A DFLer who can say no

If we must have a DFLer chair the Minnesota House Taxes Committee, instead of former chair and new Taxpayers League of Minnesota President Phil "Dr. No" Krinkie, we could do a lot worse than Rep. Ann Lenczewski (DFL-Bloomington).

Lenczewski (pronounced len-CHESS-key, as her campaign lawn signs say helpfully) was on Krinkie's and our side of the fence on the Twins stadium tax (which is to say, she opposed it). Now with The Mall of America begging the state for $234 million to subsidize its expansion, and the promise of a net positive economic impact (sound familiar?), Lenczewski is sounding almost Krinkiesque:

"There will be a bunch of people who will say that it's not the proper role of government," she said. "We're supposed to be figuring out how to fund K-12 education, and how to get more people health care, not promoting a shopping mall."

Speaking of taxes, 100.3 KTLK-FM personality Jason Lewis's Tax Cut Coalition has reportedly reached over 11,000 members. Its first official meeting will be on the steps of the State Capitol, on Saturday, April 14 at 12:00 noon. In an e-mail, Lewis is urging all coalition members to invite five friends to join him, Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (MN-6), and (I would imagine) Krinkie, David Strom, and several thousand other fiscal conservatives at the rally.

Consider yourself invited. Perhaps Rep. Lenczewski will be there!

Strom, Pat Anderson, Seifert to chew chili, chat, chill out

Our friend, former (and perhaps future?) candidate for Minnesota Senate, graphic artist extraordinaire, dad, husband, homeowner, taxpayer, bon vivant, raconteur, one of the tallest people at Keegan's (next to Mitch) and conservative blogger Derek Brigham has graciously invited all North Star Liberty readers to join him at the upcoming

Senate District 45 Republicans

"Chili & Chat"

Featuring

David Strom, President of Taxpayers League Foundation
Pat Anderson, former Minnesota State Auditor and current Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Employee Relations
Rep. Marty Seifert, Minnesota House Minority Leader (R-Marshall) and new President of the Taxpayers League of Minnesota

Tuesday, March 6, 2007, 6:30-8:30 pm

Robbinsdale Middle School Cafeteria
36th Ave. N. and Toledo Ave. (near the Hwy 100 & 36th intersection, across the street from Cub Foods)

$10 per person
Price includes traditional or vegetarian chili, bread, cookie and beverage.

Send an RSVP to Carole Christianson at the SD 45 web site, or call her with questions at 763-535-4438.

Strom is also a TownHall.com columnist and regularly holds court at the cigar-smoke laced Keegan's power table during MOB events, with his wife and AM 1280 The Patriot co-host, master gardener/blogger and political observer, the lovely Margaret Martin.

Anderson is the no-nonsense, "bulldog" former state auditor and former mayor of Eagan, whose state convention speeches have gotten delegates whispering about a possible Anderson gubernatorial run.

Seifert is simply the last best hope for conservatives in the Minnesota House.

The next conservative revolution begins at rubber chicken (or chili, as the case may be) events like this in 2007, where we're rebuilding the base. The networking and (with Brigham there) laughter alone will be worth the paltry price of admission. Be there. Aloha.

Ramstad, Kline disagree on vote of "no confidence"

Is a vote of "no confidence" really a good idea in a time of war?

In parliamentary systems, votes of no confidence may be the first step to removing a prime minister or dissolving parliament. In our democratic republic, we have votes of confidence or no confidence by the entire electorate every election cycle.

House Concurrent Resolution 63, disapproving of the decision of the President to deploy more than 20,000 additional United States combat troops to Iraq, is an American version of the parliamentary vote of no confidence. My U.S. Representative from MN-3, Jim Ramstad, spoke in favor of the resolution:

As General Colin Powell, one of the most respected military leaders of our generation, put it, a surge was already tried in Baghdad last fall, and it failed...

It's time for Congress to step up and express our strong support of our brave troops, our continued support of their original mission and our opposition to the increase of U.S. troops to police a civil war in Iraq.

President Bush's new strategy is more than a troop surge. Bush intends to: let the Iraqis lead; help Iraqis protect the population; isolate extremists; create space for political progress; diversify political and economic efforts; and situate the strategy in a regional approach. Ramstad's phrase "police a civil war" is something we would expect to hear from liberals like Wendy Wilde or Al Franken.

Rep. John Kline (MN-6) sees the resolution for what it is: Congressional micromanagement à la the Vietnam war. In a thoughtful and thorough statement on the floor of the U.S. House, Kline said:

One critic of the administration's handling of Iraq, a very vocal critic, and a man who I knew and admired throughout my Marine Corps career, retired General Anthony Zinni, the former commander of Central Command, spelled it out bluntly when he noted that, "We cannot simply pull out, as much as we may want to. The consequences of a destabilized and chaotic Iraq sitting in the center of a critical region in the world could have catastrophic implications."

...Let us not promote a humanitarian disaster which is almost unimaginable. Let us support success in Iraq. Let us support the new commander in Iraq and give him what he needs to succeed in this mission.

Ramstad is one of the most patriotic, pro-troop people anywhere. While not what I would call conservative, he works hard for his district and the Republican Party. I see him across the Third District every Memorial Day, from a mid-morning American Legion ceremony in a tiny Wayzata cemetery to the flag-draped, spit-and-polish observance at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. And I will be forever grateful for his principled vote against No Child Left Behind, in spite of bone-breaking arm twisting from the Bush White House. But I question whether a vote of no confidence in a time of war is truly in the best interests of freedom and our country.