The other special election

Now that the Massachusetts Miracle is in the history books, it's time to look at the other special election going on-the one in Senate District 26 to replace Dick Day.

A mostly civil campaign has fallen off the tracks in the last few days with the new radio ads being run by the Minnesota DFL party. The Republican endorsed candidate, Mike Parry, has called for a 15% cut to state the state budget. This could let the state reduce business taxes and help small businesses in particular start hiring workers again.

But the MN DFL choose to use scare tactics to spin the 15% number. In a new radio ad that started yesterday, the female announcer with a decidedly Ole and Lena accent says that Parry's call for a 15% cut at the state level would magically be matched by a 15% cut at the federal level, meaning a 30% cut for nursing homes in Minnesota.

The ad makes no mention of how a state senator would have the power to cut the federal budget for nursing homes, nor does it mention anything other than nursing homes. This is a clear distortion of truth and common sense and a pathetic attempt to frighten senior citizens, and DFL Chairman Melendez should be embarressed to have the name of the DFL attached to it. In fact, maybe he already is, since the ad isn't available online anywhere.

If last minute scare tactics are what the DFL feels is the best course of action in SD 26, I guess they must be sharing that same fear that Martha Coakley felt last weekend in Massachusetts.