I Don’t Hate America!

Via press release:

Margaret Anderson Kelliher DFL State Convention Speech

Thank you DFL’ers.
Many thanks to Jeff Hayden, Dave Fredrickson, and Maria Arago.
And to my campaign co-chairs Secretary of State Joan Grow and Vice President Walter Mondale.
My roots in the DFL party go way back.
The first convention I attended was as a college sophomore. I will never forget it. I couldn’t take my eyes off this cute red head from the old 2nd Congressional District.
Well, today that red head is my husband, David.
Let me introduce my family. Dave and our kids - Patrick and Franny.
And, my mom - Elaine.
My mom’s pretty excited to be here. As many of you know I was the Blue Earth County Dairy Princess. Mom always wanted me to win another contest.
She hoped I would be crowned – “Princess Kay of the Milky Way.” Her wish was that my head would be carved in butter and displayed at the state fair.
 Well… I’ve been trying to make it up to her ever since.
Do you realize it has been nearly a quarter century since we elected a DFL governor?
For far, too long the governor’s office has been run by big personalities.
And, individuals with even bigger ambitions.
Well… I’ve got a message for anyone who is resigned to thinking the phrase -

“DFL Governor” is an oxymoron.

It’s time to end the 24 year drought!

Are you ready to end the 24 year drought?

This year we are on the verge of adding a new chapter to our history.
We are strong and ready. As the leader of the House DFL Caucus I’ve been serious about rebuilding our party.
With your help we’ve elected Democrats in places like Rosemount - First DFL’er there in 24 years.
In Rochester. In North Branch.
In six years we’ve gone from a minority in the house to a 30 seat majority.
As I knock on doors in the suburbs and the cities. And visit farms and factories….
I’m reminded of what matters most to Minnesotans.
Too many people are looking for a job or worried about losing their job.
My own family has faced tough times. I remember a night on the farm when I was fourteen. We had just finished supper when my dad pushed his plate away. He put his head down on the table and started to cry.

My dad Carl was a proud man and I had never seen him cry before. I knew something was really wrong. Interest rates had skyrocketed and milk prices had bottomed out. We were in danger of losing the farm.

Today there are families at kitchen tables who face the same fears.
I’ve met people like Scott - an electrician in Shakopee. Scott has been out of work for more than a year. He worries about how he’ll make his next mortgage payment.
Dixie in Thief River Falls - who is afraid she will lose her union because of the airline merger.
And, the teachers struggling in Long Prairie - Grey Eagle who work for health care. Literally. Their entire pay check goes to pay for health care for their family.
In the last eight years we’ve had a governor who put his right wing ideology ahead of improving people’s lives.

We have endured a governor who would rather block and squander, than build and prosper.

We must and can do better. Minnesotans are hungry for a leader who shares their values.

We must and can do better. We need a governor who can connect with all of Minnesota.

That’s why I am running for governor.

And that’s why today I am asking for your endorsement.

I will do better.

I’ve stared down the Republican right. I’ve come out with wins.

The 35W bridge collapse was a time for strong leadership.

Governor Pawlenty ignored the wake up call. He vowed never to sign a comprehensive transportation bill.

I looked him in the eye and told him I would organize an override of his veto. He said go ahead and try. And, that’s exactly what I did.

I forged new partnerships with business, labor. Farmers, environmentalists. Democrats and Republicans.

Together, we won. And, Minnesota won.
Our roads and bridges are safer. And, we put Minnesotans back to work.

There is nothing more important than jobs.

In March, I led the effort to pass a jobs agenda. Economists project it will pull us out of the great recession more quickly. 20,000 Minnesotans will be back to work in the coming months and 10,000 more after that.

As Governor I will go farther.

I have the executive experience to hit the ground running. There is no time to waste. The new governor must deliver a budget in twelve short weeks.

As Speaker of the Minnesota House, I manage a 300 person staff with a multi-million dollar budget.

I have completed three - 34 billion dollar balanced state budgets. Hammering out a budget isn’t glamorous work. It takes more than being a cheerleader.

It matters because the budget touches every, single Minnesotan. Through job training for returning veterans, making college affordable, and insuring 40,000 more kids.

I have already put forward an economic roadmap. As Governor I will ensure economic recovery touches every corner of the state.

From Fergus Falls, where Greg and Jenny Stumbo are expanding their cafe…

To the technical college in Canby where students are learning how to repair wind turbines.

To McQuay International in Plymouth creating jobs for engineers and managers.

We cannot afford to have an opportunity gap between rural and metro Minnesota.

We will seize new possibilities. Like we did with the 2007 Renewable Energy Standard. Standards that Marty Seifert and Tom Emmer want to repeal.
We had the vision to set the strongest standards in the nation. This is good for the environment and good for jobs.
As governor I will position us for the future by setting priorities from day one as we govern together.
Dave and I are proud public school parents. As Governor I will ensure all kids succeed in college and work. It starts with early childhood education.
We will fix our school funding formula so that it is fair, predictable, and sustainable.
As Governor I will ensure every Minnesotan has health care. And, be steadfast in securing civil rights. Including racial justice.
And, marriage equality.
As your next Governor, these are my priorities. In good times and in bad.
My family was fortunate. We saved the farm. My parents scraped together every single penny - their life savings. We worked sun up to sun down. Those difficult days made me who I am today.

A tireless fighter.

This spring my brothers Craig and Ken are preparing for another planting season. As they break ground, they do so with a steady eye on the future.

So, must we. Together we can build a future filled with prosperity and opportunity.

This is the tradition of the DFL party.

Twenty-one years ago Dave and I sat with a college professor from Northfield when he decided to run for statewide office.

Paul Wellstone inspired so many of us.

Paul said “the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
It is the DFL party that believes in the dreams of the little guy.

We are the party of Fitz Mondale and Hubert Humphrey. Champions of the people.

The DFL party is the party of pioneering women.
We sent Coya Knutson to Washington fifty years ago.
We are the party of: Alan Spear, Keith Ellison, and Amy Klobuchar.
The DFL party has been breaking ground for nearly a century.
It is time to come together again for one Minnesota.

Together, we can win in November!

I ask for your vote.

Via press release. The Rukavina speech is attached to this post.

Download it here.

Via press release: 

Full Text of Thissen Endorsement Speech

Representative Thissen will thank various people before he begins the speech text, copied below.

Delegates – It. Is. Time.

It is time to stand up for our values.

It is time to STOP playing not to lose and start playing to win!

It is time to shed the mistakes of the past and embrace the future!

It……..is……….time!

For 8 long years, our children have suffered in overcrowded classrooms with outdated materials. Our seniors have lived in fear being forced out of the communities they love because they cannot afford to stay. Parents have worried about how they will keep their jobs, homes, and care for their children.

Minnesota’s just say no governor has closed the door on opportunity for too many of us. He’s used his veto pen as a weapon to assault the most vulnerable among us.

We’ve lived for so long with such poor leadership that we have gotten used to it. We’ve come to accept skyrocketing health care costs as normal. We’ve made due with fewer hours and lower pay. We’ve too readily accepted that we live in a state of scarcity when in fact we live in a state of great abundance.

Our leaders have decided for us that mediocrity is the best we can do.

And as the current governor has slashed and burned the state we love, the response of some Democrats has been little more than a whimper. We confuse caving in with compromise.

Democrats – the challenges we face are too serious to settle for slapping a coat of paint on a building that is collapsing to pretend we’ve fixed something.

It is time we stop nibbling around the edges and start taking on the big challenges of our future again.

Yes, Democrats, it is time!

It is time we stand up and fight the flawed philosophy that says we are better off if just left on our own. We know that Minnesota is at its best when our communities are thriving – that we prosper when our neighbors do.

It is time for a Minnesota where we measure our success by the prosperity of our families and not by our national tax ranking, where we shine once again as a destination state, an oasis that welcomes the world, respects science and revels in great culture.

It is time for a Minnesota where we once again value all of our communities — large and small — and understand that the seeds of the next Minnesota renaissance rest in the hard work of thousands of individual Minnesotans across this state who are rebuilding Main Streets and reclaiming their neighborhoods.

It is time for a Minnesota where we once again lead the country in job creation — where we respect the dignity of a hard day’s work, encourage innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit, take pride in the bounty of our fields and forests and mines, and create a Minnesota that powers itself with homegrown renewable resources.

It is time for a Minnesota where every child has the best education, regardless of family background or where she lives; where doctors and nurses can focus on taking care of people instead of worrying about how much a patient costs the system; where our seniors become not a burden, but an army of volunteers ready to transform our state.

It is time to build a Minnesota we can be proud of again.

Democrats — let’s break out of the trap that tells us that the only job of state government is to cut deals and balance the books. Our democracy demands much more than that. I will be a Governor that looks outside the walls of the Capitol at the reality of people’s lives. I will be a governor that takes action to break down the walls that separate us – walls of race and geography, of disability, gender and sexual orientation. I will tackle discrimination not just on the surface, but at its roots buried deep within our communities and institutions. I will set forth a moral vision for our state and where it needs to go. Together, we can remind Minnesotans that government is not the enemy; INSTEAD POOR LEADERSHIP IS.

That’s why in 2009 – despite a just say no governor and hyper-partisan legislature – I stood up and said that no Minnesota child should go without health care.

The result was ground breaking legislation that covered 40,000 Minnesota kids, cut through the partisanship, and even convinced the just say no governor to do the right thing.

That success proves that we CAN do the people’s work with the right leader — a leader with a clear vision, who has faced down fierce Republican opposition and demonstrated a willingness to break with the conventional wisdom when it is the right thing to do.

It is time to lead again.

But Democrats, it’s also time to be honest with ourselves. We cannot accomplish ANY of the bold objectives we share unless we finally win the governor’s race. We live with the consequences of losing for 20 years every single day.

For too long, we’ve repeated the mistake of running the establishment candidate – the face of the DFL party. We’ve ignored the independent spirit of Minnesota. We’ve shunned the reality that Minnesotans trust the person, not the party. We’ve played it safe, and Minnesota is suffering.

We owe it to ourselves and to Minnesota to break the chains of failure and win this time.

It is time to run a fresh face, tested in a partisan environment but armed with a vision that cuts across partisan bounds and appeals to the independent spirit of Minnesotans. It’s time to grab hold of our DFL values but transcend the DFL brand.

It’s time to stop playing it safe and start playing to win!

That’s why I am asking for your support for the DFL endorsement for Governor. You’ve seen how far our campaign has come through hard work, criss-crossing the state, and sheer determination. There is nothing more Minnesotan than that.

I ask you to join our team - be a part of turning the DFL and Minnesota away from the past and towards a vibrant future. Together, we can build a Minnesota that makes us the envy of the nation again because …

It is time to stop looking back and start looking forward.

It is time to stand up for our vision of a vibrant Minnesota.

It is time to prove to Minnesota that we can win AND govern.

Delegates, the stakes are high and the time is now!

Together, let’s make this the time we take back the governor’s office and build a better future for all of us.

Thank you.

On March 5th, an agreement was made between Gov. Tim Pawlenty and DFL leaders to extend the GAMC program that was set to end on March 31st, 2010 and would have transitioned tens of thousands of low-income Minnesotans to a more expensive MinnesotaCare plan. Although the plan will continue coverage for many, the payments are slim from the state, instead shifting much of the costs to hospitals.  According to MPR and Sen. Linda Berglin (DFL), 77% of the program’s funding from the state is being cut.  Hospitals such as HCMC will still need to deal with picking up the cost to ensure all their patients receive the appropriate care.  From an RN that works at HCMC, staff have already been facing cuts that affect patient care.  Patient to nurse ratios have now increased on medical/surgical units up to 8:1 on nights.  With less reimbursement to hospitals and a shifting of costs such as this GAMC deal, patient care will still negatively be affected until legislators pass safe patient handling bills, or increase funding to programs for the uninsured.  This will be an interesting topic to continue following in the coming months.

From Minnesota Public Radio (MPR):

GAMC deal shifts costs to hospitals, health providers

by Madeleine Baran, Minnesota Public Radio, Tom Scheck, Minnesota Public Radio

March 5, 2010

St. Paul, Minn. — Gov. Tim Pawlenty and DFL legislators have reached a deal over funding for a health insurance program for the poor.

The deal will preserve coverage for most current General Assistance Medical Care recipients, but will shift costs onto medical providers.

GAMC provides health insurance for more than 30,000 of the state’s poorest residents. The program was scheduled to end on March 31, after Pawlenty cut its funding last year to balance the state budget.

The new plan will extend GAMC for two months. Starting June 1, a new system, funded with block grants, will replace it.

Instead of paying providers for each service provided, the new plan will provide hospital-based coordinated care systems with capped block grants to provide health care to eligible residents. Most former GAMC recipients will be eligible under the new plan.

“The hope will be this will be a more efficient, comprehensive, and continuous care,” Pawlenty said in a press conference this afternoon.

DFL legislators said they’re glad to have reached an agreement, but said the plan will hurt medical providers. Sen. Linda Berglin, DFL-Minneapolis, said the plan cuts the program’s funding by 77 percent.

“The health care providers are taking a huge cut,” said Rep. Thomas Huntley, DFL-Duluth. “That makes the state budget look good, but some hospitals may collapse, and other hospitals may just raise their rates to everybody else to make up for the loss of this money, and that will be put on your insurance bill.”

The state’s General Fund will provide $71 million in capped block grants to hospital-based Coordinating Care Organizations in the current 2010-2011 budget, and $131 million in 2012-2013.

The plan also establishes a separate method to reimburse CCOs for prescription drug costs. The deal caps drug reimbursements at $45 million from the General Fund in the 2010-2011 fiscal years, and $83 million in the 2012-2013 fiscal years.

GAMC recipient Robert Fischer expressed relief that he won’t lose his coverage. Fischer, who is 51, has sleep apnea, depression, and a degenerative back condition. His only income is $203 a month from the state’s General Assistance program.

“From what I’ve heard, I’m very, very happy,” Fischer said.

Negotiators have been working on a solution for GAMC for about nine months. The plan was set to expire later this month.

“We knew when we began this endeavor nine months ago that we were going to be putting together legislation that was going to be less than lovely,” said Rep. Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul. “We were working very hard to protect the safety net for those who get their care in GAMC, and we’ve protected that commitment.”

Murphy added, “I think the safety net is a little thinner. It may be a little bit more like a lifeboat.”

The state had planned to transfer many current GAMC enrollees into another state health insurance program, called MinnesotaCare, once the program ended.

But many recipients say they would not be able to afford MinnesotaCare’s monthly premiums and higher co-payments.

Issue background:

The General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC) fund is a MN healthcare program run by our Minnesota Department of Human Services (MDHS, 2009) that covers “low-income adults, ages 21-64, who have no dependent children under age 18 and who do not qualify for federal healthcare programs” (para. 1). The services offered include a comprehensive benefits package focused on preventative care and one for those who want coverage in case of an emergency hospital visit with a specific co-pay amount. A recent veto and line-item cut from MN’s budget by Gov. Tim Pawlenty took away $381 million from the GAMC (Perry, 2009). According to Share (2009), these “cuts to GAMC will leave 33,000 low-income Minnesotans without healthcare” as the labor review editor quoted the MNA.

One of the major hospitals in the Twin Cities, the Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) is one of the most affected by the line-item cut to GAMC as they will lose “$43 million in 2010 and $50 million in 2011” (Newmarker, 2009, para. 5). This has forced the one in only four Level 1 trauma center’s in the state to face many program cuts as they deal with a $550 million budget compared to a $600 million one in 2009 (Newmarker, 2009). Protesting nurses do not want to be a part of potential cuts, or see vulnerable patients turned away especially as we already face issues regarding safe staffing. HCMC’s major cuts highlight how payment increases to insurers must happen in order for healthcare organizations to stay afloat. Payment increases to insurers means payment increases to their customers, the ones who pay for health insurance. This is one element of the greater healthcare reform issue that needs to be addressed as the national debate continues.

Minnesota Department of Human Services. (2009). General assistance medical care. Retrieved
on October 15, 2009, from http://www.dhs.state.mn.us/main/idcplg?IdcService
=GET_DYNAMIC_CONVERSION&RevisionSelectionMethod=LatestReleased&dDocName=id_006257

Newmarker, C. (2009, September 25). HCMC lists programs facing cuts. American City
Business Journals, Inc. Retrieved on October 15, 2009, from http://twincities.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2009/09/28/story4.html?b=1254110400%5E2162231

Perry, S. (2009, October 1). Employment stimulus will dominate session, as well as bonding bill.
Finance & Commerce, Inc. Retrieved on October 15, 2009, from http://legal-ledger.com/item.cfm?recID=12318

Share, S. (2009, October 12). Nurses march on capitol, call on governor to restore general
assistance medical care. Workday Minnesota. Retrieved on October 15, 2009, from http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?news_6_4205

From MyFox 9:

MINNEAPOLIS — Former Vice President Al Gore thinks Al Franken would be “a fantastic senator,” according to a letter sent to Democratic delegates.

Gore’s endorsement of Franken’s bid for the U.S. Senate comes days before Franken squares off against opponent Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer for the DFL endorsement at the state party convention in Rochester, Minn.

One reason Gore endorses Franken is their shared goals of an effort to slow global warming.

The big day is this Saturday where Franken and Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer will fight for the DFL party nomination.  It should also be mentioned that the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) and AFL-CIO have endorsed Franken.  I do wish that JNP would voice his concerns for nursing more, like Franken has done on his website.  I have contacted JNP twice about it with no answer.  However, I cannot endorse Franken for his poor universal healthcare plan that requires each state to enact their own.

With low numbers in the delegate count, including the latest Rasmussen Poll stating that Ciresi has a better chance of losing against Coleman (than Franken), Ciresi decides to drop out of the U.S Senate race today. This was reported on KSTP’s 5 Eyewitness news:

Mike Ciresi announced he would withdraw his candidacy for the U.S. Senate Monday afternoon.Ciresi said in a statement that he was retracting his bid to relieve unnecessary fights.

“We are at defining moment in our nation’s history, and we have the opportunity to reject the failed policies of the past and write a new chapter in the American story. I am confident we will do so because of the spirit, creativity, and optimism of our fellow citizens,” Ciresi said.

In the statement, Ciresi also thanked the state and his staff members.

“I firmly believe that America’s best days are still ahead of us. As we return to private life, I will continue my efforts, as I have my entire life, to work with others in contributing to the common good of our state and nation,” Ciresi said.

From my post on Feb. 29th, Franken leads Coleman, latest poll,

Today’s latest Rasmussen Report shows Al Franken leading Norm Coleman, 49% to 46% if Franken were to be the DFL candidate. If Ciresi were to get the DFL nod, Coleman would be ahead, 47% to 45%. There was no mention about Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer.

Mike Ciresi’s statement, from MinnPost:

From: Ciresi, Michael V.
Sent: Monday, March 10, 2008 4:28 PM
Subject: MIKE’S STATEMENT ON WITHDRAWING FROM SENATE RACE

I am announcing today my withdrawal from the contest for the DFL endorsement and the conclusion of my candidacy for the U.S. Senate. In my judgment, continuing the endorsement race would only lead to an unnecessary floor fight. It is time to step aside.

On entering the race, I expressed my passionate belief that our country had lost its direction and that the middle class was being crushed economically. We have a failed foreign policy that has led us into a war that, despite the extraordinary service of our armed forces and the sacrifices of their families, has served to further destabilize the Middle East and led to a less safe world. Middle class jobs are evaporating and quality educational opportunity is being denied to our children. College education is increasingly unaffordable, and graduates are saddled with enormous loans. We have a “sick care” system rather than a health care system that is affordable and accessible to all. The environment is not being nurtured and protected. We have a tax system that has created the greatest wealth gap since the early 1900s. Staggering debt is being passed on to future generations, and yet those who seek political office say little about the difficult economic choices we must make.

We are at defining moment in our nation’s history, and we have the opportunity to reject the failed policies of the past and write a new chapter in the American story. I am confident we will do so because of the spirit, creativity, and optimism of our fellow citizens.

Ann and I have traveled our entire state for the past year, and the desire and sense of urgency for change is palpable. We believe that the people will demand that the tough choices be presented and that the vast majority of Americans will reject self-interest in favor of the common good and shared sacrifice. I firmly believe that America’s best days are still ahead of us. As we return to private life, I will continue my efforts, as I have my entire life, to work with others in contributing to the common good of our state and nation.

Ann and I and our family wish to express our deep gratitude to all of our fellow Minnesotans who have so graciously welcomed us into their homes, businesses, and towns and engaged us in heartfelt discussions concerning the issues facing our nation. We are also deeply indebted to all of our supporters and staff who passionately believe in our message and have worked tirelessly on our behalf. The memories and friendships forged are timeless. We encourage all to remain committed to changing the direction of our nation and to support candidates of their choice.

Fondly –

Mike and Ann Ciresi

Does Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer have a chance to scoop up more delegates? More to come soon.

This post is coming to you live from the DFL State Central Committee meeting in at Prior Lake High School in Savage.

That last part was important because there was some confusion about where the meeting was going to be: some thought it was at the OLD high school (which is now a middle school) and some were initially unable to find it because it was not clear to everyone that the school was in Savage, but it appears everything is smooth sailing.

I will becoming to you later today with a liveblog of the debate between DFL candidates for US Senate.  Mike Ciresi and Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer have been working the crowds; no sign of Al Franken or Jim Cohen yet. Congressional candidates Jim Hovland and Ashwin Madia (Third District) and Steve Sarvi (Second District) have already spoken.

See you all at 4:00 p.m.