The Rough & Tumble: Small City Politics

A while back I was at a conference on development with a number of mayors. Most of the mayors were from larger cities here in Minnesota, and a few from cities like Clarissa.

When I gave my introduction about Clarissa it was very well received. However, the conversation afterwards turned to how the larger city mayors wished they could be the leader of a smaller city. Innocently seeming to imply that the work load or problems faced are some how less.

They also seemed to think the politics would be much easier, and I found this very interesting. I countered by letting them know in the large cities, and certainly at state levels of government, it is easy to talk in idealistic platitudes about: health-care, poverty, infrastructure, taxes, etc.

However, when you’re the mayor of a city like Clarissa I can put a personal face and situation to each of these complex issues.

I gave them a few real life examples:

• I asked when there is a sewer backup or water issue in their large cities do they get the personal phone call from the citizens and the honor of wading through sewage filled basements?
  
• Or……how they would personally like to head up the process of being the weed inspector and telling neighbors/voters their grass is too high and the various violations that are breaking city ordinances. I also get to be the local animal control officer too!!
  
• Maybe they would like to be the sole person who initiates the condemnation of properties. Also, the mayor is the main contact for every agency when dealing with certain health and family issues that require country or state involvement.

These are just a few items and don’t get me wrong I’m not complaining. I love my job and enjoy the challenge of making a city better. The small cities don’t have committee’s or layers of personnel between citizens and leaders in government, and I think that is actually a positive though it presents real challenges.

The majority of the cities in Minnesota are much like the city of Clarissa. The politics of small cities are as complicated, if not more complicated, than the “impersonal” politics of big city or state politics. Just making sure we’re getting our Rodney Dangerfield "respect".....I guess.

Many of the cities in our area were last renovated just after World War II and face tremendous development and infrastructure challenges. Minnesota Law mandates a Comprehensive Planning process for metro and big cities, but it is not mandated for cities like Clarissa. I know the cities my size would say they can’t afford the cost of such a plan…however… I don’t think they cannot afford not too.

Commissioner (Former Sheriff) David Kircher seeks Republican Endorsement for Minnesota House District 11B

My sources in the county say that Todd County Minnesota Commissioner (Former Sheriff) David Kircher is going to seek the Republican Endorsement for Minnesota House of Representatives in District 11B.

We will see how things shake out, but I do worry as Kircher has exhibited some poor instincts over the past few years that have really hurt him politically. What could have been a great opportunity for the GOP, only a few years earlier, is now very questionable early on.

Mary Ellen Otremba (DFL-Long Prairie) has formidable election numbers and cash, so Kircher will have a lot of work to do just getting a base of support behind him.

A few of his initial problems:

• Kircher ran for Todd County Commissioner in 2006 after serving as Sheriff. I think there will be some mixed, if not, hard feeling from his base in District 4. In running now he has decided to try and leave his current post after just one year. If he had this idea earlier it would have been better not to run for Commissioner.

• In his serving as commissioner I feel he has made a lot of public gaffs and reversals on many issues. I think this has hurt him in local papers throughout the county and so some reputation rehab will be required early on.

• Kircher openly tried to influence the election for his successor and lost. The resulting impact was his Commissioner campaign was nearly derailed due to voter backlash. He squeaked out a win by a very …. very slim margin.

A few of his assets:

• Name recognition is probably the best asset right out of the gate because of his long involvement in many elections county wide. Also, as Sheriff and Commissioner his connections in local organizations and committees should be strong. This is a great asset.

• Possible endorsement and help of newly elected Republican Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen. They were both Sheriff’s of neighboring counties. Part of 11B includes Douglas County where Ingebrigtsen did very well and could be an asset. I am not sure of the relationship between the two men.

Still yet to be seen:

• Having been very involved in Todd County politics raising the cash necessary is very difficult. Hopefully Kircher has the personal funds to put into a campaign here otherwise he will be swamped early by a well funded Otremba campaign.

• State Republican House Caucus I have always been suspicious of. I think with their support the seat out here could become GOP. However, it always appears to me they are content to have MEO.
  
  She is a conservative Democrat and votes with the GOP an awful lot. They like a candidate to run against MEO because it ties up resources that might go else where. I hope Mr. Kircher is ready for attacks by conservative groups like MCCL and others in spite of the fact he will agree with their positions.

• Lastly, I do know of a few others who are interested in the nomination. It will be interesting to see if they come into the process or not for the nomination. I know one candidate would likely be able to finance a very well run campaign.

I could go on but these are the highlights of what is an interesting time again.

John McCain 2008: Our best and worst hope in 2008!

This is an America’s Small City Mayor’s perspective on the critical race for the heart and soul of the Republican Party.

A few important points that need to be made:

I am a strong supporter, and will continue to be strong supporter of Governor Pawlenty. He has been right on a wide range of issues, and has lead our state through some very turbulent times. The point of this article relates to misinterpretations by our Governor on certain events over the last few years that have given many in our party concern.

That being said……..

It is common knowledge that Governor Tim Pawlenty is co-chairman of Senator John McCain’s Presidential Campaign. I have always been somewhat puzzled and nerved by this quick alignment. I certainly agree that John McCain is a true patriot, has been right on his view of the surge, and correct on the threat that radical Islamic extremism presents to the free world.

Pawlenty is certainly astute having navigated the political waters in Minnesota for decades. I certainly assume he is learning a lot and is taking good notes. I hope, from his front seat vantage point, he will learn the far reaching implications that seem to be culminating as we enter the home stretch of this primary season.

After Tim Pawlenty won his very close election he immediately came out with some more “moderate” positions. I know many in the party were taken back because he appeared to interpret his win as luck. It was the first time I have witnessed a politician seemly apologize for winning a truly remarkable race during a very difficult political environment.

Sadly, I think he misread the meaning of his narrow victory. He won because he held the line on raising taxes and limited spending within the majorities he had to work with. Had he advocated those “moderate” positions during the general election he would have, in fact, lost.

We have watched our Governor become Chairman of the National Governors Association, and has supported a number of “green” and “socially moderate” positions since that time. I think some of this shift is a direct result of the next generation of politicians watching McCain “like” politics over the last decade. Their continued misinterpretation of the 2006 elections continues to hinder the retooling and rebuilding of The Grand Ole Party.

It appears they watched the certainty of Senator McCain’s Republican Presidential Nomination in spite of his previous legislative record, and honestly thought the Reagan Coalition was dead.

As we all know that inevitability changed drastically. The McCain Campaign started to crumble under the pressure of a disastrous immigration bill, contentious relationships with conservatives on economic issues, and a war that at the time was not going well.

It always appears for McCain to get any message it requires a “near death political experience” to get him to finally listen. (OK maybe….alright we hope???)

Strangely this is why:

John McCain is our best and worst hope for the Republican Party in 2008.

Imagine if you will John McCain winning the nomination. What do you think the next generation of politicians will think?

Viewing from the moves since 2006 it would appear that a politician would think they can move center, and even left of center on many traditionally conservative ideals without consequence. Never mind the party platform or the base. The message…..a candidate can still be viable if you simply say you are a conservative loud enough and long enough.

Now imagine that McCain is defeated. I see all of those next generation politicians witnessing the funeral and viewing the epitaphs of a McCain campaign that is dead…his political obituary written. I think it will make many think twice and reevaluate their positions………..for the better.

Honestly, a McCain primary loss is the outcome I am endorsing. I do like McCain on a number of issues, but a lesson is desperately needed for our party that only McCain can provide.

The benefit of a McCain loss would be a valuable lesson in the savage world of politics. It would lay out clearly that while you may gain the favor of main stream media outlets, receive catchy nick names....ultimately the consequence will be the political grave yard only to be remembered as the way not to do something……..and then soon forgotten.

The Reagan Coalition and The 1994 Republican Revolution Coalition are out there alive and well. The Republican faithful, and a majority of Americans, are just looking for politicians that believe in what they say and then act like it too.

Todd County Minnesota: Representative Mary Ellen Otremba & Senator Bill Ingebrightsen Compensation

Lawmakers collect thousands for expenses
By Scott Wente, State Capitol Bureau, Alexandria Echo Press
Published Wednesday, January 23, 2008

PER DIEM REQUESTS
The two state legislators representing all or part of (Todd) County requested the following per Diem amounts for 2007:

Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen (R) – $11,020 (Senate average: $14,703).

Representative Mary Ellen Otremba (D) – $12,007 (House average: $10,232).

Minnesota legislators also receive an annual salary of $31,140 per year.

I believe they also get a housing allowance? The benefit package of our state leaders should be one set amount so there is more transparency in total compensation. It should be adequate so anyone can afford to serve their state. However, the packages should not encourage people to become career politicians. Can anyone say "term limits" again in the Republican Party? -NM

Additional Excerpt:

Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen, R-Alexandria, took $76 a day for per Diem last year and said he’ll seek $86 this year. A first-term legislator, Ingebrigtsen said he wants lawmakers to give their compensation a closer look.

“At least reduce it so that you don’t have to go home and tell folks you need $96 to eat,” Ingebrigtsen said.

"The Legislature should consider increasing its annual salary limits to a certain percentage of the governor’s salary and then slashing per Diem payments or getting rid of the daily expense allowance altogether", he said.

Minnesota Man Declares Home Separate City

BY BROOK FISCHER AUGUST 13, 2007

Mount Holly, MN (Population 4) (TNA) – Some people have their own ideas about local government, but very few go as far as creating their own city so they can run the show.

Minnesota native and advertising executive Mike Haeg founded the tiny city of Mount Holly, Minnesota (Population: 4), back in October of 2005.

The "city" is simply the three-bedroom bungalow-style house and surrounding property that Haeg, his wife, Tammy, and two kids, Jackson and Autumn, occupy.

Mt. Holly skylineHaeg revealed that Mount Holly "takes 27 seconds to walk across. Not even that. I was probably walking slow; watering the grass."

Mount Holly may not be a sprawling expanse, but Haeg said he still refers to it as a city because "a town doesn’t sound cosmopolitan enough and metropolis is a little too high-falutin’."

It took about a year and a half for Mount Holly to be recognized by the state of Minnesota, but seemingly overnight, Haeg said he became the mayor, chief of police, town drunk, coroner, chamber of commerce, and tourism board for the city.

He added, "I used to be Director of Sanitation, but I handed it off to Jackson."

Haeg readily put his wife in charge of the treasury department, as it was his "least favorite position."

They say behind every great man is a great woman, and the mayor’s missus couldn’t agree more. In her words, "I’m basically keeping the city of Mount Holly together because I’m actually here all the time."

This past January, Haeg’s wife and children finally made the transition from squatters to citizens. In a purely political move, Haeg said he held off on their residency applications until he was sure he could serve another term as mayor.

Not that there would have been any sort of power struggle. Haeg’s wife said she probably won’t ever run for mayor of Mount Holly, as "it seems like an awful lot of responsibility." She joked, "Shaking hands and kissing babies? I might get cooties."

Haeg’s 10-year-old son said he will definitely run one day, but for now Jackson is busy governing his bedroom, which he’s dubbed "The state of Jackzilla."

Meanwhile, Haeg is thrilled that population has increased 300 percent, but said he’s embarrassed about the city’s shameful literacy rate.

His daughter, Autumn, is only 3 years old and unable to read. To add insult to injury, Haeg’s wife revealed, "Autumn can’t pronounce Mount Holly. She calls it ‘Hall Molly.’"
"It’s not her fault," Haeg insists.

A quick search on Google Maps shows that Mount Holly is about 25 miles from Minneapolis, within the city of limits of Shakopee, where Haeg and his wife grew up. They both agree that Shakopee is a lovely place to settle, so why the apparent secession?

Haeg explained, "I frickin’ love this country for what it is. I flippin’ love Minnesota. It’s definitely not a secession. It’s more of a celebration of what Shakopee is and what the U.S. is."

He said he took cues from the Original Homesteaders – or "O.H.s" as he likes to call them – and looked for things like water, natural resources and rail lines to find "a place that would suit us for the rest of our lives."

Since establishing Mount Holly, Haeg has handed out over 2000 keys to the city – essentially cards with invitations to have a beer or play pinball at the "mayoral mansion."

He hosts events like the Mount Holly Soybean Feed (a seven-course meal prepared by a vegan chef-friend), the Sasquatch-a-thon (an evening of Bigfoot movies projected on his garage door) and an annual city festival in August called Mount Holly Days.

He also finds time to put out an online newspaper called "The Mt. Holly Register." Readers will find outrageous tales of the city – i.e., the installation of a robotic ape to thwart hooligans – and links to "Civic Attractions" such as the Municipal Records Department, where Haeg converts old records gleaned from garage sales into MP3s.

Some politicos might think Haeg’s tongue is firmly planted in his civic-minded cheek, but his wife insists he takes the city and his mayoral duties very seriously.

"It means so much to him," she said.

That said, there are a few skeptics in Shakopee. Jackson admitted, "My piano teacher totally doesn’t believe I live in a city called Mount Holly, but I’m going to prove it to her."

Shakopee Mayor John Schmitt also doesn’t recognize Mount Holly as a real city, even though he has driven by Mike Haeg’s house numerous times on the way to his own City Hall.

But, for him, a sign out front reading, "Welcome to Mount Holly, pop. 4" does not a city make, and he describes Mount Holly as an imaginary city. "It really exists in the minds of those in the Haeg household," he said.

However, he doesn’t have a problem with Mount Holly’s existence. He noted, "It doesn’t affect [Shakopee] at all. There are no conflicts."

To keep the peace, Haeg makes sure to pay taxes to Shakopee, the state of Minnesota and the Federal Government, and always buys "$20 worth of raffle tickets a year from Shakopee’s Volunteer Fire Department to ensure a hasty response, in case of a catastrophe."

Schmitt, who represents about 34,000 constituents, even offers a little neighborly advice for Haeg, saying, "As mayor, you’ve got a lot of people to deal with. You have to be flexible."

He also said not to get bogged down by negative feedback; to "take it with a grain of salt."Haeg seems to share that positive attitude. He said, "It’s like that movie ‘Miracle on 34th Street.’ If enough people believe in Santa, Santa exists. If enough people believe in Mount Holly, Mount Holly exists."

Haeg is currently working on getting his own zip code and he expects a visit from the U.S. Census Bureau in 2010.

Now that Mount Holly is on the map – literally and figuratively – the mayor hopes his act of "vigilante homesteading" will inspire others to do the same.

While he doesn’t advocate a violent, "Guardian Angels" kind of approach, he does believe with enthusiasm and perseverance you can have the city of your dreams.

In his words, "You’ve got to take your own happiness."

Nuts & Bolts: A “How to Guide” in Small City Development (Part I)

I ran for Mayor with a pledge to work on our downtown and the problems many small cities face with regard to old, vacant, or dilapidated buildings. I have read many books on the subject. We have hired consultants, who will give you guidelines on various aspects, but up to now I have never found an article or consultant that will tell you do A, B, C, D, and you are done.

I hope this will help the numerous mayors, council members, and citizens who want to see their rural city come back and thrive in this new and exciting economy.

Clarissa and similar cities all around the state account for more than half of the cities in Minnesota. The economics and look of the cities have changed dramatically over the last fifty years and it is a very important issue if we are going to see a renaissance in small town life.

Demographics show that there will be a migration from the big cities to more rural areas as the baby- boomer generation retires. They are going to settle down in rural areas that are close to the products and services they want.

There are a lot of books and articles online about guidelines to revitalizing a small city. I will leave all of you to read that important body of work. However I would like to give a few first hand reasons why I think small cities struggle:

• One is the lack of VISION. I think if you have lived through the last twenty-five years in rural Minnesota you have witnessed agriculture consolidating away from the family farms that once scattered the landscape. We have watched the manufacturing companies follow suit. It has resulted in tremendous change, and over time has instilled some sense of helplessness in being able to control the future of small city life. It has left us with a mindset of the status-quo and that nothing can be done as a citizen, council person, or mayor. (With the advances of technology I think this has dramatically changed the outlook for rural cities and we will discuss this positive aspect further.)

• Another is TIME. Time is our most important asset. I feel it has been misused with a well intentioned purpose. Our council meets twice a month. We are the only council in the area that meets twice a month with most cities choosing to meet just once. The reason is cities try and cut down on the per Diem money spent which is a very valid concern.
  
  However, if you read the minutes of a typical meeting it takes two hours to get through the “everyday” business of a city. This session just approves the permits, pays the bills, deals with the issues that arise over any given month. The old saying goes “The brain can comprehend what a rear-end can endure.” This really leaves no time for a mayor or council to do the visioning and planning that a city requires. Small cities require as much time and planning as our larger counterparts.
  
  I would encourage all small cities to go to two meetings minimum, and maybe implement some subcommittees for additional meetings during the month. You want to be careful not to spread it out to thin, but you need more than one meeting.

• Dependency on Consultants is another reason why cities struggle. We hired a group to do our Comprehensive Plan that took the better part of a year. The completion of a Comprehensive Plan accomplishes NOTHING. I have found in Clarissa that once the process was complete it has been hard to re-engage people in implementing what was decided upon.
  
  It is how you implement those plans that are important. Consultants will not give you an A, B, C, path to follow. Do not hire a consultant thinking that is what you will get in return for their fee. That is where the administrator, mayor, and council are vital.

• Lack of Partnerships. Please…..Please……Please…..try and make partnerships with other cities, economic development groups, non-profits, county, and state leaders. I think all of you will be surprised at the expertise and resources that are out there; however, you are not aware they exist.

• Lastly, and the purpose of this article, is the lack of a “How to Guide” in dealing the old, dilapidated, and vacant infrastructure that exist in many cities all around the State of Minnesota and many similar cities around the United States.
  

We have to understand that the economics, size, and scale of our cities work differently than the large cities. We cannot follow their models unfortunately.

I tell people around our city that Donald Trump will not be coming to Clarissa with the next big project. Cities have to implement strategies that provide opportunities for private investment to come and invest in your area. Small cities need to do more things on their own to get the ball rolling for new businesses. It is important to let the market work but the city will need to kick start areas that need addressing.

Part II & III will discuss the real live situation that exits here in Clarissa and how we have (and are going to) address these problems in a path that hopefully anyone can follow and modify. Please if you have your own suggestions and experiences please share them so we can begin a comprehensive “How to Guide”.

Romney Campaign Advice: Pretend your in Michigan from now on!!!

It was a good night for Romney in Michigan last night. I was surprised at how handily he beat John McCain.

At Romney's acceptance speech you could tell he was excited. He was sweating and even his hair was askew. He was as animated as I have ever seen him. Even in speeches leading up to the primary he was talking about his "heart" and "cars in his blood". It brought a more personal approach to a campaign that looked and ran professional, but appeared heartless.

Complain about President Bush's "Compassionate Conservatism" as a ploy if you want but it works. The Romney Campaign has missed the softer side of their campaign I think until last night. So Governor Romney for the rest of the campaign pretend your in Michigan.

The one thing I have been disappointed with and must be addressed are some specific economic proposals by many of the candidates and especially Romney.

He is the CEO of Republican politics and yet we have not known what exactly he is going to do in this softening economy. Certainly he has an opinion on our anti-competitive corporate tax structure and other pertinent economic issues?

How the Mayor views the race now:

Top Tier of Candidates:
Romney
Huckabee

Second Tier of Candidates: (After Florida one of these will be done!)
Giuliani
McCain

Out for the count just have not admitted it:
Thompson
Ron Paul
Duncan Hunter

From the Mayor's Desk:

Minnesota has some real work to do to become competitive again. We need to become "trend setters" in attracting real business and investment opportunities for the citizens of Minnesota.

It is time for major state tax cuts and real reform. Our corporate tax structure, workers compensation system, and overall tax structure are lagging behind the rest of the states. I will put up some statistics in the coming days showing MN will lose its edge soon if we are complacent. I hope Governor Pawlenty can show some true fiscal leadership now. -NM
_______________________________

State jobless numbers worst since 2001

By Mike Meyers, Star Tribune
Last update: January 15, 2008 - 11:35 AM

Minnesota's unemployment rate climbed to 4.9 percent in December, up from 4.4 percent the month before. The loss of 2,300 jobs last month capped a string of job losses, 23,000 in all, over the last six months.

That's the worst string of jobs numbers since the 2001 U.S. economic downturn. "Minnesota is in a recession," said Minnesota state economist Tom Stinson. "I don't see how you can label it anything else."

From start to finish, the number of jobless in Minnesota rose 15 percent in 2007, according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.

"We should normally add somewhere around 23,000 jobs or a little bit more just to keep up with labor market growth," Stinson said. Instead, the year-over-year job total fell by 700.

2008 Minnesota Republican Caucus: FEBRUARY 5th, 2008

I thought I would take the time to outline how the Minnesota (GOP) Republican Leadership is individually supporting candidates as we enter the Minnesota Republican Caucus for 2008. We have the big five: Huckabee, Romney, Thompson, Giuliani, and McCain picking up high-profile Minnesota Republicans.

Mitt Romney is the most organized with the broadest support including many in the Minnesota Republican Party Leadership. Brian Sullivan (Former Gubernatorial Candidate and SteriMed CEO) support of Romney does not surprise because he has supported Democrats like “ultra” liberal Rep. Martin Sabo in the past. It seems that “flip-flopper's” evidently come in pairs.

Mike Huckabee received the personal endorsement of Chairman Ron Carey. This is incredibly rare given it is his job to work for the election of all Minnesota Republicans. However, I think everyone should be able to support a candidate and we might end up with a brokered Convention at this rate.

Fred Thompson has House Minority Leader Marty Seifert and a number of lesser known, yet, influential Republicans who have some pull in the truly grassroots areas of Minnesota.

Rudy Giuliani picked up the support of Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman. I was surprised at this pick by Sen. Coleman because it reinforces a (left-leaning) sore point the Senator has with his Republican base.

Lastly, we dare not forget the Maverick McCain and the Co-Chair of his campaign; The Governor of Minnesota Tim Pawlenty. McCain picks up momentum after a good win in New Hampshire, and he lives to fight on to Michigan and beyond.

The Delegate count after New Hampshire: Romney, Huckabee, and then McCain.

Minnesota GOP Website needs Revamping

The website for the Minnesota Republican Party (GOP) needs some extensive revamping and updating.

It does a good job of promoting and informing visitors about statewide and national offices. However, it should have a more consolidated section that is comprehensive to the grassroots efforts and elections in Minnesota.

They should push every BPOU to have a website with a mandatory update schedule. Pictures and solid information should be easy to find and accessible.

Please give attention to an important aspect of the Republican Party getting its message out.

A Message to Minnesota Republican Leadership:

Please be careful, think, and maybe ask a friend!!!

When Steve Sviggum lost the Speaker post in the Minnesota House of Representatives I appreciated him finishing the session. He helped sustain the veto proof minority for Governor Pawlenty. More importantly he showed class and true party loyalty when no one would have blamed him for hanging it up.

The reports initially talked about Sviggum stepping down, or maybe getting a job from Governor Pawlenty. However, he put his party first and we had a decent legislative session given the large election losses by Republicans in 2006. (It certainly could have been worse!!)

This brings us to the earthshaking event here in Minnesota a few nights ago. The Senate District 25 special election brought about another Democrat in a “strong” Republican district.

I think Governor Pawlenty and the Minnesota Republican Leadership really need to: Please be careful, think, and maybe ask a friend before tinkering with the “ever so slim” veto proof minorities in the MN House and Senate. The Senate District 25 election is proof in that election pudding.

Pawlenty’s job with the Senate just got impossible. We run the risk of losing yet more Republican Senators to “retirement” or” spending time with the family”, because they just became irrelevant if anyone wants to be honest. I will not elaborate on how the House becomes harder to control for Republicans with the shift.

In the Mayors view:

• There are a lot of conservative votes out in rural Minnesota that can be picked off with the right candidates, long-term strategy, and effort. I have been frustrated that the Republican Leadership in Saint Paul has been okay with conservative Democrats and actually does not mind them being around. (Again if we are really being honest)
  

I have it on good authority that Marty Seifert has spent some time courting Representatives like Mary Ellen Otremba (D-Long Prairie). It shows a significant lack of understanding about politics in this part of Western (even out-state) Minnesota. I think Marty is right on the issues, however, wrong in his new job of getting Republican elected because there is still some contentment with the conservative Democrats rather than targeting them for Republican seats.

For those of you who do not know: many of our conservative Democrats are more conservative than some of the suburban Republicans. After much convincing and re-convincing we got the support of the Republican Senate Caucus in 2006 and we worked hard out here to unelect Senator Dallas Sams and Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson. NOTE: We would have held onto another Senate seat but the Republican Senator did not take advice or his opponent seriously.

I am again surprised that though this strategy was effective there has been no discussion on how to build on the strategy, which was a tremendous success in a difficult year, for Republicans. It appears we have gone back to the same playbook so: Please (Minnesota Republican Leadership) be careful, think, and ask a friend.

We can build the majorities back in Minnesota but it will take some new planning and real PURE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP.

The Federal Reserve and Treasury: defy common “cents”:

One aspect of the Bush administration I have been disappointed with is the real lack momentum/leadership the United States Treasury has been able to produce. The Federal Reserve could be more aggressive with cutting the Federal Funds Rate if we had a Treasury that would instill some confidence in the dollar & markets.

The continued weakness in the Dollar means the Federal Reserve has had to play both sides of the fence and has not been able to react as quickly or forcefully as I would like. The chances of a Recession are certainly there; though, I am still not convinced. However, I think we will look back at this particular period of time if we do slip into a recession, and significant blame can be placed on the United States Treasury Department.

WARNING: Republican 2006 REPEAT occurring again!

I think some of my earlier writings on the major Republican candidates stand truer today.

The lack of enthusiasm as it relates to turnout is VERY evident. The turnout in the Iowa caucus for Democrats versus Republicans should have those in the Grand Ole Party very nervous. My quick view of the numbers showed almost a two to one advantage for the Democratic Party in turnout. Combine that with the number of retirements from many prominent Republicans in state and federal races, and there is a real need for leadership in the Republican Party or the losses will continue on a Grand Ole scale.

I think the Huckabee win shows that evangelicals are still relevant with great organization. They can put a candidate over the top with their own organization even when a candidate “Like Mike” has none.

Evangelicals are not flashy or loud; however, they do the work and show up at election time. I’m not sure the vote for Huckabee was a vote for him in total (I really hope!!) as much as it was a vote against the horrible slate of candidates and campaigns that exist. I know the Governor has great personal appeal and wit, and it certainly gave him an advantage over the Ice Man (Mitt Romney) who moves from a contender to an outside shot at the nomination if he cannot pull off New Hampshire.

Again that leaves us with the revived McCain Campaign and the link to my blog of last year:

Uninspired & The Presidential Elections (John McCain): http://smallcitymayor.blogspot.com/2007/03/uninspired-2008-presidential-elections.html

I’ll have more thoughts soon on the election!

A Great Line by Obama!!!

Jan 4, 11:40 AM (ET)
PHILIP ELLIOTT

(AP) Democratic Presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama D-Ill., speaks at a campaign rally, PORTSMOUTH, N.H. (AP) - Barack Obama said his win in Iowa lived up to his dreams. His kindergarten dreams.

Obama, whose win in Thursday's Iowa caucuses dashed Hillary Rodham Clinton's front-runner status, returned to New Hampshire on Friday, hoping to repeat the win in this state's primary on Tuesday.

"This feels good. This feels just like I imagined when I was talking to my kindergarten teacher," Obama said to laughter in a cold, echoing airplane hangar.

The kindergarten line is a favorite for the Obama campaign, referring to an exchange with the Clinton campaign over the longtime ambitions of their candidates.