Did you miss "Become a Citizen Journalist" on July 21, 2007? Click above to see Eric Black's speech to mnpACT!
Garrison Keillor
Minnesota Network for Progressive Action
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The mission of mnpACT! is to build a progressive community based upon the
core values of respect, dignity and opportunity, by educating people about
progressive ideas, advocating for progressive issues, and electing
progressive candidates to local, state and federal offices.
In a brief announcement today, we learn that Chief Justice Eric Magnuson will be stepping down from the Minnesota Supreme Court where he has been serving as Chief Justice.
In a statement Thursday, Eric J. Magnuson says he's leaving effective June 30 and returning to private practice. In a letter to Gov. Tim Pawlenty, the 59-year-old Magnuson cites "reasons personal to me and my family."
This is notable for several reasons:
1) Magnuson has only served on the court for two years.
2) He has been a vocal critic of the budget slashing that Pawlenty has thrust upon the Minnesota court system.
3) He is in the middle of the unallotment challenge case which could have far reaching implications on legislative/executive authority.
I guess we take him at his word that he has family reasons for leaving at this time...but the timing is much . . .
Governor wannabe Tom Emmer apparently thinks we should be like China.
On MPR this morning, Emmer volunteered his admiration for Chinese regulatory rules that can get "a hospital built in a month"...
Emmer doesn't like our regulatory process; it's just not fast enough. He wants to weaken the pollution control regulations or by-pass the zoning ordinances. He'd rather we adopt the methods of Communist China. Build it now. Get it done.
Now, there is no question that the permit process can be daunting, but then again, our regulatory agencies gave bankers a break on their lending practices, and look what that got us.
Emmer has an ideological view of government. Government is always too big, always intrusive, always wrong.
The truth is that we need to have a government/business partnership in order to do what is best for the state. Business needs government . . .
Yesterday's post on the GOP Governor race between Emmer and Seifert drew some interesting reactions. Let me note that nobody disputed the idea that this will be a very contentious convention fight. But the disagreement was on what happens after the convention. The conservatives that commented are convinced that it will be peaches and honey once the endorsement is decided.
OK, so let's talk about that.
Bill Jungbauer, an Emmer supporter, made his comment;
Totally wrong. We will all unite behind whoever is nominated at the convention. We are all very aware of the importance of how hard we must work together in keeping the governor's seat from a liberal.
That sounds pretty certain. But then, the convention is still a ways off and the fight has only really begun. It's easy to be sure at this stage . . .
