Comments on: Bonoff on the air

By: rm

rm — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 13:49:22 +0000

Voter - “With regard to funding the federal government should keep its promise of funding 40% of special education costs.” If Bonoff can accomplish this one goal, third district schools ”

Voter - “I would repeal the No Child Left Behind unfunded mandate”

this are standard Dem talking points…nothing new here

By: voter

voter — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 13:27:26 +0000

Dantheman is right — Bonoff and Ed. MN disagreed on mandatory statewide health insurance for all districts last session. Bonoff, and other reps in the west supported statewide insurance on a voluntary basis, as it would have been a huge cost increase for the schools within her district. She listened to her constituents and didn’t cater to the union. Doesn’t mean she won’t be endorsed later, either.

By: voter

voter — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 03:29:01 +0000

Sen. Bonoff answered 2 key questions about education. “With regard to funding the federal government should keep its promise of funding 40% of special education costs.” If Bonoff can accomplish this one goal, third district schools will be significantly enriched, making up for the insufficient state funding of the last decade.

and “I would repeal the No Child Left Behind unfunded mandate, and would focus federal funding on providing states with the necessary resources to ensure every child is attaining educational excellence.” Achieving this goal will free up money spent on excesseve testing and allow teachers to quit teaching to the tests, giving the districts more say in their curriculum.

By: DantheMan

DantheMan — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 00:53:20 +0000

“My opinion is that the best candidate for education is not Bonoff….and that’s why she wasn’t endorsed this time.”

My point is this: The best candidate for education and the best candidate for this particular Labor Union might not be one in the same!

If Bonoff took stances at the legislature that stood up to the powerful Union machine, then she actually is a step closer to getting my vote, not losing it!

By: rm

rm — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 23:45:36 +0000

Sorry SPS as much as you would try to potray EDM as “some labor union” , it is clear that EDM and the DFL are like peas in a pod.

For a “virtual incumbent” like Bonoff to loose that endorsement is significant. If she thought that she would be the puppet of the labor union, then state it or at least state what her differences were with the union positions.

By: West Metro Dem

West Metro Dem — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 23:42:02 +0000

The point was that a union that endorsed previously would be favorably inclined to endorse again - especially when that candidate is running on that specific platform plank.

My opinion is that the best candidate for education is not Bonoff….and that’s why she wasn’t endorsed this time.

By: DantheMan

DantheMan — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 23:19:14 +0000

“seems like “the education candidate” should be able to get the education endorsement.”

Why should we assume that an endorsement from a special interest labor union, in this case Education Minnesota, is synonymous with the “education endorsement”?

Did it ever occur to you that the best candidate for educational improvement and reform may not necessarily be the person who is simply assuming all the positions of a special interest group?

To answer the question you posed in your post, I think it is very possible that the best candidate for educational improvement and reform may be one who is not the puppet of one particular labor union.

Let’s not confuse the voice of education with the voice of a labor union.

By: rm

rm — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 23:00:08 +0000

SPS - “Has Mr. Madia or Mayor Hovland addressed why Ed MN has “chosen not to endorse them”?”

Big difference. Here you have a candidate who crows about education and her ability to get things done. But as a voter we cannot get a straight answer in a democratic primary as to why she did not seek or did not get an endorsement from Ed MN.

By: st paul sage

st paul sage — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 22:48:44 +0000

So are you saying that she hasn’t said anything about education? Something that I think it’s reasonable to expect. Or are you saying that she should address a particular group’s endorsement that it has not yet conferred, which I don’t think it’s reasonable to expect.

Furthermore they have not “chosen not to endorse her.” they haven’t chosen to endorse anyone…yet. It’s like asking Hillary Clinton why the voters of South Carolina didn’t choose her. They haven’t voted yet so for her to comment on it would be silly.

Interest group endorsements are important, but they are complex and unpredictable in a primary with multiple good candidates. For any candidate to assume an endorsement (other than a woman for Emily’s List or a Veteran from a Veteran’s Group) would show bad judgment at this point and wisely, Sen Bonoff hasn’t done that, West Metro Dem has.

The only group that can really address their endorsement or lack thereof, in this race, is Ed MN. Anyone else is just stuck making stuff up.

Has Mr. Madia or Mayor Hovland addressed why Ed MN has “chosen not to endorse them”?

By: West Metro Dem

West Metro Dem — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 21:58:36 +0000

I’d say a pretty fundamental question when you consider that she is running as “the education” candidate and her background that she touted to win her state senate seat is all of her Legislative Action Coalition work for Hopkins Schools. She also received Ed MN’s endorsement for her senate seat and now they are choosing not to endorse her……seems like “the education candidate” should be able to get the education endorsement.

I wasn’t hoping she would piss on anyone. I was hoping she’d answer the question. I also want to know whether or not she supports renewing Bush’s tax cuts.

I think everyone should have to answer where they stand on pretty common themes these days…..