Aug 15, 2012

Minnesota Republicans One Step Closer to Defeat in MN-01

This is not the Minnesota Republican Party's year. Marred by an ethics scandal, and after defaulting on their lease, local Republicans are now stuck with Tea Partier Extraordinaire & Congresswoman Bachmann's Mentor Representative Allen Quist as their nominee. Although Quist defeated a fellow Tea Partier in a blistering drawn-out primary battle in Minnesota's First Congressional District, he and his opponent both earned the Buzzfeed bragging right as two of the "Craziest Candidates of 2012." In contrast, Congressman Tim Walz has proven himself as a strong advocate for middle class families and a proven problem-solver.

Here are the top 10 things you need to know about Representative Allen Quist:

  1. Dinosaurs & Dragons: Quist believes that humans may have roamed with dinosaurs and that dragons might exist [Mother Jones, 5/14/12]
  2. Rush Limbaugh Can Speak for Him: In 1994, Quist told the Star Tribune, “If you know what Rush Limbaugh stands for, you know what I stand for.” [Star Tribune, 3/27/94]
  3. Women are “genetically predisposed” to be Subservient to Men: In an interview in 1994, Quist said that men were “genetically predisposed” to be heads of household. [AP, 4/25/94]Compared Gay
  4. Counseling Center to KKK: Quist claimed that Mankato State was contributing to the spread of AIDS by sponsoring a counseling center for gay students. Quist even compared the counseling center to a center for the Ku Klux Klan. [Minnesota Independent, 11/03/11]
  5. Called Congressman Walz More of a Threat than Terrorists: In 2010, Quist said that Walz was a bigger threat than terrorists. [Post Bulletin, 1/5/10]
  6. Department of Education is Unconstitutional: “I think the Department of Education is unconstitutional and I think that is an easy target. That’s where I would start but we have to make major cuts,” Quist recently said in debate. [TPT Almanac, Quist v. Parry Debate, accessed 7/18/12]
  7. All Cultures Not Created Equal: Quist wrote, “Are all ideas equal? Are all moral systems equal? Are all cultures equal? They are not.” [America’s Schools: The Battleground for Freedom pg. 10]
  8. Too Many Mandates on Insurance Companies: Quist said in a recent debate, “We have way too many mandates on insurance companies. You know, in Minnesota there’s something like 60 requirements on insurance companies. [TPT Almanac, Quist v. Parry Debate, accessed 7/18/12]
  9. Has to Defend Paul Ryan’s Budget: Quist will be forced to defend his party’s plan to cut Medicare and force seniors to pay $6,400 more for health care to pay for tax breaks for millionaires and corporations that ship jobs overseas
  10. Out of the Mainstream Perennial Loser: Quist’s primary opponent slammed him as “an ‘out of the mainstream’ perennial loser.” [Mankato Free Press, 6/12/12]

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