Roxanne Abbas
rabbas@usinternet.com

Minnesotans for Personal Responsibility—PawLenty for Us!—present Governor Tim Pawlenty with a Golden Bush Award

Photos by tBottolene/CircleVision.org
http://circlevision.org/archive/2009/050509pawlenty/0505091.html

See Fran E. May’s speech on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2Hfysbepj4

On Tuesday, May 5, 2009, Minnesotans for Personal Responsibility(MPR) presented Governor Tim Pawlenty with a Golden Bush Award in honor of his continuation of George W. Bush’s policies of tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations, not social services to families, children, the elderly or disabled.

It was a gala affair! MC Georgette Murdoch presided, with speeches by Mrs. I.M. Rich, Education Chair of MPR, dripping in diamonds, of course, Falinda River, Transportation Chair of MPR, who complemented her Christmas red hair with a red feather boa and dress and a red, white and blue hat), and M. Antoinette Sans Tete, Head (so to speak) of the MPR Erase Entitlement Committee (in a che’ che’ lace-adorned dress, with pompadour. MC Georgette wore her straw sheriff’s hat with the red star and cowboy shirt in honor of George W.

The presentation ceremony took place on the Capitol steps in St. Paul.
The Golden Bush was then taken to Governor Pawlenty’s Capitol office and formally presented by Mrs. I.M. Rich, where it will reside for posterity.

Below are excerpts from some of the award speeches.

Mrs. I.M. Rich, Education Chair of MPR. I am here to thank our illustrious Governor for all he has done to emphasize the importance of personal responsibility. . . . For years the state has assumed responsibility for education, but in today’s economy it is essential for others to step up to the plate. . . . Educational needs are a luxury. . . . And there are other sources of funds: bake sales, car washes—as American as apple pie.

But this is all chickie feed. Corporate globalization is the mantra of today and demands a reevaluation of education. . . . Workers don’t need higher education. The state can actually save money by cutting the budget of state schools such as the University of Minnesota and other higher learning institutions. . . . In closing, education must be looked at as a tool, a tool to be shaped by corporate needs.

Dim Murphy, CEO, A Lie & Tech. The Iraq and Afghanistan Wars—while they have caused millions of deaths—have been a boon for weapons-producing corporations. I’m proud to say we are a major producer of cluster bombs and depleted uranium munitions. We benefit from the over $3 billion a week the U.S. spends on these wars, and we need to continue them to make even more money! And we are extremely grateful to him for the magnificent reductions in corporate and business taxes that he has promoted.

Fran E. May, President, Foreclosures, Inc. Hey, is this one heckuva time to be in the foreclosure business! We used to be in the mortgage industry, but you gotta go where the money is – and right now it’s foreclosures!!! Yes, many people have lost their jobs, but it is not government’s role to assist families! It is the government’s role to help businesses – Wall Street, banks, mortgage companies, corporations – not families!

What’s wrong with living in your car for awhile? Living in a tent? Roughing it a little?? Our Minnesota ancestors were hardy. . . . The new Minnesota – Pawlenty’s Minnesota – is a leaner, meaner state. . . .Minnesotans for Personal Responsibility applaud Governor Pawlenty for promoting a Minnesota where it’s everyone for themselves!!

Mrs. Iva Lot O’Moony, Member, MPR. I am here to discuss the disgrace of health care in this state. Until we stop access to healthcare though those tax-payer supported socialist organizations like country hospitals and Minnesota Care, those deadbeats won’t realize they can’t get something for nothing! And. . . it encourages dependence on addictions, like prescription drugs—and all those visits to clinics for chemotherapy or dialysis.

Remember! For health insurance companies, the higher the pay, the more top-notch the talent! We can’t have those leaders distracted by worrying about their future! Fund those golden parachutes.

Our governor, Tim Pawlenty, has supported profit-based health care on the backs of the deadbeat poor. That is why we recognize him today with the Golden Bush award.

Vets for Peace are getting close to the end of their Annual Canoe Raffle, with the Drawing on the 13th (or 14th). It is 2.00 a ticket for a chance to win a beautiful cedar canoe raffle that is handbuilt by a Veteran.

Call the office for tickets or what events they might be selling them at.
Phone # 612-821-9141.

And then WAMM is having their 2nd Annual “Walk Against Weapons”. 2 years ago, Alliant Tech, who makes cluster bombs and other horrific weapons moved their headquarters from Edina to a fortified campus in Eden Prairie.

http://www.worldwidewamm.org/special/walk09/walk09.html

WAMM is doing a fundraising walk from the old headquarters to the new one in Eden Prairie. Just like the cancer, and diabets walks.. this one is to raise money. Get your sign up sheet online, and print it off and get some sponsers and join us for a WALK AGAINST WEAPONS. We will have music along the way, and for tired walkers a van will pick you up.

Participate in the second annual WAMM Walk Against Weapons, a three-mile walk from Bakers Square to Alliant Techsystems (ATK) in Eden Prairie. The Walk Against Weapons is a fundraiser for WAMM and is in collaboration with AlliantACTION, a local group that holds weekly vigils at ATK, the largest Minnesota-based military contractor.

Anonymous donors will contribute $5.00 per mile to all participants under the age of 30. All those who qualify must simply mention that they are under 30 upon registration the day of the walk. Use the pledge form and start raising funds today!

http://www.worldwidewamm.org/special/walk09/walk09.html

Since Rebecca Abbas is in Ramstead’s old district, maybe she could “lobby” Senator Bonoff to vote no on the Iran Divestment Bill. Start small and work her way up.

I”m sure WAMM, Vets for Peace, and MAP have worked together for many years and don’t need help with talking to Legislatures. Since not one of these 3 groups were interviewed for this article, I’m curious to know if they know they have been lumped together.

I think WAMM is 26 years old, and Vets for Peace has been around since the 80’s. I don’t recall either group being “lobbiests”, more of out reach, empowerment, and education.

What a confusing article that was written, but it was enough to bring out comments from the “military, pro-war, rahrah blog site” on the 1st comment response, that the groups must be doing something right.

There’s a good story behind the recent police consent decree victory which can be attributed to ACLU assistance over many months. In essence the police were violating the First Amendment by ticketing only those motorists who honked for peace instead of all the other indiscriminate honking that occurs. We found that no other motorist had ever been ticketed in Burnsville before our peace vigil started.

Additionally, our peace vigil stands right on the running route of the new Army/Marine recruits so we have pamphlets prepared by the Vets for Peace to hand to them when they have to run by. It’s very sad as most of the military recruits are grossly overweight and can only run for a half block so they are not moving too fast when they go by us.

Anyone who would like to stand vigil with us is invited–we have plenty of signs, banners and counter military propaganda pamphlets.