Category: US Politics

by Dave Mindeman

It is difficult to lend much credence to assertions in the new George Tenet book. After all, he has lied before and what he is saying now comes about 3,300 lives lost too late.

The image that is burned in my mind is Colin Powell speaking to the United Nations, telling them all the things they "knew to be true" about Hussein's weapon programs. And there, sitting behind him, visible over his right shoulder, was George Tenet. He sat there listening.... listening to Powell give the full credibility of himself and the US Secretary of State's office, to a bunch of lies. Powell's discomfort with what he was about to say was visibly apparent in his insistence that Tenet be physically there with him.

Now, 4 years later, George Tenet wants to clear the air. He is upset that his "slam dunk" statement was taken out of context. Too bad 3,300 American soldiers and countless Iraqi civilians won't be around to find out about that. If the CIA had its doubts about WMD, why didn't they challenge the administration? In a town that leaks like a sieve, why couldn't they get those doubts out to the press?

Republicans accepted his rhetoric when it suited the run up to war but now that he says it differently.... now, he's a disgruntled Clinton Democrat.

"Fixing the facts around the intelligence".... and so it continues.

Category: Minnesota Politics

by Dave Mindeman

The problems that have developed in the Minnesota Attorney General's office are unfortunate. We don't have all the details yet but it is pretty clear that there is a cloud hanging over the office that didn't need to be there.

The problem? Although nothing directly links this dispute to the former attorney general, I believe that Lori Swanson's initial mistake was to bring Mike Hatch back.

Swanson needed to establish an administration with her own stamp on it. Bringing Hatch back, to the office he just left, complicated issues about who is in charge and what direction the office would be taking.

Mike Hatch has always been a take charge person. He likes to make the rules.... and that makes him a lousy employee, lousy co-worker, and a complication for Swanson.

The public confrontation is on unionizing.... who was fired for what reason. If I understand the dispute correctly, both sides have legal arguments on the union front. Swanson says public employees cannot unionize because they are political appointees and I believe that is correct... however, the union says that the attorneys can establish a collaborative bargaining unit without official union status...and that too, would seem to be correct. They would also like the law changed to allow organizing in these type of offices.

I think the legal differences are small.... this has the dressing of an internal personality struggle. This will also be an early test of Swanson's management style. How this is handled (and so far it has not been good) will say a lot about how much she is up to the task of moving into a higher profile as a future candidate.

Category: Minnesota Politics

by Dave Mindeman

The Weekly Standard has apparently officially join the ranks of Republican sympathizers getting goo goo eyes for Pawlenty. The Sam's Club Republican? Yea... I bet all those Sam's Club shoppers are real happy with Pawlenty's policies.

Apparently, Pawlenty's "populist" ideas are so radical to the Weekly Standard that they assume the good governor has discovered some new political philosophy. Well, I think that may be a little far fetched.... and the first clue is to list Norm Coleman as your mentoring example for this radical new way.

Pawlenty's list of ground breaking Republican achievements are embodied in (1) His Canadien prescription drug program. He even brings up his old favorite slogan..."show me the dead Canadiens". What he doesn't talk about is the bureaucratic nightmare he had with the FDA; how the only seniors that could benefit had to be computer savvy; and that Medicare Part D essentially killed the program before it could even be fully implemented. Now if he came out for competitive pricing with the drug companies.... well, then we got a populist message. (2) He can take some actual credit for some of the ethanol requirements and alternative energy emphasis... however, he is still not looking forward enough.... studies showing the real energy savings will have to come from prairie grasses and we still need tougher conservation methods. Not enough movement there-- at least not the populist kind. But he did manage to peak some conservative interest when he talked about how the US is funding both sides of the war on terror -- our side (for sure) and theirs by buying oil. Great talk until you have to take on the oil lobby for real.... got any influence for McCain on that one, Tim?

To me, if the good Governor wants to be known as a conservative "populist" (now that little description makes compassionate conservatism look like a William Buckley hard right catch phrase)... then he can "show us the money" when the Democrats send up their tax bills. Will Tim Pawlenty stand with the "Sam's Club" consituents and shift the financial burden away from property taxes to the wealthiest in the state? Will our "populist" governor fund the roads in a fiscally responsible "pay as you go" method? Will he get serious about full health insurance coverage ?.... or stand with his token programs which fix the little cuts but let the "flesh wounds" bleed?

Yessir, Governor Pawlenty is getting noticed. His rhetoric may look revolutionary to a party that is desperate for new thoughts. But to those Sam's Club Republicans and Costco Democrats, you have to get off the stump...... you've got to chop the wood.

Do something really radical Governor. Sign those tax bills and get this state moving again.