Franken Fires Top Farm Aid Over Washington Bureaucrat

Word from Washington D.C. is that Senator Franken terminated his relationship with his top farm aide.The HomeTown Farm Aide had a disagreement with a Washington Bureaucrat. For the full story see:

It's hometown vs. old hand

Are you trying to portray Senator Franken in a bad light or do you just want people to read the Strib? Do some research-Mr. Wilson apparently resigned on principal-then tried to rescind his resignation. Do you have any information that Mr Wilson is more qualified than his successor due to the fact that he has Minnesota ties?

Mr. Franken made the news. I only reported it. In case you have not heard, Obama and the liberals are saying we no longer have an agrarian society. Just further prove that the party that in the past has been pro-agriculture may now be turning their backs on rural Minnesota.

Who can better make better farm policies, A bureaucrat in Washington or a farm boy from Minnesota?

This when considering the the White House bureaucrats didn't even know who was on an invitation list?

This coming from an adminsitration who relied upon bureaucrats during the last act of terrorism. They stayed on vacation.

Mr. Franken appears to be representing the cities well, but is he representing the rural areas?

No you didn't report it -the Strib did. Did you read the poorly written rambling article? Where in the article did it say Mark Wilson was a farm boy? How did this now become an issue of "Obama and the liberals" and "White House invitations" and "vacations" and "acts of terror? Do you know for a fact that Mr Wilson is better able to influence farm policy than his successor? If you consider yourself a reporter - you bias is showing. Might want to stick to weather warnings and whats on sale at the local convenience stores your political reporting is conveniently one sided.

Jorge, you are the other point of view. I am glad to respond to my bias. The last time you attempted to paint me conservative who was bias and prejudice, you are unable then and will be unable to make the label stick here.

My bias is rural America. I studied Rural Development and Agricultural Law and have testified close to 15 times in State and Congressional Hearings on Agriculture. My experience dictates that Bureaucrats in Washington carry baggage generally related to lobbyists groups.

I support family farmers and organic farming. I hope the bureaucrat in Washington D.C. has a lot of farmers calling him. Mr. Franken and Obama both are going down a path of anti-rural policies.

What in Senator Frankens voting record indicates a anti-rural or anti-agricultural bias???

And by the way-you eagerly produced your vast experience and credentials the first time around. You don't need to waste your valuable reproducing them yet one more time for me.

I was not stating my credentials. I was stating how I developed my bias and why I developed my bias.

I noticed how you did not want me to state why Obama was anti-rural? I suspect you have read the other threads on the forums.

My position is that now Franken better do something to bring his enormous support to his farm base. His most recent decision to fire his local farm aide is a step in the wrong direction.

Again, did you not read the article. Mr Wilson resigned and then tried to rescind his resignation over a disagreement about farming out a speech to a Washington insider. Contrary to the title of the article-it is never stated that the Senator fired Wilson. Just that he refused to allow the resignation to be rescinded. Makes one wonder about the depth of Mr Wilson's commitment to the Minnesota farmer when he's willing to quit a coveted staff position in Washington D.C. -where he as a key staffer, if effective, is able to help influence farm policy,over a speech. As far as appealing to his rural base-will anyone (present company not included) remember that the Senator had a conflict with a staffer when his term is up in 2016.

As far as Obama, who knows where he's going to stand on agricultural issues. I have my doubts that he'll give ag issues must time. You want to troll for someone to argue in support of the President-you came to the wrong guy. That's beside the point of your initial post entitled "Franken fires Farm Aid over Washington Bureaucrat". Again how do you get from an issue with Frankens staff to "Obama and the liberals" and "White House invitations" and "vacations" and "acts of terror".

Your arguments are mere technicalities. The fact is that the voters need to be aware and wary of politicians that are all wind and no substance.

Your claim is that we should pretend that Mr. Franken's decision will have no effect on rural people. Where is your proof? What pro-rural statement has he made since in office? What farm background does this bureaucrat have? In this debate, this is your burden of proof!

Attack, attack and attack but now it is your turn to prove Mr. Franken is pro-rural. My premise was is this an indication of where Mr. Franken was headed. By the way, the very root of our democracy is that people closer to the district of the representatives have a better feel for the voters. I think Mr. Franken is supposed to represent us, not a bureaucrat in Washington. Even the liberal Minneapolis Tribune has some concerns.

We as voters most certainly should be concerned.

Quote "attack, attack, attack"

You are really thin skinned for being an experience jurist. Any viewpoint expressed that is contrary to yours is a personal attack.

You've don't even attempt to answer any questions that I put to you. Just deflections-do you really think that a Senate staffer has so much power in the Senator's office that he can affect policy? Do you realize that Franken has full time staff both in St.Paul and St. Peter whose job is to connect Minnesota constituents with the Washington office. Simple question-I don't expect any answers from you just more questions.

Your twisted logic that hiring experienced Washington bureaucrats means the Senator represents them and not us is faulty. Just a guess but maybe an inexperienced freshman legislator feels the need to surround himself with an experienced staff. Is Franken committed to rural Minnesota? Who knows-he doesn't have any past political experience but he did very well in outstate Minnesota in the election. Many politicians try and remember those who helped put them in office. Do you think he's had time to push a very big agenda? (sorry I know you don't like to answer questions-consider it a hypothetical). If you haven't been watching the Senate's been embroiled with a few other pressing concerns. So you don't have google them. We're at war, (are you going to questions his commitment to Minnesota servicemen as well) the economy is in trouble and there's the small matter of a health care bill mess. Yet you think Franken proves himself to be anti-rural Minnesota because he had a dispute with an employee. You are reaching and you know it.

Now to try and answer your question about Franken commitment to rural Minnesota. He voted in favor of the Dairy Economic Loss Assistance Payment Program. Doesn't have much affect on our part of Minnesota anymore-but the Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU pro-rural enough for you or can you find fault with them too) supported the legislation and lauded Franken's vote. He co-sponsored the reauthorization of the Rural Education Achievement Program which helps fund rural schools. He's consistent about his support for alternative energy whether it be ethanol or wind. How much evidence do you want?

How much farm background does a D.C. bureaucrat have? Probably none-how much farm background did Mark Wilson have? Where's your proof? Or in your mind is being from Minnesota enough? Sorry I'm burdening you with questions again and questions to you are personal attacks. I know it's a lot easier to just post links from the Strib than to research a story and develop it from facts. You want to play reporter -report something. Posting a link to a sloppy, rambling newspaper article is not reporting. Your "poor-me, I'm being attacked" attitude is what keeps me from this site on a regular basis.

Jorge, I did not say or use the word personal attack, you did. Your real complaint is the article the Minneapolis Tribune writer wrote and your real complaint is that I linked to exposing Mr. Franken's potential mistake.

The economy is the number one issue to the voters, not health care reform or even the war and yet you make excuses for him. Family dairy farms are going broke and the rural communities are going to suffer. I have watched staff influence the way a Senator is thinking personally have you ever been in the inner circle?

I am sure you are a well meaning liberal with friends who do not like the site. I am open minded enough to listen to both sides. That was the deficiency of your friends. You also have this problem. You do not want to hear the bad about Franken. Guess what, he is not perfect. Vin Weber told me once that the biggest problem with Washington D.C. politics is that we do not get home enough to hear our constituents. That is why Mr. Franken has staff back in Minnesota.

My point is and remains we need to watch Mr. Franken closely because one of his first major decisions appeared to be distancing the people that elected him. The Minneaopolis Tribune (a liberal newspaper) and myself are watching him closely.

Your other questions are just an attempt to change the thread down a different path. A good debater stays on topic.

You notice I did not have to piecemeal and attack your thought process to make a point? The point is, we in rural Minnesota need to watch and make sure Mr. Franken represents us and not a bureaucrat in Washington D.C. Stay on the subject!

Dodge and duck-your training for your profession serves you well.
Couldn't answer one simple question posed to you One more chance
counselor- try and keep on subject.

Be honest-you posted this link with the only intent to discredit the Senator. You claim to want to "inform" your readers about potential
problems with Senator Franken. Don't you think that your readers are
smart enough to see potential problems in electing a hot tempered,
inexperienced, far-left winged liberal from Saturday Night Live. Many
of those readers voted for a man with such insurmountable potential
problems last November. I'm sure the many readers of this forum are
eternally grateful to have such an astute political watchdog as
yourself.

I going to burden you with a few simple questions-I predict you'll have no answers - maybe you'll surprise me.

What's your major complaint to date with Senator Frankens commitment to rural affairs?
Try and come up with something that doesn't involve the fact that
Franken is a liberal Democratic who is vulnerable to potential mistakes. Come on now you can do it-I gave you a couple of simple ways that he did support his rural constituency. Return the favor.

Do you have any reason to defend Mark Wilson other than he's from Minnesota?
With your vast political experience you should be able to do a
background check and find out how much agricultural experience he has.
If you have trouble give Vin Weber a call-I know from personal
experience he's accountable and will call you back. Your name dropping
is so impressive.


What major decisions has Franken made in his short tenure to distance himself from his base? In your mind does this single incident - which amounts to an employer/employee conflict-amount to a major decision?

Thanks for you very enlightening comment "Guess what, he is
not perfect". That completely kills my theory that Franken is the second coming of Abraham Lincoln. Did Vin Weber (a man I admire by the way-even though I'm
supposedly a ""well meaning liberal") provide you with that
information. That's an observation you must have put a lot of thought
into.

Just a quick observation and question for you mouthpiece. You and I both know that the Minneapolis Star Tribune is without question a left leaning liberal publication. Knowing that-who did the Strib endorse in the 2008 Senate race?

Hint #1: Ex-mayor of St. Paul
Hint #2: Ex-gubernatorial candidate defeated by a professional wrestler for the seat.
Hint #3: Was finally able to win a Senate by rallying fiercely to win in the last days of the race after his opponent died tragically.

It appears that your theory that even a liberal paper like the Strib is criticizing Franken lacks merit. They never supported him in the first place.

I am not going to have you define my position. This site stands for good government and the principles of good government. I do not mind your defense of Mr. Franken. I am openminded and allowed you to ramble on about your theories of how Mr. Franken operates.

I am a proponent of rural America. I am neither against or for Mr. Wilson. I repeat a person in Minnesota who was a strong supporter of Franken.

You have a tendency to exaggerate and extrapolate what I am saying. This Forum and other media will be watching closely to inform the public about his stances on issues that effect us in rural Minnesota.

Where did I say in my posts that the Minnespolis Tribune is always liberal?

You claim that you have gotten into my motive and my intent was to discredit Franken. My intent was to inform. Nothing more or nothing less. You appear to want to keep the voters uneducated. Twenty years ago this would have worked.

Stay on Task! We need to keep people informed and we will. Now you have a tendency to appear on this site only to ramble when important local issues are pending. I suspect it diverts from the local politics.

For that reason I will respond to your rhetoric in a couple of weeks when the local issues have been decided. My priorities are my local communities and Franken's firing of a staffer just does not merit this kind of attention at the cost of making local government less responsible.

You provided the response I expected from you. Refuse to answer simple questions and then throw out an allegation and question my motives. You post a politically controversial link (for information only of course)- I responded with questions. Were my questions too hard for you? I think you love being the center of attention on this site. You can't take it when someone has the gall to question you. Sorry for stealing your thunder- thing is I don't think many pay you that much attention.

Would you two knock it off already? Honestly. mouthpiece, stop letting jorge push your buttons! He loves to do it. He obviously despises you personally, and it's his goal to bring you down. He's playing you like a violin. jorge, you pretty much turn my stomach. You remind me of the school bully who taunts some poor kid mercilessly and unendingly on the playground so you can have the crowd in the palm of your hand.
Enough already, jorge. The adults on this forum will have to take steps (requesting that you have your own time out forum room so you can pick things apart to your heart's content without being on center stage) if you don't get off this singular agenda already, and stretch your character and brain to come up with a productive way to participate. As for your taunt that no one pays much attention to mouthpiece anyway -- I don't know if that's true, but .... who the heck cares? Good grief. It's a forum, not a contest for Most Popular Kid in the School.

Great of you to come to mouthpieces defense. So I turn your stomach-that's pretty strong isn't it?? Sorry-don't mean to be offensive. Political controversy isn't always easy to broach nicely. Mouthpiece takes the opportunity to express his political opinions on this forum under the guise of providing the public information. It's all about his version of good government-I would have very willingly dropped this after 1 post if he would have addressed any of the issues that were brought up in the Strib article. He didn't and he won't-he wants a couple of weeks to see if he can then justify the post.

Back to the politics of this discussion-Al Franken probably epitomizes everything that's wrong with todays political system. A big money, media driven system where an inexperienced entertainer can somehow find himself elected to the hallowed halls of the U.S. Senate. I view the Senator (I suspect) with the same derision that Mouthpiece does. That said-this sensationalist news story from the Strib had nothing to do with the job the Senator is currently doing to represent us-it was about a employer/employee conflict. I've got nothing against the Mouthpiece personally-just wish he'd take his political stance and not hide behind his claim of "reporting and informing" the voters.

Well written jorge016. "A soft answer turneth away wrath." It is good to know that the issue is in delivery. That's something we can all improve on. Thanks for "reporting" about today's "big money, media driven political system." If you and mouthpiece ever learn to approach each other without the sparks going off I bet it would be fun to listen to. As it is one has to wait for the fur to stop flying before the good stuff comes up.

My understanding is that news media reports stories from everyone else. That is what the AP (Associated Press) is about. Media sharing stories with media. Different papers print stories from other medias. They give credit for it and in the same way here we talk about a story we have read and link it right to the source. It is about people reading something of interest to them and sharing it with their neighbors. Some people are more gifted at describing the story than others. It helps to have a friend who can clear up the details for them.

Is politics your only interest? There is another thread that talks about SD introducing a bill to further restrict the sale of fresh (raw) milk. Do you have an opinion on government restricting farmers from selling their produce? I would be interested to read anything you have to report on the subject.

See Got (Raw) Milk? here.

Ladyhawk, thanks for your response. I don't mean to contradict you but
my "reporting" on today's political situation wasn't reporting-it was
my opinion. It was editorializing.

Mouthpiece may well be trying to be the AP of the Big Stone area-if his
true intent is to inform-that's great. In this case he might have lead
with the link rather than:

"HomeTown Farm Aide had a disagreement with a Washington Bureaucrat"

in my opinion "hometown farm aide" would be us and "Washington
Bureaucrat" would be them. That line informs no one and makes the
entire post an editorial. I would hope that anyone who wants (including
mouthpiece) would state their political opinions on this forum. If and
when they do - be prepared to have them questioned and then defend the
position. Yes I'm guilty of pushing Mouthpieces hot buttons - I'd
simply like him to take responsibility for his posts and defend them
when called out.

I'm not going to beat this dead horse any longer-I'll insert this link
only to blatantly support my position on this issue. Please note that
it is from a blog-just one more opinion.

http://www.minnpost.com/braublog/2010/01/13/14920/whats_with_the_star_tribunes_overblown_franken_staffing_story

My position on the raw milk issue is simple. I drank raw milk for the
first 20+ years of my life. It came from a dairy with high standards
for sanitation and quality. No one in the family or any visitor ever
got sick from drinking that milk and cream. I hate seeing the gov't
meddle in every decision in our life especially local foods. That said
if I was a dairy farmer in this culture where litigation is threatened
over every little issue, I would gladly sell raw milk to all who
wanted-they would however be required to sign an iron clad waiver of
liability. One unfortunate illness pinned fairly or unfairly on raw
milk could easily cost one the farm.

Good rebuttal article. Thanks for sharing that. It helps to get different perspectives. In my opinion any "reporting" always has the perspective of the writer and therefore can be also considered "editorialized." In this media (as really with any media) it is up to the discretion of the reader to use their judgement. In the two articles sited above you can see different perspectives of the same incident. Would one article be considered "reporting" and the other "editorial?" They were both "reporting" but could also be considered "editorial" in that they were using the writers perspective (opinion?) to guide what they wrote about. To me the two are interchangeable and we should always be on our guard to pay attention to what is "fact" in an story and what is "opinion."

Something you may find of use to you (and actually everyone making a post) is when you are typing your post there are little square boxes above the body of the message you are typing in. One of those boxes contain two links like in a chain. When you click on that button a small window opens up with two lines. In the first line you can paste in the web address of the article you are linking to. In the second line you can type in the title of the article or "Click here to see article" or what ever you want to say to identify the article. When you click the "ok" then it pastes the link into your post. It looks better and works swell.
To read more about it click here.

Thanks for your opinion on the possible restriction on farmers being able to sell their produce. It is an important issue and in my opinion one where everyone has an interest. It does affect us all. One subject that I fully support is farms and farmers who want to sell local. This site is ready to be of assistance, to be of service to keep the public informed to the needs or growth of the local food market. Local foods is one subject that is not "political" and people should set aside their differences in that area and should all work together. It is in the best interest of the whole community to use every resource available to keep the public informed. At one time the leadership in the local food market was actively using this site to inform the public on their activities but for some reason we haven't' heard much from them for awhile. I do hope that it is still an active community and they are moving forward and hope to hear more about it.

mouthpiece wrote:

I am not going to have you define my position. This site stands for good government and the principles of good government. I do not mind your defense of Mr. Franken. I am openminded and allowed you to ramble on about your theories of how Mr. Franken operates.

I am a proponent of rural America. I am neither against or for Mr. Wilson. I repeat a person in Minnesota who was a strong supporter of Franken.

You have a tendency to exaggerate and extrapolate what I am saying. This Forum and other media will be watching closely to inform the public about his stances on issues that effect us in rural Minnesota.

Where did I say in my posts that the Minnespolis Tribune is always liberal?

You claim that you have gotten into my motive and my intent was to discredit Franken. My intent was to inform. Nothing more or nothing less. You appear to want to keep the voters uneducated. Twenty years ago this would have worked.

Stay on Task! We need to keep people informed and we will. Now you have a tendency to appear on this site only to ramble when important local issues are pending. I suspect it diverts from the local politics.

For that reason I will respond to your rhetoric in a couple of weeks when the local issues have been decided. My priorities are my local communities and Franken's firing of a staffer just does not merit this kind of attention at the cost of making local government less responsible.

I'm sure I'll be labeled micro-agressive, but in a effort to give you a LadyHawk a respite from trying to run Vickie Oakes out of town, I'll bump this post. Mouthpiece you said in this post you'd respond in a couple of weeks. Here's your chance to bash someone besides Vickie Oakes. Take a shot or 2 at Senator Franken for his anti-rural Minnesota stance why don't you-it will surely make you feel good. I gave you almost 2 months to respond. You must have forgot about this. By the way do you have any more of those really insightful health care posts to share. That last one you threw up here mysteriously disappeared. It was obvious that you put a lot of thought into that one.