KELLEY WORKS WITH REPUBLICANS? NICE TRY STEVE

This quote is complete bulls***:

"Minnesotans are looking for leadership that can bring people together and I've demonstrated that I can work with democrats and republicans to get a consensus on how to solve Minnesota's challenges and come up with solutions to move us forward."

I want examples of Kelley working with Republicans.

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State Sen. Steve Kelley stumping for Governor

Growing up in the 1960s Sen. Steve Kelley heard one statement over and over: If you don't like the way things are you should work to change them.

For 13 years, Kelley (DFL-District 44) has been doing just that in state government and in June he announced his intention to run for governor.

"I have a passion for public service and I can see the enormous potential Minnesota has," Kelley said. "The governor has been wrong on a number of policies that will lead to holding Minnesota back.

"I thought he was wrong in 2003 when he decided to cut funding on early childhood education and state colleges and universities, and then this year he proposed to cut 30,000 people from MinnesotaCare in order to finance schools," he said. "Minnesota doesn't have to make that choice. In the end we didn't have to cut those people in order to fund education. (It shows) the

governor's vision for Minnesota is too short sighted and wrong for the state."

Kelley was in Albert Lea Friday for the Freeborn County DFL Annual Spaghetti Supper at the Union Center.

Elected to the House of Representatives in 1992, Kelley spent four years there before he was elected to the Senate. He is chair of the Senate Education Committee and vice chair of the Senate Telecommunications Subcommittee. In 2000 he ran for U.S. Senate.

"During that time I have had an opportunity to work on education and I've come to see that as the most important issue for Minnesota's future prosperity," he said. "Thinking about those issues made me realize the governor has the strongest influence on the future of education in

the state."

He wants to improve the quality of childcare and early childcare education because, "it is still the best investment we can make."

He also wants to set a goal for all students to graduate from high school and to better prepare them to be successful in college.

Kelley said finding a solution to rising healthcare costs was another issue important for the state. Kelley's solution is to create a healthcare plan that would cover all of Minnesota in an affordable way.

"As governor I'd be working with Minnesota's doctors and healthcare institutes to work out the details," he said. "It could provide opportunities for businesses to have their own additional coverage and it would be good for employers if they need help with health care costs if they are competing around the globe."

This is Kelley's first time running for governor and he said he felt confident about his campaigning strategies for the next year.

"We have to be thoughtful on how to structure the campaign but one of the things I learned at the state fair is there is a lot of dissatisfaction across the state," he said. "It is time to have a majority governor. We haven't had that in the last two elections."

For more information on Kelley go to www.stevekelley.org.

"Minnesotans are looking for leadership that can bring people together and I've demonstrated that I can work with democrats and republicans to get a consensus on how to solve Minnesota's challenges and come up with solutions to move us forward." Source: Albert Lea Tribune, September 18, 2005