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Veterans

A Preview Of A GOP 2014 Lit Piece

by TwoPuttTommy on April 24, 2013 · 5 comments

250px-Veterans_Home_08I wrote a Community Voices story over at Twin Cities Daily Planet – “Governor’s Office, Legislature at odds over funding for Veterans Home” – because I’m a recipient of a Media Skills Fellowship and I’ll be covering veterans issues. From it:

Long story short: the Minnesota Veterans Home in Minneapolis used to be a pit. Among the Home’s campus were old buildings that had not been well maintained along with others that even had they been properly maintained were obsolete anyway. And, a dangerous one. In addition to the deferred maintenance there were problems with care to the point that patients had died. So a plan was put in place, and the turn around began.

Bottom line? There’s a 3 phase plan; phase 1 has been completed. Phase 2 has been funded, but cannot commence until Phase 3 has been funded. So this project to fix a major problem is on hold, because for some reason, the leadership hasn’t figured out what Governor Dayton’s office has: not only is it the right thing to do, it’s political suicide to do the wrong thing and NOT fund it. Right now, in the veteran community, Dayton is a hero. House and Senate leadership? Not so much, to put it mildly….

Here’s a quote from a GOPer on this very subject:

“We started renovation of the Minneapolis home back in 2009,” said Rep. Bob Dettmer (R-Forest Lake). “Are we really doing what we should be doing for our men and women who have served our country? I really feel that the perception out there that we’re not. We’re putting money into museums, state trails, sculpture gardens, nature centers and so forth. I think our men and women that have served our country over the years really deserve better. … I think we should be looking at finishing that project in Minneapolis and then going forward with some of these other concepts.”

Does anyone really think that if the DFL-led House and Senate pass a bonding bill without funding a project that’s already started that Democrats across the state won’t be seeing lit pieces based on that above quote hitting mail boxes in their districts?

This is an unforced error. And that’s becoming a pattern; just last week The Big E wrote about this one: “First raise the minimum wage”.

Any bets the GOP 2014 Lit Piece on not funding the veterans home will include that one, too?

The House and the Senate need to step up their games, and fast. Funding the veterans home, which includes a large chunk of federal money, is a good start.

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Right Wingers Gather; Best News? “Draft Emmer!” Or…

by TwoPuttTommy on January 31, 2013 · 0 comments

“Let’s Do The Time Warp Again!”

The call went out, to far and wide (even Facebook!) for The WingNut Faithful to gather at a bar in Arden Hills (where presumably, they didn’t have to tip because Waitrons make $100,000 a year! for a special, heart-searching event: “MnGOP Panel: Where Do We Go From Here? – What went wrong in 2012, and moving forward in 2013″

And what a panel it was!  ”Moderated” by EXTREME right wingers Mitch Berg and Jeff Johnson, Senator Dave Thompson, Walter Hudson, Andy Parrish, Sarah Janecek, Dan “Dac” Severson, Marianne Stebbins and Mark Westphal were the main draws!  

I didn’t go; watching the action on Twitter Hashtags #wdwgfh & #MnGOP13) was entertainment enough for yours truly, the ol’ TwoPutter!

And clearly, these assembled party faithful have not a clue.

Which, for a Progressive, is GREAT news!  But, the best news, is the apparent formation of a “Draft Emmer” clown car – here’s the tweet that clued me in!!!

 

And here’s the photo in that tweet!

YES!!!  That’s THE ticket!!!

Dear Tom Emmer – I hear Brad Biers is available!  Of course, that might get Brad in a little hot water with his boss….

In all seriousness, I didn’t catch a tweet that got to the nub of what is wrong with today’s scandal-plagued Mn GOP; especially how you couldn’t trust the GOP then, you still can’t now, and tomorrow won’t be any different – “right”, Senator Hann?

For those that are interested in what’s REALLY wrong with today’s GOP, Hamline Professor David Schultz recently penned “The Moral Crisis of the Republican Party”.  I highly recommend those reading this, read it.

Obviously, those in attendence last night hadn’t.

Here’s an example of the candidacy of Tom Emmer in 2010, and why those GOPers that are electable are not endorsable (and those GOPers endorsable are not electable) in today’s MnGOP – via YouTube:  

 

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Clark Files for 8th Congressional District Seat, says future of region depends on Investing in Jobs

by Owen_Truesdell on June 5, 2012 · 0 comments

Filing comes after a week highlighting the need to integrate returning veterans into local workforce

full disclosure- I am a paid staffer for Tarryl Clark

(St. Paul, MN) – Today, Tarryl Clark, former Assistant Majority Leader of the Minnesota State Senate, filed papers to run against Congressman Chip Cravaack to represent the 8th Congressional District. Clark, who is campaigning aggressively across Northeast and Central Minnesota, cited Cravaack’s conservative voting record and failure on jobs as the primary reason for her run for Congress.

“Our region was hit especially hard by the Great Recession and the future of the district depends on investing in good-paying jobs for our middle-class families. But
Congressman Cravaack has been voting against every measure that would bring jobs and economic development to the region,” said Clark.  ”Instead of doing what’s best for our seniors, veterans, and families, Cravaack is actively supporting the extreme “Ryan Budget” which aims to cut millions of jobs and devastate our economy even further,” continued Clark.

Clark spent last week highlighting the connection between jobs and Minnesota’s veterans. She participated in events in Duluth, Camp Ripley, Onamia, and Brainerd, talking with voters and veterans about translating the skills veterans develop serving their country into good jobs back home. The week culminated with Clark joining President Obama at Honeywell’s Golden Valley facility, where the President announced his “We Can’t Wait” initiative to help service members with manufacturing training and other high demand skills receive civilian licenses.

“I’m running for Congress because 8th District veterans, children, families, and communities need an advocate in Congress who will invest in the future: good jobs and a secure middle-class. Chip Cravaack is voting against our communities and that’s unacceptable,” concluded Clark.

Tarryl Clark continues to campaign throughout Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District to unseat Freshman Tea Party Congressman Chip Cravaack. Clark’s twenty-four years of work on behalf of Minnesota’s seniors, children, veterans, and families, and unmatched funding make her the strongest candidate to win in November. Since leaving the Minnesota Senate, Clark has served as the national co-chair of the Jobs! 21 Initiative with the Blue-Green Alliance, where she has continued working to create good, sustainable jobs in Minnesota and around the country.

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Some wars are just, some wars are necessary…

by Bill Prendergast on May 28, 2012 · 0 comments

…and some wars are started by madmen, by greedy liars or megalomaniac politicians.

In any case: all the honor goes to those who serve and have served. All honor goes to the ones who risked their own lives and well-being in the firm belief that they were doing so to protect their countrymen.

Let’s not forget about them or that belief, once they come home. Let’s make protection of the interests of the veterans and their families an American priority–just as they made us their priority.

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On Journalism

by TwoPuttTommy on May 27, 2012 · 0 comments

Here at MPP, Regular Readers recognize that on occasion we’ve been critical of reporting/reporters – but only for the old-fashioned reason: it’s been earned.

When the Strib took Reporter Mark Brunswick off of politics and assigned him to work on Veterans stories, I was a little worried.  I wondered if they’d allocate the time and resources needed to do the job. IMNSHO, I’m here to say those worries were unfounded.  

Today the Star Tribune has what I consider a really Really REALLY solid piece of journalism on the front page. It’s a story by Mark Brunswick about the four day trip home from Afghanistan for Members of Minnesota’s Air National Guard.

As it’s Memorial Day Weekend, I consider this story a “must read” — and the video on the Strib webpage a “must watch.”

Here’s the link to today’s story: “Minn. Air Guard: From war to home in four days”

Here’s the link to the Strib containing the series of stories: “Marching Home: An occasional series”

Some may have seen what I’ve posted on facebook with links to the Strib story:

“All gave some; some gave all.” Who wrote it is unknown but it’s true. Tomorrow on Memorial Day we honor the latter. Today in the Star Tribune is a great story about the former.

I wish everyone a happy and safe Memorial Day to honor the some that gave all.

And I’ll give the Strib a shout-out for some outstanding journalism.

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Vets Speak Out Against Photo ID Amendment at Capitol

by TakeActionMN on February 29, 2012 · 1 comment

Recently returned veterans, retired career members of the U.S. military and homeless veterans joined forces Wednesday morning at the Capitol to voice their opposition to a photo ID amendment moving forward in the Minnesota state legislature. Those speaking questioned why such a restrictive law is necessary and asked why Minnesota legislators pushing voter photo ID are trying to make it harder to vote for those serving their country at home and abroad.

In particular, speakers focused on why voter photo ID legislation passed last session and vetoed by Governor Dayton wouldn’t allow a military ID as proof of identity.  

“I have always considered my military ID as my primary form of identification,”

said Colonel Mark Mayer, a U.S. Air Force commander who retired with thirty years of service in June 2002.  

“The provisions of this legislation that would deny Minnesotans the vote and invalidate the military ID card, which is almost universally accepted as a primary ID credential, are bad for Minnesota’s military members, Minnesota’s military family members, and the Minnesota that values, respects, and supports military service.”

More vets speaking out below the fold …
Minneapolis resident Alex Erickson, an Army veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, who served in Baghdad and Iraq during all of 2008 and parts of 2007 and 2009, told reporters he would never forget the bravery and courage of Iraqis coming to the polls, many for the first time, during the provisional elections held on January 31, 2009 in the post-Saddam Hussein era. What concerns Erickson the most about Minnesota’s photo ID amendment

“is the lack of answers on how it would impact overseas voting and absentee-balloting.”

Erickson said that during the two Senate committee hearings he’s watched this session,

“legislators have refused to articulate how Minnesota service-members would cast their ballots under this new system.  It seems we can only expect more difficulties for our veterans and our troops.”

Throughout the past decade, balloting reforms in Minnesota and at the federal level have made voting for overseas military members easier. The Minnesota Secretary of State’s office estimates that over eleven-thousand eligible Minnesota voters, military as well as civilian, currently reside overseas.  Of those, over three thousand one hundred military members stationed abroad requested absentee ballots in 2010.  And of those, just under two thousand were returned by Election Day, a return ballot rate of 63.6%, a huge increase over the 24.8% return ballot rate from 2006 – just four years earlier.  Had the proposed photo ID constitutional amendment been in effect then, those votes would have been disenfranchised.

Former Sgt. Erika Hiller, a Gulf War veteran from St. Paul, was awarded the Army Reserve Components Achievements Medal for service during and after Desert Storm.  Hiller spoke against the photo ID amendment, saying

“I served with people just like me who lost their homes during active duty.”

Hiller believes the proposed photo ID legislation that requires a current address on one of only three forms of government-issued IDs

“is an insult to anyone who has served in the armed forces and is currently displaced, living in temporary housing or homeless.”

Hiller also remarked that

“as a daughter of an aging veteran, a veteran myself and a mother of a soon-to-be college student, I am outraged that our state would narrow the right to vote for young adults, active duty personnel serving our county abroad, and aging or displaced veterans.”

Col. Mayer, Erickson, and Sgt. Hiller were joined by State Representative John Lesch of St. Paul who also opposes the photo ID amendment and spoke about his own experiences in trying to vote while being stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia.  Lesch said that

“the only time I wasn’t able to vote was when I was on active duty – and it wasn’t for lack of trying.”  

Lesch believes the conservative legislators who support photo ID are ignoring voting statistics of those serving their country and promoting legislation which will take away the right to vote from active duty service personnel serving abroad or who are training away from home.

“They’re making it harder to vote and that’s wrong.”

Non-legislators speaking at Wednesday’s press conference are all members of TakeAction Minnesota, including Air Force Colonel Mark Mayer, Sgt. Erika Hiller, and Army veteran Alex Erickson.

For more information on voter photo ID legislation or the photo ID amendment in Minnesota, please visit www.OurVoicesCountMN.org or www.TakeActionMinnesota.org
 

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Romney: “Privatize Veterans Medical Care”

by TwoPuttTommy on November 17, 2011 · 0 comments

There’s a reason the New Hampshire Gazette has Willard Mitt Romney listed in it’s “Chickenhawk Hall Of Shame.”

And stuff like this is going to keep Romney in it:

Maybe some enterprising main-stream media type will ask if Kline, Paulsen, Bachmann & Cravaack are in with Mitt on this scheme to screw veterans for corporate gain?

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Does Erik Paulsen Really Support Veterans?

by TwoPuttTommy on November 10, 2011 · 0 comments

In a word:  NO.

GOPer Erik Paulsen, R=TargetCorp, recently took the time to toss up a quick YouTube saying, in honor of Veterans Day (tomorrow), how much he honors veterans.  Yeah, “right.”  Here’s what his official house.gov website says:

For Veterans and Service Members

I place the utmost priority on constituent service requests in my office – particularly those related to veterans. Whether it be help getting benefits or a Purple Heart, I strongly encourage you to contact me and my staff to help with your needs.

Additionally, I’m working on a number of bills in Congress to honor and strengthen the commitment we’ve made to our veterans, service members and their families.

I am also working to address a number of issues related to survivor and dependent benefits, honoring our Purple Heart recipients with a forever stamp and I am co-sponsoring legislation to allow members of the Armed Forces, and their loved ones, to send letters and care packages to our troops over seas at no cost.

I want this section of my website to be entirely dedicated to helping those who have served our nation in uniform. Check out the resources below and please contact me with any questions.

I followed that link – and it goes to Paulsen’s Press Releases.  Yes, “press releases.” One bill that he “worked on” is a bill that never got enacted – because Paulsen seems to think it takes a new law to enforce what existing law already calls for.  But hey! Pausen sure gave it a swell name – the “Wounded Warrior and Military Survivor Housing Assistance Act of 2010″!

A search of Paulsen’s proposed legislation doesn’t list a single Veteran’s Issue.  Carrying water for the insurance industry?  Sure!  Greasing the skids on tax rates for investment income of private foundations? You betcha!  Writing legislation to help Veterans that have served their country? Not so much.

In fact, as noted a month ago here on MPP in a post entitled “Do Bachmann And Paulsen Support Veterans?” — well, let’s look!

The Veterans Of Foreign Wars just happens to track who sponsors and co-sponsors bills that actually do things to honor the commitment to Veterans that Paulsen and Bachmann often claim to do – and they even have a swell webpage for voters to hold them accountable.  Go ahead; click on “Elected Officials” an check on anyone in Congress you want to!

Here’s Paulsen’s page; now click on “Bills” and you’ll see a list under the headings “Bill Name” and “Co-Sponsor?”

And please note that after each and every single bill to help Veterans, under the “Co-Sponsor?” header is:  “No”

And if you hit the “More Bills” icon, you’ll find that they still are all: “No”

But, that’s just the Veterans of Foreign Wars list.  How does Paulsen do with the Disabled American Veterans?  

Click here to see how many bills Paulsen’s co-sponsored that the Disabled American Veterans would like him to – when you’re there, just click on “bills.”  To save you time, here’s how many:  zero. zip. nada.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it doesn’t take a lot of “work” to sign-on and co-sponsor a bill.

How does another Veterans Organization – the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) – score Paulsen’s “work” on behalf of veterans?

Their “2010 Congressional Report Card” gives Paulsen a “D.”

On 18 votes they looked at – bills affecting veterans – Paulsen only voted with veterans 10 times – thus the “D” rating.  According to IAVA, Paulsen had the worst voting record of Minnesota’s eight House Members.  Yes, Paulsen’s record is worse than Bachmann’s (by one vote).

When I had this .gif produced, it was because of Paulsen and Bachmann’s similar records – according to the VFW.   Now you know – Paulsen and Bachmann’s records are also similar with the DAV and with IAVA.  Similarly atrocious.

On Veterans Day, remember the sacrifices veterans have made.

And remember that Paulsen gives lip service to the veterans.

 

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Sen. David Hann willing to hurt kids with cancer and elderly vets

by The Big E on November 9, 2011 · 0 comments

Minnesota was about to get $25 million in health care grants as part of the Affordable Care Act.  The money would go to help children with cancer and to provide in-home care to military veterans.  But Sen. David Hann (R-Eden Prairie) hates Obamacare so much that he blocked Minnesota from accessing these grants.

“My intent, as I said, was to make sure that we had a chance for the Legislature more than just me to look at this,” Hann said. “I don’t think I should be the guy that determines whether or not we should spend $60 million or not. I don’t think the governor should be either. I think that’s something for the public and the Legislature to do in the light of day.”
(MPR)

In his letter, Hann obscures his real intent of blocking this grant by asking for more information:

“The documents provided to me do not sufficiently explain the need for the grant and for what purpose the money will be spent.”

Gov. Dayton called out Hann for blocking this grant because of his ideology:

Senator Hann’s unwarranted imposition of his personal ideology on state agencies’ abilities to help people with urgent needs is unconscionable.  He will severely harm 5,000 Minnesota children with cancer and their families, who would be helped by the Pediatric Cancer Surveillance grant.  His action will prevent Minnesota families, who are enduring the horrific experience of children with cancer from learning about new medical research, which coud save their children’s lives.

Senator Hann has decided also to block the Department of Human Services from helping some 172,000 elderly Minnesota veterans by connecting them to the approrpriate home and community-based services.  This grant is also designed to save money through preventative services.

Senator Erin Murphy (DFL-Saint Paul) and Tony Lourey (DFL-Kerrick) also weighed in:

“Rather than take common sense steps to support Minnesotans, Senator Hann and Republicans continue to put up partisan, ideological barriers,” said Rep. Murphy. “These grants would help children with cancer, elderly veterans, and people with Alzheimer’s – their lives shouldn’t be pawns in political games.”

“Senator Hann’s unilateral action puts his own personal ideology before the welfare of many thousands of Minnesotans,” said Sen. Lourey. “This is an egregious abuse of legislative authority, and one more reason we cannot afford the extreme political agenda of the current GOP-led legislature.”

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Sen. David Hann willing to hurt kids with cancer and elderly vets

by The Big E on November 9, 2011 · 0 comments

Minnesota was about to get $25 million in health care grants from the federal government.  The money would go to help children with cancer and to provide in-home care to military veterans.  But Sen. David Hann (R-Eden Prairie) is so partisan, is so far out of touch with the needs of Minnesotans that he blocked Minnesota from accessing these grants.

“My intent, as I said, was to make sure that we had a chance for the Legislature more than just me to look at this,” Hann said. “I don’t think I should be the guy that determines whether or not we should spend $60 million or not. I don’t think the governor should be either. I think that’s something for the public and the Legislature to do in the light of day.”
(MPR)

But the truth is, by blocking our state from receiving these competitive grants, we would need to re-apply for them.  In his letter, Hann obscures his real intent of blocking these grants by asking for more information:

“The documents provided to me do not sufficiently explain the need for the grant and for what purpose the money will be spent.”

Gov. Dayton called out Hann for blocking this grant because of his ideology:

Senator Hann’s unwarranted imposition of his personal ideology on state agencies’ abilities to help people with urgent needs is unconscionable.  He will severely harm 5,000 Minnesota children with cancer and their families, who would be helped by the Pediatric Cancer Surveillance grant.  His action will prevent Minnesota families, who are enduring the horrific experience of children with cancer from learning about new medical research, which coud save their children’s lives.

Senator Hann has decided also to block the Department of Human Services from helping some 172,000 elderly Minnesota veterans by connecting them to the approrpriate home and community-based services.  This grant is also designed to save money through preventative services.

Senator Erin Murphy (DFL-Saint Paul) and Tony Lourey (DFL-Kerrick) also weighed in with a press release:

“Rather than take common sense steps to support Minnesotans, Senator Hann and Republicans continue to put up partisan, ideological barriers,” said Rep. Murphy. “These grants would help children with cancer, elderly veterans, and people with Alzheimer’s – their lives shouldn’t be pawns in political games.”

“Senator Hann’s unilateral action puts his own personal ideology before the welfare of many thousands of Minnesotans,” said Sen. Lourey. “This is an egregious abuse of legislative authority, and one more reason we cannot afford the extreme political agenda of the current GOP-led legislature.”

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