Is there any citizen or resident guest worker in any European Union nation who reads this blog - which would be strange, given the blog's clear main focus on very local affairs?

If so, please leave a comment identifying the nation in which you reside.

The new footer to the blog - it is for you, your entitlement, assured you by the EU.

ANOKA COUNTY - Linwood Township, in what could be a trend leading edge, is dropping health coverage for its employees. So, will such stuff help accelerate the ultimate adoption of single payer Canadian-style healthcare, actually what all of the first-world nations but ours already have to enjoy?

"Linwood drops health benefits
Published July 28, 2015 at 8:00 am
By Alice Pickering"

Online here.

NORTHSTAR: Highly subsidized "appearances of prosperity," mistaken for the real thing by friends in St. Cloud. Yes, they should have the service extended so they share some of the growth pressures and costs; but lipstick on that pig still leaves a pig.

Sorensen reports, quoting this St. Cloud Times item, stating:

The economic benefit of the line was the largest issue supporters pushed throughout the rally.

“Look at all the places that the Northstar stops on and look at the economic vitality at those stops,” said Rev. James Alberts, chair of GRIP/ISAIAH and pastor of Higher Ground Church of God in Christ. “Right now, Anoka County has four stops in it and in every single one of those stops you can see something growing around it that was not there before.” . . .

Perceptions near and far can differ. Met Council's been pushing ramps in Anoka and in Ramsey, and they have been paid largely by local taxes with some supplemental money rebated from Met Council - state tax revenues - back to the localities that paid them. But prosperity is NOT super dense housing of the kind that gets Met Council planners salivating - but do their own planners ever choose to live there?

Super dense housing is not prosperity when it has been subsidized such as building a ramp annex on the public dime, to assuage the will and resolve of Mr. Flaherty's building of shared-wall rentals by the rails.

At least our friends in St. Cloud sit beyond Met Council reach, so they may not be pressured to "ramp up" for developer profit taking.

Larry Klayman - meritless litigation? How can anyone say that? It would be similar to attacking Michelle MacDonald's litigation history.

Politico, here, stating in part:

U.S. District Court Judge Donald Middlebrooks issued an order barring legal gadfly Larry Klayman from proceeding with his plans to conduct videotaped depositions of the Clintons in Washington next week. Middlebrooks's order, signed Monday and made public Tuesday (posted here), does not offer a reason for the ruling.

Lawyers for the Clintons and for the foundation have asked Middlebrooks to toss out the case and to halt discovery while he considers whether the lawsuit should be dismissed. The Clinton lawyers contend Klayman has a history of filing meritless lawsuits and that he should not be allowed to demand evidence in connection with a case that is likely to be dismissed.

Klayman's lawsuit alleges that Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while serving as secretary of state interfered with responses to Freedom of Information Act requests he filed and that the Clintons used the system to obscure a scheme to demand to trade official favors for donations to the Clinton Foundation.

In a filing last month, Clinton Foundation attorneys Jamie Gorelick and Jeannie Rhee called Klayman's allegations "fatuous" and legally defective.

[links in original] Meritless? Fatuous? Legally defective? Legal gadfly?

How can they say that about Larry?

RAMSEY - a few Internet Archive links for people in Ramsey who might not know archive website saved images exist.

https://web.archive.org/web/20030711201210/http://ci.ramsey.mn.us/mayor.asp

https://web.archive.org/web/20030711194506/http://ci.ramsey.mn.us/administration.asp

and then the former homepage, from when City Hall was on Nowthen Boulevard, across the street from Ramsey Elementary School.

https://web.archive.org/web/20030711200635/http://ci.ramsey.mn.us/index.asp

Another one, with names of some who have a long sense of history of Ramsey, dating to well before Town Center was promoted, and even as with Mayor Gamec, reaching to when Ramsey citizens voted to change from a township to a city form of organization.

https://web.archive.org/web/20030828165420/http://www.ci.ramsey.mn.us/commissions/planning/

Surely the city's archived documents posted via the city website contain more historical detail, but some might nonetheless enjoy knowing that the early website look and feel is also archived.

Hat tip to Andy, now a candidate, taking down opinion for the duration, restoring the banner.

Residual Forces, apparently on temporary hiatus as a running commentary.

Here is a site where "for Senate" substituted for "for House" would be of interest to our local communities:

http://www.whelanforhouse.com/

There would be sense to it, and the stronger the field the better the chance of the better of the field being finalist. If it's to be only a GOP one horse race, where's the mystery?

The real reason billionaire Donald Trump is out in the public jiving the Republican base.

Donald Trump serving GOP needs.

Glen Taylor's Strib in the editorial decision - which AP feed to carry - makes the process painfully obvious; the actual aim of things being to rig the table to make Jeb! and the eleven or so other dwarfs enabled to do a jump in, "I'm not that manner of extremist, no sireeeeeeee; not me."

Specifically, Strib here highlighting some Trump-speak, a manufacturing process for near-blind GOP Koolaid consumers:

Trump said McCain "is a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren't captured." The comment drew some boos from the audience.

During a news conference after his appearance, Trump did not apologize but sought to clarify his remarks.

"If a person is captured, they're a hero as far as I'm concerned. ... But you have to do other things also," Trump said. "I don't like the job John McCain is doing in the Senate [... note how McCain is not running and Trump asiduously avoids bad-mouthing any Republicans who are ...]

Trump said he avoided service in the Vietnam War through student and medical deferments, adding that he did not serve because he "was not a big fan of the Vietnam war. I wasn't a protester, but the Vietnam war was a disaster for our country."

The comments about McCain drew rapid criticism from other 2016 hopefuls. In a statement, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry said the remarks make Trump "unfit to be commander-in-chief." Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush tweeted: "Enough with the slanderous attacks. @SenJohnMcCain and all our veterans — particularly POWs have earned our respect and admiration."

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker were also quick to condemn the remarks.

Trump was among 10 GOP presidential candidates on Saturday's program for the Family Leader Summit.

What, no Carly Fiorina distancing-herself quote? She's writtem off already, a gender problem, what? Ben Casey Carson, the neurosurgeon? Relegated to being a not-quote-worthy non-factor? This early? Not fitting into the Nixon southern stragety mold?

Only absolute idiots cannot see through the strawman sham.

And with that in mind, the GOP base seems to be loving it, but also hearts-twanged by due respect for "a war hero," which surprisingly can get them channeled into musing, perhaps one of the other ...

Somebody has to fall on the sword to be an absolute posturing fool, to aim to by comparison make the others look to not be the posturing fools and rabid extremists that each of them actually is.

So name your trump suit.

Play out your hand.

Either it gets worse, or we get Bernie.

This Strib online link.

UPDATE: More Strib, this one beginning:

Gov. Mark Dayton’s decision to go ahead and implement big pay raises for his commissioners drew a predictable response from his opponents. The Republican speaker of the House blasted the decision to “raise commissioner salaries by $30,000 on average for political appointees who already make six-figure salaries.”

One might say Dayton and The Republicans are jointly smoke-screening the public; and the knee-jerk GOP voters are the ones being fooled. Don't look at how the CEO brigade is screwing over the 99%, look at the heat without light over Minnesota agency head salaries which are fully dwarfed by the CEO gluttonry.

And the GOP rank and file, "The Base," buys in 110% because of their capabilities.

Tax the Rich is not rocket science. It is economic good sense.

FURTHER UPDATE: Worth noting, while a lightning rod on some social issues, one not saying, "Tax the Rich," nonetheless gains Republican Base attention:

This Strib link.

"The nuclear age turns 70 today -- On July 16th 1945, the US tested the world's first atomic bomb."

The headline is that of Ars Technica, here. It is interesting that the Iran nuclear deal got finalized just days before the 70th Anniversary. Readers are encouraged to reflect on the 70 year long span, with only one nation ever nuking another, twice, very early in the history.

When the rules look as if they might pinch the richest and most powerful corporations, the gigantic banks, there is but one answer. Change the rules. What else would you expect?

Three somewhat cumulative items that speak for themselves. Here, here and here. Encountering the first of the items caused a google leading to the confirming pair.

Eric Holder in his Covington and Burling corner office must be laughing and laughing.

RAW?

Ya betcha.

Would you, Joe/Jane Citizen get such fine federal accommodation?

Ya betcha, not.

WE do need Bernie to succeed.

_______________UPDATE________________
For some, whose noses have to be rubbed in it before they can smell it, that protest letter was generated on behalf of the public by three Democrats. Only. Republicans would have happily let it slide. Republicans like that must think the rule change fits their friendships and predilections, and squares with Citizens United, which must mean to them that super persons, Wall Street and BIG BANKING are, what else, special. Brought to you by money in excess in the hands of some, and the two party system being generally compliant, with a few on the outskirts of the system being such whiners ...

Oh, also; where was Tom Emmer? On the House Financial Services Committee, within the majority party bloc. MIA? Big Surprise?

____________FURTHER UPDATE____________
Upon reflection, while brewing and enjoying Thursday morning coffee, the subtleties of the situation have sunk in, allowing what is hoped to be a more adult outlook, and one more future oriented.

Turning to history for an analogy, as best understood with it not being a major field of study, Luther's key objection to the ways and means of the Roman Church was sale of indulgences.

Regulation should be regulation, not sale of indulgences, but theory and practice can diverge.

First, there is the revolving door with Citizen Holder being current poster child. Then there is Covington and Burling. Their game is to sell advice, i.e., to get a piece of the action, up front.

The regulators have degenerated to something like The Godfather; finding some of the mob families have uncovered a good thing, and taking a piece of the action. The Covington firm and its big DC and New York kin specialize in telling the regulators the equivalent of, "We know litigation. We can make your lives hell, making you work harder for your paychecks with less time for coffee breaks and eBay surfing at the job, if you do not play the game as it has come to be scripted." Like the nobility expecting to be sold indulgeces, as/when needed/wanted.

They, the Covingtons, can be litigation pests much like adult versions of Larry Klayman.

So, regulators discover (or are handed on a silver platter) proof of wrongdoing. The protocol at that point becomes, not punishment and people hauled off in handcuffs, but instead wording of the indulgence to be issued.

Sin no more is part of any text, expected boilerplate, and negotiation is over the cut of the take.

Rather than directly taxing, (a/k/a tithing), the income stream for the government is supplemented by an intermittent but reasonably regular stream of income from sale of indulgences, with boilerplate tuned to specific transgression facts, and to include the negotiated, after-the-fact and after-the-uncovering negotiated, price per each specific indulgence.

Spitzer while New York AG perfected the indulgences approach.

Nobody goes to hell (a/k/a jail), there is no public admission of wrongdoing but as part of the confessional between miscreant financial institution and regulator, there are words of absolution, spoken in private along with the "Sin no more," add-on.

Everyone is happy. "Sin no more" is respected by banking magnates as much as the nobility respected it in buying indulgences from the Roman Church during Luther's lifetime.

In the specific instance atop the post, the capitulation in wording a form to indulge past wrongdoing, what option was there? Too Big To Fail, becomes Too Big To Regulate, in practice. Insinuate regulatory agencies into taking a Godfather piece of the action and move on. If the Too Bigs were to be closed from FHA guaranteed loans, wannabe homeowners - the peasantry = would bear the brunt of any imposition upon the miscreant aristocrats. The Too Bigs would simply move their wars to a different stage than fleecing the peasantry, that particular way. They have, after all, a multitude of ways, and means.

So - what about Mr. Emmer Goes to Washington?

As a first cut at the question, we all in CD6 hope for better than the predecessor - collecting a pay check and carrying a bullhorn. Already Emmer shines, in having eschewed the bullhorn. Give credit for that where it is due.

Now, being, as with the predecessor, on the House Financial Services Committee, what in theory and practice we should want of Mr. Emmer is to be the Martin Luther of a big-time long-overdue Reformation. Not much. Only that.

And with Stanley Hubbard - media mogul Stanley Hubbard - in tow, he'd have a voice if only he'd use it. What else? Well there are people right here in Ramsey who have staffed Emmer past campaigns and had the man into their home during the primary between Mr. Emmer and Ms. Sivarajah (and the nonentity Tax Payer Leaguer, what's-his-name), where guests were invited and Mr. Emmer allowed a sales pitch to the assembled faithful. Okay, I'd at least want those people, who have a voice (a/k/a access) to voice concern over the need of a Reformation; to be critical of the practice of regulatory agency sales of indulgences. Nuances do exist, but basically some in Ramsey have gone on record as having been for a time in Chicago, and during that stint being appalled (shocked, SHOCKED) by wrongdoing in Chicago politics. Those are the ones who can effectively prod Mr. Emmer to eschew lethargy and to move to being the GOP's Martin Luther of the House Financial Services Committee. Brown, Warren, and Waters wrote the letter, so a GOP Martin Luther is needed to join the fray, to make it real.

If those with access to Emmer would push a little, and if Emmer would listen and want to fight, (something you do playing hockey), then we might see fairness and light. To a degree, since we must be realists. Also, the Reformation came with its share of bloodletting throughout Europe, so the changes would be feisty, but aside from that, the need is real. The challenge is there, and I expect if the will is there people have the tools and mind power to effect positive results.

We wait. We see.

Andy is experimenting with the layout of the Residual Forces site. I think it is good, and would have only one major suggestion.

From reading Residual Forces, agree or disagree with any or most of his posting, with Andy what you see is what you get. Entirely. There is no agenda behind the agenda, no, "I wonder where he really is coming from, and where the ghost is hiding in the proposals."

There is no lurking guile apparent. None at all.

However, that lead sidebar item - extolling a fiction, a creation of Hollywood and not any real person, it's like the Reagan worshipers.

He should think it over.

UPDATE: Reader help needed. Who is Andy's campaign manager? 

Tired trite war mongering bellowing by the man who wrote speeches for the idiot who mired us in a two-front war, Afgnanstan and Iraq.

Glen Taylor's Strib carries a tiny-text labeled online COMMENTARY item by a classic neo-con, Michael Gerson, who is really short on any "neo" (with nothing really new to his belligerence games), but real heavy (as always) on the "con."

While the Bushco neo-cons were an actual "axis of evil," Gerson included, it was Gerson who coined propagandizing the term, for others.

If you take the Gerson rant seriously, send your son or daughter to risk life and limb in Syria.

I doubt Gerson has any close kin at risk anywhere nearer to Syria than Jerusalem or Tel Aviv. But my, on, my, the man can bellow - where a low-key bellowing relentlessness like a tide is a hard art form, a creme' of manipulation art, and Gerson like Hendrix is, EXPERIENCED.

Worse of all, the footer for Glen Taylor's Strib only identifies the little war monger as a WaPo writer; not as the guy who fed W his lines.

It's Glen Taylor's shiny new car, our news outlet, Strib, and his placing himself in the driver's seat seems to be showing.

UPDATE: Gerson is not without other critics. A generally different part of the political spectrum, but holding a similar view about the downside of being the world's war monger, shows up, e.g., here, here and here. And the neocon agenda was such an apparent failure from the Iraq incursion onward, that you would think Gerson might learn a different tune, simply from embarrassment over the old one playing out so very badly. Not so, keep the script, but write in Iran in place of Saddam, and otherwise keep cashing the WaPo checks.

Something in Gerson's style and approach makes me think of him as an equally galling but more talented version of Katherine Kersten.

Some thought cigarettes and fireworks stands were a Native Nation cash cow; then came casino cash; and now do we see a trending possibility?

USA Today, this link.

Grade "F" spin doctoring.

This link. Rovian in its intent, less successful in its scope. The fault is not Martin's, but he'd have served rank-and-file better by just shutting up rather than minimizing Bakk's sellout betrayal of his caucus. Papering over the betrayal is insulting. The brand will not sell, and that kind of apologia/spin/excuse-mongering will hurt the DFL next election; after which Bakk will be handed his justice. Sincerity is always the better course.

Green Revolving Door time again. Big time green. Eric Holder. And why were no Wall Street criminals hauled off the jobsite in handcuffs after the Bushco Sept. 2008 market splat? Of course we can only speculate and infer, unless the emails are subpoenaed.

This main Credo petition link.

More Credo.

This google, to supplement the links given by the first cited Credo item.

Excerpting would be redundant; because the linked items speak so crystal clearly for themselves.

Are we a den of little beyond revolving door opportunists always for hire, or more principled, as a nation?

Another previously used image from Crabgrass past posting:

UPDATE: Should "Revolving Door Dirtbags" be a phrase added to the bottom of the red tee shirt list, in hope of perhaps boosting the shirt's suspect credibility? Dropping "Feminists," perhaps.

Who got more? Coverage stacking -- And who chats with whom?

For the full chart, and interesting commentary and links; Media Matters, here.

------------------- snip -----------------------

Try this one - without peeking - who got least?

Does anyone really care about Benghazi? It surely appears to be a CIA intelligence failure to warn, if anything of long-term worry is at issue.

This link, re disinformaiton leaking (either that or sloppy Politico coverage).

The big questions; what was the CIA up to at the time in Benghazi, with its presence there and its delayed response -AND- why did it fail in its job to ferret out in advance and warn of possible adverse outcomes of an ambassadorial presence there at that particular time?

If the job is to attain and report back intelligence, why was there not word to the Ambassador, "It might not be a swift idea to be around here on the 9-11 anniversary." That's a microcosm of the original Condi Rice National Security Advisor failure to act on intelligence prior to the original 9-11 situation, back in 2001.

Clinton is not responsible for any intelligence community failure. The CIA Director and his staff, and perhaps DIA and the National Security Advisor and staff would have been the parties at fault? No? Why not?

Back to the headline, on the scale of things such as TPP and tax finagling to favor the uber-rich at the expense of gross income inequality for everyone else; something that many care much about because they feel the hurt, Benghazi is a remote thing in a destabilized area of the Arab world not touching citizens' day-to-day inequalities and suffering at the hands of Wall Stree, others of great wealth, their lobbyists and their lackeys.

Ignore the smokescreens. Get to the nitty-gritty, and keep the focus there. It only makes sense.

Yes, a good story. But then why was he barbecuing his face?

Too many prelim beer bong hits before lighting his fire, what?

However, one positive observation, from the before/after photos, the "after" does show less of a pallor.

Not everybody agrees with Stanley Hubbard that Tom Emmer is special; except perhaps there is consensus that Tom Emmer IS special to Stanley Hubbard.

Emmer/Hubbard shout-out, it needn't be news; if it's Emmer - link, Crabgrass, here.

And figure for yourself whether that is gentle juxtaposition compared to something arguably more judgmental, e.g., here, opening:

Like Norm Coleman, Tom Emmer has long been a politician whose position on any given issue of the day was available for purchase. Oddly, this is at bottom a neutral observation and is certainly applicable to any number of Minnesota democrat politicians. I'm not a democrat, however.

Since becoming a member of Congress--just this year but why does it seem longer?--Emmer has moved to ingratiate himself to the Republican House Congressional establishment with a speed that would impress Cardinal Richelieu. This caused some initial consternation amongst his supporters who, mystifyingly, thought him to be a man of principle despite ample evidence to the contrary. As a friend of mine remarked to me, look at what he said, and then at how he voted, when he was in the Minnesota House of Representatives. The past really is prologue.

Recently, however, Emmer has come under more sustained criticism for his cavalier and arrogant approach toward his constituents, whom, it must be said, he appears to hold in contempt. Why this is, frankly, is anyone's guess. My guess, my Occam's razor, is a guilty conscience. Feel free to hazard your own.

What has recently brought all of the discontent to something of a boil, however, is an unsigned editorial, for lack of a better word, from Alpha News, a recently launched conservative news outlet. Some have said that they don't like it because it might be a creation of Bob Cummins and lacks transparency. I don't know, nor particularly care, about either point.

Wow. How hard can you be on a guy, "Like Norm Coleman, ..."?.

That is like saying, "Like original sin ..." except it is hard to find much original about Norm.

Or Emmer, for that matter.

Then, adding insult to injury, "... cavalier and arrogant approach toward his constituents ...".

The last judgment analogy arguably is redundant. After all, the post had already analogized Emmer to Norm Coleman.

At least there is Ellison to leaven the Minnesota U.S. House delegation. Be thankful. It could be worse.

Readers, please do read the remainder of John Gilmore's "Minnesota Conservative" post.


Wow.

I only view Emmer as exceptionally mediocre, mediocre to a fault and indebted for support to Stanley Hubbard. Gilmore seems to see actual evil. With his "for purchase" opening as a comparison to Norm Coleman what else should you infer?

UPDATE: Perhaps it is only me, but I can envision Tom Emmer and Tom Bakk playing cribbage, at Rukivina's Eveleth Hockey Hall of Fame, each with hockey skates laced on. The Blarney Stone would kiss either and each of the three of them.


FURTHER UPDATE: At least Gilmore held back somewhat, declining to compare Emmer to Newt Gingrich, despite "for purchase" wording.

Chattanooga, Tennessee, has highspeed internet because they did it as municipal braodband; no profit taking intermediary muddying the water, dragging feet with a slow is good enough mindset.

This report. This homepage. This google. It helps attract leading edge jobs. It is progressive, not behind the 8-ball. Surprisingly providing a public good, publicly.

Where are we in Minnesota, and WHY face a less advantageous situation than a Tennessee town? Who in authority either does not care, or dropped the ball?

Is the Pope a dope? A question not so succinctly posed, in a paid advertisement by the world's foremost authority, (of record).

For lovers of tired cliches strung one after another (and spilling onto another page), click the thumbnail image and read (caution, wear a rain hat, it is trickling down, of record):

For those who prefer thought over cliche-barking, try this video. Internationally recognized minds, explaining why true CHANGE would refresh. And, will Elizabeth Warren endorse Bernie?

The best she has to offer? I am not one of those other [name a body part, pluralize it].

Or that appears to be the thrust of some Iowa AP feed coverage, as Strib carries it, beginning:

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Hillary Rodham Clinton is warning the nation about taking a "big U-turn" to a Republican in the White House, pointing to her husband's economic record as a model.

The Democratic presidential contender said President Bill Clinton presided over an economy that helped not only the wealthy but the poor in his eight years in office. She said Republicans afterward left President Barack Obama with an economic crisis.

"Right now our country deserves to keep moving forward, not to do a big U-turn going back to where we came from," Clinton said at the Iowa City Public Library. "That didn't work before. It won't work again."

Clinton offered herself up as a Democratic standard-bearer as her main Democratic rival, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, has been generating large crowds, packing in more than 2,500 people during a recent event in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Sanders has made economic inequality the cornerstone of his campaign and attracted liberals wary of Wall Street.

Not as sound and resonant as Bernie, so marginalize Bernie as best as she can by pretending he and a sounder agenda than limo-liberal offering of "better than the bogeyman" fear-mongering mush just isn't there. Yes, she is shooting at brother of the beast, but, so what? What's the best idea around, today?

Time for a real CHANGE. Not a cosmetic glide, Obama favorable to the business/finance world, to Clinton, ditto/ditto. See the new Crabgrass top sidebar item.

MPP has a recent post about the PolyMet problem - the tailings threat.

This link.

Crabgrass, earlier, here.

The two posts are more supplemental than cumulative.

[UPDATED] Minnesota SD 35: "'When the rubber meets the road, group psychology is pretty powerful and plays itself out in ways that I think don't always serve the interests of the constituents,' he said." That is from Strib reporting that Branden Petersen will not seek reelection.

Readers can websearch beyond Strib and PiPress reporting. As headlined, the quote there is from Strib's coverage.

And so far, one hat hovering above the ring, perhaps to be thrown in, with what hard to even imagine consequences?

If Jim Abeler does not semi-retire [i.e., run for the District 1 County Board seat], but instead runs for the Senate seat, he would be okay, given the district's inexplicably troubling bias toward Republican candidates.

There is at least one possibility involved that sits less well with me than Abeler, or even Aplikowski. Say it ain't so ...

Yet ambition lurks in several hearts and minds, I presume.

_______________UPDATE_______________
Chalk it up to the two party system, and Minnesota tradition within that context, at least in one party per Petersen being quoted by MPR, and surely after seeing Ranger Tom Bakk in disgraceful action we may conclude it is a bipartisan problem, i.e., somebody(s) internally compelled to try to be heavyweight champion(s), instead of sensible consensus builder(s); MPR reporting:

Petersen also said he didn’t expect the Legislature would support many of the changes to data privacy laws that he was pushing at the Legislature. He blamed that on the lack of individual autonomy by legislators. He said there was too much pressure by caucus leaders in both parties to support the position of the entire group.

“There is an overwhelming, almost unstoppable force that puts legislators in a spot where they almost always comply with the group or caucus position,” he said.

Disillusionment with wrong leadership doing wrong things is not unique to Petersen, and our hopes should be he succeeds without mishap in his goal of allocating his lifetime, for now, to family and career, independent of the funny farm.

______________MAJOR FURTHER UPDATE______________
Wes Volkenant, who blogs at "Observations from Andover"

http://wesvolkopinion.blogspot.com/


is a DFL official in SD 35, and he submitted a comment which I have opted to incorporate into the post:

MinnPost coverage by Cyndy Brucato indicates Andy may have competition in Whelan and Huizenga. Thought maybe Martha Weaver might take another chance, too. On the other hand, Jim Abeler appears unlikely.

Interesting oversight - no one contacted the Senate District DFL Chair.... that said, we're in the process of recruiting DFLers to run for this Senate seat, as well as both House contests.

http://www.minnpost.com/party-politics/2015/07/branden-petersens-state-senate-seat-draws-crowd-potential-candidates

His reference to "Andy" is to this Residual Forces post. Readers in the district likely recognize Andy as a local GOP party official, and likely recognize the other names Wes mentioned; so, a hat tip to Wes for pointing out MinnPost coverage.

READER HELP REQUESTED: Either by email or better, submission of a comment, any other reader with insights to share, especially regarding potential candidacies beyond what MinnPost and Wes have mentioned is requested to respond and all helpful responses, even if speculative, will be appreciated. Substantiating detail, as available beyond sheer guessing, should be included.

_____________FURTHER UPDATE______________
Not mentioned in MinnPost speculation, Jen Niska, or Harry Niska, each an activist over time in GOP politics within CD6 and SD35.

I remember the trailers for '50s Cecil B. DeMille films, "... and a cast of thousands." It could become a traffic jam rivaling in numbers the GOP presidential hopefuls at this time.

Who knows, with the Flaherty place having some vacancies, perhaps we could see John K. a candidate, of record. That, if happening, might earn a woof, or two or more.

If Petersen intends any endorsement, he should say so. A good guess is he will leave it alone to avoid tilting the playing field one way or the other. Pop some popcorn, stay tuned, and at a guess, CB at MinnPost likely will have the inside info.

Opinions can differ; but -- If Jason Tossey would consider running I think he'd trump the field on the GOP side. For certain. His tenure on Ramsey's council was effective and showed consistent, independent judgment. Jason avoided bloc membership, and from my understanding he could converse with Jim Deal instead of vilifying him. (With DFL candidacy possibilities, as noted in the Volkenant message, a yet to be decided factor.)

Veterans Preference Act - Minnesota law, a story of the law in action, and a question.

First, the story.

Second, the question: Is the VPA an anachronism, with the nation having opted for an all volunteer military? Surely a preference for the poor luck conscripts during Vietnam, those unlike Bill Clinton or Dick Cheney, who were forced into service under penalty of prosecution and prison. Westmorland's legions. They deserve something in return for being torn from civilian life and given a uniform and a weapon and made to risk life and limb, but if volunteerism is a key consideration, why not have a preference for those who volunteer for a job teaching, or driving a truck, since it is now a take it or leave it career decision whether to accept military paycheck and duties? Why not have a preference for college graduates, or bird watchers, or former felons, or those choosing to marry vs. those staying single?

Conscripts deserve special attention, but those having an option and deciding to join the military simply exercise CHOICE (that word again).

UPDATE: The website's homepage

http://minnlawyer.com/

Stan Hubbard's TV outlet again showers attention on Emmer.

This link.

While early in the process, some may wish to bookmark a website or two relating to Dem/GOP presidential timelines, candidacies, etc.

This is not an attempt to be exhaustive, but to be fairly inclusive.

Dem Wikipedia stuff:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party_presidential_debates,_2016

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party_presidential_candidates,_2016


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party_presidential_primaries,_2016

GOP Wikipedia stuff:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_presidential_debates,_2016


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_presidential_candidates,_2016

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_presidential_primaries,_2016

Other sites - decide if worth a bookmark:

http://www.uspresidentialelectionnews.com/
Note: people or organizations posting that site are not clearly identified on the linked-to homepage; so show due caution in following the site

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/may/5/dnc-announces-six-presidential-primary-debates/
Note: Washington Times is what it is, owned as it is; so show due caution - and note the item begins with a focus on Hillary, treating Bernie and others as if seven dwarfs - again it is the Washington Times

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-trump-gop-division-20150705-story.html

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-07-06/the-republican-debate-selection-process-is-a-new-wild-card-in-presidential-politics

http://www.uspresidentialelectionnews.com/2015/07/sanders-drawing-large-crowds-hillary-feels-the-bern/

http://www.uspresidentialelectionnews.com/2015/06/2016-republican-candidates-respond-to-gay-marriage-ruling/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_involvement_in_the_Terri_Schiavo_case

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/01/jeb-bush-terri-schiavo-114730.html

http://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2015/07/bill-and-hillary-clinton-fight-new-demand-for-email-209937.html

http://www.uspresidentialelectionnews.com/2015/07/scott-walker-sets-july-13-launch-date/

Again, aside from the Wikipedia links; choice of other items was subjective and aimed at items of current focus - Schievo history included because of its fundamental questioning of the extent and role of government intervention in family liberty-of-decision matters. Bookmark or don't, any/all. It is a matter of your own CHOICE (a nice word).

Common area theft at a Flaherty site in the Chicago 'burbs.

This link. With the Flaherty Ramsey Town Center apartments near to Ramsey's police hub such a theft is less likely, but presumably site management will take note and precautionary steps will be taken.

July 4 - Insurrection Day. British banking and capital ruled, garrisoned soldiers policed and enforced. Taxes were unfairly imposed, colonists being treated as resources to be used to enhance a distanced elite.

I recognize the elite.
I shall communicate.

And the lesson of history is?

Shut up, follow what the boss says, show up for work on time?

Pick either party? Not "any," but "either." There only are two.

Say, "God's will," when the system is screwing you?

Go along to get along?

The nail that stands up gets hammered down?

George Washington rode a horse so the guy on the horse must be Washingtonian?

At least the British impositions during colonial times did not include "Corporations are people same as humans." American ingenuity cooked up that hummer. Whose geniuses? Yours? Somebody else's?

Which women have voices nationally, these days, for the GOP?

There was Sarah Palin, a McCain choice as well as later a FOX personality. There was Michele Bachmann, on FOX frequently, in past presidential debates, and among lawn assemblies in DC, bullhorn in hand. (Perhaps she'll surface again, this time kissing Jeb.)

There was Ann Coulter, and wondering what had happened to her, to her persona and following. Two items were found online which are recent, here and here. About Coulter. Not presenting her as a pundit or first-person having airtime as a spokesperson.

Is Carly Fiorina next to be marginalized, and is it a trend, or simple happenstance? If Fiorina does not score poll popularity she will be one of the debate droppees, whatever the term would be for those told not to show up because the podium can be too crowded with only the more popular men invited.

Is it a trend nationwide for women's voices being muted in the GOP? On the other side there is Hillary, so it is not something touching both parties equally.

And with Ann Coulter, is it her style finally wearing thin with all but a handful of loyalists? Or is it as much or more the message than the messenger, as the two above linked online items suggest? As in yes, Ann, correct when you say the GOP should follow the Nixon "Southern Strategy" (but don't be so crass as to publicly say the GOP will be doing so; i.e., some things can be understood yet left unsaid)?

What else? Is there any reader having an insight to share via a comment?

_____________UPDATE______________
Fiorina coverage, recent and positive, here and here. Perhaps it is a GOP showing that a reasoned female voice will be heard, and it may be evidence Fiorina might make the debate poll-based qualification cut.

_________FURTHER UPDATE_________
Two items of arguable relevance, to be read together, here and here. Fiorina rose, was tried, and was fired by the corporate culture within our nation. Interlocking directorates and all. Coming back, via politics, with what in mind to prove?

If drastically growing income and wealth disparity, a Department of Homeland Security and a Patriot Act in conflict with what any thinking patriot would desire were the objective of our nation's leadership elite for its beginning this millennium ... [UPDATED]

link

UPDATE: The founders of the nation envisioned Enlightenment principles put into practice in a federated nation, which, in their wisdom, they likely did not foresee as miring itself for no clear reason in a never ending war, and not with a tangible enemy, but with "TERROR." Intangible is better because of its flexibility; and we were told not flexibility, but necessity. By someone delivering a speech written by a Michael Gerson, who now flaks for WaPo, and touts involvement [per sidebar here] in an organization ostensibly aimed at ending distress and suffering on the African continent. Vaguely so, posting on the Internet. Not terror as the enemy this go round, but human suffering. On an anniversary date we may ask about the actual and the smokescreen. Are we evolved from Enlightenment principles to a nation of Michael Gersons? Isn't it about time we got better in terms of goals and directions? And substance vs. words?

FURTHER UPDATE: A short discourse on "terrorism," and the wisdom and effectiveness of warring against it; in general okay, but short on emphasis that standing armies needing a fight lest they be asked to sit down, etc.

FURTHER UPDATE: As to foreign policy re Iraq making sense if a premise is a policy goal was to destabilize the Levant and set Sunni and Shia into civil war, each linked to a theocratic approach reminiscent of post-Reformation European disjunctions. Keep oil prices from being too low by crimping a supply area, while NoDak awaits climbing prices so that a band of stability might exist while we transition to wind and solar, keeping petro resources for petrochem usage, e.g., the wind turbine blades need carbon fiber and expoxy resin as fabrication inputs. Those items come from petrochem processing, so the substitute for burning fossil fuel entirely is to burn a little in the chemical plants that have been outsourced from Europe and here to China and India.

As to "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED" re income and wealth disparity being domestic policy of too many of U.S. politicians past and present, and an experience for those on the short end of the disparity, including Tea Partiers who think, a range of YouTube econ postings of interest via direct content as well as sidebar suggestions, if starting e.g. here, here or here.

FURTHER UPDATE: A google. From the date clustering some may wrongly conclude Piketty has ebbed to little beyond yesterday's news. Yes, if you do not follow the links, or better read the book. No, if you at least surf the links in that google. Those who can read should.

Like CRABGRASS - the headline says as much "... like a noxious, unkillable weed" - and the body of reporting/editorializing substantiates -- it is worse.

City Pages, online here, "Big Ag is conquering Minnesota like a noxious, unkillable weed. By Hannah Sayle, Wednesday, July 1, 2015."

No excerpt. Read the item. Also note that Sorensen's Bluestem Prairie coverage of the session had a focus on the ag bill, ins and outs, so go there and seek out info on the history and the perps. No specific links, check the site itself.

Daudt's Republicans have the lions' share of fault, with the Rangers being happy enough with log-rolling - getting their stuff done and the Auditor's office marginalized to fit their taste. Give a little, get a little. Roll them logs.

Again, Sorensen does identify the perps while covering the ongoing session saga. You will need to scroll down the postings a bit; her posting there stays current, and the "Recent Posts" sidebar also truly stays recent. Take the time. It is worth it.

Polymet= polycrap into the waters, for centuries, because the Copperheads want a handful of short term jobs to tout to keep politics as usual in their fiefdom. If you do not believe me, believe history, in British Columbia where the levee broke ...

Just a minor breach of containment, mind you -

Bad shit? Ya betcha. Wikipedia, here. But what has that to do with the BWCA and Voyageurs? That was then. That was there. We are here, and the Copperheads did sneak in the end of session special session mischief, and, don't they and Mr. Daudt know best?

Tailing basin not equal to toxic waste, they passed legislation saying so and Dayton willingly signed it, while touting buffer strips on ag lands. Jobbing for jobs, done and Bakk went fishing ["watching the bobber" presumably his cabin lake and lakefront is distant enough, so what's his worry?]

After Sen. Majority Leader Tom Bakk traded his suit for jeans, got in his car and headed north at 6 a.m. Saturday following adjournment of the special session, he said he became incredibly emotional.

“You’ve been so wrapped up in everything for five and half months you can’t help but reflect on what happened, what didn’t happen and the things you could have done differently to get maybe a little better outcome. Because it can always be better,” he said.

Three and a half hours later, when he arrives at his home in Cook, he’s emotionally exhausted.

The leader of the Minnesota Senate must be deep in the trenches of the session and he said he’s emotionally and physically exhausted.

He then heads for some time at the lake cabin.

“I can get away from the phones, the mail, and just watch a bobber for a couple days,” he said.

On Monday, Bakk described the recent session of the Legislature as really tough. There’ll be some disappointments, but some good things that happened, too, he said.

A crock? Ya betcha.

Would the esteemed gentleman have fished the Fraser, after Mount Polley? Unlikely? Well, this after all is Bakk, so we might speculate either way, with Bakk.

Moving on, connecting dots, Grand Rapids Herald Review:

http://www.grandrapidsmn.com/opinion/sportsmen-question-polymet-s-sulfide-mining-eis/article_142b34b0-1ff8-11e5-8acc-1beabada53e1.html


posted online yesterday, for sportsmen-anglers to ponder, stating:

Opinion: Sportsmen question PolyMet’s sulfide mining EIS
Posted: Wednesday, July 1, 2015 8:50 am
By David Lien Minnesota Backcountry Hunters & Anglers

During June PolyMet Mining’s preliminary final Environmental Impact Statement (PFEIS) was completed (for its proposed sulfide mine in northeastern Minnesota), and PolyMet’s CEO Jon Cherry said: “The PFEIS confirms that the state’s first copper-nickel mine can responsibly produce … metals in a manner that is protective of natural resources and remediates legacy environmental impacts from historic mining operations.”[1] What he, of course, failed to mention is that the company PolyMet is using to design its tailings disposal facility, Knight Piesold, is the same outfit that designed Mount Polley’s tailings dam.

In case you’re not familiar with the story, on August 5, 2014, some 6.6 billion gallons of toxic mine tailings sluiced into the headwaters of the Fraser River in British Columbia. Mt. Polley Mine, until that point, was held up as the industry standard—a shining example of how large-scale sulfide mining can coexist with the environment. Instead, it proved the opposite, that no large-scale sulfide mine in history has operated without laying waste to surrounding waterways and watersheds. Now history looks to repeat itself in northeastern Minnesota.[2]

Like PolyMet, Imperial Metals, the mining company responsible for the Mount Polley tailings disaster, claimed it was using modern technology. But the PolyMet tailings disposal design is similar to that for Mount Polley, and British Columbia’s Report on Mount Polley Tailings Storage Facility Breach concluded: “The dominant contribution to the failure resides in the design.”[3]

The way these sulfide mines operate, the desired metal makes up about 1 percent of materials mined. So for every ton of copper that they extract, 99 tons of toxic waste is produced, which must be stored in perpetuity.[4] What PolyMet’s CEO doesn’t want Minnesotans to grasp is that they’re essentially putting a large toxic time bomb in the headwaters of one of the wildest, most water-rich regions in North America.

Adding insult to injury, Cherry says the project will create 360 jobs.[5] Just to put that number in perspective, there are currently 160,000 jobs in the region.[6] Of those jobs, some 18,000 are dependent upon the wild public lands and sky-tinted waterways found in northeastern Minnesota’s greater Superior National Forest region.[7]

Remember, even if there isn’t an outright tailings basin failure, PolyMet’s initial draft Environmental Impact Statement predicted that their “West Pit” would fill with water and overflow into the Partridge River 45 years after the mine’s closure.[8] Hence, PolyMet is proposing that we trade a few hundred short-term, unsustainable sulfide mining jobs for potentially thousands of long-term jobs already employing hard-working Minnesotans.

[...] David Lien, of Colorado Springs, Colo., formerly of Grand Rapids, Minn., is a MDHA Life Member, co-chairman of the Minnesota Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (www.backcountryhunters.org) and author of Hunting for Experience: Tales of Hunting & Habitat Conservation. During 2014 he was recognized by Field & Stream as a “Hero of Conservation.”[10]

[highlighting added] The item is online, the footnotes are online, it is all there; and if there was Mount Polley, and common clown designing up North, go figure.

_____________________________
Opening image sources, here, here and here, respectively.

................

UPDATE: This google, with top online return links, e.g., here, here, here, here, here, this pdf and MinnPost, here. See also, here and here.