Bob Collins
While I think I understand George H.W. Bush better than I did when he was in office, I still have a problem reconciling the ability of politicians to take advantage of a moment in order to obtain a measure of power via an election. Read more →
MPR News Reflections and observations on the news
Politics
For generations, lawmakers have pushed their most important work to the end of the legislative session, resulting in last-minute, late night discussion and votes on huge bills — the stew of smaller bills known as omnibus bills — that legislators don’t really have the time to read before they vote. Read more →
Washington County, that forgotten metro county, got a little attention today when NPR cited it in its analysis of several suburban areas which are purportedly shifting left. There are lies, damned lies, and statistics, so caution is advised in trying to prove the existence of the shift, particularly when NPR cited only votes for House races. Read more →
Stop me if you’ve heard this before. A man from another country flies to an airport, but then is stranded there because the country won’t let him in and he can’t get back. So he lives in the airport — for seven months — until he finally catches a break. Read more →
A performance by the Theater of Public Policy was shut down this month by Enbridge pipeline opponents. Both sides debated the appropriateness of silencing voices, with dueling op-eds in the Star Tribune. Read more →
Social media has made it too uncomfortable for Major League Baseball to support a candidate with racist views. Over the weekend, Judd Legum, who writes a political newsletter, reported that the commissioner’s office had donated $5,000 to Cindy Hyde-Smith, who is in a runoff election for U.S. Senate from Mississippi. But please MLB, do continue Read more →
Give credit to Sen. Amy Klobuchar. She didn’t insult our intelligence by claiming she’s only interested in being a good U.S. senator and running for president has barely crossed her mind. Read more →
If you’re going to win a write-in campaign, it helps to have a simple name because by law the first and last name must be spelled correctly. So it’s impressive that Dan Rechtzigel is the new City Council member in Kenyon. Read more →
The period between Election Day and the day new lawmakers take office is some of the most dangerous times for democracy.
Wisconsin may prove that anew.
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‘Don’t Cry, I’m Here’ welcomes refugees to the area by giving the children culturally sensitive dolls, ‘Buddy Bears’, and/or teen gift bags upon their arrival. But fewer are arriving now so the group is expanding to a more welcoming nation. Read more →
If ever there was a lab rat to experiment with bad government, the final days of a Minnesota legislative session is it. In the rush to get the things done that they should’ve gotten done in the many months they were given, lawmakers often pass bill they haven’t read and have no idea what their impact will be. Sometimes they do and pass them anyway. Read more →
It’s cold as all get-out, there’s snow on the ground in Minnesota, it’s only November 12th and nobody is acting like this about it.
Maybe that’s on us. Read more →
Comedian Pete Davidson of Saturday Night Live apologized for his stupid jokes just before election day when he criticized former Navy SEAL Dan Crenshaw for his eye patch.
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Garrison Keillor has gotten some people stirred up again, thanks to his assessment of the election of 2018 and, specifically, the election of the first Somali-American from Minnesota to Congress. Read more →
I turned my ballot over the other day and had the same immediate thought I’ve had in every election since I moved to a state that elects judges: ‘this is a charade.’ Read more →