Consumer Watchdog Running for Congress in MN

Sunday's Saint Paul Pioneer Press gave a black eye to the Minnesota Virtual High School by revealing they recently terminated Shelley Madore, a candidate for Congress, after she reported taxpayer fraud at the charter school. Madore's campaign provided little comment about her charges or the school's reactions, noting the investivation was on-going.

Former MN Representative
Shelley Madore

"When I shared it, I was terminated..."

former MN State Rep. Shelley Madore

Voters in the south Twin Cities Metro area have a choice between the former legislator/watchdog and an unemployed former roofer who "fell into politics" (after falling from a roof) in the upcoming August 10th primary. The winner will challenge incumbent GOP Representative John Kline in the November election.

FEC filings by Madore's opponent Powers have omissions and inconsistencies that might be a story in and of themselves, but what is there reveals he has ample personal assets to loan his campaign $35,000 dollars, giving him the edge in money raised and cash on hand - though both campaigns are struggling to attract donations with so much press attention on other Minnesota races. Twin Cities media has focused on both Tarryl Clark's bid to unseat Michelle Bachmann and the hotly-contested 3-way gubernatorial primary contest, devoting scant coverage to the Congressional primary on the other site of the metro.

The Pioneer Press story characterizes both 2^nd District Democratic campaigns as limping into the primary. The Star Tribue ran a brief article in late July describing Madore's opponent as having a "sketchy résumé" in their first coverage of the primary in months.

"His only income in 2009 was $28,000 in unemployment insurance, according to a financial disclosure report filed in Washington."

from: DFL candidate has sketchy résumé as contractor

24 July 2010

Madore's campaign has made little reference to her opponent's extended unemployment or reliance on his life story rather than policy statements to influence voters, preferring to highlight concrete differences such as Powers failure to hire union workers back when he ran his small business versus her solid voting record as an effective state legislator and endorsements from local and national organizations.

Teacher's unions seem particularly delighted to have a candidate with experience in both the legislature and public education on the ballot: Madore counts endorsements from the National Education Association (NEA), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), and Education Minnesota among her growing list.

Thomas Hayes is an entrepreneur, Democratic Campaign Manager, journalist, and photographer who contributes regularly to a host of web sites on topics ranging from economics and politics to culture and community.

Primaries promote participation

There are primaries in a dozen states today; many will prove pivotal in shaping the political landscape at the state and local level for the near-term future. Others are nearly two months away, such as in Minnesota, where Democratic insiders are seeing challenges in the primaries to their anointed choices. Here's why primaries matter: they bring the campaign to the attention of more voters instead of leaving the endorsement in the hands of insiders cutting old-school deals in smoke filled back rooms, GOP-style.

Former state Representative Shelley Madore, the first Democrat elected to represent Apple Valley (a southern Twin Cities suburb) in 30 years, said Monday that she's pleased to be in the only DFL (Democrat-Farmer-Labor) primary at the Congressional level with a remaining challenge.

"Our Representative makes speeches about supporting small business growth, but actions speak louder than words.  While Mr. Kline has consistently voted the GOP line in support of big business, and the sort of deregulation that led to the crisis on Wall Street and enabled BP's slipshod Gulf operations, this district deserves somebody more interested in partnering with business and understanding the challenges facing people who work for a living."

Former MN Representative, Shelley Madore

There are two DFL challengers to the party-endorsed candidate in the Minnesota Governor's race, former U.S. Senator Mark Dayton and former state legislator Matt Entenza (who surprised many by picking a political rookie for his running mate,) both mounting substantive challenges to Margaret Anderson-Kelliher's campaign.  In fact, Dayton ascended to the Senate by challenging the party-endorsed candidate in 2000, and although he's been chair of the party he emphasizes that the voters who participate in the primary should have a choice rather than simply accepting what insiders decide.  Maureen Reed, the challenger to convention-endorsed Tarryl Clark in Minnesota's 6th Congressional District, announced Sunday that she was suspending her primary campaign.

Still, Madore isn't looking for her primary opponent in the 2nd District to drop out despite rumors he's finally kicked off fund-raising in the past week.  The election is about Kline, she says.

"He's a good speechmaker, but his voting record shows this Texas transplant is taking the advice of GOP strategists rather than thinking about how to bring jobs to our district. Leaders don't wait for things to get better, they go get things done. My record as a State Legislator tells the voters I'll take personal responsibility representing the district in Washington."

Former MN Representative, Shelley Madore

During her time working in state government, Madore authored dozens of bills each year, and managed to build bi-partisan cooperation moving legislation forward, which stands in marked contrast to Kline's record. She "welcomes the primary process" because it gives district voters who didn't participate in the DFL convention in the district a chance to learn more about her record of accomplishment while promoting the involvement of a much larger number of people.

Thomas Hayes is an entrepreneur, journalist, political staffer, and photographer who contributes regularly to a host of web sites on topics ranging from economics and politics to culture and community. He was a delegate to the 2010 conventions in Minnesota, and has served as an officer of MN's DFL party.

Will Ohio Racism Block Obama Win There? 60 Minutes Gives A Preview

Last night, Sunday it was, CBS' television's "60 Minutes" program gave an unflinching look at the State of Ohio during this presidential campaign, and given what I saw, I came away with this view: Ohio is racist.

I hope I'm wrong, but between the Neo-Nazi marches and other reports, and now this comment by an Ohioan that Obama doesn't sing the National Anthem and that he's Muslim, I wonder what the hell's going on up there to allow such obvious displays of mental illness to spread?

What's the deal?

Why does a person have to have someone to hate? Why is it that in Ohio, this seem to be a terrible problem? Are the polls wrong? Is it that the pollsters are ignoring young people in Ohio? I hope so, because it seems that you've got a certain type of non-Black up there who is poor and not well-educated and thus easily manipulated by Clintons supporters, who feed on Amercan racism to advance their campaign.

Sick stuff if you ask me.

I'm not at all happy with the Clintons and I do pray that Senator Clinton does not win at all.