The large federal deficit isn’t the result of runaway spending growth. Rather, well over half of the deficit was caused by the ongoing economic crisis, which led to much lower tax receipts and required federal bailouts of financial institutions and measures to stimulate growth and employment.  However, there's no reason to panic.  The latest budget proposal from the Obama administration predicts payments on federal debt will rise to 3.5 percent of G.D.P. a decade from now, about the same as interest costs under the first President Bush.

Why, then, all the hysteria over the budget deficit? The answer is politics.  Last summer we took deficits in stride.  More recently deficit fear-mongering has become a key part of Republican political strategy to damage President Obama’s image and undermine his policy agenda.  Read Paul Krugman's article. 

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Norman Ornstein, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, wrote an article in the Washington Post on the outstanding productivity of the 111th Congress.  He notes that the stimulus bill includes a wide range of items including one of the largest tax cuts in history, tax credits for energy conservation and renewable-energy production as well as house purchase and college tuition, and investments in health information technology, research on effective health care treatments, a smart grid, clean water, expanding broadband, and environmental programs. 

"Any Congress that passed all these items separately would be considered enormously productive. Instead, this Congress did it in one bill. Lawmakers then added to their record by expanding children's health insurance and providing stiff oversight of the TARP funds allocated by the previous Congress. Other accomplishments included a law to allow the FDA to regulate tobacco, the largest land conservation law in nearly two decades, a credit card holders' bill of rights and defense procurement reform."

They've been working so hard they haven't had time to talk about it!  Spread the word.

Read the article, grab your pen, and write a letter to the editor.  

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The Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law scored U.S. Senators and Representatives based on how they voted on poverty related legislation.  Erik Paulsen scored a "D."   Michele Bachmann and John Kline's poverty scores were even lower at "F."  The other members of Minnesota's delegation received an  "A."

For details on the bills included in the poverty scorecard, see:

http://povertyscorecard.org/state/MN

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Mike Mc Intee interviewed Congressional District 3 Associate Chair George Greene on Quick on the Uptake Monday February 1.  The topic was the resolution written by George and Senate District 51 Chair Jeremy Powers calling for a Constitutional amendment on the separation of corporations and state.  You can find the resolution below.

The resolution was written in response to the January Supreme Court decision in Citizens United vs. FEC that overturned over 100 years of judicial precedent by a vote of 5 to 4.  The Supreme Court decision gives corporations the right to spend as much money as they want in ads in support of or against candidates. 

Listen to Uncle Geo's discussion of the resolution.

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You'll see below some blog posts with resolutions you can bring to precinct caucuses, including an already filled out one for a Separation of Corporation and State. There are other resources at this site including extensive file galleries (Click the downloads icon down the page in the left colum) that include info on issues and DFL organizing.

Sign up for the E-mail Aurora Alert by sending me an e-mail at . This newsletter includes info of interest to West Metro active DFL volunteers and Progressives.

Thanks for listening!

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Whereas Minnesota is a state that has abundant wind power and

Whereas currently 95% of Minnesota's wind turbines are owned by Florida Power and Light and foreign corporations,

Be it resolved that MN transmission, tax, and energy policies facilitate the growth of locally owned wind turbines and solar installations. 

Download a resolution form.

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Developed by Merriam Park Neighbors for Peace

Whereas new nuclear reactors are very expensive and would almost certainly increase electricity rates in Minnesota, and

Whereas nuclear reactors take seven or more years to build and thus cannot serve the need to reduce global warming pollution in the near-term, and

Whereas new nuclear reactors would siphon resources away from renewable energy development in Minnesota, and   

Whereas highly toxic and long-lived radioactive waste continues to build up at Minnesota's Prairie Island and Monticello nuclear reactors, still without a permanent disposal site,

Therefore be it resolved that the Minnesota State Legislature should maintain the current moratorium on construction of new nuclear reactors in Minnesota. 

Download a resolution form.

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Developed by Merriam Park Neighbors for Peace

(Info: www.DU101.org)

Whereas depleted uranium bullets and shells persist in the environment beyond the duration of a battle, and

Whereas uranium-core munitions, considered today’s Agent Orange, indiscriminately expose civilians and combatants to toxic dust that can become lodged in the body irradiating surrounding tissue and can cause genetic defects and cancers, and

Whereas US military personnel and contract employees in Iraq and Afghanistan are exposed to depleted uranium dust,     

Therefore be it resolved that the U.S. Congress ceases funding for depleted uranium munitions and curtails sales of uranium-core bullets and shells abroad.

Download a resolution form.

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Presented by the Invest in Minnesota Coalition comprised of the Joint Religious Legislative Coalition, the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, Growth and Justice, and the AFL-CIO.

Whereas Minnesotans want to adequately fund state investments to uphold the dignity of our citizens, build a strong economy and preserve public services maintaining our safety, health and infrastructure,

Whereas those making more than $448,000 annually pay 8.9 percent of their incomes in state and local taxes while those making between $31,000 and $67,000 pay over 12 percent,

Be it resolved that we cannot address current budget shortfalls through budget cuts alone but rather must make raising revenues a significant part of the state budget solution. Tax revenues must be a part of a balanced approach to addressing budget shortfalls, and necessary revenues should be raised in a way that makes the overall tax system more fair.

Download a resolution form.

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