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Bernice Vetsch

St Paul, MN
Commenter for
5 years 28 weeks

Recent Comments

Posted on 02/26/08 at 01:53 pm in response to In the end, one fallen bridge was enough

I notice that the no-tax-pledge-signing Republican members of the legislature, the ones who blocked every attempt over the last five years or so to raise essential funds via progressive taxation, now complain that the gas tax is "regressive." Hmmm.

They are also the folks who will "punish" those Republicans who dared defy them and the no-tax governor who has wielded his "taxpayer protection" pen many times, this bill being only the latest use. I commend these legislators for putting...

Posted on 02/21/08 at 03:51 pm in response to Q&A with whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg: In some ways, 'I'm as pessimistic as I've ever been'

Re: Larger wars if there were a draft. Indeed. And MORE deployments to more places in our quest for Empire. Instead, we will outsource our military needs to the likes of Halliburton.

After hearing George Bush repeat over and over that "we" have no plans to build military bases in Africa as part of Africom, I googled "Africom military bases" and "opposition to Africom" and visited www.globalpolicy.org, a UN site...

Posted on 02/19/08 at 05:01 pm in response to NWA-Delta merger means a triple whammy for state

In addition to failing to keep promises, Northwest has a tendency to cut jobs wherever possible. Several years ago, Northwest overcame what could have been company-wide, and therefore effective, resistance on the part of three unions joined in solidarity by negotiating with the unions one at a time. And breaking their resistance one at a time, beginning with the pilots.

Northwest's pilots, apparently having learned nothing from this previous experience, have already negotiated...

Posted on 02/18/08 at 04:48 pm in response to How did veep talk go so far without Pawlenty's pledge coming up?

I didn't realize you meant THAT pledge, since his no-tax pledge is the one that does so much damage to Minnesota every time he uses his "tax protection pen."

Before George Bush could get Grover Norquist's endorsement (Americans for Tax Reform, www.atr.org) for his run at the presidency, he had to promise Grover he would (without actually signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge) promise to be faithful to Grover's instructions that he...

Posted on 02/16/08 at 03:25 pm in response to New poll results on Minnesota's Senate race

Mike Haubrich: Thanks, but my concern is that the two polls so far and those to come before the convention will all be skewed as long as those being polled are unfamiliar with Franken's competition. As long as the polls (and the media which report them) seem to indicate Franken's "inevitability," delegates to the District and State conventions may be influenced by what seems to be a done deal.

Posted on 02/15/08 at 12:37 pm in response to New poll results on Minnesota's Senate race

I believe this poll, like the recent MPR/UofM poll, is skewed by the fact that St. Paul has yet to be the site of a senate candidates debate. Two were scheduled, but Al Franken developed scheduling conflicts of some sort and the debates were cancelled.

By caucus night, many of the folks in my Mac-Groveland neighborhood caucus had yet to hear Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer speak OR to hear him, Mr. Ciresi and any other candidate debate Mr. Franken. This lack has created a corresponding lack...

Posted on 02/16/08 at 03:18 pm in response to Outdoor/arts referendum: Bad policy?

As long as we have a governor who is in thrall to Grover Norquist, leader of the no-tax movement, writer of letters and visitor to Pawlenty when he shows any sign of weakening, ways around his veto power will have to be found or NOTHING will get done. Minnesota will continue to deteriorate until Grover's dream of NO government except to protect property rights and fight wars for oil remain.

In addition to the governor, Lt. Gov. Molnau, 15 members of the Minnesota Senate and 28...

Posted on 02/13/08 at 05:49 pm in response to Transportation tops Legislature's list: A huge debate on how much to invest and how to raise it

"My ideal citizen is the self-employed, homeschooling, IRA-owning guy with a concealed-carry permit. Because that person doesn't need the goddam government for anything." So says Grover Norquist, founder and leader of Americans for Tax Reform and The Leave Us Alone Coalition. Author of the No-New-Taxes Pledge (the Taxpayer Protection Pledge is its actual name)signed by Governor Pawlenty and quite a few legislators: "I, ______, pledge to taxpayers of _________ and all the people of this...

Posted on 02/12/08 at 05:11 pm in response to Showdown over the gas tax

And let's not forget that the no-new-taxes philosophy is anti-government to the max: Its adherents believe the only thing government should do is protect property and protect persons from crime. The way to fulfill that "dream" is to starve government until it is small enough to be washed down the bathtub drain. See the web site for Americans for Tax Reform, www.atr.org, for more information, including the names of all legislators/...

Posted on 02/06/08 at 02:32 pm in response to All three DFL Senate candidates claim victory, but insiders see Franken advantage

Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer wows audiences any time he speaks or debates his opponents. At one recent candidates' forum in Minneapolis, for example, a member of the audience came up to Jack afterwards, removed the opponent's campaign button from his shirt, and wrote Jack a $2000 check.

St. Paul voters, unfortunately, have not yet been graced with a debate or forum. Although two debates were scheduled, they had to be cancelled when another candidate developed scheduling conflicts and had...