January 15, 2009 Newsletter

In this issue:

Franken Wins Senate Race Recount

Oberstar Unveils Details of Stimulus Bill

2 From Area to be Part of History, from Brainerd Dispatch

Franken Wins Senate Recount

As the Minnesota State Canvassing Board finished reviewing the challenged ballots and previously-rejected absentee ballots, Al Franken emerged the winner of the recount by 255 votes.

The 62-day recount process ended earlier this month with a virtual switch from the election night results. Heading into the recount last November, Norm Coleman had a 221-vote lead. Franken overcame that deficit incrementally throughout the recount, and was able to push ahead during the challenged ballot review.

“I want you all to know that I’m ready to go to Washington and get to work just as soon as possible. And I look forward to joining President-Elect Obama and Senator Klobuchar in getting our country moving in the right direction again,” Franken said after the Canvassing Board finished its work this month.

Despite the State Canvassing Board’s finding that Al Franken won the recount, Norm Coleman has indicated he will file numerous election challenges, stretching weeks and virtually guaranteeing Minnesota won’t have two U.S. Senators until well into 2009 and the 111th Congress.

While legislation important to Minnesotans might be in danger of having only one Senate vote, vital constituent services--like assisting with social security or veterans benefits--will also be in jeopardy since those services are frequently provided by the Federal office staff of U.S. Reps and Senators.

There were calls for Franken to be seated on a provisional basis during the legal battles, but senate Republicans indicated they would fight such a measure.

Former Minnesota Governor Arne Carlson, a Republican, has suggested that Coleman drop the election fight.

“I don't think it's winnable,” said Carlson.

“When you've had two Republican Supreme Court justices involved in the process, you can't very well come back and say, gee, I think it's been partisanly tinged,” Carlson said.

Commentating on his razor-thin margin of victory, Franken said, “I know that this was a hard-fought victory, and that I didn’t win the support of every Minnesotan. I’m going to have to earn it by being a Senator who fights for every Minnesotan, whether you voted for me or not. And I want every Minnesotan to hear me say: I work for you now. And I will work hard to earn your confidence.”

Oberstar Unveils Details of Stimulus Bill

A major part of President-Elect Obama’s key legislation initiatives, an economic stimulus bill, is being crafted in Congressman Oberstar’s House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Last week, Congressman Oberstar unveiled the details of this stimulus package, designed to jump-start the failing economy by putting unemployed Americans back to work on overdue infrastructure projects.

The $85 billion proposal includes $30 billion for highways and bridges, $14 billion for environmental infrastructure, $12 billion for transit, $5 billion for both rail and airport improvement, and $10 billion for federal buildings.

“Infrastructure investment creates family-wage construction jobs, and spin-off benefits that ripple throughout the economy. These construction jobs will not be outsourced to another country; the work will be done in the United States because roads, bridges, transit and rail systems, airports, waterways, and wastewater treatment facilities are here, in our towns and cities,” Oberstar said.

“In addition to the on-site construction jobs, other construction and manufacturing jobs will be created at home producing the steel, aggregates, asphalt, cement, and construction equipment used in these projects,” Oberstar said.

Oberstar says infrastructure investments will represent one-third of the jobs President-Elect Obama is hoping to create with the stimulus initiative.

Oberstar recently delivered a statement before the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee in which he laid out the details of his plan, plus a set of principals his proposal embodies:

1. It requires funds to be invested in ready-to-go projects. I propose an aggressive timetable for the use of funds, including a 90-day, use-it-or-lose-it requirement for a percentage of the funds, which would produce a "quick hit" that will jump-start our economy and create a substantial number of new construction jobs by June.

2. It creates green collar jobs and invests in projects that decrease our dependence on foreign oil and address global climate change.

3. It requires the steel, iron, and manufactured goods for these projects to be manufactured in the United States.

4. Wherever possible, it distributes the funds by existing statutory formulas, with no earmarks, to expedite the distribution and expenditure of funds.

5. It ensures transparency and accountability by requiring formula grant recipients to publicly disclose a program of projects detailing how they intend to use the funds. In addition, the proposal requires States to report on their specific use of the funds, State investments, and the estimated number of jobs created or sustained.

6. It requires States and other recipients of formula funds to certify they will maintain their effort in terms of current State and local investment levels, and distribute funds equitably throughout the State.

“This approach puts the right incentives in place to ensure the outcomes we want without slowing the process down with a lot of red tape,” Oberstar said.

“The 90-day, use-it-or-lose-it requirement will incentivize grant recipients to award contracts quickly, producing the jobs we need by June. The requirement to submit programs of projects that will be made publicly available, and certify both maintenance of effort and equitable distribution, will increase transparency and accountability without delaying the use of funds,” Oberstar said.

The way this proposal is structured is in-line with President-Elect Obama’s promise to make the process as transparent as possible and to invest in programs and initiatives that have been shown to work, like public infrastructure investment.

“Infrastructure investments will put construction workers back on the job, and yield lasting benefits by improving our deteriorating infrastructure,” Oberstar said.

“At current levels of investment, this country is falling further and further behind on our physical infrastructure needs, and that has devastating impacts on our economic growth, our quality of life, and our safety.”

2 From Area to be Part of History

Presidential Inauguration

The following is from the January 13th edition of the Brainerd Dispatch.

by Mike O'Rourke

For those who would like to be an eyewitness to history at next week's inauguration, securing the hottest ticket in Washington, D.C., is just half the battle. Those people lucky enough to have tickets also need to get there and find a place to stay.

Two area people whose names are on the ticket list, Don Samuelson of Brainerd and Doreen Mahoney of Nisswa, have each had to use their resourcefulness as they made plans to see the inauguration of America's first black president on Jan. 20.

Mahoney, who will link up with her daughter who lives in Savannah, Ga., had planned to drive to Fredericksburg, Va., and take the train to Washington from there. She underestimated the demand for train tickets, however, and the only ones she could obtain called for she and her daughter to arrive on Monday (the day tickets must be picked up) and not leave until Tuesday night.

Having no place to stay in Washington, Mahoney's daughter, Alison Mahoney, put out a plea to her Facebook friends and a Sigma Kappa sorority sister who lived in Arlington, Va., offered them a place to stay. From the Arlington location the two women can park a car and walk a few minutes to the subway that will get them to Washington, D.C.

"So there is a reward for all those sorority expenses I incurred 10 years ago when Alison was in college," Mahoney e-mailed the Dispatch last week. Mahoney went on to say that being Minnesotans they know how to dress for cold weather.

Mahoney called Rep. Jim Oberstar's office after Sen. Barack Obama's victory and was initially told she was 210th on the list with the office expecting 198 tickets. Later, they moved up the list and they were told tickets would be available for she and her daughter.

"Right before the election we were talking about how cool it would be to go if Obama won," she said.

Mahoney said she was a little apprehensive about the crowds but felt better knowing they had tickets to a relatively secure area for the historic event.

"I've always been open-minded about ethnic and racial diversity in this country and to me this is just really a landmark for our country to finally get significantly beyond the prejudices that have been holding everybody back," she said. "And I also think he's an inspiring leader."

Samuelson, who served in Minnesota's House and Senate for many years, also received tickets through Oberstar's office and was told that the congressman had about 1,000 requests for 198 tickets. Planning the logistics of this trip was a challenge even for a political veteran like Samuelson.

When he first checked the price of round-trip airline tickets to Washington, D.C., about two weeks ago the price was about $850. The last time he checked the price was about $1,500. Trains to the nation's capital were sold out, Samuelson said. Samuelson and his son, Steve, decided to drive to Washington.

Next, came the challenge of finding a place to stay.

Samuelson called former U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan, who lives in Mission Township of Crow Wing County. Nolan checked with his former chief of staff, James DeChaine, a former Brainerd resident. DeChaine didn't have room but connected Samuelson with a Georgetown neighbor who offered Samuelson and his son a place to stay.

Samuelson, 76, remembered distributing literature for Democratic candidates as a junior high student, but he's never attended a presidential inauguration. In fact, this election marked the first time Samuelson had ever donated to a presidential campaign.

"Kiddingly, I told Kenny Hasskamp (Rep. Jim Oberstar's staff assistant) to put my name in for ambassador to Sweden," Samuelson said.

The veteran lawmaker said Obama's ability to draw crowds during the campaign was unlike anything he had seen. The president-elect's skills as an orator reminded Samuelson of Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey.

"Unbelievable," Samuelson said. "It's just phenomenal. Part of it is a sign of the times. People are hurting. This guy's dynamic. He reminds you a little bit of (President) Kennedy."

Samuelson said the inauguration will be historic, in part because Obama will be the first black president. His inauguration, Samuelson said, might be a sign that the nation is finally reaching the point where candidates will be judged by their character and not their race.

"I think it's significant and good for the country because maybe, somehow, we get most of that stuff out of the way," he said of prejudiced attitudes.

MIKE O'ROURKE may be reached at mike.orourke@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5860. Click below to view to story on Brainerd Dispatch website (free subscription required): http://www.brainerddispatch.com/stories/011309/new_20090113026.shtml