An article in the Star Tribune today. Over 82% of Al Franken’s campaign funds for Senate are not from Minnesota. 2.5 million of the 3 million contributed so far is from out of state.
This just pisses me off. The powers that be have decided to make MN their little back yard. Why us? Why him? Sounds like a bad idea.
Why should I vote for someone to represent me, when he can’t even get support locally? “Oh, but he’s Al Franken!!” I don’t give a fuck if he’s the Pope, I want someone local, who’s been bought by local interests.
Your article says that “more than 50%” of Coleman’s money came from Minnesota, which implies that somewhere in the neighborhood of 50% did not.
I don’t know what you mean by “the powers that be have decided to make MN their little back yard.” Franken decided to run and is raising money on a national level probably due to his national profile. I haven’t seen a great deal of prompting on Daily Kos or Atrios about him.
I’m concerned because Coleman has played a role in fucking up my country - he’s had a national impact. Why shouldn’t I, and others, have an interest in seeing him gone? It isn’t like I can vote for him. Only Minnesotans can do that.
Both national parties have a legitimate interest in funding senatorial election races. If a particular seat is seen as vulnerable or up for grabs, national money will pour in.
And I can’t stand Franken. But this is no reason to slam him, or the process.
[QUOTE=Hentor the Barbarian]
Your article says that “more than 50%” of Coleman’s money came from Minnesota, which implies that somewhere in the neighborhood of 50% did not.
I don’t know what you mean by “the powers that be have decided to make MN their little back yard.” Franken decided to run and is raising money on a national level probably due to his national profile. I haven’t seen a great deal of prompting on Daily Kos or Atrios about him.
I’m concerned because Coleman has played a role in fucking up my country - he’s had a national impact. Why shouldn’t I, and others, have an interest in seeing him gone? It isn’t like I can vote for him. Only Minnesotans can do that.
And, as Al has said, why not him?
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Franken did not make the decision to run in a vacuum. We’re a moderate state that has been losing it’s Dem foundation. It was a toss up in the last couple of elections, and Franken has good name recognition. Let’s put him in there, pretend he is from there, and goose the money.
[QUOTE=Tapioca Dextrin]
You’re quite correct, since a vacuum doen’t have congressional representation. Minnesota was the closest he could find.
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[QUOTE=fisha]
Franken did not make the decision to run in a vacuum. We’re a moderate state that has been losing it’s Dem foundation. It was a toss up in the last couple of elections, and Franken has good name recognition. Let’s put him in there, pretend he is from there, and goose the money.
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He grew up in St. Louis Park, attended St. Louis Park High School and graduated from the Blake School. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Franken
Is he from Minnesota? Depends on your definition of “from,” I suppose.
Not born here, graduated high school from here, then left in 1969, was gone for 36 years- all of his adult life- then moved back in 2005 for purely political reasons.
[QUOTE=fisha]
Not born here, graduated high school from here, then left in 1969, was gone for 36 years- all of his adult life- then moved back in 2005 for purely political reasons.
Um, nope, doesn’t qualify.
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That’s much more connection than Hillary Clinton could claim for New York, and she’s wildly popular there. I don’t see the problem.
[QUOTE=Menocchio]
That’s much more connection than Hillary Clinton could claim for New York, and she’s wildly popular there. I don’t see the problem.
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I imagine that whoever ends up running against Bitch McConnell next year here in KY will get giant piles of cash shipped in from every corner of the nation.
[QUOTE=Tapioca Dextrin]
You’re quite correct, since a vacuum doen’t have congressional representation. Minnesota was the closest he could find.
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But only because The Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin all suck so much.
[QUOTE=NurseCarmen]
And Coleman, with his east coast accent, qualifies as “from” here in your definition then?
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No, obviously. But if I do the math right, he’s been here for the last 30 years. And again I am not a fan of Coleman, either. But at least he’s lived and worked here.
This rant is more about outside interests trying to influence a senate campaign, than the candidates.