Minnesota State Representative Jeremy Kalin (DFL - North Branch) announced today that he will not seek a third term in the Minnesota House of Representatives. This development could be a local version of the rash of retirements by Congressoinal Democrats as they face an election year going into a political headwind. It is widely believed that Democrats currently representing districts that lean Republican or are swing districts are highly vulnerable.

According to this Rasmussen Reports daily tracking poll only 25 percent of voters strongly approve of Barack H. Obama's job performance, while 42 percent disapprove, giving him a -17 approval index.

What do Democrats representing East Central Minnesoat have agsinst Photo ID for voting?

Minnesota is one of the few states where a photo ID is not required of a voter - not even when a voter first registers to vote. People need photo IDs to write checks, join certain organizations buy a drink or a pack of cigarettes if you look young, and do a varitey of ordaniry tasks. But you aren't requried to have a photo ID to vote.

During debate of an elections bill Thursday (February 25, 2010) Rep. Tom Emmer (R - Delano) offered an amendment that would allow election judges to ask for photo IDs to verify if a voter is an eligible voter in the precinct.

When making a judgment on legislators' performances, most individuals and interest groups focus on the "big votes". In other words, the vote on an entire bill rather than an obscure amendment, or a vote to override a veto rather than a procedural motion. Most often, votes on procedural motions are split down party lines, and usually ignored by parties and interest groups. However, when Minnesota's version of the debt laden porkulus bill was considered this past week, there were very important procedural motions in the House and Senate that should speak very loudly and clearly about how the Democrat majority in both Houses of the Legislature are playing games with the taxpayers' credit card.