It appears the Republican Establishment used a little known trick called "vote parking" to derail Jim Jordan's popular bid to become the next Speaker of the House. Jordan is the popular choice amongst the grassroots, conservative base and despite supporting McCarthy in the past, is refuted by the Establishment pulling the strings in the Swamp. 

On the first ballot yesterday, Jordan received 200 votes and had 19 Republicans voting against him. To win the Speakership, he can't afford to lose more than four Republican votes since the GOP holds a slim 221-212 margin over the Democrats. After the vote, the House adjourned for the day and Jordan's team went to work trying to win over support.

But today's vote didn't go the way some expected. Jordan was able to win over independent minded Victoria Spartz, who voted for Thomas Massie on the first ballot. However, four Republicans who voted for Jordan yesterday, switched their vote for a myriad of other choices. Minnesota's own Pete Stauber was one of them.

The strategy that appears to be deployed here is called "vote parking" where one team selects personnel to vote on the first ballot for their opponent to give the perception he is stronger than reality. Then, on subsequent ballots, those personnel (who are loyal to the opponent) switch their votes to give the perception that the early leader is losing support and cause a natural movement of votes away from him. After all, we're all emotional creatures and don't want to be on the losing team.

SEE OUR SPEAKER VOTE TRACKER

Will Jordan become the Speaker with these kinds of moves being made against him? It doesn't look good, which just shows how out-of-touch the Republican Establishment is with the base. But that's no shock - they don't get funded from the grassroots.

What's interesting about this Speaker race is the hypocrisy unfolding right before our own eyes. Back in January when Gaetz and conservatives worked against Kevin McCarthy getting the votes, the Establishment scolded us with carefully crafted talking points which seem to only be valid when it's their guy facing troubled waters. Let's review:

Talking Point #1 - You don't have a guy that can get to 218 votes

So far, the Republican Establishment types who are going against Jim Jordan have not nominated anyone else from the floor. At least Matt Gaetz put up choices for nomination and gave a speech for them. McCarthy no longer has 218 votes; nor does Scalise. In fact, some of the Establishment types aren't even being serious. Rep John James nominated the Macomb County, Michigan Public Works Commissioner, Candice Miller. And Rep Mike Kelly nominated failed former Speaker John Boehner. So at this time, we're at a stand still. But at least Jim Jordan is a viable candidate who is being nominated from the floor.

Talking Point #2 - A small minority shouldn't be able to decide when the Republican Conference already voted

Kevin McCarthy won a large majority of votes behind closed doors in the Republican Conference back before the first Speaker vote in January. So when Gaetz and company voted their conscience on the floor, they were scolded for not being on the team. Well, Jim Jordan also received a majority of votes of the Republican Conference, yet currently 23 Republicans (a small minority) are deciding to not abide by the rest of the Conference's pick, which includes Kevin McCarthy's pick.

Talking Point #3 - Democrats love this, we'll lose the next election

If holding up McCarthy's vote nearly two years out from the 2024 election was going to be the reason Republicans lose next November, then holding up Jim Jordan's Speakership one year away from the election is more likely going to be on the minds of voters. But, ya know what, it turns out voters are not going to care about this in a year - they'll care more about WWIII and massive inflation.

Minnesota Management and Budget announced on Monday that the government keeps overtaxing Minnesota taxpayers and has collected $800 Million more than projected for the current biennium. While the official books show a surplus (available balance) for Fiscal Year 2024-25, the state continues holding onto a historically high $2.852 Billion of our money for a rainy day, which should be added to the surplus. The total owed back to Minnesota taxpayers is $4.435 Billion.

You know as well as I do how much we're all struggling with this out-of-control inflation. Experts say the average household is paying almost $800 more per month for the same goods and services they paid in 2021. But that doesn't mean Governor Walz and the Democrat legislature will prioritize giving it back to us. With roughly 2.5 Million taxpayers in Minnesota footing the bill, each taxpayer is owed $1,760 back.

Could your family use that money???

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A new poll released by Emerson College found that Trump is within the margin of error with President Biden in the state of Minnesota. Biden won the presidential election in Minnesota by 7 points over Trump in 2020. But the traditionally blue voting presidential state is showing high disapproval of the Commander-in-chief.

In a head to head match up, Biden leads Trump 40% to 38%, with 8% undecided and a margin of error of 4.4%. This suggest that Minnesota may be in play for November's election next year.

Of the 477 registered voters who responded to the survey, 51% disapproved of Joe Biden, while only a tiny 29% approved. Even Governor Walz had a higher approval rating than the President.

As liberals from Governor Walz all the way to President Joe Biden decry efforts to "ban books" in schools, it turns out their biggest foe may be Muslim families who consider homosexuality a "major sin" in their religion.

The Sahan Journal reports that nearly 1 in 5 students at Ham Lake's "DaVinci Academy" were taken out of schools by their parents for nearly a week in early October in protest of LGBT books that Muslim families found objectionable. This issue arose by DaVinci's use of a book series called "AmazeWorks" used in the K-5 curriculum. 

AmazeWorks sells books series written for ages 3 through 12, to teach kids about children with "lesbian, gay and bisexual family members" and understanding "gender diversity." Purchasing the latter book set comes with "five children’s books that share stories of gender diversity and expression." Here's a snapshot from AmazeWorks website:

Muslim children have since been brought back into the classrooms and the issue is currently being addressed by the school board meetings. DaVinci Academy's Executive Director, Holly Fischer, said there were plans being drawn up to allow a large amount of students to read different books. But Muslim families want them removed from the school completely and are threatening removing their children from the school all together.

There's roughly 150 Muslim students attending the school out of 1,000 total students. If that amount of students were pulled out of the school, it would be "horrifically detrimental" according to Fischer. After a recent school board meeting, it appears the Muslim families are adamant about their call to remove the books.

The next school board meeting will be held on Monday, October 30th from 6:00 - 8:00 pm according to the school's publicly available calendar. 

The Justice Department is charging 17 employees of the Broward County, Florida Sheriff's office with defrauding the federal government by stealing COVID relief funds. All of the charged individuals were sworn officers. By providing false information to the federal government to acquire CARES Act funds, the accused stole nearly $500,000 in funds from the American people.

In 2020, Congress enacted the CARES Act which established funds meant to stabilize small businesses during the early part of the COVID pandemic. This created programs like the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. 

There are 150 cases that have been pursued by the Justice Department so far regarding fraud and theft of CARES Act money. Those cases have totaled $195 Million in stolen money.

Here's the Justice Department's press release:

READ MORE

Officials estimate that up to 17% of the $800 Billion of the PPP and EIDL COVID relief funds have been "disbursed to potentially fraudulent actors.” When Congress passed the CARES Act, they lacked real money to fund the program so they turned to the printing press to create new money to fund the programs. This is what caused the massive levels of inflation we are encountering today.

Star Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has challenged Pfizer sponsored Tight End, Travis Kelce, to a debate over COVID vaccines. Rodgers infamously did not get the experimental jab in 2021 due to health concerns over the experimental drug. On the flip side, recent Super Bowl champion Kelce teamed up with Pfizer in a new ad encouraging people to get the new jab.

Florida's surgeon general recommended against getting the new COVID jab stating, "there's essentially no evidence for it" and "there's been no clinical trial done in human beings showing it benefits people, there's no clinical trial showing it's a safe product for people."

Here's Rodgers calling for a team debate with himself and RFK Jr and Kelce and Fauci:

Rodgers made headlines last week when he called Kelce "Mr Pfizer" on the popular Pat McAfee show. When asked about his new name, Kelce stood by his choice to rep the company stating "I got it because of keeping myself safe, keeping my family safe, the people in this building, so yeah I stand by it 1000%. "I’m fully comfortable with him calling me Mr. Pfizer.”

Minnesota state government paid out $144 Million less in surplus refund checks than originally estimated. The budget surplus ballooned up to a record $21 Billion at the beginning of this year, but Walz and Democrats decided to spend the vast majority of it on more bloated government projects than return the nearly $8,000 owed to each taxpayer. Legislation that passed the Democrat legislature and was signed by Tim Walz gave Minnesotans only a fraction of what was owed: $260 per individual and uptown $1,300 per families of five or more.

The total amount appropriated as rebate checks was $1.1 Billion. So with $144 Million less money flowing out of the government coffers and into the hands of taxpayers, the government managed to give out 13% less than what was authorized.

At the same time as Minnesota families are struggling with out-of-control inflation caused by reckless spending in Washington D.C., the Minnesota Dept of Revenue continues raking in more tax dollars than it originally estimated. According to Minnesota Management and Budget, the state brought in $400 Million more than forecasted in the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2024 (which began on July 1st). In other words, with the $144 Million in money not returned and the $400 Million in overtaxed money so far this quarter, Minnesota taxpayers could get checks for $130 tomorrow if the legislature was serious about returning overtaxed money to the people.

To those who think that there's only in-fighting on the Republican side, Minnesota Democrats are back at each others throats again. It's getting vicious. This time over the Israel-Gaza war that broke over the weekend.

DFL Chair Ken Martin took to Twitter to lecture the Twin Cities DSA (Democrats Socialists of America) about their alleged anti-semitism. In his tweet, he accuses DSA supporters of "defending their garbage anti-semitic statement" and justifying "cold blooded murder." Martin then refers to a social media post by comedian activist Amy Schumer.

Here's Martin's tweet:

To every member of the @TwinCitiesDSA and their supporters who defend their garbage antisemitic statement - read this post from @amyschumer and then let's talk. Until then, stop justifying the cold-blooded murder of men, women, and children by terrorists. Period. End Stop. pic.twitter.com/YFhJjLJYfY

— Ken Martin (@kenmartin73) October 10, 2023

For the second time since the Legislature adjourned, a Democrat legislator has been arrested for suspicion of Driving While Intoxicated. Rep Brion Curran, vocal supporter of the Child Genital Mutilation bill, was arrested over the weekend in Chisago County. Curran prefers the pronouns she/her, according to her website, or "Gay They" according to her Twitter account. She worked for the Chisago County Sheriffs Dept as a deputy prior to 2018.

Curran follows Minnesota Police & Peace Officers Association "Legislator of the Year" recipient, Dan Wolgamott, who was arrested this summer for a DWI after concerned citizens witnessed him chugging a bottle of vodka in a rural Minnesota liquor store parking lot.

Rep Curran has not made a public statement on the arrest at the time of this writing. The last post on X (former Twitter) was praising the Public Safety bill. Let that sink in.

Taxpayers will be on the hook for $12.8 Million to renovate the Minnesota Governor's Mansion on Summit avenue. What was originally budgeted as a $7.1 Million renovation when crews arrived in June, has now ballooned to a price tag $5 Million more.

What's even more shocking is that the market value of the home, according to real estate sites like Zillow and Realtor.com, is listed at $3.8 Million. So taxpayers in Minnesota will be spending $9 Million over the market price of the home for renovations just so the Governor can host parties with crony insiders and Special Interests.

Here's the Zillow price:

Neighboring properties, which have recent sales history, show values in the $625k to $2.1 Million range. And if Mar-a-lago is only worth $18 Million according to a NY court, then the $3.8 Million market value of this property is greatly overvalued. 

Governor Walz is currently residing in the University of MN President's Mansion at a cost to taxpayers of $4,400 per month. As you may recall, Walz sold his home in Minnesota and is currently dependent on taxpayer financed housing. 

This outrageous renovation just shows how little politicians care about wasting our tax money. They want to be treated like royalty with mansions and the finest of pleasures. While Minnesotans are struggling due to out-of-control inflation, Walz is about to get a cozier life.