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Thursday, November 08, 2018

Bob Kroll and his union leadership need to take nine minutes to understand the Attorney General election in Minnesota, and then take at least twenty minutes to discuss how they can comply with community needs. That would top other steps Bob Kroll might want to take post-election.

This YouTube link; far too few views, so increase that number.

And this is major. The post-election email the Ellison campaign sent to its subscriber list:

Nobody is outside our circle of compassion

I entered this race for Minnesota Attorney General with two simple ideas: we were going to help Minnesotans afford their lives, and we would defend equal rights to ensure all Minnesotans have the dignity and respect they deserve.

We believe that nobody is outside our circle of compassion. People with preexisting conditions are within our circle of compassion. Immigrants and refugees are within our circle of compassion. Family farmers are within our circle of compassion. Our LGBTQ friends and family are within our circle of compassion.

No matter what color you are, what your gender identity is, what your religion is, how much money you make, how old you may be, how healthy you are, who you love, where you live, or how you pray, know that as Minnesota Attorney General, I’ll be on your side fighting for your rights every day. Because we believe everybody counts, and everybody matters.

I look forward to getting to work.

Thank you,

Keith Ellison

Douglas Gary Wardlow watching the video, would anything good come of that? Going forward, let's keep an eye on ADF court filings, for Wardlow's name on ADF briefing.

ADF stands, shall we say, contrary to the tone of inclusiveness and protection aims stated in the email.

That said, everyone should wish good health and fair prosperity to the Wardlow family, each in that family being exactly as human and deserving of fair treatment as each Ellison supporter and campaigner. The mood of that email is encouraging in embracing within its words such a specific thought toward every person, even those misguided into ADF affiliation and advancement. And good health and fair prosperity should be wished to Austin and Karen Monahan, who erred greatly, but are as human as each of us. Whatever Andrew Parker may upon reflection think of his role in pre-election events, he too is a part of our community and can be expected to continue to prosper.

UPDATE: Does this ring true? Enough slack with such rhetoric should be cut to allow possible positive outcomes, but skepticism as to sourcing and intent is justified. First step, restoration of civil rights automatically after leaving incarceration; and considering why civil rights are lost as a result of crime and incarceration as a current practice. Why inmates cannot vote needs to be justified, not blindly accepted. With disproportionate incarceration of young black persons, men especially as a factual norm, disenfranchising a bloc of people is but one dehumanizing step toward them which they can understand and dislike, as more unfair and harmful to a part of the community than to those in McMansions with big incomes from business practices possibly on the edge but unlikely to earn incarceration. How many Wall Street criminals were put in the slammer by Eric Holder being a part of the discussion, if the discussion is to be honest. To the extent prisoners are made to do work, they are entitled to the federal or state minimum wage, arguably a prevailing wage, fair hours, and benefit opportunities that comparable private sector employees enjoy. Humanity is not forfeited by being incarcerated. Being incarcerated should not entail a license to be exploited by unscrupulous "entrepreneurs" wanting to unfairly minimize labor expense.

FURTHER: Can anyone find Doug Wardlow's concession speech on the web? Did he decline to give one?

FURTHER: Another video suggesting AG focus possibilities under Ellison leadership; with a question of whether Federalism will be interposed in the way of state-initiated reforms. Lending practices might need examination; and payday lending abuse, for example, is ripe for reform. The entire question of exemption from usury law might need reexamination. With Pawlenty a bank lobbyist, at least in his recent past if not back at it, such reforms as happened have relied heavily on the AG office in Minnesota. Continuity can be expected, while a Walz governorship should be expected to be assistive.

FURTHER: Trying websearch and finding only frustration: What is Tim Pawlenty up to now? Slate; Aug. 15, 2018. Is he back at bank lobbying, unemployed, or doing decent and helpful work for the nation or some part of it? Did the same people who recruited him back to Minnesota on the failed hope he'd reestablish himself politically then find him an income of the kind to which he'd become accoustomed? What? Consulting? It seems a topic the press should examine; given his possibly trying the Pheonix-from-the-ashes thing yet again.