The Strib is starting its endorsement season for next week’s primaries.

Before we get to that, let’s establish three things:

1. The Strib “Editorial Board” is once, always and forever in the bag for the DFL.  They will do whatever it takes to see that either the DFL gets elected – and failing that, to try to ensure that any Republicans who do get into office are content to cause the DFL as little trouble as possible
2. Berg’s 11th Law Is iron-clad and all-encompassing.  The law – listed here – says “The conservative liberals “respect” for their “conservative principles” will the the one that has the least chance of ever getting elected“.  Beyond that, we need to consult the “Huckabee Corollary to Berg’s 11th Law”, which states that “the Republican that the media covers most intensively before the nomination for any office will be the one that the liberals know they have the best chance of beating after the nomination, and/or will most cripple the GOP if nominated.
3. Buckley Was Right.  Conservatives should elect the most conservative candidate that can win.

Minnesota has long been able to count on the Lake Minnetonka area to send thoughtful, pragmatic Republican leaders to the state Senate. Gen Olson, who is retiring after 30 years, and George Pillsbury before her fit that description.

…on T-shirts and lawn signs to rile up the conservative base.   When the Strib calls someone “thoughtful” and “pragmatic”, they mean “more willing than the average Republican to go along with the DFL to get along”.  As some of us call them, “Sturdevant Republicans” – Republicans who’d rather get the Strib’s seal of approval than stand up for the principles the conservative Republican base supports.

The Strib “Editorial Board”, in a piece that reeks of Lori Sturdevant’s authorship, endorsed Connie Doepke in the Senate primary.

Now, I have friends and people whose opinion I respect who are supporting Connie Doepke.  Some have told me offline that I’m selling her conservatism short.  I hear those objections – and raise them the Freedom Club’s enthusiastic demurral, and her in-the-bag-for-the-education-lobby status, and her stadium vote.   Any of all of which might be forgiveable, if no better alternative was available.  We’ll come back to that.

I don’t live in SD33, but I support Dave Osmek, to whom the Strib gives criminally short shrift:

It’s a disappointing commentary on the west-metro Republican Party that Doepke, 66, was passed over for party endorsement. It went instead to David Osmek, 47, a project manager for United Health Group and a budget hawk during 10 years on the Mound City Council.

The Strib hates people like Dave Osmek, because they prove that conservatism works.  Osmek, along with the sitting conservative city council and mayor, have weaned the city off of the state’s blessed “Local Government Aid”, while keeping the government functioning well and helping the region prosper.

And why the hell would the Strib wanna promote that?

But let’s cut to the chase, here; I’m going to add some emphasis:

Among other things, Osmek faults Doepke for supporting the Vikings stadium bill; for willingness to require Amazon to collect state sales taxes on Minnesotans’ purchases, as Minnesota-based retailers must; and for accepting the Outstanding Legislator of the Year Award from the Association of Metropolitan School Districts, which he notes gave a similar award to DFL Gov. Mark Dayton.

Doepke can hold her head high for her position on all those matters.

Oh, can she, then?

Well, that settles it!

No, the hell it does.  Why can she “hold her head high” on these?  What makes any of these good policy or good recommendations for office?

Well, we know why; the AMSD is a constant, reliable shill for the DFL’s priorities.  Her vote on internet commerce taxes carried the DFL’s water.  And the Strib desperately needed the stadium; not just any stadium, but one on the east end of Downtown Minneapolis.   Was there a quid pro quo – “give us a vote, and we’ll give you an endorsement”?  I don’t know, and I’m not going to suggest there was – but if there were, how would Doepke’s behavior on the stadium issue have been any different?

Buckley said “elect the most conservative candidate that can win”.  Dave Osmek can and will win if he gets on the ballot.  And he’ll bring a solid budget-hawk voice to the Capitol, to backstop the redoubtable former Freshmen that will be returning as sophomores this winter – the Tea Party class that the Strib ˆso deeply hates, all obstreporous and principled and not giving a rat’s ass about Elmer Anderson and Arnie Carlson’s legacies of worthless, spendthrift accomodation.

And the Strib will fight that with all they have.