It is U.S. Sen. Al Franken.

The Minnesota Supreme Court today unanimously decided that Franken, a Democrat, won the highest number of votes in last year's U.S. Senate race and deserves a signed election certificate.

Read the full article...

"Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) stated on the House floor that the cap-and-trade bill is a choice between liberty and tyranny. The Congresswoman says she chooses liberty."

See the Michele Bachmann video on Real Clear Politics

The Cap and Trade bill passed the house yesterday with a vote of 219-211.  Eight Republican's voted for the bill. 

Roll Call Vote #477

WASHINGTON -- The Spanish professor is puzzled. Why, Gabriel Calzada wonders, is the U.S. president recommending that America emulate the Spanish model for creating "green jobs" in "alternative energy" even though Spain's unemployment rate is 18.1 percent -- more than double the European Union average -- partly because of spending on such jobs?

Calzada, 36, an economics professor at Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, has produced a report which, if true, is inconvenient for the Obama administration's green agenda, and for some budget assumptions that are dependent upon it.

Read the rest of George Wills column on Real Clear Politics

Here is some good information on how to be more effective when contacting your elected representatives. Of course they are also asking for donations.

"If once (the People) become inattentive to the public affairs... I, and Congress, and Assemblies, Judges and Governors shall all become wolves." Thomas Jefferson

Here's how you can take effective action to let your elected representatives know how you want them to vote on important issues, as well as ways to spread the message to other citizens so they may take action too.  We can restore the Constitutional government our Founding Fathers intended only by educating the public and holding our representatives accountable for their votes.

See the whole article here, with its some 17 tips...

Democrats in Washington have spent more than a year pushing an energy proposal with the supposed goal of reducing carbon emissions. But with each iteration of their proposal, they continue to neglect a clean, efficient, and affordable solution to our energy problems: nuclear power. If they are really serious about reducing carbon emissions, why fail to fully utilize the only proven technology that produces reliable, emissions-free energy?

As Republicans have said all along: Nuclear power must be part of an all-of-the-above strategy for achieving energy independence — and that is doubly true for achieving clean energy independence.

Read the rest in The Hill..

State sales taxes will increase on July 1, 2009. In Washington Country they will increase from 6.75 percent to 7.125 percent.  This represents a 5.55 percent increase from last year, which also saw a 1/4 percent increase in sales tax for the five county metro-area just one year ago. 

In addition there will be another 1.6¢ increase in gasoline tax also on July 1.  This is the forth gas tax increase in the last 15 months. Our gasoline taxes will have increased 35.5 percent since April of last year.  There are still 3 more gasoline tax increases scheduled ahead. One each in 2010, 2011, and 2012, bringing the total gas tax increase to 42.5 percent from March 2008 levels.  These increases are similar to boiling frogs by turning the heat up slowly.

The transit tax enacted in 2008 is used to [partially] fund the public  transit system including light rail, commuter rail, and bus rapid transit.  The Metro-Council claims that the area population was 2.85 million in 2007, and the MTC claims that last year they had there best year ever (high gas prices) with 77 million rides provided. That represents about 3.7 percent of the population using public transportation on a daily basis, which we all are heavily subsidizing because the users of the system are only paying a small fraction of the actual cost of the ride.

There are 46 states running deficits in 2009.  This map shows the deficit on a per-capita basis.  It appears the bluer the state politically, the worse the deficit.  Well that does make a lot of sense.  The map   Pass your mouse over your state to see the deficit amount per person.

Every candidate for Congress and sitting member has at one time or another railed against the loss of taxpayer dollars to waste, fraud and abuse. They seem to readily acknowledge that the federal bureaucracy is a sieve through which tax dollars just slip and vanish. And, they are always ready to sharpen their image of fiscal responsibility by calling for greater savings by eliminating waste, fraud and abuse.  

But, the vigilance of too many members stops there. They are all too anxious to allow hard-working taxpayers’ money to be given away to outside organizations and then far less anxious to police the way that money is used. Accessing federal funding is a privilege, not a right, and it must be earned. It should be a given that any organization that has been indicted for election-related fraud or that employs people who have been charged with those crimes should not have access to federal funds. But, that’s currently not the case. 

Read the rest at Human Events...

To My Fellow Republicans,

Our next BPOU meeting will be held on Thursday June 25th. As usual we will be meeting at the Machine Shed Restaurant starting at 7:00 pm. Our guest speaker will be talking about the Sovereignty bill that was before the State House of Representatives this past session. Leon Moe was the leader of the attempt to get the bill discussed on the floor of the house. Leon was able to get all Republican State House members, except one, to sign on as co-authors. Unfortunately no DFL members would sign on.

We will also hear from the new MN GOP Chair Tony Sutton. Tony is committed to helping us deliver all three seats in 56 to the Republican column in 2010. It is very important to get the full support of the State Party in order for us to win those three seats in 2010!

We will also spending time at the meeting to get the committee assignments finalized. We need to get out of the gate strong! We have parades, fairs etc. coming up shortly and it is a lot of work. We need to start preparing for the caucus (February) and the Endorsing Convention in March. We will need your participation.

I look forward to seeing you at our meeting on Thursday June 25th at the Machine Shed Restaurant at 7:00 pm.

Joe

Today Governor Pawlenty began the difficult task of unallottment. Unallottment was, of course, not the governor's first choice. But since the legislature couldn't agree on how to solve yet another astronomical budget deficit, he had little choice. Overspending can be dealt with one of two ways: 1. Control spending, or 2. Raise taxes.

Among the proposals from the Democratic legislature for the state's 2.7 billion shortfall: Increase income tax on all Minnesotans. The rate change would have been: 5.35% rate increased to 6%, 7.05 rate to 7.7%, 7.85% to 8.5%. The Democrats also wanted to create a new 9.25% rate. They also proposed doubling the cigarette tax from 48 cents to $1.02 cents per pack, and raising alcohol taxes, including doubling the receipt tax and per drink taxes on wine, beer and distilled spirits.

Read the rest...

HouseGalleryView

How is the county doing? This may not be a common greeting among Washington County residents when they meet one another on the street.

Yet, a county performance report, now available for pick-up at county libraries or reading at www.co.washington.mn.us addresses dozens of aspects of life that affect residents on a daily basis.

Read the rest of the article at The Woodbury Bulletin

The 2008 Performance Report

Patriots: this Saturday, June 13, please consider the following - donate blood at the St. Paul Armory any time between 8-5. There is free parking in the street. The drive is sponsored by the Armed Services Blood Program and your blood goes directly to military hospitals and the front lines.

This is an easy way to do something for our country.  You must be 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good health, or in cases like diabetes, have the condition under control.

Please feel free to post this to your "My Space," "Facebook," etc. They have risked their lives for you, can’t you find it in your heart to give a pint for them?

Chris and Joe Salmon

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