Tag Archive for 'Keith Ellison'
Good for Keith Ellison, my Representative in CD5. Ellison, a member of the progressive caucus, says he will “not be dissuaded” from opposing any attempt at health reform that leaves out a public plan.
Ellison also says his ideal plan would be a single-payer plan. Let’s not forget that the public plan is a compromise between single-payer and a more market-based system. Just that plan represents an enormous concession, and the loss of significant savings. Let’s not water health reform down any further.
Ellison and Entenza served together in the Minnesota House and also went to law school together. Ellison also did a funderaiser for Entenza a short time ago and I hear that they marched together in the May Day parade.
Liberals are hailing a three-way fight to lead the Congressional Progressive Caucus as a sign of the growing influence of the Democratic left on Capitol Hill…
Reps. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) and Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) are both challenging incumbent Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.).
Looks like it might be an uphill fight for Keith, as Grijalva and Woolsey are both more senior members. If, however, Keith does succeed in winning the chair, it looks like it’ll be a pretty influential position:
But this year nine of the 13 candidates the caucus supported won election, and its membership is expected to grow to 80 members. In addition, Democrats will control both ends of the Capitol with sizable majorities, and the White House will be occupied by a Democrat with a liberal voting record.
“The progressive caucus is on the map now,” Woolsey said in an interview. “We just want to make sure our new president and vice president keep in mind who we consider to be the base of our party.”
We’re rooting for you Keith!
As for Tim Walz, he isn’t so much “attempting” to win a leadership position, he’s already won one:
Rep. Tim Walz of Mankato, fresh off his re-election to a second term, agreed to serve as a Midwest regional Democratic whip after being drafted by five committee chairmen for the post, his spokeswoman said.
Before joining the Tuesday’s meeting of Democratic lawmakers from seven states, Walz said he was not seeking any leadership post for the upcoming 111th Congress. But that was before he was urged to accept the job by the two Minnesota committee chairs, Agriculture Chairman Collin Peterson of Detroit Lakes and Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Jim Oberstar of Chisholm. They were joined by Appropriations Chairman David Obey of Wisconsin and the Michigan duo of Energy and Commerce Chairman John Dingell and Judiciary Chairman John Conyers.
“They felt they needed a moderate voice at the table in the whip organization,” said Meredith Salsbery, Walz’s press secretary. Walz will join the team of House Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C. , third in rank under Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland. They were easily re-elected by the newly expanded Democratic caucus during a closed-door meeting on Capitol Hill on Tuesday.
What does this mean for Walz’s gubernatorial prospects? Probably not much. You could see this as a sign that Walz plans on staying in Congress, or you could just see it as a smart move by a politician who is keeping his options open.
In other Walz news, the Congressman is apparently supporting John Dingell bid to remain Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. That’s too bad. Dingell is too close to the auto industry and has been less than friendly to attempts to fight global warming.
A hat tip to Bluestem Prairie on both Walz stories.
Last year members of the 34th Infantry Division set a record for longest time in country during the Iraq war — the brave citizen soldiers of the Minnesota National Guard did their service in Iraq unfailingly and with distinction.
Representatives Tim Walz and Keith Ellison have been working hard for the last year to ensure that they get the education benefits they deserve. Just today the good Representatives announced that they have finally gotten the last of the benefits cleared up with the VA.
– Today, Congressman Tim Walz and Congressman Keith Ellison announced that the Department of Veterans Affairs has agreed to their request to provide full educational benefits to nearly 400 soldiers from the 1/34th Brigade Combat Team who had previously been denied the payments they had earned.
On July 28, 2008, Reps. Walz and Ellison spearheaded a letter from the Minnesota Congressional Delegation to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, requesting that he act quickly to ensure that the 1/34th members received their benefits. Secretary Peake announced VA’s decision to award those benefits in a letter of August 11, 2008. The National Guard estimates that this decision will affect approximately 367 veterans nationally.
The entire press release after the jump.
I’ve gotten to know Al well as he’s traveled the state building a grassroots movement for change, and I know he’ll be a champion for Minnesota families in Washington.
On issues like health care, energy, the war in Iraq, and our economy here at home, Al will reject the failed policies of the Bush administration and fight for change. In fact, just today Al offered some bold, common-sense solutions to strengthen Minnesota’s schools. Al will never sell out to the special interests - he’ll stay loyal to Minnesotans and advocate everyday to help the middle class.
Today Franken is campaigning in Saint Paul, Saint Cloud, the Benton County Fairgrounds and Coon Rapids.
Updates: AP via WCCO, Pioneer Press, MPR.
Having two Senate Democrats in Congress will be helpful to push forward needed housing and anti-predatory mortgage lending legislation, said Ellison. “We need both houses [of Congress] working together and an administration working for us. Al isn’t just another Democrat, but a dynamic, energetic, charismatic voice that can help rally the public will to real solutions.”
Appearing with U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison in north Minneapolis, Franken called for:
- A 120-day moratorium on foreclosures, which would also require financial counseling for homeowners at risk of losing their home.
- Allowing bankruptcy judges to rewrite terms of loans on primary residences.
- Increased funding to redevelop abandoned and foreclosed homes.
- Minimum federal standards for state licensing of brokers who originate mortgages.
Rachel E. Stassen-Berger of the Pioneer Press, adds:
The press conference was the third policy-focus Franken’s had this week. Monday he talked gas prices and Wednesday he talked drug prices and Medicare Part D. Each was at an evocative locale — Monday he was at a gas station; Wednesday at a drug store, today at the home of a couple who is under threat to lose their home. At each he said Republican Sen. Norm Coleman had gotten more donations than any politician in Minnesota history from the appropriate business — Monday, oil companies, Wednesday the pharmaceutical companies, today, bankers.
Norm proposed the HOME Act which went nowhere in the Senate because nobody would consider it. Mainly because it was a gift to the mortgage industry which had gotten itself into quite a mess.…In contrast Al Franken thinks this issue affects the value of everybody’s home and wants to help actual people. Plus he’s not funded by the mortgage industry.
“I want to apologize for the comments,” (John K.) Tanner said. “… I understand that my explanation of the data came across in a hurtful way, which I deeply regret.”…
“You’re saying you’re right but your tone was wrong,” said Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.). “I don’t know what you’re apologizing for.”
All these shenanigans started a few weeks ago when Tanner, who is the head of the Justice Department’s voting section, said about Voter ID laws and their effect on minorities,
“It’s probably true that among those who don’t [have Photo ID], it’s primarily elderly persons. And that’s a shame. Of course…our society is such that minorities don’t become elderly. The way that white people do. They die first.”
You can see the video of him being dumb here.
After being asked by Representative Ellison what exactly he was apologizing for, Tanner responded like a whipped child; “I hurt people…” Now of course he didn’t say anything wrong or incorrect — his tone was just hurtful. Thats an un-apology apology if I’ve ever heard one.
Mr. Tanner’s belief in the magical world where only white people grew old was shaken to the core when informed that Keith Ellison’s father was getting up there in age, and *shockingly* also black. His weak admission that yes indeed, people with a skin tone darker than unfinished pine age the same way that white people do was met with a collective “Just say you’re an idiot and apologize already!” by all of the people with four or more functioning braincells in the room.
See Rep. Ellison scrap with this guy here.
Not bad for a freshman Congressman!
UPDATE: I wrote this post before finishing the article, and thus failed to note that Al Franken was ranked at 49, right ahead of House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer. Thats a lot of influence!
It’s almost like the Reichstag fire, kind of reminds me of that. After the Reichstag was burned, they blamed the Communists for it and it put the leader of that country [Hitler] in a position where he could basically have authority to do whatever he wanted
Clearly the President took advantage of 9/11 to expand executive power. An editorial in the Star Tribune did a good job of explaining:
Forget about Hitler for a moment. The terror attacks of 9/11 were indeed a starting gun that kicked off a rush to expand government power. Could the Patriot Act have passed without 9/11? Would Congress have authorized a war in Iraq? No credible observer believes that the attacks were some kind of inside job (though an alarming number of people in Muslim countries are happy to think so). But neither is it credible to suppose that the Bush administration has failed to take advantage of the popular support presidents enjoy in times of crisis. Any president would do so.
Few, however, would go as far as this president has gone. Bush and his team seem intent on enlarging his authority and defying those who would challenge him or his administration. Geneva Conventions? Quaint. Habeas corpus? Flexible. Court approval of wiretaps? Outmoded.
Correct on all points, but there’s still that first line: “Forget about Hitler for a moment.” Problem is Keith, no one has forgotten about Hitler and there’s a reason for that: as you put it yourself, “the murderous Nazi regime is historically distinct and the horror of the Holocaust must be acknowledged as a unique event in human history” [Strib 7/18/07]. So, you should understand that it may have been inappropriate to compare Bush and Hitler, even though you said, “I did not intend any direct comparison between the totalitarian state of Nazi Germany and the current administration”[IBID].
I hate to jump in on this one Keith because so far it’s mainly been a one-sided conservative-bash fest that has, at best, misrepresented your comments, but I think that their over-amped outrage has obscured the more modest transgression. Even though the comparison was not intended to be direct, the mere mention of Hitler was inappropriate. I believe that it was an innocent, unintended mistake, but sometimes even the most innocent mistakes can have major consequences. An apology is in order Keith. You can get away without one, but you still command the high-ground, why not keep it that way?
The Justice Department doesn’t like the First Amendment. Specifically that whole part about abridging the freedom of the press. They think that if journalists can *gasp* keep their sources secret, then the terrorists will have won.
Fuh real. I’m not kidding.
“The Bush administration, which opposes legislation to shield journalists from revealing their confidential sources, warned lawmakers Thursday that the measure’s broad definition of journalists could protect the media wings of terrorist groups.”
Keith Ellison (Scourge of the Republican Party — MN) thinks that is boobery of a most uncharming sort.
“Is it legitimate to say, ‘The terrorists are going to get us so we shouldn’t have this law’?” Ellison asked. “That strikes me as kind of hyperbole.”
In this case “hyperbole” = “booberbole”
Republicans in the Judicial Committee and William Safire, bed wetting liberal that he is (thats sarcasm for you Chris), rush to echo Keith’s sentiments, after the jump.
From the Star Tribune:
Rep. Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, had little good to say about President Bush’s foreign policy when he ran for office last year.
Now, two months in office, the Minnesota Democrat plans to meet with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and other top State Department officials to talk about showcasing his story as part of their public diplomacy efforts in the Muslim world.
“Hey, my country first. We can work out our political differences later,” said Ellison, an outspoken critic of the Iraq war. “I’ve said I’m willing to do whatever I can to make some friends for America.”
Keith is a class act. What now Brodkorb?!
People Are Shouting
RSS