Mark Dayton, Lifelong Learner

I'm a firm believer in the idea of lifelong learning. There's application for the idea for individuals at all levels of society. If you doubt that, consider the man currently serving as governor of our fair state. Yes, he's taken it to heart, because the advantage of being Mark Dayton is that you are always learning new things:

Two months after triumphantly signing a major hike in Minnesota's minimum wage into law, Gov. Mark Dayton told a newspaper: "It may be that we have to fine-tune it."

So why is that, Governor?

According to the Rochester Post Bulletin, the DFL governor said that his restaurant-owning sons made the case that tipped employees should be treated differently than other hourly employees. 

"I understand my sons' frustration with the tip credit issue. They make a very articulate case," Dayton said in a meeting with the newspaper's editorial board last week, according to a report.

Glad someone in the family is capable of making an articulate case, but we'll leave that aside. Does anyone remember this?

A trial lawyer by trade, GOP gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer encountered one tough jury Wednesday: a packed room of servers who feared that he wants to cut their wages.

An hour later, he walked out after a bag of 2,000 pennies was dumped inches from his face by a man exclaiming, "I have a tip for you too, Emmer!" as cascading pennies bounced in every direction and the crowd at a Roseville restaurant erupted into chaos.

Any bets that Nick Espinosa  would reprise this stunt at a Dayton appearance?

If you'll recall, even the idea of mentioning a tip credit was clearly a reason to read Tom Emmer out of polite society:

"I am absolutely horrified by the statements I have seen you make," said Ann Potter, 30, a server in downtown Minneapolis. "We work so hard. Most of us don't have any health insurance or benefits or any financial cushion."

It might be a good idea for an enterprising reporter to see if Ms. Potter, now 34, is similarly horrified by the statements of the man who has brought us all a Greater Minnesota.