Rep. Mark Olson: "A Complete Embarrassment"

From the : mnspeak.com comments

Rep. Olson is, without a doubt, the biggest buffoon in our state legislature, and that's saying a lot....he's secretly (and sometimes not-so-secretly) laughed at, even by his own party - sometimes, ESPECIALLY by his own party. It's a well-known fact among insiders that this guy is a complete embarrassment, but he's like the old uncle who no one has the heart to tell that his fly is down at the family reunion.

End of an Era for Olson's Personal Rapid Transit Boondoggle

Read my story about the pathetic end to Mark Olson's mega-million dollar PRT boondoggle at the Twin Cities Daily Planet.

Time to End the Mark Olson Era Too

Republicans: Rep. Mark Olson is a "Chicken"

I was up in Monticello on Saturday for the 6th District Congressional Convention. Representative Mark Olson showed up, but he wasn't a delegate. I heard from a Republican party insider that many in the party consider Olson a "chicken" for not supporting any of the candidates.

Olson is definately a chicken. I went to the Capitol three times to testify against his Personal Rapid Transit bills and each time he saw me, he scratched his bill from the committee's agenda.

Olson also won't say whether he believes the earth is only 5000 years old.

Olson also has to admit he's going bald and do something about that silly comb-over.

Mark Olson's Green Party PRT Connection

The wacko fringe of the Republican Party promotes Personal Rapid Transit and the same is true of the wacko fringe of the Green Party. A reader sent me a tip about anti-LRT and Pro-PRT resolutions in the Minnesota Green Party Platform.

Go here.

Two proposals support PRT

#55 is by Margaret Beegle.

#9 is Dick Gronning's. It includes a poison pill that asks that all support for other "technologies" be stripped from the platform if the GP doesn't support PRT.

Two proposals apparently are against LRT on University.

#10 and #11.

#12 might be an anti-LRT proposal, same author as #10--it calls for the conversion of rail corridors to trails. It is curious to me that 9, 10, 11, and 12 all seem to be potentially anti-LRT provisions.

#33 supports "Commuter Rail," and repeats the poison pill language of Gronning's PRT platform proposal. Interesting.

(Dick Gronning and Margaret Beegle are with the CPRT.)

Speaking of the wacky PRT Greens, I saw Mark Olson's pal Zimmermann riding his bike today in the Mayday Parade. Dave Bicking, another PRT Green was marching in the parade... pictures of both below:

Who Are the Promoters of Personal Rapid Transit in Minnesota?

Former Mpls Councilman Dean Zimmermann-Awaiting trial for extorting bribes.

Representative Mark Olson- Thinks the Earth is only 5,000 years old.

Senator Michele Bachmann- Thinks we should consider nuking Iran.

Does Mark Olson agree with Michele Bachmann that "...we should not remove the nuclear response."? Is that a part of the Republican "Culture of Life"?

Olson's Pod Pal J. Edward Anderson: "The automobile will remain king!"

Let's go back to 1998 when the gadgetbahners were trying their best to derail the now very-successful Hiawatha LRT line. A very anti-LRT article appeared in the City Pages. The article had quotes from Taxi 2000 CEO Shef Lang who did not reveal he was the head of a PRT corporation. Even more interesting is the letter responding to the article in which J. Edward Anderson, founder and former CEO of Taxi 2000 also fails to mention his gadgetbahning connection. Read it here:

In his anti-LRT letter, Anderson proclaims that "The automobile will remain king!"

It's hard to imagine that two high-ranking officers of any corporation would fail to mention their corporation to a reporter... interesting.

Did Olson Say on the House Floor the Earth is Only 5,000 Years Old?

Letters to the Sherburne County Citizen

To The Editor,

I am writing in response to Rep. Mark Olson’s editorial accusing me of using “extremist labels”. Apparently Re. Olson is referring to a line in a speech that I gave at the Sherburne DFL county convention where I stated: “Unlike my opponent, I believe the earth is much more than 5,000 years old.”

Clearly everyone has a right to believe what they want. What’s at issue here is that Rep. Olson is on the Education Policy and Reform Committee and, therefore, he is in a position to impose his personal religious beliefs into public education policy.

In Mark’s editorial, he never indicates how old he thinks the earth actually is. This is the crux of Mr. Bye’s question of a week prior. The voters of 16B have the right to know where Rep. Olson stands. Does he believe science or religious dogma?

In a revealing statement in his editorial, Mark states he believes that “there should be no separation between church and state.” This is where Mark and I are in opposite camps. I believe that, thanks to the separation of church and state, Americans enjoy an unparalleled amount of religious and philosophical freedoms.

The Mark states in his editorial that facts should be taught in our schools. I concur. Reading on, he mentions that no one theory should be taught exclusively. I would guess that he is referring to the “theory of evolution” and trying to equate creationism as a theory. They are not both theories. Theories, by scientific definition, are backed up by scientific observation. Creationism is a religious belief.

So, Rep. Olson, was I blowing smoke at the convention or did you not say on the House floor the earth is only 5,000 years old?

Jim Huhtala

DFL endorsed candidate of HD 16B

Clear Lake, MN

Olson's letter:

To The Editor,

Much gratitude should go out to Mr. Nathan Bye for being eager to clarify issues Mr. Jim Huhtala raised as he received the DFL endorsement. I also appreciate Mr. Bye's efforts to raise the concern of candidate's using extremist labels which could be damaging to all those who have supported the Olson campaign over the years.

The liberal left and conservative right may have existed from the beginning. But using extremist labels with accusations to avoid issues, or paint unwanted perceptions, is just not appropriate. Mr. Bye is right. "This charge should not be made lightly." It actually should not be made.

People who fulfill their obligation to vote deserve the utmost respect from all candidates who run for office. So shouldn't we stick to the issues without creating concerns that no one enjoys being bantered about?

I have many Christian friends and have never met one, myself included, who believes there should not be any separation of church and state. As for what should be taught in public schools, it should be facts. If a theory is taught it must be identified as a theory. And no one theory should be taught exclusively.

My desire for clean and respectful campaigning must continue and I will focus on issues in the coming District 16B campaign. I can be reached for questions or comments at (651) 296-4237 or (763) 263-3500 and rep.mark.olson@house.mn.

Rep. Mark Olson

Big Lake, M

Huhtala Goes After Olson's PRT Boondoggle

From the Sherburne County Citizen.

Monday, May 01, 2006

Huhtala accepts DFL endorsement

Jim Huhtala accepted the DFL endorsement for the Minnesota House of Representative District 16B, which includes the northern part of Elk River and Sherburne County, at last Saturday’s Senate District 16 endorsing convention at Mille Lacs High School.

In his acceptance speech, Huhtala laid out his differences with his republican opponent and explained his priorities for legislative action.

In yet another clear jab at Republican Mark Olson, Huhtala said “I will tell the voters that separation of church and state is a good thing for both the churches it protects and the government it defends.”

In other parts of his speech he spoke on the need for helping the “80,000 children in Minnesota who will go to bed tonight without health care” and providing predictable funding for schools.

Huhtala criticized Rep. Mark Olson’s plan for spending $4,000,000 for the PRT in Duluth while opposing the North Star Corridor in his own district. “Who the heck is he representing, anyway?” Huhtala asked.

Jim Huhtala is a long-time resident of Clear Lake and a retired UPS driver. He served on the Becker School Board from 1990-2000. Jim has been married to wife Pam for 34 years with two grown sons, Todd and Scott, both graduates of Becker High School.

Olson needs to explain why he supported funding Taxi 2000's bogus $24 million PRT "test facility" in Duluth with the taxpayers' money. That project was pure pork and nothing more. The $4 million that Olson got the House to approve was stripped from the bonding bill by a joint House/Senate conference committee.

Personal Rapid Transit is Not a "Green Technology".

The Sierra Club North Star Transportation Committee voted May 1st to affirm their support for Transit for Livable Communities' resolution opposing public funding of PRT. Download a copy here.

Some "Greens", in particular, Mark Olson's pod-pal Dean Zimmermann still like to refer to PRT as a "green technology" or "sustainable transportation".

The TLC resolution says Minnesota shouldn't waste time on PRT and PRT doesn't get a green seal of approval from the Sierra Club either... and that is the final word.

Learn more about the PRT scam at the PRT is a Joke web site.