We have seen this election year that when voters have the choice between a status-quo Republican and a Democrat who represents a new direction, Democrats win. This race is an opportunity for Democrats, independents and moderate Republicans who want to move our country in a new direction. We believe in Ashwin Madia’s vision to change the direction of our country.

To be sure, it will be an exciting race in the 3rd. As anyone who has read this blog over the past year knows, we feel strongly that Ash’s moderate background (formerly a middle-of-the-road Republican), compelling story (his parents came to America with $19 in cash), and energizing presence on the ground will provide Rep. Erik Paulsen with a strong challenge in the race for the 3rd. Paulsen’s conservative record in the State House is surely something that Bachmann conservatives have been happy about, but I just don’t think that his brand of hard-right social conservatism will play in the moderate (on social issues, probably to the left) 3rd.

Either way, getting the Chair of the DCCC to come to town within the first month of your endorsement ain’t a bad start…

Unfortunately, I cannot share in the savings because I already drink the cheapest of cheap beers: Keystone Light. You can’t beat the price ($9.90 for a case of 30) and I got used to the taste in college.

What’s your cheap beer of choice?

Quite simply, this is an issue of local control. Cities and counties should be allowed to offer benefit packages that help them recruit and retain the best-possible employees. We shouldn’t be making these local human resources decisions at the Capitol.

They’ve been doing some amazing work down at the Capitol this session; I just hope our absentee Governor doesn’t mess this one up…

Fees and property taxes are going up around the state as a response to the Governors financial policy. Give him a holler at 651-296-3391 and let him know that it’s time to stop pricing Minnesotans out of house and home.

Full release after the jump…

Stephanie Schriock to Manage Franken Campaign
Norm Coleman to Join Conrad Burns In Retirement
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SAINT PAUL [5/15/08] - Al Franken for U.S. Senate is thrilled to announce that Stephanie Schriock will be joining the campaign as Campaign Manager in early June.

Schriock most recently served as Montana Senator Jon Tester’s Chief of Staff after managing his successful campaign to defeat three-term incumbent Conrad Burns.

“I’m incredibly proud of the campaign we’ve built and incredibly excited about Stephanie coming aboard to run it,” said Al Franken. “She’s a good friend, a remarkable talent, and someone who knows a little something about beating Republican Senators who’ve forgotten what their job was supposed to be in Washington.”

Stephanie Schriock said, “Al Franken’s passion and dedication for delivering positive change across the board - from energy independence to health care - is what our country needs. I am honored to join Franken’s campaign for change - working with all Minnesotans to send another great progressive Senator we can be proud of to Washington this November.”

Schriock was born in Mankato. Her family moved to Butte, Montana, where she graduated from high school, before she returned to Mankato State University for college.

Schriock has broad political experience working for high-profile leaders around the nation. Before the Tester campaign, she served as senior advisor and finance director for Gov. Howard Dean’s Presidential campaign in Vermont and managed David Walters’ U.S. Senate campaign in Oklahoma. She also worked at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee from 1999-2002, aiding campaigns across the country.

Schriock’s start in politics was as Finance Director for the Mary Rieder for Congress campaign (MN-1) in 1996 and then as Campaign Manager for the Bill Luther for Congress campaign (MN-6) in 1998.

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In response to questions prompted by Katherine Kersen’s recent columns on Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy (TIZA), I decided to visit the school myself.

What I learned during a tour late last month is that none of Kersten’s concerns that the charter school is promoting religion in violation of a state law that prohibits public schools from doing so is valid.

What I did see was excellent teachers hard at work in the classroom focused on improving student achievement. I saw engaged students of different religious and cultural backgrounds learning reading, math, government and science. I spoke with parents, teachers and administrators who all stressed their high standards for TIZA students.

While an outsider, or someone like Kersten who is trying to validate a predetermined conclusion, might be tempted to brand Tarek ibn Ziyad as an “Islamic School” because it leases space from the Muslim American Society of Minnesota, the school, like other charter schools in Minnesota that lease space from churches, is a separate entity. It does comply with federal law that requires all schools to accommodate a student’s right to practice his or her religion. And unlike other charter schools that have faced financial and other administrative challenges, the school was recognized with a 2008 School Finance Award from the Minnesota Department of Education for its “sound fiscal health and financial management policies.”

Kersten’s reckless journalistic standards have diminished this paper’s credibility. Worse, they have threatened the safety of the children and staff at the school, which has been forced to take extra security measures in the wake of recent death threats. While I value a broad range of opinions from a variety of perspectives, I value the facts even more. Kersten’s gross distortion of the facts in this case should compel Star Tribune management to ask for her resignation.

I couldn’t agree more.

A Junta-ing We Will Go

The MN Dem Party 5/13 “called on Sen. Norm Coleman (R) to divest campaign donations made by employees of a firm that lobbied for Myanmar’s junta,” 3 days after the firm’s chief exec. Doug Goodyear resigned as coordinator of the GOP convo. At issue are donations from DCI Group’s PAC and employees. DFLers urged Coleman to donate to charity the roughly $10K in donations made to his camp and his leadership PAC by DCI’s PAC and employees, including Goodyear. DFL chair Brian Melendez also “called on Coleman to reveal what he discussed with DCI lobbyists, including whether the firm lobbied him on behalf on Myanmar’s junta.”

Gotta love the headline: