Category: US Politics

by Dave Mindeman

You can forget all the holocaust references....the Hitler comparisons... the internment camps. Put all of that in the back seat. Here is the most offensive statement of the year...if not all time:

"Look at the American revolution, the anti-slavery movement, the women's suffrage movement, the civil rights movement," (Charles) Koch said Sunday. "All of these struck a moral chord with the American people. They all sought to overcome an injustice. And we, too, are seeking to right injustices that are holding our country back."

This statement came from a kick off speech in which the Koch brothers intend to do this for conservative causes...

The remarks kicked off a session on strategy, as the Kochs look forward to a campaign cycle in which they, through their various organizations, vow to spend nearly $900 million.

In the movements that he so carelessly lumps his cause into, the struggle was to persuade the American people that they were the victims of injustice. That their movement was a groundswell of support from a state of oppression to the light of day.

Charles Koch is not oppressed. He is not a victim. And for him to insinuate that any of those other movements that seek redress for injustice can co-habitate with his own.... borders on disgusting.

When Charles Koch believes in his cause enough that he can depend on its power of reason rather than buying his followers, then I will listen to it on the merits.

There is a difference between the power of persuasion and the power of money.

Koch thinks they are the same.

Category: US Politics

by Dave Mindeman

Alright, let's just speculate about what happens now. I still have trouble understanding last week's election with such a low turnout, but there wasn't much motivation. Democrats didn't push anything and put themselves on the defensive all the time.

Well, maybe President Obama has decided that the time for action is now. He doesn't have to answer to the GOP and he doesn't have to answer to whiny Democrats. Time to push the envelope.

So, he moves on Net Neutrality and he gets a surprise climate concession from China. And now, it looks like he might move on immigration with clear executive action....at least we can hope he does.

OK. What does that do?

It forces the GOP's hand. Immigration is their achilles heal. They are caught between a stubborn, obstinate base and a Latino population that deserves and demands action. The Senate passed a bipartisan bill in 2013...bipartisan. The House has sat on it ever since. Obama has talked about executive action over and over.....encouraging the House to act. He has given them time. More than enough time to act on their own. They have refused. He even waited for the midterms to be decided to act....I'm not sure why he did that, but it may have been more a request from cowering Democrats than any threats from the Republicans.

But let's say the President follows through and moves with executive action. What happens?

Of course, the GOP goes ballistic. They already have boiled over on just the mere idea that Obama says he "might" do it. They have brought up impeachment, government shutdown.....all the nuclear reactions they can think of.

Which makes it all the more important that Obama does it. To finally force the GOP to react to Democratic action rather than the other way around.

Democrats get an advantage if the GOP shuts the government down. The Democrats get an advantage if they try to impeach the President. (It will accomplish nothing because even if articles get out of the House, it takes 2/3rds of the Senate to convict and that is just not going to happen.)

You have to wonder how foolish the Republicans are to even think about taken such drastic actions, but they have generally done so in the past.

I can't think of a better way to motivate Democrats for 2016 than for the Republican Party to follow through on their threats.

It motivates the Hispanic community. It motivates black voters. It motivates Progressives. It will motivate every single part of the Democratic base.

And as we have learned - if Democrats vote....Democrats win.

So let's follow through Republicans, don't just talk - do it.

Category: US Politics

by Dave Mindeman

You know, some days are just odd....

Glen Taylor

Glen Taylor is on jury duty in Mankato. Maybe he should be on the jury for a case that is deciding if the Timberwolves are the biggest embarrassment in MN professional sports history. Of course, he'd have to recuse himself as the cause.

Donald Trump

Donald Trump says he is proud of himself for making Obama bring his long form birth certificate out in the open. Proud? I think Trump better start thinking about what he is going to do next for attention. Maybe he should take on the "Putin is a robot" theorists.

Ben Bernanke

I taped an hour of the Ben Bernanke (Fed Chair) press conference and will soon market it as the next cure for insomnia. Any investors?

Brodkorb vs. Anderson

On the Michael Brodkorb vs Pat Anderson kerfuffle regarding her taking a lobbyist job for racino which Brodkorb says is against the party platform. This could be a new reality show - When Narcissists Collide.

Jeb Bush

Jeb Bush was at the Capitol promoting the Florida education plan. Now, if Bush can pull that off, Minnesota should hire the guy and promote a new power point presentation for him - "I moved to Minnesota for the climate".