North Star Politics

These numbers are SO BAD...

[Ed. Note: I hesitate to even write the following. I really do not wish to dignify this issue with any attention, but I also feel that the cheapness and personal-attack politics ought to be discussed. I'm not going to link to the offending website or posts; I don't think they really deserve it.]

MDE has done it again. Not content with his already-great contribution to the lowering of Minnesota politics, he has hit a new high (or low, depending). This time, he's questioning the motives for U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum's living arrangements. It seems that Rep. McCollum owns and lives in a condo right next door to her chief of staff, Bill Harper. MDE's post clearly implies that he believes there is a somehow improper relationship going on, despite the fact that McCollum is divorced and Harper is single. MDE supplies no evidence for any such relationship save the bare fact that the two live next door to each other. He concludes his second post by saying:

I think McCollum needs to explain why she lives next-door to her chief of staff.

I have so many problems with all of this that I don't even know where to begin. For starters, MDE is in absolutely no position to demand McCollum explain anything, especially who she's living next door to. MDE's post also contains some other not-so-subtle accusations, including that Harper was the cause of McCollum's divorce, something for which there is absolutely no evidence. Despite this, the core accusation, that McCollum is in a relationship with Harper, isn't one of something illegal, immoral, or otherwise wrong. What it is, however, is private. The whole issue is just a gigantic invasion of privacy on something that isn't relevant to any of us. MDE is apparently willing to sink to any level to attempt to tarnish the reputation of one of Minnesota's finest public officials.

This matter disgusts me. I absolutely and unequivocally denounce this kind of politics; I will never engage in it. MDE is absolutely wrong on this.

While it has not been written about here, NSP has been keeping a close eye on Maj. Paul Hackett's very impressive run for Congress in Ohio's 2nd CD.

Many in the blogosphere seem to be happy with just having come close to winning this seat. I'm not. While I'm proud that we made this a competitive race, the end result is still the same. Making seats more competitive is nice, but whether we lose each one by 1% or 100%, we're still losing all the same. This wasn't a total loss, of course; Ohio has minted a new Democratic star and Republicans are on notice that we're here to play. This special election was, after all, a test run for Nov. 7th, 2006. Thus, even though we didn't win yesterday, I have to admit that things are looking up.

That's all NSP has on this race. A hearty congratulations to Maj. Paul Hackett of the Ohio 2nd, of the United States Marine Corps, and of the Democratic Party.

PROGRESS IN IRAQ!!!!!!

Pres. Bush has made an end-run around the Senate by sending John Bolton to the UN through a recess appointment. While Pres. Bush is certainly within his rights to do so, this is a monumentally bad idea. It's the first time we'll send an ambassador to the UN without the faith of the United States Senate, in addition to the fact that Bolton is just a bad choice to be that ambassador. The only upshot is that this is just another sign of Bush's legislative impotence, which can only be a good thing for Dems.

This makes me sick.

Minnesota political news doesn't amount to much lately, so I'll steal from Atrios.

Sen. Sam Brownback was on Face the Nation today and had this gem of wisdom to give us, apparently in reference to stem cells.

This will be one of, I believe, the first time we've ever used taxpayer money to pay for the intentional destruction of human life and that's what this does.

Sam, have you looked at your government lately? We're involved in two wars, both of which we initiated. They're not the first wars we've fought, either. Thirty-eight states plus the federal government allow the death penalty, including your state, Kansas. It's all funded by, tah dah, the taxpayers!

How did this guy get elected? Good job, Kansas.