There are two duelling narratives at work in the Minnesota gubernatorial election this year.
One of them is a huge, national narrative; the immense, perhaps unprecedented in 65-100 years, backlash against the currently-absolutely-ruling party. Conservatism is, by most rational accounts, about to deal a thrashing to liberalism that’ll make the 1994 election look like a flip of the Scott County Soil and Water district‘s power structure. Whatever it is. The point being, the “Narrative” is that the GOP wave rolls and breaks, sweeping away liberal politicians from coast to coast. The left fears the wave; when you have liberal Democrats backing and filling and trying to portray themselves as conservatives and telling a sitting president two years off the biggest electoral mandate in decades to “shove it“, and even the likes of Lori Sturdevant are filling their sandbags (didja know Larry Pogemiller has grown more conservative? Lori says so!), there’s a narrative out there. And of course, the counter-narrative, from the DFL and the media (pardon, as always, the redundancy, and it’ll be a joy to be done with this campaign if only so I can retire that particular phrase for the next 18 months or so), is that Minnesota is the state that always bucks that trend; we voted against Reagan in ’84! (for a native son, at a time when our GOP was indistinguishable from the DFL). The narrative says that conservatives, usually Republican, are going to win and win big.
The counternarrative, being pushed by the DFL and their BFFs in the regional media? The hope that they can manufacture some change in one of the DFL’s greatest frustrations; the Chicago-Cubs-like inability to win the big prize, the governor’s office. The DFL hasn’t had an elected governor in a generation, since 1986, when Rudy Perpich slouched into his last, ludicrous term (Jesse Ventura doesn’t count, even though he fronted the DFL-lite “Independence Party”, and his policy strings were pulled by “moderate” DFLers Tim Penny and Dean Barkley, and since he had no party representation in the Legislature he had to spend his entire term spooning with Roger Moe to get anything done, and essentially governed as an insane man who, paradoxically, was sane for a DFLer). The press’ desire for change in the governor’s office – for a DFLer, any DFLer, even an ersatz one like Tom Horner – is almost physically palpable. And it reminds one of the old parable of the frogs who wished for a king, and were sent a stork. Storks eat frogs, lest the irony escape you.
The media, for all their caterwauling about reporting what actually happens, loves narratives. It satisfies the human desire to bring order and pattern to chaos (not to mention putting their party in control, with an aim toward redistricting Michele Bachmann out of Congress, since those stupid voters keep refusing to do it for them).
Screw the narratives.
Minnesota needs not only a leader, but a leader whose goal and mission is to break with the bigger, longer, more debilitating narrative that’s driven this state for far, far too long – that Minnesota is a big-government, big-“service”, big expense state. It was a model that arguably worked a few decades ago, when our economy and our world were very, very different places that were a lot more forgiving of wholesale patronage and gross inefficiency. More on that in tomorrow’s installment of this series.
Minnesota needs a new narrative – one that we, The People, write as we go, through our own merits and drive and energy and determination. Not one written at 4225 Portland, or on Plato Boulevard, or on Times Square.
We can elect Mark Dayton, and keep on acting in someone else’s story – the same story we’ve lived through before. The same story that’s reaching its miserable denouement in California, and Massachusetts, and Illinois – leaving They, The People, broke and out of work and picked clean by the taxman.
Or you can write a new narrative – our narrative – starting on November 3, if Tom Emmer is elected.
I’m making my choice, of course.
Previous Reasons Emmer Should Be Governor
Let us not forget the ultimate illustration of the failure of liberat/union controlled government – Michigan! The once great City of Detroit is now a joke! So many empty buildings that they are considering knocking down blocks of them to shrink the city. Morons like Dingell and transplanted Canadian Socialist Jennifer Granholm, perpetuated the entitlement class of union zombies. I’ll bet Michiganders are really happy that one of their native sons, Dan Granholm, came back, bringing his pariah wife with him!
Michigan needs to change the name to Detoilet.
“currently-absolutely-ruling party.”
No, the Democrats are nothing like an ‘absolute-ruling’ party. What a joke from the obstructionist party of nope and no hope that is already threatening to close down government (because that worked so well when Nut Gingrich did it……..oh, wait, NO it didn’t).
While the poll from NPR and the Humphrey Institute seem to me to be way off, my impression is that the actual lead by Dayton is a little wider than has been claimed by other polls.
My favorite conversation of this election was the other evening with a gentleman in Bachmann’s district who was thinking of voting the Republican ticket. His concern was taxes and balancing the budget.
I couldn’t resist pointing out to him that while this was a recurring claim by Republicans they have failed repeatedly to deliver on it, in every previous period increasing the size of government and the debt.
He agreed. So…….when I asked him why he would believe them this time, he decided he wouldn’t. Guess the absence of new ideas from the right lost that vote for you.
When he looked at the potential for Emmer to bring new jobs to Minnesota (or stop existing ones from leaving), Emmer didn’t have any practical experience (unless I’ve missed something in his bio, Mitch?). Dayton had a very productive stint as Commissioner of Economic Development and Energy which did produce economic growth, giving him practical experience to do so again.
Yawn…..same old cut taxes for the rich mantra from the right. Funny though, how I can’t find compelling numbers anywhere that show doing that has produced jobs. While there are far more compelling indicators that investment in jobs and expansion of business tracks with the rise of the stock market……..which has gone up nicely under the Democrats.
I’m still laughing that Jon Stewart is the most trusted man in America for news……while Michele Bachmann claims the conservative members of Congress get their information from turning on the weepy rantings of Glenn(duh) Beck.
Dog Gone said:
“He agreed. So…….when I asked him why he would believe them this time, he decided he wouldn’t. Guess the absence of new ideas from the right lost that vote for you.”
Let me help: it is not an “absence of new ideas” that cost this hypothetical vote, it is a perception of perfidy. A lack of adherence to old ideas. You know, like “don’t waste your resources” and “don’t steal”.
Gosh, Dog sobered up long enough to make a long comment full of absolute nonsense. I shan’t bother to address all of the obvious absurdity it contained. I shall just present one of my usual bon mots.
“I see dead people. They’re going to polls, voting for Mark Dayton, and they don’t even know that they’re dead”.
Guess the absence of new ideas from the right lost that vote for you.
This would only make sense if the left had any new ideas.
You’ll have to pardon Dog Gone, Kermit. The thought of actually not being in control — when they are only half way through destroying the last bastion of freedom on the planet — has unhinged the left.
Dog Gone is bragging that her side actually trusts a television comedian to tell them the “truth”.
Lotta new ideas from you wing baggers, eh Terry? Like the icecaps aren’t melting. The earth is flat. The moon launches were faked…
What a joke from the obstructionist party of nope and no hope that is already threatening to close down government (because that worked so well when Nut Gingrich did it……..oh, wait, NO it didn’t).
“Party of no hope? Close down government? Nut Gingrich?
Jeez, DG, has this campaign driven you over the edge? I mean, I’ve joshed with you and Penigma about your overreliance on DFL chanting points before, but this is getting almost beyond parody.
While the poll from NPR and the Humphrey Institute seem to me to be way off, my impression is that the actual lead by Dayton is a little wider than has been claimed by other polls.
And on what do you base that impression?
He agreed. So…….when I asked him why he would believe them this time, he decided he wouldn’t. Guess the absence of new ideas from the right lost that vote for you
Well, if someone was so weak-minded as to fall for what is at best a out of context half-truths, his vote’s not worth much anyway. But give him my number, I’ll set him straight.
When he looked at the potential for Emmer to bring new jobs to Minnesota (or stop existing ones from leaving), Emmer didn’t have any practical experience (unless I’ve missed something in his bio, Mitch?).
What do you think a governor DOES, DG? Go out and build assembly lines? HE SETS POLICY that is or is not friendly to business and jobs. He’s got all the experience he needs.
More:
Dayton had a very productive stint as Commissioner of Economic Development and Energy which did produce economic growth, giving him practical experience to do so again.
I’m sorry, DG, but your reliance on DFL chanting points – as much as you disclaim it – is getting in your way here.
Dayton’s job as ED commissioner was lackluster, and he bailed out on the job just before a recession started so that the fallout wouldn’t tarnish his image for future office bids. That’s not a GOP talking point, btw – Rudy Perpich’s son wrote a scathing op-ed in the Strib castigating Dayton for his lousy performance and bailing out on the job…
…which, if memory serves (and it does) was exactly why you were calling Sarah Palin a quitter and a “popsy”.
So why is it OK for Dayton, but not for Palin?
You didn’t know that about Dayton, did you? Because you only know what the DFL tells you, right?
That’s how it looks, anyway.
Well, Mr. Clown, the best conservative ideas are old ones. Truth, honesty, love of country, respect for enterprise, Ten Commandments, etc. That is why conservatives are called “conservatives”.
“Tax and spend” aren’t exactly new ideas. Perhaps Obama’s plan to buy wind mills from China to power non-existent American factories is “new”, rather than “crazy”? Intriguing.
More:
Yawn…..same old cut taxes for the rich mantra from the right. Funny though, how I can’t find compelling numbers anywhere that show doing that has produced jobs
Well, let me know when you want to find some sources that aren’t filtered through lefty orthodoxy. The truth is out there.
I’m still laughing that Jon Stewart is the most trusted man in America for news
Among liberals. Gotta be careful and specific.
……while Michele Bachmann claims the conservative members of Congress get their information from turning on the weepy rantings of Glenn(duh) Beck.
You have a cite on that? Something actually empirically proving that statement?
You do not, of course. It’s another chanting point. But feel free to try to support the statement.
Speaking of which – you are aware that a Pew study in 2008 showed that Limbaugh fans were better informed about news and current events than the national average, and on par with NPR listeners?
“Well, Mr. Clown, the best conservative ideas are old ones.”
As are the stupidest: i.e., black people and foreigners are bad; Jesus will rapture us all into Heaven really soon; it’s important to obey whoever has the fanciest hat.
Well, Mr. Clown, the best conservative ideas are old ones.
Let’s not forget faith, hope and charity. I realize the New Messiah in the White House co opted hope, but he hasn’t had much luck with that, has he?
And real charity never comes at the point of a gun (or a legal mandate). As for faith, well let’s just say faith is best served where best placed.
“As are the stupidest: i.e., black people and foreigners are bad; Jesus will rapture us all into Heaven really soon; it’s important to obey whoever has the fanciest hat.”
I don’t believe any of that. Guess I am not a conservative.
Hey, Clown, you wanna grab a beer some time? We’re fellow liberals!
The Clown is slipping. He forgot his “Jesus riding a dinosaur” snark.
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Barack Obama said the following in an interview for Christianity Today:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/januaryweb-only/104-32.0.html?start=2
Taking him at his word, Obama believes that two millenia ago the son of God was born on Earth, that this son of God lived, died, and came back from the dead, and somehow His actions allowed the yet-unborn Obama to be cleansed of his “sins”.
Pretty wacky stuff. How did a guy with these crazy ideas ever get into the White House?
Barack Obama has also said the following on at least four separate occasions:
“I believe my personal salvation depends on our collective salvation.”
Yeah, he’s really a Christian.
That sounds like Congregationalism to me, Kermit. I don’t want to get too thick into the weeds, here, but the idea of “collective salvation” is not only a Christian idea, it is an American Christian idea. Goes back to the Puritans.
Black protestant churches in the US draw heavily on black communitarian traditions. I’m not surprised that Obama would choose to follow that particular variety of Christianity.
Sorry, Terry. It’s Liberation Theology, all tied up with “social justice” and slathered in Marxist philosophy. It has little to do with Christianity.
Thanks for stoppin’ by, Dog Bone. Your pal Peev was often gutted like a fish in that very same manner. Don’t take it personally.