Tag: CD03

Rep. Dean Phillips Introduces Firewall Act to Prohibit Foreign Online Spending in U.S. Elections

Today, Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) introduced the Firewall Act aimed at preventing foreign meddling in U.S. elections. The bill would amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to prohibit foreign nationals from paying for online advertisements created to attack or support federal candidates. Current law prevents similar foreign spending on television, radio, satellite and print advertisements, leaving bad actors with an open door to spread malice and misinformation in the burgeoning online political ad market.

“Given the grave nature of events we’re watching unfold in Washington, it is clear that our democracy faces threats from the inside and out,” said Phillips. “Nowhere is that more apparent than in digital political advertising. Americans of all political persuasions are asking us to step up and prevent foreign interference in our elections, and Congress should act swiftly to update our laws and protect our democracy. If we fail to pass the Firewall Act, foreign actors will continue to use online ads to divide and misinform voters, and we will have earned the American people’s distrust in the democratic process.”  Continue reading “Rep. Dean Phillips Introduces Firewall Act to Prohibit Foreign Online Spending in U.S. Elections”

U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips sees need to help cities lacking state funding

Formula for local aid means nearly 100 Minnesota cities don’t make the list.

U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips says the most common topic that came up on recent visits with municipal officials in his suburban congressional district was the lack of state funding to improve aging infrastructure.

So in an effort to bridge the gap left by cuts in state aid to local governments, Phillips, a Democrat, is sponsoring a bill seeking federal funding for a suburban water treatment center.

Only eight of his district’s 36 cities this year received a cut of the $560 million Local Government Aid (LGA) funding approved by the Legislature. Most of the cities with goose eggs are in western Hennepin County.

View the complete June 4 article by David Chanen on The Star Tribune website here.

Phillips, Fitzpatrick Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Protect the Liberian Community from Expiration and Deportation

The Protect Our Liberian Community Act moves Liberians from Deferred Enforced Departure (DED), which is set to expire on March 31st, to Temporary Protected Status (TPS)

WASHINGTON, DC – With 4 days left until Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) status expires for the Liberian community,Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1) today introduced the bipartisan Protect Our Liberian Community Act.

The bipartisan bill would move Liberian DED holders to Temporary Protected Status (TPS), providing legal status to the community for three years. DED is set to expire on March 31st, which would subject thousands of Liberian workers and taxpayers to deportation. Liberians on DED have no pathway to citizenship.

Liberians on DED have lived in the United States for 16 years or more and have demonstrated that they are law-abiding and taxpaying. Many own homes and businesses, and are hardworking employees for health care employers that are already facing critical workforce shortages. Continue reading “Phillips, Fitzpatrick Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Protect the Liberian Community from Expiration and Deportation”

Reciprocal conceal and carry will allow more guns

To the editor:

This month, the House of Representatives passed HR 38, the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act. The companion bill in the Senate is S 446. This bill would force Minnesota to allow anyone who has a conceal carry permit from another state to carry in Minnesota – regardless of the requirements, or lack thereof, from the home state. For example, consider the laws in Georgia. That state recommends, but does not require safety training and exempts license holders from NICS background checks when buying a gun for the five-year duration of the license. Currently, a total of 19 states do not allow Georgia conceal carry license holders to carry in their state – including Minnesota. Continue reading “Reciprocal conceal and carry will allow more guns”

Need more heart in this country

I strongly oppose the tax bill proposed by either the U.S. House or Senate without major modifications.

We need to protect and push forward with health care for every person in America.

We do not need more military, we do not need more tax breaks for the very wealthy, and we certainly do not need trillions more debt.

We need more heart in this country in caring for the most vulnerable.

My plan is to write Congressman Erik Paulsen about this regularly and hope he will listen to me — and all of his constituents.

Judith Potthoff, Chanhassen
Chaska Herald, November 24, 2017

Shifting wealth to the super rich

To the Editor:

The problem with politics today is that the truth is often hidden with half-truths.

Mr. Beaudette’s letter “Supply-side economics works” (Nov. 16) is a perfect example. He is correct that the federal tax revenues did increase dramatically during President Ronald Reagan’s years in office, and also during the term of President George H.W. Bush.

What he fails to mention is that national debt rose even faster during this period. Looking at the ratio of federal debt to the nation’s gross income, or gross domestic product (GDP), we see that it fell from 125 percent at the end of World War II to 30 percent by 1980. It rose during Reagan’s term, with the tax cuts, from 30 percent to 50 percent. Continue reading “Shifting wealth to the super rich”

State Fair appearance proves we can have accountability, civility

U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen saw what civil discourse looks like during his Star Tribune Stage interview at the State Fair on Friday with editorial writer Patricia Lopez. The newspaper’s Saturday coverage of the event spoke of Paulsen’s request for “civility, discourse, restraint,” which he was given in spades on Friday. The congressman has mentioned on multiple occasions that he believes a town hall would be a spectacle, and Friday’s event proved him wrong. Lopez’s questioning was direct and on point, and thanks to her, for the first time in years, a crowd of unscreened constituents was given the opportunity to hold Paulsen accountable. He was asked directly about his history of public events, about Russia, even about impeachment, and no one chose to talk over him or shout at him before or during his responses. It was the closest thing to a town hall we’ve gotten in six years, and it was respectful and engaging. His “spectacle” excuse no longer stands; if he doesn’t hold a town hall, it will only be to his detriment.

Kayli Schaaf, Coon Rapids
Minneapolis Star Tribune, August 29, 2017

Federal Taxes: Paulsen ‘touts plan’? Where are the details?

Re: Friday’s subhead “Minnesota Republican touts plan …” — that is, a plan to lower and simplify taxes. What? Where’s the plan? I read the article twice and saw absolutely no detail, none. Sure, there were some vague suggestions, but no plan (“Paulsen pitches lowering, simplifying taxes,” Aug. 18).

What I saw was the Star Tribune running a PR piece for Paulsen. Where are the details? Where is the plan the subhead promised?

We end up with nothing. Come back with a real story when he tells us specifically what he’ll do. Stop being a shill for our elected officials with notions, wishes, slogans, and bumper-sticker sayings.

Without breaking a sweat or doing what the headline implied, Paulsen got what he wanted: a headline someone can place on a piece of campaign literature.

Tom Krueger, Crystal
Minneapolis Star Tribune, August 18, 2017

Join Us Wednesday: Dessert and Discussion

Please join the CD3 Central Committee for an evening of desserts and discussion with our congressional candidates;  Alicia Donahue, Adam Jennings, Dean Phillips and Brian Santa Maria.

This will be an informal meet and greet where we can meet all of the candidates one-on-one, and begin brainstorming how we can flip CD3 from red to blue.

Please invite anyone else who is ready to push up their sleeves and get to work in the 3rd!

When:  Wednesday, August 16, 7:00 – 8:45pm
Where:  Minnetonka Community Center, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd,  Minnetonka, MN

Bring a dessert to share.  CD3 will be providing coffee and water.

If you have questions about the event, please contact Kay Lewis at 952.491.0748 or kay.lewis@gmail.com.

Note This will be in lieu of our August Central Committee meeting. Our regularly scheduled meeting will resume in September.

Don’t Forget: Our Dessert and Discussion Gathering

Please join the CD3 Central Committee for an evening of desserts and discussion with our congressional candidates;  Alicia Donahue, Adam Jennings, Dean Phillips and Brian Santa Maria.

This will be an informal meet and greet where we can meet all of the candidates one-on-one, and begin brainstorming how we can flip CD3 from red to blue.

Please invite anyone else who is ready to push up their sleeves and get to work in the 3rd!

When:  Wednesday, August 16, 7:00 – 8:45pm
Where:  Minnetonka Community Center, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd,  Minnetonka, MN

Bring a dessert to share.  CD3 will be providing coffee and water.

If you have questions about the event, please contact Kay Lewis at 952.491.0748 or kay.lewis@gmail.com.

Note This will be in lieu of our August Central Committee meeting. Our regularly scheduled meeting will resume in September.