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Apparently the MN DFL is rather proud of their accomplishments so far, in fact one of their members, Shelley Madore, went so far as to send out a letter including the following:

Last week the Minnesota House met in a marathon stretch of floor sessions to pass all of the major finance bills. After 53 hours of floor debate, just short of a House record – we\’re a full two to three weeks ahead of schedule compared with previous legislative sessions.

Apparently she\’s proud that she can raise your taxes faster than previous legislators can.

She then went on to highlight some of the bills the DFL has forced through that she is most proud of. However, she left out some of their more \”infamous\” activities. And because I\’m such a nice guy I thought I\’d list some of the most interesting ones here.

Here are some things the DFL has done already this legislative session

• Voted Against Income Tax Cuts For All Working Minnesotans. Voted to suppress an amendment by Rep. Brod to lower the income tax rate on the first $20,000 earned by any worker.
• Voted Against Tax Breaks For Small Businesses And Family Farms. Voted against an amendment by Rep Zellers to extend the same tax breaks to family farms and small businesses that were not on reservation lands as were being offered those that were located on tribal land.
• Voted Against Encouraging Job Creation. Voted against an amendment by Rep. Kohls to extend depreciation credits for businesses that modernize their operations and create jobs.
• Voted Against Extending Tax Relief For Working Families And Employers. Voted against an amendment by Rep. Erik Paulsen to extend the bill\’s one year of tax relief for working families and employers for a second year.
• Voted Against Education Tax Credits For Families. Voted to suppress an amendment by Rep. Buesgens to increase the education tax credit for families by allowing the credit to rise by the rate of inflation each year.
• Voted To Allow Foreign Taxes To Apply To Minnesotans. Voted against an amendment by Rep. Seifert to bar the Council on the Great Lakes Compact from imposing a tax on Minnesota.
• Voted Against Requiring Voter ID. Voted to suppress an amendment by Rep. Hoppe to require voters to show photo ID at the polls. Even though other DFL bills would require one to show ID to deliver cans to a recycling center or use credit cards.
• Voted To Keep Wind Mills Even If Utility Costs Jump More Than 10%. Voted against an amendment by Rep. Kohls to allow the Public Utilities Commission to delay requirements that utilities meet \”renewable energy\” requirements if the addition of such sources would raise electricity bills by at least 10 percent.
• Voted To Punish Consumers If Lawsuits Delay Utilities Innovations. Voted against an amendment to waive fines on utilities (which are passed onto consumers) if the completion of renewable energy projects are delayed by nuisance lawsuits.
• Voted Against Allowing Minnesota To Even Consider Nuclear Power. Voted against an amendment to allow the Public Utilities Commission to at least consider adding a nuclear power plant at some point in the future. Minnesota is the only state with such a moratorium.
• Voted Against Requiring A 60% Majority To Pass Tax Increases. Voted against an amendment by Rep. Berns to require a sixty-percent majority to approve any increase in taxes.
• Voted Against Giving Legislators Time To Read Bills Before A Vote. Voted against an amendment by Rep. Olson to give Representatives at least 48 hours to read bills and 24 hours notice before taking up legislation on the Floor.
• Voted Against Giving Legislators Time To Read Bills Before A Vote Again. This this she voted against an amendment by Rep. Olson to give Representatives at least 24 hours to read bills before taking up legislation on the Floor.
• Voted Against Posting Per Diem Information On The Internet. Voted against an amendment by Rep. Kohls to provide on-line information oh how many dollars in \”per diem payments\” are claimed by each Representative.
• Voted To Kill The Minority Report On HF 946. Voted to kill the Republican version of the Transportation Finance Bill, which did not include the DFL\’s gas tax, tab fees, wheelage taxes, local taxes, and other taxes and fees.
• Voted For The Majority Report On HF 946. Voted for the DFL version of the Transportation Finance Bill, which included gas taxes, tab fees, wheelage taxes, local taxes and other taxes and fees.
• Voted Against Eliminating New Sales And Use Taxes. Voted against an amendment by Rep. DeLaForest to remove HF 946s new sales and use taxes.
• Voted Against Success Criteria For New Taxes. Voted against an amendment by Rep. Kohls to end new metro-area taxes if commuting time is not decreased by three minutes in five years.
• Voted Against Allowing Voters To Vote On A Tax Increase. Voted against an amendment by Rep. Berns to allow metro voters to have a referendum on new metro-area taxes.
• Voted Against Eliminating The Increase In The Gas Tax. Voted against an amendment by Rep. Demmer to eliminate the proposed increase in the gasoline tax.
• Voted To Allow The DOT To Research New Ways To Tax Voters. Voted against an amendment by Rep. Emmer that would disallow the DOT from using trunk highway funds to research new methods of taxing Minnesotans on the basis of the miles they drive.
• Voted To Raise Fees For Deer Hunters. Voted against an amendment by Rep McNamara that would have deleted the proposed fee increase on deer hunters.
• Voted To Raise Fishing Fees on Tourists. Voted against an amendment by Rep. Zellers that would have deleted increases in fishing fees on tourists which could hurt Minnesota\’s tourism industry.
• Voted To Eliminate 4×4 Trails. Voted against an amendment by Rep. Hackbarth that would have deleted a plan to eliminate most 4×4 trails.
• Voted To Increase Fees For Fishing Contests. Voted against an amendment by Rep. DeLaForest to delete a proposed fee increase on fishing contest permits.
• Voted To Maintain Moratorium On Nuclear Power. Voted against an amendment by Rep. Peppin that would have deleted Minnesota\’s moratorium on even considering adding more nuclear power. Minnesota is the only state with such a moratorium.
• Voted To Allow Political Use Of School Equipment Or Resources. Voted against an amendment by Rep. Holberg to bar political use of school equipment or resources.
• Voted To Allow School Employees To Campaign At School Functions. Voted against an amendment by Rep. Dean to bar school employees from campaigning on school grounds or at school functions while acting in an official role.
• Voted To Allow Intrusive Surveys By Schools Without Parental Permission. Voted against an amendment by Rep. Holberg to require school districts to have parents \”opt in\” for intrusive surveys and similar inquiries into the private lives of students or families.
• Voted Against Tuition Freeze. Voted against an amendment by Rep. Ruth that would have frozen tuition increases for two years for MnSCU and University students.
• Voted For In-State Tuition For Illegal Aliens. Voted against an amendment by Rep. Severson that would have deleted the Democrats\’ proposal to allow in-state tuition for illegal immigrants.
• Voted For State Funding Of Abortions. Voted against an amendment by Rep. Otremba that would have prevented state funds from being used to pay for abortions.
• Voted To Allow Abortions Based On The Gender Of The Child. Voted against an amendment by Rep. Erickson that would have make abortions unlawful when made on the basis of gender selection for the unborn child.
• Voted Against Drug Testing For Welfare Applicants. Voted against an amendment by Rep. Emmer that would have required drug testing to apply for or renew applications for welfare benefits.
• Voted To Allow Oral Contraceptives For Minors Without Parental Consent. Voted against an amendment by Rep. Erickson that would have required parents to be notified before oral contraceptives are prescribed for their minor children.
• Voted Against Requiring Hospital To Notify Parents If Their Child Is Treated For Sexual Assault. Voted against an amendment by Rep. Dettmer that would require hospitals treating a minor child for sexual assault to notify the parents.
• Voted Against Notifying Patients About Mercury In Their Vaccines. Voted against an amendment by Rep. Brod that would require health care providers to notify their patients if the vaccine they are administering contains more than a trace amount of mercury.

Yes I\’d say the MN DFL has alot to be proud of…definitely very efficient legislators. Unfortunately, they are efficient at raising our taxes and voting against the interests of their constituents.

[Adapted from a post I made over at Madore Watch. Kevin Ecker is an nationally-syndicated author whose articles can be read at EckerNet, Madore Watch, and SD37 Republicans. He is also author of the \”Yet More Ways To Skin A Cat\” and \”Landmines – And Other Practical Jokes Gone Wrong\”.]