Monday, May 17, 2010

Being heard, or at least trying. More on John Marty being fed up with Pawlenty politics. Much blame, however, reaches beyond the executive, into GOP legislative ranks. Emmer and such.

The letter John Marty circulated among colleagues and then by email to a limited number of activists did gain MSM attention.

Rachel Stassen-Berger wrote some interesting intro paragraphs at Strib, this link, and posted the entire item - which I only excerpted, below, this link.

It is good that those with a wider readership have noted the situation, giving more readers beyond blogsphere regulars the chance to weigh John Marty's thinking and feelings.

Stassen-Berger also co-authored reporting that Pawlenty is not alone to blame, although not saying it exactly that way, i.e., not editorializing as I do, but instead writing:

Tensions started to deepen on late Friday, when Gov. Tim Pawlenty backed away from his earlier consideration of a plan to shift the poor and low-income working Minnesotans to Medicaid, saying the only way he could support the DFL initiative was to get legislative Republicans on board.

By requiring their buy-in, Pawlenty handed legislative Republicans -- who hold minorities in both chambers -- a powerful bargaining position in the closing hours of session. Their opposition to the health insurance program has been nearly unanimous, and they have increasingly linked it to what they term "Obamacare."

"We've got to find a new way out," Pawlenty said on Saturday evening. With only 24 hours left in which legislators could wrap up their business, Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller said, "I think things are going as well as they could." Although Monday is the last day of the session, legislators must finish their business by midnight on Sunday.

Clearly with legislative Republican intransigent do-nothingness, the added italicized emphasis in the quote is merited. That quoted Strib reporting, authored yesterday, is at this link, and is part of the ongoing Strib coverage of the ongoing situation, this year's special session continuing the legislative process into current weekdays; see, e.g., here, here, here and live streaming, here.

With it being a developing situation, I hope the links stay "live" as time passes; but a dead link weeks from now will not matter - just link over now to get it while it's news.

As always, Strib's home page is here. Presumably news will be breaking, in bits and pieces perhaps, until there is a budget - revenue and spending balanced to forestall more unallotment mischief, and adjournment to get onto the serious business of electioneering.

If you like video coverage, please do not miss Sen. Marty expressing himself directly, no quoted text needed, the Uptake, at this YouTube link.

Also, there is this Google News search, "John Marty."

This Microsoft Bing news search, "John Marty Minnesota."

With news evolving, readers should use both search engines again, for fresh search returns.

Bing gave, "14 hours ago," this hit. Have a look. The same result came up on an earlier Google News search, and there's a video at this Twin Cities Daily Planet report, which is either identical to the YouTube item, or comparable. I have only seen one of the videos.

So, readers, check it all out - and I apologize for any hacked up links I might have included. I tried to be clean in the linking, but with so many, error happens.

_______________UPDATE______________
Sen. Marty understands already, and I hope DFL party contestants in the elections, primary and general, will comprehend and follow the well known Truman adage about him and the Republicans.

“I never give them hell. I just tell the truth and they think it's hell.”

There's a lot of truth to tell about Tom Emmer and his narrow world view; and about the deficient record Michele Bachmann set for herself in the Sixth District. Her perpetual biting the hand that feeds her. Emmer in the same boat.



Among the DFL'ers, whether endorsed or contesting, front runners or challengers, legislators or not, may the primary situation prove to be be largely Trumanesque for the GOP; and the general election even more so.


Also, this link. But be Trumanesque - do it without needing a recount, or ducking one as with Bush-Florida-2000-the Supremes.