I’ve been trying to keep away from political posts, but I’ll just do a short one tonight. Then never again, because I can quit anytime I want.
Am I the only one who thinks you’ve got to be really, really desperate if you’re doing ads warning the American public of dangerous foreign influences in The U.S. Chamber of Commerce?
I can see the senatorial hearing now. The chairman leans over his table and asks, “Are you now, or have you ever been a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce?”
Those capitalists. They’re under people’s beds.
For my second topic, I’d like to offer a brief explanation of one aspect of Minnesota politics, for people who live in more rational parts of the country. For the record, I don’t expect great Republican advances here this year. The rules are different in this state.
Here’s a couple of the rules:
1) If the polls indicate a neck-and-neck race in Minnesota, the Republican is probably actually ahead, because all the polls are run by Democrats.
2) However, that doesn’t mean the Republican will win. Because, in general, the Democrats also get to count the votes.
Minnesota does not have the Democratic party, but does have the DFL. The DFL is Democratic Farmer Labor party. The Farmer and Labor parties were extreme Leftist movements. They were joined, all three, by Kelm ( the prime mover), Humphrey, and another man who’s name I can’t remember for the purpose of, “keeping Republicans out of office by any means”. Kelm’s words, not mine. Kelm was involved in many under the table scams over the years that cost tax payers millions of dollars. He came from Carver county, and we knew what he was. Many here still think of him as a crook. Which may be the reason why Carver County is a stronghold for Republicans. Read Kelm’s history, and you make up your own mind.
I just want to say that I’ve been away from this wonderful blog for too long and have just finished catching up via RSS. I still love it. You guys do great work.
Thanks, Dr. Baker. May you live long and prosper.
Minnesota has the DFL party, and North Dakota has the astoundingly mis-named Democratic-NPL party–NPL standing for “Non-Partisan League.” I’m always amazed that some people can apparently say “Non-Partisan League” without bursting into fits of giggles.
Roy, I did not know that about the ND. I thought Minnesota was the only one with a messed up Dem party. Thanks for the info.
The whole NPL thing is a strange page in our history. They’re largely why we have a state bank and a state mill and elevator. (That is, not the kind of elevator that takes people up and down in buildings, but a grain elevator.)
And also why we can’t have “corporate farms;” which, coupled with the death tax, means that passing a family farm along to your descendants is a difficult proposition. Ironic, innit? The ban on “corporate farms” is supposed to “protect our family farms,” but it looks to me like it’s doing the opposite.
Roy, how about selling the farm to your son or nephew? Does that smooth out the process?
*”If the polls indicate a neck-and-neck race in Minnesota, the Republican is probably actually ahead, because all the polls are run by Democrats.”
*”However, that doesn’t mean the Republican will win. Because, in general, the Democrats also get to count the votes.
Sounds kinda like where I grew up…Cook County (Chicago area). :p