Tag: 3rd Congressional District

Paulsen’s voting record is swayed by PAC donations

To the editor:

The decision by the Supreme Court for Citizen United in 2010 marked a turning point in elections. Now unlimited money can be poured in by donors and corporations in support of candidates.

I understand that many politicians don’t like this, but feel like they have to take the money to have a chance at winning. But that’s not what’s happening with Rep. Erik Paulsen. Because he doesn’t just take some money. He doesn’t begrudgingly take enough to pay the bills. He takes the eighth most of any member of Congress.

Why does he need that much? Or more importantly — why do these donors like him so much? To me, the answer seems obvious. He’s proven that he’ll vote however they tell him, whether it’s the gun lobby after Parkland or the pharmaceutical companies in a time when drug prices are through the roof. Continue reading “Paulsen’s voting record is swayed by PAC donations”

Dean Phillips to Erik Paulsen: Voters Deserve Open, Accessible Forums

Pressure mounting as Erik Paulsen refuses to commit to appear in public

Excelsior, MN – Dean Phillips today reiterated his call for open and accessible public forums where voters would have the opportunity to hear from and ask questions of both candidates. Dean has already accepted invitations from several organizations planning to host such free and open public forums, including local chapters of the League of Women Voters, a local church and local Chambers of Commerce.

Despite saying “we’ll have other debates” on WCCO Sunday Morning, Paulsen has yet to commit to any other than the TwinWest Chamber debate, which costs non-members $60.

“Candidates running for public office should participate in open forums at which they take questions from the public, and such forums should be free of charge and accommodate all those who wish to attend,” said Dean Phillips. “My entire campaign is based on the notion that representation begins with listening, and I am eager to do just that. Erik Paulsen should listen to his constituents, who are rightly demanding the opportunity to hear from the two of us and share their perspectives with us – without having to pay. We are all awaiting his response.” Continue reading “Dean Phillips to Erik Paulsen: Voters Deserve Open, Accessible Forums”

Phillips at Edina parade inspires hope for district

To the Editor:

This Fourth of July, I participated in the Edina Independence Day parade. What I witnessed made me hopeful for our district.

Dean Phillips, who’s running for Congress in Minnesota’s Third District, had more than 200 people marching with him, each one cheering and chanting enthusiastically, thrilled just to be there. Some of these folks were lifelong Democrats; many others were Republicans. Some of them will vote for the first time this November; others cast their first votes for Hubert Humphrey. All of them came out to support their candidate, Dean Phillips, who joyfully high-fived and chatted with parade attendees.

To me, that’s what a representative should look like—happy to be surrounded by their constituents and excited to meet each one of them.

Hank Lee, Wayzata
Edina Sun-Sailor, July 19, 2018
Lee is a volunteer for the Dean Phillips campaign.

Is Paulsen really a moderate?

To the Editor:

Is Erik Paulsen really a moderate? I say no. His votes, actions and inactions in the Trump era have proven exactly the opposite – that as the Republican Party has become more and more extreme, so has Erik Paulsen.

Recently, Paulsen said he supports Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh. It is one thing to secretly toe the party line by voting with Trump’s positions nearly every time, but to approve a jurist as radically conservative as Brett Kavanaugh completely dispels the myth that Paulsen has a moderate agenda. Continue reading “Is Paulsen really a moderate?”

Congressman For Sale: Erik Paulsen is Bought and Sold

www.erikpaulsen.org reveals what the special interests are getting for their money

Excelsior, MN – A new online resource, “Congressman for Sale,” was launched today to help voters in Minnesota’s 3rd District understand the influence that powerful special interests have over Rep. Erik Paulsen – now the 6th largest recipient of special interest money among all 435 members of Congress.

The site exposes Paulsen’s $8,269,936 in special interest contributions by industry, showing what each received for their money through Congressman Paulsen’s votes. It provides voters with a report card from nationally-known advocacy groups, showing how out of touch Congressman Paulsen’s voting record is as a result of special interest influence, and a survey for those interested in learning more. The site also links to End Citizens United’s “Erik the PAC Man” game, where players can try to raise more money than Erik Paulsen while avoiding the constituents he all but ignores. Continue reading “Congressman For Sale: Erik Paulsen is Bought and Sold”

Trump Could Be “Blessing” To US, Democrats, Says Phillips

The following article by Bill Sorem and Michael McIntee was posted on the Uptake website July 16, 2018:

“This is no longer a time to sit on the sidelines,” says Dean Phillips, the DFL-endorsed candidate running against Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-MN). “It’s a time to participate.” Phillips is encouraging that participation at his Excelsior “conversation cottage,” otherwise known as his campaign office in this western Minneapolis suburban swing district.

Phillips says President Donald Trump’s election “activated” him to get involved in politics and ultimately launch his campaign for congress. He says a lot of people are getting involved for the same reason, with more than a thousand volunteering for his campaign. Continue reading “Trump Could Be “Blessing” To US, Democrats, Says Phillips”

A Sweet New Century for America’s Most Privileged

The following article by Sam Pizzigati was posted on the Inequality.org website July 12, 2018:

America’s elected leaders haven’t ignored inequality since 2000. They’ve made it spectacularly worse.

Mitch McConnel, Paul Ryan, Donald Trump and Mike Pence celebrating GOP tax cut for the rich bill. Credit: Official White House Photo

The United States ended the 20th century on a roll — for the rich. Between 1973 and 2000, the nation’s most prosperous 1 percent tripled their incomes, after taking inflation into account.

The even more prosperous top tenth of that 1 percent did quite a bit better. Their incomes more than quintupledbetween 1973 and 2000, rising an amazing 414.6 percent.

And what about Americans of less exalted means, those stuck in the nation’s bottom 90 percent? Between 1973 and 2000, their incomes rose all of . . . 2.6 percent. Continue reading “A Sweet New Century for America’s Most Privileged”

Refusal to compromise with Democrats benefits extremists

To the Editor:

Imagine you’re in a group of 30 people. You need to get a majority of them to agree on where you’ll go for lunch. Pretty easy, right? But wait, some friends say: “We don’t like 13 of them – so don’t negotiate with those ones. Just get the other 17 to agree.”

But of those 17, five of them won’t compromise. They only want to go to that terrible sandwich shop down the road, where everything’s too greasy and tastes like cardboard. You beg and plead, but they don’t budge. So you end up not getting lunch at all.

Seems pretty silly, right? Don’t you want to at least talk to those 13 others and see if you can find a compromise with them? Continue reading “Refusal to compromise with Democrats benefits extremists”

With seat in jeopardy, Erik Paulsen suddenly becomes an environmentalist

The following article by Hannah Jones was posted on the CityPages website July 13, 2018:

Though Erik Paulsen’s environmental record borders on cartoon villainy, his new campaign ad presents him as the hero the Boundary Waters needs. Credit: YouTube Screen Capture

Eden Prairie Republican Rep. Erik Paulsen’s new campaign commercial opens with soulful piano music and a zoom in on a family photo album. Then comes Paulsen, in voiceover form:

“My parents taught me to love the outdoors,” he says. “I camp and canoe with my family in Minnesota’s Yellowstone: the Boundary Waters.”

The Boundary Waters are a gem for outdoor enthusiasts — 234,000 acres of untouched wilderness, miles from any human activity. And as the congressman sees it, they represent a key difference between his politics and those of President Donald Trump. Continue reading “With seat in jeopardy, Erik Paulsen suddenly becomes an environmentalist”