Today's headlines illustrate the difference between Congressman Walz and his presumptive opponent, Emo Senator Mike Parry.
The Mankato Free Press reports in Insider trading report puts focus on Walz’s STOCK Act:
On Sunday, Congressman Tim Walz had just four colleagues among the 535 members of the House and Senate who had signed on to his bill prohibiting insider trading on Capitol Hill.
By Tuesday night, the number was approaching 35 and growing.
Walz hadn’t become suddenly more persuasive over the weekend. The difference was a Sunday night broadcast by 60 Minutes about Congress being exempt from the insider trading laws that apply to other Americans who use non-public information to enrich themselves in the stock market.
“... the people who make the rules are the political class in Washington,” said Hoover Institution Fellow Peter Schweizer in the 60 Minutes story. “And they’ve conveniently written them in such a way that they don’t apply to themselves.”
Schweizer has studied trades made by members of Congress and believes some lawmakers use the special access to information provided by their positions to enrich themselves in a way that would be illegal in the corporate world.
“We know that during the financial crisis of 2008 they were getting out of the market before the rest of America really knew what was going on,” Schweizer said.
Walz took over as chief sponsor of the bill after Rep. Brian Baird retired.
While Walz is working to curb Congressional abuses, Parry is mocking the rights of home daycare providers to cast secret ballots for--or against--organizing a union. In Dayton executive order has political, legal forces mustering at State Capitol, ECM Capitol reporter TW Budig reports:
“It’s just another ‘Merry Christmas’ gift from our governor which will create more government intrusion in the lives of our independent businesses,” said Sen. Mike Parry, R-Waseca, Senate State Government Innovations and Veterans Committee chairman.
Would Parry resent "government instrusion" in his life as an investor if elected to Congress? Given his demonstrated proclivity for trying to make public parks and budget estimates a private concern, Bluestem doubts he'd sign on toanything that restricts his "freedom."
Bluestem isn't the only one with questions. Robert Emary writes in the Worthington Globe, Would Parry listen to all sides? Doubtful:
After reading about last Friday’s campaign stop by just-announced GOP candidate for Congress Mike Parry, I have to take issue with the suggestion that his record as a member of the Minnesota Senate since 2010 shows he could “work together with all bodies and listen to different viewpoints to help solve an issue.”
Is this the same Mike Parry who, in his Twitter statement, referred to President Obama as a “power-hungry, arrogant black man?” The same Sen. Parry who suggested that Gov. Mark Dayton should resign after only seven months in office? It doesn’t sound to me like someone who is ready to develop a good working relationship with anyone on the other side of the political aisle.
We in the Worthington area and across southern Minnesota expect our leaders to work together with all sides in a civil manner to do what’s best for our communities, not someone whose first instinct is to resort to immature ranting about other elected officials. Luckily, we already have a representative we can be proud of in Tim Walz. I’ll be happy to give him my continued support.
Given that Parry is back to ranting--about a secret ballot union vote, no less--Emary's on to something.
In a letter to the Austin Herald, Melissa Lindberg points out another problem with Parry's new leaf in Parry’s statements surprising:
. . .The article in this paper said, “Parry made it clear his campaign focus is on creating jobs and growing the economy. Although he didn’t lay out any specifics, he said he will work with all parties to draft legislation that will get Minnesotans back to work.”
I’m not sure where to begin on this one. In less than two years in the state Senate, Parry has proven to be one of the most partisan members of our legislature, routinely expressing anger towards a governor who bent over backwards to compromise for the good of the state. And now he says he wants to work to create jobs? Neither he, nor his other GOP colleagues, passed a single bill to create jobs in this state!
I certainly hope that Sen. Parry was being sincere in his new-found desire to work with others for the good of our state and nation, but I for one tend to trust a person’s actions more than the campaign promises of someone who simply seems to want a higher-paying job.
And still no word from Parry as to whether he'll refuse pay raises like Walz has done since being elected to Congress. Would Parry promise to start at Walz's congressional salary, which the Mankato Democrat has voluntarily frozen at the 2006 level?
Photo: The Emo Senator doesn't want those folks voting. He's threatening to flounce his way into court--after releasing a press release about his new Congressional supporters. It doesn't get any more emotive.
Flouncett O'Parra and Rhett Brodkorb are going to be soooo bummed out when the citizens of the Fighting First stick with the guy who actually sponsors important legislation.
Posted by: Phoenix Woman | Nov 18, 2011 at 02:54 PM