MEET AND GREET WITH MATT ENTENZA

Matt Entenza (on right) with Mayor of Winona

Tonight I attended a Meet and Greet for Matt Entenza. It was at the library in Stillwater. If you have never been to the Stillwater library, be sure to check it out. It's wonderful. The view from the top floor deck is stupendous. You can see the St. Croix River Valley in all its splendor.

The Meet and Greet was very interesting and informative for me. I've read Matt's campaign literature and have been to a lot of events such as debates and forums where he was just one of many gubernatorial candidates speaking. It was nice to hear him talk in a smaller group setting. And it was good to see how he interacted with these voters from Stillwater, which is in CD6.

I was very impressed with Matt Entenza tonight. He came across as being reasonable, personable and caring. He listened carefully to the issues that the audience brought up. He never interrupted them to insert his own words. He waited until they were finished with what they had to say and then gave his response. There was a woman in the group who tried to monopolize the conversation. He took her in stride and remained polite. He listened to her concerns. I could tell he was emphathizing with her situation.

To begin the conversation, Matt told about his childhood growing up in Worthington, MN. He gave a personal background of a few of the things that affected his life. He kept it brief for the sake of time, as the Meet and Greet was only scheduled for an hour.

Matt talked of how Minnesota used to have such an excellent school system. I agreed with him on that. I attended the White Bear Lake schools from kindergarden through high school. My four kids were in the Mounds View school district. Between the time I was in school and the time my youngest two kids were, Minnesota's educational system took a nosedive. In the 1950's and 1960's, many languages were taught. When I was in high school there was a choice of French, German, Spanish, Greek, Latin and Russian. A foreign language was required to get into college. Extracurricular activities were either free or reasonably priced. I was in pep band, stage band, concert band and marching band. I never paid a cent for uniforms, instrument rental or lessons.

Let's elect a governor who will bring this standard back to Minnesota schools. Matt Entenza is one of the candidates who can and will accomplish this.

Matt's background is that of legislator, criminal prosecutor of white collar crime, telemarketing scams and other crimes committed in the business world. He became a legislator in 1995 and was the minority leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2003 - 2006. In 2005 Matt Entenza successfully stood up against Governor Tim Pawlenty in order to make sure that Minnesota kept its health care. He also, at this time, was instrumental in keeping public education from suffering further budget cuts.

Matt authored and passed the Do Not Call bill, which served to protect Minnesotans from harrassment by telemarketers. He also authored legislation to maintain funding for school breakfast programs and raise accountability standards for charter schools.

Matt Entenza was a major contributor to child support legislation in Minnesota. It was he who authored every major reform from 1995-2002 and increased collection by 25 percent.

As governor, Matt will focus on education, health care and green energy. He knows that no governor can focus on everything at once, so he has picked the issues that need the top priority. 

Matt Entenza saved MNCare, which is the state funded health care program for low and moderate income people without any other health insurance. He fought for the rights of every Minnesotan to have heath care access. State government shut down for seven days during this time, but in the end Matt made Governor Pawlenty see the light in regard to the importance of health care. The deal was that if the legislators would agree to call the tobacco tax a fee instead of a tax, then Pawlenty would agree to save MNCare. Of course we all know that a tax by any other name is still a tax. Kudos to Entenza for this one.

Matt wants Minnesota to return to the things that made our state great. Currently, polarization is getting worse and worse. The Teabaggers are getting out of control. Minnesotans are seeking a balance. When things get out of balance in nature, something always happens to restore the balance. It's no different in politics. I sincerely believe that Matt Entenza can restore balance to Minnesota.

Economic growth in Minnesota was about average for the Midwest until education became a prime focus. Then our economic growth took off. We saw tremendous advances in our economy. Now our educational system is suffering because of Republican administration. Our economy is suffering as well. Let's get Minnesota back on track with a superb educational system and a fast-growing economy. One follows the other.

Matt is also concerned about our justice system. There are too many flaws in it. Justice takes too long to accomplish and there is far too much red tape. Tonight at the Meet and Greet, Matt quoted an old saying: "Justice delayed is justice denied." People wait so long for justice that they end up not getting it at all. As governor, Matt will work to improve Minnesota's justice system. He knows that we need a more speedy court system and that we need a fair justice for the poor. Discrepancies have no place in our justice system.

Matt also knows that the "No Child Left Behind" program doesn't work. We need to junk it and come up with something that actually works. 

This candidate is good on child support, too. In 2001 he won a national award for best legislator in regard to to this issue.

Matt Entenza is pro light rail and pro heavy rail. This is excellent from my viewpoint. I grew up on trains and always feel a thrill when I ride them. My grandfather and uncle both worked for the Minnesota Transfer Railway. My cousins worked for the Burlington Northern. I myself did a stint with Canadian Pacific Railroad. When I was very small, my grandmother took me on the street cars. I vaguely remember. When I was about five, the streetcar lines began to disappear. Buses took their place. Yet now streetcars are making a comeback. We call it light rail now. Matt has a transportation plan that embraces the next twenty years. I briefly heard the plan tonight. It's excellent. 

In conclusion, I have to say that I was very impressed with Matt Entenza tonight. He's very easy to get along with, he listens to people, he's got a pleasing personality, he's got a plan for Minnesota to return to its days of glory but with a futuristic goal, and he's got a plan to win the governorship so he can bring these plans to fruition for the benefit of all Minnesotans.

Here's some pictures of tonight's Meet and Greet.

     People came early on their way home from work to wait

     for Matt to arrive.

                           Entenza Staffer

      More people arrived, all eager to meet Matt Entenza

       This was a beautiful room at the Stillwater library.

                                            My New Friends

        We had a great discussion with these two ladies.

          Matt Entenza listens carefully to Minnesotans.

**************************************************************

Mark Dayton for Governor

This is my first attempt at turning a PowerPoint presentation into a video. I learned a lot. Thanks to my son Justin for pointing me in the right direction to get information on how to do this.

Each slide has one sound file. The video is set to play the entire song and then pause for about five to ten seconds before going on to the next song. Please be patient. The songs include William Tell Overture, by Rossini; Celebration, by Kool and the Gang; Don't Jump to Conclusions, by the original Mouseketeers; and several other songs, including a very unique song about Minnesota.

Enjoy!

Mark Dayton for Governor

Mark Dayton for Governor of Minnesota from Colleen Morse on Vimeo.

WHY VOTE FOR TOM RUKAVINA?

This video sure makes it look like Tom Rukavina could get things done. Sounds like he has a conscience, too, and knows how to speak out when something is wrong in our government. Watch and listen!





Here's Tom Rukavina on Minnesota taxes. He effectively uses a lot of humor here, too, and the legislators crack up.

MARK DAYTON DISCLOSES PERSONAL ISSUES

As we all know by now, Mark Dayton disclosed some very personal issues to the Star Tribune. He later agreed to an interview with MPR. Here's the interview. Listen to it and then read my take.

What I hear is a good man telling the public about some health issues that he has been dealing with. He thinks that the voters have a right to know. I admire his courage in revealing these things. Hopefully his frankness will mean that more people will understand about depression and alcoholism. These are two illnesses that affect thousands and thousands of people, yet they both remain misunderstood to a large degree. The social stigma is better than it was fifty years ago, but we still have a ways to go.

As you heard in the audio, Dayton has these medical issues completely under control with a healthy diet, daily exercise and the care of a good physician. I see no reason whatsoever why he shouldn't continue his campaign for governor of Minnesota. I believe, without any doubt, that Mark Dayton could conceivably be the best governor that Minnesota has ever had.

Mark Dayton has thirty-four years of government experience. He's well known for the generous way in which he helps others by giving of his time and his financial resources. He truly cares about Minnesota and its people. When's the last time we had a governor who has really cared? What a difference this will make from what we've had for the last twenty years.

This is a man who is concerned about the direction that Minnesota has been going. He wants to change it. He wants to give us a Better Minnesota. He knows how to do it. He knows what it takes. In his younger days, his mentors were Walter Mondale, Rudy Perpich and Paul Wellstone. His political hero was Bobby Kennedy. He has always had a soft spot in his heart for the downtrodden and underprivileged. Mark Dayton is a man who can easily associate with anyone no matter the race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender or sexual orientation. He has done so much for veterans and seniors, as well.

One of his most admirable qualities is knowing what a problem is and what to do to fix it. Dayton realized he had a health issue and sought immediate help for it. What a far better world this would be if everyone would do that. Most people deny that there is even a problem. Mark Dayton not only admitted it but sought help to fix it. He now takes his health very seriously and has embarked on a healthy routine each day in order to enjoy maximum health. It's apparent in the picture above that Mark is blooming with health and good cheer.

Please join me in voting for Mark Dayton for the next governor of Minnesota.

WHY ARE THEY REALLY RUNNING?

Why do these ten candidates really want to be governor of Minnesota? What are their true inner motivations? They're not saying. In Toastmasters, if you don't give the Toastmaster of the Day an introduction, they get to make something up. I did ask this question of all ten candidates but did not get a response back from any of them. Since I'm home alone today on Christmas Eve, and will be tonight as well, I'm kind of bored. This is my first time ever to be all alone on Christmas Eve. (I'm not counting my whiny cat.) So here goes. The real reasons why these candidates want to be governor.


Tom Bakk - He's kind of an unknown to most of Minnesota. If he runs for governor, everyone will know who he is. Then he can write a book. Just like Jesse did.

Mark Dayton - He doesn't need the money or the fame, so his motivation must be altruistic. He has no reason to feel bad about his Senate years, but he does anyway, just cause that's the kind of guy he is. Humble and shy. And always looking out for the best interests of the people of Minnesota, whether others appreciate his good deeds or not. The media rags were not kind to him in those years. Winning the governorship and making this a truly better Minnesota is his chance to redeem himself in the eyes of his beloved Minnesotans.  His motivation is redemption.

Matt Entenza - He's hard to figure. He doesn't need the money. I think he's running so people won't call him Mr. Quam anymore.

Susan Gaertner - She wants to fully prosecute the Republicans of Minnesota. She has the law on her side. Besides, she wants to prove that she really can get it done.

Steve Kelley - He is determined to be a winner. He's got tenacity. He wants to prove he can really win. 

Margaret Anderson Kelliher - Speaker of the House, Governor of Minnesota...then what? President of the United States? I'll bet that's her motivation.

John Marty - If he is governor, he can make sure that the Minnesota Health Plan gets passed and becomes law. That's altruistic too. 

Tom Rukavina - If he becomes governor, he will grow in grace and stature. It's a big thing that he's doing. 

R. T. Rybak - I'll bet he has his eye on the presidency, too. I'll bet my life's savings.

Paul Thissen - Hmmmm...I don't know. This is a hard one. I think he really is the Roy Rogers type and really wants Minnesota to improve. What else would he want? He's already got everything else. Looks, intelligence, nice personality. He could write a book afterwards, too.

WHY CONSIDER VOTING FOR PAUL THISSEN FOR GOVERNOR?

Why consider voting for Paul Thissen for Minnesota's next governor? Here's some reasons:

1. Paul Thissen has done excellent work as a legislator, particularly with health care issues. He's currently the chair of the Health Care and Human Services Policy and Oversight Committee. He's instrumental in trying to help the GAMC recipients who are about to lose their coverage. He's also a member of the Health Care and Human Services Finance Division committee. He knows a lot about health care in Minnesota and all the issues involved in reforming it. Democratic Health Chairs Berglin and Thissen rolled out their "Cover All Kids" legislation in January of this year. Kudos for caring about the health care of children. See Thissen's website for more information about his stand on health care.

2. Paul Thissen is good on seniors and aging. His vision is "We should build communities that allow all ages to thrive and help older Minnesotans live independently and with dignity." This sounds excellent to me. For however many years I have left, I'd love to live them with dignity, even though I'm living with a potentially fatal disease. Read more about his views on seniors.

3. What will Paul Thissen do about our economy? Watch this video to find out.

4.  He believes in using Legacy funds wisely and intelligently. Read more about this on his website.

5.  He's smart. Indeed, he's highly intelligent. He graduated from Harvard University with high honors in 1989. He then graduated from the University of Chicago Law School in 1992, also with high honors.

6.  Although Paul Thissen is way up there intellectually, he's still a real person who relates well to everyone. He treats everyone as though they really matter, because to him, they do.

7.  Thissen has a healthy interest in all aspects of life. If someone tells him about a certain topic, he asks questions to find out more about it. For example, when I mentioned Toastmasters, he wanted to know more about it, such as what District 6 emcompasses, how big Eastern Division is, and where the clubs meet that I attend. Kudos to Paul Thissen for being interested in the largest communication and leadership organization in the world. Toastmasters would gladly welcome him to visit any club.

8.  This candidate knows that every individual is important not only as a souce of information, but also to his campaign. He has a certain apparent respect for bloggers, too. He actually reads my blogs and comments on them. Blogging is a powerful tool to bring in votes. For example, I put links to my blog on every newspaper in Minnesota that has an online comments section.

9.  Paul Thissen responds to emails. I've heard so many Minnesota voters complain that some candidates rarely respond to letters, phone calls or emails. Why would anyone vote for you if they feel you don't care about their opinions and thoughts? Everyone should at least get a form letter response stating that their query was received and will be considered. This is just basic common courtesy. I've also heard complaints that if the email or letter has more than one question in it, many candidates only answer one of them, if they respond at all. When I read an email that asks questions or comments on certain things, I respond to each item in order without omitting any. This makes the other person feel that you at least read what they had to say and even care about it.

10. Also important is how a candidate signs off on any letter or email that is sent. Voters are sensitive in how they are treated. The typical "yours truly" or "my best" is nauseatingly generic. Try to be a little more personal. Just signing your name with nothing else is better than such a generic ending. Paul Thissen understands this, which makes me feel that he truly understands people.

11. One other thing I want to mention is that Paul Thissen shows up at events where there is no sign of the other candidates. For example, when TakeAction Minnesota sponsored a protest in front of the Governor's Mansion yesterday, Paul Thissen was there. This was an event to protest the elimination of GAMC. He made it clear to reporters that he was there not as a legislator or a gubernatorial candidate, but as a concerned citizen. He was the only candidate who cared enough to come. It was very cold and damp yesterday as we stood there for nearly an hour. The fact that he joined us in our endeavor spoke volumes about his dedication to fighting against poverty and injustice.

A CLOSER LOOK AT PAUL THISSEN

The tenth and final DFL gubernatorial candidate in this blog series, in alphebetical order, is Paul Thissen.

Paul Thissen was born on December 10, 1966, in Bloomington, Minnesota. He graduated from the Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield, Minnesota, in 1985. He graduated from Harvard University with high honors in 1989. He earned his law degree from the University of Chicago Law School in 1992. Thissen clerked for the Honorable James B. Loken of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and then worked at the Minneapolis law firm of Briggs & Morgan. He specialized in general litigation and appellate work. He also worked for the Minnesota State Public Defenders Office. He served as Chair of the firm's Pro Bono Committee. During his tenure, the firm more than doubled the hours of free legal services it provided to low-income individuals and non-profits. He also founded Access for Persons with Disabilities, a group of lawyers dedicated to providing legal services to people with disabilities. In 2006, Thissen was named one of "Forty Under 40" top business professionals in the Twin Cities by the Twin Cities Business Journal. In 2008, Thissen was named one of Minnesota's 100 Influential Health Care leaders and one of the Twin Cities Best Brains. In 2002, Thissen was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in his first run for public office. He was reelected in 2004, 2006, and 2008. In 2007, Thissen was appointed Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee. He also sits on the Health Finance Committee, the Biosciences Committee, the Telecommunications Division, the Finance Committee, the Rules Committee and the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement. He also served as Speaker pro tempore of the Minnesota House. Thissen was Chief Author of HF 1, the Children's Health Security Act. The proposal, which would provide health coverage to all Minnesota children in families who make under $60,000, passed off the floor of the Minnesota House. Thissen served on the Health Care Access Commission and also served on Governor Tim Pawlenty's Health Transformation Taskforce. In 2008, he was instrumental in passing health reform legislation that the Minneapolis Star Tribune named the prize of the 2008 session. He is married to Karen Wilson. They have three children.

Here's how Paul Thissen measures up on the questions that I think are so important in deciding who to vote for:

1. How much experience working in government does the candidate have? Paul Thissen only has seven years of legislative experience, but he's a fast rising star. He's young, but he's fresh and eager and has an abundance of positiveness and idealism. He's also highly intelligent. He's accomplished more in seven years than some legislators have in two or three times that long. During his first two terms, Thissen served as a member of the minority party. Nonetheless, he developed a reputation as someone who could work across party lines. He was a key player in passing significant legislation including major changes to Minnesota's eminent domain laws to protect the rights of individual property owners, the merger of the insolvent Minneapolis Teachers Retirement Fund into the statewide teachers pension fund, a nation-leading law to curb abusive tax-preparer practices and an overhaul of state campaign law. Source. Keep your eye on Paul Thissen. He'll be moving up fast. Maybe even to the governor's office.

2. Is the candidate electable? Does the candidate have state-wide name recognition? He doesn't have state-wide name recognition yet, but he's working hard at it. Those who now know about him are very impressed. He's quicky becoming very electable. During the 2006 election, Thissen served as Finance Co-Chair of the House DFL Caucus and succeeded raising more dollars than the Republican opposition. The DFL picked up nineteen seats and a strong new majority. Politics in Minnesota named Thissen one of the big winners of the 2006 election in its November 9, 2006 edition. He's big on Children's Health issues and Health Care Reform. He's also big on communities. He communicates wonderfully. He's a fresh face with good ideas. His focus is on economic security and fairness. He is an excellent communicator. He says he can get the independent, swing voters. I rate him in the top three as far as electability. This list includes Dayton, Rybak and now Thissen.

3. Does the candidate have viable ideas about how to fix the crisis that Minnesota is in? Does the candidate have an actual plan for tackling most of the issues, or does he/she only talk about one or two issues? Does the candidate whine that the new governor can't do everything so has to concentrate on one or two things, or does he/she appear eager to get right to work on a plan to solve all the most pressing issues? Paul Thissen is definitely not a whiner. He's far too busy accomplishing great things and figuring out how to solve all the crisis issues. He doesn't have time to whine and isn't the type to do so anyway. How will he solve the issues? Watch and listen to this video to find out:

4. Is the candidate popular with voters? Paul Thissen is quickly becoming very popular with the voters, at least those who know who he is. Everyone seems to like him. Will the majority of voters like him enough to elect him as the next governor of Minnesota? Keep tuned...

5. Is there anything in the candidate's past that the opposition can use to turn voters against him or her? Not a thing. He's even cleaner than Pat Boone. He's the boy next door type who you would have trusted with your daughter. He could have been elected kid most likely to succeed.

6. If the candidate has past legislative experience, what was his or her voting record like? Check out Paul Thissen's voting record at Votetracker.

7. Does the candidate have the type of personality that can get along with the legislators well enough to work with them and get things done? Does he or she have a history of getting along well with others? Paul Thissen has a great personality. He appears to be kind and thoughtful of others. He appeals to his opponents through reason and logic as well as with facts. He has a history of getting things done at the legislative sessions.

8. What is the public image of the candidate? How do others see him or her? Sometimes what you see is what you get; other times how you perceive a person is not at all how they really are. Often the public image of a candidate reflects the candidate's views of the issues. Here is where Paul Thissen stands on the issues affecting Minnesota: Thissen's priorities involve preparing Minnesota for the needs of its aging population and providing quality education and health care for its residents. Another big issue is sustainability; he recently introduced a bill to to establish a statewide policy that would promote the use of thermal energy. In a June candidates forum, he argued for "places of solitude and quiet in our state" and linked environmental issues with personal health issues. On his campaign website he says, “We need to expand transit statewide much more effectively and do that in ways that fit the various regions that people are living in.” Source. It's my opnion that with Thissen, what you see is what you get. I don't think he has any hidden agendas or any hidden aspects to his personality. His public image is one of high energy, enthusiasm, integrity, empathy and positive attitude. Click on the link to find out more about Paul Thissen.

9. How much budgeting experience does the candidate have? Is it enough to combat the current budget crisis? Does the candidate thoroughly understand money? Paul Thissen has a plan of sorts for fixing the budget crisis. Read about it here. He also discusses his plan with Joe Bodell at MN Progressive Project. Thissen has good ideas and appears to grasp budget issues nicely.

10. Does the candidate have a history of going out of his or her way to help others? Does the candidate truly care about the people of Minnesota, or is the candidate only out for himself or herself? Watch Paul Thissen's response to the reNEW Minnesota vision.

This video shows that Thissen doesn't just think about himeself. On the other hand, I can't find anything about whether he has had hands on activities with charity organizations such as the Salvation Army, local food shelves, Habitat for Humanity, etc. I don't see any articles or pictures. This seems to be a shortcoming among most of the candidates. The only one I see certain proof for in this area is Mark Dayton and to a lesser extent, R. T. Rybak. Come on, candidates, go volunteer. Get your hands dirty for a good cause.

11. What are the true inner motives as to why the candidate wants to be the next governor of Minnesota? Paul Thissen explains in this video.


12. Will the candidate be able to win a debate against the opposition? I strongly think that he would be able to win a debate against most opponents because of his high intelligence, his use of reason and logic and his ability to think quickly on his feet.

13. Does the candidate like children and animals? I don't really know, but there seem to be a lot of children at his campaign announcement party.

Does Goldie Gopher count as an animal?

14. Does the candidate often say what he or she thinks the audience wants to hear or does he/she tell the truth no matter how unpopular that truth might be? Is the candidate honest with the audience or are there half-truths and embellishments? Paul Thissen appears to be honest and sincere. I don't think he uses those old political tricks that were used by so many politicians in days gone by when they just said whatever would bring the most votes. It's this Blogonian's view that the two candidates with the most sincerity, honesty and integrity are Mark Dayton and Paul Thissen. Neither of them has even given me any reason to think otherwise.

15. Does the candidate agree to be accountable to the people of Minnesota? Please ask him the next time you see him. Or email him with the question. I'm sure he will say yes. He has embraced the reNEW Minnesota vision, so I think he understands that accountability will definitely be expected of him.

16. Does the candidate have a team of advisors and commissioners in mind yet? I have not yet heard anything about this from Paul. Hopefully he will keep us informed.

17. In the final analysis, which candidate do you really connect with and why? The candidate I connect most strongly with is Mark Dayton. The reasons can be found on my blog post "A Closer Look at Mark Dayton." However, I do connect with Paul Thissen's character and with his ideas of good leadership.

18. And last but not least, what has the candidate done in his/her career to help various communities of people, such as Seniors, Veterans, Children, Disabled, GLBT, etc.?

A CLOSER LOOK AT R. T. RYBAK

The ninth DFL gubernatorial candidate in this blog series is R. T. Rybak.

                                          

R. T. Rybak was born on Nobember 12, 1955, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His birth name is Raymond Thomas Rybak, Jr. He graduated from Breck School in 1974 and from Boston College in 1978. He then returned to Minneapolis and obtained his first job as a reporter and editor for Sun Newspapers. After that he worked as a journalist for the Minneapolis Tribune in the 1970s and 1980s. Following that, he ran the Twin Cities Reader, which was sold off and shut down in 1997. For a few years, he headed Internet Broadcasting Systems, which started as an online division of Minneapolis television station WCCO. Rybak then did consulting work as an Internet strategist and assisted with some projects with Minnesota Public Radio and Public Radio International. In 2001, Rybak defeated incumbent Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton and became mayor of Minneapolis. On November 3, 2009, Rybak was elected to a third term as mayor of Minneapolis.

Here's how R. T. Rybak measures up on the questions that I think are so important in deciding who to vote for:

1. How much experience working in government does the candidate have? R. T. Rybak has eight years of experience as mayor of Minneapolis. This is the executive branch of leadership. He also has several years of experience in community and political activism. He was the campaign manager for Tony Bouza. Rybak also serves on the Board of Directors of Nice Ride Minnesota, which is a public bicycle sharing program. He was also the Development Director for Minneapolis' Downtown Council.

2. Is the candidate electable? Does the candidate have state-wide name recognition? R. T. Rybak has a very good chance of winning the governorship. He is very popular in Minneapolis. Everyone in the metro area knows exactly who he is. He has an extensive metro support system. He'll have a bit of work to do in the rural areas, but with his charm and charisma he shouldn't have any trouble getting voters to support him. In his 2005 re-election campaign he defeated challenger (and fellow DFLer) Peter McLaughlin. He won the election by nearly 25 percentage points. It was 61.47% to 36.72% (43,198 votes for Rybak and 25,807 votes for McLaughlin). On November 3rd, 2009. Rybak was elected to a third term as mayor, winning more than 72% of the first place votes based on unofficial results. Here's MNPost's take on Rybak's electability.

3. Does the candidate have viable ideas about how to fix the crisis that Minnesota is in? Does the candidate have an actual plan for tackling most of the issues, or does he/she only talk about one or two issues? Does the candidate whine that the new governor can't do everything so has to concentrate on one or two things, or does he/she appear eager to get right to work on a plan to solve all the most pressing issues? R. T. Rybak is not a whiner. He has shown in Minneapolis that he has the skills to improve life for the residents. Rybak's mayorship has dealt mostly with lowering crime, creating jobs, building affordable housing, and balancing the City's budget. If he could balance the budget of Minneapolis, he would most likely have at least some inkling of how to do the same for the state of Minnesota. The budget would be many times larger, but at least he has some idea of what is necessary to balance it.

4. Is the candidate popular with voters? Yes, definitely. He's got the kind of personality that many people naturally warm up to. He knows how to work a room. He often arrives early and uses the extra time to greet people and shake their hands. People walk away with the feeling that he's an old friend that they've known for a long time.

5. Is there anything in the candidate's past that the opposition can use to turn voters against him or her? Well sure there is. Read about it here. I don't think they'll be able to deny the fact that Rybak has done a lot of good in Minneapolis, though. Here's a tidbit regarding Rybak and the Campaign Finance Board.

6. If the candidate has past legislative experience, what was his or her voting record like? R. T. Rybak does not have past legislative experience, but he is the mayor of Minneapolis. Read about his accomplishments here.

7. Does the candidate have the type of personality that can get along with the legislators well enough to work with them and get things done? Does he or she have a history of getting along well with others? R.T. Rybak has a very congenial personality. He's the Joe Girard of politics. He's got a warm smile and a firm handshake. He knows how and when to use diplomacy, too. It's my opinion that he does have the kind of personality that would enable him to get along with legislators, commissioners and constituents. If he were governor, he ought to be able to accomplish a lot.

8. What is the public image of the candidate? How do others see him or her? Sometimes what you see is what you get; other times how you perceive a person is not at all how they really are. As far as I can tell, Rybak is very popular and well liked. He had a huge amount of support as he ran for his third term as mayor of Minneapolis. Read about it here. Here's a good rundown from MinnPost on Rybak's mystique and why he's popular.

9. How much budgeting experience does the candidate have? Is it enough to combat the current budget crisis? Does the candidate thoroughly understand money? When R. T. Rybak became mayor of Minneapolis in 2002, the budget was in crisis. He balanced the city budget eight years in a row without accounting gimmicks and paid off $116 million in debt. He did all this while the state government budget was in meltdown and the state abandoned its commitment to Minneapolis and cities like it across Minnesota. Here's an article from City Pages regarding Rybak's budget balancing. And this from WCCO. Read this one, too, from the Metropolitan Building Commission. As mayor of Minneapolis, Rybak works with a budget of  1.4 billion dollars. Read an overview of the 2009 Minneapolis Revised City Budget. Here is Rybak's PowerPoint presentation on the Revised 2009 Minnapolis budget. And here is the 2010 Mayor Rybak Recommended Budget. My thought is that I'd rather have a governor who has experience with a large budget than a governor who doesn't have any experience. Rybak definitely meets this qualification.

10. Does the candidate have a history of going out of his or her way to help others? Does the candidate truly care about the people of Minnesota, or is the candidate only out for himself or herself? He opened Project Homeless Connect. I can't find anything regarding him helping out with Salvation Army bellringing, soup kitchens. Habitat for Humanity, etc. That doesn't mean he hasn't done it. I just can't find anything about it. If anyone knows of anything, please let me know and I'll post it here.

11. What are the true inner motives as to why the candidate wants to be the next governor of Minnesota? Watch the video below to find out.


12. Will the candidate be able to win a debate against the opposition? I don't have any qualms about Rybak's debating skills. He's an excellent communicator. He can get his ideas across. I think he'll be able to hold his own against any opponent. The only recommendation I have is the same as what I would say to all the candidates. Answer the questions. Answer them directly with no beating around the bush or skirting the issue. They should all read Basic Debating Skills and Toastmasters Debating Skills. Even more important is Advancing in Debate: Skills and Concepts.

13. Does the candidate like children and animals? Here's some pictures I found online of Rybak with kids. I couldn't find any of him with dogs or cats.

Rybak visits with a child.

Rybak with his own kids.

Rybak with Goldie the Gopher. Does that count as liking animals?

R. T. Rybak with school kids.

Rybak looks like he enjoys kids.

R. T. Rybak, Fun with Kids

14. Does the candidate often say what he or she thinks the audience wants to hear or does he/she tell the truth no matter how unpopular that truth might be? Is the candidate honest with the audience or are there half-truths and embellishments? My analysis is that although Rybak is a politician and thus tries to be diplomatic, in general he tells the truth as he sees it. I believe that he's usually honest with the audience. There may be a few embellishments or exaggerations, but less than some of the other candidates. Listen as he talks to reNEW Minnesota.

Here's another video. Whether he's telling the truth or engaging in some embellishments and sidestepping the truth is up to the viewers to decide.



15. Does the candidate agree to be accountable to the people of Minnesota? I haven't heard him come right out and say so like Dayton has, but this video suggests that he is willing to be accountable. Rybak's section of the video begins about halfway though.



16. Does the candidate have a team of advisors and commissioners in mind yet? I haven't heard anything about whether he does or not. If anyone knows, please inform me.

17. In the final analysis, which candidate do you really connect with and why? I do connect with R. T. Rybak. How can you help it? He's personable, he's fun, he's smart and he goes out of his way to make a person feel welcome. He's very likeable. I'm not sure I have as much in common with him as I do with Dayton, but there's no doubt that Rybak connects to people so most people can't help but think he's a pretty personable guy.

18. And last but not least, what has the candidate done in his/her career to help various communities of people, such as Seniors, Veterans, Children, Disabled, GLBT, etc.? This is all I could find on his website regarding what he has done for groups of people, in this case Veterans. He has been endorsed by the DFL Veterans Caucus. DFL Veterans Caucus Chair Trista Matascastillo said, "As Mayor of Minneapolis, Rybak oversees the city's Police Force and the Fire Department. Immediately after being elected Mayor in 2001, Rybak received intensive training for emergency response, expertise that he used when responding to the collapse of the I-35 Bridge in August 2007. Rybak has the experience and executive leadership to deploy the National Guard effectively."  If anyone knows of anything else, please inform me and I will post it here.

A CLOSER LOOK AT TOM RUKAVINA

The eighth DFL gubernatorial candidate, alphebetically, is Tom Rukavina.

Tom Rukavina was born on August 23, 1950, in Virginia, Minnesota. He graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1968, then went on to Mesabi Range Community and Technical College where he received his AA in 1970. Then in 1972, he earned his BA (cum laude) in political science from the University of Minnesota Duluth. His work experience prior to being elected as a legislator includes legal assistant, truck driver and miner. He was first elected as a Representative to District 5A in 1986. He is currently in his 12th term. He currently chairs the Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division Committee. Another committee he is on is Capital Investment Finance Division. He is also currently on the Finance Committee and the Taxes Committee. Rukavina gained national attention for a bill he had introduced to ban the sale of foreign-made American flags in Minnesota. The bill has since passed into law. Tom Rukavina is single with two children. His home is still in Virginia, Minnesota. Here's another website about Rukavina, his values and what he stands for.

Here's how Tom Rukavina measures up on the questions that I think are so important in deciding who to vote for:

1. How much experience working in government does the candidate have? Tom Rukavina has 23 years of legislative experience. Other experience includes being a member of the Town Board of Pike Township as well as the School Board Chair in Virginia, Minnesota. He is a member of Minnesota Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board.

2. Is the candidate electable? Does the candidate have state-wide name recognition? Tom Rukavina might be electable. He doesn't have the state-wide name recognition that some of the others have, but he's getting there. The thing about Rukavina is that everyone likes him. He's a good old Democrat. He's funny. When he adds humor to his speeches, everyone laughs. He's adorable. He reminds me of Lt. Colombo (Peter Falk), just in his mannerisms. Although Colombo seemed like an odd fellow, he was highly intelligent and very good at figuring things out. Rukavina will undoubtedly get the votes of much of the Iron Range. Probably the main reason Rukavina is electable is because all the working people can relate to him. He never forgot where he came from. The Iron Range is a unique assortment of people from various nationalities. Tom fits right in with the concept of diversity. He grew up with it and was raised to know that everyone is equal.

3. Does the candidate have viable ideas about how to fix the crisis that Minnesota is in? Does the candidate have an actual plan for tackling most of the issues, or does he/she only talk about one or two issues? Does the candidate whine that the new governor can't do everything so has to concentrate on one or two things, or does he/she appear eager to get right to work on a plan to solve all the most pressing issues? The only time I've ever heard Rukavina whine is when he's speaking at a forum or debate and he's told that his time is up and he has to sit down. He always says he doesn't want to and that he should get more time because he drove 250 miles to get there. Too funny. Rukavina does, however, have some ideas on how to fix Minnesota's budget. He wrote an article for the Star Tribune concerning this biggest of issues. He points out that economic development is linked to a quality workforce and, in turn, comes from investment in education. He also talks openly about the state budget with college students at Ridgewater. Click here to read about it. Here's a video where you can watch and listen as Rukavina talks about the budget and taxes. So yes, Rukavina has a plan and he's refreshingly honest about it.

4. Is the candidate popular with voters? He's obviously popular with Iron Range voters. He's in his 12th term at the legislature. This bodes well for him, since his District is typically conservative. When I first started blogging, I didn't find him all that popular with metro voters, probably because no one knew who he was. Now, however, I keep hearing about how he's growing on people. At least some of the reason is because he can make people laugh. In these very tough times, people need to laugh and smile. Rukavina also knows how to laugh at himself, which is endearing. I'm not sure that he has enough popularity to win the governorship. Probably not at this time, but that could change. I know a few people who say that will vote for him because his staff member Orrie talked them into it. How can anyone resist Orrie with his friendly smile and friendliness? Maybe Orrie should run for governor. He would win for sure!

5. Is there anything in the candidate's past that the opposition can use to turn voters against him or her? Yes, unfortunately there is. Rukavina had a DWI. His opponents will undoubtedly make much of it. I've even seen an interview where Bakk talks about it. I don't think that says much for Bakk, but to be honest it is a stubbed toe for Rukavina. The arrest took place in Mountain Iron, Minnesota. He was arrested for misdemeanor fourth-degree driving while intoxicated and failed a breathalyzer text. Rukavina issued a statement apologizing to his constituents and the people of Minnesota. Apparently the incident occurred in August of 2004. He once stated that almost every court case in St. Louis County involves drunk driving. Source: Los Angeles Times, December 30, 2002. A legislator, however, needs to always remember that he's in the public eye and should behave accordingly.

6. If the candidate has past legislative experience, what was his or her voting record like? See Tom Rukavina's voting record at Votetracker.

7. Does the candidate have the type of personality that can get along with the legislators well enough to work with them and get things done? Does he or she have a history of getting along well with others? He must, or he would not have been an effective legislator for so many years. He has a good sense of humor and can poke fun at himself, which is a good way of lessening tensions to make way for a more relaxed atmosphere in which to work. Let's face it: if you can't get along with others, it becomes very difficult to get things done. Case in point: our Sometimes Current Governor Tim Pawlenty.

8. What is the public image of the candidate? How do others see him or her? Sometimes what you see is what you get; other times how you perceive a person is not at all how they really are. Most people I talk to see him as a funny guy who is fairly warm hearted. He's got the public image of a Good Old Democrat. I'm not sure that's what today's voters want, especially while Minnesota is in crisis. It appears that many people like Rukavina, but he doesn't seem to be most people's first choice for governor.

9. How much budgeting experience does the candidate have? Is it enough to combat the current budget crisis? Does the candidate thoroughly understand money?

10. Does the candidate have a history of going out of his or her way to help others? Does the candidate truly care about the people of Minnesota, or is the candidate only out for himself or herself?



11. What are the true inner motives as to why the candidate wants to be the next governor of Minnesota? Watch the video to find out.


12. Will the candidate be able to win a debate against the opposition? Rukavina just might be able to win a debate. His weak point is that he doesn't always answer the question, but, like most politicians, skirts around it. If he's going to be refreshingly honest, he needs to answer each question the way it was asked. Most of the candidates seem to have a problem with this. On the other hand, I think he'll be able to stand up to any debating opponent.

13. Does the candidate like children and animals? It's difficult to find pictures of any of the candidates of them with children or animals. It's not like the old days where there were always pictures of candidates kissing babies and hugging children. The only candidate who has pictures of this nature available is Mark Dayton. In years gone by, whether or not a candidate liked children and animals was an indication of his character. Are those days gone? Let's not throw the proverbial baby out with the equally proverbial bathwater.

14. Does the candidate often say what he or she thinks the audience wants to hear or does he/she tell the truth no matter how unpopular that truth might be? Is the candidate honest with the audience or are there half-truths and embellishments? Of course Tom Rukavina is refreshingly honest. Didn't you hear him say so? Didn't you read it on his campaign literature? He could be more honest, though, by thoroughly answering the questions at the forums and debates instead of just going off on a tangent about something else. He's make a great Toastmaster, though, as doing this is totally acceptable as a way to answer a Table Topics question. I think the reason most politicians do this is because they're not sure what to answer. They don't want to offend any voters so they've developed a habit of pussyfooting around the point of the question. That may have worked at one time. With today's voters, though, and especially with this particular election, it won't work. Today's audience is intelligent and wants solid answers.

15. Does the candidate agree to be accountable to the people of Minnesota? In a roundabout way perhaps, but he hasn't come right out and said so like Dayton has. Unless I missed it.

16. Does the candidate have a team of advisors and commissioners in mind yet? I haven't seen or heard of an official list. I did hear Orrie say that Dayton could be the Lt. Governor. I replied, "or vice versa."

17. In the final analysis, which candidate do you really connect with and why? Tom Rukavina probably rates 4 or 5 on the list of candidates I can connect with. The main reason is that he's a contemporary of mine. He was born the same year I was and thus would remember some of the same things. Of course life on the Iron Range probably didn't have a lot in common with life down in the Cities. Maybe that's why Bob Dylan left. I do relate to Rukavina's sense of humor. As my readers know, I relate far better to a different candidate or two.

18. And last but not least, what has the candidate done in his/her career to help various communities of people, such as Seniors, Veterans, Children, Disabled, GLBT, etc.?

A CLOSER LOOK AT JOHN MARTY

The seventh DFL gubernatorial candidate, alphebetically speaking, is John Marty. 

John Marty was born on November 1, 1956, in Evanston, Illinois. His father is theologian and author Martin Marty. He graduated from St. Olaf College in 1978 with a degree in Ethics. In 1979 and 1980 he worked in the DFL Party as a campaign aide and communications director. In 1980 he became an administrator and researcher for the Criminal Justice Committee of the Minnesota House of Representatives. Beginning in 1985, he worked as a grant administrator at the Lutheran Brotherhood Foundation for two years. After his election to the Minnesota Senate in 1986, he became a member of the Board of Directors of the National Youth Leadership Council. Additionally, from 1993 to 1996 he served on the board of Goodwill/Easter Seals Minnesota, a local non-profit organization.He has been a Minnesota Senator since January 1986 (District 54). Since his first election in 1986, he has been reelected each time by an incrementally larger majority. He chairs the Senate Health, Housing and Family Security Committee. He is the chief author of the Minnesota Health Plan. Senator Marty did a lot of work in ethics and campaign finance reform. In 1993, he successfully authored legislation to reduce the impact of special interest money on the political process. He also created  legislation that prohibited lobbyists and interest groups from giving gifts to public officials. Senator Marty is co-chair of the Legislative Commission to End Poverty and works for legislation to ensure that workers receive a living wage for their work. He is married to Connie Jaarsma Marty. They have two children. Here's his other website.

Here's how John Marty measures up on the questions that I think are so important in deciding who to vote for:

1. How much experience working in government does the candidate have?

John Marty has been a legislator for 23 years. He represents Roseville, Shoreview, Vadnais Heights, Little Canada, St. Anthony, Lauderdale, and Gem Lake.  Marty is best known to Minnesota residents as an advocate on environmental issues, health care reform, and government ethics and campaign finance reform. Recently he has been known primarily for his authorship of the Minnesota Health Plan. As part of his position on campaign finance and ethics, he does not accept soft money contributions or contributions from lobbyists. He drastically limits the amount of contributions he will accept from any one person. Among Marty's ethics legislation was the Minnesota law banning lobbyists from giving gifts to public officials. Marty opposes the public funding of stadiums and professional sports teams. He is outspoken in his criticism of recent proposals for new stadiums for the Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He also is a supporter for the use of medical marijuana.

2. Is the candidate electable? Does the candidate have state-wide name recognition? He ran for Governor of Minnesota on two previous occasions. He was the DFL Party's nominee in 1994, and, in 1998, lost in the DFL Primary. This is his third run for the governorship. Since he lost twice before, I'm not sure why he thinks he will win this time. He could most likely remain senator in his district until the day he retires. He's an excellent senator. The people in his district think he's doing a fantastic job. Why would he want to leave that? He doesn't have the same name recognition state wide as he does in his district. It's unlikely he'll win the governorship. It's too bad, because he'd probably make a great governor and do a lot of good things for Minnesota. I don't think he'll win the election because he doesn't have the name recognition of Dayton or the slick charisma of Rybak or the young freshness of Thissen.

3. Does the candidate have viable ideas about how to fix the crisis that Minnesota is in? Does the candidate have an actual plan for tackling most of the issues, or does he/she only talk about one or two issues? Does the candidate whine that the new governor can't do everything so has to concentrate on one or two things, or does he/she appear eager to get right to work on a plan to solve all the most pressing issues? Like most of the candidates, his website is full of ideas of what he is good at and which issues he supports, but lacking in a concrete plan for fixing Minnesota. All the ideas are good, but they all cost money. How will he pay for a new Minnesota? A lot of Minnesota voters are saying that Democrats want a lot of things but have no way to pay for it all. What's the answer? Dayton comes the closest with his "tax the rich." He's got figures to back it up. All Bakk will say is that we have to engage in an honest conversation. I'll bet if he starts, we'll listen. I'd like to know what Senator Marty's financial plan is. Where will we get the several billion dollars to eliminate the budget deficit? Raise taxes? For some or for everyone? How much of a percentage? How much revenue will that generate? Why is it that the voters never see the actual state budget with all its intricacies? John Marty appears to be eager to get right to work, but doing what? Don't we deserve to know more? Don't we deserve to know the foundation of his plan and when it will be implemented? As things stand right now, Minnesota can't afford diddly squat (note the acknowledgement to Susan Gaertner...). Come on, John, you can do better than that. The first one to come up with a plan might just get elected to the governorship. Tell the voters what the exact plan is, how it will work and how long it will take for it to work. John Marty does have an idea for a start, though. Watch this video.

4. Is the candidate popular with voters? John Marty is very popular with his constituents in his district. He doesn't appear to be popular state-wide. As indicated in quesiton #2 above, he lost two previous gubernatorial elections.

5. Is there anything in the candidate's past that the opposition can use to turn voters against him or her? They will try, but I highly doubt if they will get very far. I suppose they'll make a big deal about him supporting the legalization of medical marijuana. Or his support of marriage equality. Those are just basic differences between DFL and GOP. I think Marty will do just fine during an investigation of his past. He's very clean. The Republicans did once try to find him guilty of nondisclosure, but he was fully exonerated. See source. The Republicans, so fond of Minnesota Family Council, will also no doubt try to flaunt this agenda around. There was also the flag burning issue. This shows that Marty does not take the easy way out or the politically safe way. Sounds a lot like Dayton, doesn't it?

6. If the candidate has past legislative experience, what was his or her voting record like? See his voting record at Votetracker. Scroll down and click on the year you want to see.

7. Does the candidate have the type of personality that can get along with the legislators well enough to work with them and get things done? Does he or she have a history of getting along well with others? If John Marty didn't get along well with others, he wouldn't keep getting reelected to the legislature. Nor would he have been able to pass so much successful legislation. So yes, he does have a history of being able to work with others and get along with them. Our Sometimes Governor Pawlenty is the one who has trouble getting along with people.

8. What is the public image of the candidate? How do others see him or her? Sometimes what you see is what you get; other times how you perceive a person is not at all how they really are. John Marty is seen is a very good light by Progressivies. His opponents call him a Leftist and a Socialist. It's all politics, of course. The voters in his district must like him a lot. They keep reelecting him. I've met him several times and found him to be quite congenial. He's got a nice sense of humor, too. Yet he can be very passionate about the things he believes in. Let's call him Minnesota nice with a firm voice. He doesn't have to be totally Minnesota nice because he was born in Illinois.

9. How much budgeting experience does the candidate have? Is it enough to combat the current budget crisis? Does the candidate thoroughly understand money? Watch this video to find out what solutions John Marty has about the finances of Minnesota.



10. Does the candidate have a history of going out of his or her way to help others? Does the candidate truly care about the people of Minnesota, or is the candidate only out for himself or herself? The tobacco companies were hurting people, including children, so Senator Marty went after them and won. The large settlement has done a lot of good in Minnesota. Unfortunately, I can't find any information about Marty actually helping to build a Habitat for Humanity house, ringing bells for the Salvation Army, helping out in soup kitchens, personally delivering items to homeless shelters, bringing a homeless person into his home or taking them out for dinner, etc. This doesn't mean he hasn't done any of these things. It just means there's nothing about it on the internet and there are no pictures of it anywhere. If candidates do such things, there are usually pictures of it somewhere, especially if the candidate is a legislator.

11. What are the true inner motives as to why the candidate wants to be the next governor of Minnesota? To find out, watch the video immediately below.


12. Will the candidate be able to win a debate against the opposition? John Marty could most likely hold his own in a debate. He might have to work on giving definite answers regarding how an issue will be resolved rather than generalities as to what he will do, what he has done and what his stand on particular issues are. This is the same for most of the candidates. It'd be nice to hear specifics instead of vague generalities.

13. Does the candidate like children and animals? I just can't find any pictures at all of John Marty with kids or animals. Indeed, I found very few for any of the candidates except for Mark Dayton. What happened to the days when candidates were good at kissing babies? I guess that's politically incorrect these days. What about animals though? There's nothing that makes a candidate seem more human than a picture of him playing with a dog, hugging a cat or playing sports with the kids. Maybe Marty loves both kids and animals, but if he does, wouldn't he include some pictures of it on his website or his Facebook page?

14. Does the candidate often say what he or she thinks the audience wants to hear or does he/she tell the truth no matter how unpopular that truth might be? Is the candidate honest with the audience or are there half-truths and embellishments? John Marty always says what he really thinks. Even if it's unpopular. He sticks to his beliefs and values. This is one of the best things about him. You don't have to worry about him embellishing his answers just to get votes.

15. Does the candidate agree to be accountable to the people of Minnesota? John Marty has always accepted his accountability to the people of Minnesota. He excels at ethics.

16. Does the candidate have a team of advisors and commissioners in mind yet? I don't know. Perhaps he will tell us. I wonder if Minnesotans would vote differently if they knew who would be on a candidates advisory committee, commissioner list, etc.

17. In the final analysis, which candidate do you really connect with and why? I connect with John Marty more every day the more I learn about him and his values and ethics. I just don't connect with him the best of all the candidates and therefore can't support him. Maybe some other time.

18. And last but not least, what has the candidate done in his/her career to help various communities of people, such as Seniors, Veterans, Children, Disabled, GLBT, etc.? Read about it here:
Veterans
GLBT
Sick and Disabled