Minnesota Road Trip-Progressives-History-Politics-Duluth 2018-Podcast 727

These days one of the things you learn on a road trip is how big the United States is. Then, how big individual states are. Finally the traveler discovers how each state is different. In Minnesota Road Trip-Progressives-History-Politics-Duluth 2018-Podcast 727.

Get Off The Interstate

Most noteworthy is what happens when you get off the Interstate and onto the back roads. That’s when you really see how it is.

Covering Politics In 2018

2018 is an election year. I said I would cover the Minnesota political scene this year. The first stop is the Minnesota State Republican Convention. Duluth. On the shores of Lake Superior.

Minnesota History

Furthermore some of the state’s old hands don’t know Minnesota’s unique social and political history. We’ll discover it together in Minnesota Road Trip-Progressives-History-Politics-Duluth 2018-Podcast 727.

Town Hall Is In Our Blood

Sure, we know our pioneer history. Especially relevant is the unique history of political grass roots and town hall style representation.

Minnesota’s first settlers were New Englanders and New Yorkers. They brought town halls with them. Later immigrants from Scandinavia, Germany and Ireland formed the bedrock of so called ‘progressive‘ politics in the state. Therefore, those ideas are still with us.

Yes Republicans Were Progressives and Populists Too

In addition while some people assume progressive politics these days is only the political left, republicans too have a long history of progressivism. Find out in Minnesota Road Trip-Progressives-History-Politics-Duluth 2018-Podcast 727.

Tim Pawlenty Tries To Derail Caucus Process

Will the grassroots system survive in Minnesota? Former republican Governor Tim Pawlenty isn’t attending because he’ll be clinking crystal with rich guys at the Minneapolis Club. Pawlenty’s operatives will push the convention to refuse to endorse a candidate for governor. This is the main issue in Duluth this weekend.

Do We Really Want To Dump The Town Hall?

Moreover populists and progressives go back to the roots of Minnesota Republicans and democrats. Probably a big part of that process has been town hall style politics in the caucus system. Most of all do we really want to get rid of it?

Surprises In This Podcast

In conclusion as I researched this podcast I learned a few surprising facts. I think you will too.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: Two things. First, it’s not 35W heading to Duluth, it’s just 35 North. Being a Twin Citiean, I have to get on 35W before 35 North. Second, for some reason I thought the State DFL convention – the democrats – was being held in Rochester, Minnesota the week after the Republican Convention in Duluth. Once again those sneaky democrats have managed to slip out of my grasp. It’s in the 40’s in Duluth and the 80’s in Rochester. Given the quality of the speeches in Duluth this weekend, I wish I had gone to Rochester!)

Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul

Minnesota Road Trip-Progressives-History-Politics-Duluth 2018-Podcast 727

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Franken Resigns-GOP Celebrates-Sexual Politics Rules-Podcast 683

Minnesota Senator Al Franken announced his impending resignation on December 7th, 2017. A can of worms popped open for both political parties as Minnesota and National Republicans and Democrats try to figure out the aftermath. We’ll talk about it in Franken Resigns-GOP Celebrates-Sexual Politics Rules-Podcast 683.

Welcome To The Age Of American Ignorance

These days people wonder what has happened to American politics. To answer that question, one need only to turn to social media. What passes for political discourse these days is nothing more than ignorant shouting, name calling and demanding that they all get what they want right now.

Garbage In Garbage Out

Especially relevant is what happens when a real crisis develops. A Tax Reform package. The aftermath of the resignation of a senator. Moreover what passes for ‘news’ on biased platforms is garbage. We’ll try to balance that in Franken Resigns-GOP Celebrates-Sexual Politics Rules-Podcast 683.

Minnesota As Political Ground Zero In 2018

Minnesotans can look forward to an especially hot political season, starting in January 2018. There will certainly be two senate seats up for grabs in 2018 and one in 2020. With a close race for republicans in Alabama the senate and future of the country hangs in the balance. Why is Franken delaying his departure? Who will his replacement be?

Thermidor II

Finally, a cautionary note. In conclusion a podcaster wonders whether the politics of personal destruction has become a little like the aftermath of the French Revolution. A mob sending shocked victims to the gallows. In this case, the gallows of public opinion. While not defending whatever the accused have been accused of, it is true that they have not been able to face their accusers in a court where they have a chance to present a defense and question the character of their accused, the way their character has been questioned.

This does not end well. Just sayin’

(Editor’s Note: Some people have wondered how the governor would ‘appoint himself’ to be the next senator from Minnesota. The governor resigns and the Lieutenant Governor then appoints the former governor to the senate. In 1976 Minnesota governor Wendell Anderson resigned to be appointed to the senate by Lieutenant Governor Rudy Perpich. The DFL suffered a stinging defeat at the next election. This defeat was ever after called ‘The Minnesota Massacre‘.)

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Franken Resigns-GOP Celebrates-Sexual Politics Rules-Podcast 683

Podcast 444

Trump’s Folly? Midweek news updates. It’s all about Donald J. Trump who has managed to gain complete command of the media battle space on the issue of Jihad in the United States, on the heels of the San Bernardino, California attacks. With polls showing Trump with a commanding overall lead, compared to all the other Republican Candidates, his announcement that ‘Muslim immigration should be put on hold until we know what is going on’ has put him to the right of even Ted Cruz, and forced all the other Republicans into defending the President. Not only is Trump being compared to Hitler, (Ridiculous in its own right, since the greatest progressive in history and democrat President Franklin Delano Roosevelt didn’t waste a second rounding up West Coast Japanese-Americans after the attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan) his latest statement on Muslim Attacks in the US is being described as a ‘brilliant political move’. It all adds up to higher poll numbers for Trump and higher ratings on foreign policy and defense than the so called ‘adults’ in the room, like Lindsay Graham who called for a campaign this week to ‘Tell Trump to Go To Hell’. So much for adulthood. In this podcast, what you need to know, what this means, how to do your own homework and stop asking others to tell you what you’re supposed to think. Bottom line, the moderate leadership nominally referred to as ‘The Republican Establishment’ put George W Bush in office, backed him on the disastrous Iraq War (which did more damage to the Republican Party than Nixon), and continually expects the media to do their bidding for them. News Flash! If you’re a moderate establishment Republican, either serving in elected office or as a campaign consultant, people are sick of your crap and your unwillingness to join the fight. If you don’t understand why Trump is doing what he is doing, you’re dead. If people vote as the polls show, Trump is the nominee. If democrats insist on trying to take all the guns, stop people from saying what they think, and allowing ONLY the politically correct to speak, chances Trump will be President improve drastically. Americans might be stupid, but they see through all this political nonsense. They know, this President, this Congress and the Republican Establishment aren’t protecting them and aren’t fixing what’s wrong. Looks like what voters might be saying is, the time for the so called ‘establishment to get on the good foot, or get out, has come. Establishment Republican Moderates should be afraid. Very afraid. Sponsored by Hydrus Performance and Pride of Homes and Luke Team Real Estate.