Karin Housley for Senate

PARADE SCHEDULE

Jun 9

TEAM HOUSLEY

Here is the PARADE SCHEDULE - MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

We need you!

JOIN TEAM HOUSLEY IN A PARADE!!

I would love it if you, your family, (or again, that long lost lost aunt), would walk in a parade with me. It’s going to be fun & we all get TEAM HOUSLEY T-SHIRTS! Here are the parade dates:

Sat June 19 – Strawberry Fest Parade - Cottage Grove Line up 8 AM Parade starts at 10:30.

Fri June 25 – Kaposia Days Parade - South St. Paul 5:00 Line Up Parade starts at 6:30

Sun July 4 – Afton Parade - Line up 11:00 Parade starts at 12:00

Sun July 18 – Hastings Rivertown Days - Line up 10:30 AM Parade at Noon

Sat Aug 21 – St. Paul Park Heritage Days - Line up at Heritage Park 10:00, Parade at 11:00

Vicki Campbell is our Team Parade Coordinator, and she has some big plans for candy, balloons, music, and a little hockey on a flatbed. Please call her 952-250-2072 or email her at bommercamp@gmail.com if you can join the team!

Come to Tinucci’s Thursday Evening!

Jun 8

Come to Tinuccis this Thursday June 10th!!

I’m hoping to see as many of you as possible on Thursday night June 10th at Tinucci’s restaurant in Newport. I’ll be there from 5:00 – 8:00 for a Meet & Greet! Tell your friends, neighbors & your long lost great aunt. Please invite everyone you know in District 57 (that’s Cottage Grove, Newport, St. Paul Park, Grey Cloud Island, Hastings, Nininger Township, Denmark Township, Hastings, Afton, St. Mary’s Point and the southern half of South St. Paul.) I would like to meet as many voters as I can and listen to their concerns & share our Team Housley for Senate campaign message. For directions to Tinucci’s at 398 21st Street in Newport, click here. There will be a cash bar, and food or appetizers can be ordered if you’d like.

TEAM HOUSLEY NEEDS YOU!

Apr 17

When : Thursday, April 22, 2010

Time: 7:00 – 8:30

Where: Croatian Hall

445 2^nd Avenue South

South St. Paul, MN 55075

Click here for Directions

I’m not sure if you’re like me, but I get frustrated, angry and disappointed with the way things have been done in our government. I’ve even sunk to feeling helpless, saying, “It’s never going to change.” Or, “Career politicians, they have no idea what’s really happening out here in the real world.” Or, “It is what it is. There’s nothing I can do about it.”

I was wrong. There is something we can do about it, and every person counts! Margaret Mead probably said it better, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

We can make a difference, but we need to do it collectively. We’ll call it Team Housley.

I need you.

I’m running for State Senate in District 57. You don’t need to live in District 57 to help. Collectively means everyone. We need to change the way things are done at the Capitol. Currently there are 46 Democrat Senators and 21 Republican. Our challenge as a state is to flip that number. The current DFL leaning Senate hasn’t been able to get our spending in check, a budget that is balanced, nor do they understand that we’re tired of big government, and we’re sick of being taxed at every turn. We want some common sense in St. Paul, some common sense with real world experience.

Here’s where I come in. But I can’t get there alone. Ask Wayne Gretzky what he could have accomplished without Messier, Coffey, Kurri and Fuhr. Now I may not be a Gretzky, but I am a Housley, and you’re my team.

We’ve got the campaign plan together, and we’re ready to implement. From lawn signs, to letter mailing, from literature dropping to phone banks…we’re set. I just need you.

We’re ready to kick off, this Thursday, April 22, at the Croatian Hall in my hometown of South St. Paul. 7:00 – 8:30. Come find out what you can do to help. From a little to a lot, as your time allows.

Here’s your chance to do something.

Margaret Mead probably said that too.

Let us not forget Mr. Abe Lincoln, who said, a government should be “of the people, by the people….”

That’s you.

When : Thursday, April 22, 2010

Time: 7:00 – 8:30

Where: Croatian Hall

445 2^nd Avenue South

South St. Paul, MN 55075

Croatian_Hall_Map

Click here for Directions

Meet Me at Taco Tuesday Tonight!

Apr 13

Please come and introduce yourself tonight to myself, Denny McNamara, and John Kriesel at the VFW “Red Barn” in Cottage Grove.

The Meet and Greet starts at 4:30 and ends at 7:30. I’d love to see you! For directions, click here.

Tuesday is your chance to come enjoy some conversation and get to know your candidates.

Very low key, no door charge.

Stay the whole time or just pop in and say hi.

Karin Housley Senate 57
John Kriesel House 57A
Denny McNamara House 57B

KarinJohnDennyPhoto

P.S. I love alliterations.

Got the Endorsement!

Feb 28

I must say, an Endorsing Convention is quite the experience! If you’ve never been, you must go! It’s a lesson in local politics. It’s at the endorsing convention where delegates get to endorse their candidates for the Senate and the House, and vote their delegates on to the State and Congressional Districts. Saturday Feb. 27th will go down as my first convention, and there are a lot of things I’d do differently next time…most importantly, I’d buy more coffee for the attendees! I’m not sure if “Do you consume mass quantities of java?” will be on the 2010 Census, but it doesn’t really matter, I already have the answer, Republicans like their coffee.

Here’s how the day went:

5:00 a.m. Get ready, load 6’ table, signs, coffee, donuts, cameras & informational pamphlets in car.

7:00 a.m. – Leave home for South St. Paul High School.

7:30 a.m. – Unload car. Drink cup of coffee, and start greeting.

7:45 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. – Registrations and the Meet & Greet. I met so many interesting people from Hastings, Cottage Grove, So. St. Paul & the surrounding areas. Got names of volunteers and a couple of photos. (Hint: Want to help? Sign in your yard? Donate?)

Morning Meet & Greet

Signing Up Linda to Volunteer

My new best friends

Then it was time for the meeting in the auditorium – Mind you, the South St. Paul High School auditorium holds a lot of history for me. Being that I graduated from SSP, the auditorium was where this cute redhead asked me out on our first date. I ended up marrying him and it’s been 25 years. Also, the auditorium stage was the site of my last band concert in 1982, I could play a mean flute. And then, directly behind the stage’s curtain, is a basketball court that my dad both played on during his high school years (1951-53), coached on (70s & 80s) and I cheered on. Being back in the auditorium was a little surreal.

At 9:00 the delegates got down to business with an agenda that looked like this:

1. CALL TO ORDER

2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

3. INVOCATION

4. GUESTS & SPEAKERS.

5. WELCOME. READING OF CONVENTION CALL.

Motion to dispense with the reading of the call is in order.

6. NOMINATION & ELECTION OF TEMPORARY CHAIR. (JASON FOSSUM)

7. APPROVE CONVENTION AGENDA.

Motion to Adopt is in order.

8. PRELIMINARY CREDENTIALS COMMITTEE REPORT – QUORUM.

13. CHAIR APPOINTMENTS OF THE FOLLOWING COMMITTEES:

(A) CREDENTIALS/REGISTRATION COMMITTEE -

(B) RULES/CONSTITUTION COMMITTEE -

(D) ARRANGEMENTS COMMITTEE

(E) CANDIDATE SEARCH COMMITTEE

14. MOTION TO MAKE THE TEMPORARY ORGANIZATION PERMANENT.

Motion is in order for this Convention only.

15. ADOPTION OF RULES COMMITTEE REPORT AND CONVENTION RULES

And then it was my turn…at noon.

19. CANDIDATES’ SPEECH TO THE CONVENTION FLOOR; AND,

Giving Speech on SSP Auditorium Stage

20. ENDORSEMENT OF CANDIDATE FOR SENATE DISTRICT 57.

I gave my speech, and got endorsed! My stomach could finally settle down.

After I stepped off the stage, the other candidates gave their speeches (House Candidates John Kriesel – D57A& Denny McNamara – D57B) After that, a surprise visit from gubernatorial candidates Marty Seifert and Tom Emmer.

The day ended at 2:00, and I was off to a whole new auditorium…the high school sectional hockey playoff games. My stomach started acting up all over again.

All in all, a great day! Let the campaign begin!

Karin

Huh?

Feb 28

Endorsing Convention – Saturday Morning at 9:00 a.m.

Feb 26

Come to the Endorsing Convention, this Saturday 2/27 at South St. Paul High School (my alma mater)! The convention starts at 9:00 a.m. Get there early for coffee & donuts at my table. Hope to see you there!

Address – 700 2nd Street North – South St. Paul MN 55075

South St. Paul High School

House Democrats Push Bill Thru without Debate

Feb 18

On Tuesday evening, House Democrats passed a bill to borrow a billion dollars while allowing absolutely no debate. A billion dollars! Your dollars. According to the media, house members debated the bill for more than four hours, but that’s not true according to GOP House members. Several amendments were debated, but with two remaining for debate, (and big ones at that), Rep. Sertich moved to end the discussion and move immediately for taking a vote on the bill’s final passage, on which there was no debate. The video of the way things ended is here:

This is the seventh time since 2007 that Speaker Kelliher has used “calling the question” to silence opposing viewpoints and push the DFL’s agenda through with no debate. She used it three times in one night on May 21, 2007, and then three times during the 2009 session. Prior to Kelliher becoming speaker, debate had only been silenced five times since 1971. Such is bipartisanship under her leadership.

MNGOP Dials Phones That Rarely Ring

Feb 13

From Tom Scheck at MPR – MNGOP dials phones that rarely ring. | Polinaut | Minnesota Public Radio Check out the comments on his site.

Several DFL members of the Minnesota Senate say something happened that rarely occurs. Their phones within the Senate chambers were ringing.

That may seem odd but the phones, according to members, are only supposed to be used by Senate members and staff. But at least six Democrats say they got calls today from unhappy constituents. They were being urged to vote against a $1 billion bonding bill. DFL Sen. Don Betzold of Fridley says he got a call while the Senate was debating the bill.

“I’ve never gotten a phone call like that from the floor,” Betzold said. “I have never gotten a phone call like that from a citizen, a lobbyist, anyone, until today.”

DFL Sen. Terri Bonoff of Minnetonka said she got six calls from constituents. She said the callers said they were contacted by the Minnesota Republican Party and were patched through to their senators.

DFL Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller said the calls are a violation of Senate protocol. He said the phone numbers for the phones are unlisted and are only meant for internal business. He urged the Senate to stop the practice at the end of today’s floor debate.

But it doesn’t look like that will happen. Michael Brodkorb, a spokesman for Senate Republicans who also serves as Deputy Chair of the MNGOP, said he didn’t know the calls were taking place until after the fact. He also said he didn’t give the internal phone numbers to the MNGOP. But Brodkorb defended the practice stressing that the phones are paid for with taxpayer dollars.

“I don’t know that’s it’s problematic,” Brodkorb said. “They’re public phones but I don’t know how often the party is going to do it or not.”

He said it’s up to MNGOP Chair Tony Sutton and MNGOP executive director Ryan Griffin to decide whether the practice will continue.

Question of the day: What do you think? Should members of the Minnesota Senate get calls on the floor? .

The Final Minutes of the 2009 Session

Feb 9

Can you find your District’s State Senator on the board? Did they vote to push this $2 billion dollar tax bill thru? District 57′s State Senator Katie Sieben did. You might want to ask why. State spending is out of hand….

Come to the Endorsing Convention, this Saturday 2/27 at South St. Paul High School (my alma mater)! The convention starts at 9:00 a.m. Get there early for coffee & donuts at my table. Hope to see you there!

South St. Paul High School

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