Jennifer Schultz is running for the 7A house seat and is endorsed by the DFL. It seems to me she has been very unclear on a couple of major issues facing Minnesota and that have a huge impact on Northern Minnesota.
The first is mining, if you go to her web site she says she is pro business but anti pollution. That is great so Jen what exactly does that mean? People that claim to be close to her also say this is her position on mining and polymet. These same people have told she has not taken a hard position on polymet as of yet. Well we are well into the election season you should have a position you are running on this issue.
Mining is to important to Northern Minnesota to waffle on this subject. I don't care what side she is on I just wish she would explain what pro business and anti pollution means and define where she is on polymet .
The second issues is the pipeline, I could not find anything on the web site about the issue so I send Jen and email. I must say she has always been very fast in getting back to email questions and that is great in any person running for office so I must give her credit for that. That said she says she is still gathering information about the matter and has not yet taken a stand one way or the other. Now I can not and will not fault for wanting to learn more about the issue we should be doing this. Here again however we are very late in the election and she has told a number of people what they want to hear. She knocked on a friends door and they asked her about it and she asked them probing question to get a feel of where this person stood on the the issue. This friend by the was for the pipeline. She told them that she would support the pipeline because it is the best way to transport, and could have good economic impact for Minnesota. Then tells another person I know that she is against it because of impact on the envorerment.
This is what we call flip flopping. Where do you stand on the issue Jen? Pick a side and tell everyone the same thing.
As far as her opponent Becky Hall it is hard to comment when she does not do much.
Saturday, August 23, 2014
Events.
There are a few events I would like to mention this weekend. I am also as a side going to start do a munch better job of updating my events page here. If you have an event you would like published on that page send it to me in email to duluthpolitics2@yahoo.com. It does not have to be a political event, all community events will be posted. The only exception to this is if I strongly disagree to the event for some reason however that is highly unlikely to ever be the case.
The first I want to mention happens today at the Central Hillside Community Center from noon to 6pm, family fun event, free food music kids games and a fire truck will be on display as well. It is the first ever midtown outreach BBQ. This sounds like a really fun event I hope you will take it in today.
Of course today and tomorrow is the Duluth Air Show. The Blue Angels are the head line act but there is so much to do and see at the show. I don't have have to say much about it has been a staple every other here in Duluth and always is a great event. The event take place at the Duluth Internal Airport all day long. Plenty of great exhibits and air demonstrations to see.
Sunday is Hillfest I believe this is the fourth year I could and more then likely wrong about that but whatever. Hillfest is another great family event that promotes you walking,biking, running, skateboarding to the event. It features music food and fun and runs 2-6pm. It takes place on the sixth ave east and fourth street.
The first I want to mention happens today at the Central Hillside Community Center from noon to 6pm, family fun event, free food music kids games and a fire truck will be on display as well. It is the first ever midtown outreach BBQ. This sounds like a really fun event I hope you will take it in today.
Of course today and tomorrow is the Duluth Air Show. The Blue Angels are the head line act but there is so much to do and see at the show. I don't have have to say much about it has been a staple every other here in Duluth and always is a great event. The event take place at the Duluth Internal Airport all day long. Plenty of great exhibits and air demonstrations to see.
Sunday is Hillfest I believe this is the fourth year I could and more then likely wrong about that but whatever. Hillfest is another great family event that promotes you walking,biking, running, skateboarding to the event. It features music food and fun and runs 2-6pm. It takes place on the sixth ave east and fourth street.
Monday, August 18, 2014
Recall.
So it seems like those behind the councilor Gardner recall are trying one more big push. It seemed like the issue was going to die and there was no way they where going to get the signatures needed.
Now it seems like the recall are making one more push, this time taking to the Internet and facebook to try to get the young people on board. More specially the skateboard group. A group I feel that has been wrongly gone after, however the issue they are telling the skateboarding groups is not a reason for a recall. The recall is trying to rally the skateboarders to there side saying look at the vote five years ago making it illegal to skateboard downtown and in canal park public side walks.
Let's clear a couple of thinks up. First the ordinance did not just apply to downtown and canal park it is city wide, many have the miss understanding that is it just downtown and the canal. Second it is not illegal to skateboard you can still use the street, this goes for bikes as well.
Also let's be clear that councilor Gardner is very much for the skate board community, she would love to see another skate park in Duluth, bayfront park would be a great place to have one.
Skaters instead of falling for a trap by this organization to recall councilor Gardner what you should is talk to the parks and rec department and get councilors with you to create a good park for you to skate at.
Now it seems like the recall are making one more push, this time taking to the Internet and facebook to try to get the young people on board. More specially the skateboard group. A group I feel that has been wrongly gone after, however the issue they are telling the skateboarding groups is not a reason for a recall. The recall is trying to rally the skateboarders to there side saying look at the vote five years ago making it illegal to skateboard downtown and in canal park public side walks.
Let's clear a couple of thinks up. First the ordinance did not just apply to downtown and canal park it is city wide, many have the miss understanding that is it just downtown and the canal. Second it is not illegal to skateboard you can still use the street, this goes for bikes as well.
Also let's be clear that councilor Gardner is very much for the skate board community, she would love to see another skate park in Duluth, bayfront park would be a great place to have one.
Skaters instead of falling for a trap by this organization to recall councilor Gardner what you should is talk to the parks and rec department and get councilors with you to create a good park for you to skate at.
Thursday, August 14, 2014
A couple of big things.
I am going to blog about my interview coming up first. The interview I am going have can heard on blog talk radio, www.blogtalkradio.comduluthpolitics2. The second is a very interesting speaker you can go see. I will give you a hint he has a big last name.
First I am honoured that this elected official is willing to Duluth Politics radio show, and wish many others would take the chance to do the same. What better way to reach voters then getting on a radio show plus it's free does not cost anything for the candidate to do so.
Minnesota State Auditor Rebecca Otto will join me on the show Tuesday Aug.19th at 5:30 pm. We will talk about a number of things, here primary win over Matt Entenza, a look a head to the general election, issues for the race and some of her accomplishments as auditor plus more.
You can take part in the show as well, you can call in ask a question 1-516-387-1776 or email a question at duluthpolitics2@yahoo.com, or ask it on my facebook page and I will make sure to include it in the show.
The second event is a DFL gathering but it is open to the public, just be respectful people. Joe Kennedy will join Rick Nolan at Carmody's Aug. 28th from 11:30 to 1pm. This should be interesting regardless of your political affilation.
Travis Silvers.
I wanted to give my thoughts on this race separate from yesterdays post. The republicans had a primary for the 7B house seat. There where two on the ballot, Travis Silvers and Carla Bayerl. Silvers won the primary with 371 votes (57%) to Bayerl 275 votes (42%). The total votes in that race was 646 remember that it will be an issue.
Travis Silvers has ran in many races and lost them all much like Becky Hall. Silvers is nothing more then the poster boy for the old republican views up here in northern Minnesota. It 's why he has no chance in the general election against Erik Simonson (DFL). Hall and Silvers hold on the old and everything wrong with the republican party here in northern Minnesota.
It's funny how the leaders of the party say they want new leaders with fresh views, yet when some one tries to do that they get beat down with in by the party leaders. It's why I leaved the party a number of years ago.
It is sad to think where the party could be if they really cared, and listened to all that wanted to be involved in stead of just the few sheep they have leading the party in to the ground.
Silvers got just 371 votes in the primary, yes it was a low turn out but it was on both sides yet Simonson who did not face a challenger got 1601 votes (100%) of the DFL vote. Add the two vote totals of the republicans together and you 646 votes. Simonson got better then twice the number of votes combined. This race was over before it started.
Good luck poster boy Silvers you are going to need it!!!
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Primary's are behind us and everyone kows who they will face.
So republicans last nigh sent Jeff Johnson on to the general election to face off against democrat Mark Dayton. I think was choice the republicans could have made, Johnson who grew up is Northern Minnesota but cares nothing about it.Nor does he care about any other part of the state, he only cares and worries about the metro area. Johnson will do nothing for the entire state of Minnesota, his efforts will only be on the metro area.
Johnson has proven that he does not care about state other then the metro and if elected that will be his focus. I don't know how anyone in greater Minnesota could have voted for such a fool. Johnson neglected all parts of Minnesota well campaigning.
Johnson won with 30% of the vote last night well the other three major candidates had low 20%'s of the vote. The three split the vote of greater Minnesota. Up here in our area the votes seemed to split between Honour (21%) and Seifert (21%). Kurt Zellers who looked dead till late in the race got 24% of the vote, his focus became the metro and southern part of the state late in the race.
Johnson who was the endorsed candidate was very beatable by any three of these candidates the problem was that there was three candidates splitting the votes around the state. I would have like to have seen Seifert and Honour get together and just have one of them run because if that would have happened there would have been a different result in the primary.
Dayton who had a primary but there was no real challenge there at all he won with 94% of the vote. This sets up the governors race with both major party's running a candidate I will personal will not support, so for a second straight governors election I will to a third party candidate.
The other big state wide race was on the DFL side and was for state auditor incumbent and the endorsed candidate Rebecca Otto won with ease over Matt Entenza. Many thought this race could be close, and Entenza was as well as he out spent Otto 2-1. A very low voter turn out proved to do well for Otto who ran away with the race with 81% of the vote. A big win over a challenger who did nothing but lie about what he could do if elected auditor. I am glad that Otto called hims out on that, and she is clearly the best candidate for state auditor if you ask me.
Side note Minnesota State auditor Rebecca Otto will be joining me on the radio show soon, we are still working out the details on day and time but I will let you all know when we get the interview set up.
In a local race for county board Steve Rukavina and Christin Ghujanen will face off in the general election. The seat was held by Mike Forsman who decided he would not seek another term. Rukavina had 52% of the vote well Ghujanen had about 25%. This could be a close race because the third candidate in the race also had 22% of the vote. Now if most of the people that voted for the third place candidate vote for Ghujanen this could prove to be an exciting race on the range. It iwll be a race to keep an eye to see what happens over the next few months.
Johnson has proven that he does not care about state other then the metro and if elected that will be his focus. I don't know how anyone in greater Minnesota could have voted for such a fool. Johnson neglected all parts of Minnesota well campaigning.
Johnson won with 30% of the vote last night well the other three major candidates had low 20%'s of the vote. The three split the vote of greater Minnesota. Up here in our area the votes seemed to split between Honour (21%) and Seifert (21%). Kurt Zellers who looked dead till late in the race got 24% of the vote, his focus became the metro and southern part of the state late in the race.
Johnson who was the endorsed candidate was very beatable by any three of these candidates the problem was that there was three candidates splitting the votes around the state. I would have like to have seen Seifert and Honour get together and just have one of them run because if that would have happened there would have been a different result in the primary.
Dayton who had a primary but there was no real challenge there at all he won with 94% of the vote. This sets up the governors race with both major party's running a candidate I will personal will not support, so for a second straight governors election I will to a third party candidate.
The other big state wide race was on the DFL side and was for state auditor incumbent and the endorsed candidate Rebecca Otto won with ease over Matt Entenza. Many thought this race could be close, and Entenza was as well as he out spent Otto 2-1. A very low voter turn out proved to do well for Otto who ran away with the race with 81% of the vote. A big win over a challenger who did nothing but lie about what he could do if elected auditor. I am glad that Otto called hims out on that, and she is clearly the best candidate for state auditor if you ask me.
Side note Minnesota State auditor Rebecca Otto will be joining me on the radio show soon, we are still working out the details on day and time but I will let you all know when we get the interview set up.
In a local race for county board Steve Rukavina and Christin Ghujanen will face off in the general election. The seat was held by Mike Forsman who decided he would not seek another term. Rukavina had 52% of the vote well Ghujanen had about 25%. This could be a close race because the third candidate in the race also had 22% of the vote. Now if most of the people that voted for the third place candidate vote for Ghujanen this could prove to be an exciting race on the range. It iwll be a race to keep an eye to see what happens over the next few months.
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Get out and vote.
It is now 2pm you still have plenty of time to go to your polling place and vote. It is of course primary day here in Minnesota. There are a couple of key races tonight that will decide who goes to the general election in November.
On the DFL side there is a hottly contested State Auditor's race between the incumbent Rebecca Otto and challenger Matt Entenza. In a race you don't normally hear a lot about this one has really heated up. Entenzaa has out spend Otto by about 2-1 in this race. Both candidates have worked hard to get there names out there and say where they stand on the issues.
Entenza in promising things the office can not do. Otto has been a good Auditor for Minnesota and I hope she can pull out the win tonight. That said look for this to be a very close race.
The republicans have a four way for Governor to challenger DFL governor Mark Dayton. Some say no one will come to close to beating Dayton in November as in the polls Dayton holds about an 8 point lead over any republican challenger to this point, however we are a long way from November and after the primary tonight anything can happen.
The four competing tonight are Jeff Johnson (endorsed), Scott Honor, Marty Seifert and Kurt Zellers. Zellers was at one point the front runner however for some reason has fallen off the pase and I would expect him to finish last tonight. The other three could be very very close , like with in percentages points. I think that said Johnson wins narrowly. Second to Honor and then Seifert followed by Zellers.
You know if you think I am right or wrong go out and support who you think is best for the jobs at hand!!!!!
I am thinking of doing a radio show tonight with the results at 10pm so tune in for that. www.blogtalkradio.com/duluthpolitics2
On the DFL side there is a hottly contested State Auditor's race between the incumbent Rebecca Otto and challenger Matt Entenza. In a race you don't normally hear a lot about this one has really heated up. Entenzaa has out spend Otto by about 2-1 in this race. Both candidates have worked hard to get there names out there and say where they stand on the issues.
Entenza in promising things the office can not do. Otto has been a good Auditor for Minnesota and I hope she can pull out the win tonight. That said look for this to be a very close race.
The republicans have a four way for Governor to challenger DFL governor Mark Dayton. Some say no one will come to close to beating Dayton in November as in the polls Dayton holds about an 8 point lead over any republican challenger to this point, however we are a long way from November and after the primary tonight anything can happen.
The four competing tonight are Jeff Johnson (endorsed), Scott Honor, Marty Seifert and Kurt Zellers. Zellers was at one point the front runner however for some reason has fallen off the pase and I would expect him to finish last tonight. The other three could be very very close , like with in percentages points. I think that said Johnson wins narrowly. Second to Honor and then Seifert followed by Zellers.
You know if you think I am right or wrong go out and support who you think is best for the jobs at hand!!!!!
I am thinking of doing a radio show tonight with the results at 10pm so tune in for that. www.blogtalkradio.com/duluthpolitics2
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Food food and more food.
Duluth has seen a development of new food chains come in to our area over the last year or so. It started earlier then that with noodles and company but they seem to have got the ball rolling.
A food explosion has hit Duluth, with a variety of new business opening there restaurants here. Funny thing is I have not been to any of them yet so I am going by what people have said, but you can rest a sured I will be hitting them up.
Let me start with a new place for downtown Duluth, it is there second restaurant to open, and the only one of the "new" places I have tried. Farley's, I have to say with all the good things I heard about it from people it was not my cup of tea. My burger was burned to a crisp the service sucked and it was not busy, the fries where over done. So for me I will never go back. I have to say however people still say good things about in at the office I work at and seem to like it. So all I can say is you try it and make up your own mind.
Parnera bread I must say I really really want to try this, I have never been to one but I will make my way up there soon. I have heard nothing but good things. I have heard there bread bowl soups are fab. and many people have raved about there sandwiches. Plus it is all fresh bread and goods can't get any better then that.
Chipotle mexican, all I can say is I love mexican so I am sure I will love this place. Have heard nothing but great things and you can't get in the place I have heard. The burritos are as big as fist and taste great I understand.
The other place I need to mention is a place I just say on facebook called food service. A young man is making fresh sandwiches, salads and sides and making lunch boxes for delivery. This is a neat idea he says the lunch box cost ten dollars or so a person and for delivery there is a minimum order of 5 and he can delivery 30 miles away starting in downtown Duluth. Check out his menu at www.foodserviceduluth.com. The shop is located in side the encounter building at there kitchen. I don't know if you can just go in and order a sandwich or not. I have to get a hold of the owner and ask.
Now let me say this as far as jobs I think it is great for people starting in the work forces to get jobs at the above places or such areas, however Duluth needs more mid level paying jobs. There it is.
A food explosion has hit Duluth, with a variety of new business opening there restaurants here. Funny thing is I have not been to any of them yet so I am going by what people have said, but you can rest a sured I will be hitting them up.
Let me start with a new place for downtown Duluth, it is there second restaurant to open, and the only one of the "new" places I have tried. Farley's, I have to say with all the good things I heard about it from people it was not my cup of tea. My burger was burned to a crisp the service sucked and it was not busy, the fries where over done. So for me I will never go back. I have to say however people still say good things about in at the office I work at and seem to like it. So all I can say is you try it and make up your own mind.
Parnera bread I must say I really really want to try this, I have never been to one but I will make my way up there soon. I have heard nothing but good things. I have heard there bread bowl soups are fab. and many people have raved about there sandwiches. Plus it is all fresh bread and goods can't get any better then that.
Chipotle mexican, all I can say is I love mexican so I am sure I will love this place. Have heard nothing but great things and you can't get in the place I have heard. The burritos are as big as fist and taste great I understand.
The other place I need to mention is a place I just say on facebook called food service. A young man is making fresh sandwiches, salads and sides and making lunch boxes for delivery. This is a neat idea he says the lunch box cost ten dollars or so a person and for delivery there is a minimum order of 5 and he can delivery 30 miles away starting in downtown Duluth. Check out his menu at www.foodserviceduluth.com. The shop is located in side the encounter building at there kitchen. I don't know if you can just go in and order a sandwich or not. I have to get a hold of the owner and ask.
Now let me say this as far as jobs I think it is great for people starting in the work forces to get jobs at the above places or such areas, however Duluth needs more mid level paying jobs. There it is.
Monday, August 4, 2014
Not much going on, well......
Sorry for the lack of post as of late, however as far as issues there has not been much going on in the news. That said there has been a few things in the political world as far as campaigning going on.
First it is interesting now that Becky Hall republican 7A candidate has finally gotten off her butt to do some door knocking. A person involved in her campaign said Becky made this decision only because it was getting close to primary time, even with out a primary she now feels it is important to get out and door knock and get signs up.
100 days out from the election and you just get started does any one else see anything wrong with this type of campaign? It maybe to little to late for her now, but only time will tell. This is a race that really could have been a close race as many democrats have said to me that they don't like there current 7A candidate Jen Schlutz.
It seems many people in the DFL feel she would not represent this area and she is an elitists, here is the thing I have heard it from a number of DFLers and many of them are high profile DFLers but right now they either vote for a green candidate or not at all.
Becky's lack of campaigning has heard her big time.
The Rick Nolan Stuart Mills race is very interesting right now as a dead heat and I don't think many DFLers expected this type of showing from Mills. Now let me say this the campaigning has started to get ugly already. Mills was doing a great job of framing him self as a family person and a common man, now however the very latest ad has been ugly against the incumbent. I understand that push however I think it is far to early for that people may get turned off.
First it is interesting now that Becky Hall republican 7A candidate has finally gotten off her butt to do some door knocking. A person involved in her campaign said Becky made this decision only because it was getting close to primary time, even with out a primary she now feels it is important to get out and door knock and get signs up.
100 days out from the election and you just get started does any one else see anything wrong with this type of campaign? It maybe to little to late for her now, but only time will tell. This is a race that really could have been a close race as many democrats have said to me that they don't like there current 7A candidate Jen Schlutz.
It seems many people in the DFL feel she would not represent this area and she is an elitists, here is the thing I have heard it from a number of DFLers and many of them are high profile DFLers but right now they either vote for a green candidate or not at all.
Becky's lack of campaigning has heard her big time.
The Rick Nolan Stuart Mills race is very interesting right now as a dead heat and I don't think many DFLers expected this type of showing from Mills. Now let me say this the campaigning has started to get ugly already. Mills was doing a great job of framing him self as a family person and a common man, now however the very latest ad has been ugly against the incumbent. I understand that push however I think it is far to early for that people may get turned off.
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