We spend a lot of time worrying about what happens in Washington, but what happens in St. Paul usually will have a greater impact on how you live your life. Two quick thoughts on that:
- I went to a town hall meeting that our local representative Kate Knuth held last weekend. I've been critical of Kate for a variety of reasons and will remain so. Having said that, I certainly can understand why (a) she has support in this community and (b) it will be difficult to beat her any time soon. The reason has less to do with Kate than with the cross-section of the community that showed up at this meeting. There were about 40 people in the room. We all introduced ourselves and explained why we were there. Of the 40 people in the room, probably 30 were essentially mendicants. They came here for benefits, they need this government blandishment, they are worried about this program or that program. Besides myself and another friend or two of this feature, there were maybe only a handful of others in the room who are more worried about what government can take away from you than what it can give you. And that is the challenge -- the medicants and clients of the state will always be there, will always vote and will always support earnest young suppliers of government largesse like Kate Knuth. The people who end up paying for such things are usually too busy working to attend town hall meetings.
- Which brings us to the matter of politics at the local level. Conservatives are going through a period of navel gaving right now and there's a lot of skepticism about the Republican Party, and with good reason. It is frustrating to deal with the Arne Carlsons and the Tony Bennetts of the world, who call themselves Republicans but often act in ways that are indistinguishable from Democrats. They get by with it for a simple reason: they show up. We're in BPOU season right now and that means it's time for local conservatives to make their voices heard. The best way to do that is to get involved at the local level. The 50B BPOU will take place on Saturday at 9 a.m. at Christ the King, which is on 7th Street NW in New Brighton, a few blocks east of Silver Lake Road. We'll decide who will lead the Republican Party at a local level at that meeting. If you want things to change, you need to start in a place where your voice can be heard. The 50B BPOU is just such a place.
2 comments:
2008 donations to the DFL were 3 times that of the GOP, mostly coming from organized labor. Knuth received over $60,000 more in outside "help" than her opponent to keep the House seat. They are looking for payment of their "investment" dividends and Knuth is all too eager to deliver for the "common good" (that "shared sacrifice" as long as it is someone else's)
All true, anonymous. And we start fighting that sort of thing by getting the BPOU ready for the next election cycle.
I'll be there on Saturday. Hope you are, too.
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