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You Voted for Them - Find Out if They're Voting for You
Voting is the core responsibility of state legislators. It's a job that is simple, but far from easy. BillsandVotes.com exists to document the hundreds of roll call votes taken each year in the Minnesota Legislature.Â
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It all comes down to the green button or the red button...
Fair and Clean Elections
When election laws invite fraud and when election officials turn a blind eye to fraud, voters are disenfranchised. Minnesota is currently in crisis mode when it comes to our election process. Under Secretary Ritchie, ballot handling, election day procedures, absentee voting - the core elements of the voting process are suspect. These votes show that Democrats are just fine with the status quo.Â
Purple fingers might not be a bad start... THE VOTES...
Legislative Reform
Many benefits accrue to those with election certificates in the Minnesota Statehouse - secretary, large office, covered parking, health insurance, roughly $41,000 salary, Internet service, laptop, media writers, research services, photography services, mileage and housing and a pension. All in all it's a pretty good gig.Â
Is a little reform too much to ask? THE VOTES...Â
Quote of the Week Talking about this is politically unpopular and potentially even career suicide for most officeholders. But at some point, someone is going to have to get honest about the fact that 80 percent of the state, county and city budget deficits are due to employee costs. Either we do something about it at the ballot box, or a judge will do something about in Bankruptcy Court.  --California’s former Assembly Speaker Willie Brown writing about California's public pension crisis.
The DFL Senority Matrons
These are the folks whose votes mean more than all other legislators combined: the all-powerful, virtually unbeatable seniority matrons known as the DFL Committee Chairs.
The sad truth is that most of these leadership Democrats reside in legislative districts that are immune from GOP challenges. Only highly financed DFL primary challengers with powerful connections can come close to unseating one of The Chairs.
Wanna make a difference? Cut off the body and the head will die. To take away their gavels, defeat the vulnerable rank and file Democrats who serve at the feet of The Chairs. THE VOTES...
Taxpayers League 2010 Scorecard
Check out the 2010 Taxpayers League Legislative Scorecard. Â
Taxpayers League president Phil Krinkie says, "This year's scorecard demonstrates that the vast majority of state legislators are not prudent with taxpayers' dollars... Taxpayers can easily discern from the scorecard who's voting to increase taxes and who is holding the line on state spending. It's a great tool to hold legislators accountable with a quick glance at their score."Â
Accountability. It's a good thing.Â
Taxpayers Versus Government Workers
Too bad it's come to this, but state policy makers can no longer ignore the out-of-control cost of maintaining the government workforce.
Government workers have it all: higher pay than the private sector, lower performance expectations, immunity from economic downturns, loads of vacation and sick leave, union representation and a retirement package that the private sector can only dream of.Â
THEÂ VOTES...
Kitchen Table Economics
Balancing the state budget is a little like trying to get to Heaven - legislators know what they need to do, but they just can't make themselves do it.Â
Looming on the horizon are billions in state debt caused by government worker pension liabilities and welfare programs on automatic pilot.Â
THEÂ VOTES...
Private Property Rights vs The State
In America, real estate is meant to be owned by private citizens. But government has an endless stream of funding - called "taxes" - that it uses to take private property.Â
The DNR, for one, controls 5.6 million of Minnesota's 55 million acres. Property rights is one of the three 2010 top issues at BillsandVotes.com.
THEÂ VOTES...
Random Vote Generator
The scientists at BillsandVotes.com have developed a machine that randomly selects a vote from the servers warehoused at our secret secure facility. Only scored votes have been included in the algorithm.Â
Think outside the issue area.
THEÂ RANDOM VOTES...
Fiscal Restraint? What's That? 2010 Bonding Bill Votes
Once again the DFL left it up to the Governor to be the adult in the room. Unwilling to stand up to their bosses in Big Environment and Big Government Labor, the House and Senate dropped the 2010 Bonding Bill at the feet of the Governor and went and laid down by their dish.Â
 A 10-page list of line item vetoes would take some of the worst items off of the state credit card. But there is no reform, no accountability, no job tracking, no support for critical public safety items, no willingness to set real priorities. THE VOTES...Â
The Omnibus Woodland Critters Finance Bill
House debate on HF 2624 - we call it the Omnibus Woodland Critters Finance Bill - showed how blind allegiance to interest groups can put legislators at odds with their core political values.Â
Private property rights are more important than the RIM program. Clean water is more important than environmental learning centers. These votes are all about priorities.Â
THEÂ VOTES...
By billsandvotes.com on
Thursday, June 17, 2010 11:09 PM
Fair and clean elections
Body: Minnesota House | Journal Page: 9815Scored? Yes | Right Vote: Y Author: BrodActing on: SF80 Date: 04/07/2010Result: Amendment Defeated 64 - 64
The Brod amendment would put an end to the little conceit being perpetrated by the Ramsey County DFL PAC. The PAC maintains a mini donut booth at the Minnesota State Fair and uses the profits to make political contributions to DFL candidates. Only problem is no one tells the customers how the profits are being used, and there is no signage to indicate the real purpose of the operation.  Click here to view the PAC's 2009 report to the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board. (Note: The PAC is registered as the Tenth Ward & Rural Ramsey DFL Donut Booth.) The 2009...
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By billsandvotes.com on
Thursday, June 17, 2010 9:45 PM
Fair and clean elections
Body: Minnesota House | Journal Page: 9814 Scored? No |Â
Author: Kahn
Acting on: HF655Â Date: 04/07/2010
Result: Bill Passed 121 - 7
(Updated: 06/17/2010 | Copyright © BillsandVotes.com)
Grudges can take many forms when you're a 70-something state rep with 19 elections under your belt.  Phyllis Kahn, who pleaded guilty in 2004 to misdemeanor theft for taking campaign brochures of the GOP candidate in New Hope, has a long history of legal/legislative activity regarding elections. She took the City of Minneapolis to court over their redistricting process, accused former Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer of suppressing voter turnout over comments she made regarding residency requirements, and is now doing...
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By billsandvotes.com on
Tuesday, June 08, 2010 7:00 PM
Fair and clean elections
Body: Minnesota House | Journal Page: 8013  (Click to view vote.)
Scored? Yes |Â Right Vote: Y
Author: Buesgens
Acting on: SF2251Â Date: 02/25/2010
Result: Amendment Defeated 56 - 75
In what should be standard operating procedure, the Buesgens amendment would require election officials to verify the number of ballots. Duh!
(Updated: 05/25/2010 | Copyright © BillsandVotes.com)
 One sure way to disenfranchise voters is to have their votes nullified by sloppy ballot handling. Disappearing ballots and ballots appearing out of thin air are red flags for any responsible election official. In what should be standard operating...
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By billsandvotes.com on
Monday, June 07, 2010 7:00 PM
 Private Property Rights vs The State
Body: House | Journal Page: 8907Â Â (Click to view vote.)
Scored? Yes |Â Right Vote: Y
Author: Rukavina
Acting on: HF2624Â Date: 03/15/2010
Result: Amendment Defeated 63 - 68
(Updated: 05/19/2010 | Copyright © BillsandVotes.com)
Rep. Rukavina made it clear to his colleagues that he strongly supports the government takeover of private property. But his amendment would temporarily prohibit the compulsive land hoarders in the DNR from taking more private property in the next grant cycle.Â
"I don't know how we can afford to buy property when we can't take care of the property we have," Rukavina said. His amendment would have the effect of temporarily stopping the purchase of land "in fee title,"...
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By billsandvotes.com on
Thursday, June 03, 2010 7:00 PM
Fair and clean elections
Body: House | Journal Page: 9089Â Â (Click to view vote.)
Scored? Yes |Â Right Vote: N
Author: Anderson, S.
Acting on: SF2259Â Date: 03/18/2010
Result: Ruling Upheld 87 - 45
(Updated: 05/21/2010 | Copyright © BillsandVotes.com)
The Anderson, S. amendment would expand the current prohibition on local government campaign contributions to include entities participating in joint powers agreements. In other words, Minnesota Indian tribes would be prohibited from financing DFL campaigns they entered into joint powers agreements as the Hilty bill permits. Because is was deemed not germane, the amendment is not published in the House Journal. Click here to view the amendment. Â
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By billsandvotes.com on
Thursday, June 03, 2010 7:00 PM
Legislative Reform
Body: House | Journal Page: 7793Â Â (Click to view vote.)
Scored? Yes |Â Right Vote: N
Author: Sertich
Acting on: HF2700Â Date: 02/15/2010
Result: Motion prevailed 87 - 43
Democrats have many weapons in their arsenal and they don't hesitate to use them. In their quest to consolidate power at all levels, Harry Reid is using reconciliation to get around the filibuster, Nancy Pelosi is changing the locks on committee room doors and passing bills to find out what's in them, Mark Ritchie is finding votes in trunks and counting ballots that have no voters. For decades the Floor of the Minnesota House has been a shining example of unfettered political debate. Some legislative bodies have no floor amendments and...
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By billsandvotes.com on
Wednesday, June 02, 2010 7:00 PM
Families, Faith and Life
Body: House | Journal Page: 7864Â Â (Click to view vote.)
Scored? Yes |Â Right Vote: Y
Author: Fritz
Acting on: SF2168Â Date: 02/18/2010
Result: Amendment Defeated 67 - 67
(Updated: 04/13/2010 | Copyright © BillsandVotes.com)
Patti Fritz must be fuming. Her DFL Caucus couldn't muster the votes needed to pass her prolife amendment. The amendment would have stopped the use of taxpayer money for abortions. Cynics will say the vote was simply a token measure agreed on in advance to give DFLers some cover on the issue. They will point out that all the Republican members voted for the measure, yet only enough Democrats pushed the green button to ensure the amendment's defeat by a single vote.   Surely, they...
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