MPR and City Pages have published an excerpt of a fundraising email sent out from U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann on behalf of the Quist for House District 19A campaign committee. The email carries a "Paid for by Friends of Quist" disclaimer as a footer.
Bluestem posts the entire document below, although we retract the name of the recipient and the hot links to Quist's fundraising page. We're not volunteering for that task.
We're struck by the hyperpartisan tone, accusing Democrats of planning all sorts of horrible things that only the election of Allen Quist can prevent. Quist, on the other hand and other places, has been touting his mad bipartisan skillz.
From his January 4, 2013 press release announcing his bid for Republican endorsement in the February 12 special election to fill the vacancy created by Terry Morrow's resignation:
. . . Quist also said that his record of being bi-partisan is a significant asset in promoting good government. “Good legislation is almost always bipartisan,” he said. Quist was chief author of the bill that created what was then called Minnesota’s Department of Jobs and Training. Quist said he worked closely with then DFL Governor Rudy Perpich in drafting and passing that bill. . . .
Bachmann, however, shares a more strident vision. Take the establishment of health insurance exchanges:
. . .The Star Tribune reported Democrats are "rushing" to institute Obamacare health exchanges.
As you can see, Republicans in St. Paul need Allen Quist, and Allen Quist needs your help today to win this race . . .
What neither of these Republican retreads is sharing: the details about bipartisanship in the creation of the "health exchanges. The Star Tribune's Jennifer Brooks reported in Work begins on Minnesota health insurance exchange:
Minnesota is taking the first step toward sweeping changes in the way more than a million of its residents and businesses buy health insurance.
A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers gathered at the Capitol on Wednesday to introduce long-delayed legislation that will set the groundwork for Minnesota's new health insurance exchanges. The system, a cornerstone of the federal Affordable Care Act, will allow consumers to shop online for their health coverage and choose the plans with the best coverage at the best price. . . .
And one of the sponsors? Former ALEC Minnesota state co-chair, Preston Republican Greg Davids:
"When someone needs help, I would much rather be calling the area code of 651 rather than the [Washington, D.C.,] area code of 202," said Rep. Greg Davids, R-Preston, who is co-sponsoring the bill despite what he said are "major concerns" about parts of the legislation.
Lawmakers will have less than three months to sign off on the exchange before a March 31 federal deadline. The legislation introduced Wednesday lays the groundwork for how the online health insurance marketplace will operate. It will be governed by a seven-member board that will decide which plans will be offered to the public. Among the million-plus Minnesotans expected to use the exchange are 300,000 who are now uninsured.
The bipartisan show of support is an abrupt shift from the tensions that marked the health care debate last year. The Republican-controlled Legislature refused to even bring a health exchange bill up for debate. . . .
Oh, Allen. Davids has changed his ways from years ago when he was an ALEC leader, and now supports an approach the corporate bill factory campaigned against, but you?
You're still the sanctimonious but postmodern conservative, claiming a couple of contradictory explanations of yourself. If you want a lesson in bipartisan, don't take Michele Bachmann word for it that this is a "Democrat" bill.
Rather, Davids and Jim Abeler might be able to help you out with HF5, the health insurance exchange bill.
Here's fundraising email:
Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2013 11:31 AM
To: [redacted]
Subject: This email is about Minnesota
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Cartoon: Allen Quist, who believes the dinosaurs and people co-existed, flies back for a second chance at public office in 2013. Cartoon by Ken Avidor.
While we won't raise money for Allen Quist, Bluestem will accept any contribution you care to make below:
So either Allen Quist is a bald (and bald-faced) liar or he's one of the worst victims of ideological whiplash I've ever seen.
Wasn't it just last week he was telling the Republicans of 19A to pick him over Golgart because Golgart dared to be civil and professional in his interactions with fellow veteran Tim Walz? Why, yes, yes, it was: http://www.bluestemprairie.com/bluestemprairie/2013/01/quist-to-bash-golgart-for-comments-about-national-vet-service-officers-group-award-to-walz.html
And now he's publicly telling the voters of 19A that he's really not the hardcore fire-breathing Republican partisan he's made out to be -- even as his wife's old boss tells the conservative Republicans targeted in her fundraising letter that Quist is all that and so much more?
His head must be spinning like Linda Blair's.
Posted by: Phoenix Woman | Jan 15, 2013 at 08:36 PM