Tag Archives: Republicans

Pawlenty Vague on Signing Franken Into Senate

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Time Pawlenty has become famous for his ability to be extraordinarily vague. Now we are seeing this in relation to the expected Minnesota State Supreme Court decision on the Franken-Coleman Senate election contest.

For the most part, Pawlenty has signaled that he will only sign the election certificate if he is instructed to do so by the court. He has implied, therefore that he will not sign it if he is not instructed even if the court has made a decision.

He has not explicitly stated which court he is referring to, but it seems that he is expecting that the state court may instruct him to sign before a federal court (to which we assume loser Norm Coleman will bring the contest) decides on the matter.

Here’s the problem: The state court will produce its ruling any day now. They are rather late in doing so and we await not only a ruling but an explanation of what has taken them so long. Once they do this, Pawlenty COULD sign the certificate, but may not.

Independently of the court’s decision, the court may or may not provide an instruction t the governor to sign the order. What Pawlenty is saying is that he will sign if so ordered, otherwise …. the implication is that he will not.

If he does not, he would wait for the court to provide such an order. That would likely only come if the issue is brought before the court, they hear arguments, then sit in their chambers for who knows how long.

Details here. The story is based on an interview with Pawlenty on CNN on Sunday.

Sarah Palin Attacks Blogger

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In an unprecedented move, former vice presidential candidate and intellectual leader of the Republican Party, Sarah “my daughter can have your baby” Palin has ruthlessly attacked a blogger who was being funny.

From an official Palin office email:

Recently we learned of a malicious desecration of a photo of the Governor and baby Trig that has become an iconic representation of a mother’s love for a special needs child.

Desecration? Doesn’t that word usually refer to damaging holy things and stuff?

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Homicidal Fantasies

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Through the filter of time … a repost that may still be interesting to you from two years ago.

… are probably normal. I remember an HBES conference in which we were subjected to a very boring talk. It was not boring at first. The speaker, a well known evolutionary psychologist, started out by asking for a show of hands as to how many people had homicidal fantasies now and then. In the room of about 300, a dozen hands went up. Then the talk started.
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Franken-Coleman Senatorial Race Decision Expected …. Any Time Now

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According to various sources which can not be named but that are being reported by the Capitol Report, the Minnesota Supreme Court is likely to make a decision today, Thursday, June 18th. If the decision is anything other than to support (uphold) the decision of the three judge panel which previously ruled in Franken’s favor, several legal experts in the state and across the country are going to drop dead on the spot of shock and chagrin.

It is not know if Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty is going to be ordered by the court to produce an election certificate, but it is generally thought that he will not issue one unless so ordered. If the court does not order the Governor to carry out his legal duty, it may be required that Franken makes an argument to the court to do so.

One thing people have not commented on yet to my knowledge is this: In the event that Franken has to argue for the court to order Pawlenty to act on the court’s ruling, what sort of argument will Coleman make to the contrary? That could be interesting.

In the mean time, I understand the Coleman legal and recount team has offered its services to parties in Iran. I wish I was joking about that.

Christian Conservatives Oppose Anti-Hate Bill

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The following press release has just come across my virtual desk:

Letter from Conservative Leaders Implores Senators to Filibuster Hate Crimes Bill

MEDIA ADVISORY, June 16 /Christian Newswire/ — This week, a letter is being hand-delivered to every member of the United States Senate imploring conservatives to join Senator Jim DeMint’s filibuster of the pending Hate Crimes bill, which would criminalize preaching the Gospel and put preachers in the crosshairs.

The letter explains that, in its current form, the Hate Crimes legislation would: “Silence the moral voice of the Church” — “Punish principled dissent from the homosexual agenda” — “Be a savage and perhaps fatal blow to First Amendment freedom of expression” – – and “Empower the left and encourage it to move forward with even more radical measures.”

The letter is signed by more than 60 conservative leaders, including some of the leading lights of the Values Voter movement, among them: James Dobson (Focus On The Family), Tony Perkins (Family Research Council), Don Wildmon (American Family Association), Gary Bauer (American Values), Hon. Tom DeLay (former Majority Whip, U.S. House of Representatives), Phyllis Schlafly (Eagle Forum), Mat Staver (Liberty Counsel), Wendy Wright (Concerned Women for America) and Rick Scarborough (Vision America).

Vision America President Dr. Rick Scarborough commented: “We are urging Senators to join DeMint (R, SC) in filibustering this pernicious — one might almost say ‘toxic’ — legislation. As Values Voter leaders, we are saying this vicious assault on the Church and the First Amendment must not and will not be allowed to succeed.”

From TFN

The Homeland Security Report on Right Wing Extremism

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You will find the report below the fold. Please note that according to this document, you are not supposed to be reading it on the internet. I assume that is old and out of date information. But just in case, don’t mention to anyone that you have seen this or where you saw it. K?

You asked, I answer. (Don’t grow accustom to that, by the way.)

– – – – – the fold – – – – –

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Lest we forget, a review of hatred on the campaign trail, 2008

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I’ve worked for political campaigns. There are people who are watching what happens on the rope lines, in the rally lines, at the rallies themselves. The kinds of things we saw during the last election were not uncontrolled random populous movements. They are semi-orchestrated, semi-managed events designed to turn political differences into seething hate (for political purposes). For instance, the things you see in this video do not happen without the knowledge of the candidate or senior staff, and there are efforts to control how people behave in these situations. What you see here is people acting as they have been encouraged to act by party activists.

Continue reading Lest we forget, a review of hatred on the campaign trail, 2008 →

Coleman will NOT run for governor of Minnesota

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… Entire state breaths collective sigh of relief …

Speculation was mounting in St. Paul and elsewhere that Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s decision not to seek a third term in 2010 — perhaps to seek the 2012 Republican U.S. presidential nomination — means Coleman is planning to end his legal battle with Democrat Al Franken to overturn his recount loss in November’s Senate race and instead run to replace Pawlenty.

But unnamed Coleman sources say that’s not the case, the Washington publication Politico reported Monday.

“Not at all,” said the source. “He ran for U.S. senator, wants to continue being a U.S. senator. … What (Pawlenty) has done or not done has never been a factor in his decision-making.”

source

Of course, he has been known to break his promises before. Every time, in fact.