denomination coins — is being opposed by the White House in part because it only allows the Treasury Department to suggest a specific composition rather than make the decision on its own.

The measure thus reserves to Congress a power the Constitution allots to Congress. The administration should live with that fact.

The Austin Daily News editorial board writes that The future of ethanol is more than just corn. The Fairmont Sentinel reports Coleman praises farm bill.

Speaking of the Farm Bill, our friend Bruce at the Minnesota Farmers Union (we're a member) sent us a press release praising the legislation:

Minnesota Farmers Union is pleased that the farm bill is moving forward.  It has been in the works for 2 years and on the verge of passing for over 7 months.  People from Farmers Union, in Minnesota and on the National level, have been fighting for our policies for a long time,” said Doug Peterson , Minnesota Farmers Union President.  “It is encouraging that items like Country-of-Origin-Labeling (COOL) implementation, and a funded permanent disaster assistance program, two Farmers Union priorities, are in the bill.”

“This is a great reform bill.  It offers balance on conservation and nutrition and reduces direct payments and offers better risk protection for farmers.  Real reform was achieved by eliminating the triple entity provision and requiring direct attribution for farm payments.”

“This bill also includes much needed funding for nutrition which was increased by $10.36 billion dollars. President Bush is still threatening a veto on this bill, however I think he would be hard-pressed to veto a reform bill that increases food and nutrition funding for the needy.”

Other Farmers Union policies included in the bill are:

$5 billion funded for a permanent disaster assistance program;

An increase of $10.3 billion for nutrition programs

Assistance to food banks increased by $1.25 billion

$365 million  for a fruit and vegetables program;

$1.1 billion for the renewable energy industry;

Creates a loan guarantee program to develop production of dedicated cellulosic energy crops;

Makes COOL implementation mandatory;

Imposes eligibility caps based on the level of farm income;

Increases funding for Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Conservation Stewardship Program to protect our natural resources;

$60 million to purchase food overseas to feed people in need;

For the first time there is a Livestock Title that includes non-binding arbitration, interstate shipment of meat, contract reforms and improvement of Packers & Stockyards Act;

Conservation funding increased by $6.6 billion;

7-state pilot program for fruits and vegetables directed at smaller farms and processors; and

Blenders credit for cellulosic ethanol from 51 cents to one dollar per gallon.

“I want to thank both National Farmers Union President Tom Buis and House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson for working and fighting so hard for family farmers. I am optimistic that their hard work will pay off and this farm bill gets passed and signed by the President,” said MFU President Doug Peterson .

The farm bill is scheduled to be on the House and Senate floor Wednesday, May 14^th. It is not clear whether or not President Bush will sign the bill.  More details about the provisions of the bill will be available as it moves through the process.

Minnesota Farmers Union is a membership based organization that works to protect and enhance the economic interests and quality of life of family farmers and rural communities.

 

Post Bulletin: Southern Minnesota's congressional delegation on Farm Bill

The Post Bulletin's Ed Felker has the scoop on the response of Southern Minnesota's leaders on the Farm Bill in Delegation pleased with Farm Bill programs  Here's Walz's reaction:

. . .Rep. Tim Walz, D-Mankato and a member of the House Agriculture Committee, saw three priorities included in the bill, including his top measure, a new pilot program to let farmers switch acres to fruit and vegetable programs without permanently losing their eligibility under traditional crop subsidy programs.

The Farm Flex program language would target four or more Midwestern states, though the final details were still uncertain. Walz also won provisions to streamline the enrollment of organic farm acres into federal conservation programs and, with Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, D-S.D., incentives for landowners to rent or sell to beginning farmers and ranchers.

Walz, in a statement, said he was excited to see the bill moving forward after months of deal making. "This bill makes important new investments in nutrition, conservation, rural development and energy programs, and continues to provide a farm safety net that kicks in when crop prices are low, and tapers off when crop prices are high," he said. . . .

Representative Kline is preparing a statement for when the bill comes up next week. Senators Klobucahr and Coleman, both Senate Ag Committee members, support the bill; Coleman

previously said he would work to round up votes to override a veto, and reiterated that stance Thursday. "This process has been about compromise from day one, and the bipartisan agreement reached by the conference committee is a bill that for America that contains significant reforms all sides can agree on," Coleman said in a statement.

A companion article by PB reporter Laura Gossman, Farmers, food banks want farm bill passed soon, looks at local reaction. A couple of responses to the President's veto threat:

Minnesota Farm Bureau president Kevin Paap, a farmer from Blue Earth, thinks the bill fairly balances nutrition, conservation and farm programs.

He's more worried about what might happen if the bill doesn't pass.

"If the bill doesn't pass, there's no Plan B," Paap said. "We need to move on this so we can provide some long-term certainty for our farmers." . . .

Two-thirds of the legislation involves boosts to nutrition programs that benefit food banks.

"We rely on federal foods to feed people in our communities," said Charla Irwin-Buncher, communications director for Channel One Food Bank in Rochester. "It's especially crucial right now because more and more people are in need of our services."

In April, 250 new Olmsted County families started using Channel One, Irwin-Buncher said.

. . ."Every day that goes by is a day that we are being withheld food we could be using," Irwin-Buncher said. "The farm bill has to be passed."

Irwin-Buncher's opinion provides a sharp contrast with mindless pundits who bitch about the bill and hunger.

Ixnay on the apple pie, too? WaPo reports House GOP votes against moms

We've been chronicling the financial and ethical woes of the NRCC and House Republicans for the last few days here at the Bluestem Prairie. And after Congressman Walz mentioned the nuisance votes that House Republicans, we went to Thomas and looked at the frivolous motions to adjourn that were impeding the people's business over the last few days..

But nothing prepared us for Dana Milbank's headline this morning in the Washington Post: Republicans Vote Against Moms; No Word Yet on Puppies, Kittens.  The details:

It was already shaping up to be a difficult year for congressional Republicans. Now, on the cusp of Mother's Day, comes this: A majority of the House GOP has voted against motherhood.

On Wednesday afternoon, the House had just voted, 412 to 0, to pass H. Res. 1113, "Celebrating the role of mothers in the United States and supporting the goals and ideals of Mother's Day," when Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.), rose in protest.

"Mr. Speaker, I move to reconsider the vote," he announced.

Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), who has two young daughters, moved to table Tiahrt's request, setting up a revote. This time, 178 Republicans cast their votes against mothers.

It has long been the custom to compare a popular piece of legislation to motherhood and apple pie. Evidently, that is no longer the standard. Worse, Republicans are now confronted with a John Kerry-esque predicament: They actually voted for motherhood before they voted against it.

Republicans, unhappy with the Democratic majority, have been using such procedural tactics as this all week to bring the House to a standstill, but the assault on mothers may have gone too far. House Minority Leader John Boehner, asked yesterday to explain why he and 177 of his colleagues switched their votes, answered: "Oh, we just wanted to make sure that everyone was on record in support of Mother's Day."

By voting against it?

If Boehner's explanation doesn't make much sense, he's been under a great deal of stress lately.

There's the case of one member of his caucus, Rep.Vito Fossella (N.Y.); the father of three from Staten Island yesterday announced that he has a fourth, a 3-year-old love child with a woman from Virginia. . . .

. . .For the record, Fossella did not participate in the Mother's Day vote.. . .

. . . Boehner has enough trouble to preoccupy him here in Washington, where House Democrats have been passing their agenda with little thought for Republican preferences. "The majority has taken, once again, their go-it-alone policy," Boehner lamented yesterday. "It's time for Democrats and Republicans to work together."

To induce this working together, Boehner decided to stop the House from working at all. As House Democrats tried to pass legislation to ease the mortgage crisis on Wednesday, Republicans served up hours of procedural delays, demanding a score of roll call votes: 10 motions to adjourn, half a dozen motions to reconsider, various and sundry amendments, a motion to approve the daily journal, a motion to instruct and a "motion to rise."

The high point came just after 6 p.m., when, after one of the motions to adjourn, 61 members lined up to change their votes, one by one. Forty-six went from aye to no, while 15 changed from no to aye. The maneuver ate up 28 minutes in all -- and caused an eruption by Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, who accused the minority of a "filibuster by vote changing."

. . . the dilatory maneuvers continued, and the Democrats finally announced that they would postpone the vote on the mortgage bill until Thursday, thereby pushing a war spending bill to next week.

Finally, Republicans decided yesterday to suspend their shenanigans; it was time to catch flights to their districts. "Never underestimate the desire of members to go home," Boehner spokesman Kevin Smith explained.

They might also need some extra time with their mothers.

For the record, Congressman Jim Ramstad (R--MN-3) joined Minnesota's Democratic Representatives in voting for motherhood after they had voted for it. Representative Bachmann and Kline voted against motherhood after they voted for it.

Will baseball and the flag be next?

Update: Think Progress has the video.