Jamie Delton's 2008 Minnesota State Rep Platform

Hello,

Thank you to all who have contributed in 2007 to my campaign for Minnesota State Representative in downtown St. Paul (65B). There are still a few days left to contribute the maximium $500 for 2007. Our 2008 fund raising effort will be even more ambitious than our 2007 fund raising effort. If you live in the downtown St. Paul area remember to attend the Republican Caucus February 5th 2008 6PM at ***UPDATE from http://www.fourthdistrictgop.com **** Capitol Hill Magnet School 560 Concordia Ave St. Paul MN 55102. There you can become a delegate. You will then receive instruction on when the spring-time Republican convention is.

There you can vote to endorse me, Jamie Delton, as the Republican candidate against Carlos Mariani, the long-time incumbent Democrat.

Please consider contributing up to $500 via my paypal link at the right. For instructions email me at Jamie.Delton@gmail.com or contact my campaign manager, Craig Lien, at (651) 314-4491
Thank you!

My platform contains the following items:

Sanctity of marriage
Sanctity of Life
Reinstate Capital Punishment in Minnesota
Support police and corrections funding and stronger sentences
Healthcare Reform
Dept of Health and Human Services Reform
Education Reform
Cap Property Tax through Initiatives and Referenda
Identify clearly the purpose AND philosophy of all government subsidies
Privacy/data issues
Foreign policy/ Vet's issues
Immigration/id cards
Evaluate on merit all government expansion and funding efforts that cite a Weather crisis
to justify public expenditures and new public programs.

If elected I will:.

Encourage and vote for Pro-Marriage and Pro-Life legislation such as a Constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman.
See my discussions of this on http://www.e-democracy.org/, in the local forum on Minnesota issues.
Propose legislation to outlaw ALL Sanctuary City declarations.
Support Fred Thompson's idea of withholding federal funding to those cities that declare themselves sanctuary cities.
Support veterans and ensure they receive adequate benefits.
Reduce Property Taxes by supporting Initiatives and Referendums that cap property taxes.

Allow State agencies to implement Real ID mandates. See my previous entries on Real ID.

I am strongly Pro-Privacy especially in regard to any State and medical info such as the state info Secretary of State Mark Ritchie recently shared with his campaign committee.
Preserve the sanctity of marriage including it's definition as between a man and a woman.
Promote Free Market, Small Government Conservatism in our state and through out the world through Bush Trade Agreements.
Challenge government expansion and funding efforts that cite a Weather crisis that most scientists agree on. These efforts must be evaluated on merit.
Challenge conventional Democratic mantra that continued expansion of Medicare brings social, economic justice.
Challenge conventional Democratic mantra that continued expansion of government leads to prosperity.

Support our partner in Wind Power, Governor Richardson of New Mexico, in progressing in other areas as well such as building the federally approved wall on our southern border. Enforce existing law in workplace and at the border. Regain trust.
Instead of working to raise wages of noncitizens it would make as much sense to lower the minimum wage requirements for certain sectors such as family -owned farms for certain job positions. At least that benefits the American middle class.

Challenge Single-payer healthcare and similar plans as endorsement of socialism which this country has rejected consistently for over a century. Expand employees' choice of Providers to a nationwide cafeteria and remove the corporate role in healthcare. This will relieve the corporation of the healthcare burden and foster growth of start-up companies. Companies wishing to retain their competitive advantage by offering health benefits may do so by paying the employee a lump yearly sum ($10,000-$15,000) equal to the 2007 group cost.

Halt expansion of Pay or Play. The most recent MN Pay or Play legislation (see http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/bldbill.php?

bill=H0039.0.html&session=ls85) requires companies with 10k or more employees to fund MinnesotaCare (different rates for for-profit and non-profit).

Sec. 5. [175.43] PAYMENT TO THE FAIR SHARE HEALTH CARE FUND.
Subdivision 1. For-profit employers. An employer with more than 10,000
employees in the state that is not organized as a nonprofit organization and does not spend at least ten percent of total wages paid to employees in

the state for health care costs shall pay to the fair share health care fund an amount equal to the difference between what the employer spends for health care costs and ten percent of total wages paid to employees in the state.

Request from the authors a definition of noncitizen for the following recent legislation:

256J.575 FAMILY STABILIZATION SERVICES Subd. 3. Eligibility: item 3, " a participant who is a noncitizen who has been in the United States for 12 or fewer months."

House Authors:
Thissen; Walker; Tschumper; Hosch; Huntley; Abeler; Bly
Bill Name: SF0559
Companion: HF0746
House Search Revisor Number: 07-1713
Senate Authors: Berglin; Higgins; Marty
http://ros.leg.mn/revisor/pages/search_status/status_detail.php?b=Senate&f=SF0559&ssn=0&y=2007

Even the legislative researchers can't answer what the definition of noncitizen is here.

Challenge spiraling education costs. Allowing costs to rise in education is an endorsement of socialism which this country has rejected consistently for over a century.

Preserve healthcare and education by reducing cost.
Let's be clear the failed cost projection and consumer cost are two separate things:
http://www.reason.com/news/show/29339.html
Projected costs include vendor costs. Vendor costs payable by the federal government may be where most Medicare inflation has taken place since 1965.
Hard work, good research, and finally bold reform are required to continue low-cost healthcare for the Baby Boomers, the first of whom came online this year.
Preserve existing education and healthcare by making them self-sustaining within standard budget increases and eventually accounting for unfunded liabilities.

Reduce crime.
Reinstate Capital Punishment in Minnesota
Support quality-of-life and tough-on-crime bills

I like to highlight St Paul Police Chief John Harrington's educated and disciplined police force as an example for other cities to follow - and encourage the major cities to increase police funding without increasing taxes.

Work to highlight and possibly eliminate all unnecessary farm subsidies and healthcare inflation.
Support Governor Pawlenty's Ethanol initiative.

I will evaluate sub-prime mortgages in our district and take all necessary steps.

In my 9/11/07 letter to Caucus Attendees, I said:

Locally, I will work hard to ensure adequate healthcare for seniors and ensure benefits for Iraqi veterans while at the same time helping to restore financial accountability. I will educate on flood plain and river issues and help revitalize downtown St. Paul still further. I will take steps to attract people and businesses to downtown St. Paul by working within established guidelines with the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce, building groups, and others on a bi-partisan basis.

Although this is a state race, let me list the issues of the National Republican party which I will be cognizant of: Life issues, Gun Rights, Homeland Security, healthcare for seniors, benefits for Iraqi veterans, Real ID, Middle-East foreign policy, Immigration, fiscal responsibility, Ethanol,
dependence on foreign oil, global electronics issues, and conservation of Minnesota wilderness.
Minnesota Republican bloggers are the voice of reason in the immigration issue and hold others accountable for abetting weak immigration enforcement.

We must educate others on the immigration enforcement problem, enforce the borders, and regain trust. If elected I will work with local companies that have come to depend on the labor of illegal immigrants. I have always been anti smoking-ban.

Part of the promised research on the riverfront reveals these startling photos:

This shows how high the water was in downtown St. Paul MN in 1997. Note the condo site in the background.
http://www.stpaul.gov/leisure/history/flood/gallery/18.html
This shows the new West Side Riverfront Floodwall is 33" - only 7 inches higher than the 1965 flood.
http://www.stpaul.gov/leisure/history/flood/
The West Side floodwall will raise the level of the surging river for those parts of downtown St. Paul that are not protected by a 33 inch high floodwall, including the new condos on Shepard Road. And here is what Shepard Road looks like under 22 inches of water:
http://www.stpaul.gov/leisure/history/flood/gallery/12.html

http://www.freedomfoundationofminnesota.com/content/events.php

Jason Lewis wrote a paper for the Freedom Foundation of MN which hosted the State of MN Conservativism Conference Mpls Marriot.
Here is AAA's report:
http://www.residualforces.com/2007/12/01/freedom-foundation-of-mn-state-of-conservatism-conference

This candid discussion below is one of the reasons I love this state! Remember they are talking long term about Minnesota's highest levels of government. In what other state does this level of candor take place?
Jason Lewis The Big Show Friday 11/30/07

Friday 11/30/07 4PM

Marty Seifert:
I want to bring up some offensive discussion for next year we have Initiatives and referendums in alot of cities in mn - If the legislature and local cities and counties are not going to live within their means on for example property taxes let's start putting Initiatives and referendums out to have caps on property tax growth.

We do have it in a lot of cities - Mpls, St Paul [4800 signatures required - Ed.] - and we have it in Ramsey county. ...
Let's not raise taxes or this and that but let's actually put some limitations on these things.
The liberals go absolutely bananas trying to stop these things - and they won't have as much money to use against my folks running for the legislature.

Jason Lewis:
Marty Seifert I agree with you but my point is we need to be bold and visionary and ELIMINATING income taxes which seems like a fairy tale right now -
9 other states do it 14 states have a flat tax or no income tax at all - we're getting killed in the capital markets in Minnesota -
I truly think that's what the slow down in the state is due to - that capital is mobile.
we need to think boldly here ....
Now I agree it's utopian but we need to start thinking big here.

You get so demogogic when you try to cut the taxes that need to be cut for the most productive Minnesota citizens that its almost an impossible due to the politics of envy around here.

Marty Seifert:
Before we even go into the discussion on sales tax or anything else at least
Abolish and combine two cabinet departments.
See a net decrease in state employees.
Have an absolute commitment to privatize certain government services [Healthcare providers? - Ed.]
And then in the welfare area going down and totally overhauling our entitlement programs.
All of those things have to take place first - because if we just shuffle the deck around ... I'm just not sure that would be real attractive - i think we really need to get back to the message that government wastes money and the private sector does a better job.

Jason:
Well I agree with you 100% on the spending side but as soon as you can convince the local media and Democrats and the populace that we can cut taxes at the TOP bracket I'm all on board - but I've been waiting for quite some time for that - that gets demogog - that's a greater leap [than eliminating the income tax - Ed], it seems to me. ...

Marty: Although we did do it in 1999-2000 I have to say we had the will to cut all 3 tax brackets and ... And sadly that's the last time we were actually able to have a tax reduction on income taxes but ...

[Edwin] in Vadnais Heights from South Dakota
[Edwin] says 25 cents on bread won't hurt poor. If they don't have money they won't pay the tax.

Jason Lewis:
Who - if you want to encourage a tax on work and move people from welfare to work, who would be against removing a tax on work - an income tax is a tax on work; a sales tax is a tax on what you take out of society - consumption. We ought to be encouraging production and in some cases discouraging consumption - here's the thing - the figure from House Research is 8.94% - if we broadened the sales tax based and raised it to 8.94% - which is pretty hefty - over 8.5% - you could raise the same amount of revenue - now that's a static analysis. I happen to think you would see a flourishing economic climate in Minnesota - and with some spending cuts that Marty Seifert identified the sales tax in actuality would be closer to South Dakota - [Edwin] - you could get down to the 7% range probably pretty easy and all of the sudden you would elim this - I think it going to be an easier sell than trying to ask for tax cuts to the people who pay the taxes because that gets demogogue.

Marty Seifert got me thinking Saturday Dec 1 at the HRCC New Candidate Capitol tour that the Democrats push through bills that secure their base - including Jason Lewis' 395,000 government employees and their unions, who we need to win over - at the first indication of a surplus such as the multi-Billion surplus last session. The democrats immediately max-ed out the surplus on narrow self-interest things like needlessly expanding Health and Welfare. Then later (in the 2007-2008 session) the voters are asked to support broad-base fundamental needs and more taxes are needed. This is a calculated formula the Democratic party uses. Seifert and others thwarted most of the Democrats destructive efforts to raise taxes last session and we need to continue the vigilance.
We must hold the line across the board this session. We must set aside any future surpluses for a rainy day. And we must discourage the 395,000 government employees and their public unions from politicising the community need to bring balance to the budget. We must abolish the destructive Democratic formula. It is a destructive cycle that has the support of many state government employees. The myth that expanded Medicare and expanded government eliminate racism, and even the playing field for poor communities in regard to hospitals and other investment is a myth identified by Shannon Brownlee (who is with former Republican legislator Dave Durenburger at NewAmerica.net) in her book Overtreated about how the estimated cost of Medicare was indexed to wages and not inflation. By the way Overtreated by Shannon Brownlee includes a great history of Medicare. We need to elevate the discussion in 1965 of Medicare and teach a respect for history.

I stand with Jason Lewis and Marty Seifert as a Free Market Small Government Conservative.

Best Regards,
Jamie Delton
Jamie.Delton@gmail.com
(651) 314-4491