tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post3740949024457396946..comments2024-03-28T10:08:06.291-05:00Comments on Give2Attain: Capitol Police and UnionsJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14991027705809503541noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-16381305783520133722013-10-07T11:59:42.868-05:002013-10-07T11:59:42.868-05:00To continue learning at G2A...
Wiki Gerrymanderin...To continue learning at G2A...<br /><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerrymandering" rel="nofollow">Wiki Gerrymandering</a><br /><a href="http://pjmedia.com/zombie/2010/11/11/the-top-ten-most-gerrymandered-congressional-districts-in-the-united-states/" rel="nofollow">PJ Examples</a><br /><a href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/MN" rel="nofollow">Gov Track</a>Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14991027705809503541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-31652486275523042982013-10-07T10:08:15.134-05:002013-10-07T10:08:15.134-05:00Laurie,
I don't see how you can complain ab...Laurie, <br /> I don't see how you can complain about gerrymandering; it's just not historically or currently an accurate portrayal of the redistricting process. Historically, it has been the Democrats who did it, and in fact it is named for a Democrat from Massachusetts who first practiced it. It has been most commonly used by Democrats in the South and most notoriously in TN, where one district was drawn 200 miles long and in some places less than a mile wide! The current MN map is not the map drawn by Republicans [slightly, IMHO] in their favor, or the competing one drawn by the DFL (because despite spending the large sum allotted, they did not produce one), but rather the one drawn by the courts, which favors the DFL. <br /><br />So long as the maps put the same number of people in each district (though they make some funny boundaries doing it) you have to say they are "representative" of the people. If they also meet the courts' other criteria of: respecting political boundaries, communities of common interest and compact shape, it's pretty hard to fault them. (Frankly, I would prefer it be done by computers.)jerrye92002https://www.blogger.com/profile/01858692298982859775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-53925087824998406582013-10-07T10:06:01.715-05:002013-10-07T10:06:01.715-05:00FYI, I am not against bonding and good infrastruct...FYI, I am not against bonding and good infrastructure investments. And it almost makes sense during these periods of low interest. However, remember that we and our kids will have to pay off the principal for a very long time.<br /><br /><a href="http://politicsinminnesota.com/2012/05/house-passes-bonding-bill-with-unanimous-dfl-support/" rel="nofollow">The $496,000,000 Mortgage</a>Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14991027705809503541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-10147011354528656992013-10-07T09:17:19.108-05:002013-10-07T09:17:19.108-05:00Laurie asked, "I don't know why you fear ...Laurie asked, "I don't know why you fear democrats so much. Did they do such a bad job in MN last year?"<br /><br />Surely you jest! They started by raising taxes by $2Billion to cover a supposed $0.6Billion "shortfall" (rather than reducing spending to match revenue), and some of those taxes they ADMIT were a mistake. Already, some of those revenue sources, like the cigarette tax, have gone DOWN rather than up. Stupid. <br /><br />They imposed gay marriage on us, against the will of the majority, with no consideration for the likely social consequences. They opted in early on Obamacare, rather than taking at least an appropriate time for due diligence. They cut teacher performance evaluations and decided that kids don't have to prove they know anything to get a HS diploma. They took the teeth out of school ratings and, as near as I can tell, are easing school standards so that our notorious "gap" doesn't look so bad, while getting worse. <br /><br />And finally, they are no taking full credit for the financial results of the GOP legislature, including repaying the school shift that Gov. Dayton DEMANDED in the first place. Is that enough?jerrye92002https://www.blogger.com/profile/01858692298982859775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-5014608883770303082013-10-07T07:18:11.463-05:002013-10-07T07:18:11.463-05:00I apparently fear Democrats because they seem to h...I apparently fear Democrats because they seem to have no desire to really truly deal with the ever increasing spending curves. They think that government can effectively and efficiently enforce fairness. And they seem to think that they can rob from Peter and give to Paul without some terrible social and economic consequences occurring.<br /><br />As for MN, it could have been worse. However the DFL ignored the will of about half the citizens and passed gay marriage. They increased taxes to support increasing spending. And they would have passed huge bonding measures if the GOP had not resisted.<br /><br />The GOP has some crazy far Right leaning folks, the DFL has some crazy far Left leaning folks. I am just more comfortable leaning to the right of center where my personal property rights are respected and acknowledged. <br /><br />Those far Left folks think that my household wealth is the Gov'ts piggy bank which is a very bad thing in my opinion. Even Hiram seems to think that.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14991027705809503541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-17564427020921423842013-10-06T21:53:29.081-05:002013-10-06T21:53:29.081-05:00I don't know why you fear democrats so much. D...I don't know why you fear democrats so much. Did they do such a bad job in MN last year?<br /><br />My dem leaning family did a fair amount of complaining this evening about fraud / freeloading by people collecting SS disability (Sixty Minutes did a story.) We are not so different in our views.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09905073449150541750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-55708107860078714802013-10-06T21:40:15.259-05:002013-10-06T21:40:15.259-05:00That is interesting... It sounds like both sides ...That is interesting... It sounds like both sides play the game and since I play the middle, I don't really care how things vacillate as long as big changes don't occur too fast. The ship is just too big to take turns like that.<br /><br />Now are you going to address how the Democrats going to avoid turning the USA into a Social Democracy? Or is that their goal, just like those crazy Conservatives say. At ~38% of GDP we are getting pretty far to the left of our continuum. <a href="http://give2attain.blogspot.com/2012/09/action-reqd-political-continuum.html" rel="nofollow">G2A Continuum</a>Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14991027705809503541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-18485525386805886222013-10-06T19:22:00.591-05:002013-10-06T19:22:00.591-05:00One last comment /link about Gerrymandering and ou...One last comment /link about Gerrymandering and our undemocratic country:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/11/republicans-gerrymandering-house-representatives-election-chart" rel="nofollow">Now That's What I Call Gerrymandering!</a><br /><br />How would you like it if a large number of congressional districts were drawn to favor democrats?<br /><br />and lastly a reminder that my original point that the house doesn't represent the majority of American's views.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09905073449150541750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-38284728817833024142013-10-06T18:34:51.284-05:002013-10-06T18:34:51.284-05:00Congress, tea party hit all-time low in CNN pollin...<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/30/politics/cnn-poll-congress-approval/index.html" rel="nofollow">Congress, tea party hit all-time low in CNN polling</a> <br /><br />you might note that dems are more popular than the GOP.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09905073449150541750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-19560187835517378772013-10-06T16:48:27.449-05:002013-10-06T16:48:27.449-05:00And yes, you maybe gone. However our children wil...And yes, you maybe gone. However our children will have to live with the choices that we made.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14991027705809503541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-4789952316959346302013-10-06T16:47:33.480-05:002013-10-06T16:47:33.480-05:00Also, do you see anything the Democrats are propos...Also, do you see anything the Democrats are proposing that reverses these trend lines?<br /><br /><a href="http://give2attain.blogspot.com/2013/10/us-government-spending-trend.html" rel="nofollow">G2A Spending Trend Lines</a><br /><br />Note: Raising taxes does not.<br /><br />Are you comfortable with 50% of the GDP going to/through govt?Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14991027705809503541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-37502998390029044892013-10-06T16:43:18.620-05:002013-10-06T16:43:18.620-05:00Source?
Remember.. Congress consists of the House...Source?<br /><br />Remember.. Congress consists of the House and the Senate.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14991027705809503541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-43510167870551262762013-10-06T14:57:55.497-05:002013-10-06T14:57:55.497-05:00You sure draw alot of strange conclusions. Maybe a...You sure draw alot of strange conclusions. Maybe a reading comprehension lesson in drawing conclusions is in order. <br /><br />Would you call our current govt effective? That is hilarious. You would be one person in the 8% that approve of how congress is doing its job (unless the approval rating has dropped further with this shutdown and debt ceiling debacles.)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09905073449150541750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-84519280899899973482013-10-06T13:01:12.189-05:002013-10-06T13:01:12.189-05:00And government would cost us even more than the ~3...And government would cost us even more than the ~38% of the GDP it is today...<br /><br />Functional seems to equal Expensive from your point of view. Functional from my point of view equals effective and low cost.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14991027705809503541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-52046169772941453682013-10-06T11:02:24.905-05:002013-10-06T11:02:24.905-05:00It will get raised if JB does the right thing and ...It will get raised if JB does the right thing and allows a vote. He will likely lose his job in resolving the shutdown and debt ceiling issues.<br /><br />The coasts don't seem to be running DC to me. Maybe they do influence the presidential winner of the popular vote. If our govt reflected a greater degree of majority rule at the fed level things would be less messed up / dysfunctional.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09905073449150541750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-33412656671778644102013-10-06T11:01:21.995-05:002013-10-06T11:01:21.995-05:00As for dramatic change. It sounds like in your id...As for dramatic change. It sounds like in your ideal world every vote would have equal weight in the USA. We would be a pure democracy, no States with their variations or checks/balances to give the minorities power. My point is that the USA was setup for good reason to avoid that.<br /><br />Obamacare squeaked by along partisan (belief) lines because the checks and balances were weak at that time. That is why it is causing strife now. Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14991027705809503541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-50780519734697026442013-10-06T10:54:24.565-05:002013-10-06T10:54:24.565-05:00I am betting the debt ceiling gets raised without ...I am betting the debt ceiling gets raised without a hiccup. Too bad for our kids.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14991027705809503541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-36773942001819242942013-10-06T10:53:10.352-05:002013-10-06T10:53:10.352-05:00USA Population Distribution
51% citizens near coas...<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_population" rel="nofollow">USA Population Distribution</a><br /><a href="http://earth.columbia.edu/sitefiles/file/about/director/documents/jeg0304.pdf" rel="nofollow">51% citizens near coast</a>Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14991027705809503541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-66630067092220200582013-10-06T10:52:20.698-05:002013-10-06T10:52:20.698-05:00It seems that in the USA that tea party conservati...It seems that in the USA that tea party conservative are wielding power disproportionate to their numbers. They don't have enough representation to enact their agenda, but they do have power sufficient to mess things up pretty good. <br /><br />You will definitely be starting a post in the next week about debt ceiling. What will keep us from going over the fiscal cliff this time. The govt shutdown pales insignificance to the economic havoc defaulting on our debt will create. I don't even know the the GOP is demanding this time. Will that also be tied into Obamacare?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09905073449150541750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-9198208511830242822013-10-06T10:41:12.886-05:002013-10-06T10:41:12.886-05:00In Iraq, a pure Democracy would mean that the Shii...In Iraq, a pure Democracy would mean that the Shiites would have <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Iraq#Religions" rel="nofollow">65% of the vote.</a> They could/can make all the laws per their belief structure. I wonder what the Sunnis think/do about that?Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14991027705809503541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-36722013270959381092013-10-06T10:33:00.247-05:002013-10-06T10:33:00.247-05:00I really don't see what leap you are making in...I really don't see what leap you are making in which the coasts run the county. What kind of dramatic change in the election system are you imagining? I think California already has 50+ members in congress yet the Wyoming congress person seems to be wielding more influence in our governance.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09905073449150541750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-70731112699705072872013-10-06T10:27:27.300-05:002013-10-06T10:27:27.300-05:00I think Jerry was referring to the GOP passing pie...I think Jerry was referring to the GOP passing pieces that they like.<br /><br />Laurie,<br />So you are actually comfortable with the coasts running the country? I wonder if you would feel the same way if the coasts were conservative... Or if the majority of the population lived in the Bible belt...<br /><br />Interesting thoughts...Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14991027705809503541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-3840702067137516782013-10-06T09:55:32.439-05:002013-10-06T09:55:32.439-05:00If we had fairly drawn districts, rather than gerr...If we had fairly drawn districts, rather than gerrymandered, the dems would need about 50.1% rather than 55% to retake the house. Did I mention that in the 2012 election more people voted for dem candidates than GOP in house elections.<br /><br />about "Also, you think the metro should control MN more than it already does? The folks in the rural areas should be powerless, their beliefs ignored. This doesn't sound like the Laurie I am familiar with." This is a good example of the idiotic statements to which I was referring. How about power proportionate to population, which is what we have. <br /><br />When people get disgusted with the GOP the dems win. We'll see if enough people are care enough about gay marriage for the GOP to retake the MN house. I expect the GOP in DC is damaging the brand enough that dems will retain power in MN in 2014.<br /><br />In DC f the dems did hold the house the Senate would gumming things up with the filibuster. I haven't paid much attention but I am surprised that they were able to pass a clean CR.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09905073449150541750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-1131766892351509352013-10-06T09:17:49.040-05:002013-10-06T09:17:49.040-05:00Laurie said, "My point was the GOP claim to r...Laurie said, "My point was the GOP claim to represent the will of the people is false."<br /><br />That's an interesting position to take when the part of Congress allocated by population-- the House-- is held by Republicans, while the part of Congress allocated by States-- the Senate-- is dominated by Democrats. The "will of the people" is supposed to be expressed through the House, and it appears to be working as it should. It is the House that agrees with the 60-80% of the public that wants Obamacare "fixed" or repealed altogether, and it is the House that has voted to keep the government open. It's the Democrats who refuse to budge on both issues. jerrye92002https://www.blogger.com/profile/01858692298982859775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-52600761349228347772013-10-06T08:44:12.598-05:002013-10-06T08:44:12.598-05:00CBO Report from Sean's Link<a href="http://www.cbo.gov/publication/42921" rel="nofollow">CBO Report from Sean's Link</a>Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14991027705809503541noreply@blogger.com