Peek-a-boo We see you too!

Lakeville Dad was one of the handful of protesters (actually, more like a coffee klatsch it appears) that parked outside of John Kline's office this morning. The Congressional staff locked the doors (and barred the mailslot) to keep the undesirables (and their opinions) out.

What's amusing is the Kline Congressional staff and the Campaign staff then spent the day checking Lakeville Dad's blog...and this one too. Can you say paranoid?

So we congratulate the staff at the campaign office for visiting at:
10:18 AM
1:53 PM
and our hard-working tax-supported Federal employees at the Kline Congressional office were here at:
8:31 AM
12:48 PM
1:51 PM
3:11 PM
I'm sure if there were anything new that they learned from their visits it has been downloaded and put in our file THAT WILL FOLLOW US FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES!

More Of The Same War Under Kline's Leadership

Representative Kline (MN- R) led us into war. Now he wants us to 'stay the course'. In that case I ask:

1. How are you going to get adequate American Troop levels and provide for our security?

2. How are you going to win the hearts and minds of the Iraqis?

While Kline asserts that American military recruitment goals are being met, many of our 'volunteer army' are in their third and fourth deployments, tapping into the nation's 'Ready Reserves' and our over used National Guard. Information now shows us that America's military is not prepared to meet current or future obligations : From Truthout:

They are the people who help us at Home Depot. They deliver our mail,patrol our streets. They are our neighbors and friends and fellow citizens who make up the National Guard and ready reserve. They have suffered heavy casualties and have held up under a tremendous burden as this nation has fought wars on two fronts. And we learn today they're about to be asked to give even

The problem is most US Army units are right now not ready for combat as we see here on this broadcast night after night. It's not as if the fight is going away. Now we have learned the Pentagon may send more Guard soldiers into battle.

And from the WAPost :

...even at existing deployment levels, the signs of strain on the active Army are evident. In July an official report revealed that two-thirds of the active U.S. Army was classified as "not ready for combat." When one combines this news with the fact that roughly one-third of the active Army is deployed (and thus presumably ready for combat), the math is simple but the answer alarming: The active Army has close to zero combat-ready brigades in reserve.…

Even the quadrupling of recruitment bonuses since 2003 has not been enough to attract adequate numbers to meet the Army's personnel goals. Although the Army has accepted more troops with lower aptitude scores and raised its maximum enlistment age, it still must grant waivers to about 1 out of 5 new recruits and has had to cut in half the number who "wash out" in basic training.

Less than 5% of those eligible to serve are enlisting (wonder why?)...Anyone feel a draft? Kline say's he's against the draft...So if not, What?

2. How are you going to win the hearts and minds of the Iraqis?

A strong majority of Iraqis want U.S.-led military forces to immediately withdraw from the country, saying their swift departure would make Iraq more secure and decrease sectarian violence, according to new polls by the State Department and independent researchers.

In Baghdad, for example, nearly three-quarters of residents polled said they would feel safer if U.S. and other foreign forces left Iraq, with 65 percent of those asked favoring an immediate pullout, according to State Department polling results obtained by The Washington Post.

Another new poll, scheduled to be released on Wednesday by the Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland, found that 71 percent of Iraqis questioned want the Iraqi government to ask foreign forces to depart within a year. By large margins, though, Iraqis believed that the U.S. government would refuse the request, with 77 percent of those polled saying the United States intends keep permanent military bases in the country.

Besides the lack of belief in Ameica's "Freedom", insurgent attacks against coalition troops are on average occurring every 15 minutes! Add to it that the number one cause of death is Iraq is now by murder or suicide...Both examples show the committment of the current residents in seeing the backside of our troops.

So tell me again Mr. Kline why we're fighting in Iraq? Was it for the vast majority of Iraqis who want us to leave immediately, or for the war profiteers? Is it worth the 100 attacks a day against our troops? The death? The destruction? This isn't leadership, it's madness.

Kline Sponsors Retro-Torture Policy

Protests against Kline's 'Torture Bill' will be held Thursday (9/28) from 7-9 a.m. at the office of John Kline. A media alert will be sent. Kline's office: 101 W. Burnsville Pkwy #20, Bring signs. Suggestions:“Kline Sponsored Torture Bill" “Tell XXX NO to Torture” “Call Rep. Kline: 952-808-1261" read on:

Up until now America had upheld higher principles with respect to the treatment of prisoners...

George Washington's soldiers in the battle of Trenton on Dec. 25, 1776 took Hessians prisoners. They said these soldiers were mercenaries and wanted to take retribution on them. They wanted the Hessians to run the gauntlet while beating them with sticks. But General Washington said no; He told them their prisoners would be treated with respect and dignity. Washington said the Hessians will suffer no abuse or torture, because to do otherwise would bring dishonor upontheirr sacred cause.

That's one of the first orders given to the continental army. It has been military tradition for 240 years, before it was stopped by the likes of Bu$h, Rumsfeld and Kline.

Now John Kline and the rest of the Rubber-Stamp Congress have dishonored the thousands of men and women currently wearing uniforms by rewriting our laws to retro-excuse any lack of discipline and criminal behavior that incurred since 911. It was written to comply with the Bu$h administrations earlier policy that held the Geneva Conventions pertaining to the treatment of prisoners of war was just 'guidelines' for others but not applicable to....the USA.

I never thought I'd see the day that our U.S. leaders would be discussing what types of torture is 'okay'. Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib-like prisons, secret CIA prisons, mock trials and tribunals, doing away with due process and interrogation techniques like 'waterboarding' are all being passed into law!

Torture is being defined by this law in the narrowest possible terms to allow coercive, physical abuse of combatant's if 'military necessity' demands it. Naturally those determining 'military necessity' will be Bu$hCo like Rumsfeld and Kline. The same leaders that have led us into a war that has now heightened terrorist attacks against America will decide if torture is okay!

All this comes after several internal Pentagon reports found widespread and severe abuse of detainees in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere that has led to at least two dozen deaths during interrogation.

A real American patriot like George Washington would perceived this bill as abandoning our moral high ground as Americans. Kline should be ashamed for actively instituting de facto approval of torture as US Policy!

Kline has said in the past that allegations of torture have been exaggerated in an effort to hurt the Bu$h administration politically. If he really believes that then why sponsor a bill that now applies 'retro-actively'? Kline, who sits on the House Armed Services Committee, says there have been cases -- such as those at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq -- where U.S. service members were found to have abused prisoners and were punished by courts martial. But Kline says he's offended by the suggestion that torture has become a part of U.S. policy.

"The policy in the United States rejects torture. We don't engage in torture," said Kline. "There are places in the world where there are horrible acts being conducted, real torture being conducted. And it seems to me that's where the focus ought to be for trying to stop torture in the world."

Yet seventy-seven years after the codification of the Geneva Conventions pertaining to the treatment of prisoners of war, Kline and Republican members of the House voted to change the interpretation of the international law prohibiting torture to protect past actions and to allow future abuses.

John Kline is one of 19 Republican co-sponsors of the pro-torture legislation that passed the House last week and is now in the Senate. The GOP has amended the bill to include interrogations that would allow U.S. citizens to be detained as enemy combatants

Strib calls Kline's behavior "contemptible" and deserving of defeat

From the Strib Editorial page:

"Defeat this November is the deserved consequence for every incumbent member of Congress who has sung with gusto the bunting-draped "We'll fight them over there" chorus that was written and produced for them by the White House. Two especially deserving of that consequence in Minnesota are Rep. Mark Kennedy, who is running for the Senate, and Rep. John Kline, who is running for reelection.

"Kline's behavior has been especially contemptible because he is a retired Marine officer. It's difficult to comprehend that someone of that background would demonstrate so little regard for the troops that he would vigorously support sending them to fight and die in a war that puts their nation at risk.

"The new National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq makes quite clear that Iraq is not the central front in the war on terrorism. It is, rather, the central recruiting office and training ground for new terrorists. The United States needs to find a way out of there. To get out, it needs a transformed Congress capable of forcing a new course on the White House. President Bush refuses to acknowledge the bloody reality he has wrought. The only way he will ever confront that reality is if he is forced, by a Congress stripped of its fall-in-line supporters of the war."

Full Star Tribune editorial here.

JOHN KLINE ON IRAQ

The soldiers and Marines "know why they are in Iraq . ... They know what their mission is. And they understand [as] not everyone here does, that Iraq is the front line in the war against Islamist extremists... ."

Rep. John Kline, R-Minn., in a June 16 speech on the House floor.

John Kline no longer speaks for 'the troops'. Not since he abandoned them to die with inadequate numbers, equipment, leadership, and benefits while fighting his NeoCon War without end.

Who Kline Supports

A Lakeville Dad has a posting on Congressman John Kline …basically showing what we’ve known all along:

'Kline supports racial and religious intolerance' by putting his money into like-minded candidates. According to LD:

1) George Allen, Virginia...... made national headlines when he was videotaped repeatedly calling a dark-skinned youth working for his opponent "macaca," a racial slur; he also incited his crowd to "welcome Macaca to America and the real world of Virginia.

The youth, working for the campaign of former Reagan Secretary of the Navy Jim Webb, was born and raised in Virginia.

2) Katherine Harris, Florida...... a current House colleague of Kline's, Harris recently said that separation of church and state" is a lie" and "If you're not electing Christians, then in essence you are going to legislate sin." She added that "God is the one who chooses our rulers."

Florida's Republican leaders, including the President's brother Gov. Jeb Bush, have refused to back Harris' campaign for the U.S. Senate. But John Kline has.

Military Commanders Say Congress Failed to Ask Tough Questions

The military commanders who served in Iraq have had enough. They want Rumsfeld gone, and they blame Congress for not doing their job. From the Wall Street Journal this morning (subscription required):

Retired military officers on Monday bluntly accused Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld of bungling the war in Iraq, saying U.S. troops were sent to fight without the best equipment and that critical facts were hidden from the public.

"I believe that Secretary Rumsfeld and others in the administration did not tell the American people the truth for fear of losing support for the war in Iraq,'' retired Maj. Gen. John R. S. Batiste said in remarks prepared for a hearing by the Senate Democratic Policy Committee.

A second witness, retired Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton, assessed Mr. Rumsfeld as "incompetent strategically, operationally and tactically." "Mr. Rumsfeld and his immediate team must be replaced or we will see two more years of extraordinarily bad decision-making,'' Gen. Eaton added in testimony prepared for the hearing, held six weeks before the Nov. 7 midterm elections in which the war is a central issue.

The conflict, now in its fourth year, has claimed the lives of more than 2,600 American troops and cost more than $300 billion. Sen. Byron Dorgan (D., N.D.), the committee chairman, told reporters last week that he hoped the hearing would shed light on the planning and conduct of the war. He said majority Republicans had failed to conduct hearings on the issue. Several members of the Senate Democratic leadership were expected to participate in the hearing. Mr. Dorgan said Republican lawmakers had been invited...

It is unusual for retired military officers to criticize the Pentagon while military operations are under way, particularly at a public event likely to draw widespread media attention. But Gens. Batiste, Eaton and retired Col. Paul X. Hammes were unsparing in remarks that suggested deep anger at the way the military had been treated.

All three served in Iraq. Gen. Batiste worked as senior military assistant to then-Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz. Col. Hammes was responsible for establishing bases for the Iraqi armed forces. He served in Iraq in 2004 and is now Marine Senior Military Fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies, National Defense University. Gen. Eaton was responsible for training the Iraqi military and later for rebuilding the Iraqi police force. He said planning for the postwar period was "amateurish at best, incompetent a better descriptor.''

Gen. Batiste, who commanded the Army's First Infantry Division in Iraq, also blamed Congress for failing to ask "the tough questions.'' He said Mr. Rumsfeld at one point threatened to fire the next person who mentioned the need for a postwar plan in Iraq. Gen. Batiste said if full consideration had been given to the requirements for war, it's likely the U.S. would have kept its focus on Afghanistan, "not fueled Islamic fundamentalism across the globe, and not created more enemies than there were insurgents.'' (emphasis added)

Col. Hammes said in his prepared remarks that not providing the best equipment was a "serious moral failure on the part of our leadership.'' The U.S. "did not ask our soldiers to invade France in 1944 with the same armor they trained on in 1941. Why are we asking our soldiers and Marines to use the same armor we found was insufficient in 2003?'' he asked.

Rumsfeld lied. He is "incomepent," his planning "amateurish," and failing to provide troops was a "serious moral failure." It's bad enough that this all happened. What is worse is that it continues. Why? Because there is no congressional oversight. John Kline needs to be held accountable.

Kline's Nixon-Like Tactics

This caught my eye in Saturday's Star Tribune

In December 1971, John Lennon sang at an Ann Arbor, Michigan, concert calling for the release of a man who had been given 10 years in prison for possessing two marijuana cigarettes. The song he wrote for the occasion, "John Sinclair," was remarkably effective. Within days, the Michigan Supreme Court ordered Sinclair released. What Lennon did not know at the time was that there were FBI informants in the audience taking notes on everything from the attendance (15,000) to the artistic merits of his new song. ("Lacking Lennon's usual standards," his FBI file reports, and "Yoko can't even remain on key.")

We laugh now at Nixon's paranoia. But remember what that paranoia led to.

Paul Bartlett hasn't sold a million records. I don't think he's ever recorded one. But he does share one thing with John Lennon. He's also the surveillance target of a paranoid government leader. Instead of Nixon it's Congressman John Kline.

Like Lennon, Paul's crime was taking stance in a very public way -- posting his opinion on the internet. Like Nixon, Kline has paid government employees taking notes, filing them away for who knows what future use. Unlike the above incident we didn't have to wait several decades to find out about it. Kline's staffers were cavalier enough to tell the media they were pulling down blog posts to track a constituent.

If Nixon's tactics had been publicly known in 1971, we could only hope the voters would have been smart enough to toss him out instead of waiting for him to resign in disgrace. In 2006 we already know about John Kline's tactics. We know he employs the racial slur spewing Mike Osskopp on his Congressional staff who encourages verbal intimidation of Rowley volunteers. We know that Kline distorts, flings mud and doesn't want to talk about the issues.

Unlike 1971, we know enough. We've had enough. We can do better. It's time to toss John Kline and his paid goons and paranoids out of Congress.

Kline Blurring The Legal Limits of Office

In recent weeks Rep. John Kline has blurred the firewall between his congressional office (staff, resources, activities) and his campaign office. Let's take a look at just two recent incidents:

1. Kline's racist Director Osskopp used his 'own time' last weekend to protest and heckle veterans in CD2. Hmmm...let's see how much does Kline -via Minnesota taxpayers -pay Osskopp?...at least $70,000+ since July '05. And anyone who watches the video realizes what those of us that we're there saw, Osskopp was directing the protestors. Do you think they saw him as being a volunteer? No, they saw him as he was, a paid staffer for Congressman John Kline organizing and directing at a campaign event!

2.Kline's congressional office is collecting data and information on 'constituents' that differ with him on issues including tracking blog posts. A quick survey of MN US House and Senate delegations show that this is a very uncommon if not improper and inappropriate practice.
This is very scary, and it's at taxpayers expense.

Well it was collected by his congressional office using taxpayers money (staff/time/$) but used for his campaign…at the very best it’s misuse of funds…CD2 voters rather his staff work on supporting issues like healthcare and not furthering Kline's personal re-election campaign.

It's a problematic blur: Kline uses congressional staff to amass data that goes in personal enemy files then uses it as a campaign resourse! What a deal!

Kline's Congressional and Campaign offices are in the building but different areas. Still staff goes between the two offices as has been shown on several occassions. How is their time being accounted for? When I talked to a high level staffer at Congresswomen's Betty McCollum's office, they told me it would entail so much documentation and monitoring and there's still a risk of mistakes by the very nature of wearing more than one hat.

Are Minnesotan's paying for Kline's re-election campaign (resources, staff, data collection and enemy files)? Was the information collected for recent poorly done smears from the Kline campaign done so at taxpayer's expense?

Lastly, Can I now expect his congressional office to download this latest blog posting and file it away for use of his campaign? Obviously given the recent information from an interview with strib reporter Kevin Diaz, the answer is YES:

Bartlett, a frequent Kline critic and Rowley supporter, is well-known to the Kline campaign, which has a lengthy file of his e-mails and blog entries, one of which insult Kline in crude terms.

When I talked with Paul Bartlett this morning, he told me he never sent an email to Kline's campaign office, only this congressional...hmmm

Inside John Kline's Ugly Campaigning

Rep. John Kline(MN-R) offered an 'almost' apology for the behavior of his Director of staff (Mike Osskopp) in using a slur last weekend, But Kline fell short of apologying for the rest of the intimidation, harassing and screaming that was done at his staffer's direction. The full article by Kevin Diaz of the Star Tribune is here.

...Kline's Minnesota director, former state Rep. Mike Osskopp, was seen repeatedly chiding people who arrived in foreign-made cars at the Murtha event at a local VFW hall. Witnesses said they heard Osskopp several times use the word, considered a disparaging term for Japanese. One Rowley supporter, Paul Bartlett, complained Monday to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, noting that Osskopp is a "high-level federal employee." .... "I apologize if my words offended any Americans of Japanese descent, including my sister-in-law," Osskopp said. "I allowed my emotions to get the better of me and used a phrase commonly used in my youth, but which is now inappropriate and offensive."

I'm assuming Mr. Osskopp is about my age (in my 50's) that would make us peers. The slur in my youth was degrading then as it is now. It is a racial slur, which has been used to demean and dehumanize people of Japanese ancestry, and during World War II, the term was used to vilify the enemy. It was meant to be disrespectful then as now. In fact, having lived in Japan for several years I find it particularly hateful and mean. To excuse his behavior as being acceptable in his youth but not now is not correct. It was wrong then...it's wrong now.

But this time the controversial remark was uttered by a campaign aide, and Kline was quick to condemn it. "That's unacceptable now," Kline said. "We've all seen the John Wayne movies about World War II, and then it was acceptable. Now it's not, and [Osskopp] knows that."

Kline may excuse it based on his faulted view of propaganda and hate mongering (even by "Hollywood Liberals'), but that didn't make it acceptable!

Osskopp knew it was unacceptable, but used it because it goes to a pattern of using whatever means necessary to bully and intimidate Coleen Rowley's supporters including veterans and their families. I would also submit that had it not been vidoe taped neither Osskopp or Kline would have responded to our complaints. This is the type of people were dealing with, they are mean and arrogan, .the Kline culture of corruption has bred this type of 'above the law' attitude.

The video also shows a dozen or more protesters, including Osskopp, who says he
was there on his own time

Oh really- So Dave Bailey goes into Kline office before he works for Coleen (as a volunteer) and gets smeared as 'spying for Coleen's campaign', but we're suppose to believe Kline's high level paid staff did this on 'his own time'. Right, can you say double standards and big fat liar?! Which promps me to ask:
1. Can a federal employee really stump for his boss's campaign like that?
2. Who's monitoring what is being done for Kline (the congressman) and therefore for Minnesotans verses Kline (the campaigner) and therefore for....Kline. Isn't this a blurry area and one that might actually be illegal? I certainly don't want my tax money financing Kline's election bid.
3. Osskopp clearly was directing and organizing the protesters. Where's the limits to his behavior? Did they know he was on his 'own time' or where they being directed by a Director on Kline's staff?

Kline staffers said Osskopp's outburst was prompted in part by a Rowley supporter who showed up in a Ford Explorer SUV and blamed Republicans for the loss of his job at the Ford auto plant in St. Paul. Osskopp responded by pointing out a number of foreign-made cars driving into the parking lot, at times pointing and yelling.

Ah, this is really sweet, blame the victims. If only a veteran hadn't shown up and said something to the dozen or so protestors heckling and harrassing him. Then Mr. Osskopp would not have said bad things!

This isn't an excuse that a responsible adult would ever use. Remember 'individual responsibility' is one of the few things that Kline has posted at his campaign site. I guess John doesn't really require that from himself or his staff when it comes to harassing veterans and their families.

When can we expect a real apology for their outrageous behavior against veterans and their families? The above incident was just one of many insults that were screamed at those who came to see a decorated veteran and 30 year Congressman- Murtha. Makes you wonder just how far out of touch with normal people Mr. Kline and his supporters have come to think they can act outside the boundaries of Minnesota nice without being called on it. But times have changed.

More at IMP Inside Minnesota Politics

Kline's Staffer Heckles and Harasses Veterans

IMP calls this "Weirdness in CD2", and it was weird...but there was much more!(Video is at the end of this post, just hit the play button)

What does Congressman Kline have to say about his staffer (Mike Osskopp) and others yelling, heckling, harassing and attempting to intimidate veterans with their friends and family from attending an event in CD2 at the Rosemount VFW hall?

The event was with Congressman Murtha (over 30 years in the House and a decorated veteran), Congressman Oberstar (26 yrs representing Minnesotans), and Coleen Rowley (a retired 24 year FBI agent). All of whom have years of distinquished service meeting the needs of our county.

Does Kline agree and share the same racial slur being shouted at veterans? Did these goons and thugs participate with Kline's knowledge? Since Kline's Director (Osskopp) seemed to be directing things, either (1) Kline was aware and approved of this horrible behavior toward veterans, or (2) Kline has no control of his staff's behavior. Which is it?

This public display was an affront to all veterans. Can we expect an apology from Kline and all of his staff that participated? Will Kline's staff continue to harass veterans in front of all VFW halls or just the one in Rosemount?

It was no surprise about Sunday's disgraceful antics against veterans by John Kline's staff, not when compared to John Kline's disgraceful voting record on providing for our solders and veterans.

Kline On Body Armor

Body Armor


This was posted up on Daily KOS today...it's perfect for John Kline...just put his name in place of Allen. Also the ad was done by Bill Hillsman (creator of Coleen Rowley's award winning website)...Bill certainly can think out of the box.

I blogged on Kline voting against body armor for our troops at the beginning of last year, but not much has changed...

Semper Fi or Faithless?

While John Kline and the Bush administration claim to be strong on National Security, they both have an undeniable solid records of ignoring the needs of our soldiers and veterans.

Next time you see John Kline in uniform, wrapped in a flag, declaring his support for our military...ask him if taking care of our fighting men and women should be a first priority for anyone who claims to be strong on national security like him? And if he says yes, then ask him why his voting record doesn't reflect military support. We all know actions speak louder than words:

Kline's Actions On the battlefield:
Kline isn't providing our soldiers proper or sufficient body armor/humvee armor. Tens of thousands of soldiers deployed to Iraq were outfitted with Vietnam-era flak jackets incapable of stopping an AK-47 round instead of the Army's best body armor because the Bush Administration had failed to procure and provide them with the needed armor kits prior to their deployment.

While John Kline has repeatedly said that body armor is not a problem even Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has said there has been an ongoing shortage of body armor for soldiers in Iraq because the government did not anticipate the scope of the insurgency. A study was recently release that showed 80% of the fatal injuries to Marines might have been prevented by additional armor coverage. Additionally more than 10,000 of the 12,000 Humvees in Iraq are currently without adequate armor. The Bush Administration's Fiscal Year 2005 budget which Kline supported would provide funding for the construction of 818 new armored Humvees, but provides zero funding for upgrading the 10,000 vulnerable vehicles already in Iraq. The Army does not expect a full compliment of heavily armored Humvees to arrive in Iraq for more than another year.

Kline's Actions Off the battlefield:
Both President Bush and John Kline have a lengthy history of opposing any legislation providing health care to soldiers serving on the front lines in Iraq and the War on Terrorism and their families. Despite his recent rhetoric, Both clearly and repeatedly opposed providing reservists and their families with access to military health care. On July 8, 2003, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld stated "If the President is presented a bill that...expands TRICARE, then I would join other senior advisors to the President in recommending that he veto the bill."

On November 6, 2003, Congress (but not John Kline) overrode the President's objections and passed legislation opening the TRICARE program to National Guard and Reserve soldiers and their families for one year. Even though the President signed this legislation, his Administration has refused to implement the law, and thousands of reservists and their families have been denied access to health care. In fact, the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) reports that "the Pentagon has yet to offer any timetable for implementation or give any indication that implementation planning has even begun. Apparently, they're clinging to the hope that they can somehow get out of this responsibility." (Legislative Update, 2/27/04).

Kline Voted Against $53 Million Boost for Veterans Health Care & Benefits. Dependency and Indemnity Compensation. The amendment failed, 213-214.

Kline Voted For the Budget that cut veterans programs (HR95). Kline voted for final passage of the $2.6 trillion budget conference report for 2006. The report cut Medicaid spending by $10 billion, spent every penny of the Social Security surplus, increased the nation deficit by $167.5 billion over 5 years and paved the way for oil drilling in the Arctic additional Wildlife Refuge. Furthermore, the conference report cut funding for veterans' health care by $additional billion over five years. Yet the budget still found room for $106 billion in tax cuts for those who need it the least, wealthy corporations and their owners.

Kline voted against debt assistance for returning Guard & Reservists.

Kline opposed increased spending On Veterans And Homeland Security.

Kline opposed $100 Million increase for Military Personnel. The vote was against a proposal to the budget to increase funding for military health care by $100 million and transitional job training for military personnel by $50 million.

Kline Voted Against Additional Job Assistance to Veterans Returning from Overseas. The vote opposed a motion to a job training reauthorization bill to provide extra assistance to veterans who are returning from conflicts overseas.

Kline Voted Against Full Retirement & Disability Benefits For All Veterans. A motion fund full disability and retirement benefits for all of the nation's veterans.

Kline Voted against providing the highest levels of funding for veterans' medical care(HJR 2) and President Bush's full request for Homeland Security funding.

Record US Trade Deficit Under John Kline

At Kline's campaign website he devotes no space to issues, and one letter to readers explaining how he's for a strong economy. If that's the case, then I guess it's time to give Kline his failing grade:

The U.S. trade deficit has reached an all-time high of $68 BILLION! as soaring oil prices and a cooling economy bring the gap to $68 billion. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, America spent a record amount on foreign oil and have lost nearly 3 million manufacturing jobs since Bush took office in 2000.

U.S. exports edged down 1.1 percent to $120 billion while imports rose to a record high of $188 billion, an increase of 1 percent from the June level. America's foreign oil bill climbed 4.8 percent to an all-time high of $28.5 billion,

Folks this isn’t rocket science. This represents the ‘selling- off of America". When we import more than we export, we are sending US money to foreign countries. Is it any wonder that we're finding it harding and harding to make ends meet? John Kline says he stands for 'faith and family, freedom and individual responsibility ' Where's his 'personal responsibility' for the selling of America and it's record deficit?

Polls show Kline/Rowley Race Tight

This came out of a MN Gubernatorial and US Congress polling by the coordinated campaign. It’s for SD38 (numbers from other SDs in CD2 are showing similar results). It shows what we've suspected all along: the CD2 Congressional race is much tighter and Kline's seat is at risk. Which would explain (but not excuse) Kline's repeated negative attacks.

The polling shows:

For all voters:

• Rowley 42%
• Kline 45 %
• Undecided 13%
  

The chart shows the breakdown within groups.

SD38 is Eagan, situated within spitting distance of the residences of Governor Pawlenty, GOP operative Michael B. Brodkorb, and State Auditor Pat Anderson (Awada). It would be so sweet to turn this area congressionally blue. Fact: John Kerry beat George Bush in Senate District 38 (Eagan/Burnsville) by 467 votes, so this is a race Democrats can win!

There is more good news for Coleen Rowley's campaign....their own polling coming out of CD2 (shortly) shows that the majority of the 'undecided voters' would vote for Coleen over Kline once they know who she is, and a large percent refuse to vote for any incumbent. Kline and his mentor Bu$h also have similar approval ratings.

Also take a look at ‘A Lakeville Dad’ where it exposes John Kline’s financial links to 7 of the 8 most corrupted members of congress.

There’s just no end to the bad news today for Kline.

(note- 09.14) I made a coorection today when it was brought to my attention I had a number typo...Kline has 45% (instead of 48!)...which makes this race all the more closer!)

John Kline's Support of The Corporate Welfare Gravy Train

While Congressman Kline says he’s fiscally conservative, he has voted and supported the Bu$hCo administration straight down the ticket for the Iraq war and it’s cost over rides and free spending ways. Robert Greenwald*'s latest film, Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers is a devastating expose of how the Bush administration and the Republican-led Congress with John Kline has allowed private corporations free rein in Iraq. This leads to billions of dollars in profits at the expense of American troops, American taxpayers, and the people of Iraq.

This documentary will leave you wondering how Kline could ever be considered a fiscal responsible or a military leader. The most hard-hitting facts in the documentary appear in the section where former Halliburton and KBR employees talk about the massive fraud that these companies perpetrated on the American people. They include stories of the company’s managers driving $40,000+ vehicles like Hummers and Escalades around the Kuwait compound, stories about trucks running empty in both directions in convoys, to only feeding soldiers at select mealtimes because they are paid by the meal and not by the hour (this enabled them to be attacked during known mealtimes!).

The companies ran up huge tabs under a system called Cost Plus that seem to give them unlimited freedom to spend. Make no excuses, this was done during Kline's watch and under his leadership.

Cost Plus = Corporate Welfare Gravy Train
Along with being a resounding condemnation of war profiteers and their political enablers such as John Kline, the hits-you-in-the-gut documentary highlights shocking incompetence! It makes a mockery of the GOP's "we can keep you safer" 2006 framing. The movie will leave you asking…how exactly? Much like the majority of Americans (60%) are now asking this very same question.

Iraq is nothing more than a corporate welfare gravy train, funneling billions to corporations that think nothing of cutting corners that affect our troops. They supply contaminated water to U.S. soldiers or charge $45 for a six-pack of soda -- all while leaving the people of Iraq dealing with wide-scale food, gasoline, and electrical shortages (to say nothing of a security situation so bad, people are having to change their names to avoid being killed).

The condemnation of war profiteering should be a bipartisan no-brainer. But the GOP with John Kline is committed to protecting the obscene profits of private companies. Ask John Kline to stop voting for this war and start voting for contractor accountability. While you’re at it, ask him how much money he’s received from war profiteers. When the final page is written on America’s catastrophic Iraqi War, one word will dominate the explanation of U.S. failure—corruption and the GOP Congress (John Kline) that allowed it.

*Greenwald, the master of the issue-doc (Uncovered, Outfoxed, Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price)
Hat Tip to HP

Had Enough of Kline? Vote Rowley!

From Mike McIntee:

Things worked out so well with the first version of the "had enough" video that the Executive Producer and the musicians who did the song have done a special version specific for Coleen Rowley's race against John Kline. It also happens to be 60 seconds long... perfect for TV or radio use.

Follow the bouncing ball and sing along as it's "Time to throw John Kline out".

Howie Klein (Executive Producer of the music) is willing to help out other progressive campaigns with this video. He's done custom audio versions for several congressional campaigns and Mike McIntee is cutting the video versions as fast as he can. If you know of a U.S. House or Senate campaign that could use this kind of help, contact Mike.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKw92D82XHY

If you like the video, pass it along to your friends and go to YouTube.com to rate it.

Got a blog? Post it up...

And vote Coleen Rowley!

The DeKline of Afghanistan

A tape of Osama bin Laden and other al Qaeda members purportedly preparing for the Sept. 11 attacks aired on the Arab television station Al Jazeera today. The tape is said to have been filmed in Afghanistan. Al Jazeera said before airing the video that it is new and shows bin Laden personally and directly supervising the planning of the attacks.

A recent report showed Afghanistan to be as dangerous as Iraq. Across Afghanistan, roadside bomb attacks are up by 30 percent; suicide bombings have doubled. Statistically it is now nearly as dangerous to serve as an American soldier in Afghanistan as it is in Iraq.

In addition, most of the country is beyond USA control including the heroin production which is at record high levels… Afghanistan retook its place as the world's leading producer of heroin last year, after US-led forces overthrew the Taleban which had banned cultivation of opium poppies.

Given all the above it is worth asking again what Bu$hCo is trying to achieve in Afghanistan? When lawlessness is as rampant as it is in Iraq, and they both have the same missing or inadequate strategies with no clear purpose, yet Americans are dying, then it’s time to reassess. The Afghanistan theater of operations should be drawing to a close. The US objectives should have been clear from the start. One of those objectives should be the destruction of the al-Qaida terror network and its leader, Osama bin Laden. But somehow, Bu$h with Kline's full support has not done either, establish a clear directive or fulfilled the mandate of 911.

The GOP cites Afghanistan as a success. In particular John Kline who in January of 2005 led a Congressional Delegation expedition to Afghanistan and Iraq to assess the progress of U.S. operations in support of the emerging democracies there. He was able to evaluate in his terms ‘the tremendous success of elections’ in Afghanistan and survey conditions.

If it’s so successful Congressman Kline, where is Bin Laden? Remember Osama bin Laden? He's the guy who attacked us on 9/11. He's the guy we were after when we plunged militarily into Afghanistan. He's the guy who President Bush proclaimed he wanted "dead or alive” while pulling troops out of Afghanistan to attack Iraq. Here, let me make it easy on you, just watch his videos!

Mud by any other Name is still Mud

At the Kline Kampaign they fling mud by the truckload and then get upset when some of it splatters on them.

This past week the Star Tribune correctly labeled the latest expensive glossy ad attack on a Coleen Rowley campaign volunteer as "mud-slinging". Kline Spokesperson Marcus Esmay, was offended that the Strib called it mudslinging. He would rather call it "truth-telling".

We know John Kline supports making English the official language of the U.S., so we're sure that he'll endorse our presentation of the English to Kline / Kline to English translation dictionary, first edition. Please use it when you need to translate non-english comments or documents from the Kline Kamp.

English to Kline
Mudslinging = Truth Telling
Pro Immigration Rally= Riot
Disgraced Congressman Tom Delay = Campaign Fund Source
Vandalism = Ethical Campaign Practices
Jason Lewis "Mr. Right" = Unbiased debate moderator
Campaign Donation Law Violations = No Comment
Open Mind = Extreme Liberal
Biggest US Deficit = Fiscal Conservative
Anyone who disagrees with Donald Rumsfeld = Terrorist
Affordable Health Care = Wacky Liberal Position
Supporting Bush Positions 94% of the time = Independent Thinking
Oil Co. Campaign Cash Donations = Sound economic reasons for ANWAR Oil Drilling
Slashing Veteran Benefits = Pro Veteran
Cutting Environment and Education = Strong on Community

We know our translation dictionary is far from complete. Help us help the world understand John Kline. Please add more translations in our comments section. This has been a public service announcement from Dump John Kline.