A Catholic bishop in Indiana is skipping the Barack Obama speech at Notre Dame because, the news item says, “President Obama has recently reaffirmed, and has now placed in public policy, his long-stated unwillingness to hold human life as sacred.”

Just once … Just ONCE…I’d like to read about an official from a religious organization boycotting an event because the speaker is pro-death penalty or is against single-payer health-care reform.  No, it’s always about abortion.

For the Catholic church, it once again appears that human life begins at conception … and ends at birth.

The problem (and the key to Coleman’s lawsuits) are the absentee ballots from the election.  There are, apparently, many different ways to mess up an absentee ballot in Minnesota and Minnesotans overwhelmingly exercised all of them.

This is ironic.  You see, before the election, there was plenty of paranoia about election-day cheating.  I received many e-mail messages from both major parties warning me to fill out an absentee ballot so I could “make sure my vote is counted.”   So much for that theory.

I ignored that advice for two reasons.  First, I wasn’t overly paranoid.  Second, I love election day.  It’s the best day to be in a representative democracy.  Voting before election day is, to me, comparable to opening Christmas presents on December 15th.  It just ain’t right unless it is absolutely necessary.

So, I say to those Democrats and Republicans who hounded me to vote absentee early:  be careful what you wish for–you got it.

And have a good day.

It’s interesting how we’re so worried about 3:00 phone calls now.  In 2000, when Gore had more experience than Bush, suggesting the president have international relations skills was playing “gotcha.”  Funny how things change when it’s the Republican with more experience.
Of course, these people forget that I have experience, too.  I saw how Bush waited for the end of a story about a goat before he acted.  I saw “heckuva job, Brownie.”  I know about a trip out east went uninterrupted when the bridge collapsed.  And my experience tells me that when a phone rings at 3:00 AM, I don’t want a Republican answering it.

And that’s assuming a Republican would even take notice.

But what does “all of the above” mean?  It means that you’re in favor of all the expressed options.

One option is banning gas guzzlers like SUVs and Hummers and large pick up trucks.  “All of the above” means you’re for a ban.

One option is high mpg mandatory standards. “All of the above” means you’re for the mandatory standards.

One option is the increased use of ethanol, because it is allegedly more clean than regular gasoline.  Another option is decreased use of ethanol, because it is allegedly less clean than regular gasoline.  “All of the above” means that you’re for both increased and decreased ethanol use.

Another option is limiting motor vehicle use altogether.  “All of the above” means you’re for limiting vehicle use.

I’m pretty sure most people touting “All of the above” would be against most of those options.

Of course, anyone familiar with the situation knows that those “All of the above” fans are really people who will accept clean energy initiatives as long as outer continental shelf drilling can tag along–which is neither a short-term or a long-term solution to the energy crisis.  It only benefits the oil companies drilling.

In the end, “All of the above” means “I’m working for the oil special interests.”

One thing, though: his achievement potential is remarkable.  How so?  Consider the following:  he failed to pay income taxes to several states.  Bad, but not overly remarkable, I know.  But consider the response to this.

Because of Al Franken’s actions (or inactions, if you will), Republicans were crawling over themselves to sing the praises of taxes and proclaim paying taxes to be so easy that one would need to be a incompetent or a cheat to not pay them.

Republicans saying either is unheard of.  Franken got them to say both.  When you can do that, the possibilities are endless.  That, my friends, is a power I want in my corner.

Have a good day.

I’m Mark Wentz, Rochester’s Number Two Citizen.  Let me start off my blog by sharing two notes.

First, dated 13 March 2008, is from President George Bush.

During the last seven years, you have stood shoulder to shoulder with me to meet the challenges that faced our country.

Laura and I are forever grateful for your help and steadfast commitment.

The second, dated 3 April 2008, is from Laura Bush:

Mark, George and I are grateful for your special friendship throughout his campaigns and Presidency.

So enjoy the blog and have a good day.