Coleman Says “The Main Thing is Jobs” – Too Bad Minnesota’s Unemployment Rate is Highest in 20 Years

Special Interest Senator, With Disapproval Rating At All-Time High, Takes Stage To Tie Himself More Tightly To Bush Anchor

SAINT PAUL [09/03/08] – DFL-endorsed U.S. Senate candidate Al Franken responded tonight to Norm Coleman’s speech at the Republican National Convention.

Al Franken:

“Minnesota is ready for change – but tonight, we heard more of the same negative attacks from a Republican Party that’s run out of ideas — and a Senator who can’t run away from his record of standing with George W. Bush. At the end of the day, Norm Coleman stands for more special tax breaks for millionaires and more giveaways to the special interests. I stand for middle-class prosperity: helping every Minnesotan to have a good job, afford health care, send a kid to college, own a home, and save for retirement. That’s the choice in this election.”

Coleman spoke tonight just 24 hours after a new SurveyUSA poll showed that his disapproval rating had spiked to its highest point since he took office.

Coleman’s Disapproval Rating At An All-Time High. According to last night’s SurveyUSA poll, 51% of Minnesotans disapprove of the job Norm Coleman is doing in the Senate. This is the highest Coleman’s disapproval rating has been since he took office in 2003. [SurveyUSA, Coleman Historical Approval Ratings]

Minnesota Unemployment Rate Hit 5.8%; High Rate Not Seen In Over 20 Years. In August 2008, the Star Tribune reported, “The state’s unemployment rate hit 5.8 percent last month, a rate not seen since April 1986, according to figures released today by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. The state’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate was 5.3 percent the month before.” [Star Tribune, 8/14/08]

The American Economy And American Families Are Choking On Debt Thanks To Coleman And Bush. As incomes have stagnated, families have borrowed more to meet rising costs, with the average household 10% deeper in debt than in 2001. [Federal Reserve Board, 12/12/07]

Minnesota Saw 127% Increase In Foreclosures In 2007. In 2007, there were more than 13,000 foreclosure filings in Minnesota, which is a 127-percent increase over the previous year. In addition, the Center for Responsible Lending estimates that without intervention, Minnesota will see more than 38,000 foreclosure filings in the next two years. There were more than 2.2 million foreclosure filings nationally in 2007. [USA Today, 1/29/08; Center for Responsible Lending, 2/22/08]

Coleman Has Taken Almost $530,000 From Commercial Banking, Financial Services And Credit Card Industries—More Money Than Any Politician From Minnesota. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Coleman’s campaigns have accepted $529,958 in campaign contributions from the commercial banking ($411,675) and finance/credit card industries ($118,283). Coleman has taken more from these two industries than any other U.S. Senator or Representative from Minnesota. [Center for Responsive Politics]

Minnesota Families Are Paying 60% More For Health Care Premiums. The Bush-Coleman approach of trusting the health insurance and pharmaceutical companies to “solve” our health care problems have left Minnesotans paying 60% more for health care in 2005 [last year data is available] than in 2000 — $10,846 vs. $6,563.93 for an average family premium. [Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2000 and 2005 data]

Coleman Has Taken Over $530,000 From The Insurance Industry—More Money Than Any Other Politician From Minnesota. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Coleman has taken $531,260 in campaign contributions from the insurance industry. That’s more money than: Rod Grams (R-$321,983); Rudy Boschwitz (R-$236,241); Amy Klobuchar (D-$80,250); Dave Durenberger (R-$53,950); Paul Wellstone (D-$23,000); Mark Dayton (D-$2,050); Dean Barkley (I-$200); Jim Ramstad (R-$466,645); Mark Kennedy, $381,357); John Kline (R-$167,750); Michele Bachmann (R-$135,500); Bill Luther (D-$95,500); Gil Gutknecht (R-$76,246); David Minge (D-$52,346); Collin Peterson (D-$52,450); Bruce Vento (D-$47,450); Martin Sabo (D-$26,710); Tim Walz (D-$25,050); Vin Weber (R-$23,350); Gerry Sikorski (D-$23,040); Jim Oberstar (D-$18,150); Betty McCollum (D-$15,700); Keith Ellison (D-$14,750); Arlan Strangeland (R-$4,000) and Tim Penny (D-$3,935). [Center for Responsive Politics]

Coleman Has Taken Over $329,000 From The Pharmaceutical And Health Products Industries—More Money Any Politician From Minnesota. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Coleman has taken $329,567 from the pharmaceutical and health products industries. That’s more money than: Rod Grams (R-$94,700); Rudy Boschwitz (R-$75,619); Dave Durenberger (R-$47,413); Amy Klobuchar (D-$35,740); Paul Wellstone, (D-$23,000) and Mark Dayton (D-$1,200). Mark Kennedy (R-$274,150); Jim Ramstad (R-$249,192); John Kline (R-$138,100); Michele Bachmann (R-$55,250); Bill Luther (D-$31,450); Collin Peterson (D-$26,500); Martin Sabo (D-$15,850); Gerry Sikorski (D-$14,800); Gil Gutknecht (R-$14,300); Betty McCollum (D-$13,900); David Minge (D-$11,750); Vin Weber (R-$11,150); Keith Ellison (D-$11,000); Tim Walz (D-$10,270); Jim Oberstar (D-$5,500); Bruce Vento (D-$2,300); Arlan Strangeland (R-$1,100); and Tim Penny (D-$500). [Center for Responsive Politics]

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