MN Senate Turns Deaf Ear To Silent Voter ID Protestors

Click on Photo to Watch Voter ID Protest

Their signs told their story of opposition. They say the GOP-led push for Voter Photo ID is unnecessary, expensive and disenfranchises many voters and is opposed by most voting agencies. If Minnesota voters approve it on the November ballot, it would essentially kill same-day voter registration, a reason often cited for the state’s high voter turnout. The protestors were joined by three supporters of the amendment, who repeated the fear of voter fraud.

The Senate ignored the silence and went on to approve the amendment on a party line vote, which will put it on the 2012 ballot.

MN Governor, Secretary of State Reacts to Voter Photo ID Passage

Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie speaks to the press shortly after the final passage of a proposed constitutional amendment that would require a photo ID to vote in Minnesota.

Governor Mark Dayton statement on the passage of voter photo ID:

“This is a partisan amendment based on a false premise that voter fraud is a significant problem in Minnesota. Our election system is the best in the nation. We have the highest voter turnout year after year and under intense, bipartisan scrutiny, the recent statewide recounts have highlighted how reliable the results are. Much of the strength of the system derives from over 150 years of bipartisan work and its federated nature – the 87 county auditors, hundreds of municipal clerks, and 30,000 volunteer election judges who administer Minnesota’s elections and ensure they are free and fair.

“Republicans in the legislature had two years to negotiate bipartisan reforms to election law, and it is disappointing that their failure to do so has led to an unnecessary constitutional amendment that would make it harder for law abiding citizens, including tens of thousands of seniors, service members, and students, to exercise their right to vote. I cannot support a constitutional amendment that is pushed through the legislative process by only one political party – and neither should Minnesotans if they see it on the ballot this fall.”

Read the Minnesota legislature twitter feed and watch the video at the same time.

Minnesota Majority Accuses Secretary of State Mark Ritchie of Deceiving the Public

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Minnesota Majority, North Star Tea Party Patriots, We Want Voter ID and Minnesota Voter Alliance came together to respond to claims made by Secretary of State Mark Ritchie that the Voter Id Amendment will disenfranchise voters.

“Mark Ritchie paints apocolyptic scenarios for endless court battles over uncounted provisional ballots. But 44 other states use them, and none of these other states have the kind of problems Ritchie warns about,” said Minnesota Majority’s Dan McGrath.

Ritchie has offered electronic pollbooks-a solution to the current voter id. This was a response to a task force created last year to bolster election integrity. The creation of a provisional system has generated a tremendous amount of opposition from the people who administer the election because its a creation of a brand new system. Ritchie says there will be additional costs in creating this new system as well.

A Modern Day John Beargrease To Save MN Environment

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Former Minnesota State Representative Frank Moe was a modern day John Beargrease when he delivered signatures to Governor Dayton explaining the dangers of sulfide mining.

Debate is currently underway to allow sulfide mining to occur on the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Frank Moe collected thousands of signatures opposing the plan. He set off on an eight day journey from Northern Minnesota to the State Capitol in Saint Paul to personally deliver them to Governor Mark Dayton-and he did it by sled dog!

Environmental groups like Conservation Minnesota and Minnesota Environmental Partnership are contesting the argument that mining will create jobs in a down economy.

Says, Steve Morse, Executive Director of Minnesota Environmental Partnership, ” We’ve had repeated attempts that say, ‘How can we weaken our environmental protections.’ As Minnesotans, we value the great outdoors and this new type of mining poses a threat to our waters and the environment.”

Also in attendance was Robert DesJarlait who founded the group Protect our Manoomin (Wild Rice). Wild Rice will also be threatened by this new type of mining, claims Des Jarlait.

Music provided by legendary singer Larry Long and Ringing Shield Drum Circle.

Voter Photo ID Amendment Sent To Minnesota Voters

Click video to watch voter photo ID debate in Senate

Since it is a constitutional amendment it does not require Governor Mark Dayton’s signature. He vetoed similar legislation last year because it did not have much bipartisan support.

Here is the proposed voter photo ID constitutional amendment and ballot question
Full video of the debate and other highlights: … Continue Reading

Obama Rips GOP’s “Radical Vision” For US

Click photo to watch President Obama's speech

Speaking to the press on Tuesday, President Obama ripped into Republicans for their lack of compromising and for the first time mentioned his likely Republican opponent, Mitt Romney, by name.

“This congressional Republican budget is something different altogether. It is a Trojan Horse. Disguised as deficit reduction plans, it is really an attempt to impose a radical vision on our country. It is thinly veiled social Darwinism. It is antithetical to our entire history as a land of opportunity and upward mobility for everybody who’s willing to work for it; a place where prosperity doesn’t trickle down from the top, but grows outward from the heart of the middle class. And by gutting the very things we need to grow an economy that’s built to last — education and training, research and development, our infrastructure — it is a prescription for decline.”

Full transcript of President Obama’s speech to the Associated Press luncheon.
… Continue Reading

Voter Photo ID Could Be Struck From MN Ballot Says DFL

Click photo to hear why constitutional amendment could be removed from ballot

Simon says the question that would appear on the ballot makes no mention of provisional ballots or that the photo IDs need to be government issued. He says the court may also try to rewrite the language that would appear on the ballot.

“Radical rewrite” of Minnesota election laws … Continue Reading

Voter Photo ID Gets Final MN House Approval

Click photo to watch Representative Mary Kiffmeyer defend her voter photo ID constitutional amendment

The bill is likely to face a court challenge even before it appears on the ballot. Representative Steve Simon outline what a possible case would look like.

DFLers note this will be the only constitutional amendment in Minnesota’s history that was passed on a 100% partisan vote. The bill now goes back to the Senate where it will be voted on Wednesday. It is expected to pass on a similar party line vote.

Because it is a constitutional amendment, the bill will not need Governor Mark Dayton’s signature to go on the ballot.

Final version of proposed voter photo ID constitutional amendment

Watch the full House debate on voter photo ID constitutional amendment. … Continue Reading

MN GOP The Real Deadbeat On School Debt Says DFL

Click Photo to View Debate About Paying Back Minnesota Schools

Is taking money from the state’s reserves to pay back schools when Minnesota is facing a predicted deficit next biennium a wise move? Representative Pat Garofalo (R-Farmington) says you should pay debt when you have the cash. Representative Ryan Winkler (DFL-Golden Valley) says the K-12 “shift” repayment will weaken the state and still leave it owing schools two billion dollars. The bill passed both the House and the Senate today.

Prison Gardens Get Bipartisan Support

Click Photo to Hear Gruenhagen Introduce a Prison Gardens Bill

Tomatoes, carrots and green beans could be finding their way from behind bars to Minnesota food shelves next year. An amendment added to the state corrections policy bill calls for prisons to establish gardening programs. Representative Glenn Gruenhagen (R-Glencoe) says other states that have prison gardens say it reduces recidivism rates and saves the prison system thousands if not millions of dollars in food costs. Excess produce would be donated to food shelves or charities.