Liberty & Prosperity Blog

A significant portion of Rep. Tim O'Driscoll's latest legislative update focuses on affordability, especially health insurance snd tax affordability. For instance, Rep. O'Driscoll wrote "In our commerce committee, we held a conversation with health insurance providers about ways to keep premium costs down, and how to make health insurance more affordable. UCare recently left the insurance market due to insolvency, leaving fewer companies available for consumers. We know that any time the legislature adds mandates to health insurance companies, it only increases costs to the purchaser. When the insurance becomes too expensive, people drop their coverage. Keeping health insurance affordable is a top legislative priority, and that means limiting mandates at the state level." When Steve Gottwalt chaired the House Health Care Reform Committee, he told me that the state of Minnesota applied over 60 different health insurance mandates. While I don't know how many ma...

Finding out that the DFL is filled with partisan hacks is as surprising as finding out that Iran is a terrorist nation. Walter Hudson's weekly legislative update highlights this week's DFL chicanery. In his update, Rep. Hudson writes "Let’s start with what happened during a House Taxes Committee hearing Wednesday. Democrats voted in unison to block federal tax conformity language that would save Minnesota job creators money at zero cost to the state. To repeat: this legislation would cost the state nothing, but it would immediately reduce costs for Minnesota businesses, allowing them to invest more in jobs, production, and research and development. It’s economic expansion at no cost to the state, yet Democrats still voted 'no.'" At this point, I'm asking if being a partisan hack what DFL politicians specialize in. Rep. Hudson's next question is followed by the answer to his question. Rep. Hudson wrote "Why? Because Orange Man bad." If I was ...

Years ago, I said that the definition of a moderate Democrat was "a Democrat running for office." In other words, Democrats sounded moderate until they'd gotten elected, at which time they turned into 'Grandpa' Bernie Sanders. That's the biography of Virginia Gov. Abigail SCAMBERGER Spanberger. She campaigned on the mantra of 'affordability', then turned into a tax-hiking Democrat machine. Hugo Gurdon's latest column opens by saying "In her trim blue suits, she gives or gave the impression of being ready to govern the commonwealth efficiently and effectively. But looks deceive, and you cannot judge this book by its cover. If you had never seen her kempt conventional exterior and were to base your expectations only on reading a list of her actions since taking office on Jan. 17, you’d picture a radical leftist of the most repellent kind, perhaps replete with purple hair and a pierced eyebrow." In Minnesota, her type of Democrat would be ...

It's become clear that the DFL isn't taking this session seriously . The first example of this is Rep. Dave Pinto's interest "in hearing about the 'benefits of shoplifting.'" As Rep. Mary Franson, GOP-Alexandria, put it "Retailers across the state are battling organized theft and repeated shoplifting that threatens their ability to stay open. Instead of entertaining arguments that attempt to justify theft, lawmakers should be focused on protecting businesses, backing law enforcement, and making sure criminals are held accountable." That makes sense in light of the Medicaid Fraud Fiasco. Nothing belongs to anyone except those who are willing to steal it. That's the basis upon which socialism is built. In socialist systems, private property doesn't really exist. Similarly, prosperity doesn't exist with the DFL. With the DFL, there are 2 groups of people: oligarchs and ATMS. Let me explain with this example: In a separate hearing, Rep. L...

Most times, I don't pay attention to government shutdowns. When Sen. Schumer shuts government down, though, I pay attention because he always misreads the people and the situation. That's the final diplomatic thing I'll say about Sen. Schumer's shutdown. Other than Sen. John Fetterman, the other Democrats have been stupid enough to trust Sen. Schumer's direction that's painted Democrats into a corner. That's what happens when you elect an idiot as your party's leader. It isn't just that Sen. Schumer shut the government down. It isn't just that Sen. Schumer's shutdown of the government is foolish. It's that Sen. Schumer's shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, the TSA and the Coast Guard come at a time when the potential of Iran's sleeper cells is the highest it's been in 10+ years. That's right. Sen. Schumer is putting us at risk when Iran's sleeper cells are most likely to hit. And for what is he putting us...

It isn't surprising that another form of welfare fraud has been detected. Last week, Michael Weidner, the executive director of the Minnesota Paratransit Providers Association, testified in the Minnesota House . More accurately, he provided lots of explosive testimony to the House Fraud Prevention Committee. For instance, he testified that "Fraud is not new to NEMT. What is new is DHS’ complete lack of any attempt or desire to curb fraud. This DHS apathy is disgusting." Alpha News reported "NEMT rides have decreased by 62% amid increased scrutiny of fraud. 'That’s a 62% reduction in rides. Where did they go? They just vanished,' he said during a meeting of the House fraud committee last week. 'They weren’t picked up by any other nonemergency medical transportation department … It’s sad to say it but it seems like there’s at least 62% of the rides are fraudulent.'" The Minnesota Department of Human Services responded: "The Minnesota Departmen...