We considered suspending this blog and flying to DC to work on bailing out Wall Street, but the sheer loveliness of Southern Minnesota in September persuades us to leave the economic fix to the experts.
KEYC-TV reports in MN Legislators give Their Take On Bailout Proposal:
And after debating the proposal for a second day Minnesota legislators say they will continue asking the tough questions.Congressman Tim Walz says, "I want to make sure this isn't going to be paid off to someone making millions for a failed enterprise and then walks away from it with a truck load of money, that's our money, that's taxpayer's money, that's our children's future."
Senator Amy Klobuchar ... on the Senate floor today questioned the bailout plan asking for alternative ways to solve the financial crisis.Senator Klobuchar says, "Ways to pay for this that we can look at besides putting this on the backs of the middle - class because you know how their wages have gone down and their expenses have gone up $4500.
Read and watch the whole thing at KEYC-TV. Walz's statement and letter to Paulson are found here. The station also reports House Passes Defense Bill, Pay Raise For Troops.
The Winona Daily News editorial board opines A trillion dollars and absolutely no sense. The Worthington Globe board is milder as it urges prudence in Consider bailout carefully.
KAAL-TV reports Walz, Davis Debate Social Security. Watch the clip. Is Brian Davis day trading at that computer terminal or just looking up contacts to dial for dollars?
The station also reports that Noel Peterson has been elected president of the Minnesota Medical Association (watch video here by clicking on the #1 hit here). Peterson took part in Congressman Walz's Health Care Economic Summit in Owatonna in April 2008 (we live blogged the event) and the Austin Economic Summit in July 20, 2007(Health care panel liveblog here). The Austin Herald gave the 2007 summit high marks.
According to the MMA, the "witty and warm" Peterson has been deeply involved in the assocation's work on formulating health care policy:
He is currently a member of the Professionalism Work Group and the Veterans Health Care Task Force. For four years he served as MMA treasurer. He was a member and chair of the subcommittee on coverage for the MMA Health Care Reform Task Force in 2004 and 2005; a member of Healthy Minnesota: A Partnership for Reform. He was a member of the MMA Committee on By-Laws, and the Committee on Administration and Finance. He has been a delegate to the MMA House of Delegates since 1991.
He is also a member of the Zumbro Valley Medical Society’s Executive Committee and its Legislation Committee.
Not everybody was happy with the Owatonna Health Care Economic Summit. Bruce Kaskubar, chair of the Olmsted County Republican, reacts with a "white paper" here. Read it for yourself to know how the head of Rochester's Republicans responded to remarks by the man who now leads the Minnesota Medical Association. We're curious if Republican congressional candidate Brian Davis agrees with Kaskubar's criticisms.
CQPolitics reports in Offshore Drilling Debate Eclipsed by Economy:
Republicans declared victory after getting Democratic leaders to drop a ban on most new offshore drilling, but the political benefit has quickly faded and both sides are already looking to revisit the issue next year. . . .
According to a post on Iowa Senator Grassley's site, Congressman Walz has joined with other colleagues to urge the House and Senate Armed Services Committee to make sure that members of the Armed Services are provided with the Post-Deployment/Mobilization Respite Absence (PDMRA) benefits they deserve. According to release, 850 Iowa National Guard members didn't not receive leave because of the delay; the letter says that thousands of people in the National Guard and Reserves were shortchanged.
If you're sick of negativism coming from campaign, Mark Fischenich recommends the Minnesota Secretary of State's program, Voting in honor of the vets. We're voting to honor our late uncle, Troy Theissen--as well as those friends who have served in Iraq.
All that talk of a bailout reminds us of a great old Hank Williams song, covered here by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant:
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