Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Last Friday the House and Senate adjourned for the Easter/Passover break returning Tuesday April 19. Committee work has completed so when we return the focus will be action on the Floor for the remaining approximate five weeks of the 2022 legislative session.
The image above on the left is the email the Science Museum of MN sent to Rep. Lucero’s official House of Representatives account. Clicking the 'ACTION FOR EARTH' button outlined in red opens the website above on the right. The Science Museum of MN is promoting "climate justice" and "demand Action for Earth" to children. Radicals continue to infect an increasing number of institutions in our society promoting their progressive propaganda as pseudo-science and politicking.
Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC)
In an email update several weeks back I wrote about the growing threat the ESG movement poses to our liberties and livelihoods. Video of my remarks on the MN House Floor drawing attention to the dangers of ESG can be found at the following link here. I received tremendous feedback thanking me for my efforts drawing attention to ESG and taking this issue on fighting back by introducing HF 4574.
Among the responses I received from constituents was encouragement to also look into Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC) which are an equally emerging threat to our liberties and livelihoods. According to a THE HILL news article found here, “On March 9, the Biden administration released an executive order (EO) instructing a long list of federal agencies to study digital assets and to propose numerous reports about their use and proposals to regulate them. Much of the executive order is focused on cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and ethereum, which run on blockchain technology and have become increasingly popular among many investors and consumers in recent years. But there is an even more important part of the EO: President Biden has instructed the federal government and Federal Reserve to lay the groundwork for a potential new U.S. currency, a digital dollar. The order further directs the Treasury Department, Office of the Attorney General and Federal Reserve to work together to produce a “legislative proposal” to create a digital currency within 210 days, about seven months.”
Whereas many may have heard or are familiar with popular cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Tether, Dogecoin, Binance Coin, or Litecoin just to name a handful, these cryptocurrencies operate on blockchain technology which is decentralized. The advantage of blockchain technology being decentralized means no individual, group, or government entity can control the blockchain cryptocurrencies.
President Biden’s executive order does not begin to lay the foundation for a blockchain cryptocurrency but rather a traceable digital dollar controlled by the Federal Reserve allowing for a design with various rules and restrictions allowing for prohibited uses such as fossil-fuel transactions or rewarding people with bonuses for spending the Fed’s digital dollars on politically correct products and services such as green energy.
Clearly both ESG and CBDC are intertwined as emerging threats in the sense global influencers and centralized control power-hungry progressives continue their demand patriots who love the Constitution and individual liberty bend our knee to their morally reprehensible agenda.
State Rep. Lucero and colleague State Rep. Paul Novotny attending the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association (MPPOA) reception Tuesday evening in Saint Paul in support of our law enforcement professionals risk their lives each and every day to protect ours.
WHERE’S DEMOCRATS’ PUBLIC SAFETY?
As a member of the Public Safety Committee, I’m working hard to ensure public safety is at the forefront of the decisions we make to curb the historic levels of violent crime. House Republicans released our package of bills earlier this session providing common-sense solutions to help keep Minnesotans safe by holding criminals accountable for their actions, helping recruit and retain peace officers, and providing transparency to prosecution’s charging decisions and the court’s sentencing decisions.
Our counterpart Senate Republicans have been moving a public safety package which features many of the same initiatives House Republicans support, including criminalizing the offense of carjacking, increasing penalties for violent crimes by repeat offenders, and heightening transparency when prosecutors dismiss charges on a case.
In contrast, Democrats on the House Public Safety Committee are doing little to stem the explosion of violent crime in the metro area despite the issue remaining a top priority for Minnesotans. The Democrat majority is not serious about addressing public safety. Instead of joining Republicans to support law enforcement and hold criminals accountable, Democrats are pushing money to unproven and unaccountable non-profit groups, and have rejected bipartisan proposals to address issues like carjackings, drug trafficking, and more.
Last week in committee, I offered a Stand Your Ground amendment to the Democrat omnibus bill to help law abiding citizens against becoming the next victim of violent crime but the Democrats quickly rejection my amendment calling Stand Your Ground “shoot to kill.”
With approximately five weeks remaining in the 2022 session when we return next week, there is little time remaining to take steps to ensure our state government lives up to its top responsibility of keeping people safe. I’m urging the Democrat House majority to stop playing politics with public safety and instead get serious about passing a public safety package that reduces crime for the sake of law-abiding citizens throughout our state.
"It was a fun time visiting with 6th graders from STMA Middle School East Thursday at the MN Capitol," said State Rep. Eric Lucero!
TAX CUTS
It was revealed last week the House Democrat majority is demanding $21 in new spending for every $1 in tax cuts.
House Democrats continued their sidestepping questions from legislators, media, and members of the public about the size and scope of their spending plans for Minnesota's historic $9.3 billion budget surplus. However, with all bills now publicly available, House Republicans crunched the numbers and this week released estimated budget targets for House Democrat bills showing Democrats plan to spend more than $21 for every $1 in tax cuts with the historic surplus. Overall, total tax reductions in the House Democrat tax bill add up to less than $600 million over the next three years compared to a whopping total of more than $12.2 billion in new government spending.
This is outrageous and will not sit well with Minnesotans who already know full well they are being overtaxed, are suffering under historic price increases in the Biden/Walz economy, and expect the state to provide relief with a surplus of around $10 billion. State government is already fully funded for this biennium but House Democrats view the state's over-collection of tax dollars as an open license to spend even more on new government programs.
In stark contrast to House Democrat new spending demands, Senate Republicans last week the Senate Republican Majority passed a tax cut bill by a bipartisan vote of 42-24 to cut taxes by $8.4 billion dollars. The Republican tax cut bill would lower the lowest income tax rate from 5.3% to 2.8% and eliminate the tax on social security. The Senate Republican bill is the largest tax cut EVER!
STAYING IN TOUCH
Each and every day I’m continuously humbled at the opportunity to represent and fight for the values and priorities of our great community!
Please contact me to share any issues, concerns, or feedback you have to assist me best represent you. The best way to reach me is by email at Rep.Eric.Lucero@House.MN or by phone at 651-296-1534.
Sincerely,
Eric Lucero
State Representative
District 30B
Albertville, Hanover, Otsego, Saint Michael, and the Wright County portion of Dayton