Friday, November 16, 2012

Minnesota Republican navel-gazing is reported, among it, there is the fact reported that Pat Shortridge will not seek reelection as party head, once his term ends in April. Party leadership seems a spot Kurt Bills could step up to, Tom Emmer being another possible candidate. Who else might it be?

Strib, here, with the Shortridge timeline reported late on the second page of the item.

One has to wonder if the third proposed but dropped ballot amendment question, the right to work [for less] had been included in an amendment triple-header, how badly or better the GOP might have fared.

One thing, the ALEC agenda seems to rain doom onto those pushing it, especially via tampering with the Constitution to circumvent an executive veto; except, unfortunately, Mary "My Heart Belongs to ALEC" Kiffmeyer is still around to tamper away in her uniquely gifted way. Perhaps next go-round this Pied Piper of Big Lake will have fewer rats and children following her ALEC ways. Perhaps the flute goes flat.

Another thought, if Mary Franson loses that one vote victory margin she is now said to have she might serve as party chair; or if not her, the gentleman against whom she got the anti-stalker restraining order, he's experienced - as McLeod County GOP Chair. Put them in together, as back when it was Sutton-Brodkorb, where they could alternate attending meetings so as to not be in too close a potentially hostile proximity to one another.

I like that thought.

____________UPDATE_____________
Marianne Stebbins being selected as party chair would send a clarion call among Republican rank and file that bland and inoffensive compromise might not be their only or best answer. Stebbins in that post might liven things up in ways a substantial bloc of the Anoka County local and the statewide GOP might like.

_________FURTHER UPDATE__________
A focus on Stebbins is fair, since the total and clear undercurrent of the Strib item [link given at top of post] talked all around Ron Paul support without mentioning him by name. He whose name we dare not speak? What? That talk about how, in effect, the Ron Paul support can be disenfranchised by downplaying caucus politics and saying "Primary, primary, primary," is as indicative of dissent in some Republican entrenched places as is mockery inattentive to the Gipper's Eleventh Amendment. I think Ron Paul is the only Republican who could get traction and energize people. Or what, more Bill Cooper, more Mike Jungbauer, more Geoff Michel and Koch hunting? More tax money down the rabbit hole to litigate with Brodkorb? It seems the Republican agenda includes that, while if going beyond that high-profile spending to spite Mike, the case still has to be made.

I think the Republicans would best get past their past bickerings. A start would be working with instead of to sabotage the Governor's governing. What a change that would be. The only place they agreed and scmoozed together was about free bucks for Zygi; and that to me was Dayton's lowest point. Closeness to Ted Mondale on behalf of the New Jersey guy's Wilfare is not what I anticipated as his highest and best potential when I voted for Dayton, primary and general election.