Coleman - Colon. Sound freakishly similar don't you think? I'm obviously in a medical mood because just an hour ago, I was in a tube being magnetically photographed. The lumbar spine - ah, more specifically, the L4 disc. Herniated or ruptured...doesn't matter. It's had me flat on my back for 3 weeks.
But in that tube, with all the hypnotic clanking, whirring and clanking, I tried to focus on the healing that needs to take place in my lower back...so close to so many internal organs. My liver, pancreas, kidneys and yes, my colon. It's here where my mind leaped to the thought that our entire state needs to cleanse itself. How apropos that the logical leap went from the pain in my lower extremeties to our FORMER Senator Norman Bertram Coleman - the Coleman/Colon connection is obvious: we need a good cleansing to get healthy again.
Former Senator Norm Coleman, in possession of a narrow electoral lead the day after Election Day, challenged Al Franken to concede the election despite an automatic statewide recount as per the MN state electoral guidelines. He stated on November 6, 2008:
"I would step back (from challenging election results). I just think the need for the healing process is so important."
These were the former senator's exact words.
Fast forward: we've now completed an exhaustive state recount. While not perfect, it's been under such intense watch from both parties, our state government and in fact, the entire country. Minnesota's Canvassing Board on Monday certified Al Franken's lead after a seven-week recount, but under state law was prohibited from issuing a final certification in the event of a lawsuit. All five members of the Canvassing Board - Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, plus two state Supreme Court justices and two Ramsey County judges - voted to accept the recount results. That very canvassing board, made up of 'super politico's' on both sides of the aisle, at the end of this exhaustive recount, felt accountable to name a winner on behalf of the people. And boo hoo, it's not poor Norm. So what does the former Senator Norm Coleman say? Here's a quote from the USA Today (dated January 6, 2008):
"We will not allow the full process to be short cut. Minnesotans deserve 100% confidence that their senator was fairly elected by all the people. We need to get this right for all of us."
For who? Norm Coleman that's who.
While former Senator Coleman, a craven politico driven solely by ambition, begins a steady diet of eating his words from November 6th, who is most apt to lose in this attempt to stall our government further? Of course folks, we the people of Minnesota.
Senator Amy Klobuchar has been a wonderful addition to the senate. She has received high marks from both Republicans and Democrats on her contributions, but even she has stated that this hold up (which could be months, not just weeks) will inevitabley cost Minnesotans by forcing bills upon our citizens that would otherwise be prevented by adequate representation on the floor. Bills that could hurt our quality of life, not to mention our financial health. Oh yea, we ended the year with a record deficit and crisis - that seemed to be acknowledged out of nowhere in the last quarter of the year ....did you already forget?
Cuts are being made everywhere and sadly, we're still a country at war with soldiers in harms way 24/7. What's more important - lives of millions or the former senator's ego? Cuts from federal tax dollars are going to impact this state as never before. People continue to lose their homes, jobs are dwindling and the food shelves have never been busier with NEED, not donation. From our schools to the environment - we need representation. We need to move on and get a fresh start...and look who was named the winner.
The New Minnesota Senator - Al Franken
Declared the Winner by State Canvassing Board
1/06/09
And here you see Norm, as if asking for just "1 More" recount.
Step aside Norm. It was a close race to be sure, but you had your time; it's over. To those of us that have watched your career, it never seemed to be about Minnesota - it always seemed to be about playing in the big Washington sandbox, using Minnesota to get there.
Here, I'll even help you. Good Luck, Best Wishes....B'Bye
http://www.cs.state.ny.us/jobseeker/
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Fun Facts About Norman Bertram Coleman (provided by sourcewatch "Congresspedia".) Fun Photos off Google
Statements made by Norm Coleman on the Iraq War:
- January 24, 2007: "Probably six months to a year, for everything. And I talked to some of my colleagues tonight, the military knows, I think they know, that they have to produce big-time over the next six months." [1]
Oil
Norm Coleman has voted in favor of big oil companies on 67% of important oil-related bills from 2005-2007, according to Oil Change International. These bills include Iraq war funding, climate change studies, clean energy, and emissions.[4] See below for oil money in politics
Drilling in ANWR
On December 21, 2005, Senator Coleman voted to end debate on a defense appropriations bill that included oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) after having pledged in 2002 to oppose such drilling. He stated that he did so because although he planned to vote against the bill, he didn't believe that a filibuster was warranted. The filibuster held, however, and Coleman voted to strip the ANWR provision from the bill in a subsequent vote.[3][4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
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Abortion and stem-cell research
Coleman identifies himself as being pro-life - he universally opposes abortion. He supported the interests of the National Right to Life Committee 100% of the time in 2005. [9]
Coleman does support stem cell research, but only using adult stem cells and stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood. [10]
On January 23, 2007, Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) introduced a bill (S.363) aimed at providing $5 billion over 10 years for stem cell research that does not involve "crossing the ethical line of using taxpayer dollars for the destruction of human embryos." The president for the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical, Sean Tipton, said "It's not clear that this bill would allow the NIH (National Institutes of Health) to do anything it can't already do. [11]
Hurricane Katrina
On February 10, 2006, in a meeting of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs of which he is a member, during testimony of former FEMA director Michael D. Brown, Coleman attacked Brown for poor leadership during Hurricane Katrina disaster relief efforts, "you didn't provide the leadership, even with structural infirmities." Coleman went on, "you're not prepared to kind of put a mirror in front of your face and recognize your own inadequacies" and "the record reflects that you didn't get it or you didn't in writing or in some way make commands that would move people to do what has to be done until way after it should have been done." [27] Brown responded combatively, "Well, Senator, that's very easy for you to say sitting behind that dais and not being there in the middle of that disaster, watching that human suffering and watching those people dying and trying to deal with those structural dysfunctionalities" [28] and implored Coleman to stick to questions. [29] He later likened Coleman's charges to a "drive-by shooting." [30] Brown had recently stated that he notified Department of Homeland Security and the White House of the tremendous scale of Katrina flooding earlier than had been previously reported. [31]
Editing Wikipedia entry
On January 30, 2006, it was reported that Norm Coleman's staff had been actively editing his entry on Wikipedia, removing critical references to his voting record and revising the description of his former political leanings. [32] [33][34] Similar instances of edits to several senators' pages originating from Congressional IP addresses have occurred. [35] Coleman's chief of staff said the editing was done to correct inaccuracies,[36] but Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales said "it appears to be a major rewrite of the article to make it more favorable." [37]
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Immigration
In May 2007, Sen. Coleman voted against an amendment to the 2007 comprehensive immigration reform bill that would have stripped it of any paths to citizenship or permanent residency for undo****ented immigrants, leaving it largely an immigration-enforcement bill. The amendment was defeated, 29-66. The amendment was opposed by the groups like the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, the AFL-CIO and the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy.
