1. Monday, January 9th: Pizza Ranch in Fairmont, 7 pm. Event Photo
2. Tuesday, January 10th: Godfather’s Pizza NW in Rochester, 7 pm. Event Photo
3. Thursday, January 12th: Godfather’s Pizza NW in Rochester, 7 pm
4. Monday, January 16th: Pizza Ranch in Austin (1300 18th Ave NW), 7 pm
5. Tuesday, January 17th: The Grain Exchange Restaurant in Slayton (3020 20th St, Ste 2), 6 pm
6. Tuesday, January 17th: Pizza Ranch in Worthington (1132 Oxford St), 7:45 pm
7. Thursday, January 19th: Pizza Ranch in Albert Lea (2430 Bridge Ave), 7 pm
8. Monday, January 23rd: Jefferson Adams Society (JAS) sponsored Congressional Forum at the WOW Zone in Mankato (2030 Adams St), 7 pm
9. Thursday, January 26th: Pizza Ranch in Waseca (212 17th Ave NE), 7 pm
10. Friday, January 27th: Country Kitchen in Winona (1611 Service Dr), 7 pm
11. Monday, January 30th: Pizza Ranch in Owatonna (142 W Broadway Street), 7 pm
12. Tuesday, January 28th: Public Library in La Crescent (321 Main Street), 7 pm

Thank you, and I hope to see you at one of these events.

Allen Quist

Congressional candidate Allen Quist is calling on Congressman Tim Walz to stop mailing what Quist calls “campaign advertisements” at taxpayer expense. Quist said Walz is mailing fliers to thousands of First District constituents that are primarily political. He cited as examples a piece from last fall with a large, bold headline stating: “HOW CONGRESSMAN TIM WALZ IS HELPING CREATE JOBS,” and a more recent flier with the headline, “HOW CONGRESSMAN WALZ IS HELPING MINNESOTA’S VETERANS.”

Quist said that House rules require that Congressional mailings be informational-and not “partisan or political in fact or tone.” Quist said the Walz mailings are obviously more political than informational. “The real message of the fliers,” said Quist, is: “Why you should re-elect Tim Walz.”

To illustrate, Quist said the last two pieces mailed by Walz used his name a total of 31 times, while the word “Congress” was only used once in one flier and was never used at all in the other. “Clearly these taxpayer-funded mailings are all about Tim Walz, not Congress,” Quist concluded.

Quist stated that such mailings are an abuse of the franking privilege (sending out mailings or other materials at taxpayer expense). He said the Walz fliers, in small print, say: “This mailing was prepared, published and mailed at taxpayer expense.”

“It is difficult to find any concern for taxpayer expense in these mailings,” Quist said. He noted that the mailings are four-color, on high quality glossy paper and printed in union shops. “No expense is spared in these mailings,” Quist stated. He also said this wrongful use of taxpayer money is especially outrageous when huge federal deficits are the order of the day.

According to Quist, Members of Congress hide behind two excuses in this improper use of taxpayer money. The first, he said, is to say that Members of Congress from both parties engage in the practice. Quist’s response is: “Even if ‘everybody is doing it,’ that doesn’t make it right.”

The second excuse, according to Quist, is that Members of Congress say the Franking Commission approves the mailings. Quist’s response is that the Franking Commission needs to be reformed as well.

Quist said the abuse of the franking privilege typifies what is wrong with Washington. The Congressional franking procedures are structured to give the appearance of propriety, while the real issue of whether a piece is informational or political is overlooked, he stated.

Quist said that if he is elected to Congress, he will refuse to send out political mailings at taxpayer expense, and he will also work to reform the system so the abusive practice is stopped.

In view of the seriousness of this proposal, I am giving my support to a bill that has been introduced in Congress, HR 3594. It stipulates that if the UN adopts this treaty, the United States would then immediately withhold all funding from the UN. The bill also declares that any treaty violating our Constitution will not be ratified by the United States.

Illinois Congressman Joe Walsh introduced HR 3594 last Wednesday, and he has been joined so far by eleven of his Republican colleagues in the House.

HR 3594 is described as follows:

To express the sense of the Congress that the United States should not adopt any treaty that poses a threat to national sovereignty or abridges any rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution, such as the right to keep and bear arms, and to withhold funding from the United Nations unless the President certifies that the United Nations has not taken action to restrict, attempt to restrict, or otherwise adversely infringe upon the rights of individuals in the United States to keep and bear arms, or abridge any of the other constitutionally protected rights of citizens of the United States.

Sincerely,

Allen Quist

• The Republic (Columbus, IN): Ex-state Rep. Allen Quist launches bid in southern Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District
• MPR News: Quist launches campaign for Congress
• Pioneer Press: Republican Allen Quist enters race for Rep. Tim Walz’s 1st District seat
• Winona Daily News: Republican Quist to challenge Rep. Tim Walz for 1st District seat

December 2

• Albert Lea Tribune: Quist: ‘Walz is part of the problem’
• Austin Post-Bulletin: Quist Wants Spending Limits, Prioritization
• KEYC-TV Mankato: Quist Announces Candidacy, Begins Campaigning (video)
• Mankato Free Press: Quist announces run for Congress
• Rochester Post-Bulletin: Quist announces congressional bid

December 3

• Fairmont Sentinel: Quist seeks run for Congress
• WCCO: Allen Quist Enters The First Congressional Race (video)

Quist to Oppose Walz for First District Congress

Former State Representative Allen Quist has announced that he will challenge Tim Walz for the First District Congressional Seat.  Quist also said he will seek the endorsement of the First District Republicans for the office.

Quist said he has made this decision for two reasons: “The first is that Washington is broken.” Quist said, “Congressman Tim Walz is part of the problem; I intend to be part of the solution.” Quist also said, “Our national debt has doubled in the last 7 years and is now more than $15 trillion—greater than our annual Gross Domestic Product. “Obviously, this cannot continue,” Quist explained, “but the Washington political establishment appears unable to effectively deal with the problem.”

Quist said that because of this huge debt, our economy is struggling to grow and create jobs. Interest on the debt is now the 5^th largest federal expense, standing at $454 billion for 2011, he stated.

“The second reason is our nation desperately needs the strong leadership I can provide,” Quist said. He emphasized that he was the person who uncovered and made an issue of the up to $10,000 annual marriage penalty hidden in the health care bill. Quist noted that his ground-breaking analysis of the health care bill has been verified by the Heritage Foundation, by Americans for Tax Reform, and by the research analysis of the Republican Conference in the House Ways and Means Committee.* “The Democrats have not denied my analysis,” Quist said.

Quist additionally takes credit for revealing the income transfer system in the same bill, for taking the lead against the failed Profile of Learning in the Minnesota education system and for being the Minnesotan who exposed the $5,000 per year marriage penalty in the federal and Minnesota income tax codes. This penalty will be reinstated if the Bush tax cuts are allowed to expire, he said.

“I will take issue with Congressman Walz’s vote in favor of the health care marriage penalty and the entire health care law,” Quist said. “I don’t see how he can defend discrimination against married people—especially when I called it to his attention before he voted for it,” he stated.

Quist clarified that his decision to run is the result of strong encouragement he has received from grass roots Minnesotans. “My allegiance will be to the citizens of the First District and to our Constitution, which I will swear to defend, and nothing else,” he said.

Quist’s top legislative priorities will be to balance the budget without raising taxes, to help create jobs by major reform of the nation’s business climate and to repeal Obama Care while replacing it with real health care reform.

“With the right leadership, our best days can be ahead of us,” he said.

*Web Memo of Heritage Foundation 1-20-10; statement from Americans for Tax Reform 12-7-09; House Ways and Means Republican Conference Report 12-17-09 [See also http://www.quistforcongress.com/]

Please join me at the location nearest you. I will be available to answer your questions and get your input.

Here is the itinerary, December 1^st and 2^nd:

Thursday, December 1st

8:00 AM:  Winona, Country Kitchen, 1611 Service Dr, (Hwy 14 and 61) by Westgate Shopping Center,

10:30 AM: Rochester, Denny’s Restaurant, 1226 S. Broadway

1:00 PM: Austin, Public Library, 323 4^th Avenue NE

3:00 PM: Albert Lea, City Hall, 211 E. Clark

4:30 PM: Owatonna, Pizza Ranch, 142 W. Broadway Street

Friday, December 2nd

9:00 AM: Mankato, Happy Chef on 169, north of Hwy 14

10:30 AM: New Ulm, Community Senior Center, 600 N German St

12:30 PM: Fairmont, Pizza Ranch, 1101 N State St

3:30 PM: Worthington, Pizza Ranch, 1132 Oxford Street

I wish to thank all the patriotic Republicans who have been encouraging me to become a candidate for First District Congress. Be assured that I hear what you are saying, and I am now leaning in the direction of aggressively going for it. I will make a final decision soon. Meanwhile, if you wish to give me your input, or more input, you may call me at 507-317-0627.

Many thanks,

Allen Quist

It’s ba-ack! Health-care plan redoubles ‘marriage penalty’

Congressional proposals could penalize couples $10,000 for saying ‘I do’

By Bob Unruh
© 2010 WorldNetDaily

Bills pending in Congress that would nationalize health care by setting up mandatory insurance purchases and fines for not complying could penalize married couples $10,000 annually and are a direct attack on marriage, families and the church because of their discriminatory provisions, according to a congressional candidate.

“This is as awful, I will say evil … this is as evil as it gets,” Allen Quist, who is running to unseat Democrat Tim Walz in Minnesota’s 1st congressional district, told WND.

Quist said the fine print of provisions still alive in both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives deliberately create enormous pressure for couples to live together without marriage – or even get divorced – by charging married couples thousands of dollars more in premiums and fees.

“And it’s deliberate,” Quist added, “This is clearly not accidental.”

Continue reading at WorldNetDaily.com

As I have pointed out, however, the marriage penalty becomes far more serious for individuals making over 400% of the Poverty Level. For two married people, that is expected to be $64,000 per year in combined income, $32.000 each. Two married people at that income level should be ready to pay over $9,000 more in health insurance premiums than they would if they were unmarried.*

This huge marriage penalty occurs because the bills cap premiums and provide subsidies only for those making less than 400% of the Federal Poverty Level. Two married people will leave this subsidized system when their combined income reaches approximately $64.000 by 2016. The same couple, however, if unmarried, won’t be off the subsidized system until their combined income approaches $100,000—a window of over $35,000 where people will pay more than $9,000 additional for their health insurance if they marry.

This discriminatory system will have a big impact on people at lower income levels, too. They will realize that if they marry and improve their earnings, they may reach a point where their health insurance premiums will skyrocket, increasing by over $9,000 a year. Only half of those insurance premiums will be tax deductible. This huge added cost, real or potential, will provide a powerful incentive to not marry.

The marriage penalty will also be devastating for married persons now receiving health insurance from their employer, should that insurance be discontinued. Once such persons are on the individual insurance market, they will receive a portion of their former health insurance benefits only if their combined income is below 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. For this reason millions of couples are likely to see their insurance costs go up by that same $9,000 plus figure—if they stay married—a cost many of them will avoid if they divorce.

Under the new system, whether people are single or married, it will additionally be difficult to rise above 400% of the Poverty Level because of the major increases in health insurance premiums people will then be required to pay.

____________________
*(Analysis by Congressman Dave Camp, House Ways & Means Committee, The Prescription Pad, 12-17-09). This added premium cost of over $9,000 for couples who marry is based on the cheapest insurance available.