Politics in Minnesota: The Weekly Report - Vol. 3, Issue 35 - 3/7/2008
Cuts And Shots
Not too much excitement in the budget plan GOP Gov. Tim Pawlenty proposed, today. No new taxes, no reductions in K-12 education, no reductions in local government aid and four percent cuts to most state agencies. Pawlenty did, however, take a shot at the transportation funding package the Legislature passed into law over his veto. He proposed a reduction by one-eighth percent in the statewide sales tax to "partially offset the recent tax increases passed by the DFL-controlled legislature.
The Governor took another shot at the University of Minnesota, a shot we've been expecting ever since U President Robert Bruininks said the state should consider a gas tax to free up money for higher education. The Governor is proposing a $26 million cut to the U, while noting that the institution has a three-plus billion dollar annual budget and that it just raised tuition 17%. If the U can't find where to cut the $26 million, Pawlenty will be "happy to offer suggestions, starting with the administration."
Progress In Motion Arrived
[Publisher's Note: Careful readers of Politics in Minnesota will note that the group, Progress in Motion, advertises in PIM publications. To be clear, that fact does not color this story. The truth is Progress in Motion has been a little ticked at your publisher. She has -- repeatedly in PIM and other venues -- predicted that the "Override Six" Republicans would stick with the Governor. She was wrong. See more about the Override Six next story.]
The most overlooked group in the Minnesota story of the year so far -- passing a $6.6 billion transportation funding package into law despite GOP Gov. Tim Pawlenty's veto -- is the group that made it happen. That group is Progress in Motion. If there was a top ten list of best lobbying efforts in the last few decades, passing the transportation package this year would be near the top of the list.
Progress in Motion formed as an outgrowth of the successful 2006 "Vote Yes" effort that educated voters and got them to approve dedicating all of the sales tax on new and used cars to transportation. The group, a configuration of the Minnesota Transportation Alliance, shepherded the effort in which many other groups participated to override the veto, including the Association of Minnesota Counties, the League of Minnesota Cities, individual highway contractors, transit groups, and eventually the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. Besides these groups, however, were the various individuals around the state who lobbied specific members. These included local elected officials and key local business leaders.
While the Chamber's support was high profile, there was another sector of Minnesota's public affairs world that also deserves the spotlight, and that's agriculture. Both the Minnesota Farm Bureau and the Minnesota Farmers Union worked over legislators, as did many agricultural commodity groups. These groups delivered many of the election squeamish rural members, who know they will be supported in this fall's elections.
Herding cats does not begin to describe how much work was involved in keeping everyone together on the same bus to pass the bill and override the Governor. [Your publisher lobbied for the highway contractors in the mid-1990s and knows that keeping those guys on the same bus was worse than herding cats, even when they agreed on issues.]
Driving the bus was the Transportation Alliance's Rick Krueger. The success of Progress in Motion is a monumental career achievement for Krueger, the former DFL Rep. from Staples, former High Tech Council (now the High Tech Association), publishing and real estate executive. Not surprisingly, once the mission was accomplished, Krueger announced to his members this week that he's taking a new job, creating and heading government affairs for Global Traffic Technologies, a recent spin-off from 3M. Kudos to Krueger on a job well done and congratulations on the job ahead.
A final dynamic at play in delivering that staggering sum of $6.6 billion to state transportation coffers were the long-time relationships of those working the issue at the Capitol.
Call it "That 80s Show."
Krueger served in the House in the 1980s, as did former DFL Rep. and Bauerly Brothers Construction owner Jerry Bauerly, former DFL Rep. now lobbyist Dan Knuth (who represents Fresh Energy), former GOP Rep. Dave Bishop (who, as a citizen, helped greatly with the Rochester crowd), former GOP Rep. and now lobbyist Jim Girard (who represents Central Corridor Partnership, part of the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce) major league transit advocate Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin (DFL), former DFL Rep. and now Mayor of Staples Bruce Nelson, former DFL Rep. and now lobbyist Gerry Schoenfeld (who represents the Minnesota Biodiesel Council, the Minnesota Pork Producers Association and the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association), former GOP Rep. and now lobbyist Bill Schreiber (who represents Hennepin County, the I-494 Corridor Commission, the Metro Transitways Development Board and the Northstar Corridor Development Authority) and the and former DFL House Speaker and now lobbyist former Bob Vanasek (who represents the Minnesota Inter-County Association).
Other players from the 1980s include Ramsey County Commissioner Tony Bennett, former GOP Sen. Minority Leader Duane Benson (for GoMinnesota, which was the predecessor to the Vote Yes campaign, former head of the Citizens League Curt Johnson (for the Itasca Project), former DFL Sen. and now lobbyist Bob Tennessen (I-35W Solutions Alliance) and former DFL House staff and now lobbyist Jim Wafler (Associated General Contractors and the Minnesota Transportation Alliance). Both GOP former Govs. Arne Carlson and Al Quie publicly supported the tax increases in the bill.
It took 20 years to pass a transportation funding increase package, so don't look for all these players to go away just because they won (note that Progress in Motion is still advertising in PIM). Expect some type of continuing effort so that when the time comes for more gas tax and sales tax increases, the group won't have to reinvent the wheel.
Five "No Regrets" And One "Water Under the Bridge"
The veto override vote thrust six GOP House members into the limelight for their partnership with the House DFL to defy Gov. Tim Pawlenty. The state GOP party chair and conservative bloggers have made it clear these six will pay. But will they? Overall, those interviewed didn't seem to think this vote would be a deal-breaker in November.
PIM contacted the "Override Six" to gauge the fallout from last week's veto override, including immediate repercussions and those that will surface in November's elections. The five members interviewed were still confident in their decision, and while they all are experiencing some forms of negative feedback, overall they said they did what was right for them.
The sixth member, Rep. Rod Hamilton (R-Mountain Lake), declined to participate saying, "I don't want to talk about it. It's water under the bridge." [ouch, poor idiom choice, water under the bridge ... our bridge fell.]
The Pragmatist: Rep. Ron Erhardt (R-Edina)
Erhardt has openly supported a gas tax hike. As Chair of the Transportation Committee in 2003, he introduced a funding bill that included a 10 cent gas tax increase that, in his words, "wasn't particularly successful." In 2005 he again supported a bill with a 10 cent gas tax; HF 2461 passed both bodies but was then vetoed by Gov. Pawlenty. He cites the bridge falling down as an indicator of the status of our infrastructure.
"We have a problem that has not been well dealt with for 20 years, since the last time we raised the tax," Erhardt said. "Its deterioration is accelerating; the longer we put it off the worse shape it gets and the more money it takes."
Erhardt's first priority when making voting decisions is his entire constituency (not just the Republican base), and secondly, the citizens of the state of Minnesota.
"And my own feelings, unless there's some kind of absolute principle, that takes a back seat," Erhardt said.
He identified himself as a pragmatist, not an ideologue, and doesn't buy into the idea that caucus members should tow the party line. He described the caucus leadership as "childish" and "ridiculous" for punishing people for voting for what they see as the right course.
Erhardt has received between five and six hundred emails, letters and phone calls related to his vote, and he estimates 70% agree he did the right thing. He said he isn't sure if GOP delegates will endorse him, but he thinks he is supported by his district as a whole.
"I think the six people joined another 85 to do the right thing for Minnesota... I wish the governor good luck in his quest for higher office, but I don't think he wants to leave the state of Minnesota in disrepair," Erhardt said with a smile. "So we're helping him achieve his goal of reaching the vice presidency."
District 41's endorsing convention is tomorrow, March 8. Keith Downey is running against him, and according to Erhardt is a "very conservative opponent [who has] been working delegates and others at the caucus for six or seven months." Erhardt said he doesn't know if he will win the endorsement, and if he loses he doesn't know if he will run in a primary against Downey or if he will run as an independent candidate.
Steadfast: Rep. Kathy Tingelstad (R-Andover)
When asked about the caucus leadership response to her vote, Tingelstad rephrased it as retribution.
"I don't like it," Tingelstad said. "I think it's a dangerous precedent in that it has sent a chilling effect throughout our caucus. People are looking over their shoulder on every vote wondering if they're going to be next."
Tingelstad feels the retribution by caucus leadership backfired. Like other dissenting members, she has received handwritten notes, calls and emails from around the state congratulating her for her courage. Additionally, she said repercussions have actually drawn the six members closer together.
"We were on the phone with each other. I talked to the other five one, two, three times during that weekend: How are you doing, are you going to be okay, are you getting a lot of heat from people in your community," Tingelstad said. "My endorsing convention was that weekend so I probably had one of the toughest situations, although it ended up fine because they ended up just delaying the convention."
When making her voting decisions, Tingelstad considers all 38,000 people she represents. The former owner of an advertising agency, her mantra is, "Know your audience." And her audience includes everyone that votes for her - including people that vote for her opponents.
The collapse of the I-35 bridge played a major role in her decision to support the bill. To her, it was apparent that additional funding is needed for roads and bridges and this was the only way to get it done since the Governor was against any new taxes.
Pawlenty called Tingelstad the morning of the override vote. According to Tingelstad, he told her to vote her conscience, that obviously he wanted the bill to be sustained with his veto but he understood it was up to the individual members. Tingelstad was also contacted by House Speaker Margaret Kelliher (DFL-Minneapolis) before and after the vote.
Tingelstad is steadfast in her convictions. This isn't the first time she's made an unpopular choice, and she acknowledges that people don't have to like each other, they just have to work together.
"I'm very comfortable with my vote even though I've obviously had a lot of pain afterwards and repercussions [because] of it," Tingelstad said.
Tingelstad is confident she will win in the November election, and she said she assumes she'll get endorsed by SD 49. She has heard of one challenger, and possibly two or three others, and referred PIM to Tim Newbolt, SD 49 Chair. When Newbolt was asked who the challengers were, his only comment was, "The delegates will decide who the end candidate will be."
Creator, Conscience, Constituents, Caucus: Rep. Jim Abeler (R-Anoka)
Stepping out of Thursday's floor session to talk with PIM, Abeler kept collecting more attaboys from passers-by, including GOPers, from around the state.
"The halls understand it," he said. Abeler said he votes by his Creator, conscience, constituents and caucus, in that order, and he thinks he covered the top three with his vote. He said he didn't ask for any projects from the DFL in return for his vote, and he didn't get any either. Abeler claimed credit for working closely with the Chamber to address their needs and secure their support.
Abeler has become "kind of a handy target" for everyone let down by gaps in GOP orthodoxy. But as a target, he's in good company with figures like U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) and Pawlenty.
Abeler's vote, which he said looks better every day, put him in a much better position against the DFL in the general election. "And the GOP knows that," he said. His style has given him increasing support at each midterm election, and he collected far more crossover votes than his friend and Senate counterpart Sen. Mike Jungbauer (R-East Bethel) who only won Abeler's half of the district by a few hundred votes.
While he opposes any further tax increases, Abeler said the GOP needs to decide what is essential, important, or nice, and put in the energy to work it out. Property taxes keep going up, and those taxes are borne by businesses, seniors and families - the very people the Republicans claim to represent. Abeler points out that today, people are driven from their homes by property taxes and Anoka must spend 21% of the property tax on transportation, which ought to be more like 10%.
Abeler's district convention is on Saturday. There are rumors of a challenger, but he said the response from constituent GOPers has been more positive than negative. Abeler said delegates should realize that his override vote was supported by the Chamber of Commerce, business partnerships and local chambers, and as a result the BPOU ought to back him.
But he knows he might not get endorsed tomorrow, or perhaps the endorsement will be postponed similar to Tingelstad's convention. If he doesn't get endorsed, he said he would run in a primary. His demeanor is best summarized by his memorable floor speech (which the DFL put up on YouTube this week), when he said that his career wasn't as a GOP politician, but rather a chiropractor, and thus, his vote wasn't much of a threat to his career at all.
Referencing Jeremiah: Rep. Neil Peterson (R-Bloomington)
"No good deed goes unpunished!" says Peterson, who argued his vote was necessary and the right thing to do.
Peterson said his criteria when making legislative decisions (conscience, community, constituents, caucus and campaign) were a bit corny, but necessary. At his office, Peterson has been searching the scriptures for guidance, and a review of Jeremiah's letter to the exiles brought clarity. Peterson explained that Jeremiah implored citizens to take care of the city, for as it prospers, they will prosper as well.
The bill has been negotiated "360 degrees" and achieved major consensus among interest groups including the chambers, truckers, cities, and environmental groups, "one of the biggest consensus bills we've had," Peterson says.
Peterson's district has major transportation needs: congested thoroughfares and aging intersections need to be completely overhauled. Although the governor might have claimed that the veto would ultimately produce a better bill, Peterson disagreed because there was no time to work one out.
"Out on the street, they get it," he says of his constituents. "An amazing flood of emails -- attaboys" from all over the state have rolled in. Especially after he got punished by his caucus, many people have written in support. Peterson's district convention will be this weekend, and GOP activist Jan Schneider may run against him in the primary. "Primaries are healthy," he said, and added that there may be no endorsement of anyone this year.
Rural Roads: Rep. Bud Heidgerken (R-Freeport)
Heidgerken, a popular cafe owner, said he tipped back and forth over the transportation bill during the lead-up to its initial passage.
"It was the best bill I could see coming down the line," he said. Seventy percent of the road miles are in rural Minnesota, and the alternative Taxpayers League proposal offered allocation by lane miles instead, which would have been worse for Heidgerken's rural district. Since 1958 the allocation has been by road miles, and that has to be defended, he said.
While there was substantial peer pressure from his caucus, Heidgerken said overall they have been supportive, promising "we'll never turn our back on you."
In light of his decision, Heidgerken recalled telling his kids, "whatever you do in life, do me proud, do it right, and I'll back you up." To him, it was right for the district, and he only wishes he could do something similar for K12 education finance. The 44 rural townships in his district will get $100 million in road funding over 10 years, something they probably wouldn't have received after the next redistricting. The time to save rural roads (which are mostly unpaved) was running out.
Heidgerken said the GOP is divided, but every group in his district, including the conservative Farm Bureau, the Farmers Union, the soy farmers, coops, milk producers, and the Independent Township Association, all were involved in the back-and-forth all week long. Certain changes were made to the bill: the wheelage tax was dropped, inflation indexing was dropped, and the statewide sales tax was dropped. "All the ugly components were dropped." Heidgerken went back and forth on it until Monday morning, when the Truckers Association dropped into his office, informing him of their support. "Not you guys, too!" That was key, since one-fifth of businesses in the district are trucking-related. With the truckers and commodity groups behind him, only the Taxpayers League wing of the GOP was opposing.
"I apologize to the purists" of his party, he said. He respects where they are coming from since "there's a lot of waste," but the hard numbers of roads indicate "it's really rotten teeth all over."
The punishments cost the GOP credibility, he says. Heidgerken points out that in Washington, D.C., U.S. Reps. Michele Bachmann (R MN6), John Kline (R MN2), Jim Ramstad (R MN3) and U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman are all overriding a veto from President Bush while stating it's good for the district!
Heidgerken is used to taking on the caucus from the Sviggum days, and feels the punishment he receives doesn't make much difference. The GOP minority has no gavel and relatively little say now anyway, he said.
Regarding his dinner with Speaker Kelliher at the Monte Carlo in Minneapolis, which got observed by an eagle-eyed GOP blogger, Heidgerken countered that he has eaten with 3/4 of the members, and in this case he had the speaker's ear. The dinner wasn't focused primarily on the transportation bill, but covered many different issues, Heidgerken said.
He might get endorsed later, he says, but he's not worried because he made the right decision. [GOP Chair Ron] Carey and [CD7 GOP Vice Chair Michael] Barrett understand the district will back Heidgerken, and he's never even thought about a potential DFL challenger. He's got the numbers to back himself up in his district, he says; "It's a matter of trust. It's all about voting for the people and your conscience, not representing St. Paul politics," he concluded.
Out Of Real Estate And Into Energy With Energy
One of the Capitol's most colorful characters and passionate advocates is retiring. After 25 years, Glenn Dorfman, the chief lobbyist for the Minnesota Association of Realtors is tossing in the trade association towel. Dorfman enlivened many a dull tax committee hearing with his wit, good nature and eloquent arguments. Those who know Dorfman know that if he was truly retiring, he would drive his wife, Janet Dorfman, crazy. Dorfman is now off to the races doing research and organizing a new group, both here, in Washington and around the country of utility consumers, called the Coalition of Energy Consumers and Producers. Chris Galler, who has worked for the Realtors in both government affairs and communications, will serve as the new chief lobbyist for the group.
Since Dorfman is not the kind of guy "to go gentle into that good night," the Realtors are hosting a retirement bash and program, "Glenn Dorfman: This is Your Life," on Thursday, April 3, starting at 3:30 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in St. Paul. Those who didn't get an invite shouldn't feel slighted and not shy about RSVPing to Peg Anderson, panderson@mnrealtor.com.
Life, Liberty, And The Pursuit Of Wild Game
Minnesota is a "right to hunt state" meaning, to us Minnesotans hunting is as important as our right to public schools, so we now have both in the state constitution. We even have 30 hunting seasons. And, every year there are numerous hunting bills. This past week three hunting bills were heard by the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources (SF 2329, SF 3057, and SF 2877).
SF 2329 would ban the hunting of mourning doves, a small migratory bird found throughout the United States and Canada. The fight over the right to hunt mourning doves seems to pop up every few years and has always captured the attention of the Legislature. Many readers may remember former DFL Sen. Allan Spear, in a performance that would have made St. Paul Pioneer Press theater critic Dominic Papatola proud, mock cooking 32 mourning doves in order to feed his dinner party consisting of four people. Sen. Scott Dibble (DFL-Minneapolis) presented the need for the ban citing the birds small size (4-6 oz.), difficulty to shoot, and environmental costs. The average mourning dove averages only 2 ounces of meat, much less than most ducks or turkeys, making it a much less desirable culinary target. They are also highly erratic fliers. A Humane Society study found it takes an average 8 shots to finally hit a dove. This leads to lots of extra toxic lead being introduced into the environment. The kind people at Cabela's informed PIM that mourning dove hunters prefer lead shot to steel shot because the pellets are smaller, more dense, maintain a better velocity and a have tighter pattern. Doves can sometimes fly through steel shot because of their quickness and because the shots have a wide, more porous pattern. Additional concerns surround people shooting doves then, because of their size, simply leaving them for scavengers to eat their lead contaminated bodies.
Mourning doves are the country's most popular game bird, but they have been declining in numbers as recent studies show [PDF]. Last year there were between 11,00-15,000 hunters who killed an estimated 86,000 doves in Minnesota. The DNR testified the population is healthy and has seen no correlation between hunting and the declining population, citing the increasing loss of natural habitat as the more likely reason for any decline.
Opponents of the bill note that Minnesota is, after all, a right to hunt state and that hunting of mourning doves is a great way to get young people introduced to the sport and into the outdoors. Compared to many other species mourning doves can be a very simple hunt, requiring less equipment and hunts can be made when it is warm outside, key factors when introducing new gamesmen to the hunt. Gary Leaf of Sportsmen for Change and John Schroers of the Minnesota Outdoor Heritage Alliance addressed many of the bills proponents concerns. Schroers argued "99% of people pick up their game" dismissing the claim of the abandoned lead-infected carcasses being fed on by passing animals. Schroers went on to say,"it is unethical and illegal to leave game in the field. Hunters are required by law to retrieve all shot game." The size of the mourning dove is the same as the blue-winged teal or many other smaller birds which are legal to hunt. Many hunters are also moving away from lead shot as laws tighten and steel becomes more and more dependable. Since lead shot is illegal for waterfowl on public land most hunters who will be hunting on both private and public land go with steel to avoid any legal possible entanglements.
Financial factors play a huge roll in the mourning dove controversy. While bird watchers bring an estimated $600 million to the state's economy, hunting and fishing bring an estimate $4 billion according to Schroer. He sees this bill as the anti-hunting lobby's attempt to ban all hunting by attacking the smallest game first, arguing everyone would suffer if the state were to lose out on the billions of dollars generated by "our hunting heritage" to acquire and preserve lands.
Another perpetual hunting issue, the use of high powered lights to locate deer, is the subject of Sen. Minority Leader Dave Senjem's (R-Rochester) SF 3057 which would drastically limit the use of artificial lights in hunting or spotting animals. Concerns come as the lights used for hunting and recreational "shining" (using powerful lights to animal watch) become more powerful. Lights now shining off of one ridge can, at times, be visible miles away, disturbing residents and livestock alike. The main concern raised regarding S.F. 3057 was the use of a spotlight to locate a shot deer that may fall well after sunset. Provisions allow the use of lights as long as the hunter contacts the proper authorities to tell them they will be using the light to search for the downed deer.
Sen. Pat Pariseau (R-Farmington) introduced SF 2877 (though she admitted she couldn't remember why it was being brought before committee). The bill extends nighttime hunting rules for taking raccoons, which means that people have more time in which they can hunt out of their car, use larger rifles, and lights to track the animals. The rationale was that this new law gives hunters the opportunity to hunt raccoons in that half hour after sunset and half hour before sunrise while they may be out hunting other species. This all begs the questions "When did the Clampetts move to Minnesota?" and "Who eats raccoon anyway?"
Bits & Pieces
Best of luck to U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar (D MN-8) who will be undergoing hip replacement surgery next week. Here's to a speedy recovery and we'll look for you to quickly be back on your bike.
This year the Democrats will honor philanthropist Alida Messinger. Activist Dr. Josie Johnson and U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) will also be in attendance at the 31st annual Hubert H Humphrey Day Dinner. The event is March 15th at 6:30 p.m. at the Hilton in downtown Minneapolis, for ticket information visit the DFL website.
The College of Saint Benedict/St. John's University (CSB/SJU) have launched the Eugene McCarthy Center for Public Policy & Civic Engagement in honor of the St. John's alum and former Senator and Presidential candidate from Watkins, Minnesota. The McCarthy Center welcomes alum and editor of The Hill, Al Eisele, as a guest scholar next week. You can view the center's full calender of events here www.csbsju.edu/publicpolicy/.
Speaking of CSB/SJU and public affairs, several CSB/SJU alums recently assumed new posts. At Blue Cross Blue Shield, longtime public affairs head Kathy Mock was named chief executive officer for Blue Plus, the company's health maintenance organization, and Phillip Stalboerger was promoted to vice president for policy and legislative affairs. At Ecumen, the state's largest senior housing company, Eric Schubert was named vice president of communications and public affairs.
Rich Goldsmith has started a new blog at The Rake, cleverly named Defenestrator. Goldsmith plans to offer his take on issues of interest to Minnesotans, many with a political focus and he wants to deliver a "smack upside the head to the population of schmucks, putzes, hacks, wonks and assorted hangers on making life in Minnesota more difficult than it needs to be." A local public relations executive, Goldsmith has worked in both the private and public sectors, from Weber Shandwick to St. Paul Public Schools.
We were very sorry to learn that The Rake Magazine has suspended print publication. The owners, Tom Bartel and Kristin Henning have created a must-read web site that is sure to continue flourishing.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) better be paying attention because March 24th the Humphrey Institute and Presidential Studies Quarterly are holding a national conference to examine the selection of vice presidential running mates in the '08 election. Guests include former Vice President Walter Mondale, former WI Governor Tommy Thompson, and many noted political scholars. For more information and to RSVP contact Lea Chittenden at chit0018@umn.edu or (612) 625-2530.
Democrats in SD 42 held their convention last weekend and Third District DFL Congressional hopeful Ashwin Madia had a strong showing. He won eight of the 13 delegates up for grabs in a Senate District that is adjacent to fellow candidate Sen. Terri Bonoff's home district.
Minneapolis is looking for a new fire chief after former Chief Jim Clark took a job as the Fire Chief for the City of Baltimore. Mayor R.T. Rybak (D) plans to confirm an interim chief March 26th and nominate a permanent one by late April. Qualified applicants should submit letters of interest to Steve Nutting at steve.nutting@ci.minneapolis.mn.us.
The final three candidates for president of the Northeast Higher Education District have been named by the search committee chaired by Kevin Kopischke, president of Alexandria Technical College. The finalists are, Alex Capdeville, chancellor of Montana State University-Northern since 2000, Sue Collins, vice president of the Northern Education District since 2006, and Karen Grosz, who served as dean of instructional services at Lassen Community College in California from 2005-2007. A decision could me made as early as March 19th when the Board of Trustees holds its annual meeting. At that same meeting the board will vote on Richard Schrubb who has been recommended as Minnesota West Community and Technical College President. Shrubb previously served as vice president of academic and student affairs at Terra State Community College in Ohio.
The Minnesota NOW (National Organization for Women) annual state conference is Saturday, April 19th. The conference, to be held at the AmericInn in Fergus Falls, will feature Melissa Hermes of the Otter Tail County Historical Society and Joan Jarvis Ellison, a freelance writer who works in the Pelican Rapids immigrant community. For more information visit the PIM events calender or the NOW website.
"Closing the Gap" The new documentary by Twin Cities Public Television, will be previewed April 3rd at the Minneapolis American Indian Center. Sponsored by the Minneapolis American Indian Center and MN Indian Women's Resource Center, the event will feature a social hour with the program following. Please RSVP to Nancy Smith by March 20th (612) 728-2027 or nsmith@miwrc.org.
The Toast of MinnPost. PIM would like to take this time to recognize good work this week. David Brauer had two excellent pieces on the St. Paul Pioneer Press, one about their parent company's plunging bond rating and one about their comment boards. We also got quite a kick out of Corey Anderson's illustration of former Rep. Steve Sviggum (R-Kenyon) in Robert Whereatt's story about the Override Six.
PIM would like to pass along its sympathy to the family of Kathy Swanson who passed away late last week after a two-year battle with ALS. Kathy was a tireless champion of road safety while working with the Department of Public Safety's Office of Traffic Safety. Fatalities dropped in half during her 28-year tenure.
North Star Rising: The "Other" Blue Book
by Pam Steinle
In the office of every successful, in-the-know Minnesota Politico, one will find (first and foremost) Politics in Minnesota: The Directory; a red book (The Official Directory of the Minnesota Legislature); and a blue book (The Legislative Manual of the State of Minnesota). But there is another blue book on the block, and PIM recommends you make room on your bookshelf for one more Minnesota must-have: North Star Rising: Minnesota Politicians on the National Stage, by Barry Casselman.
The book is a light read, weighing in at about 100 glossy pages of text, peppered with full-color pictures of historical memorabilia. Cassleman's book is comparable to the "Cliff Notes" for your Minnesota History textbooks: Factual, concise and fast. He said he wrote it for people like me - people without specific knowledge about Minnesota's political history and the scope of Minnesota politics.
Let me explain.
I'm pretty sure the boss, publisher Sarah Janecek, assigned me this book review because, when it comes to Minnesota political history, I am the Asian-equivalent to Legally Blonde. My only knowledge of Floyd B. Olson was his association with the pig we tried to retain at Gopher Football games, and Hubert H. Humphrey built the Metrodome or something, right? As a college reporter, I unknowingly sat behind Walter Mondale when NPR Israel correspondent Linda Gradstein spoke at the U of M Law school, and while I eventually figured out who he was (I overheard someone introduce himself), I didn't know enough about him to ask any intelligent questions.
Admit it. While you could probably kick my butt in Minnesota Jeopardy, you know you could use a few refresher points on how Olson helped farmers when their land was to be sold at auction (see page 56), or how Humphrey truly served the citizenry at the famous Washington political restaurant, The Monocle (see page 68). I learned (five years too late) that Mondale was President Jimmy Carter's principal foreign policy advisor. After reading this book, I could pass myself off in casual conversation as well-versed on topics related to the Republican National Convention of 1892, as well as the many political parties that have graced this state.
It was comforting to know that even Casselman, a 30-year, highly respected, reporter of Minnesota politics, learned new stories about our state's role as a national player while writing this book. The journalist and lecturer said his political career really began in 1975 when he analyzed Al Hofstede's surprise loss to Charlie Stenvig in the Minneapolis mayoral race. Since then, Casselman has developed a reputation for political predictions (his record includes Jimmy Carter, the rise of Gary Hart, and President Bill Clinton), and is currently a nationally op/ed columnist with the Washington Times and Realclearpolitics.com.
Casselman's next book, "Visitor's Guide to the 2008 Republican National Convention," will be out in the late summer to aid convention goers looking for restaurants, museums and contact people in the Twin Cities. The new book, published by Pogo Press, will contain some essays from North Star Rising, as well as a new chapter detailing the history of the Minnesota GOP party. Using his vast experience (he has attended almost every national convention for both major parties since 1988), he has written a book that serves a practical need for convention attendees.
North Star Rising: Minnesota Politicians on the National Stage, is available in most book stores in the Twin cities, including Borders and Barnes and Noble. You can also check online at Target.com or Amazon.com. Cost is $16.95.
Lobbyist Watch
From the Minnesota Campaign Finance & Public Disclosure Board:
Morning Reports
