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MDE IN THE NEWS: KAHN INTRODUCES BILL TO ALLOW NON-U.S. CITIZENS THE RIGHT TO VOTE
By Michael B. Brodkorb | March 13, 2007
"Should Minnesota's Constitution be amended to allow people who are permanent residents — but not U.S. citizens — to vote in local elections?
That's the question Rep. Phyllis Kahn, DFL-Minneapolis, and some fellow DFLers want to submit to Minnesotans in the 2008 election.
Kahn said the amendment would allow local units of government to decide whether they would authorize permanent residents to vote in local elections, including for mayor and school board. It would not include state or federal races.
Under the measure, people who are at least 18 and have resided in the precinct for 30 days could vote in local elections if they are a permanent U.S. resident.
Permanent residents, who often hold 'green cards,' are defined as those who have permission to stay in the United States, though they are not citizens." Source: Star Tribune, March 13, 2007
Click here for complete story.
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"Seifert said he will advise Republican representatives to vote against the proposal, as well as another Kahn measure that would allow 16-year-olds to vote.
Kahn twice before introduced such a measure, which has been adopted elsewhere.
'While I certainly am sensitive to the taxation-without-representation argument, I just don't believe that noncitizens of this state should be allowed to vote,' said Michael Brodkorb, a conservative Minnesota blogger.
'I think it's bad precedent to allow noncitizens of the United States to vote in elections,' Brodkorb said." Source: Star Tribune, March 13, 2007
Click here for complete story.
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25 Responses to “MDE IN THE NEWS: KAHN INTRODUCES BILL TO ALLOW NON-U.S. CITIZENS THE RIGHT TO VOTE”
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March 13th, 2007 at 9:14 AM
Yet another example of how the media calls upon MB for a quote. This is because the media knows MB is a credible source of news.
But off course, I’m sure all the left-wing moonbats will take time from their cell group meeting at Dunn Brothers Coffee to opine that the media did not contact MB at all. Their theory will be that MB pitched the story to a compliant right-wing media.
March 13th, 2007 at 9:36 AM
I’m pretty sure they’re talking about you in this one too:
When I learned that the legislation had become the target of a few jokes on the radio and blogs, I went back to the Schwartzes. I let them know that there was some fun being had at their expense and I asked them if they wished to continue to pursue the legislation. The kids told me that they had been made fun of before and that the legislation was important to them. They want to proceed. And, inspired by their courage, so do I.
Aw, look at the little kids teaching the grown ups about dignity. How cute.
March 13th, 2007 at 9:47 AM
It is great that we’ve got Take Action Minnesota pushing this agenda. Saint Paul residents should take notice of this kind of over-reaching activity should work feverishly to defeat anyone that carries the banner of this loony group. (sorry to offend the State Bird)
Some candidates that got the endorsement of Take Action MN are members and have even served on the executive committee of this board, now they’re out to secure the DFL endorsement. Listen carefully to what they say, they believe in this tripe, they may have come up with the idea.
Take Action Minnesota? – you damned well better or this trend is going to snowball out of control, starting at the local level.
March 13th, 2007 at 9:47 AM
It is great that we’ve got Take Action Minnesota pushing this agenda. Saint Paul residents should take notice of this kind of over-reaching activity should work feverishly to defeat anyone that carries the banner of this loony group. (sorry to offend the State Bird)
Some candidates that got the endorsement of Take Action MN are members and have even served on the executive committee of this board, now they’re out to secure the DFL endorsement. Listen carefully to what they say, they believe in this tripe, they may have come up with the idea.
Take Action Minnesota? – you damned well better or this trend is going to snowball out of control, starting at the local level.
March 13th, 2007 at 10:07 AM
Isn’t this the 3rd time Phyllis “Ghenkis” Kahn has brought this bill up? Apparently she doesn’t learn from history – like most democrats – and doesn’t understand that 95% of the state is against this stupid idea.
Are there ANY democrats with common sense?
March 13th, 2007 at 10:38 AM
TAM is just a cover name for a bunch of union groups. Don’t unions give gazillions to the DFL? Now they both want non citizens to vote. Hmmm, I wonder how many non citizens are in unions. Hmmm, I wonder if it would strengthen the unions’ power if those non citizens could vote.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
March 13th, 2007 at 10:41 AM
No Zeebus, there are no more rational democRats left in this state.
March 13th, 2007 at 11:08 AM
I expose a fatal flaw in Kahn’s logic, if it can be called that, here. Kahn says that she’s concerned about the principle of no taxation without representation. If that’s true, why would her amendment only give non-residents the ability to vote in city council, mayoral or school board elections? If “no taxation without representation” is Kahn’s goal, which it isn’t, shouldn’t the amendment allow non-residents to vote in state legislative races, too?
March 13th, 2007 at 11:20 AM
Take Action Minnesota is the latest incarnation of Progressive Minnesota PAC which started and quickly failed as an alternative political party for frustrated socialists and barking moonbats.
This is a time tested tactic of the left: When your “skin” gets dirty enough, shed it and emerge fresh.
They have been VERY effective in Saint Paul politics, especially in their support of the teachers union’s control of the the SPPS (public schools).
I won a judgement against them and the SPPS in 2002 after I learned that several school board members had used district funds to make donations to PM.
I also filed a complaint with the County Attorney, Democrat Susan Gaertner who, after six months investigation, found that my allegations of election fraud were substantiated but declined to persue the case anyway.
Silly me…expecting a Democrat to bite the hand that feeds her.
March 13th, 2007 at 11:27 AM
Just had to check in to see if any Lib defended these ideas. Not even they can follow Kahn’s logic.
But they vote her in.
Stupid Libs.
March 13th, 2007 at 11:35 AM
If Kahn is telling the truth and believe in no taxation without representation then I would imagine she was very vocal about Dean Johnson not letting the people of this state to vote on the marriage issue??
The democRats like to tax the hell out of us but then keep us from voting on any issues they feel we do not have a right to voice an opinion.
Classical liberalism! This is not about the people and taxation, it is about finding another class of people for the democRats to exploit and offer great things to in exchange for democRat votes. The DFL is never nearly as concerned for any citizen as much as they are concerned about holding all government power for thier agendas.
March 13th, 2007 at 12:11 PM
We should remember “klepto-campaigner” Phyliss Kahn plead guilty to stealing campaign literature.
March 13th, 2007 at 12:27 PM
Isn’t this the 3rd time Phyllis “Ghenkis†Kahn has brought this bill up?
Wouldn’t that be “Jhenkis” Kahn?
March 13th, 2007 at 12:45 PM
Naturalized citizens and those born in this country are eligible to vote. I am not in favor of allowing Legal Residents to vote. There is a reason they are in the country in the first place. They want to vote, they need to go through the process to earn that right by becoming a citizen.
I may be a Democrat, but I am not a far left one.
March 13th, 2007 at 1:29 PM
” I let them know that there was some fun being had at their expense”
Maybe that’s the person you should be mad at tom. Who in their right mind would tell a little child that people are making fun of THEM? That’s just sick.
March 13th, 2007 at 2:48 PM
Care to give them one of those hilarious “Right to Poop Cards?” I’m sure if you explain that you were only making fun of the legislation and not them personally, they would understand.
You can tell them that the term “mud butt” is just a joke and its the sponsor of the legislation is the one who’s truly sick.
I’ll be happy to set up a meeting between you, the two girls and their father. You can explain it all to them yourself, tough guy.
March 13th, 2007 at 2:57 PM
tom,
You can explain to all the farmers in Southern Minnesota about your “hog shit” remark too. Go spew your “bull” shit somewhere else.
March 13th, 2007 at 3:37 PM
I’ll be happy to set up a meeting between you, the two girls and their father. You can explain it all to them yourself, tough guy.
I’d just like to know who was the idiot that told these two girls that people were making fun of THEM. Do you know who that is? tough guy?
March 13th, 2007 at 4:38 PM
Did you read the editorial, Master? I believe it was signed. And the quote was:
“I let them know that there was some fun being had at their expense and I asked them if they wished to continue to pursue the legislation.”
Not “that people were making fun of THEM.”
Chris, I speak with a lot of farmers. They, like the one this story is about, do their best to fertilize their crops without runoff, but in springtime, shit happens, and when it does it is an environmental and health concern. You don’t come as being too bright with your pointless taunts, just so you know.
March 13th, 2007 at 4:59 PM
tom,
Since all you can offer are insults, all I can say is that your birth certificate is an apology from the condom factory.
March 13th, 2007 at 5:38 PM
“I let them know that there was some fun being had at their expense
Why would somebody tell a little child this?
How is that different than what I said?
I guess the little girls knew what the guy meant because they said “they had been made fun of before”.
Sounds like somebody took some heat for writing stupid legislation and then used a couple of small children to hide behind.
tom, you didn’t provide a link to the source of your quote, so all I could read was that portion that you provided.
March 13th, 2007 at 8:21 PM
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/editorial/16873122.htm
Legislation I have authored assuring restroom access for those suffering with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is getting more than its share of attention, including a column in this newspaper questioning the wisdom of the proposal (“Irritable legislator syndrome? Look out” March 4). I thought St. Paul citizens should know the rest of the story.
When I won a seat in the Minnesota Legislature, I pledged to represent the people in the district in which we live. Through the summer and fall, I visited with people in the district about health care, education, energy and property taxes. I am confident that I did not spend a full day talking about access to restrooms or diseases of the bowel. But I did promise to listen to people’s concerns and act to find a solution. I take that promise seriously.
Since the start of the legislative session, I have met with constituents seeking legislative action on early childhood education, K-12 class size, affordable health care, renewable energy and transit. I have also met with constituents seeking to address sibling preference in charter schools, a change in the definition of biomass, and restroom access. Not every problem has a legislative solution, but I think those that do should proceed through the legislative process. I am elected to bring the voice of my constituents to the Minnesota House.
Among those voices are those of the Schwartz family. Dad is a gastroenterologist and mom is a registered nurse. They have two children with inflammatory bowel disease and many examples where they have been denied access to a restroom in Minnesota shops. I also heard from Mr. Fennell, Midwest regional executive director of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation in Minnesota. He hopes to see a change in Minnesota law too.
I never imagined I would carry a bill to deal with restrooms. My constituents, however, convinced me otherwise.
When I first practiced nursing, I cared for people with Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis. In addition to severe abdominal pain, people with IBD cannot predictably control their bowels. People with this condition often endure long hospitalizations to get their disease under control.
When I shifted my practice to the operating room, I cared for patients with IBD whose colons were diseased beyond repair and removed. These experiences taught me the debilitating nature of this disease, something I suspect that citizens, retailers and newspaper columnists might not know.
When I learned that constituents wanted to discuss this issue, I understood that they were describing a serious problem. While this legislation is not of great import to the future of Minnesota, it is important to those Minnesotans suffering with a difficult disease.
As I have proceeded with this legislation, I have learned that there are other medical conditions that cause similar symptoms, including multiple sclerosis, prostate cancer and other cancers of the abdomen being treated with radiation or chemotherapy. I do not think Minnesota retailers lack kindness, but some may lack awareness. So far, Minnesota retailers have not expressed opposition to the bill.
Finally, this is just one of several dozen bills I am sponsoring this session, including six relating to transportation, 15 relating to the environment, 16 relating to education and more than 30 relating to health care.
When I learned that the legislation had become the target of a few jokes on the radio and blogs, I went back to the Schwartzes. I let them know that there was some fun being had at their expense and I asked them if they wished to continue to pursue the legislation. The kids told me that they had been made fun of before and that the legislation was important to them. They want to proceed. And, inspired by their courage, so do I.
Erin Murphy is a first-term member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from District 64A in St. Paul.
March 13th, 2007 at 8:46 PM
“The kids told me that they had been made fun of before”.
So Erin Murphy told the kids that they were being made fun of. How nice.
tom — next time, just the link please
March 13th, 2007 at 10:51 PM
Kahuna, there is quite the large difference between allowing people to vote for school board and local elections, since they make many decisions about how a person lives in a certain community. Dean Johnson blocking Minnesotans from voting on a gay marriage amendment is completely different since gay marriage is not dictating the way you live in any sort of manner and the state currently already has a law in place to not allow gay marriage. You are reaching on that one and you probably know it. Furthermore, gaining more Democrat votes at the local level I bet is hardly a goal for the DFL in the state house. Majors and state boards don’t even run on a partisan ticket, nor do I think their party affiliation affect their jobs. Again, you’re reaching with those arguments, please find better ones.
ManGenius, people keep voting her in because you don’t elect a person based off of one idea. If she ran solely on this plan to allow more people to vote, then I doubt she’d even win her primary. But alas, I would vote for her until I die because she is a Democrat, has Democratic values but has one idea that I am not very sure about but lean no towards.
March 14th, 2007 at 11:02 AM
Andrew,
Your post proves what I have said all along: you people would vote for the Devil if he had the letters D-F-L next to his name.