Additional information can be found on the Facebook page:

Hope to see you there!

The Congressional District 2 Republicans will be holding their 2010 Endorsing Convention this coming weekend in Red Wing. All delegates and alternates are asked to attended, pursuant to the convention call you should have already received.

The convention will be held Saturday, March 20th, 2010 at :

Red Wing High School
2451 Eagle Ridge Dr.
Red Wing, MN 55066

Registration will begin at 8:00 AM with the convention commencing promptly at 9:00AM Registration will close at 10:00 AM.

The registration fee of $20.00 includes lunch IF you preregister using the form in the convention call.

The Convention shall be composed of the Delegates and Alternates elected by the BPOU conventions in 2010. The convention shall be held for the purpose of:

1. Endorsement of a Republican candidate for Congress.
2. Discussion of resolutions to amend the standing State GOP Platform.
3. Transaction of other such business as may properly come before the convention.

A reminder, a terrific opportunity to learn facts (those nasty aspects of real science, mathematics, language, human behavior, etc.) about the "global warming" aka "climate change" (doesn't climate always change?), the latest attempt to take our hard-earned income via the "cap and tax monstrosity" moving its way through Congress is available tonight.

The MN Free Market Institute brings Lord Christopher Monckton to Bethel College at 7:00 PM. Session is FREE. Location is Benson Great Hall, (map here). Bring you kids - they may actually learn some real science.

Labels: global warming????

The following letter by Kathy Dodds of Rice County nails the real issue with the Obama health "care" plan. I'm sure Kathy would welcome any derivations in your local papers.

Hi All,

  The following letter was published in today's (Tuesday) issue of the Faribault Daily News.  It was in response to one from Joel Raaen in the Sunday paper.

Editor,

  To quote a beloved President, "Here we go again".  The resident Republican critic is at it again with his impressive, but misspelled vocabulary-(sic) disingenuineness.  The intent of his letter was not to explain or critique a newspaper article, but rather to make a personal attack on a Congressman who is doing all he can to keep his constituents from backbreaking, unsustainable taxes, and secure good health care for all.   He talks about false propaganda, and then goes on to say that Kline "is working  hard to make sure 441,000 Minnesotans without insurance don't get any".  What an unfounded statement, a complete falsehood.  Let's lift the level of rhetoric.  Let's talk about the pros and cons of the Health Care issue.

  The facts are that this country has the best health care available in the world.  People do not have to wait months for critical tests and surgeries or treatment.  The vast majority are insured and are satisfied with their coverage.  They want that left as it is.  A number of people in this country do not have health insurance.  For some, that's a personal choice.  For others, it is not affordable.  We need to work on that issue.  Many employers supply health insurance for their employees.  But this administration proposes removing the tax credit they are given, making it harder to provide full coverage.  Other companies cannot afford such insurance and now would risk fines as punishment, possibly putting them out of business with resulting job losses.  And if we conservatives question his plan, the President has said he will "Call us out", not "discuss the issue", but rather a veiled threat if we don't timidly agree with him.  He is in a hurry to pass a 1000 page bill without the public having a clear understanding of just how much control the government is taking over our lives, and its financial burden.  I say we should question every portion of this huge, overreaching bill.  After all:  "We the People" are supposed to be in control; of our government, not the other way around.

Kathy Dodds
Lonsdale, MN

My two cents: every MN has access to health insurance via Minnesota Care. I know, i had to use it for two years. Janet

To All,

You are cordially invited to a meet and greet with a number of the Republican gubernatorial candidates.

When: Sunday, October 18, 1-5 PM

Where: Eagles Club in Faribault - located on Nwy 60 just east of 35, off exit #56

Guests: Tony Sutton, emcee and Senator Dick Day

Limited Silent Auction (antiques, collectibles, international baskets and golf gift certificates will be held.

Treats: apple cider, coffee, apple and pumpkin bars and cookies

All welcome - donation, $20, payable at the door.

For questions or information, contact Kathy Dodds, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ,    (507) 334-5390

The Congressional District 2 Gubernatorial Debate/Fundraiser was a great success.  Many of our residents and activists got a chance to meet and hear from our Republican candidates for Governor.  Then they had a chance to see each of the candidates compared side-by-side.  Attendance was great and it turned out to be a very informative evening for all involved.

Special thanks go to Pam Myhra for MCing the event, Michael Bonafield and Michael Brodkorb for moderating the event and Sarah Puelston for taking photos.  You can check out photos of the event here.

This morning, Saturday, September 19, we had our monthly MN Republican Women's (MRW) breakfast. We had a good crowd. Guest speaker was RPM Chairman, Tony Sutton. However, before he took the mike, one attendee delivered this winner of a line:

" Blue Dogs - not really - they fold like cheap lawn chairs! " Gotta love it!

Tony delievered a winner of a speech. He reminded us that the Republican Party was founded on abolition; has championed voting rights for minorities; and is the party of people who work. WOW! He wants Republican candidates to run and challenge everywhere. Our message must be disciplined. We need Mpls. and St. Paul to obtain 20-25% Republican votes. The outlying districts cannot totally counter the Twin Cities so we will all need to support the Twin Cities in their endeavors.

The economy will play well for us as this election cycle comes around. A sustained economy requires sensible government. If the "public option" of Obama manages to get through Congress, we're in a bad place. This option would mean the end of insurance companies. Key quote:

"We cannot love employment but hate the employers." (Note, Sweden, the extreme of the "nanny state" has decided to reduce its taxes to promote growth. Are any DFLers listening?

As mentioned in the previous post, John Kline held a town hall meeting tonight on health care at Lakeville South High School. This post will list reforms proposed by Republicans that address the issues behind the health care discussion:

1 - All Americans, regardless of pre-existing conditions, should be able to get health insurance. In 2006, a law was passed that would pool high-risk people, in other words, sharing the costs. This pooling doe not have to be a government option.

2 - Provide the option for parents to carry their children up to age 25 on parental policies. This would eliminate over 7,000,000 of the currently uninsured Americans.

3 - Provide some kind of reimbursement for people who practice and maintain good health.

4 - Allow a deduction for private purchase of health insurance independently.

5 - Merge small businesses so they can buy insurance as a large purchaser. Let these business owners deduct their insurance costs from their taxes.

6 - Institue tort/medical malpractice insurance reform.

When asked what it will take for Republicans to sign off on a health care reform bill, Congressman Kline who had all the bills on a table on the stage, dropped the thickest one on the floor.

In summary, Congress simply needs to start over. There are problems but there also are solutions. Nitpicking flaws in one or the other bills on the table now is not productive. There can be a solution but either the president, an outside committee, or a real bipartisan panel needs to do the work, beginning with a blank sheet. Only then, will we be able to do something.

Boiling the ocean is not the answer (my opinion).

Cross posted at SCSU Scholars and Look True North.

Tonight our Congressman, John Kline, held a town hall meeting at Lakeville South High School. Attendance was terrific: around 1000; very few empty seats. The audience was well-behaved - a few people interrupted John's speech but nothing that wasn't handled well. I'll just write some key points from the 90 minute session.

Terms: deficit - occurs when expenditures exceed revenues - a term to define ANNUAL losses; national debt: the accumulation of deficits over years. For calendar year 2009, the deficit will be $1,600,000,000,000 (3x the highest EVER in the USA). The debt total, if Obama gets all the programs he wants will be $21,000,000,000,000 in 10 years. Spending is out of control!

Earmarks: defines as federal funds for special projects; the allocations are NOT made on merit but rather who has been around the longest. In 2008, 30,000+ earmarks; John just said, "No more." in 2009, over 8500 earmarks in the omnibus bill alone. A warning from Congressman Kline, "If you see the word 'omnibus,' watch out!"

We need tort and medical malpractice reform. Medical bankruptcy cannot be "fixed" by the government but rather needs to put ideas on paper as to how to resolve.

When Obama says "You can keep your insurance" it's misleading because it depends which bill (or idea) he is referring to. Then again, it may mean something else.

Any plan needs incentives to provide care at people's home.

Insurance industry and executive compensation do need reform. Issues are how and how much? Should the government do this? No.

Solutions will be in a separate post.

Cross-posted at Look True North.