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Thoughts Flow Freely as Coleman Speaks at August Dinner
After spending all day at the Minnesota State Fair, Senator Norm Coleman found time to share his thoughts with a record crowd at the August Full Committee Dinner. Listening to his ideas and recollections of the last few years as senator was often like drinking from a fire hose. Thoughts came fast and furious as he recalled conversations with now Chief Justice John Roberts and his thoughts on the importance of this year’s midterm elections.
He urged the assembled Republicans to work hard this fall. As he stated, “Do it the old fashioned way” and earn the right to serve the people. He looks forward to having Mark Kennedy as a colleague in the senate next year, the return of Governor Tim Pawlenty, and the election of Jeff Johnson as Attorney General. In recalling his first 25 years as a Democrat in Brooklyn, New York, he said he still has the same values. The difference is the Republicans have the positive vision to implement those values. Those values, he stated, are at stake this fall. “This is not a game,” he said. “It’s not time to put whiners in charge. They have no experience in running the country in time of war.”
Recalling his election to the senate during that turbulent time following the tragic death of Senator Paul Wellstone, he understood its importance when he met with Judge John Roberts prior to the Supreme Court confirmation hearings. Roberts told him he would not have been in that position had it not been for Norm Coleman. Coleman was elected as the 51st Republican senator, giving the GOP the majority in the U.S. Senate. Roberts recalled that he was confirmed as an appellate judge as a result. Had that not occurred, he would not have been nominated to the Supreme Court.
On the war on terror, Senator Coleman connected the dots. Missiles raining on Israel during the recent conflict were manufactured in China, sold to Iran, shipped to Syria, and finally provided to Hezbollah. “Rumsfeld is right about the parallel to the 1930’s,” he said. The terrorists have told us what they plan to do. All we need to do is listen. He related that intelligence programs during World War II discovered German plots that were eventually the downfall of the Nazi threat. He said, “I fear if those who say we shouldn’t listen to al Qaeda talking to al Qaeda had their way in the past, we wouldn’t have discovered the German plots in World War II.”
On taxes, Coleman said Minnesota is now 10th in tax burden. That’s a good thing. He emphasized that we need to extend the President’s tax cuts. If not, it will mean a 58% increase in taxes for the average middle class American. He said its wrong to say that cutting the capital gains tax cost us $26 billion in tax revenue. The facts show that it actually resulted in a $38 billion gain. He stated to applause from the gathered, “We will make the tax cuts permanent.”
After taking questions from the audience, Coleman closed by quoting an old political phrase, “A leader without followers is just a guy taking a walk.” He says the next 10 weeks will determine what kind of state we will have. “It time for you to bring our candidates home to victory.”
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Minnesota Senate District 41 Republicans
Edina Community Center, Suite 323, 5701 Normandale Road, Edina, Minnesota 55424
phone - (952) 848-4272 / fax - (952) 848-4271
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E-mail: sd41gop@hotmail.com
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