By: owatonna_guy on 6/13/10
He also voted for that abortion of a health care plan, that pretty much un-does everything he has done.

By: Mike on 6/13/10
Are you sure, owatonna_guy, you don't mean that "He's a Democrat, so that pretty much un-does everything good he has done"? Can't we disagree with some of any politician's actions and still appreciate his good ones?

By: BB5960 on 6/13/10
Mike, I agree with owatonna_guy. The health care plan is terrible and Walz needs to go.

By: NotAMoron on 6/13/10
I love people who pretend to know what the health care plan will do because of a couple news stories and a little internet research. To judge people's entire character off one vote in which YOU owatonna_guy and BB5960 more than likely do not really understand...well, it's a little pathetic.

Do I claim to know the healthcare bill? No. I just know the basics like most of the rest of the population. To really understand and make a final judgment of "good" or "bad" would take weeks of research, not just some self-entitled white people who are passionate about hating poor people.

Not only that, but something as complex as the healthcare bill is impossible to label as good or bad when there is so much contained within it.

This article is about Tim Walz's veteran services, nothing more. You two are very narrow-minded and irrational for wanting a politician to go based on ONE vote. There are so many factors that go into congressional decisions that I and DEFINITELY both of you do not understand.

You should have argued, "I am going to vote against Tim Walz because he is a democrat, and generally I trust republicans more because most of their viewpoints are in line with my own." That would have been better than trying to justify voting against Walz because of healthcare. Let's not pretend this isn't a partisan argument. I generally support democrats, and you probably generally support republicans. But both sides have merit. It's blind arrogant people like you bringing this country down.

(Arrogant as in, republicans are right most of the time, while democrats are wrong most of the time, or vice versa)

So please, next time, make sure you are educated before you make ridiculous judgments.

By: TheMole on 6/13/10
does he really care about the veterans or does he care about their votes, for him of course?...

By: owatonna_guy on 6/13/10
Hey Moron. I'm a vet as well, and presented a vet problem to his office a couple of years ago. Guess what? He did nothing. My issues with him run deeper than his vote for Obamocare, I knew him when he was a CSM, he was political then as he is now.

By: Mike on 6/13/10
So this is a personal grudge?

By: owatonna_guy on 6/13/10
You take it how ever you want Mike, but the fact remains that a veteran presented a veterans issue to his office and he has done nothing. TheMole nailed it as far as I'm concerned, he cares about their votes more than anything.

By: Mike on 6/13/10
Obviously Rep. Walz is not "caring more about their vote than anything" or he would have vied for your vote too when you presented this supposed "vet's issue." What I read from your posts leads me to believe you would not vote for him no matter what he did or did not do. So, go ahead and vote for that Republican who has answered your every need.

By: WhoisJohnGalt on 6/13/10
The fact that Walz lied about being an Afghanistan War Vet means nothing to you, Mike? Or that he lied when he promised to vote against any health care bill that was A)not deficit neutral or B)allowed federal funding for abortion.

Three lies makes three strikes.

By: Mike on 6/13/10
I suppose he also coined the phrase "Weapons of Mass Destruction"?

By: owatonna_guy on 6/13/10
Mike, you seem to be pretty fond of this guy what is your relationship to him?

My issues with him are neither democrat or republican as you like to argue. My issue is the guy says one thing and does something else. Plain and simple.

He garnered quite a few votes from veterans when he first ran and I will admit I voted for him, based on the fact that he was a career soldier, and his stance on veterans issues. However now that he has been in office for almost a full term he has shown me very little of what he said to get voted in.

Add to that his claiming to be an OEF veteran, going to Italy in support of OEF and actually having the sand in you ass to prove you been there are two different things. He is not getting my vote again.

By: Mike on 6/13/10
So be it. I just think he's done a good job. If you don't, vote for someone you think will do better. I have no more need to defend my opinion than you have to disagree with it.

By: bajamn on 6/14/10
That's really interesting.... Let's see I contacted his office to try to get some help for my brother who's a veteran who's very ill and after 1 week of not hearing back, I contacted him again and was given an assistant to help me. Not sure how this article can come off saying he's for the veterans. Just ask my brother who's cancer has now spread while waiting for a response from the VA just because of the current VA system in place that supposed to take care of him. What a joke!!!

By: civiltongued on 6/14/10
Last year, Marlene Nelson wrote a letter to the editor praising Walz for helping her family with a veteran's issue. That would be high praise from that woman.

By: secretsquirrel on 6/15/10
Speaking to the health care reform bill: If I had to choose one solitary inclusion that, in my mind, would require NOT passing it, it would be the fact that coverage is required by law. My opinion and belief is that it's wrong regardless of intent and anyone who voted for this should not be allowed to continue serving.
It was a shoot-from-the-hip answer to something that is nowhere near as pressing as our economy and employment issues.
Those who voted for this bill should be ashamed.

By: oatmeal on 6/15/10
As a vet myself I've followed his performance on vets issues. He has outclassed almost all in congress, republican and democrat alike in his support for vets. Also, I have spoken with many vets who have been assisted by his office. Most are greatly satisfied. Some have issues that can't be resolved and some are simply wrong in their complaints, as such, don't merit relief even with the congressman's assistance. Walz wins high praise from vetrans groups because he's earned it.

By: commoncitizen on 6/15/10
Whether to voter or who to vote for is an individual decision. I see some veterans complaining that Waltz did not fix the problem. Just what exactly would like him to do? Everyone complains when a congressman does a favor for someone else, but he better remember me. Sounds like a real subjective perspective if you ask me. Abortion is legal and personal decision. We are the only species that perpetuates its sick and weak. I would support this, but who carries the burden after the parents are gone. How many anti-abortion individuals have volunteered to take in the physically and mentally handicapped when there are no family members to take care of the individual. At this time they become a burden on the community. The same community that wants to cut these kinds of programs because they are social welfare issues. I am pro choice, not pro abortion. I would hope that others would be so open minded.

By: WhoisJohnGalt on 6/15/10
This letter might be a little more believable if Mr Hackerson had been up front and identified himself as the DFL co-chair for SD 26.

By: kadrmas21 on 6/15/10
HAha, whoops for Hackerson. Guess he is just a hack for the democrat party. Nice job tricky Ricky.

By: kadrmas21 on 6/15/10
I also agree that Walz, and it is well known among anyone that actually knows anything about him, lied about being an Afghanistan War Vet. Yes while he was in the military and overseas during the beginning of the war in Afghanistan, he served in Italy for 6 months. It would be like claiming you were a World War 2 vet but in fact you never left the states.

President Reagan was in the Army during World War 2 but made it a point to always say he was not a World War 2 veteran. He said he was in the Army during World War 2 which he was, but he never left California, he served as an Army Officer in the Military Motion Picture division in San Francisco which made training films.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the idiot that is a hero to the right for some reason is another hypocrite. He claims to be a Korean War Veteran and often boasts about this but he is distorting the truth by doing this. Yes he was in the Army during the Korean War, that part is true. However he served his tour in France and not in Korea.

By: kadrmas21 on 6/15/10
You guys are also wasting your time with Mike. He is a well known liberal hack. Walz could claim to be a supporter of Hitler and Mike because he has nothing in between his ears and doesn't know how to shut that hole in his face would continue to follow blindly in lock step. He is the type of person that would vote for Hitler because 'that is others thought was right'.

By: Mike on 6/15/10
Wow! Hitler?!? We can diagree, kadrmas21, but can't we do it civilly?

By: kadrmas21 on 6/15/10
Ha, that was civil Mike.

By: BB5960 on 6/16/10
NotAMoron...hello I run a small business, I just talked to my health insurance rep and they cannot figure out how in the world healthcare will become more affordable under this new bill. It's junk! It was written before Obama was president and he was told to pass it no matter what it takes. Heck, Obama doesn't even know what's all in it! This does not involve Democrat verses Republican. A healthcare bill needs to be passed with a full majority of Congress, because quite frankly we are AMERICANS and no matter the party, we all get sick the SAME. This president and Congress do not respect our Constitution and we saw that with the passage of the healthcare bill. With that, Walz needs to go.

By: RealityCheck on 6/16/10
Well, well, well, it didn't take long for the old NAZI accusation to come out, did it?

Mike, whom I do not know, is one of the most level headed and intelligent bloggers on this site. It is your right to disagree with him, and myself, and others who grow tired of the same old, same old, from the conservative set: "What's mine is mine, and I don't care about the rest of the world."

If anyone here actually followed the process of how the health car law was drafted, it was with the idea of STARTING the changes. The law is not the embodiment of the changes. It will be amended over time, and the kinks will be worked out. Medicare and Social Security started out the same way. A mess. But Congress amended both systems over time, to suit the times, and to adapt to them. They are both due for more changes, and that is also on the horizon.

This is the process of democracy. Things change, and you change the laws to help lead the people of this country forward. ALL people. Not just British Petroleum, Goldman Sachs, and AT&T.

Walz gets that. Obama gets that. Klobuchar gets that. Franken gets it. Hell, Jessie Ventura got it, but couldn't get the idiots in St. Paul to work with him.

Thanks to oatmeal and others here for their common sense as well.

Minds are like parachutes. They only function when OPEN.

By: TheMole on 6/16/10
so RC to have an open mind we need to think like you??? Wow, you sure think alot of yourself.

By: kadrmas21 on 6/16/10
Yes RC does. He/she needs to do a reality check of their own life.

By: Mike on 6/17/10
Whereas TheMole and kadrmas21 always comport themselves with utmost humility and respect for others' opinions, of course. :) No one holds a monopoly on reasonable opinions, but reasonable people can disagree. Unreasonable people resort to personal attacks.

By: TheMole on 6/17/10
RC's last sentence made me think that to have a mind like an open parachute one needed to think like him and if you don't they are closed minded. I think there a lot of closed minded people on each side of any issue. Just a matter of perspective.

By: OIF_VeT507 on 6/17/10
I am a veteran of OIF. I was stationed in Germany. My family contacted Tim Walz and he got ahold of me. My dad is terminally ill. Tim Walz got ahold of my command and 3 days later I was sent home to Ellendale. Now I am stationed in Missouri 10 hours away from home. No other Senator or Representative has done anything like that to me.
Tim Walz's Veterans affairs clerkm John Peirce, stuck with me through the whole thing. He called every other day to make sure my stuff was getting handled.
If you are having issues with your vet stuff your not talking to the right person or going through the right chains.

By: RealityCheck on 6/17/10
I admit to being very closed minded about some things, particularly:

1.close minded people. :D
2.chronic Bible quoters who neither understand it nor follow its teachings.i.e. be nice to each other and do things for each other instead of bashing each other and looking for ways to separate and sort people. Jesus was not promoting a club. He was promoting an IDEA. Many of you still do not get that.
3. so called Christians who use their religion as a club with which to beat any so called non-believer in their personal opinion.
4. racism and religious bigotry.
5. anyone who is going to tell another person what they can and cannot do to their bodies, medically speaking.

That's the short list.

By: ksanh68 on 6/17/10
I see "close-minded" often used as a discussion ending cop-out when presenting ones position. When in fact being “close-minded” may actually be intellectually honest open-mindedness. You're accusing others of being in possession of the now-rare ability to have both an opinion and a willingness to engage different points of view without systematically presuming the inferiority of your own.

There is a misguided but common sentiment here that in order to be able to consider another opinion, you cannot have your own convictions on the topic.

Consider that being “close-minded” does not mean that you actually wield a stagnant and insulated mind, but rather, that you have the gall to use that mind, with all of its convictions and opinions, to engage the minds of those around you without apology.

You can contribute your own beliefs while examining those of others found on these threads.

While nothing is contributed by thinking that one has an answer for every situation or clinging to one’s opinion in the face of contrary facts, or belligerently forcing what you think is correct onto the minds of others.

Just a thought.

By: ambulancechaser on 6/17/10
rc--just a question, what IDEA do you believe Jesus was promoting? i know thread isn't about that, but i'm just curious.

another question, does govt involvement lead to more regulations or less? i think we all know the answer to that question. so therefore, isn't it likely that their involvement in health insurance will lead to more regulations; therefore, coming into conflict with #5 on your list?

also, is it okay for someone to tell me i have to purchase something if not having it is only going to affect me?

By: Mike on 6/17/10
Can anyone truly predict that life's health circumstances will never affect or cost anyone but himself? Can anyone truly say that another's having no health insurance will not affect him and did not ever affect him, even before the recent healthcare initiatives?

To tie to the original point, isn't the outcry of those who argue that Rep. Walz (as a representative of government) has not helped some veteran sufficiently with his or her healthcare (though Rep Walz has apparently helped many) a cry for government's obligation to help those veterans who need healthcare? Don't many citizens serve their country productively and patriotically, both in and outside of military service? What's good for veterans may well be good for all!

By: TheMole on 6/17/10
RC-I ask again--so you are not closed minded but everyone else who doesn't believe like you is???

I think anyone who has strong views who are not willing to listen to the person's view is closed minded.

So, that could mean anyone on this board-even you.

By: RealityCheck on 6/17/10
Mole: I listen (read) opposing views every time I go to this blog. In fact, most of the bloggers here have contrary opinions to mine, and I never said none of you have the right to express, or think, those thoughts. However, it always seems that when I present valid facts that include logic, research, precident, etc. that the content of my character is then assassinated instead of any attempt being made to grasp what I am saying.

ksahn68: You are so wrapped up in your own bubble that you cannot even fathom the exhaustingly circular nature of your own comments. By the time you are done its virtually impossible to understand any point you might be trying to make. Try shorter posts.

Ambulancechaser- You pay for other people's health care NOW. You pay it in higher insurance to cover the uninsured. You pay it in unnecessarily high drug costs. You pay it in overpriced clinic visits to cover the costs of taxes on medical services, because gosh darn it hospitals and doctors sure as hell won't pay their own taxes. The new health care plan might just ease off the amount you pay for other people and more of it will go towards your own health care.

And HONESTLY, Ambulance...in the wake of the Wall Street meltdown, the West Virginia coal mine disaster that killed 25 people, and the oil rig explosion and leak in the gulf that killed 11 people, and countless species of ocean dwelling participants in our food chain that we used to eat...are you saying we still need LESS REGULATION?

Who's the idiot here?

By: TheMole on 6/17/10
RC-I ask again--so you are not closed minded but everyone else who doesn't believe like you is???

I think anyone who has strong views who are not willing to listen to the person's view is closed minded.

So, that could mean anyone on this board-even you.

By: TheMole on 6/18/10
RC-you do read but your response like-"...Minds are like parachutes. They only function when OPEN."

This suggests to me you have the open mind and everyone else has a closed mind.

Maybe I am missing something...

By: pookah on 6/20/10
I'm throwing in the Federal Reserve and its Wall Street banking shareholders as the main reason behind the meltdown, the coal disaster, and the oil explosion and spill.

Margin call, everyone!

By: RealityCheck on 6/22/10
Mole- if not close-minded, then grossly MIS-INFORMED.

Take your pick.