I got it off of a tweet by a GOPer; it was hanging at the GOP CD3 Convention last Saturday in Edina. Look real close, in the lower right-hand corner...
"Spend Less!"
Yeah, "right." I wonder what THAT banner cost??!?
Paulsen flew that banner last Saturday, and what does The St. Cloud Times report the very next day? Let's look!
House spending reflects priorities
Bachmann spends on offices; Cravaack on travel, supplies
WASHINGTON — Rep. Michele Bachmann spent more on maintaining her congressional offices in 2011 than any other Minnesota member of the House of Representatives.
Rep. Erik Paulsen spent more than any of his Gopher State colleagues on printing and publications, as well as sending out unsolicited mail.
And freshman Rep. Chip Cravaack led the delegation in spending in three categories: equipment, supplies and travel.
Those are some of the highlights from a review of the House Statement of Disbursements for the final quarter of 2011. The three-volume, 2,794-page document is a window to how much tax dollars lawmakers spent in nine categories.
(emphasis added, more, here)
Let's repeat that:
"Rep. Erik Paulsen spent more than any of his Gopher State colleagues on printing and publications, as well as sending out unsolicited mail."
No surprise there!
Erik Paulsen, R=Bachmann, is notorious for, well, I won't say "abusing" the franking privilege, but: I don't have to! Somebody else will!!! This is from an editorial, naming Paulsen by name, from North Carolina - yes, North Carolina!
The idea that a representative would use as much as one third of his office budget, money meant to be spent in ways that benefit constituents, on thinly veiled re-election entreaties, is unconscionable. It's an inappropriate use of the funds, and it presents an unfair advantage for incumbents.
Such spending should be eliminated. If politicians want to send glossy, self-promoting pamphlets about themselves, they can pay for them themselves.
You can read the whole thing, in a post entitled
"Erik Paulsen And The Times-News Editorial", dated 13 April 2010.
And once again, what does Paulsen's banner say?
"Spend Less!"
Well, maybe YOU have to; sure seems like Paulsen doesn't.
Because, today's GOP believes in fiscal restraint - BY OTHERS. Them? Not so much.
Oh, and "how did Paulsen vote on the (fill in the blank) issue?" "That's easy; just check Bachmann's voting record!"
*
Some of the previous coverage, of Paulsen abusing "using" taxpayer money and the franking privilege:
"Paulsen uses taxpayer money to play campaign-season games", dated 09 April 2009
"More on Paulsen's franking/game-playing", dated 10 April 2009
"AP: Paulsen 3rd in Congress for mass communications spending",dated 26 March 2010
"Postage-Stamp Paulsen Sends Another Mailer", dated 31 March 2010
"Erik Paulsen And The Times-News Editorial", dated 13 April 2010
"Did Postage-Stamp Paulsen Really Send Out ANOTHER Mailer?", dated 16 April 2010
"Paulsen WINS – Most Franked Mail – Minnesota Division – First Quarter 2011", dated 12 June 2011
I'm sure there's more; this is just from a quick google search - stay tuned!