"Those 12,000 actually are my big interest in the next legislative session, because I think those 12,000 valid Minnesota voters face a system too complicated that disenfranchised them."
MN Sec. of State Mark Ritchie, speaking about 12,000 absentee ballots that were rejected, mostly due to voter error with complex rules, or delays in overseas mail, and of course 1352 mistakenly rejected by election workers.
"There's kind of a weird double-think involved in arguments that the slump should be allowed to follow its natural course. It's true that classical economics says that we should let market forces do their work; but classical economics also says that severe recessions can't happen. This idea that we must not intervene is based on a worldview that is refuted by the very fact that the economy is in the mess it's in."
Economist Paul Krugman, defending the idea that the government should use fiscal policy to stimulate the economy instead of letting a recession run its course.
"This is a precursor to card check and other items. Republicans should stand firm and take their first shot against organized labor, instead of taking their first blow from it."
Internal Senate Republican caucus memo, revealing that the reason for opposing the auto bailout isn't about economics, but about attacking organized labor, and the consequences be damned.
"You got bailed out, we got sold out."
United Electrical Workers Local 1110, who are occupying the factory of Republic Windows and Doors, from which they were laid off without legally required notice, and or being denied payments due them by Republic's creditor, Bank of America, which received $25 billion in bailout funds.
"On NBC and in other public forums, General McCaffrey has consistently advocated wartime policies and spending priorities that are in line with his corporate interests. But those interests are not described to NBC's viewers. He is held out as a dispassionate expert, not someone who helps companies win contracts related to the wars he discusses on television."
NY Times reporter David Barstow, on how one of the most frequently seen military experts in the media has conflicts of interest not shared with viewers, like most former generals working as military experts on TV.
"Dear advocates of violent retaliation against any and all Muslims: Congratulations. You're doing exactly what the terrorists want you to do."
Salon letter writer "Phoenix Woman", responding to other letter writers calling for retaliation against Muslims for the Mumbai attacks, including extensive use of torture.
"It appears that we've crossed a threshold where the ocean can no longer buffer the effects of CO2 in the atmosphere."
Timothy Wootton, lead author of a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, regarding the unexpectedly fast acidification of the oceans.
"Given the 'shoot first, ask questions never ethos,' I expect their vetting will be less than thorough and 'better' only from a partisan perspective."
Journalist David Brauer, who actually investigated Mountain Iron tally story, responding to a commenter who suggested Powerline as a better place to get information on election procedures..
"Since the 'Star Trek' teleporter has not yet been invented, these ballots are driven to the polling places."
Journalist David Brauer, who actually investigated the ballots in the car story, explaining that election workers use their cars to carry absentee ballots to the voter's precinct on election day.
"Since these changes are part of the canvassing process, since it says unofficial counts, since every recount always occurs likes this, we assume that campaign professionals know this. And the decision to use words designed to create a cloud over the election is a political strategy. It's a well-known political strategy. It's unfortunate."
MN Sec. of State Mark Ritchie, calling out Norm Coleman on his attempt to claim fraud because the vote count changes slightly during the final stages of the first count, which it does in all elections. Which even us non-professionals knew and I'm sure the state Republicans knew it too.
"I would step back. I just think the need for a healing process is so important [and] the possibility that any change magnitude is so remote."
Norm Coleman, asking Franken to accept Coleman's dinky lead, speaking words that will be brought back up to him if he falls behind.
"It means that James Cheney, Michael Schwerner and Andrew Goodman did not die in vain."
Matthew Duss, research associate, Center for American Progress Action Fund, answering the question, what does Obama's victory mean? Those names are the civil rights workers murdered near Philadelphia, MS, in 1964.
"If the Marines, some of the most conservative members of our society, can look beyond sexual preference, maybe the rest of America can do so too. If someone is willing to wear the uniform, fight, and possibly die for this country, it shouldn't matter who they are and who they love."
DFL 3rd congressional district candidate Ashwin Madia, explaining how his experience in the Marines changed his opinion on gay rights.
"Obama's going to win, and I didn't want to tell my grandchildren some day that I had an opportunity to vote for the first black president, but I missed my chance at history and voted for the other guy."
A voter in Cincinnati named Mike, who change his mind after talking with some elderly Jewish ladies who had been active in the civil rights movement in the 60's while waiting to vote.
