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

Energy policy: oh, fer dumb

It's not often we agree with Thomas Friedman, but today's column addresses the boneheadedness of the barriers to a sound energy policy with remarkable clarity.  In Dumb as We Wanna Be, the New York Times columnist writes:

It is great to see that we finally have some national unity on energy policy. Unfortunately, the unifying idea is so ridiculous, so unworthy of the people aspiring to lead our nation, it takes your breath away. Hillary Clinton has decided to line up with John McCain in pushing to suspend the federal excise tax on gasoline, 18.4 cents a gallon, for this summer’s travel season. This is not an energy policy. This is money laundering: we borrow money from China and ship it to Saudi Arabia and take a little cut for ourselves as it goes through our gas tanks. What a way to build our country.

What alternative does Friedman suggest?  Sanity.

What we get instead:

Few Americans know it, but for almost a year now, Congress has been bickering over whether and how to renew the investment tax credit to stimulate investment in solar energy and the production tax credit to encourage investment in wind energy. The bickering has been so poisonous that when Congress passed the 2007 energy bill last December, it failed to extend any stimulus for wind and solar energy production. Oil and gas kept all their credits, but those for wind and solar have been left to expire this December. I am not making this up. At a time when we should be throwing everything into clean power innovation, we are squabbling over pennies.

These credits are critical because they ensure that if oil prices slip back down again — which often happens — investments in wind and solar would still be profitable. That’s how you launch a new energy technology and help it achieve scale, so it can compete without subsidies.

The Democrats wanted the wind and solar credits to be paid for by taking away tax credits from the oil industry. President Bush said he would veto that. Neither side would back down, and Mr. Bush — showing not one iota of leadership — refused to get all the adults together in a room and work out a compromise. Stalemate. Meanwhile, Germany has a 20-year solar incentive program; Japan 12 years. Ours, at best, run two years.

As we've pointed out before, Congressman Walz champions the production tax credit, while the NRCC has played the tax credit for cheap laughs. The endorsed GOP candidate? Let Minnesota's wind industry get becalmed by the free market--while he doesn't mention dropping subsidies and tax breaks for the oil and nuclear power industries.

And this in a state that's the nation's third largest wind energy producer.

Friedman continues:

“It’s a disaster,” says Michael Polsky, founder of Invenergy, one of the biggest wind-power developers in America. “Wind is a very capital-intensive industry, and financial institutions are not ready to take ‘Congressional risk.’ They say if you don’t get the [production tax credit] we will not lend you the money to buy more turbines and build projects.”

Once more, we post the graph illustrating what the absence of the production tax credit means. In human terms, it means those students training at Minnesota West may not keep their jobs, regardless of the beauty of the vision their camera captured one morning as the fog lifted off the prairie.

The tradition Minnesotan expression for this sort of stupidity is "Oh, fer dumb."  A native of Minnesota, Friedman translates "Oh, fer dumb" into standard policy English:

The McCain-Clinton proposal is a reminder to me that the biggest energy crisis we have in our country today is the energy to be serious — the energy to do big things in a sustained, focused and intelligent way. We are in the midst of a national political brownout.

Fer dumb.

The NTU: When nonpartisan means you're not going to be told the details

Southern Minnesota's most beloved conservative blogger, Paleocon Strikes, touts the National Taxpayers Union's low rating for Tim Walz in a post yesterday. He borrows the group's self description (emphasis in original):

The non-partisan National Taxpayers Union (NTU) recently released its ratings for the 2007 session of Congress. The NTU rates all votes that affect taxes, spending, debt, and regulatory burdens on consumers and taxpayers.

We did a little reading about the group in order to discover why it might be so near to Mr. Paleocon's heart. Indeed, what we discovered in our ramblings across the tubes illustrated why this was a match made on the extreme right side of conservative heaven.

Here's some information about the group. We found this info about a past leader interesting:

Grover Norquist was NTU’s Executive Director before being tapped by the Reagan White House to head Americans for Tax Reform.

The current executive director is Duane Parde. Before joining the NTU, he served in leadership positions at the American Legislative Exchange Council and the Alliance for Affordable Health Insurance. Sourcewatch describes the former:

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) was established in 1973 by Paul M. Weyrich of the Free Congress Foundation. It is a membership organisation of state legislators across the U.S. that drafts "model legislation" that is then often drafted into law.

ALEC is a conservative organisation that pushes legislation that favours big business and rollbacks environmental regulations. ALEC says that its membership exceeds 2,400 state legislators from both political parties, which is over 30 percent of all state lawmakers in America.

In 2002, two environmental groups, Defenders of Wildlife and the Natural Resources Defense Council, described ALEC as "corrosive, secretive and highly influential" and a "tax-exempt screen for major U.S. corporations and trade associations that use it to influence legislative activities at the state level."

In 2002, the American Prospect working at Outing ALEC: the most powerful lobby you've never heard of.

Parde worked in private industry--sort of--in between the stints at ALEC and the NTU, as a partner in Phoenix Strategies:

Phoenix Strategies www.phoenixstrategies.us 1425 K St. NW Suite 350 Washington, DC 20005 202.587.4799 dparde@phoenixstrategies.us Phoenix Strategies"..was established as a consultancy, our team includes seasoned and professional senior level members of the Bush administration with strong experience in Federal as well as state and local intergovernmental affairs and corporate relations. " The Hill reported on December 20, 2005: A new lobbying firm, Phoenix Strategies LLC, has formed on K Street to specialize in business development, lobbying and consulting. The partners of the firm are James M. Kelly, former special assistant to the president and deputy director for intergovernmental affairs at the White House; Ken Meyer, former deputy assistant secretary for intergovernmental and interagency affairs with the U.S. Department of Education; and Duane Parde, former executive director of the nationwide state-legislator group the American Legislative Exchange Council. They have represented industry areas in education, manufacturing, technology, pharmaceuticals, energy and associations.

The Media Transparency Project in its look at Recipient Grants: National Taxpayers Union. notes the money coming into the group from the usual suspects funding the right's ideological agenda.

We're taken by the ideological conservatism of these groups, as opposed to a sense of fiscal conservatism.  Indeed, the Scaife, Roe, Bradley, and other right-wing foundations might want to check out groups more carefully in the future.

After all, the Better Business Bureau's Charity Report says that the group doesn't meet five of its standards for accountability. The Charity Navigator, too, ranks it at one star.

That's some union of right wing ideologues, and they don't like Tim Walz. We  are shocked, shocked, that movement conservatives would rate Congressman Walz so low.

Mankato Free Press: Permanent tax cuts or veterans' benefits?

An interesting editorial in today's Mankato Free Press:

Budgets passed recently by the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives indicate in part a willingness to increase much needed funding to veterans programs and pay for that, in part, by allowing some tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans to expire.

The U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate recently passed budgets that boost funding for veterans’ health care and other veterans’ needs at amounts higher than the Bush Administration’s proposal. The Bush budget boosts total VA funding by about 1.6 percent, or $1.7 billion.

The House bill adds about $600 million to the Bush proposal, which would bolster overall spending to about 2.6 percent. The Senate adds $3 billion, making the overall spending increase about 5 percent.

Many veterans groups have favored the congressional proposals saying the number of veterans entering the VA health system from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan warrants the extra funding.

In fact, Congress and the president in the most recent fiscal year boosted VA funding by an “emergency” $3.7 billion appropriation midway through the budget year after seeing tremendous increases in health care costs for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. That figure is close to the increase being proposed by Bush.

The funding is aimed at not only taking care of the increase in VA patients, but also aimed at reducing, for example, the time it takes for the VA to process a disability claim. In 2007, it took 183 days to process a claim. That figure dropped to 169 days in 2008 and the current budget aims to bring that down to 145 days. That’s still a long time to wait for veterans who may have no other way to earn money when they are disabled.

The Bush budget also cuts medical research by 10 percent for the VA and major construction projects budget is cut by 50 percent. Both are restored to some extent in the House and Senate budgets.

The House budget, to its credit, is operating on its paygo rules that require spending offsets for new spending by letting the Bush tax cuts of 2001 expire for those earning upwards of $300,000. That supports some of the increases in domestic programs such as Veterans administration.

The national office of the Veterans of Foreign Wars says the Bush budget is a good start but “demands” Congress up the funding for construction projects and medical research. The research funding would go toward what VFW national president George Lisicki calls the “signature wounds of war.” That research would help the VA better treat traumatic brain injuries, post traumatic stress disorder, prosthetics and improve treatments for burns and blind rehabilitation.

The VFW also opposes Bush Administration plans to create annual enrollment fees of $250 to $750 for non-service connected disabled veterans. It would also increase co-pays for medicine from $8 to $15 per 30-day supply.

The cost of the Bush tax cuts are significant when compared to the VA budget needs. One tenth of the revenue from removing just tax breaks to hedge fund managers would fund the increase in the VA that Congress is proposing.

News across rural Minnesota: Wind energy's economic power

Looking around in Greater Minnesota news venues today, we couldn't help but be struck by the many references to wind power.

Part of this is generated by the news that the American Wind Energy Association announced [pdf file] that Minnesota is now the third state national in terms of generating electricity from the wind.

We wrote Thursday about how in terms of Wind power: we're #3--and #2! (and how to keep those turbines spinning).  That post included the need to extend the wind energy production tax credit. As the graphic on that post and this indicates, eliminating the production tax credit for wind takes the breeze right out of the industry's blades.

There's another tax issue that would help Southern Minnesota capture more of the revenue stream from the wind. KAAL-TV news reported last night on the Economic Power of Wind Energy:

Minnesota has set a goal to produce 25% green energy by the year 2025.

Every state legislator from Southern Minnesota voted for that renewable energy standard.

But who's putting up the wind farms to make that goal?

The Prairie Star Wind Farm is 15 miles southeast of Austin. Brian Lammers works for Horizon Wind Energy, which is the company that built the turbines.

In one year, 62 turbines will generate a lot of electricity.

“[That’s] enough power for about 30,000 average U.S. homes,” says Lammers.

Lammers is from Minnesota and says most of the dozen employees here are from Minnesota or neighboring states. Energia de Portugal or EDP, which is a Portugal-based utility, owns Horizon.

According to Minnesota Congressman Tim Walz's office, foreign companies own most of the wind turbines in the U.S. The current tax code gives credits for large companies, but not for small individual investors. 

Mark Willers is one of 350 people who've invested millions into 11 turbines in the southwest corner of Minnesota. He says his group is the exception, and that's bad.

"If you have wind available and the tax credits are not useable by people here in the midwest, then you are forced to sell those wind rights or the energy from that wind off to another entity,” he says.

Entities like the Portuguese company that owns Prairie Star. But Lammers says regardless of whom owns the turbines, communities here benefit from tax revenue, jobs and rent paid to landowners. 

Plus, Lammers says wind energy projects are just too expensive for local investors to get involved with.

Willers says more projects could work if the tax code were changed.

Lammers says ownership doesn't take away the net benefits of using more clean energy. Walz is pushing legislation that would change the tax code and allow for individual investors to receive a wind production tax credit. It’s a move that would make investing in wind turbines more economically feasible.

KTTC-TV reported Minnesota Goes Past Iowa in Wind Energy and Minnesota Number Three in Wind Energy. The Albert Lea Tribune applauded the rise of the area's wind industry in State now No. 3 in wind energy production. The Blooming Prairie Times (which has just launched an online edition) reported on March 20 that High Energy, LLC announce Wind Farm:

High Energy, LLC announce Wind Farm
High Energy, LLC, and Wisconsin Public Service Corporation, announced on Friday, March 14, that they have signed a letter of intent to acquire a 150 Megawatt portion of the High Country wind project. The High Country Wind Entergy Park, located in Dodge and Olmsted Counties, Minnesota, is planned to included a total of over 300 megawatts. . .  .

Like its sister paper in Adrian, the Fulda Free Press reported on the Nobles Cooperative Electric Wind turbine erected. As we noted earlier, the Dodge County Independent noted  Renewable energy program at library  At mid-week, we posted Wednesday afternoon news digest: Call the wind, Marriah edition.  And just outside the district, today's Marshall Independent reports about the current efforts geared toward Expanding wind energy across Minnesota.

We could go on, but you get the picture. The area papers report on new wind energy developments. The industry is a source of pride and optimism for farmers and business people, who have come to their congressman asking for the current tax credit to be preservation and for revision of the tax code so that they, too, can directly reap the economic opportuinty of investing in the wind industry

We've written before about how out-of-step with the district's support for renewable energy the endorsed GOP candidate is. But we're even more flabbergasted by a Karen Hanretty blog post that Tom Cole, chair of the NRCC, included in a national missive to supportive bloggers this week:

So while Pelosi and the Democrat majority pander to their fat-cat environmentalist patrons by debating the efficiency standard of a light bulb, offering tax credits for wind farms (none of which are to be built in Ted Kennedy's backyard, of course) and pushing for increased reliance on corn-based ethanol (maybe we can grow all the corn in ANWR) precious little has been done to increase the supply of oil in America. Yet, the Democrats are trying to "fool" you into believing they're offering viable options. . .

Hanretty's spleen seems particularly out-of-touch with the First, where farmers and other rural dwellers are racing to put up wind turbines on their land while arguing for  keeping and expanding that tax credit. There's a lot of economic interest in ethanol as well, though no absolute allegiance to corn-brewed ethanol, since several of Walz's earmarks go toward researchong cellulostic feedstocks for ethanol.  And, funny, but a lot of people in the First are concerned with environmentalism, though many might use the word conservation, and they're not fat cats.

So who is Hanretty, this fount of wisdom about energy policy?  According to CBS News/Politico:

The National Republican Congressional Committee has hired longtime Republican operative Karen Hanretty as the new communication director, according to a GOP source familiar with the committee’s decision.

Hanretty succeeds Jessica Boulanger, who resigned last month to join Prism Public Affairs, a bipartisan consulting firm.

Hanretty most recently served as deputy communications director on Fred Thompson’s presidential campaign. She has been a fixture on the punditry circuit, regularly appearing as a Republican analyst on Fox News and other cable news networks.

She has also served as communications director for the California Republican Party and as the press secretary for Arnold Schwarzenegger’s gubernatorial bid in the 2003 recall election.

That West Coast, Hollywood focus must explain why Hanretty (a paragon of civil discourse) forgot to tell readers about another opponent of the Nantucket Sound sea-based Cape Wind Project:

. . .former candidate for U.S. President and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney. . .

Can the NRCC fool Southern Minnesotans into thinking that arguments of distraction about Ted Kennedy's battle against a sea-based wind energy project are superior to economic development in their own communities? We'll not weigh in here on the merits or lack of a much different energy project in a distant state and community, other than to note in passing that both objections to and support of the Massachusetts project come from people across the political spectrum. Even the Alliance against the Cape Wind project supports land-based wind projects that are properly cited and enjoy community support.

Objections to wind projects in Southern Minnesota do exist, but they're fairly rare. In a recent instance in Mower County, the local planning commission and wind energy company worked to ask questions about the project, according to the Austin Daily Herald.

We think linking attacks on all wind energy--and the production tax credit--to the Cape Wind controversy is pure Tom Cole foolishness for Southern Minnesota. But at least Hanretty wasn't carrying on about Fred Thompson or family values this time. And while we're considering the source of the snark about the wind energy production tax credit, here's a video clip of Hanretty's defense of Scooter Libby:

Photo: The Nobles Coop wind turbine, from the Fulda Free Press

Morning news digest: district warming edition

While the blogosphere buzzes about Michelle Bachmann's crusade for freedom of choice for light bulb purchases, we think today's editorial in the Marshall Independent best addresses the underlying issue:

When we elect members to Congress, it’s with the hope that they will serve with a firm grasp on reality and with a mind open enough to at least try to solve even our most vexing of problems.

That doesn’t seem to be the case with U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., at least on the global warming issue. . . .

. . .Bachmann argues that she is trying to preserve homeowners’ and others’ rights to use whatever kind of light bulb they want — even if it costs them more in electrical expenses.

We’re not going to fight her on that, although it’s a little silly to discourage the use of more efficient bulbs. People probably should be able to have some choice in how they light their homes.

But there are things behind Bachmann’s bill — including ignoring sound industry advice plus her take on global warming — that make us question her credibility.

The Star Tribune reported Wednesday that Bachmann recently told a meeting of Sherburne County Republicans that any human connection to global warming is “voodoo, nonsense, hokum, a hoax.”

It is unfortunate to hear a congresswoman simply sweep aside reams of evidence under the rug of a conspiracy theory. It does not become her position, nor the debate.

In our view, it is nearly a lock that humans have contributed to global warming in the past three centuries, or since the onset of the Industrial Revolution and the emissions all kinds of machines have kicked into the air.

It is even more of a certainty that humans have contributed in the past half century, with troubling results. In February 2007, a United Nations panel on global climate change concluded humans have “very likely” contributed to the “unequivocal” climate changes of the past 50 years. We’ve done so in measurable ways — the release of carbon dioxide from smokestacks and tailpipes, the wiping out of forests. Other reports have said the amount of carbon dioxide in the air has exploded in the past 300 years, and continues to rise exponentially.

The results have been big and small: Mass calcification of all kinds of shellfish in the ocean, destruction of coral reefs, melting of the Arctic tundra, species of animals and plants being found farther north and at higher altitudes than ever before.

If you want to quarrel with the amount of man’s impact on the changes, fine — but it is irresponsible to dismiss it as voodoo or a hoax.

When Bachmann takes such a stance, she effectively eliminates herself from any credible aspect of the debate — much like a 15th-century Spanish courtier who kept arguing the Earth was flat even after Columbus had come and gone a couple times.

There is wide agreement among scientists, industry, politicians of both parties that man contributes and that we must act to limit our contributions to warming while we can.

Unfortunately, Bachmann isn't the only one touting this malarky. In the contest to capture the Republican nomination and the honor of being beat by Representative Walz in November, one contestant offered an energy policy in which global warming denial was a core belief. Sadly, the other two candidates chose to go down that path in their quest to capture the hearts (and votes) of party activists.

We're not so sure about the warming trend suggested by the Owatonna People's Press headline, GOP First District Convention heating up. The lead is more interesting:

When Republican delegates gather Saturday at the First District Convention, they'll not only endorse someone to run in a primary against state Sen. Dick Day, they'll also be doing some soul searching.

All will be there to determine the best candidate to unseat freshman U.S. Rep. Tim Walz. And for now, it's a mystery not only to the candidates, but to Republican activists like David McGuire, co-chairman of the Steele County Republican Party.

"I just don't have a handle on it," he said.

It's the convention that passeth all understanding.  As in prior reports, neither Demmer nor Davis provides a delegate count. The local Republican has more to say about the GOPeapods:

McGuire said he hasn't spoken to anyone about which candidate has the best prospects of getting the endorsement.  . . .

. . .The last time the Republican Party had to endorse a candidate was in 1994, when former Congressman Arlen Erdahl and then state Rep. Gil Gutknecht competed for the nomination. Former Congressman Tim Penny, a Democrat, decided not to seek re-election that year.

McGuire said the difference then compared to this year is that Davis, Day and Demmer are virtually identical with conservative views. The only difference between them is their years of political experience, with Day holding an advantage.

Meanwhile, Walz is listening to his constituents and trying to improve rail shipping for Southern Minnesota's transportation customers. The Star Tribune reports in Congress hearing new calls for more railway regulation:

A coalition of farm and rural business interests from across Minnesota has banded together with a national group challenging what they call the monopoly power of the nation's railroads.

The freight customers are supporting bills in Congress that would end an antitrust exemption for railroads and would foster competition, and they have turned to Minnesota's congressional delegation for help. . . .

. . . Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn., has signed on to the bills in Congress. "I've heard time and time again from southern Minnesota's farmers, electric co-ops and small businesses how badly we need to restore competition to the rail industry," he said.

All but two members of Minnesota's congressional delegation have signed on to the legislation. Reps. Michele Bachmann and John Kline are still reviewing the bills.

We posted about this issues beginning in 2007; a 2008 post about the legislation can be found here.

In couple of interesting letters to the editor in the district dailies this morning. In the New Ulm Journal, Vietnam vet Al Boettger conflates Walz's criticisms of lack of real and effective federal level commitment to vets' programs with the possibility of criticism of the local vets service officer, Greg Peterson.

Safe to say that Boettger is absolutely right about the great work Greg Peterson does, but also that Boettger wasn't at the meeting. We attended the meeting. As we noted at the time, Greg offered a great suggestion on how to better count and serve each county's vets. If we're not mistaken, Peterson had helped Walz's staff get the very vocal vets in New Ulm to the meeting.

The congressman did thank Greg for all of his hard work.  We had a chance to talk briefly to Peterson at the event, though his focus was rightly on the people he serves, and seeing him in action, we can understand why Boettger didn't want people to form the wrong impression.

In the Mankato Free Press, a reader counters Republican reverend Paul Ibisch's letter trashing Walz with Business is the biggest welfare recipent. Dan Conner notes:

. . .I believe Paul Ibisch’s anger, in his recent letter to the editor, is misdirected. He blames Rep Tim Walz when he needs to blame President Bush. . . .

Finally, local television news reports on Norm Coleman's campaign kick-off stop in Rochester show the press isn't giving him a free ride. In Coleman Campaigns, KTTC begins its report:

He calls Minnesota the 'land of 10,000 dreams', a place where Senator Norm Coleman says he has made progress throughout the last six years.
 
Now, he wants to accomplish even more.
 
The work began today, when Norm Coleman officially began his campaign for re-election. 
 
But while he was at Rochester's Event Center this afternoon, promising to 'get things done for Minnesota', another group just down the road was already campaigning against the senator for not doing enough.
 
It was a battle of rhymes, that turned into a war of words.
 
Laura Askelin, SE MN Central Labor Council says, "We cannot continue on this path of putting the needs of the few over the needs of the many and unfortunately Senator Coleman is only concerned with the needs of a few corporate special interests."
 
It started early Wednesday morning, when DFL-ers, labor, and community leaders expressed their opinion about Senator Norm Coleman.
 
Wes Urevig, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Union says, "He should be supporting the things that are important to Minnesota workers - reasonable health care, education for their family, good jobs." . . .

And in KAAL-TV's Coleman Kicks Off Campaign , we read:

U.S Senator Norm Coleman officially launched his re-election bid with a rally today.

Supporters turned out in Rochester to celebrate the kickoff as Coleman hit the road for a four-day, 15-city tour across the state.

The senator says he looks forward to running on his record of bringing people together and reaching across the partisan divide.

Also today, DFLers, labor and community leaders gathered to voice their concerns about Coleman’s record for putting corporate special interests ahead of middle-class Minnesotans.

"Working people want representatives that are more like them, with sense of humor. Because with this mess in Washington they're certainly going to need it,” says Wesley Urevig, a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

Many at the rally voiced support for candidate Al Franken.

He's favored to be the democratic nominee.

Coleman has criticized some of the things Franken has said or written in his comedy routines and commentary.

Franken defends his previous work as that of a satirist.

Looks like Norm couldn't control the message on that coverage. There are video clips of the segments up at each station.

Below the fold, we've provided the complete statement from one Southern Minnesota labor leader, Laura Askelin.

Does the good Reverend Ibisch have a new call?

On March 19, we noted at the bottom of our news digest that that compulsive anti-Dem letter writer Paul Ibisch had called Tim Walz out for printing too much money and manipulating oil prices.  The letter that appeared in Wednesday's Winona Daily News began:

Walz is really hurting us

By Paul Ibisch, La Crescent, Minn.

In his recent oversized pamphlet, which you and I paid for, Rep. Tim Walz tells us he “Targeted Tax Relief to Help Minnesota Families.

In this morning's Mankato Free Press, the same letter from Ibisch begins:

Your View: Walz failed Minnesota families
By Paul Ibisch, Mapleton

In his recent oversized pamphlet (that you and I paid for), Rep. Tim Walz tells us he “targeted tax relief to help Minnesota families.”

Now, we don't take exception to a letter appearing in more than one venue--we see this practice used by members of both parties, though some editors frown on it as they seek original material. And at least the letter and the name of the letter writer are the same; written in Ibisch's distinctive style, this isn't astroturf.

There's a rather different turf issue here.  Ibisch's letter is remarkable for its floating address.

That Ibisch lived during the same week both in LaCrescent on the banks of the mighty Mississippi down in apple-cheeked Houston County  (where he is deputy-chair of the Republican Party and pastor of the First Lutheran Evangelical Church--WELS) and Mapleton,  the curling capital of Minnesota nestled on the banks of the placid Maple River in Blue Earth County, is indeed a heroic feat.

That's 158 miles of travel each way, as the Google map flies.

Perhaps Paul was visiting MSUM student and College Republican activist Tim Ibisch (his son, we believe). Maybe WELS is reviving the tradition of circuit riding preachers. Or perhaps the elder Ibisch is moving in with his son to keep an eye on the lad at formal occasions. 

We suppose it's possible to have two addresses and therefore not be trying to mislead the editors and readers of either paper.  Certainly, no man of the cloth would ever intentionally try to do such a thing.

Wednesday morning news digest: meetings edition

There are a couple of meetings today in the district that we hope to attend. Early in the morning, Walz will host his own veterans meeting in New Ulm:

Walz New Ulm Veterans Forum
Wednesday, March 19
9:00 am
American Legion
13 S Minnesota St
New Ulm, MN

Later in the morning, Walz will meet with National Guard member and Iraq War Vets that's hosted by USAction.

USAction leads a national coalition of academics, advocates, grassroots leaders, labor organizations, progressive organizations and others to bring a safe and responsible end to the war and invest in America's Future, most importantly, our veterans.

WHO:              USAction, Rep. Tim Walz, Iraq War Veterans, MN National Guard Members
WHAT:           Round Table Discussion to hear what the Cost of War has meant to MN's soldiers and their families and to discuss improving the support they receive.
WHERE:         Mankato State University, Centennial Student Union, Room #238 (Knickerson Room)
WHEN:            Wednesday, March 19 at 11:00AM

Yesterday,Walz held a economic and education summit in Rochester; KAAL-TV covers the event in Preparing Our Workers for the Workforce:

Thousands of people from our area are looking for work tonight.

Some say we've fallen behind in the training of our workers.

And that means we run the risk falling behind other states and countries.

That's the message at an economic summit today, hosted by Minnesota Congressman Tim Walz.

Melissa Johnson is looking for a new job in the health care field.   

She's been trained as a nursing assistant and has the skills for the job she wants, but according to the people at a panel on Tuesday, we are not training our workers well enough for highly skilled jobs in bioscience and technology.

"The shortage of workers we're going to have, especially shortage of workers in these technical fields, is pretty terrifying,” says Congressman Tim Walz.

Walz and the experts say, either we train our workers to be smarter and give them more skills, or our country and our workers will lose out.

"We're not looking at hiring engineers from overseas, we're looking at hiring them right out of Rochester,” says Walz.

John Devlin runs a small bioscience company. 

He says schools need to emphasize math and science and educate kids about the types of jobs in the biosciences and renewable technologies.

"It’s kind of like the gold rush,” he says. “There's new developments each day and there's really the potential for something great here in this region."

Randy Johnson oversees workforce development incorporated in southeast Minnesota. 

"They’re going to have more highly skilled and more diverse task ability workforce to be able to work through this,” says Johnson. “It's quite a challenge.”

A challenge he says we all have an incentive to prepare our workers for.

"I'm definitely going to go back to school,” says Melissa Johnson. “I don't think you can get very far in this world without an education.”

And some say it's more important to teach smart now, than it's ever been.

Panelists say if we don't develop our own workforce, we could lose jobs, money and tax revenue to other states and countries.

There's an accompanying video.

Looking ahead, Congressman Walz will be a panel member on the Seventh Oberstar Forum on Transportation Policy and Technology at the University of Minnesota's Center for Transportation Studies:

Federal transportation programs and policy are due for dramatic institutional reform and revamping, according to the recommendations of a national study commission. With SAFETEA-LU expiring next year, what is the potential for such transformation in the next surface transportation bill? National experts will offer their perspectives at the seventh James L. Oberstar Forum on Transportation Policy andTechnology April 7 in Minneapolis.

Oberstar, chair of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, will open the event with a presentation titled “Transformation of National Transportation Policy for the 21st Century.” Next, Congressman Tim Walz from Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District, who serves on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee with Oberstar, is invited to present “Federal Transportation Policy to Meet State Needs.”

The forum then turns to a panel discussion of the recommendations of the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission. The commission was created by Congress under SAFETEA-LU (Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users), the federal surface transportation bill enacted in 2005. The results of its work are available in the recently released report Transportation for Tomorrow. Panelists are Jack Schenendorf, the commission’s vice chair, and commission members Rick Geddes, Steve Heminger, and Matt Rose. A second panel will assess the likelihood   of policy transformation. Speakers  will include Pete Ruane, president and CEO of the American Road & Transportation Builders Association; John Horsley, executive director     of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials; and William W. Millar, president of the American Public Transportation Association.

Congressman Oberstar will provide closing remarks.

The forum is free and open to the public.Space is limited, however, so attendees are     encouraged to register.       

Click on the link above for contact information.

An article from the Akron Beacon Journal about VoteVets and Iraq Vets for Congress mentions Tim Walz and Ashwin Madia.

We knew that Congressman Walz was on the Veterans Affairs, Ag, and Transportation Committee, but we didn't know he secretly ran the U.S. Mint and Department of Energy, manipulating money and oil supplies. Obsessive-compulsive anti-Dem  Paul Ibisch reveals all.

Walz to seniors: File with IRS to get stimulus rebate quickly

Another press release from the congressional office, accompanied by a letter from AARP thanking Walz for his work in passing the stimulus package:

Congressman urges seniors to file with IRS soon to get stimulus rebate quickly

(Owatonna, MN) - Today, Congressman Tim Walz met with seniors and elder care providers in Owatonna to discuss the impact of the economic downturn on older citizens and their families, as well as the rising cost of health care. 

Walz, who fought to ensure that seniors were included in the economic stimulus package that was signed into law in January, urged seniors to file with the IRS as quickly as possible in order to obtain their rebate checks.  The stimulus package was a bipartisan measure designed to jump start the economy and to provide necessary financial assistance to those who need it most.  After the passage of the economic stimulus package, Walz was thanked by the AARP for his leadership in helping including seniors in the bill.  AARP's letter is attached.

"I fought to include seniors and disabled veterans in the stimulus package and I'm pleased that we were successful," Walz said.  "As a result, seniors with $3,000 in qualifying income, which can include their Social Security income, qualify for a rebate and should file with the IRS as soon as possible to expedite their rebate check."

"Seniors devote countless volunteer hours to bettering our communities and they ask for little, other than the economic security to stay in their own homes and a health care system that will take care of their needs," Walz said.  "Our seniors served our country admirably over their lifetimes and we can best serve them by making sure we address their needs when times get tough."

Saturday late-afternoon news digest: from left to right edition

Talk radio WIZM in LaCrosse says Kind And Walz Rated Moderate Compared To Other Members Of Congress. The text is in radio script format:

   FOR A COUPLE OF DEMOCRATS, RON KIND AND TIM WALZ ARE A BIT ON THE CONSERVATIVE SIDE...
THAT'S HOW THE NATIONAL JOURNAL MAGAZINE RATES TWO AREA CONGRESSMEN, BASED ON SELECTED VOTES IN THE HOUSE. . . .

The Strib reports US House rejects immunity in wiretap measure. Beta News quotes Walz in House passes revised FISA reform bill minus telco immunity.

The Albert Lea Tribune reports that the Glenville, MN SoyMor stops producing biodiesel because the price of soybeans is too high for the plant to be profitable. Meanwhile, the Wind turbines are spinning at the Corn Plus ethanol plant, according to the Fairmont Sentinel. John Deere owns the great part of the turbines for now, but the plant will gain majority ownership in eleven years.

Carimona Township has raised its gopher bounty to $3 per pair of front paws. Such are the consequences to rodents of higher gas prices in Fillmore County.

The Ag Connection notes that Farm Bureau Members Travel to Washington.

The Political Party blog at the Rochester Post Bulletin says FISA Surveillance Bill passes House on narrow vote and Earmark changes put off, for now.  The idea went to the Senate to die:

Over in the Senate, support for a one-year moratorium by the three major presidential candidates did not sway many senators. Minnesota Sens. Norm Coleman, R, and Amy Klobuchar, D, helped kill a budget amendment on a 29-71 roll call vote. This week, Sens. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y, and  Barack Obama, D-Ill., announced their support for the moratorium, just in time to get on the same page as Republican nominee-in-waiting Sen. John McCain of Arizona.

Rep. Tim Walz, D-Mankato, (who has turned over the rotating freshman class presidency to Rep. John Yarmuth, D-Ky.), said Thursday that he's still open to a moratorium, under specific conditions. "If they want to talk about this and they're really making sure that we're going to use this on national priorities, whether it be paying down the debt or focusing on issues we all agree are priority issues, that's one thing.

"Sending it back to the bureaucracy and letting the president earmark it, which is exactly what it amounts to, or letting the president's designees, I'm nervous about that. It seems like political theatrics."

The Faribault Daily News has published a short "Saturday Starter" opinion on one of Dick day's legislative proposals:

State Sen. Dick Day (R-Owatonna) wants to revive the concept of allowing for racinos - a combination horse race track and casino - in Minnesota. A good reason to be against this plan? The word "racino" simply sounds silly.

In the netroots, Cube Zoo reacts to Brian Davis's tax proposals here.  His lead:

Brian Davis is a fool.

Find out why below the fold.

Friday midday news digest: blarney behind closed doors edition

We've been enjoying a lazy morning with a very affectionate kitty; however, golden boy Oscar de la Hoya has been banished from the studio.  Here's what we're reading in our rare closed door session. 

The Washington Post reports that Bush Calls Surveillance Bill Inadequate.  On C-Span right now, the bill is being debated; there's rowdiness in the chamber. This bill will be the final debate and vote before Congress recesses for the Easter district work break.

So far in the break,  Walz has announced an education and economic development summit in Rochester on March 18, and veterans meetings on Monday in Waseca and  Wednesday in New Ulm.  All three meetings are free and open to the public.

It's a good thing that people in New Ulm will have a day to recuperate from its St. Patrick's Day parade. The New Ulm Journal's Kevin Sweeney reports on the event in When Irish people are celebrating:

. . .the 43rd annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New Ulm will take place on Monday, March 17, with the blessing of diocesan administrator Msgr. Douglas Grams, according to parade organizers Tom Donnelly and Bill O’Connor.

The annual parade will take place at 5 p.m. It will proceed, as usual, the wrong way up Minnesota Street from Third South Street to Fourth North Street. All who are Irish and who appreciate the Irish are invited to participate.

According to O’Connor and Donnelly, Grams had no problem with the celebration.

“He knows it is first and foremost a religious holiday,” said O’Connor. “We have a parade, prayer, a meal, and then we go home.”

“The Monsignor knows our parade, and the love we Irish have for the Germans, and vice-versa,” said Donnelly.

Our Irish Catholic relatives in Watonwan County never told us there were Irish people in New Ulm.  The article continues:

. . . As usual, St. Patrick’s Day will feature a number of events designed to stimulate the minds and bodies of the normally stolid German citizens.

The annual rope-pushing contest will be held in German Park at 2 p.m.

The traditional medallion hunt will be held as well, though in all the years it has been held no one has ever found it. This year the medallion will be 8 feet in diameter, painted bright green and will be hidden in the Wal-Mart parking lot with a bright red light blinking on the top. . . .

.  .  . An ice fishing contest will be held on Lake Hanska. The person who catches the biggest bullhead will get a six-pack of Schell’s Beer. Second place is two six packs of Schell’s.

Must be the low end Deer P**s, and not the boutique brews like the Pils.  There are also some political shades of green in the article:

The Irish are steering away from presidential politics, however. They will not be endorsing a candidate. The only candidate with an Irish name is Sen. John McCain, a Republican, and the Irish are all confirmed Democrats, except for Terry Dempsey. O’Connor has long claimed Dempsey’s Republicanism is a result of being dropped on his head as a baby.

Read the rest for yourself.

A reader in the Mankato Free Press is confused about the Americans United for Change radio ad, which he takes to be a production in the letter Walz shouldn’t take too much credit for ‘rebate’. Letter writer Mike Grabow is a local Republican activist. No word on how firm a grip his parents had when he was a baby.

The Rochester Post Bulletin reports Drive to lower blood donor age to 16 succeeds.  Blooming Prairie high school student Joe Gibson has earned universal respect from legislators on both sides of the aisle for his leadership.

The paper also reports Obama's campaign sparks Somalis' interest in election. Money quote:

But Rochester residents like Shakur dispute the notion that their support for Obama rests solely or even primarily on his African family history and background.

The key, they say, is not only who he is, but what he stands for. And what Obama symbolizes, in their eyes, is hope -- the belief that their children can achieve like Obama and reach the highest political office in the land. If a man one generation removed from his African ancestry can become president, why can't their own children one day do the same?

"He shows that in America you can be whoever you want to be," said Abdulkadir Hussein, an anchorman for Rochester Somali TV.

The Rushford Tri-County Record notes that the Minnesota Environmental Partnership seeking local activists. The MEP has opened four field offices in Greater Minnesota, three in the First: Rushford, St. Peter, and the Albert Lea-Austin area.

Spring Valley Tribune publisher David Phillips writes Minnesota cooling, not global warming, foremost on our minds. His point isn't what the headline might tempt readers to conclude. The lead:

A former state legislator has been joking to people that he stayed warm this winter by burning books written by Al Gore. After experiencing a good, old-fashioned winter in Minnesota, many people probably share his sentiment.

However, there is climate and there is weather and one can't base global climate theories on local weather. If that were the case, then people in Scandinavia, which experienced one of its warmest winters ever with many record high temperatures, are likely fanning the pages of Gore's books to not only keep cool, but also learn more about just what is going on in our world. . .

Rep. Tony Cornish lends his support to Demmer's congressional endorsement bid, according the St. James Plaindealer. Cornish joins Rod Hamilton and other First Disitrct Republican House members in endorsing Demmer. While Cornish stresses Demmer's support for gun rights, readers should know that all candidates, and Congressman Walz, support gun rights.

Finally, another video from the Drum major Institute: