Mugro wrote: 

They're going all over similar problematic Minnesota ballots on MSNBC right now. Now, you've happened to pick a contested ballot that's obviously Coleman. There are hundreds more probably or certainly Franken. The recount gets closer and closer; it's quite possible Franken has won, but it won't be by more than a few ballots, well within what modern politics has deemed "the margin of litigation" lately. Who has the better lawyers?

 Mugro wrote: 
Just for the sake of clarity, I fixed your post.  ( Yes, I read the article )

Al Franken is challenging THIS ballot:



http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/whistleblower/2008/11/19/one-challenge-headed-to-the-state-so-far-in-plymouth/

From my friends in Minnesota to me ( except I'm not a Democrat ) :


No Hard Feelings...to the democrats
 
The Election Day is over,
The talking is done.
My party lost, your party won.
So let us be friends,
Let arguments pass.
I'll hug my elephant,
You kiss your ass.

 Painted_Turtle wrote: 
  Amen to that!

 Mugro wrote: 
This coming from a person who has a perennial axe to grind against Massachusetts Democrats...I'll take that on advisement...


All the more reason to wonder why you're latched onto this issue like a pit bull.  I don't see any evidence of anybody accusing you of impersonating a Minnesota voter, BTW.

 hippiechick wrote: 

That may be true, but one thing I have learned lately is that in pissing contests, both participants get wet.

Mugro wrote:

Fighting with Bill O'Reilly is one good reason. Most rational people just ignore trolls like him. 

I did not vote for Barack Obama, but one of the things that I am hopeful about with him is that he will attempt to govern through bi-partisan consensus as opposed to special interest pandering as our last two presidents have been guilty of. In my opinion, Franken would be part of the problem, not the solution.

But, I understand that there are a lot of angry people out there who see politics as retribution instead of governance. For those people, Franken must be a wonderful attack dog candidate. No thanks.

 Mugro wrote: 

..You may have never "pretended to be a MN voter" but the above shows that you categorize us as "angry people who see politics as retribution instead of governance".  That is NOT why Minnesotans have voted for Franken.

Minnesota people just want a fair shake from our national government.  We'd like to see the national infrastructure maintained with our tax dollars instead of going to Blackwater contractors.  We had a federal bridge fall last year , during rush hour.

This whole "alot of angry people & retribution" stuff is being bandied about by the right-wing blogs alot lately...are you guys trying to whip up some kind of fear stuff with your base? 

Regular, 2.9 million, Minnesota voting people have no intent of doing anything that involves your so-called retributuon.

We're tired of listening to fear mongering tactics we just want to get on with helping create a better America than what the last 8 years of Bush/Cheney and neo-con rule have brought.  Get used to it.

 You could at least, consider trying to reach across the aisle and try to start working together for a change, in order to help American out of the mess that we are in with the 2 Wars , economy, healthcare, ect.

 Mugro wrote: 
I saw one of the interviews. O'Reilly couldn't have been more of an A-Hole. I was happy to hear Frank tell him off.

 Servo wrote: 

Barney Frank has been in a pissing contest with O'Reilly of late, and even the Massachusetts Dems think less of Frank for it.

 Painted_Turtle wrote: 

I never pretended to be a Minnesota voter. They are fully capable and entitled to elect their representatives without help from me. Servo asked me my opinion, so I gave it.

Again, we can agree to disagree.

I AM middle class, and I represent middle class people every day in my job and in my local elected position. Just because I don't personally like Al Franken's media personna does not make me a supporter of the "neocon agenda."

 Mugro wrote: 
"When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle."
—Edmund Burke, from "Thoughts on the Cause of Present Discontents" (1770)

If nobody stands up to bullies like Bill O'Reilly, then bullies like O'Reilly will run the world.  Bravo, Al Franken!

Your argument consists of nothing but logical fallacies — the appeal to popularity, ad hominem, ad hominem tu quoque, guilt by association, appeal to prejudice, insinuation, etc. etc. etc.  What is conspicuously absent is any valid reason to vote against Al Franken.  And if you can't muster even one solitary reason not to, that is a mighty fine reason to vote for Franken!

Thanks for clearing that up.

 Mugro wrote: 
The Minnesota voters don't agree with your evaluation of Al Franken.  At least half of 2.9 million of us voted for him.  I think we know more about the wishes of our state than you do.  Sorry.

Lots of people here see Franken as a voice of reason for the people of Minnesota, not another Bush/Cheney mouthpiece like Coleman.  Coleman would sell out the neo-con agenda at the drop of a hat if it paid him enough, so don't get your hopes up on him.  He's a bought and paid for lackey of the K-Street lobbyists.

It has to do with representation that favors the middle-class instead of the top 1% wealthy elite for a change, (nothing to do with your so-called retribution)

I've heard it said on Minnesota blogs that the neo-con, extreme, right-wingers around the country are just frothing at the mouth about the prospect of an Al Franken win.  He's been pulling their chain for years.

 Mugro wrote: 
And not just politics.  For some it's a way of life.
Having a philosophy like "Fight assholes by being an asshole"
just doesn't really make sense to me...

 Servo wrote: 

Fighting with Bill O'Reilly is one good reason. Most rational people just ignore trolls like him.

Ranting all day on Air America was another one. I listened to him (at the behest of Coding_To_Music) during his time on that station, and most of what he had to say was just poison. We don't need anymore poisonous partisanship (from either side) in this country right now. We need people that are going to work together to get things done.

I did not vote for Barack Obama, but one of the things that I am hopeful about with him is that he will attempt to govern through bi-partisan consensus as opposed to special interest pandering as our last two presidents have been guilty of. In my opinion, Franken would be part of the problem, not the solution.

But, I understand that there are a lot of angry people out there who see politics as retribution instead of governance. For those people, Franken must be a wonderful attack dog candidate. No thanks.

 Mugro wrote: 
Do you have any reasons other than character assassination to not vote for Franken?

It seems to me that a state like Minnesota, that already has a TV actor (Jesse Ventura) as its governor should be able to separate fictional characters from reality.

 MonkeyPod wrote: 
Yup, 7 USO tours, three of them in Iraq and Afghanistan.  He's a big supporter of returning and disabled vets.  He was an early advocate of proper body armour.  The DFL Vets here love him and he loves them.

Edit:  I just checked the Strib's website...as of 10:56 am today, the vote difference is down to a 204 vote lead for Coleman the slimy

 Painted_Turtle wrote: 
I guess we agree to disagree then.

 owld_skipper wrote: 

More Coleman facts:

52 free trips paid for by special interests.
Over $600,000 from big oil and drug companies.
Living almost rent-free in the $1,000,000 home of a Washington insider.
Ranked the 4th most corrupt senator in Washington.
Colman voted nearly 90% of the time with George Bush; together running up a 10 trillion dollar national debt.

...and don't even get me started on his 7 fishing trips to Alaska with Stevens and his big oil lobbyist cronies

Mugro may think Paul Wellstone is someone to make a joke about, but I will tell you that here in Minnesota his memory is revered and he was a much loved Senator.  Always looking out for the Minnesota working man and our small farmers.  If Franken is even a tenth as good a representative we will be happy.

Coleman can't hold a candle to Paul Wellstone, if fact I shouldn't even put both their names in the same sentance.

 Mugro wrote:  
I listened to his show on a regular basis and remember that he was angry about things a lot of people refused to accept.  It turns out that a lot of the subject matter turned out to be close to the truth.  If your attitude about the Bush administration is accurate then Al was just ahead of the curve.