"Hockey mom": True for a few years
"PTA mom": True years ago when her first-born was in elementary school, not since
"NRA supporter": Absolutely true
Social conservative: mixed. Opposes gay marriage, but vetoed a bill that would have denied benefits to employees in same-sex relationships (said she did this because it was unconsitutional).
Pro-creationism: Mixed. Supports it, but did nothing as governor to promote it.
"Pro-life": Mixed. Knowingly gave birth to a Down's syndrome baby but declined to call a special legislative session on some pro-life legislation.
"Experienced": Some high schools have more students than Wasilla has residents. Many cities have more residents than the state of Alaska. No legislative experience other than City Council. Little hands-on supervisory or managerial experience; needed help of a city administrator to run town of about 5,000.
Political maverick: Not at all.
Gutsy: Absolutely!
Open and transparent: ??? Good at keeping secrets. Not good at explaining actions.
Has a developed philosophy of public policy: No.
"A Greenie": No. Turned Wasilla into a wasteland of big box stores and disconnected parking lots. Is pro-drilling off-shore and in ANWR.
Fiscal conservative: Not by my definition!
Pro-infrastructure: No. Promoted a sports complex and park in a city without a sewage treatment plant or storm drainage system. Built streets to early 20th century standards.
Pro-tax relief: Lowered taxes for businesses, increased tax burden on residents
Pro-small government: No. Oversaw greatest expansion of city government in Wasilla's history.
Pro-labor/pro-union: No. Just because her husband works union doesn't make her pro-labor. I have seen nothing to support any claim that she is pro-labor/pro-union.
There is a wonderful parody site called the Project for the Old American Century . Visit their web page and be enlightened. Downloads, T-shirts, lots of stuff about the march to Fascism in America.
If you want to vent, complain, bitch or blog, you can go to my Farmer-Labor Blog.
See Bachmann Blog for more information.
Here is a source of American-made clothing that won't be outsourced anytime soon. Get yourself some of these Prison Blues!
Here's a retro FLA shirt I designed in Zazzle...
More shirts...
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi authorities routinely torture prisoners, a leading human rights group said, citing examples of abuse which will sound all too familiar to those who suffered under Saddam Hussein.
Prisoners have been beaten with cables and hosepipes, and suffered electric shocks to their earlobes and genitals, the U.S.-based group Human Rights Watch said. Some have been starved of food and water and crammed into standing-room only cells.
"The people of Iraq were promised something better than this after the government of Saddam Hussein fell," said Sarah Leah Whitson, executive director of the group's Middle East and North Africa.
Air America Radio - Straight Talk Radio
If there is anyone in the twin cities that isn't already aware, Air America Radio is carried locally on 950 am which covers much of the twin city metro area. You can also listen to the programming via the internet. Listen to Stephanie Miller (hilarious!), Big Ed Schultz, and others all day long. Get a full dose of Progressive talk radio every day, and NO BIG RUSH. If you can, patronize their sponsors, and thank them for bringing this programming to the twin cities.
XM Radio (not AM950) Channbel 167 is carrying Air America's Sam Seder Show Rachel Maddow, Randi Rhodes, and others, all of which I find to be great listening. Fine, progressive, talk radio personalites. Try it, you'll like it. AIR AMERICA is NOT going off the air, but has been bought out, and is expanding and stronger than ever.
Mission Accomplished?? Iraq is now averaging 87 insurgent attacks a day...over 4,000 military personnel killed so far in the war and 26,558 wounded. Approximately 206 civilian contractors have been killed (or a few, disappeared) in Iraq. Also, a minimum of 66,807 Iraqis have died/been 'liberated.' Colin Powell said that the insurgency is getting worse, but the president is seemingly living in a "Pollyanna" world... everything is going fine... and Gates is doing a fine job. God help us!
Oligarchy (ol-i-gar-chy)
A small group of people who together govern a nation or control an organization, often for their own purposes. See also: Bush, Banana Republic
Was this the last Democratic election? I've talked to a number of people, and they've expressed the same fear I have -- now that the Republicans won this election they will have such a lock on the media, the judicial appointees, and the election process/touch-screen voting machines that there may never be a real, honest national election in this country again. For that matter they may have stolen the 2004 (Ohio, Florida-again) election.
Theodore Roosevelt said:
This is a revised edition of the electronic "Minnesota Leader," the newspaper of the Progressive voices in Minnesota politics.
Your comments are welcome, I hope you enjoy the tradition of Floyd B. Olson, Elmer A. Benson, and the rest of the Minnesota Progressives such as Eugene McCarthy and Paul Wellstone, as well as Wisconsin's progressive Robert M. LaFollette. If you are interested in what's really going on in Iraq with the troops, you really need to go to this site. Operation Truth. Visit this web page and be enlightened.
If you are interested in supporting the troops, go to The Armed Forces Relief Trust web site. Visit this web page and get more information.
If you are interested in progressive issues, you really need to read the The Nation magazine. Visit their Web page and read some back issues.
Another great resource for progressive issues, is The Progressive magazine. Visit their Web page and read some back issues.
T-Shirts, buttons, posters...
Have a few bucks to invest? Visit Socially
Responsible Investing for Progessive investment opportunities.
As Farmer-Labor Gov. Floyd B. Olson said when he was called the "L" word:
"That there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president right or wrong, not only is unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."
Operation Truth
Support OUR Troops
The Nation....
The Progressive....
Other Stuff...
The DFL Party site can keep you up to date on Minnesota political happenings.
Visit the DFL website
To visit some interesting sites, check The
Progressive Directory for a list of progressive organizations.
"I'm not a damn liberal...I'm a radical!"
Pete Backlund, Editor, Democrat, progressive, and former co-chair of the Farmer-Labor Association
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