Sunday digest: news, link farming and Muse Tube as well

It's interesting how the same article by the same reporter is packaged differently by two different nearby newspapers in the same chain. The LaCrosse Tribune chose the headline Minnesota Rep. Walz confirms support for disputed labor bill, while the Winona Daily News picked Business leaders criticize Walz for backing labor bill. The lead (clipped directly from the WND):

American workers would gain leverage to organize unions under a controversial bill that Rep. Tim Walz, DFL-Minn., recently confirmed he will support.

Federal lawmakers, particularly in the U.S. Senate, are ginning up for a bruising fight on the Employee Free Choice Act, which supporters say could help reverse decades of declining influence for American labor. Business leaders have fiercely criticized the bill, calling it a “job killer” and saying it would rob some workers of the right to a private vote on whether to unionize.

The act would enable employees to unionize without a secret vote that is now required, if a majority of workers sign cards to support forming a union. It also would set deadlines to force employers to negotiate contracts with newly formed unions or enter binding arbitration moderated by federal labor officials.

Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis., and Walz voted for the act in 2007 before it stalled in Congress, but this year, Walz waited until last week to co-sponsor it — causing a business leader in Owatonna, Minn., to speculate earlier this month that the congressman might be undecided. But Walz said Thursday he hasn’t wavered on the measure.

Employees should be able to control their destiny,” Walz said. “We’re just trying to make sure that people have the opportunity to make a living wage.”. . .

You'll have to go read either paper to find out the management view. we're happy Walz is sticking with a campaign pledge and vote during his first term.

Bob Collins at MPR: News Cut:writes about The 'earmarks factory', giving a hat tip to Bluestem for our earlier post about the PMA Group pay-to-play scandal.  We like the post, but commented with a cautionary note about overly dramatic political rhetoric:

Thanks for the hat tip.

However, isn't "ensnaring" somewhat overblown rhetoric?

Can you demonstrate which of the individual contributions from employees of PMA Group clients to Minnesota's federal lawmakers are linked with the corruption probe? As you point out, that probe seems more linked to the big honchos at the PMA Group giving money to others to contribute to campaign and leadership PAC committees. This violates federal law.

The other scandal--which though legal--is the apparent quid-pro-quo of contributions for earmarks. Again, the connection between our lawmakers should be established prior to claims of ensnarement.

Both instances underscore the need for meaningful reform in the appropriations process. How's about a civil conservation about that?

It seems difficult when burdened by loaded language. While the Star Tribune used the Taxpayer for Common Sense's recent report on all earmarks as the basis for an article larded with loaded language like "pork", the careful reader of Taxpayer s for Common Sense documents will note that the organization never uses that sort of language. At the recent Transparency Camp in DC, a thoughtful employee of the TCS explained to me that the group's choice of words was deliberate so as to avoid oversimplification of the debate.

An excellent point, though it seems to have gone over the head of reporters like Kevin Diaz. I hope that MPR will avoid dramatic hyperbole as well. Jeff Rosenberg called for a rational discussion of earmarks at MnPublius recently. Good idea. [final link added here at BSP]

The Albert Lea Tribune has posted answer to questions about public service in Sparks, Dorman and Walz answer questions on service. Interesting read.

Our friend the Political Muse at Liberal in the Land of Conservative: has posted three MNMuseTubes on Tim Walz. The YouTubes are posted below. He writes: 

Over the past few weeks Congressman Tim Walz has given a few one minute speeches on the floor of the House of Representatives. The first came the day after the speech to Congress by President Obama. Walz highlighted how the 1st District would benefit from the investment (energy, health care, & education) priorities laid out by the administration.

Here's the first MN MuseTube:

The second, on veterans :

The third:

We appreciate the Muse's putting together these YouTubes almost as much as his Weekly romp through the Blogosphere.

The New Ulm Journal reports Irish carry on St. Patrick’s Day Tradition. And you thought New Ulm was just about Germans and great beer. A sample:

The Irish in New Ulm are hopeful that the new stimulus package that President O'Bama is working on will finally lead to a 4-lane highway leading into New Ulm. "It will make it easier for the Germans to leave and the Irish to move in," said O'Connor.

It would also ease the traffic jams leading into New Ulm on St. Patrick from all the tourists coming to town to see the parade. The traffic sometimes backs up as far as Nicollet.

Southern Minnesota: To know Mayberry 2.0 is to love it.

Photo: Our friend DJ is tired of seeing our stock pictures of Congressman Walz, so he supplied this gorgeous picture of a 6-lb pot roast from a union meat cutting shop.  Don't you just want a slice of that emblem of the middle class American way of life?

Comments

[Phoenix Woman]

Yummy! Needs some carrots and onions, with maybe a side of wild rice cooked in chicken stock with mushrooms.