What if Minnesota blocked domain names and IP’s of sites it objectively views as illegal and really aren’t? And without a hearing? What if they felt bloggers opinions were hate speech when in fact it is just protected free speech by blocking their IP by demand of Administrative and Bureaucratic Officials? What if China seized the domain names of U.S. Web sites promoting religions that China bans? Or what if Nebraska seized and shut down the domain name law.com because its cutting-edge legal content, that state believed, encourages frivolous litigation in violation of state law? The list is endless……. In terms of what if’s? Many of these sites are not hosted in Minnesota or even subject to Minnesota law but that isn’t stopping Minnesota from using an archaic law to enforce its subjective and unconstitutional process.

On April 29th, the Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division (AGED) of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety announced it would require ISPs and telcos to block computers located in the state from accessing gambling sites, and said non-compliant companies would be referred to the FCC. Now, the state has sent each ISP and telco the enclosed blacklist of sites and URLs. http://www.imega.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/ab001dd4.pdf You will find a variety of online poker sites including establishments that do not even accept customers from the United States. The Department of Public Safety is also calling for companies to block telephone access to
he sites’ support numbers.

At issue is whether states and localities can legally restrict access to the Internet based on federal, city, county or state laws. Minnesota is invoking a law written before the Internet became widely accessible that pertains to common carriers -- such as the use of a telephone to call a bookie and place a bet.

Last year, Kentucky seized 141 Internet gambling domain names in an attempt to stop access to online gambling. The Kentucky Court of Appeals later stayed the forfeiture. http://www.eff.org/files/kentuckyorder.pdf Also is relevant information on domain names relevant to the Minnesota position that were raised in the Kentucky case: http://www.eff.org/files/filenode/ky_v_domainnames/amicusbriefky_0.pdf

Minnesota delivered notices to AT&T Internet Services, Charter Communications, Comcast Cable, Direct TV, Dish Network, Embarq,
Sprint/Nextel, Frontier Communications, Qwest, Verizon Wireless, and Wildblue Communications, citing U.S. Code, Title 18, Section 1084, (d) which pertains to common carriers. The law reads, in part:

"When any common carrier, subject to the jurisdiction of the Federal Communications Commission, is notified in writing by a federal, state, or local law enforcement agency, acting within its jurisdiction, that any facility furnished by it is being used or will be used for the purpose of transmitting or receiving gambling information in interstate or foreign commerce in violation of federal, state or local law, it shall discontinue or refuse, the leasing, furnishing, or maintaining of such facility, after reasonable notice to the subscriber ... "

What is next, asking Google, Yahoo, Myspace, Facebook and others to block search results for sites that Minnesota subjectively declares a gambling website? Has AGED provided due process to any of these sites? You know notice and opportunity to be heard the cornerstone of law? Shouldn’t we as taxpayers be told who or what led to the concern of government censoring websites and IP addresses? How much are we as taxpayers expected to shell out for this big brother, big government regulation?

You can go to many of the websites and discover that many allow free play such as full tilt which I play on for free. How exactly is government going to decipher what is legitimate and what is not and should government be playing any role in that decision or not? Somebody needs to do a public information request through the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act to see what led to this call for scrutiny and needless expenditure of tax dollar money to begin with.

Poker players in Minnesota may be left with legal card rooms at racetracks and the state’s tribal casinos as the only options if the action to block 200 websites is successful. That should give us a clue that probably put the state up to this nonsense to begin with. Except those mentioned are all about gambling and many of the sites being blocked offer poker for free. Poker players throughout America should be very concerned, as should internet freedom lovers regardless of where they stand on gambling. Once we establish a process of government regulating the internet, where does it stop?

In a column published by PokerNewsDaily we find that the Director at AGED hadthis to say, “The list, which is only 200 out of literally thousands of websites, was selected at random without regards to what type of internet gambling each site is engaged in. Online poker would fall within that possibility.” So now we are making administrative decisions without due process on a range of possibilities? Citizens and taxpayers should find that disturbing. He further states that, “Online gambling has been held
to be illegal by the past three Attorney Generals and Minnesota is one of the first states to take action.”

I bet a person doesn’t have to look real hard to see the PAC, lobbyists, associations and individuals who may have donated to these last three Attorney General Candidates. But then we are talking illegal gambling and many of these sites offer poker for free. Hardly illegal now is it?

Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association (iMEGA) Chairman Joe Brennan questioned the Government’s professionalism in generating its list. According to a statement found on iMEGA’s website, Brennan explained, “We question how much thought was put into the selection of these sites. To propose censoring Minnesota residents’ Web access and not
to know which sites are even in the U.S. market makes me wonder just how seriously the Department of Public Safety is taking this action. It comes off as a half-baked attempt at intimidation rather than thoughtful enforcement.” As I mentioned above the list of 200 was generated randomly without regard to what type of internet gambling each site was allegedly even engaged in.

I am all for state rights and limited government involvement but this is about the internet which was supposed to open markets, increase competition and access worldwide. Now I believe it is time for the federal government to step in and restrict the right of states to make these kinds of decisions. This is really about interstate commerce which means states have no right regulating under the Constitution of the United States. State bureaucrats and politicians are trying harder and harder to
restrict the internet as it cuts into various revenue streams. Here in Minnesota its gambling. If federal law isn’t implemented each state will carve up the internet, removing anything that they perceive as financially or socially negative, and the era of freedom we have enjoyed for two decades will end. Next if left uncheck will see hefty state by state taxes to supposedly “level the playing field” for local retailers, followed by restrictions on academic and political websites under the guise of “social
harm?”

Minnesota government spending two years ago was on autopilot as the DFL in Minnesota spent almost $3 billion more in new spending not including the $6 billion in tax and fee increases they passed for transit and some transportation in Minnesota. Now with the economy in decline, families losing their jobs, businesses on the verge of closing what do we get from the DFL? Well more of the same of course.

Let’s just look at HF2323 which passed the House recently which without a last moment switch by Rep. Tom Rukavina would have failed in the House. Of course the DFL will spin this as only the rich will pay but that is the furthest thing from the truth - we all will pay. This bill has the following tax increases:

Income Tax: $469.5 million income tax increase
Cigarette Tax: $210 million tax increase
Alcohol Taxes: $209.4 million tax increase
Boats, ATVs & Snowmobiles: $10.5 million tax increase
iTunes Tax: $4.23 million tax increase
Gift Tax: $15 million tax increase
Yanking the Gas Tax Credit: $60.5 million
Local Option Sales Tax: $391 million

This bill shows that Democrats have two priorities: Raising taxes and protecting the welfare state. Jobs are not a priority for Democrats. Their tax increases would hit thousands of small businesses that are trying to keep the employees they have and add more. They call massive spending investments rather than what they are; more unnecessary spending.

Where else is the DFL’s priorities? Good question! While the DFL passed tax increases in the neighborhood of $1.5 billion, they also showed that they can not control spending. HF1362 which just passed the House floor increases Health and Human Services spending by $2.2 billion. The so called jobs bill SF2081 sends the wrong message by forgiving a $32.75 million loan to the City of St. Paul so the city can build a new hockey rink across from the Excel Energy Center. It also increases a so-called “Workforce
Enhancement Fee” on employers that is an absolute job killer. The DFL are telling Minnesotans it is okay for government to build a hockey rink at the same time they are cutting funding to veterans services, Public Safety.

But these taxes are not on just the rich as the DFL like to talk about. Once you hit the $30,000 to $40,000 income levels, there are more losers than winners in the Democrats tax increase. The Democrat bill not only raises taxes on those areas mentioned above, but it also yanks JOBZ tax benefits and allows every county in the state to impose a new sales tax.

The DFL tax bill takes away the mortgage interest deduction, K-12 credit, K-12 subtraction, property tax deduction organ donor credit, and child care credit. Some of these are partially offset by new substantially smaller credits or cuts, but by also repealing the gas tax credit they passed along with their gas tax increase in 2008, Democrats show that they cannot be trusted to keep these credits and may repeal them in the future.

One thing is certain that the DFL priorities are not families, taxpayers and businesses in Minnesota. All the DFL in the House have done is created a climate of more taxes and assault on your checkbook by protecting their special interests and increasing government spending in St. Paul at a time we can least afford it.

 House passes State Government $579 million grab bag bill

 http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/43617912.html?

Among other items it includes:  provides health insurance to domestic partners, including same-sex partners; cuts high-level political appointees; takes away Lt. Gov. Carol Molnau's car; and sells naming rights to almost every state building.

The Minnesota House passed a bill last Thursday that keeps school funding flat over the next two years, almost guaranteeing deep cuts in school district budgets.

http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/43556262.html?

Following a Senate vote, the Minnesota House along with a party line, plan to raise substantial taxes on every Minnesota family, taxpayer and business in Minnesota.

http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/43704772.html?

To start with lets use a few of the absurd examples of DFL fuzzy math. In the analysis done on the DFL tax reshuffle in March the following example was used:

“The mortgage credit would equal 7 percent of eligible mortgage interest up to $420. For example, a family with $50,000 in income that pays $10,000 in mortgage interest would receive a $420 credit. Under current law, Lenczewski said the deduction would be $131.” Is Lenczewski smoking something? Does she think that is a real world example - a family making $50,000 is going to be paying $10,000 in mortgage interest? Hate to see what the P&I is then. Then there is the elimination of the K-12 education and health insurance credits just to name a few of the examples to produce further shifts of redistribution down to those that pay no net taxes to begin with.

On the corporate side; businesses would see the removal of the foreign royalty subtraction or the research-and-development credit. Elimination of JOBZ and biotech zones which I am not a big fan of anyway. This is all before the DFL propose their tax hikes. Hold on to your wallets taxpayers, the case to drain your already light wallet is coming to a tax increase proposal near you. Its back to typical class envy and warfare and promising to give some more while taking a whole lot more from someone else.

But the DFL have made promises and more promises of spending they can not keep without increasing revenue. They keep telling everybody they will raise taxes on everybody but you ….to get your vote then increase your taxes and say they had no choice. Remember the increase in metro sales tax? Remember the billions in tax and fees raised all in the name of transit (oops I meant transportation, but then I would be lying)? Or how about increasing the sales tax temporarily (like 25 years is temporary) for water, conservation, arts…etc? And boy don’t even think about using that revenue stream or those lobbyists will have your head like somehow that is their tax dollars not yours. So like expected we have seen the House and Senate DFL propose over $3 billion in tax increases and $2 billion respectively and that does not count the out years where more are proposed. Can we afford to raise taxes when your neighbors, family and friends are already losing their jobs, their homes and having a hard time making ends meet?

So getting back to the House DFL tax plan, Lenczewski said that beneficiaries under her plan will compete with others for a piece of the state budget instead of getting special tax treatment. So instead of making this a business decision that all can benefit from she is creating a government handout that will lead to more lobbying and government picking winners and losers. Just what we need in Minnesota.

Just like the Obama Administration who is leading the politics of class warfare and envy the Minnesota DFL is following suit.

The DFL took the Pawlenty Budget recommendations on the road as a campaign opportunity to take jabs at the Governor and allow the special interest groups they are beholden to parade themselves in front of the microphone on how they feel they are already stretched too thin, that the cuts will have dire consequences, and that not only can they not take cuts they need more government money to survive.

Was it a matter of convenience or coincidence that those dame DFL leaders had no proposal of their own because they were too cowardly to face these very same groups with their proposals. We now find that they really had no real plan but to hook their wagon to the tax the rich bandwagon of Obama even though the definition of what or who it is they will be taxing is always changing.

But now we now know as both the House and Senate DFL have introduced tax increases that are being sold as taxing the rich but in the end will cost all Minnesota taxpayers. The Senate has introduced a plan to raise taxes over $2 billion http://www.politicsinminnesota.com/2009/mar18/2492/senate-dfls-budget-outline-numbers-are-one-thing-politics-something-else-entirely and the House DFL plan raises $1.5 billion in the first biennium and another $1.4 billion in the second biennium on top of that for almost $3 billion in tax increases http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/dfl of course the devil is all in the details.Well hold on for more tax increases as all those special interests could care that the economy is in the tank, that taxing the rich, businesses and all of us more are only going to make things worse. Case in point Education Minnesota’s press release chastising the House DFL proposal, with the following comment “This proposal still doesn't make education a priority,” Education Minnesota President Tom Dooher. http://www.educationminnesota.org/en/news/edmnupdates/housedflbudget09.aspx I am sure we will see even more crying, pleading and whining from the big city mayors and other local governments who can not seem to control their spending either and will mark my words cut fire, police and other essential services first!!!

But then what about the House proposal? Well those of us that already pay in more and more each year to the state coffers - plan on contributing even more. http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/41350927.html? Mortgage interest tax breaks would be capped at $420, education credits used for everything from tutoring to violin lessons would vanish, and a host of other deductions and credits would be eliminated. So to avoid some direct tax increases the House DFL plan eliminated many credits which will result in higher tax bills for most middle and upper class Minnesotans. Indeed, the changes would hit nearly every Minnesotan in some way. Refundable credits for day care would disappear, as would a recently enacted credit for farmers with cows afflicted with bovine tuberculosis.

But it doesn’t stop with the state - Counties could add an extra half-cent to the sales tax to help make up for lost state aid and add another revenue stream, under a proposal from Rep. Paul Marquart, DFL-Dilworth. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2009/03/dfl_property_ta.shtml The DFL are also looking at rolling back the caps that were part of the budget deal from 2 years ago in which the DFL spent roughly $3 billion more in spending on top of the over $4 billion in transportation tax increases they implemented. What is worse yet is that the DFL plan is going to let local cities raise taxes with out voter approvalThe problem with all levels of Government in Minnesota right now (City’s, County’s and School Districts) is that these officials don’t understand the concept of fiscal responsibility, nor the notion of limited government. What the DFL in St. Paul is trying to do is bail out their local brethren by letting them create new sources of money to pay for their irresponsible local decisions.

I’m sure you’ve always heard that all politics are local.  Well, I don't believe that it is just a saying.  It is reality.  If you want to make a difference at the local level, the caucuses are the place to start.  But I encourage you to not stop there.  Today more than ever we need Conservatives involved holding elected officials accountable. 

Every where you turn you have city councils raising fees and taxes saying they do not have a choice.  County Adminstrators are pleading with County Commissioners not to cut budgets but find ways to raise revenue.  And our state legislators...don't get me started with that tax grabbing, irresponsible group.

If you live in Rice County, the location and time for the caucus.is:

Date:  Saturday, April 04, 2009 Time: 9AM
Location: Met-Con Construction Offices, 15760 Acorn Trail, Faribault, MN 55021

Contact: Kathy Dodds | 507-334-5390

If you dont know yours send me an email and I will be happy to find out for you.  Be sure to attend and ask questions.  Pick people who have some idea of how to manage an organization and pick people who arefiscal Conservatives.  Is does us no good to elect people just to elect people  If there are no good Republican candidates, volunteer to fill the slot (empty ballot slots really irritate me).  But this is for the organization and what we should try and instill is that we must get more involved in local politics.  We must elect Conservatives at the local level and that means contrary to what the state party believes that WE must get involved. The precinct is the foundation of what happens from that level up. And understanding how you can make a difference in the political process at the precinct level is the essence of “the ground game” of political grass roots organization.

Getting involved is showing up and participating in local meetings, writing letters, and donating time and money to send a message. These locally elected government leaders are the people who control the majority of your property tax bill, so even if you never think about township, city, or county officials, they DO matter to your financial condition!

Get involved today in order to preserve our children’s tomorrows.

If you can not get to the caucus and still want to get involved there are numerous other ways including:

• Write letters to elected officials at ALL levels! Let them know your position on an issue and reinforce it with facts.
• Call conservative talk radio shows and share your ideas.
• Submit articles to local newspapers and online conservative magazines to get your views out.
• Be an active blogger on political and issue sites.
• Leave comments on web articles and others’ blogs.

It is time we return to Conservative Values!

Tax Cut Coalition Members: You Are Invited to the 2009 Tax Cut Rally on Saturday, May 2nd!

My friends, it's been a while since I've written so I wanted to update you on a couple of things. First, we're glad to announce that the Jason Lewis Show is now nationally syndicated from 5-8PM CT. Please tell your friends around the country the show is available from Premiere Radio Networks. For more info, check out our new website, www.JasonLewisShow.com.

Now, on to other news -- including Minnesota's fiscal day of reckoning.

As you may know, a state budget deficit of over $6 billion through the next budget biennium has the tax and spenders reeling. And unfortunately that can mean only one thing: grab your wallet. In fact, Minnesota House Democrats have already proposed at least $1.5 billion in new taxes, notwithstanding the state may receive billions in federal stimulus money. By the way, the stimulus money coming from Washington is part of the greatest spending binge in history. This has resulted unprecedented federal borrowing as well as massive new tax increase proposals.

Because of this fiscal crisis, we are set to ratchet up our plans for this year's TAX CUT RALLY to be held once again on the Capitol steps, May 2, 2009. We are joining forces with the Taxpayers League of Minnesota and Minnesota Majority to expand the number of activities to include more booths, more points of interest, and even kid-friendly activities such as food, music, and refreshments. We might even have a prize or two for the best sign!

Minnesota and the nation need you and your neighbors (please have them join the Tax Cut Coalition) to show up in force Saturday, May 2nd in St. Paul on the Capitol Steps so that the tax and spenders can get the message loud and clear: not one more dime.

Sincerely,
Jason Lewis

Click here to sign up for the Tax Cut Coalition!