Rep. Erik Paulsen’s “town hall” meetings are a joke. First of all, they’re telephone conference calls because for some reason he’s afraid traditional face-to-face open forum meetings with his constituents would be too confrontational. Individuals who have questions for him are screened by an aide for further control. Then after you ask a question, your phone is muted so there’s no opportunity for follow up, which is frustrating because Erik rarely provides a direct answer.
Important questions were asked including why he supported tax reform that limits the state and local tax deduction to $10k and is detrimental to many in his district, why he supported a budget bill that projects a $1.5 trillion deficit, and concerns regarding his record of failing to deal with gun violence over his many years in Washington, as well as his “A” rating by the NRA. Continue reading “Paulsen Doesn’t Listen”
Thousands of students at schools across the Twin Cities metro are participated in Wednesday’s demonstration. Beginning at 10 a.m., students got up and left class for 17 minutes to honor the 17 victims killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Continue reading “Minnesota schools join national walkout to protest gun violence”
The article (“Paulsen flexes his muscle on economy”) summarizes the Dean Phillips campaign in the Third Congressional District as well-funded, then stops, as if funding is all that matters. Ideas, principle, passion and a willingness to listen to constituents also matter. Dean Phillips has these; Erik Paulsen does not.
Rod Fisher, Eden Prairie StarTribune, March 14, 2018
Once again, U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen has been showcased in a positive light by the Star Tribune and portrayed as a fiscal conservative who is concerned about the economy, and as a public servant working hard to do what’s best for Minnesota (“Paulsen flexes his muscle on economy,” front page, March 12). When is the sucking up going to stop? This constituent completely disagrees with the Star Tribune’s assessment and knows better. This is a man who self-describes himself as “The Math Guy,” yet voted to increase our country’s deficit and give tax cuts to the wealthiest individuals in our country. How’s that math adding up for our country?
Since Feb. 22 there have been three thoughtful commentaries in the Bloomington Sun Current addressing gun violence.
All of them catalyzed one way or the other by the Feb. 14 killing of high school students and teachers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
In the March 1 Sun Current there also was an article, ‘Paulsen responds to Orono threat,’ that included thoughts from U.S. Rep Erik Paulsen, potential DFL-opponent Dean Phillips, and co-chair of Indivisible CD3, Laurie Wolfe. None of the comments threatened Second Amendment rights or proposed all guns should be banned. All of the comments agree on one thing – something must be done.
Bottom line for me, this is about killing innocents, many of whom are our children. I was deeply troubled by the words of Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the NRA at the recent Conservative Political Action Conference. “There is no greater personal individual freedom than the right to keep and bear arms.”
I was stunned. Don’t our children (and all citizens) have rights, and shouldn’t they have priority concern over far too easy access to assault rifles in the United States of America?
Do something. Something beyond words. Something constructive, meaningful and lasting.
Amelia Kroeger, Bloomington Bloomington Sun-Current, March 11, 2018
Congressman Erik Paulsen is fond of talking about how he connects to his constituents through a method called a “town call.” Paulsen has not had an in-person town hall meeting since 2011, so this is his preferred and main method of connecting with his constituents. I am not sure the “town call” method is connecting as robustly with his constituents as he thinks he is. His preferred method of contact looks a lot like hiding.
I called Paulsen’s Eden Prairie office to learn more about these “town calls,” since I have never received one. According to Paulsen’s staff, they make about one phone call a month to about 40,000 numbers. The calls are each targeted to a certain geography. Out of the 40,000 people called, there are between 2,000 and 8,000 people on the call. Usually, closer to 2,000. There is no advance announcement of when the calls are coming. When I asked why the calls are not announced ahead of time, the staff person told me: “There is no reason. We just don’t.” Continue reading “Erik Paulsen’s ‘town calls’ fail to connect with constituents”
The following column by Jason Jenkins was posted on the Sun-Sailor website March 1, 2018:
The Second Amendment was passed in 1791, giving the right for ordinary citizens to bear arms. Congressman Erik Paulsen has accepted nearly $32,000 in contributions from the National Rifle Association according to a full page ad in the Feb. 21 New York Times. He favors the NRA’s contention that we can’t mess with the Second Amendment, particularly in a state that has thousand of hunters, myself included. I have nothing against guns and have several myself, but an AR-15?
I have guns including a stainless steel Martin hunting rifle, and, at home, I have a .38-caliber revolver, which seems more like a handheld cannon than a handgun. But even with this tiny legal arsenal, I have more firepower than any patriot had in 1791 when the Second Amendment was passed. Remember that was the era of the front-loaded musket, which had a barrel of 3.5 feet – not a concealed weapon. With practice, an accomplished marksman could load three rounds per minute. And, Hollywood movies notwithstanding, it was highly inaccurate. That is why soldiers would stand together and let loose a barrage of bullets hoping they would hit their target at a rate of three rounds per minute. Continue reading “The right to bear muskets (1791) and bear machine guns (2018)?”
I am proud of Stoneman Douglas High School students. For the first time since Columbine we see real movement on gun violence.
Of all murders in America 64 percent are with guns, in Canada 30 percent, in Australia 13 percent, and in England 4 percent. Students and adults are tired of boloney solutions. What are boloney fixes? Raising the age to buy a gun to 21 does nothing; outlawing “bump stocks” does not fix the problem; blaming mentally ill people, more boloney. There will always be undiagnosed mentally ill people, and other countries have them too. Arming teachers for more guns in schools, another bullsh*t fix. Continue reading “How many innocents must die?”
A recent letter to the editor in reference to U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen’s voting record reminded me of my own experience as a voter for Paulsen (“Paulsen works with both parties,” Feb. 22).
The following article by Matt Phillips was posted on the New York Ties website February 26, 2018:
President Trump promised that his tax cut would encourage companies to invest in factories, workers and wages, setting off a spending spree that would reinvigorate the American economy. Companies have announced plans for some of those investments. But so far, companies are using much of the money for something with a more narrow benefit: buying their own shares. Those so-called buybacks are good for shareholders, including the senior executives who tend to be big owners of their companies’ stock. A company purchasing its own shares is a time-tested way to bolster its stock price. But the purchases can come at the expense of investments in things like hiring, research and development and building new plants — the sort of investments that directly help the overall economy. The buybacks are also most likely to worsen economic inequality because the benefits of stocks purchases flow disproportionately to the richest Americans. The tax overhaul is the cornerstone of Mr. Trump’s economic plan. It has been a big win for companies, offering lower corporate rates and a permanent break on overseas profits. Warren E. Buffett said in his annual letter to investors on Saturday that his company, Berkshire Hathaway, enjoyed a $29 billion gain thanks to the new tax law. Continue reading the main story RELATED COVERAGE Opinion Editorial Well-Heeled Investors Reap the Republican Tax Cut Bonanza FEB. 25, 2018 Apple, Capitalizing on New Tax Law, Plans to Bring Billions in Cash Back to U.S. JAN. 17, 2018 Bonuses Aside, Tax Law’s Trickle-Down Impact Not Yet Clear JAN. 22, 2018 Tax Overhaul Gains Public Support, Buoying Republicans Feb. 19, 2018
President Trump promised that his tax cut would encourage companies to invest in factories, workers and wages, setting off a spending spree that would reinvigorate the American economy.
Companies have announced plans for some of those investments. But so far, companies are using much of the money for something with a more narrow benefit: buying their own shares.
Those so-called buybacks are good for shareholders, including the senior executives who tend to be big owners of their companies’ stock. A company purchasing its own shares is a time-tested way to bolster its stock price.
But the purchases can come at the expense of investments in things like hiring, research and development and building new plants — the sort of investments that directly help the overall economy. The buybacks are also most likely to worsen economic inequality because the benefits of stocks purchases flow disproportionately to the richest Americans.
The tax overhaul is the cornerstone of Mr. Trump’s economic plan. It has been a big win for companies, offering lower corporate rates and a permanent break on overseas profits. Warren E. Buffett said in his annual letter to investors on Saturday that his company, Berkshire Hathaway, enjoyed a $29 billion gain thanks to the new tax law.
What companies do with the trillions of dollars they’re bringing back to the United States, and the money they will save each year on their tax bills, will in large part determine whether the plan is a success or a failure.
As the tax cuts kick in, companies have laid out a variety of uses for the money. Some are paying out one-time bonuses to employees. Others are raising salaries. Others plan to open new factories.
In the fourth quarter, American companies’ investments in things like factories and business equipment grew by 6.8 percent. That was the fastest growth rate since 2014, but far from the giant surge in capital spending that was promised ahead of the tax overhaul.
But the buying back of shares is also at record levels.
Almost 100 American corporations have trumpeted such plans in the past month. American companies have announced more than $178 billion in planned buybacks — the largest amount unveiled in a single quarter, according to Birinyi Associates, a market research firm.
Such purchases reduce a company’s total number of outstanding shares, giving each remaining share a slightly bigger piece of the profit pie.
Cisco said this month that in response to the tax package, it would bring back to the United States $67 billion of overseas cash, using $25 billionto finance additional share repurchases. Alphabet, the parent company of Google, authorized up to $8.6 billion in stock purchases. PepsiCo announced a fresh $15 billion in planned buybacks. Chip gear maker Applied Materials disclosed plans for a $6 billion program to buy shares. Late last month, home improvement retailer Lowe’s unveiled plans for $5 billion in purchases.
On Monday, Mr. Buffett said on CNBC that Berkshire might be open to buy some of its shares. The remarks helped send Berkshire’s stock — and the broader market — higher.
More buybacks are almost certainly on the way. UBS analysts covering Apple said the iPhone maker might authorize another $30 billion in share purchases when it reports its next quarterly earnings in April. That would be on top of the $30 billion it already spends each year to buy back its shares.
“I’m expecting buybacks to get to a record for 2018,” said Howard Silverblatt, a senior index analyst with S.&P. Dow Jones Indices. “And if I’m disappointed, there’s a lot of people with me.”
The flurry of planned buybacks has been good for the stock market. Early this month, stocks were down more than 10 percent from their January peak. The prospect of companies flooding markets with “buy” orders helped the market recoup some of its losses.
The broader impact on the economy is less clear. Economists believe a rising stock market benefits the economy, helping support consumer and business confidence. But the vast majority of the billions of dollars in planned share purchases will benefit the richest 10 percent of American households, who own 84 percent of all stocks. The top 1 percent of households own about 40 percent of all stocks.
Ultimately, the effect of the rising stock market depends on how those wealthy investors use their windfall. It helps the economy more, for example, if they put the money toward productive new companies than if they invest in government bonds.
