Nov 16 Maureen Hackett Challenges Erik Paulsen for CD3 Seat

It’s official, Erik Paulsen has competition in the 3rd Congressional District—Maureen Hackett. I met her at Paulsen’s Health Care town hall in Maple Grove this fall. I was the microphone holder who called on her for a question, and she was one of the more well spolken questioners from the pro-Health Care bill side. She introduced her Air Force and medical professional career and came across well. But consider the main mission statement on her front page.

“But it seems these days that the American dream is fading. And without responsible, accountable, and informed leadership in Washington, this dream is in serious jeopardy for future generations. I am running for congress to restore these qualities to leadership, to raise up the middle class, and to make sure our children and grandchildren have even better opportunities than we had.”

Sounds like Erik would have a strong challenger... IF she was a Republican in a primary against him. As a conservative, I’m all for this sort of campaign rhetoric, but it simply does not pass the reality test. The party she’s running for is not Libertarian or Republican, it’s the DFL.

By her own words, “American dream is fading”, she wants ”responsible, accountable, and informed leadership in Washington”. And that the “dream is in serious jeopardy for future generations”. She gets no argument from me here, and if she has a problem with Washington leadership, she’s singin’ my tune. But the disconnect here should be obvious.

If she has a problem with the party in charge of the House of Representatives, it’s her own, and has been since Nancy Pelosi picked up the gavel. Ditto for the Senate and the President.  Cap and trade, government-run Health Care, the non-stimulus, raising taxes, government take over of businesses and banks. How does any of this lead to reversing the trend of the “dream is in serious jeopardy for future generations“?

She can’t run a radical campaign and make it in CD3, but the current House agenda she will have to embrace is in total opposition to her mission statement. Good luck with that albatross.