“HOW IS IRAN A THREAT?”

Are the caps supposed to underscore your ignorance, or what?

Whatever. I don’t mind you and Madia pushing the ‘Rascally Puppy’ approach (“you have to ‘keep an eye on’ them!”) to a nuclear Iran, but I won’t call you intelligent for doing so.

When again did I claim that roads and schools were a threat to our security?

Tell me, HOW IS IRAN A THREAT? This is the same country that couldn’t take down Iraq after a decade long war. We dismantled Iraq’s military in a matter of hours.

The real threat to U.S. national security is plundering defense spending by war mongering in countries that are not a threat to the United States or that don’t represent an impending humanitarian catastrophe. Madia was right on, Iran is something we can keep an eye on but it’s not a threat — and any danger it poses to U.S. forces is squarely on us because we’re sitting in Iraq, another country that wasn’t a threat to us.

If his present position is any indicator, the more Madia talks about security, the more obvious it will be that he cannot be taken seriously on the subject.

MnGOP’s release is merely more evidence that the GOP has lost its credibility at being the party of national security.

The important question, in my mind is this: Is Iran a threat or not?

Madia thinks not. PlymouthDem seems to think not. I entirely disagree.

Madia thinks “we can deal with them diplomatically”. Perhaps we can talk nicer than the Europeans who have been engaged in diplomacy for how many years now? And their results have been how fruitless? *shrug*

It clearly was a lynch-pin of MnGOP’s press release that triggered this thread.

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/30602_Reality_vs._Photoshop
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/30611_More_Iranian_Fauxtography_Discovered

You seem to imply that Iran was thought of as a threat only because they had this “missle test” recently. That would be an incorrect assumption.

So, does MnGOP still think this is a threat?

Which, you indeed should never do; it’s angry perverts like you that help moderates clearly see that GOP stands for GreedOverPrinciples.

Just think – well, I’ll pretend you actually can – after the 2004 election, you republiCons were talking about a Permanent Republican Majority.

Now, due to hate-mongers and liars like you, the GOP is facing Permanent Minority Status.

Scrotee, you’re doin’ one (cheney)in’ job for the GOP. Way to go, Scrotee!!!

Your analysis of the public schools is possibly the most ignorant thing I’ve ever seen spew forth from the vacuum between a liberals ears…and trust me here, that’s sying something.

Average cost per pupil, per year in MPS and SPPS: $15,000.

Grad rate in MPS and SPPS: 46%

Average cost per pupil, per year in Edina: $11,000.

Grad rate in Edina: 84%

Those are big numbers Andrew, and fractions too. Have someone work them out for you and do yourself a favor and STFU about things you are obviously completely unequipped to discuss, K?

Thank you for pointing out, once again, that republiCons cannot be taken at their word.

On the off chance you are that concrete, I’ll set you straight: it is not a direct quote from any one person.

You may think so if you wish, but your exceptional abilities in the realm of misunderstanding do not make me a liar. *shrug*

“republiCons are such hypocrites for condemning Democrats for what they already done.”

and republiCon Ron condemning Franken’s paperwork problems are a prime example.

Do try to keep up.

“And even if they do get a nuke, no one in their right mind would actually use it, especially against Israel, (ie the Samson Option). There is an argument that Ahmadinejad is not in his right mind, but the Ayatollahs are the real rulers of Iran”

I don’t think Iran itself would use it, but they sure as hell WILL give it to Islamic terrorists. I don’t think there is any doubt that they would use it.

no Tommy, I think that was a direct quote from W. daily from Jan 21-Sept 10 2001.

I think you need some new material.

“All posts here on out pertaining to this race should be considered a direct post by Erik Paulsen himself.”

And my point, Andrew, is that _you_can_do_that_!

right on up to September 11, 2001. I wonder how they felt on the 12th?”

Troy, you do know it’s a sin to lie, doncha?
.
Repent, sinner.

I don’t think gambling with a pre-emptive strike that may or may not end Iran’s nuclear program(russian SA-20 is pretty affective) is worth the lives of thousands of Israelis, thousands of US soldiers, access to the strait of Hormuz, and global economic stability.

And even if they do get a nuke, no one in their right mind would actually use it, especially against Israel, (ie the Samson Option). There is an argument that Ahmadinejad is not in his right mind, but the Ayatollahs are the real rulers of Iran, Ahmadinejad is just their mouth piece which spouts off falsities to get his people riled up and try to make them forget about how oppressive the Iranians really are.

I agree with you Andrew (100%), everything said from here on out can be considered being directly from the Paulsen campaign, no matter how many disclaimers Michael posts after his ridiculous posts.

The fact that some suburbs build Taj Mahals is regretable and they are a waste of taxpayer funds. However, Minneapolis still spends far more per pupil.

Again, another way poor people get screwed over by the system.

Troy, you are missing my point. Michael’s job with the Paulsen campaign and him posting on the race is basically turning his website into a vehicle for that campaign and if that is what he wants, then whatever that’s fine. But it isn’t, this is his blog, not Paulsen’s but he cant have it both ways. All posts here on out pertaining to this race should be considered a direct post by Erik Paulsen himself.

The message seems not to have reached everyone, or they don’t understand that throwing MORE money at the problem every year is not changing anything.

No, I don’t disagree at all. It is another reason why the challenge is significantly higher in urban schools and why it is a flawed calculus to say we spend more money and get worse results in urban schools, therefore urban schools are to blame.

“Iran is a concern. Iran is not a threat.”
“Iran is not a threat to the US.”

and think about people who said things like this about a much smaller and less threatening entity:

“Al-Qaeda is a concern. Al-Qaeda is not a threat.”
“Al-Qaeda is not a threat to the US.”

right on up to September 11, 2001. I wonder how they felt on the 12th?

Iran has been “a threat”, and making threats, for around three decades now.

“I’ll never listen to the GOP again after Iraq.”

Am I to understand that you currently think only the GOP thought Iraq was a threat, CherylP? You may be suffering from a case of selective amnesia. *shrug*

You will have to forgive me if I have some doubt you did any “listen”-ing to the GOP before “Iraq”.

I agree with you 100%

Republicans want Israel to do their dirty work with Iran, without giving a shit about what would happen to Israel. In the long run Israel could defeat Iran, but it was be devastate Israel, both economically and physically.

WWII era Hezbollah rockets brought Northern Israel to a standstill. The Shihab 3 missiles that Iran tested have a payload of 1 ton, and the Katyusha (Hezbollah’s rocket of choice in Leb 2) has a payload of 30 kg, thats a bit of a weight difference.

If Republicans feel they need to attack Iran, then do it yourselves, leave Israel out of it. Iran will not nuke Tel Aviv, because it would be suicide, but a pre-emptive strike would give Iran exactly what they want, a pretext for war.

Then listen to your presidential candidate.

http://video.yahoo.com/watch/3062274/8732050

You asked if Ash Madia lives with his parent. No. His parents live in their home in Plymouth. Ash lives in an apartment.

Iran is not a threat to the US. I’ll never listen to the GOP again after Iraq.

This is the real problem in the Minneapolis and St. Paul schools that is never dealt with! It does not matter how much money you continue to throw at those schools if parents don’t take a greater responsibility in educating and rearing their children. Bill Cosby has elaborated on this extensively.
The reason why they have to have so many extra-subsidized programs is because they are trying to teach and parent the kids at the same time.
This has been going on in these Democratically run schools for many, many years and will continue unless the root problem is addressed.

As a former teacher, I really feel for those teachers working hard in those schools. I have heard the horror stories of teachers having their tires slashed for threatening any kind of discipline.

Would you agree with this analysis Plymouth Dem?

“Like it or not, it costs more to educate urban kids”

Wrong. It costs significantly more to educate half of the urban kids, and fail the other half.

Ramstad held ‘em twice a year – for which he has earned and deserves much respect.

Paulsen? Not so much.

That’s because this is an inherently flawed calculus Like it or not, it costs more to educate urban kids than suburban kids and more to educate either than it costs to educate rural kids.

Expenses are higher in urban schools (property, maintenance, staff, supplies, energy, security, infrastructure improvement, etc.)

Urban schools also face significantly different challenges. Usually, there are more socio-economic issues to deal with, more cultural disparity issues to deal with, and often opportunities for pre-K-12 education are significantly lower in urban schools which means that kids show up far less prepared. Translation: it’s harder for urban schools to catch up.

Urban schools also face increased special needs cases. In suburban district, families often can afford to pull special needs kids into specialized private institutions which means there are less of the kids in the general population. Urban parents often lack the financial resources to do so. Translation: urban schools have to dedicate more money and resources to dealing with those kids.

Per student expenditures also do not factor in the extensive capital available to suburban schools from parents of the kids. At the most basic level, urban schools often have to fund basic things like supplies for kids or food.

Until North High School looks a bit more like Wayzata High School it’s clear that that suburban districts have available a more normalized per student investment than is available to inner city schools.

How do you sleep at night lying like that?

I have yet to have one liberal be honest with me and tell me what the number is. What is the number – the per-student amount that would be enough for the teachers unions?

My suspicion is: How much do I earn? Send it in.

Which, of course, is something Erik Paulsen simply does not do.

“What do you Republicans know about supporting local control?”

Both State Senators David Hann and Geoff Michel introduced bills that would’ve effectively removed MN from all federal mandates put forth from NCLB.

Hearings were requested and neither bill was granted one. The Senate Republicans aren’t the committee chairs Leroy.

Moreover, amendment after amendment was offered in both committees and on the floor numerous times to end Minnesota’s participation in NCLB.

Party line vote…..amendment fails.

Don’t you dare lecture any conservative or Republican on the concept of local control, especially in our schools.

House and Senate Education Committee Chairs didn’t give any “local control” issues a second glance, and certainly no bill hearings during the ’07-08 biennium.

Who is the majority party?

Again, grow up Leroy. Your public school education is showing.

HEH?

What history is going to repeat itself? Where is the historical precedent that a country so disproportionately weaker than two big boy allies (U.S. and Israel) suddenly took down the allies? Or, perhaps you are talking about the empires, who overstretched themselves by being overly militaristic and collapsed under their own weight. That, my friend, is the threat.

I say again, what’s PAULSEN’S take? MDE is probably providing him the research, so I suspect they should know the position. Either Paulsen thinks it’s a threat and (1) he thinks we should invade and neutralize; or (2) that it’s a threat and we should let it be (which means he doesn’t REALLY think its that dire of a threat). My guess is that Paulsen won’t take either position and will happily agree with Madia that it’s a concern, not the dire threat in need of immediate intervention MnGOP seems to think it is.

If I’m wrong, and Paulsen wants another war than so be it. But, good luck selling that one this November.

It seems to me that these school are doing just as much parenting as they are teaching. Can you believe that they even have “Parent” teachers. “Professionals” that teach parents how to raise their children. What is this world coming to????

I feel sorry for the poor teachers in these districts because the root problems are never really be addressed and in my opinion are being exacerbated by the politicians who run the twin cities.

In Minneapolis and Saint Paul, you can make that $15k per and 46% grads.

The amount of direct control Democrats have over a school district is proportional to the amount spent and inversely proportional to the academic achievement returned on that investment.

When did I say we needed to spend more money?

I don’t recall that fact.

We need to retool our education system to make it so that No Child Left Behind is a result rather than a campaign slogan that has set our educational system back decades. If teachers were to be allowed to spend more time teaching, and less time filling out government mandated paperwork, I think we would have a start.

But what would you republicans know about supporting local control? It is a party platform plank, so, like fiscal conservatism, you no doubt are required to ignore it at any time that is not within months of an election.

“Crumbling schools are a threat.”

That’s rich.

E-12 Education already encompasses about 43% of the overall $34.6 billion budget of MN. This, with the State of MN picking up the tab for 93% of the TOTAL cost of public education in the entire state.

Start beating your drum now Leroy.

People of your political persuasion had better have their rhetoric in tune when it comes time to debate the budgets next year.

I’m curious Leroy: How much of an increase SHOULD we give do failing schools that ALREADY suck down nearly $11 K per student and are producing 49% graduation rates.

Better get some talking points from Jan Alswager and Tommy Dooher.

“Crumbling Schools”

Even if it were true, its not Republicans that stand in the way of true reform.

Tell me again, which party does ED MN buddy up to when they need something?

Leroy, the truth is that voters like you are the reason why American elections have turned into the cartoon that they are.

God Damn. Grow up and stop voting with emotion and let a little fact and logic creep into your thought process.

Anything less, and you’ll be another stereotypical result of your beloved public education.