-
RSS Become a Fan

Recent Posts

9 Biggest Controversies Of Obama's Time in the National Spotlight
Minnesota Gay Marriage: Just the First Volley in the 2014 Election Battle
Working Families Flexibility Act: Why Are Democrats Opposing More Comp Time?
What Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, and Marco Rubio Have That Obama Does Not
Solar Energy Embarrassingly Less Productive than Coal

Categories

Adam Weigold
Agenda 21
Al DeKruif
Amy Koch
Andrea Kieffer
Andrea Mitchell
Arlen Specter
Arne Carlson
Atlas Shrugged
Bad Legislators
Bad Republicans
Barack Obama
Barbara Banian
Ben Golnik
Ben Shapiro
Ben Wiener
Benghazi
Bill Jungbauer
Bill Paxon
Bill Pulkrabek
Bloopers
Bob Barr
Bob Davis
Bob Gunther
Bobby Joe Champion
Book Reviews
Branden Petersen
Brandon Petersen
Brandon Sawalich
Bron Scherer
Carla Nelson
Cato Institute
Caucuses
CCHF
Charlie Rangel
Chip Cravaack
Christine O'Donnell
Claire Robling
Climate Change
Conservatism
Dan Hall
Dan Severson
Dave Senjem
David Fitzsimmons
David Sturrock
Department of Justice
Department of Labor
Dick Armey
Donald Trump
Ed Morrissey
Education
Edward True
Erick Erickson
Evie Axdahl
Federal Budget
Gambling
Gay Marriage
Geoff Michel
Global Warming
Good Legislators
Greg Davids
Growth & Opportunity
Heritage Foundation
Hilda Solis
Iowa Caucus
Iowa Republican Party
IRS
Janet Beihoffer
Jason Chaffetz
Jason Lewis
Jeff Bingaman
Jeff Johnson
Jim Abeler
Jim Oberstar
Jim Taylor
Joe Scarborough
John Blatnik
John Boehner
John Gilmore
John Howe
John King
John Kriesel
John McCain
John Yoo
Julianne Ortman
Julie Rosen
Keith Downey
Keith Ellison
Kelly Fenton
Keystone XL
King Banaian
KTLK
Kurt Bills
Kurt Daudt
Kurt Zellers
Labor Department
Liberal Republicans
LightSquared
Linda Killian
LookTrueNorth
Lost Generation
Marco Rubio
Margaret Cavanagh
Mark Buesgens
Mark Dayton
Mark Foley
Mark Kennedy
Martin O'Malley
Marty Seifert
Mary Franson
Maryland
Matt Dean
Media Bias
Michael Brodkorb
Michael Cummins
Michael Kubesh
Michael Mukasey
Michele Bachmann
Mike Benson
Mike Osskopp
Mike Parry
Minimum Wage
Minnesota Budget
Minnesota Conservatives
Minnesota Legislature
Minnesota Republican Party
Mitch Berg
Mitch Pangerl
Mitt Romney
MNGOP
Morrie Lanning
Nancy Pelosi
NARAL
Neal Peterson
Newsbusters
Newt Gingrich
Norm Coleman
OccupyDC
Pat Anderson
Pat Buchanan
Pat Garofalo
Pat Shortridge
Paul Demko
Paul Gosar
Paul Koering
Paul Krugman
Pete Hegseth
Pete Nelson
Phil Krinkie
Pine City
Pine County
Pine County Republicans
Politics in Minnesota
President 2012
Racino
Rand Paul
Redistricting
Reince Priebus
Republican Liberty Caucus
Republican National Convention
Republican Party of Minnesota
Rich Murray
Rick Nolan
Rick Perry
Rick Santorum
Rick Weible
Rod Hamilton
Roger Crawford
Ron Carey
Ron DeSantis
Ron Erhardt
Ron Latz
Ron Paul
Rory Koch
Rudy in the Media
Rudy Takala
Ryan Winkler
Scott Dibble
Scott Honour
SEIU
Sharon Angle
Simply Right
Simpson-Bowles
Socialists
Solar Power
Solyndra
Stadium
Star Tribune
State of the GOP
Steny Hoyer
Steve Gottwalt
Steve Hensley
Steve Largent
Steve Perkins
Steve Smith
Steven Chu
Sue Jeffers
Tad Jude
Tarryl Clark
Tax Foundation
Taxes
Taxpayers' League of Minnesota
Tea Party
Ted Cruz
Ted Lovdahl
Terry McCall
Thomas Miller
Thomas Sowell
Tim Faust
Tim Kelly
Tim Pawlenty
Tobacco Taxes
Todd McIntyre
Tom Coburn
Tom DeLay
Tom Emmer
Tony Sutton
Trans-Alaskan Pipeline
Twila Brase
Unions
Vin Weber
Virginia Foxx
Walter Mondale
Warren Buffett
Wilfare
William McBridge
Yvonne Prettner Solon
Zygi Wilf
powered by

Rudy Takala's Columns

Bad Legislators

MN Republican Co-Authors Ammunition Control

Minnesota state Senator Julianne Ortman (R-Chanhassen) co-authored  legislation today to limit the sale of ammunition in Minnesota. She joined Sens. Ron Latz, Scott Dibble and Bobby Joe Champion, all Democrats from the Minneapolis area.

When Republicans held a legislative majority from 2011 to 2013, Sen. Ortman was the party's deputy majority leader in the Senate. When Republicans returned to the minority, Ortman became the ranking minority member on the Senate Taxes Committee. Membership on the Tax Committee is highly valued and

Shaking our Heads at a Republican Disappointment

After redistricting placed both state Sens. Al DeKruif and Julie Rosen in the same legislative district, DeKruifannounced he would step down and allow Rosen to hold the seat without a challenge. That is unfortunate for conservatives. Julie Rosen has been promoting the growth of government since she joined the Senate in 2002.
 
Legislators like Mary Franson who consistently advocate for less government are  taking the hits for Republicans while legislators like Julie Rosen spend their time in office actively trying to raise taxes and spending.

"Many in GOP base angry at Legislature" in the St. Paul Legal Ledger-Capitol Report

This is a piece authored by Charley Shaw of the St. Paul Legal Ledger/Capitol Report. He graciously included my analysis in the piece. You may access it byclicking here, or, if you are not registered to access full pieces on the Politics in Minnesota Website, you may simply scroll down.
____________________________________________
 
If you hear political activists calling for change in the 2012 state House and Senate elections, you won’t be faulted for thinking that the rhetoric must be coming from DFLers.

McCain Calls Tea Partiers "Hobbits"; Angle Responds

Senator John McCain quoted from a Wall Street Journal editorial in calling Tea Partiers "hobbits" on the floor of the Senate the other day (click here for the story). He also bashed 2010 Senate candidates Sharon Angle and Christine O'Donnell.

Below is the full text of Sharon Angle's response, which says pretty much all that needs to be said. I would also like to put a plug in for a new Website:www.dontpissonmemccain.com.  
_________________________________________
'A Statement from a ‘TEA Party Hobbit’

"Centrist Republicans Could Play a Pivotal Role in the Budget"

The following is an article by Briana Bierschbach with Politics in Minnesota. You canclick here to read iton PIM's Website if you have a subscription, or scroll down if you do not. It provides a good who's who of which Republicans are most likely to vote with the Democrats in raising taxes during the upcoming special session.
 
House Republican commitee chairsJim AbelerandRod Hamiltonare rightly pointed out as being the most likely to break. They both voted to override Tim Pawlenty's veto in 2008 of the transportation budget; they are also the only two of those six Republicans who were not thrown out of office that year as a result.

Terry McCall's "Don’t be intimidated, stick to principles"

Terry McCall, a friend with whom I would almost always agree, wrote an eloquent commentary that appears in the Red Wing Republican Eagle. Terry sits on the board of the Republican Liberty Caucus with me and is the chairman of Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District Republicans. You mayclick here to view in the newspaperor scroll down here.
_______________________________________________
Don’t be intimidated, stick to principles
 
I am one of those people who try to live my personal life by a set of principles — principles that infuse my political beliefs.

MNGOP Increases Spending $110 million; Guaranteed to Increase by $1 billion Before Summer

House Majority Leader Matt DeanIn order to decrease the gap between budget proposals from the GOP and Governor Dayton, the GOP agreed to raise spending on education and the courts by another $110 million. However, the governor still wants the GOP to raise spending by another $1.7 billion.Unfortunately, the GOP's choice for legislative leadership right now is not very adept at dealing with the media, and they are too fearful of losing their political positions to be effective. They are virtually guaranteed to raise spending by the full $1.

Minnesota Republicans' Handling of the Budget

GOP's Handling of the Budget
You need Flash Player in order to view this.

Minnesota Republican Legislator Supports Gay Marriage

Freshman Republican Rep. John Kriesel of Cottage Grove is opposed to allowing Minnesotans to vote on a constitutional marriage amendment, according to the Star Tribune. This iswhat he told the paper:
 
"I look at it as: We are all equal. It is not right. I can't do it. I'm very upset about this vote. I don't like it. I think it sends the wrong message. You live once in your life and I've learned that the hard way. You never know when it is going to be your time. People fight to find happiness.

Gambling in Minnesota: Controversial -- and Surprising (4.23.11)

Should regular Minnesotans be permitted to operate their own taxable gambling facilities? Or should the Indian tribes be permitted to retain their monopoly on gambling? The tribes are unsurprisingly arguing that they should keep their monopoly, but what is more surprising is the face of their opposition.
 
Traditionally, Republicans in our state have had an unfavorable outlook on allowing anyone but the Indians to profit from gambling. By culture, Minnesotans view it as their job to micromanage the daily life, habits, and of course, morality of their fellow citizens.
Website Builder provided by  Vistaprint