Quick Hits: Volume XXXI

-Typically the 4th of July is one day where citizens could put aside their political talking points and just enjoy celebrating America's birthday. However, here in Minnesota, it may have been a little more difficult to cease the rhetoric due to state government being shut down. After all, a fair number of families were likely shut out from some of their favorite state-run parks and/or campgrounds due to the shutdown.

But one state employee managed to find a suitable way to enjoy himself on the 4th by hanging out on Lake Minnetonka. While there, said state worker guy saw a lot of people whom he believes are keeping him temporarily unemployed.

On Lake Minnetonka today. I see a lot of folks who could afford to pay a little more in taxes in order to get Minnesota back to work.

Or just one Governor to not break his campaign promise regarding NOT shutting down government over a tax increase.





-Speaking of the shutdown, former Democrat VP candidate Walter Mondale and two-term governor Arne Carlson have formed a committee in an effort to find a solution to Minnesota's budget impasse. Granted, there has been no acquiescence from either Gov. Mark Dayton or the GOP-controlled legislature that they would adhere to any suggestions from an independent committee. Nevertheless, Mondale and Carlson are two of the more well known names in Minnesota political lore, so naturally some people are fawning for their "wisdom."

Personally, I see this as little more than symbolism, given the ideology of the two individuals heading up this so-called committee. You have Mondale, who made a vow he would he would raise taxes if elected President in 1984. I believe his off-the-cuff quote was something along the lines of how his administration was going to "tax their ass off."

Then you have Carlson, the two-term "Republican" governor, who served in that position from 1991 thru 1999. Some may refer to Carlson as a RINO but I think of him as more in the motif of a DIABLO (Democrat In All But Label Only), an acronym coined by Mark Steyn. In fact, local scribe James Lileks was famous for describing the 1990 gubernatorial race between Carlson and incumbent Democrat Rudy Perpich as the "pro-abortion, pro-gun-control candidate vs. the Democrat!” Carlson was also famous for spending state surpluses on entitlement programs which have since become permanent, thus contributing to bloated state budgets over the years.

In other words, do you have any reasonable expectation that Mondale and Carlson would not endorse Governor Dayton's desire to increase taxes on "the rich?" I sure as heck don't.


-Admittedly, I paid very little (if any) attention to the saga of Casey Anthony, who was acquitted of the 2008 killing of 2-year old daughter Caylee. Naturally, the knee-jerk reactions in the midst of the "not guilty" verdict ranged from anger to devastation. I've even seen others blame the prosecution, essentially saying that they bungled the entire case. But when seeking a murder/manslaughter conviction, prosecutors have the unenviable task of proving guilt "beyond a reasonable doubt."

In fact, an attorney friend of mine shared this perspective on her Facebook page:

While I am surprised about the not guilty verdict today, from the bits and pieces of the trial I saw, there was not any resounding evidence against (Casey Anthony). This does not mean our justice system has failed, rather just the opposite - if a group of her "peers" could not say without a doubt that she was guilty, then our system is in fact working.

While there will be continued debate on the verdict, this much is incontrovertible: An innocent toddler has yet to receive justice for her senseless death.

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