For the time being . . .

Although he really likes the name of this blog, and the name does bring some taffic, Spot is finding that keeping up two blogs is more than a poor dog can handle. Therefore, for the time being, all posts, including those that refer to Spot's very own state senator, Geoff Michel, will be at The Cucking Stool. See you there.

For those of you especially interested in Geoff Michel, and you probably are if you are here, Spot suggests that you start here.

Bob remembers

Bob remembers where he put the good stuff. After a couple of tumblers of it over ice, he pens this in this week's Edina Sun Current:

To the editor:

My wife and I had a marvelous time at the Edina Fourth of July parade.

We helped decorate a float and then had a ball handing out red, white and blue beads to the veterans and all the kids. We gave beads to everyone who smiled or put out their hands, regardless of what political candidate's sticker they were wearing.

Then we went to the Senate District 41 Republican barbecue at the Community Center. What a great sight it was to see all of the veterans sitting together at tables and eating those terrific burgers and brats. I would love to have heard some of the stories being told. No one cared to what political party you belonged. What a great way to celebrate July 4th.

All this feeling of patriotism and good fun was quickly deflated when I read two days later that DFL endorsed Senate District 41 candidate Andrew Borene got into a political snit and complained about the way our wonderful veterans were invited to the barbecue. I don't know who should be more ashamed: Mr. Borene or Edina's Recreation Supervisor Susie Miller who kowtowed to Borene's silly complaint and sent a letter of apology to all of the veterans.

The citizens of Edina do not need a person of Mr. Borene's ilk representing us in the state Senate and I will do everything I can to ensure our current Sen. Geoff Michel, R-Edina, gets re-elected in November.

Bob Maginnis
Edina

Bob is apparently upset. Talk about your snits, Bob! Bob is going to do everything he can to insure that Geoff Michel wins in the fall. That right Bob, vote early and vote often! It's the Republican way around the country these days.

Spotty, wasn't Andrew Borene a Marine officer who participated in the initial invasion of Iraq?

Why yes grasshopper he was. He also worked for John Kerry's campaign - which carried Edina, by the way, making the hair on red necks stand up all over town - and he is active in a veteran's organization to champion the concerns of Iraq and Afghanistan vets. He's a keeper, in Spot's opinion.

Bob sees nothing wrong at all for the City of Edina to sponsor or promote a political event? And Bob was apparently too busy handing out beads and trinkets to the kids in the crowd to notice that there were a lot of veterans marching with Borene's campaign in the parade. In spite of what Bob thinks, Republicans don't have a monopoly on veterans or love of country.

They seem to have a near-monopoly on something else, though.

Democrats open field office here in Edina

Here is a press release that Spotty received today.

Democrats Open Field Office in Edina

Grand Opening on Wednesday June 28th

5:30PM to 7:30 PM

Building on their success in the western suburbs in 2004 and 2005 the DFL has opened a Field Office in Edina for the 2006 elections. All are invited to the grand opening on Wednesday June 28th from 5:30PM to 7:30PM at 6950 France Avenue, Edina, MN, Suite 108.

“This field office is a direct result of the 50 State Strategy and the grassroots fundraising strategies that Howard Dean is using to rebuild the Democratic party in Republican strongholds and independent leaning districts” said Marge Hoffa, newly elected Chair of the DFL’s 3rd Congressional District. “People are hungry for solutions and want to get away from the mean-spirited politics of hate and division continually pushed on us by State Senators like Michele Bachman and Geoff Michel” she continued. John Kerry won an unprecedented victory in Edina in 2004 and we elected Maria Ruud, Melissa Hortmann, and Denise Dietrich to the Minnesota House in other key areas of the western suburbs. In 2005, Terri Bonoff beat the Mayor of Plymouth in a special election for State Senate. We’re looking to build on that momentum and to restore a politics of civility that focuses on finding solutions to issues in healthcare, education and transit” she finished.

State & local candidates will be present and there will be free ice cream and balloons. An organizing meeting for local house candidates Paul Rosenthal and Jeffery Rich will be held from 6:45PM – 7:30PM.

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If Spot was a betting dog

Check out this post on the Cucking Stool that mentiones Sen. Michel.

The perfect compromise

Spot has the perfect compromise for the Gophers stadium. Bill Cooper still pays $35 milliion but does not get naming rights. It could work.

2020 Caucus

Spot has a new post about the 2020 Caucus and Geoff Michel up on the Cucking Stool.

The Great Pretender Re-revealed

The Great Pretender reveals himself yet again! Senator Geoff Michel (R-41) has been talking all session (and last, too) about his bi-partisan efforts to get the Gophers a new on-campus football stadium. A bill passed the Minnesota Senate today to do just that. Michel voted lock-step with the rest of the Republicans in the body and voted NO. What you say? Why?

You see, the bill provided for financing different than Michel’s bill, which would have sold part of the University’s soul to TCF, the savings and loan reborn as a real bank. Here’s MPR’s description:

The Senate's bill would have the state pay nearly $13 million a year. That would come from a 13 percent sports memorabilia tax, which will be passed in a separate bill. It also requires that the stadium have the name Veteran's Memorial Stadium instead of a corporate moniker. Student fees couldn't be used toward construction. The House version would have the state chip in up to $9.4 million a year. It didn't specify where that money would come from. In addition, the state would gain access to 2,840 acres of university-owned property in Dakota County that is considered an environmental gem.

So, you have to ask yourselves, boys and girls, does Michel want the Gophers to play on-campus, or does he really only want TCF to get the glory?

Bi-partisan, indeed.

The Andrew and Geoff show

Geoff Michel was on Almanac last Friday night, interviewed about the Gophers (Geoff went to Dartmouth to undergraduate school, by the way) stadium and his upcoming race against Andrew Borene. Sen. Michel said he "didn't know if there was a target painted on his back" for the fall. If he doesn't know, he's the only one. Maybe someone ought to tell him!

Dean Johnson was interviewed about Michel's ultra-conservative voting record, and Andrew Borene got some good face time on the camera too. Spotty thought that Andrew did well. One thing is certain. Andrew is much taller than Mary Lehammer, who practically had to hold the microphone over her head for Andrew.

Does not play well with others

Now it seems that Republicans in general are unhappy that Senator Michel may not get to bask in the sunshine of a Gophers stadium:

Efforts to approve the bill without the tax failed when Republicans complained that instead of Republican Sen. Geoff Michel, not Sen. Pogemiller, should be the chief author of the bill because he'd worked on the issue for two years.

Aw, the senator from Edina champions a deal to sell off a piece of the University's soul - the name Veteran's Memorial Stadium -to a savings and loan. And some people don't think that's a good idea. Perhaps the Republicans would prefer Michel Memorial Stadium, which Spot hopes will be appropriate after November!

Geoff Michel is one of the last persons you would nominate to be a bipartisan leader, capable of carrying a controversial piece of legislation. It is small wonder the bill got into trouble when it got serious attention.

More Great Pretenderisms

Speaking of the Gopher stadium bill which he has sponsored, and for which Bill Cooper's savings and loan, TCF, was to get naming rights, but is now in trouble in the Senate Tax Committee, the senator said:

"Until it hit this committee it was very bipartisan and it was a bipartisan product. I worry we've taken a big step backward," said Sen. Geoff Michel, R-Edina.

Well cry Spot a river senator. About the only bipartisan thing the senator ever does is have lunch with Joe Atkins once in a while. The Great Pretender gig is pretty transparent. You reap what you sow.