BLOG CLOSED

This is the end of American Government Class of 2008 Blog.

May 23, 2008 the class has graduated...good luck out there.

Jeff Greenwood- Graduating Class of One

Jeff Greenwood is in a class by himself.

He was the only student to graduate from Opheim High School this year, but the small event Friday drew a big name. Gov. Brian Schweitzer gave the commencement address.

Greenwood, who plans to attend Dickinson State University in North Dakota, said the high school is the "hub of activity" for rural Opheim, a town about 10 miles south of the Canadian border.

"The student-to-teacher ratio is pretty good," said Greenwood, who is the student body president and, of course, the senior class president.

Greenwood had a few classmates before high school, but his last remaining classmate moved to Utah during freshman year. He took some classes alone his senior year while sharing others with juniors at the school.

"You get to know everybody and you're friends with everybody," Greenwood said. "At the same time, you can't get away with anything."

Principal LeRoy Nelson, who has also been school superintendent, said he thought this was the first time the school graduated just one student. Six students graduated last year and 12 are on track to graduate in 2009.

Cyber bullying Mom Charged

She was thirteen years old and thought that she was having a MySpace online romance with a sixteen-year-old boy named "Josh Evans." Four weeks later, "Josh" broke off correspondence, allegedly telling the girl that the world would be a better place without her. In response, she hung herself and died a day later.

Now the Department of Justice says that "Josh" was really Lori Drew, 49, of O'Fallon, Missouri. Drew will stand trial in Los Angeles, accused of providing false information to get a MySpace account and violating MySpace terms to harass and harm other people—specifically, a girl -Megan Meier-the same age as her daughter who was a neighbor.

13 Year Old Megan

Drew was supposedly talking to Megan via the Internet to find out what Megan was saying about Drew's daughter, who was a former friend.

In Missouri, the girl's mother, Tina Meier, told the Associated Press, "I'm thrilled that this woman is going to face charges." Megan's father, Ron Meier, 38, said he began to cry "tears of joy" when he heard of the indictment. "She should be punished because she knew exactly what she was doing," Megan's mother, Tina Meier, told CBS' The Early Show , "She was playing a game with my 13-year-old daughter. And there is absolutely no reason that she should be able to be walking on the street... We were served a life sentence without Megan, and she should be serving a life sentence."

This is the first case of its kind. What do you think?

Prom Dress Lands Teen in Cuffs

Houston Senior Marche Taylor did not make it past the lobby. School officials stopped her and refused to let her enter prom because her dress violated school dress code policy. She was told she would have to go home and change if she wanted to attend prom.

"The young lady came to the prom wearing an inappropriate dress after the students were told what the guidelines were," Houston Independent School District press secretary Terry Abbott said.

The school guidelines said, " Only one inch of an attendants' midsection was permitted to be shown and slits in dresses could be no more than three inches above the knee. Additionally, see-through fabrics should not be worn in places which reveal private body parts."

Students planning to attend the function were required to sign the guideline document and return it to their homeroom teacher. If students did not sign the guidelines and adhere to the dress code, they would not be allowed to attend the prom, school officials said.

Taylor failed to leave the prom when she was asked to, according to Abbott, and instead began making a scene. Abbott said Taylor began yelling and acting "belligerently." "After she was told she would not be allowed in unless she went home and changed, [Taylor] became aggressive and belligerent and eventually police were called to escort her from the building," Abbott said. Police hired internally by the school district handcuffed the teen and placed her in a patrol car until she calmed down, Abbott said.

No official arrest was made.

Meanwhile, the story has made national news and Taylor's picture has been all over the internet and TV news. She does not regret the dress and has become "famous" because of it.

New Laws for Teen Dirvers??

MN Legislation is getting close to passing new laws restricting teen drivers. The laws would:
1) Make it illegal for teens to drive between midnight and 5am during the first 6 months after getting their drivers license.
2) May only have ONE teen in the car with them during the first 6 months of having a license.
3) During the second 6 months, a teen driver cold only have 3 or fewer other teens in the car with them.
This laws would not restrict the number of family members allowed in the car.
What do you think? Should it be passed???

What are you going to do????????? An easy one.....

You are graduating soon.......you classmates are wondering....what are you doing next year? If going to school, where? What do you plan to be? If you are going to work, where? Basically, what are your plans????

More frivolous lawsuits

In 2004, Timothy Dumouchel, from Fond du Lac, Wisconsin sued a television company for making his wife fat and transforming his children into “lazy channel surfers”. He said: “I believe the reason I smoke and drink every day and my wife is overweight is because we watched the TV everyday for the last four years”. The case kept at least two of America’s then 1,058,662 lawyers occupied for a while, but did not go to the Supreme Court.

In 1991, Richard Harris sued Anheiser-Busch for $10,000 for false advertising. Harris (no relation to the above-mentioned burglar) claimed to suffer from emotional distress in addition to mental and physical injury. Why? Because when he drank beer, he didn’t have any luck with the ladies, as promised in the TV ads. Harris also didn’t like that he got sick sometimes after he drank. The case was thrown out of court.

In 1995, Robert Lee Brock, a Virginia prison inmate, decided to take a new approach to the legal system. After filing a number of unsuccessful lawsuits against the prison system, Brock sued himself. He claimed his civil rights and religious beliefs were violated when he allowed himself to get drunk. After all, it was inebriation that created his cycle of committing crimes and being incarcerated. He demanded $5 million from himself. However, since he didn’t earn an income behind bars, he felt the state should pay. Needless to say, the case was thrown out.

Top Frivolous Lawsuits

In February 1992, Stella Liebeck ordered a cup of coffee to go from McDonalds. Liebeck was sitting in the passenger seat of her nephew’s car, which was pulled over so she could add sugar to her coffee. While removing the cup’s lid, Liebeck spilled her hot coffee, burning her legs. It was determined that Liebeck suffered third degree burns on over six percent of her body. Originally, Liebeck sought $20,000 in damages. McDonalds refused to settle out of court. However, they should have. Liebeck was ultimately awarded $200,000 in compensatory damages, which was reduced to $160,000 because she was found to be twenty percent at fault. She was also awarded $2.7 million in punitive damages.

In September 1988, two Akron, Ohio-based carpet layers named Gordon Falker and Gregory Roach were severely burned when a three and a half gallon container of carpet adhesive ignited when the hot water heater it was sitting next to kicked on. Both men felt the warning label on the back of the can was insufficient. Words like “flammable” and “keep away from heat” didn’t prepare them for the explosion. They filed suit against the adhesive manufacturers, Para-Chem. A jury obviously agreed since the men were awarded $8 million for their troubles.

In 1992, 23-year old Karen Norman accidentally backed her car into Galveston Bay after a night of drinking. Norman couldn’t operate her seat belt and drowned. Her passenger managed to disengage herself and make it to shore. Norman ’s parents sued Honda for making a seat belt their drunken daughter (her blood alcohol level was .17 – nearly twice the legal limit) couldn’t open underwater. A jury found Honda seventy-five percent responsible for Karen’s death and awarded the Norman family $65 million. An appeals court threw out the case.

In May 2003, Stephen Joseph of San Francisco sued Kraft foods for putting trans-fat in their Oreo cookies. Joseph wanted an injunction to order Kraft to stop selling Oreos to children. Once the media caught wind of Joseph’s lawsuit, the media blitz became too much for him to handle. He decided to drop the suit.

In 1997, Larry Harris of Illinois broke into a bar owned by Jessie Ingram. Ingram, the victim of several break-ins, had recently set a trap around his windows to deter potential burglars. Harris, 37, who was under the influence of both alcohol and drugs, must have missed the warning sign prominently displayed in the window. He set off the trap as he entered the window, electrocuting himself. The police refused to file murder charges. Harris’s family saw it differently, however, and filed a civil suit against Ingram. A jury originally awarded the Harris family $150,000. Later, the award was reduced to $75,000 when it was decided Harris should share at least half of the blame.

What do you think??? Are these cases wasting the time of our courts???

Steel Pennies???

It now costs more than a penny to make a penny---1.26 cents to be exact. And the cost of a nickel is more than 7½ cents.

Surging prices for copper, zinc and nickel have some in Congress trying to bring back the steel-made pennies of World War II, and maybe using steel for nickels, as well.

Keeping the coin content means “contributing to our national debt by almost as much as the coin is worth,” Congressmen Gutierrez said.

"People still want pennies, which is why we’re still making them,” Senator Moy said.

Even Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson acknowledged in a radio interview earlier this year that getting rid of the penny made sense but wasn’t politically doable — and certainly nothing he is planning to tackle during the Bush team’s final months in office.

In 2007, the Mint produced 7.4 billion pennies and 1.2 billion nickels, according to the House Financial Services Committee.

FYI--The dime costs a little over 4 cents to make, while the quarter costs almost 10 cents. The dollar coin, meanwhile, costs about 16 cents to make, according to the US Mint.

What do you think??? steel pennies?

Nebraska State Senator Sues God

State Sen. Ernie Chambers is suing God. He said that he is doing this to prove a point about frivolous lawsuits.

The lawsuit accuses God "of making and continuing to make terroristic threats of grave harm to innumerable persons, including constituents of Plaintiff who Plaintiff has the duty to represent."

It says God has caused "fearsome floods, egregious earthquakes, horrendous hurricanes, terrifying tornadoes, pestilential plagues, ferocious famines, devastating droughts, genocidal wars, birth defects and the like."

The suit also says God has caused "calamitous catastrophes resulting in the wide-spread death, destruction and terrorization of millions upon millions of the Earth’s inhabitants including innocent babes, infants, children, the aged and infirm without mercy or distinction."Chambers also says God "has manifested neither compassion nor remorse, proclaiming that defendant will laugh" when calamity comes.

Chambers's suit was filed in protest at frivolous suits in general. It is not known when or if any hearings have been scheduled.

TeEn RePeLlAnT???

A wall-mounted gadget designed to drive away loiterers with a shrill, piercing noise audible only to teens and young adults is infuriating civil liberties groups and tormenting young people after being introduced into the United States. Almost 1,000 units of the device, called the Mosquito, have been sold in the United States and Canada. The North America importer of the device sold under the company name Kids Be Gone. The high-frequency sound has been likened to fingernails dragged across a chalkboard or a pesky mosquito buzzing in your ear. It can be heard by most people in their teens and early 20s who still have sensitive hair cells in their inner ears. "It's horrible, loud and irritating," said, Eddie Holder, 15, who sprinted from his apartment for school one morning covering one ear with his hand to block out the noise. The device was installed outside the building to drive away loiterers. "I have to hurry out of the building because it's so annoying. It's this screeching sound that you have to get away from, or it will drive you crazy." The town of Great Barrington, Mass., banned the device last year after a movie theater owner installed one. "There was an outcry, and people didn't like the idea of torturing kids' ears like that," said Ronald Dlugosz, a town official. "People here don't tolerate that kind of stuff." Milford, Conn., faced similar resistance when the city announced plans to install the Mosquito in a park. They increased police patrols instead. Elsewhere, there have been few or no complaints. A mall in Maryland announced plans to introduce the buzz to disperse skateboarders, and officials and police said they haven't had any outcry. A school district in Columbia, S.C., recently installed one on the front grill of a school vehicle and another in a parking lot where students gather after high school games, with no complaints. "We'd have crowds gather in parking lots, and there'd be the usual trash talk, then you'd have fights," said Rick McGee, the school district's emergency services manager. "Now there's no confrontation at all, they just get aggravated and leave within a few minutes." A spokesman for the American Civil Liberties Union said the organization does not yet have a position on the issue. But James Alan Fox, a criminologist at Boston's Northeastern University, said crowd-monitoring devices in the hands of private businesses and citizens is "dangerous." What do you think???

McCain Calls for Summer Vacation from Gas Taxes--MIDQUARTER BREAK..7 MORE TO END OF SCHOOL YEAR-FROM HERE

John McCain presented two ideas yesterday.

1)For the federal government to free people from paying gasoline taxes this summer.

To help people weather the downturn immediately, McCain urged Congress to institute a "gas-tax holiday" by suspending the 18.4 cent federal gas tax and 24.4 cent diesel tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day. He also renewed his call for the United States to stop adding to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and thus lessen to some extent the worldwide demand for oil.

Combined, he said, the two proposals would reduce gas prices, which would have a trickle-down effect, and "help to spread relief across the American economy."

2) The federal government should ensure that college students can secure loans this fall.

Lawmakers, students and financial experts are worried that the credit crisis might make it more difficult for students and their families to find loans. Nearly two dozen lenders have dropped out of the federally backed student loan program.

Students, McCain said, "should not be denied an education because the recklessness of others has made credit too hard to obtain."

(He also proposed some ideas to reform the tax system in the US and raise the deduction for dependent children from $3500 to $7000.)

What do you think of his ideas????

Mn Vote-Medical Marijuana

A proposal allowing patients with cancer and other debilitating illnesses to use marijuana has cleared its final legislative committee.

The 13-4 vote by the House Ways and Means Committee means the bill's next stop is the House floor.

The Senate approved the medical marijuana bill last year.

But Governor Tim Pawlenty remains opposed because police and sheriffs say the legislation would make it harder for them to enforce drug laws.

Those who oppose the bill say it would make marijuana more accessible to those who aren't sick. Remember the news clip we watched about California and its medical marijuana problems??? What do you think about having it come to MN?

Letter format

When writing a letter to an elected official-use a proper format. This not only looks better, but will ensure that you receive a response!!
See below:

March 16, 2001

Dear Mr. English:

The first paragraph of a typical business letter is used to state the main point of the letter. Begin with a friendly opening; then quickly transition into the purpose of your letter. Use a couple of sentences to explain the purpose, but do not go in to detail until the next paragraph.

Beginning with the second paragraph, state the supporting details to justify your purpose. These may take the form of background information, statistics or first-hand accounts. A few short paragraphs within the body of the letter should be enough to support your reasoning.

Finally, in the closing paragraph, briefly restate your purpose and why it is important. If the purpose of your letter is employment related, consider ending your letter with your contact information. However, if the purpose is informational, think about closing with gratitude for the reader's time.

Sincerely,

Lucy Letter

123 Winner's Road
New Employee Town, PA 12345

Congress questions Big Oil’s big profits

Top executives of the five biggest U.S. oil companies were pressed by Congress to explain the soaring fuel prices amid huge industry profits and why they weren’t investing more to develop renewable energy source such as wind and solar. The executives said they understood that high energy costs are hurting consumers, but deflected blame, arguing that their profits — $123 billion last year — were in line with other industries. “The anger level is rising significantly,” said Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., relating what he had heard in his district during the recent two-week congressional recess. “On April Fool’s Day, the biggest joke of all is being played on American families by Big Oil,” Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., said as his committee began hearing from the oil company executives. The House last year and again on Feb. 27 approved legislation that would have ended the tax breaks for the oil giants, while using the revenue to support wind, solar and other renewable fuels and incentives for energy conservation. The measure has not passed the Senate. Write your senator--tell them what you think about this issue. And/ or comment here

Youngest Mayors in US

Sam Juhl of Roland, Iowa is among the youngest mayors in the US. He ran for mayor unopposed in 2005 and won-he was a high school senior at the time. He ran again in 2007 and won 57% of the vote. He is now running for State Representative.





Michael Sessions of Hillsdale, Michigan also won in 2005 while he was a senior in high school. He, however, did not run unopposed. Sessions defeated incumbent mayor Doug Ingles, age 51, as a WRITE-IN candidate.








Christopher Seeley was also elected mayor in 2005. Seeley was a high school senior when he won the election in Linesville, Pennsylvania. He ran against long-time Linesville Borough Council Member Kevin McGrath.

All three are still serving as mayor. How's that for Government in Action credit???

Youngest Super Delegate

Jason Rae is the youngest Super Delegate. He is from Wisconsin and has pledged his support to Barack Obama. “As someone elected to represent that generation, it seems fairly clear that they are speaking out in favor of Senator Obama,” he said.

“I was on the fence and had been the target of heavy lobbying from both campaigns,” he explained in an e-mail. For. Sen. Barack Obama, “I had heard from Senator (John) Kerry and met with Michelle Obama. For Sen. Hillary Clinton, “I met with Chelsea Clinton and spoke to Madeline Albright and President Clinton.”

What is a Super Delegate????

Right to Bear Arms heard by Supreme Court

In 1976, Washington, DC passed a law banning handguns. In 2003 , Richard Heller, a security guard, and others, sued the District of Columbia after it rejected his application to buy a handgun for home protection.

"Make no mistake about it, this is a public safety case," D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty said. "The reason the city council enacted the gun ban in the 1970s because crime was getting out of control and guns were the cause of a disproportionate number of fatalities. When the gun ban became law, violent crime dropped significantly in the city and has steadily gone down since then."

The District of Columbia law not only bans ownership of handguns, but requires other guns like rifles and shotguns that may legally be kept in the home to be disassembled or kept under a trigger lock.

The case has been appealed to the Supreme Court. The court decided to hear the case and is expected to make a decision in June. The Supreme Court has not heard a case on the 2nd Amendment since 1939. This case is being called the most important gun case in 70 years.

The Second Amendment reads: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

The good news for gun rights advocates, is that the court seems prepared to rule that the Second Amendment ensures individuals the right to own guns for personal use. The more complicated and unsettled issue, however, is whether the Second Amendment allows government restrictions on firearms use in the name of public safety.

Because none of the justices now on the court have ever confronted a Second Amendment case, any prediction about how the court will rule is little more than pure speculation.


What do you think? Should residents of DC be allowed to have handguns? What about the rates of violent crime?

Political Parties

What does this mean?

"Speak English" Signs

Geno's Steaks in Philadelphia, PA is famous for Philly its cheese steak. And now for its sign asking customers to order in English.

Two signs announce to customers, "This is America: WHEN ORDERING 'PLEASE SPEAK ENGLISH.'"

A complaint was brought to the city. The city has decided the signs do not violate the city's Fair Practices Ordinance. ( they are not discriminatory)

Shop owner Joe Vento has said he posted the signs in October 2005 because of concerns over immigration reform and an increasing number of people in the area who could not order in English.

Vento has said he never refused service to anyone because they couldn't speak English. But critics argued that the signs discourage customers of certain backgrounds from eating at the shop.

What do you think?

Gas Prices

As gas prices continue to rise, as of today they are$3.19 in our area ( I paid $3.07 in Bemidji last night). US gas consumption has started to fall-we are using less gas. It fell by one percent over the past two months. This may not be much- but it is a first. Analysts have been waiting for gas prices to affect how much we use and it looks like prices have finally gotten high enough to make us use less gas.

I wonder how gas prices will affect tourism this summer and boating. I guess it could be worse. Gas is $8.60 a gallon in Germany.

Want to get a Gov in Action letter done early? Write your President or Congressperson to express your thoughts on gas prices.

MN Representative
Jim Oberstar
2365 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
http://wwwc.house.gov/oberstar/zipauth.htm

MN Senators
Norm Coleman
United States Senate
320 Senate Hart Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Amy Klobuchar
United States Senate
302 Hart Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
http://klobuchar.senate.gov/emailamy.cfm

The President
President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

END OF QUARTER THREE

This marks the end of quarter three. Any posts after this will be counted toward quarter 4. AND, YES, you HAVE to do 14 NEXT Quarter. Remember, the idea is to be blogging THROUGHOUT the quarter.
You have been doing a good job with some interesting comments. Keep it up and KEEP IT CLEAN:)

Minnesota's budget deficit nearly $1 billion

Minnesota's projected budget deficit has nearly tripled since November -- growing to almost $1 billion. State finance officials blame a struggling economy, the credit crunch and lower income tax collections for the shortfall. Gov. Pawlenty and state lawmakers now have to balance the budget, and it appears that spending cuts are the main option.
OK you have TWO option for this blog--1)what spending cuts are being proposed? Or taxes increased?
--2) How are other states? Some were asking about other states that do or do not have budget deficits--do some research find out how another state is doing and report on it.

Ready, Set, GO....................

Another Letter Opportunity?????

A plan to banish sex offenders from social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook is moving through the Minnesota House. The bill from Representative Karla Bigham would prohibit sex offenders from using social sites that allow members under the age of 18. It would also authorize probation agents to search their computers and other online devices. The bill has the backing of Attorney General Lori Swanson. It won unanimous approval in the House Public Safety and Civil Justice Committee. Some of the representatives voiced support for even stricter restrictions on Internet use by sex offenders. Representative Chris DeLaForest says he would support cutting off Internet access altogether, as New Jersey has done for some sex offenders.

What do you think? Should sex offenders be kept off MySpace and Facebook? Do we want to restrict their Internet rights?

Write a letter to your rep. if you agree or disagree with this bill.

Suspended for Skittles

A few weeks ago we looked at student First Amendment rights in regard to t-shirts in school. Here is a different kind of school rule causing a stir.

Michael Sheridan, an eighth-grade honors student in Connecticut, was stripped of his title as class vice president, barred from attending an honors student dinner and suspended for a day after buying a bag of Skittles from a classmate. School spokeswoman Catherine Sullivan-DeCarlo says the New Haven school system banned candy sales in 2003 as part of a school wellness policy. Michael's suspension has been reduced from three days to one, but he has not been reinstated as class vice president. He says he didn't realize his candy purchase was against the rules, but he did notice the student selling the Skittles on Feb. 26 was being secretive. What do you think?

MN College Tuition Twice the National Average???

Looking for a letter to you representative topic?? Here is a good one!

A new state report says the net cost of a public college education in Minnesota is nearly twice the national average.

While the state offers grant programs and other financial aid, charges have more than doubled in a decade at the University of Minnesota and in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.

And tuition payers shouldn't expect relief any time soon, with colleges and universities likely to be pinched by the state's budget shortfall that's projected at more than $900 million.

The Office of Higher Education found that:
-- Net tuition and fees, an amount minus state grants and other aid, for first-year, full-time students in 2005-06 were $4,720 at Minnesota's public universities -- about twice the national average and slightly higher than its Big Ten peer states. Minnesota's two-year schools showed similar patterns.

-- Two-thirds of seniors graduating from the state's public universities had student loan debt in 2006, and that debt averaged $21,000 -- both numbers higher than average of the Big Ten states.

-- Minnesota has high numbers of citizens enrolled in college, but the data showed big gaps by race in graduation rates. White students are more likely than students of color to complete a degree.

State officials told the St. Paul Pioneer Press that part of the reason Minnesota's average is so high compared with the nation is that big states like California more heavily subsidize higher education costs--which mean other states fund their college systems more than Minnesota does.
School officials said they have been successful in the recent past in controlling tuition growth. University of Minnesota President Bob Bruininks has made fundraising for student scholarships a priority, and a tuition program for low-income students is expected to provide $22 million in annual benefits to about 4,700 students next year. Kara Brockett, chairwoman of the Minnesota State University Student Association, said students have benefited the last two years from "significant strides" controlling tuition. But she said students are fearful of the effects of cuts forced by the state's budget situation.

"Financial aid only goes so far when tuition is rising faster," Brockett said. And of course, you have to qualify for that financial aid--if you do not, you are paying all of that cost yourself.

React here or write a letter.................

aRe YoU a RePUbLicAn Or A dEmOcRaTiC?

Take the quiz and find out. Do you agree with the results?

http://typology.people-press.org/typology/

MN Budget Proposed

Gov. Tim Pawlenty proposed to cut the state sales tax by 1/8th of a percent. This would deepen Minnesota's anticipated deficit of $935 million. But the GOP governor said the state treasury's $77 million loss would be consumers' gain and an answer to pending sales tax hikes approved by the Democratic-controlled Legislature.

Consumers would save 2 cents on a $20 purchase.

"It will soften or mitigate the effects of the DFL's tax increases," he said at a Capitol news conference. "Number two, it will provide a modest stimulus for the economy."

Minnesota's 6.5 percent sales tax would go down to 6.375 on July 1 under the proposal, not counting local sales taxes that vary from community to community. Finance Commissioner Tom Hanson couldn't say exactly how much such a cut would help the state's economy.

"Every little bit helps," he said.

To fill in the budget gap, Pawlenty looked to a combination of cuts, savings and dedicated accounts. Cuts added up to more than $340 million -- including $187 million for health and welfare programs and $54 million for public colleges. Pawlenty said many of the cuts were reductions in planned increases in state aid.

"Nobody will be removed" from government health programs, he said. But a planned expansion of coverage would be canceled, affecting almost 1,000 adults expected to become eligible for the programs and reducing coverage for an average of 20,000 children transitioning between programs each month by mid-2010.

He's also seeking 4 percent reductions to most state agency budgets. He said the departments of Veterans Affairs, Military Affairs, Transportation, Public Safety and Corrections are either exempt from cuts or would see minimal reductions. Most cuts could be done without layoffs, he added.

Pawlenty looks to cut costs in places large and small.

He would eliminate a state security coordinator for the Republican National Convention, saving the state $28,000. He also would trim $653,000 from crime victim service grants. The city of Minneapolis would lose $750,000 in annual payments it uses to cover bills for the Target Center arena.

The Metropolitan Council, which runs Twin Cities buses and light rail, would lose $30 million in the upcoming fiscal year -- wiping out a budget fix it stood to get from the metro area transit tax.

Pawlenty's plan would use $250 million from the state budget reserve and shift another $250 million from a health care fund to cover subsidized care for disadvantaged Minnesotans.

Two big pots of money were declared off-limits as state leaders seek to erase the deficit by the middle of next year: allowances to schools and local governments.

There are a few fee increases attached to the plan. Fish hatcheries would pay more to cover the costs of state inspections. And industrial users of water would be assessed for the environmental review process before they get permits. People who have had their license revoked for controlled substance violations would pay an extra $30 to get it back.

Tax collectors would pull in $102 million more by doing away with an exemption some corporations used to shield income from overseas operations.

But Pawlenty also adds to the budget.

A smattering of veterans assistance programs get a boost. The state's 150th anniversary committee, now strapped for cash, would receive more money so it can stay afloat. Research on a rare form of lung cancer among Iron Range miners would get state dollars.

The budget plan also provides up to $40 million for a special compensation fund for victims of the Interstate 35W bridge collapse, although the governor said the final package could be smaller.

The governor also included a $14 million guarantee for local organizers raising cash for the Republican National Convention in September. It would back them up if they fall short of their fundraising goals.

Pick a part of budget cuts or expenses, react to it. What do you think?

MN Reps Lose Party Support

As promised when they voted to override the Governor's veto, three Republican Representatives have not been supported by their party in their bid for re-election.

Three Republicans in the Minnesota House who voted to override Gov. Tim Pawlenty's veto of a transportation bill that included a gas tax increase lost bids to win the Republican Party endorsement at district conventions Saturday.

At the Southwest Middle School here, delegates bypassed Rep. Ron Erhardt, R-Edina, and Rep. Neil Peterson, R-Bloomington, and endorsed challengers to both candidates. Erhardt and Peterson were among six Republicans who joined Democrats in backing the transportation bill, which includes a gas tax increase and a metro-wide sales tax increase for transit.

Rep. Jim Abeler, R-Anoka, also failed to get the GOP endorsement at his district convention, though the party didn't endorse a challenger. Peterson said he would run in a GOP primary. Erhardt said he wasn't sure whether he would run in the primary or as an independent candidate.

Three other Republicans voted to override Pawlenty's veto: Kathy Tingelstad of Andover, Rod Hamilton of Mountain Lake and Bud Heidgerken of Freeport. Party activists voted to postpone a decision on Tingelstad's endorsement. The endorsing conventions for Hamilton and Heidgerken have not been scheduled.

What do you think about this? Should the party be punishing them for their votes?

A Gov in Action Opportunity

How do you feel about the Transportation Law that was just passed? Want to voice your opinion to a representative? You can earn gov in action points for doing so.

You can find your Rep at
http://www.leg.state.mn.us/leg/Districtfinder.asp

Send a written letter-give the letter to me and I will send it--or send an email, but send me a copy.

BE appropriate in your letter and comments!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ANOTHER STIMULUS PACKAGE??

As you know, the stimulus package proposed by President Bush passed a few weeks ago. States are now asking for another package. Governors are asking for money to build infrastructure throughout the US. They are asking for a new stimulus bill that provides $25 billion to $30 billion for improving the country's roads, waterways and bridges. The package would not only repair the nation's infrastructure, it would provide jobs and stimulate the economy.

"We are gathering here for one reason in Washington and that is to ask the federal government, to inspire the federal government... or to actually force Washington to build our nation's infrastructure and take this subject seriously," said Arnold Schwarzenegger, California governor, Republican and action movie star, at a press conference during the National Governors Association's annual meeting.

President Bush has been cool to the idea and the governors did not receive a response to their request.

What do you think? Where will this money come from?

OVERRIDE!!!!!!!

Late Monday the Minnesota Legislature voted Monday to override Gov. Tim Pawlenty's veto of a $6.6 billion bill, paving the way for higher gas taxes and other fees to bring in more money for roads, bridges and transit.

The critical vote came in the House, where six Republicans broke ranks to defy the governor and provide the two-thirds majority needed to override. The final vote was 91-41. The Senate vote later in the day, 47-20, was assured since Democrats have a veto-proof majority.

The state's first gas tax hike since 1988 hits on April 1, and by fall it will have climbed slightly more than a nickel overall to 25.5 cents per gallon. It will rise in stages another 3 cents by 2012 to pay off road bonds.

Overrides are rare in Minnesota, with only 14 occurring since 1939. None of Pawlenty's 36 previous vetoes had been overturned, including two before on transportation proposals.

The governor reacted coolly, "The DFL majority has done what it does best, which is to raise taxes on Minnesota families," he said. "I'm more than happy to say this is a DFL product and a DFL result with a few Republicans who helped them because I wouldn't want to take any credit for this piece of work."

So gas, registration and sales taxes will increase soon!

Canada Budget Surplus

The Canadian government will disclose that it has at least $1 billion on hand more in spending money than it had anticipated when it tables its budget Tuesday.

When Finance Minister Jim Flaherty closes the books on March 31, the surplus for the past fiscal-year will be about $13 billion, according to a government official with knowledge of the budget.


And while more than two-thirds of that money is committed to debt reduction, the remainder is expected to go into job-creating projects such as roads and bridges to rebuild Canada's infrastructure. They are also planning to put money into higher education and post-graduate studies.

Canada has a budget surplus--which means they have more money than they have budgeted. (extra money)

Thoughts.......

Transportation Bill

Minnesota Republican governor Tim Pawlenty struck down the transportation bill within hours of its passage last week because he opposed increases in the gas tax, sales tax and car registration fees. The gas tax would go up for the first time since 1988. The money would fuel a decade-long spurt of road-and-bridge construction and expand routes for bus and train riders.

If the bill fails to get 90 votes in the House, the veto stands. It got 89 votes on passage last week, with all but two Democrats opposing it and six Republicans crossing over to support it. The Senate can't act before the House, although the bill's standing is better there.

Republican Rep. Kathy Tinglestad of Andover said she was facing "probably the hardest decision of my career" as she entered the House chamber.

Another GOP member who voted for the bill, Rod Hamilton of Mountain Lake, said he just wanted it over with.

"I'm ready, I'm anxious. I'm eager," he said without tipping his hand on how he would go.

None of Pawlenty's 36 previous vetoes has been overturned.

When he blocked the bill Friday, Pawlenty called it "an overreaching, massive tax increase."

Rep. Dan Severson, R-Sauk Rapids, urged his colleagues to stand with Pawlenty.

"If you reach forward on this bill and you punch the green button," Severson said, "what you are saying to the taxpayers is, `I'm reaching deep into your pocket and pulling out all the green you got in your wallet and I'll leave you the change."'

By fall, the gas tax would climb a nickel, to 25 cents per gallon. It could go up an additional 3-1/2 cents to pay off road bonds, though those increases would be spread out over the next five years and eventually roll back as debt is satisfied.

People with new-model vehicles face higher registration fees for a longer period than they would under the current license tab schedule. State rental car fees would go from 3 percent to 5 percent.

And shoppers in the seven-county metropolitan area would see the sales tax rise by 0.25 percentage point, with the money raised through that tax going for mass transit projects.

The deadly Interstate 35W bridge collapse put fresh attention on Minnesota's infrastructure problems, so lawmakers put $600 million into the bill to fix the state's worst bridges.


Republican Party Chairman Ron Carey on Monday reminded GOP lawmakers who defect that they might not be endorsed for re-election.

"It's going to make every Republican pause before giving the endorsement to these representatives if they vote to override the governor's veto," Carey said.

What do you think?? Should the bill be passed with an veto override? What do you think about the threat that Republicans may not be endorsed by the party in the next election if they vote against the governor?

Stimulating Package...Passed

On Thursday the House and Senate approved the economic stimulus package. President Bush plans to sign it into law early in the week. "We are in a period of economic uncertainty and we've acted again," Bush told a conservative conference in Washington. "I want to thank the members (of Congress) for passing a good piece of legislation, which I will sign into law next week." "This bill reflects our principles. It is robust, it is pro-growth, it stimulates business investment and it puts money into the hands of American consumers," he added. The legislation will provide one-time rebates of up to $600 for individuals or $1,200 for couples, plus $300 for each child. Low-income people, including retirees on Social Security and disabled veterans who pay no income taxes, would receive checks of $300. The Senate added language to ensure illegal immigrants did not receive rebate checks. With the latest economic date suggesting the U.S. economy is stalling, the bill will inject nearly $152 billion into the economy this year and more than $16 billion next year. Some economists have said, however, that while the measures will buy time, they may not be enough to avert recession. Money...possibly coming your way. But from where? Will the gov be borrowing to give us the $$? Some say this is an advance on next year's tax return and not free money at all. What do you think?

Constitutional Convention

This week we talked about the Constitutional Convention. I gave you some info about it...what else can you find? Look for trivia/stories about the convention and post something here.

I'll get you started:
Benjamin Franklin, age 81 at the time of convention, was so ill he had to be carried to the convention sessions in a sedan chair. He was also too ill to read the speeches he wrote or debate much. He died on April 17, 1790, a little over a month before Rhode Island ratified the Constitution.

Too Fat to Eat in a Mississippi Restaurant????

A state lawmaker wants to ban restaurants from serving food to obese customers. Republican Rep. John Read of Gautier introduced a bill that would require that people who are obese, as defined by the state, be banned from being served in restaurants.

House Bill No. 282, which was introduced this month, says: Any food establishment to which this section applies shall not be allowed to serve food to any person who is obese, based on criteria prescribed by the State Department of Health after consultation with the Mississippi Council on Obesity Prevention and Management established under Section 41-101-1 or its successor. The State Department of Health shall prepare written materials that describe and explain the criteria for determining whether a person is obese, and shall provide those materials to all food establishments to which this section applies. A food establishment shall be entitled to rely on the criteria for obesity in those written materials when determining whether or not it is allowed to serve food to any person.

"I was trying to shed a little light on the number one problem in Mississippi," said Republican Rep. John Read of Gautier, who does not expect his plan to become law.

More than 30 percent of adults in Mississippi are considered it obese.

What do you think???

Budget Proposal

n the nation's first-ever $3 trillion budget proposal, President Bush seeks to seal his legacy of promoting a strong defense to fight terrorism and tax cuts to spur the economy. Democrats, who control Congress, are pledging fierce opposition to Bush's final spending plan — perhaps even until the next president takes office.

This budget would lead to huge budget deficits, around $400 billion for this year and next. But even those estimates could prove too low given the rapidly weakening economy and the total costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which Bush does not include in his request for the budget year beginning Oct. 1.

$$9,242,812,017,629.17 is the current national debt. This is $30,377.70 for each citizen. How do you feel about adding 400 billion more to it this year and next year?

Why Do we Caucus on Tuesday??

Some states hold primaries, in Minnesota we use the caucus system. Since the early days of Minnesota's statehood, caucuses have been used to select delegates to nominating conventions.

Caucus begins at 7:00 p.m. The Republican party will meet at the Menahga City Hall, while the Democratic Party will meet ay the High School Media Center.

Remember--You can get gov in action points for this. Also-Barack Obama will be at the Target Center on Saturday. It is a free event and doors open at 1:30. If you go, bring something back--a flyer, picture......


What happens at the caucus????

A caucus is a meeting in your neighborhood, held every two years, where people talk politics. They're normally set up at community centers or in classrooms not far from your home.

"Hopefully coffee will be on, and it will be a lot of friendly talk and discussion," Ron Carey, the state GOP chair said.

"You're going to see a room full of people who are politically active and politically concerned, and you're going to see tables with various stacks of paper," Brian Melendez, the chairman of the Minnesota DFL Party said.

A lot of party business gets done at caucuses. But if you're a Democrat, and it's a presidential election year like this one, you don't have to stick around.

"Let's say all you really care about is the presidential election," Melendez said. "You can come, pick up a presidential preference ballot, fill out your ballot, turn it in, and leave, if that's all that you're really concerned about."

It is a secret ballot, so it's not like the Iowa caucuses, where you're forced to announce your loyalty in front of your neighbors.

And on the DFL side, the results of the caucuses are binding. That means Democratic candidates win delegates to the national nominating convention based on the number of votes they receive.

It's a complicated formula, but it basically breaks down like this: Minnesota will send 88 delegates to the Democratic Convention this summer in Denver. Of those delegates, 72 will be assigned on caucus night, in proportion to the vote totals. The other 16 delegates are so called "super delegates" who support whichever candidate they choose.

On the Republican side, the results are not binding. So the presidential vote is really just a public opinion poll.

"It influences, but does not mandate, who is going to get the national delegates out of Minnesota at the national convention," Carey said. The delegates are assigned at the state convention in the spring.

The main business at a Republican caucus is picking local party leaders and learning more about candidates for various offices. Then caucus goers decide which issues they want listed in the state Republican Party platform.

He adds: "It's a wonderful exercise in democracy. It's about as close to direct democracy as we get here in America."

And on that point, both parties agree.

"You're going to find it's probably pretty rewarding, and not the intimidating process that some people think it is," Carey said.

The Democrats and Republicans have an informational sites if you would like to learn more about what to expect on Tuesday.

Go here for Democrats http://www.dfl.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={3FE7BDD2-0932-45A2-8B80-86BA06F6D836}

Go here for Republicans
http://www.mngop.com/caucus2008/

Employers, Coaches, Facebook and Myspace

There were some very interesting responses to the Facebook post. Most people think the schools should not act on pictures from Facebook. What about coaches, colleges and employers????

I found some interesting info.

Interview with Tim DeMello, owner of Internet company Ziggs:
When DeMello was asked if he does an Internet search for online profiles when he chooses whom to hire, he replies, "Of course. Everybody does."

DeMello estimates that about 20 percent of companies are secretly scanning online profiles before they interview applicants.

"Within a short period of time, you could find these 83 photos on every search engine on the Web, and these 83 photos could be attached to your name for the rest of your career," says DeMello.

An Ottawa , Canada grocery store (Farm Boy) fired two employees after they read postings on a Facebook groups called " I Got Farm Boy'd" The employees had talked about stealing merchandise from the store. One of the employees spoke out and denied stealing from the store. He said the post was only hypothetical.

A minimum wage Argos employee in the UK was fired for gross misconduct after he vented on Facebook about a frustrating day at work.

A 29-year-old police officer from Ohio was fired from his department after he posted photos of evidence from criminal cases and of the speedometer of a police car going 100 mph on MySpace; he was the subject of a recent ABC News story.

People across the country have been fired for “not living up to the moral code of the company,” Stacey Elderbroom, co-creator of the “Protect Your Privates” campaign, said.

Last May, LSU swimmers Eddie Kenney and Matt Coenen were kicked off the team after athletics officials discovered they belonged to a Facebook affinity group that put up disparaging comments about swim coaches.

Loyola University Chicago is forbidding its athletes from belonging. Loyola athletics director John Planek says he ordered athletes off the site to protect them from gamblers, agents or sexual predators who could learn about them, or contact them, through their profiles. It is also an image issue for schools. Schools could be deeply embarrassed if underage star athletes are seen on a website drinking from a beer bong.

Officials at the University of Oxford are using Facebook to find — and fine — students that engaged in a spasm of "trashings," rowdy revels after exams end that include dousing classmates in foam, eggs and flour.

Disciplinary officials at Oxford scanned Facebook, found pictures of the rowdies and have begun e-mailing students fines equivalent to about $85 to $210 for breaking campus rules.

So...it is not just high schools using Facebook and Myspace to gather info. From what I read it sounds like coaches are just starting to use Myspace and Facebook as a place to keep tabs on their athletes. Employers look at it. It sounds like you have to be careful what you post--even if your account is set to private. Thoughts??????

WWWWhaaaat? Direct Democracy in Action......

VT town seeks arrest warrants for Bush, V.P.

A group in Brattleboro, Vermont is petitioning to put an item on a town meeting agenda in March that would make Bush and Vice President Cheney subject to arrest and indictment if they visit the southeastern Vermont community. Activists want them subject to arrest for war crimes.

The town meeting, an annual exercise in which residents gather to vote on everything from fire department budgets to municipal policy, requires about 1,000 signatures to place a binding item on the agenda.

The measure asks: "Shall the Selectboard instruct the Town Attorney to draft indictments against President Bush and Vice President Cheney for crimes against our Constitution, and publish said indictment for consideration by other municipalities?"

The Brattleboro Select Board voted 3-2 to put the item on the ballot for the March vote.

The board voted to put the item on the ballot after receiving petitions from townspeople with the required number of signatures.

Select Board member Richard Garant says he thinks the vote is legal, but the town doesn't have the authority to issue an arrest warrant. He says it sends a message.

What do you think?????

Facbook Troubles for Metro Students

OK, did you hear a few weeks ago about all of the kids in Eden Prairie who got in trouble after school officials saw Facebook pics of them with alcoholic beverages? No, you say, you did not hear about his story?? Or the new story that came out today? Well, let me summarize it for you here.

Earlier this month-January 10th- 13 students from Eden Prairie High School were punished when pictures of them drinking and partying were taken from someone's Facebook and given to school officials anonymously on a disc. The school has not revealed what the punishments were.

Since this story a few things have happened:
1. Walk-out 16-year-old Nick Laurent staged a walk out of Eden Prairie High School Thursday to protest the school's punishment of students seen partying on Facebook pages. More than a dozen students joined him. The students said school administrators overreacted to the perception that students in the photos were drinking. "It's the loudest thing we could do," said Laurent, who organized the walkout but said he wasn't one of the students in the photos. "The situation was so old, those pictures were two to four years old," said one student at the walkout. "It's off school grounds and it isn't anything to do with school at all. It shouldn't be anything you should really care about," said another student. Laurent tried to make his point by passing out red plastic cups that were similar to those seen in some of the photos. He noted that it was impossible to see what was inside the cups, so administrators couldn't prove that students were drinking. Laurent agreed that athletes and other students who sign a code of conduct to be involved in activities should face consequences if they break the rule against drinking alcohol. But he said the punishments were too harsh. "They don't have (the) support of the students to hand out arbitrary punishments and punishments that don't fit the crime," he said. Laurent and other students said they knew of classmates who were banned from their sports teams for five weeks. While some students walked out, others are using the Internet to voice their side. The controversy that started online continues online, as a new group created a Facebook page titled, "Eden Prairie High School did not go too far." On the group page one student writes, "These people had it coming.Get a clue. I agree wholly with what the administration is doing."

2. 4 students at Woodbury High are facing discipline for partying pictures of them taken from Facebook. A student took pictures off the website, used them in a powerpoint on drinking, showed the powerpoint in health class and now the kids in the pics are in trouble. 12 students were talked to, 4 received an undisclosed discipline. In a letter sent to parents on Monday, the principal explains that "because the photos were brought into our building, it is our obligation to address any violations of school rules they might depict." Reaction to the student who brought them to class vary. "I've heard some people say that they support what he did but then I've heard a lot say they don't support what he did," said Potter. "It's kind of like invading privacy even though it's a on a public Internet site," said Richter.
What many young people may not realize is the long term consequences of those networking sites. "It's an electronic trail right now. And it can be found by college administrators, by potential employers, by friends, by grandparents, by people who you don't want to see some of the mistakes you've made," Media Specialist John Rash.
It's becoming increasingly common for schools or potential employers to check social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace, and to penalize kids or other people for what they find, said William McGeveran, a professor at the University of Minnesota Law School and expert on data privacy.

"Facebook is largely a public space. Users don't always perceive it that way, but that's what it is," McGeveran said.

What do you think? Should kids be punished for Facebook pics that emerge? Is it a public space used by many to gather info?? Who do you agree or disagree with in the stories above?

The State of the Union

President Bush gave his final State of the Union address this evening. He addressed many issues facing the country. Go find an article about the speech and describe two of the issues he presented. Strive to be original.

Taxes

Cathy Cabot talked to us about taxes today. What did you think about how your tax money is spent? Here is a breakdown of how the federal gov spends your money:

27% of the budget-Military & Defense-558 Billion
21% Health Care-428.5 Billion
19% Interest on the Debt--398.6 Billion
12% Other-254 Billion
6% Income Security 123 Billion
5% Education 93 Billion
3% Veterans 68 Billion
3% Nutrition 53 Billion
2% Housing
2% Environment
Nominal Amount--Jobs Training 6 Billion

What do you think about this spending? Or other things she talked about?

She also talked about filing taxes. Are you filing? If so, you can do so for FREE!!! ONLINE -it is easy AND you can efile for FREE also!! Here is the link:

http://turbotax.intuit.com/taxfreedom/

Liam Lynch-United States of WHATEVER

It is YOUR United States. This video is for fun:)

First One

Make sure you read the first blog/introduction!!

We all know the stories about buses and seating discrimination-Rosa Parks. Detroit Lakes is having its own busing problems. Read the story:

The Detroit Lakes school district is changing its bus routes after some students were teased.

Under the revised routes, a group of students from a mobile home park will no longer have to sit in the front seats.

A parent had complained that having those students sit in front of the bus had created a stigma and led to the students being teased.

For the last eight years, the bus had picked up students from the mobile home park -- located less than a mile from the school -- on its last stop on the route. Those students had to sit in the first three rows.

The district said it had assigned the seats because the stop is on a high-traffic road, and it saved time for the students to sit down quickly.

The new policy takes effect within the next 10 days.

What do you think? Is this discrimination based on economic class? Should the school change it route? What other options may the school come up with?