SD43 Republicans

If the only things you know about political candidates is what they tell you (about themselves and their opponents), and we presume that they will tell you only what they want you to hear, can you really call yourself an informed voter?

That's why I like voting record scorecards. Typically, they list a large number of key bills and amendments that came before the state legislature or Congress and show how each and every legislator voted. Each vote is given a point value, and each elected official gets a score. A candidate can say anything on the campaign trail, but incumbents should live or die on their voting records.

The 2010 Election Season is heating up.  We have a number of campaign events  coming up shortly.

1.   Senior GOP event on Monday with Chris Barden. 

Chris Barden will be the guest speaker at the regular meeting of the SD43 Seniorson Monday July 12, 3:00pm, Ridgepointe Apartments 12600 Marion Lane W.

2.  The MNGOP will be conducting voter ID calls directed at SD43 tomorrow Saturday July 10, in the new  Victory office (111 Cheshire) from 10-4.   Volunteers are needed.  This is a great way to help out all of our SD43 candidates and the statewide ticket as well.

3. Hamel Rodeo Parade.  The Paulsen campaign is calling for volunteers to walk in the Hamel Rodeo Parade on Sunday July 11.  The parade beings at 2pm  try to arrive around 1:30. If you are unfamiliar with the Hamel area you can  map quest/google map this address: 18005 Medina Rd, this will take you right into town. Parade officials will be there to guide you as well.  The parade starts on Hunter Dr and travels down Hamel Rd and we will end on Brockton Lane. The parade route is about .6 miles.  The Paulsen campaign is unit 45.

4.  Donate to the Chris Barden for Attorney General campaign.

Under the current state financing rules for the AG Race, Chris must have a minimum of 300 Minnesota donors at $50 each ($15,000 total) to qualify for the state campaign subsidy by July 19^th. Once he hits that threshold he receives an infusion of $80,000+ from the state. This campaign financing rule is more about the number of people than it is about the amount of money.

Please consider making a donation of any amount $10 - $1000 max per person to help him out. We hope to see you July 15th. Please feel free to forward this to others.

To learn more about Chris Barden or to donate please visit: www.barden4ag.com

Governor Pawlenty announced that he has appointed Minnetonka resident Brian Grogan to the Minnesota Academic Excellence Board (MAEF).

Grogan, founder and operator of Optimum Financial Group is honored by this appointment and looks forward to serving the people of Minnesota. The MAEF provides teachers with educational tools; administers the Education Quality Leadership Academy; offers workshops and training sessions to help school leaders improve school performance; and presents awards to outstanding students, educators, and supporters of education. MAEF is governed by a 21 member board of directors appointed by the Governor.

Brian Grogan acknowledged that Minnesota has the largest educational achievement gap in the nation between minorities and whites. In addition, over 50 percent of Minnesota's college bound high school graduates require remedial pre-college course work in math and writing.

Brian Grogan's participation on the board reflects his wholehearted desire to improve the college
and job readiness of Minnesota's children by improving their K12 educational experience.

Brian looks forward to being a positive voice on the MAEF board.

The 2010 session opened with legislators being informed that due to declining tax revenues, our state faced a $1.2 billion deficit.  The deficit grew to $3.5 billion when the Minnesota Supreme Court over turned Governor Pawlenty’s 2009 unallotment.  Sadly, during the 2010 session our legislative leaders worked harder at avoiding rather than dealing with our state’s fundamental issue - unsustainable spending.  Minnesotans are poorer for it!

For the last 4 years, the Democrats have had significant majorities.  They have controlled the legislative agenda in both chambers (Senate and House).  During this period they have repeatedly communicated that our state faces a revenue problem.  As proof, in the last three legislative sessions our state faced a deficit of $1 billion or more.  But rather than having a serious bipartisan discussion on how to reduce government size, the Democrats have chosen to use tax increases (gas tax, sales taxes and others), accounting shifts and delayed payments to address the majority of the deficit problem.  In other words they have consistently booted the deficit problems into the next session.

Is our state facing a spending or a revenue problem?  Minnesota’s revenues are projected to grow by nearly 5 percent during the next biennium, but analysts are still projecting a $5.5 billion deficit.  If revenues are growing in a slow economy, why is our state still facing a deficit?  Because our state’s spending is increasing faster than revenues.  In fact, under law many state programs have automatic spending increases regardless of whether our state has the revenues to pay for the program.  We have a spending problem in Minnesota!

If you have cancer and your doctor told you not to worry about it.  What would you think about his advice?  The Democrat party wants Minnesotans to believe we don’t have any structural problems in our state’s budget.  They want us to believe we can basically maintain the current spending programs while addressing our deficit problems with increased taxes, federal bailouts, shifting money and deferring payments to later times.  They hope revenues will catch up with spending.  This is a false hope the Democrat party is promising us.

Cancer treatment is painful and scary.  Likewise redesigning our state’s commitment to children, families and the poor will be challenging. People will face difficult choices.   If our state leaders address the state’s spending problems today, we will be an in better position to thrive in the future.  The greater good is served by getting our fiscal house in order.

How well would you grade the 2010 legislative session?  Could you take a brief moment and complete this survey?

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Wednesday evening, Republicans in House District 43B endorsed Brian Grogan on the first ballot to challenge Rep. John Benson (DFL-Minnetonka) this November, in a special endorsing convention.  Grogan faced conservative activist Jeanette Cope for the endorsement.

Grogan promised to fight at the Legislature for smaller and more efficient government, a business-friendly climate, K-12 education, and individual liberty. He sees the residents of HD43B as center-right politically, and therefore sees himself in a good position to unseat Benson. He also cited his existing campaign infrastructure, supporters, and experience from his 2008 challenge of Benson as resources to help him begin his campaign immediately.