TUESDAY, April 28, 2009
8:00 AM
Meeting Time Note: The committee is in recess until 1 hour after session adjourns.

http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hinfo/ ... =4/28/2009

Nah. It's worse than that. Not only did they sign up to get themselves played, but they're playing us, too.

I mean, here we are, being asked to show up to oppose an amendment to a bill that should have been killed back a few weeks ago, when Chris made that foolish compromise.

So, let's say, for the sake of argument, that we get sixty people to show up today, and, just for the sake of argument, the committee decides to vote down the Paymar amendment in the face of such strong citizen opposition, but this NRA bill -- which, granted, while pushing, the NRA is "officially neutral" on -- heads toward another committee . . .

. . . you think we won't have to go through this again? Okay; let's say we do, and this misbegotten compromise heads to the floor, without the Paymar amendment . . .

. . . do you think there's any chance that he won't offer it there?

Do you think that Chris doesn't know that? You'll notice, he's asking us to oppose this amendment to this dreadeful precedent of a bill that he's still pushing.

And, yeah, we're getting played, and I don't see any way out of it, because as bad a precedent as the NRA Mild Convenience Bill is, adding on the Paymar junk makes it worse.

It's an NRA clusterfuck, and, alas, the only thing we can do is try to limit the damage that they're doing.

Now, there's a battle cry for you . . .

How about we just urge them to kill all of HF1238 (The omnibus game and fish bill)?

Here is an interactive map :

http://www.gis.leg.mn/html/gisdirections.html

The State Office Building is near Rice and University. It's the yellow Marker.

IIRC, there was some parking available on University Ave.

Lot/ramp parking using daily parking permits
Lot/ramp parking using daily parking permits is available in some lots and in the Centennial Parking ramp. The required permit can be obtained from Plant Management in room G-10 of the Administration Building. For more information, please call Service Line 651.201.2300
Monday - Friday, 7:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
U.S. central time zone

Well, I certainly am. Much better the whole bill die than that it go forward with either of these poison pill amendments -- both the NRA one and the Paymar one.

You'll notice, though, that Chris isn't arguing for that, or even saying that the NRA would push to kill the bill when the Paymar amendment is adopted.

I'm confused. When does this meeting start? How long will it take to get to HF1238 once it does start?

Seriously: please call Chris, and get his answers, and post them here.

It's starts after the floor session, whenever that is. It will go until it's done, and they will(I'm sure), run 1238 early if no one is there, or last if we have a good turnout.

Left VM for Chris.

Vote against the entire damn bill, support them more.

Just got off the phone with a friend, who sees things pretty clearly.

So, lemme put it this way: this whole OutstateHuntersConvenience language that the NRA rep signed off on is a pig. The Paymar amendment is putting poison lipstick on the pig.

Sure: the poison lipstick is bad, but the idea shouldn't be to wipe the lipstick off so that we can kiss the pig.

Let's not kiss the pig at all. Let's get rid of this whole OutstateMinorConvenience language -- and the Paymar amendment to it.

But let's focus on the pig, not the lipstick.

I hope that's what he meant; Seifert is a good guy, and a smart one, and he's got to know that the whole pig is bad, not just the poisoned lipstick.

And he's probably got more experience cutting the genitals off pigs than most folks.

Agreed.

If this passes committee, he needs to get the minority whip in gear.

-Mark

I got a call back from Chris Rager.

Those that will attend should be there around 3:00ish. Gather at the House Chamber so you will know when session ends. From that point, we can walk over the State Office Building where the Finance Committee will meet.