Vandy virtue signals

A historic day in college football this past Saturday in what was otherwise a forgettable game. 

Sarah Fuller became the first woman to play in a Power 5 football game on Saturday when she delivered the opening kickoff of the second half for Vanderbilt against Missouri.

Fuller, a senior goalkeeper on Vanderbilt's SEC championship soccer team, sent the low kick to the 35-yard line where it was downed by Missouri. Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason said Fuller executed the so-called squib kick exactly as it was designed (Uh huh - ed.).

"Honestly, it's just so exciting," Fuller said after the team's 41-0 loss. "The fact that I can represent all the girls out there that have wanted to do this or thought about playing football or any sport really, and it encourages them to be able to step out and do something big like this, it's awesome."

I'm sorry, but this stunt reminded me of a certain move made by Bill Veeck in 1951. Veeck. who was the owner of MLB's St Louis Browns, had 3'7" midget Eddie Gaedel make a plate appearance in an actual game. Obviously it was done for show since it was an August game with the Browns sporting a pathetic 36-78 record. No chance a carnival act like this would have even been conceived of had the Browns been a pennant contender. 

The Browns' situation seemed to parallel Vandy's given they were an 0-7 team in a game where they were a decisive underdog. Do you honestly believe Ms. Fuller would have been allowed to participate in any fashion had this game held any serious implications? 

Go ahead and write off my objections as misogynistic if you like. Here's what conservative writer Alyssa Ahlgren had to say. 

I’m all for women playing college football if they’re the most skilled, talented, and qualified for the position. But they’re not. Don’t get me wrong, athletes like Sarah are top tier female athletes. However, they’re not top tier football players.

I’m sick of women being used as publicity stunts in men’s sports and we have to act like it’s a huge deal and pretend we don’t know it’s just part of society’s obsession with diversity tokens and woke milestones.

Vanderbilt has a men’s club soccer team, a men’s rugby team, and I’m sure one player out of the entire Vanderbilt football roster can kick. But why would an already terrible football team skip out on a chance to “make history” and plaster the news? They wouldn’t. So instead the coach calls a squib kick for Sarah Fuller to start the second half of the game.

And anyone that knows anything about football knows you don’t squib kick to start a half, let alone squib kick to start a half while you’re down 21-0. You call a squib kick when your kicker can’t kick.

I too am not the least bit opposed to women playing football. If more had the skillset to be effective in the game, you'd likely seem them in prominent roles. But you don't. Because men and women are physically built different. And that is truly settled science. 

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But I know that this time I've said too much, been too unkind....

I hope you all had a blessed Thanksgiving weekend! As we prepare to wrap up the month of November, the Northern Alliance Radio Network will be live today with my program The Closer. The 2-hour festivities get started at 1:00 PM Central Time. 

In the first hour I will discuss the dangerous game Trump-kins are playing in looking to undermine the two U.S. Senate races in Georgia. Also, former President Barack Obama is becoming more vocal in his disdain for Trump supporters. 

At 2:00 PM, Archway Defense founder Peter Johnson will check in to discuss how gun rights could potentially be impacted in a Joe Biden administration. 

So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing.

 

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 or, if you're near downtown Minneapolis/West Metro area, 107.5 FM on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link, or check us out via iheart radio as well as Amazon Alexa (just say "Alexa, play The Patriot Minneapolis"). If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #NARNShow or "Like" our Facebook page.

Until then.....

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Don't piss on my leg and tell me it's raining.

Perhaps the most vapid and shrill Hollywood-ite wants to make nice with supporters of President Trump. 

After months of condemnations of President Trump and his administration, Alyssa Milano says she's extending an "olive branch" to his supporters.

The left-leaning activist and actress, who voiced an exorbitant amount of support for President-elect Joe Biden leading up to the 2020 election, took to Twitter on Tuesday with her peace offering.

I’d like to extend an olive branch to Trump supporters.

I am ready to move #ForwardTogether.

There’s so much work to do to heal the nation. Let’s be a part of the solution and not add to the problems we face.

My comments are open. Please reply with #ForwardTogether. ❤️

— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) November 24, 2020

Judging by the replies from "Trump Twitter," many had not-so-pleasant suggestions as to what Ms. Milano should do with that olive branch.

For the record, I vehemently disagreed with the vast majority of what Ms. Milano had to say regarding politics. And the fact she often denigrated concerns held by conservatives was something I never took personally either. That said, not all of Trump's supporters lauded his boorish behavior towards the media and other proggie institutions, rather they voted for him in hopes he's strengthen border security, solidify the Federal judiciary, strengthen a sluggish economy, etc. So if Ms. Milano thinks that after four years that the proverbial hatchet can be buried that easily after essentially writing off those people as enabling an evil, fascist dictator, then she's utterly delusional . 

To be fair, Ms. Milano isn't alone in expressing this sentiment. A lot of condescending progs (including the President-elect and VP-elect themselves) made pleas to begin the healing process. However, I believe this to be a cynical ploy. My guess is the "reaching out" is to make themselves appear to be more magnanimous than the many Trump supporters who are unable to come to grips with their guy losing the election. 

Truth be told, I prefer the up-front truths from vapid leftists like Rep. Tide Pod Evita Ocasio-Cortez, Chris Evans and Zach Braff, who basically sanctioned "black lists" of those who dared support Trump. I am more apt to believe those sentiments are actually sincere. 

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Scorched Earth strategy

You had a feeling this was coming. Committed Trumpkins in Georgia threatening to undermine the Republican party if elected GOP politicos don't deliver the state for President Trump. A state he lost after recounts confirmed a Joe Biden victory and then results being certified by the Secretary of State. 

Obviously there is a lot at stake in Georgia with the U.S. Senate majority hanging in the balance. If both incumbent Republicans David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler lose in the January 5 runoff elections, that would bring the Senate to a 50-50 balance, with a Vice-President Kamala Harris being the tie-breaking vote. The only hope then would be Democrat Senator Joe Manchin keeping his word about standing in opposition to eliminating the legislative filibuster, packing the Supreme Court, de-funding police, etc. Do you wanna place all your hope in Democrat to do the right thing? I sure as hell don't.

This is what happens when you have a cult of personality. If your guy (in this case, Trump) doesn't get to be the hero in thwarting the Dems' attempt to pivot to socialism then not only will these fanboys not lift a finger to prevent it, they will aid and abet. 

Not even Donald Trump, Jr. wants to be complicit in this crap. 

I’m seeing a lot of talk from people that are supposed to be on our side telling GOP voters not to go out & vote for @KLoeffler and @PerdueSenate.

That is NONSENSE.

IGNORE those people.

We need ALL of our people coming out to vote for Kelly & David.#MAGA #GASEN

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) November 23, 2020

The fact is the Republican party as a whole did very well this election cycle. The GOP put a significant dent in the Dems' House majority, including electing 17 new female members to its caucus. The party also increased its share of the non-white vote to levels not seen since 1960. So if a bunch of blustery, mostly lily white thumb-suckers think they can tear down the momentum Republican are currently enjoying, they're going to be in for a rude awakening. The Democrat party is hellbent on a sprint towards socialism. A good number of newly elected Republicans escaped that kind of government in their respective native countries, so they aren't ceding this new GOP without a fight. My money is on the freedom fighters. 

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I've got everything I need, and nothin' that I don't....

The last Sunday before Thanksgiving, so we're thankful to be live on the Northern Alliance Radio Network today. My 2-hour broadcast The Closer begins at 1:00 PM Central Time. 

In the first hour it'll be a lot of COVID-19 talk and how things look to get worse before they get better. As always, elitist governors like Gavin Newsom of California and Andrew Cuomo of New York are lauded despite not living up to their own edicts.

On the local scene, two prominent DFLers in the MN Senate leave the caucus. We'll discuss. 

Finally at 2:15, fellow Minnesota sports nut Dan "Whenesota" will join the broadcast to discuss his book entitled History of Heartbreak: 100 Events That Tortured Minnesota Sports Fans.

So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing.

 

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 or, if you're near downtown Minneapolis/West Metro area, 107.5 FM on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link, or check us out via iheart radio as well as Amazon Alexa (just say "Alexa, play The Patriot Minneapolis"). If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #NARNShow or "Like" our Facebook page.

Until then.....

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Dark days

I saw a stat the other day where 49 of the 50 states in America are experiencing significant growth in COVID-19 cases. And my home state of Minnesota is currently enduring its worst stretch since the pandemic began 9+ months ago, and not merely due to the high rate of positive cases.  

I couldn't care less about case numbers, especially given the massive expansion of testing and focus on testing of asymptomatic people.

This is the data I care about. When ICU beds are full, the impacts affect anyone who needs critical care, not just COVID patients. pic.twitter.com/JO4eLO0xOn

— Rob Doar (@robdoar) November 19, 2020

The death toll is also rising at an alarming rate, as Minnesota surpassed 3,000 total deaths this past Wednesday. In fact, the past three days have seen 205 Minnesotans die due to the virus, easily the largest three day total in the state. To put that in perspective, it took more than a month to accumulate the first 200 deaths in Minnesota due to the pandemic. 

Despite all the harrowing news, there still seems to be a significant amount of COVID shaming towards those who questioned the severity at the outset but are now coming around. Republican governors Doug Burgum (North Dakota) and Kim Reynolds (Iowa) have issued mask mandates in their respective states after declining to do so the first several months of the pandemic. Naturally the COVID woke scolds dredged up old quotes from the governors showing where they once adamantly opposed such mandates. 

Here in Minnesota, Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka recently tested positive for COVID-19 as did multiple other state senators who gathered for an in-person event. Despite being a vocal critic of Gov. Tim Walz's handling of the virus, Gazelka has now emphasized that the Senate understands the seriousness of the virus. Naturally he was roasted by DFLers who accused Gazelka of showing concern only after the most recent election cycle. 

Perhaps the biggest eye opener had to do with former Elk River legislator (and personal friend of mine) Nick Zerwas. What began as what he thought was merely a nagging cough evolved into something much more dire. 

 

“I spent four hours in an emergency room while they were trying to figure out which hospital had an open ICU bed,” he said. The Elk River Republican, who was born with a heart condition and had many open heart surgeries, knew he was at risk for COVID-19 but was not prepared for the seriousness of the infection.

“I’ve been sick. I’ve been down this road before,” he said. “I was stunned when I became so overwhelmed and ill.”

Zerwas, who spoke during the Walz press briefing Tuesday, said he opposed the governor’s early restrictions but says the surging caseload and the effects on the hospital system make this a different situation.

“This is a completely different ballgame. Everything has changed,” said Zerwas, who was released after a five-day hospital stay. “If we don’t respond now I feel like it may be too late.”

As a Minnesota Republican, Zerwas was overrun on social media by MN proggies for not taking the virus more seriously from the beginning. He also received scolding from COVID deniers who suggested that his significant underlying health condition regarding his heart was the main reason he wound up in the ICU, not necessarily the virus itself.

My main point in sharing all these stories is to emphasize all that's wrong with the discourse in our society. People seem to be more interested in being right than helping a person "see the light" on a key issue (Sarah Silverman cleverly described this as "righteousness porn"). If people who took COVID seriously from day one really desired to have us all "come together" in an effort to combat this pandemic, shouldn't they be rejoicing that the initial skeptics are coming around more to their line of thinking? I've been wearing a facemask in public long before Walz's mandate, and I know I was derided by some for the practice. But if those same people came to me confessing the error of their ways, I'm not sure how an attitude of "I TOLD YA SO!!!!!!!!" would help matters. 

Thankfully there is a glimmer of hope as it's been estimated that vaccines could start to be administered as soon as next month. Until then, I will pray fervently that lessons learned from being physically distanced from our loved ones, having our economy disrupted, etc. will lead to a deeper appreciation of life once this pandemic is under control. I'm not terribly optimistic that will occur but I will pray for it nonetheless. 

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Seismic shift

Over the past month or so I had heard persistent rumors of two certain MN state senators on the DFL side contemplating a party switch. 

On Wednesday, it became official. 

Two influential state senators from the Iron Range including a former majority leader announced Wednesday that they are splitting from the DFL Party to form an independent caucus in the narrowly divided state Senate.

The decision by Sen. Tom Bakk of Cook, a longtime Capitol power broker, and Sen. David Tomassoni of Chisholm will likely further shift dynamics at the state Legislature next year. The decision means that instead of 34-33 split in the GOP-led chamber, the Senate will be comprised of 34 Republicans, 31 Democrats and two independents. Democrats will retain a majority in the state House.

In a statement, the two breakaway legislators cited growing political polarization and an opportunity to "chair committees and makes sense to better serve their districts within the legislative framework" as reasons for the split.

"People are going to wonder why I'm doing this — and to be honest, there are several reasons. I'm very disappointed by the extreme partisanship going on nationally and right here in Minnesota," Bakk said in a statement on the move, which was first reported by KSTP and MPR News. "Both political parties are to blame. The constant negative and sharp rhetoric is undermining voters' confidence in our public institutions. It doesn't have to stay this way."

Despite the Iron Range evolving into a stronghold for today's Republican party, Bakk and Tomassoni still won their respective races by double digits last month. However, it would appear both seats would flip to the GOP once both decide not to seek reelection. That would explain the chess move Senate Republicans played last week by voting then DFLer Tomassoni to the role of President of the Senate despite his being in the minority party. This was done in the event Sen. Amy Klobuchar is selected for a post in the Joe Biden administration. The speculation is that Gov. Tim Walz would then appoint Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan to replace Klobuchar in the U.S. Senate, thus elevating the President of the Senate (in this case, Tomassoni) to the lieutenant governor post. If that were to happen, Tomassoni's vacated MN Senate seat would be up for special election which the GOP believes they could win, enhancing their majority. 

I have no inside knowledge as to how long Bakk and Tomassoni have been contemplating this move, but I suspect the final straw occurred last February. Just prior to the 2020 legislative session, the DFL ousted Bakk as leader of their caucus in favor of Woodbury's Susan Kent. This sent a very clear signal that the Metrocrat agenda of gun control, higher taxes, etc. far outweighed the more moderate desires of outstate DFLers. 

For the constant talk of how there are multiple factions within the Republican party doing battle with one another, it's amusing to see this play out on the Democrat side. I guess time will tell if this is merely a symbolic move or if this has an impact beyond 2021.

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Quick Hits: Volume CCXXXVI

While President-elect Joe Biden, VP-elect Kamala Harris, et al called for "unity" (which is prog speak for "capitulate") among all Americans shortly after Election Day, they were conspicuously silent when Trump supporters were physically accosted over the weekend. 

Mr. Biden finally came around on Monday..... sort of.

"President-elect Biden continues to denounce all acts of violence," Biden spokesperson Andrew Bates said Monday, although he did not name Antifa or Black Lives Matter.

"Likewise, he also condemns the repugnant displays of white supremacy that were made in Washington, DC this weekend," Bates continued, citing a sign displayed at the march that read "Coming for Blacks and Indians first welcome to the New World Order."

Y'see condemning Antifa alone would've flown in the face of Biden's declaration they're just "an idea," so let's thrown in other groups (i.e. white supremacists) who, as my friend Mitch Berg says, have the political clout of your local bowling league.

Gonna be an interesting four years as progs start to realize that the Antifa thugs don't just show their lunacy when a Republican is in the White House. 

- Some long overdue good news on the COVID-19 front. Both Pfizer and Moderna have had successful trials administering their respective vaccines, to the tune of 90%+. 

Pfizer and Moderna expect to have a combined 70 million doses of vaccine by the end of next month, enough to inoculate 35 million people. https://t.co/rlYVXudiPX pic.twitter.com/po1Cx02HPB

— John McCormack (@McCormackJohn) November 16, 2020

The mental gymnastics leftists will have to perform in an effort to not praise two of their most mortal enemies (President Trump and the pharmaceutical industry) will be a sight to behold. 

- Yeah, this is a really bad idea.

President-elect Joe Biden’s ability to deliver on his plan to forgive hundreds of billions of dollars in student debt faces steep odds unless Democrats take control of the Senate.

Barring that outcome—which hinges on two Georgia races in January—Democrats have urged a second option: bypassing Congress through executive action. It isn’t clear whether such a move would survive a legal challenge.

During the election campaign, Mr. Biden said he would push to forgive $10,000 in debt for every American with federal student loans to help them cope with the economic disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

He has also called for forgiving any student debt that covered tuition at public colleges for borrowers earning under $125,000, and any student debt owed by those who show they were defrauded by for-profit colleges.

Congressional Democrats sought to forgive $10,000 for all borrowers early this year as part of a broad pandemic-relief bill known as the Cares Act, but the Republican-controlled Senate opposed it. The two parties compromised on a provision to suspend student-debt payments through Sept. 30.

A Senate Republican aide recently said the party continues to oppose Mr. Biden’s debt-forgiveness plans. Senate Republicans have opposed Democratic proposals for large-scale debt forgiveness, which would drive up the record budget deficit without offsetting tax increases or savings.

Leave aside that canceling debt via Executive Order may not even pass legal muster. The people whom this would most benefit are those in the upper middle class and higher, the opposite of whom progs are targeting with this program. Another issue is how those who worked, saved and scrimped to avoid taking on college loan debt (or those who have worked just as diligently to pay it off) have their dedication completely undermined. Those who were disciplined in such matters will see no benefits, rather they'd have to pony up for someone's tuition. The "repayment" of course would come in the form of higher taxes since the government, who personally guaranteed those loans, has to pay them back with our money.

At the end of the day, we need to get the government out of the student loan business altogether. The reason being is universities/colleges will continue to increase tuition at a rate which surpasses inflation because they know they'll ultimately get their money. That and the U.S. government is the anti King Midas in that everything they touch turns to sh*t.

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Twisted truth and half the news, can't hide it in your eyes

Another Sunday, yet another edition of my radio show The Closer. The 2-hour blitz gets started at 1:00 PM Central Time. 

At 1:15, political wonk Matt Mackowiak will check in to discuss the latest in the Trump campaign election lawsuits, a look ahead to the U.S. Senate runoff elections in Georgia, etc. 

In the second hour, I'll discuss the Minneapolis City Council's complete 180 on their "de-fund the police" movement. I will also weigh in on the increasingly perilous situation with COVID-19 across the county. 

So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing.

 

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 or, if you're near downtown Minneapolis/West Metro area, 107.5 FM on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link, or check us out via iheart radio as well as Amazon Alexa (just say "Alexa, play The Patriot Minneapolis"). If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #NARNShow or "Like" our Facebook page.

Until then.....

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Complete 180

Say, remember when the Minneapolis City Council vowed to de-fund the city's police force in the aftermath of George Floyd dying while in MPD custody?

Good times.

Minneapolis City Council narrowly approved a plan Friday that allows the city to bring in outside police officers to help amid a shortage.

The additional officers — likely from the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and Metro Transit Police — would help the city respond to 911 calls and violent hot spots amid a rise in violent crime.

The proposal drew a fiery discussion when it went through a council committee earlier this week but passed Friday without any further discussion.

Police Chief Medaria Arradondo has said he needs 20 to 40 additional officers to help while “our city is bleeding” and “resources are hemorrhaging.”

Earlier this week, some council members pressed Arradondo for details on how an additional $500,000 — the amount of money requested — would allow them to reduce violent crime when the department is already focused on patrolling.

The proposal was approved 7-6 and now heads to Mayor Jacob Frey, who has said he supports it.

This is the kind of self-inflicted wound proggie activists inevitably bring on when they actually attain elected office. It's easy to shriek for major overhauls when shouting from the proverbial peanut gallery. However, when you have actual constituents who are going to suffer real world consequences due to your making emotionally-charged decisions (while enjoying perks which shield you from said consequences), you're going to get significant push-back. And when push-back occurs, you just lay blame at the feet of the very individuals whom you've been denigrating for the past several months. 

I guess one can hardly blame MCC president Lisa Bender for wanting to jump ship from the quagmire she helped create. I'm sure a lucrative social justice gig will greet her once she moves on from the city council next year. 

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What's worse: The ailment or mitigating the ailment?

I'll admit that there will be no easy solutions to mitigating what is becoming a bigger wave of COVID-19 cases. However, one idea that was floated Wednesday would result in the most radical set of restrictions we've seen yet. 

Shutting down businesses and paying people for lost wages for four to six weeks could help keep the coronavirus pandemic in check and get the economy on track until a vaccine is approved and distributed, said Dr. Michael Osterholm, a coronavirus advisor to President-elect Joe Biden.

Osterholm, who serves as director of the Center of Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, said earlier this week that the country is headed toward “Covid hell.” Cases are rising as more people grow tired of wearing masks and social distancing, suffering from so-called “pandemic fatigue,” he said Wednesday. Colder weather is also driving people indoors, where the virus can spread more easily.

A nationwide lockdown would drive the number of new cases and hospitalizations down to manageable levels while the world awaits a vaccine, he told Yahoo Finance on Wednesday.

“We could pay for a package right now to cover all of the wages, lost wages for individual workers, for losses to small companies, to medium-sized companies or city, state, county governments. We could do all of that,” he said. “If we did that, then we could lock down for four to six weeks.”

While Dr. Osterholm's idea is worthy of consideration due to his expertise in epidemiology, he clearly lacks any grasp on economics. With America's national debt fast approaching $30 trillion with no slowdown in sight, what kind of unconscionable number would it require to pay people not to work for 4-6 weeks???? And we've already learned of the adverse impact lockdowns have on kids as well as those Americans enduring mental illness. I'm afraid 4-6 weeks of extreme isolation could potentially inflict more harm than catching the virus itself. 

In addressing how we've gone backwards since the pandemic began approximately eight months ago, a lot of government officials (specifically Gov. Tim Walz here in Minnesota) essentially blamed the citizens (emphasizing small gatherings in homes) for not strictly adhering to the various COVID mandates handed down. And while I do believe some citizens have let their guard down over the past few months, our self-anointed betters within government don't seem to be taking much of a gander in the mirror. 

Within the first two months of the pandemic, people largely went along with the shelter-in-place orders as well as mask mandates, and we had the economic damage (e.g. high unemployment claims, businesses faltering, etc.) to prove it. However, in late May, the viral video of George Floyd being killed while in the custody of Minneapolis police inflamed Americans to the point that there were large demonstrations occurring on a daily basis throughout the summer. The vast majority of those gatherings saw no physical distancing and middling mask usage, yet the harsh condemnations that hit the protesting of lockdowns in April were conspicuously absent for significantly larger protests in the name of "social justice." The fact a global pandemic became almost an afterthought in the summer months didn't escape the attention of some prominent epidemiologists. I said at the time that future lockdown proposals are going to lack severe credibility given many government officials (especially Walz) didn't even issue a warning about the inherent risk posed by large crowds decrying racial injustice. No one can deny that such issues are important to address, but a virus doesn't magically steer clear of large gatherings which are deemed more righteous than others. 

For those so anxious to have the year 2020 done and over with, I'm afraid 2021 isn't going to be the dramatic upgrade we're hoping for.

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Quick Hits: Volume CCXXXV

 - More COVID-19 restrictions in Minnesota appear imminent now that Gov. Tim Walz has extended his peacetime emergency powers another 30 days. 

As positive cases are on the rise, Walz took aim at what he believes are some of the most pervasive "super spreader" events.

“......you gathering with three or four families in your backyard, or worse yet in your garage, for a celebration, would have an equally detrimental effect, and we’ll have to target those, too.”

Translation: The beatings will continue until the morale improves.

- The national political scene now focuses its eyes upon Georgia as both Republican held U.S. Senate seats will be up for grabs in the January 5 runoff election. With the GOP currently having a 50-48 majority in the upper chamber, Dems are still clinging to the idea of attaining all three levers of power in D.C.

Worst case scenario for the GOP would be to lose both Senate seats from Georgia, resulting in a 50-50 split. If that were to happen, a Vice President Kamala Harris would be the tie-breaking vote. As such, the Dems' prog utopia of eliminating the legislative filibuster, packing the Supreme court, Medicare for all, etc. still has a glimmer hope, right?

Well......

Let me be clear: I will not vote to pack the courts & I will not vote to end the filibuster. The U.S. Senate is the most deliberative body in the world. It was made so that we work together in a bipartisan way. If you get rid of the filibuster, there's no reason to have a Senate. pic.twitter.com/g0fasdzVmt

— Senator Joe Manchin (@Sen_JoeManchin) November 10, 2020

There you have it. A Democrat Senator from West Virginia of all places could potentially become the most powerful politician in Washington. 

- Speaking of one-party rule, the Minnesota Democrat party needed a net gain of two seats in the MN Senate to control all of state government. Not only did the Dems fall just short in the Senate (GOP has a 34-33 majority) they actually lost five seats in the House, shrinking their edge there to 70-64.

Given Joe Biden handily won the state of Minnesota in the presidential race, how is it that result didn't translate down ballot? Outgoing Sen. Jeff Hayden (DFL-Minneapolis) weighed in. 

“The sloppy way in which the Minneapolis City Council went about (discussing the de-funding of police) did have an effect on legislative races and congressional races as well,” he said.

Hayden, who lost his primary race to a progressive newcomer, Omar Fateh, said that as a Black man he was as committed as anyone to police reform, but he said the incoherent messaging of “defund the police” was rejected by the already skeptical voters of the suburbs and greater Minnesota.

“The inability for us to articulate what police transformation looks like and what we need to do … that was a big concern for people in the suburbs and greater Minnesota,” Hayden said. “That message from Minneapolis became a national issue, and it became something that (Republican Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka) used around the state, which is that Senate Democrats want to defund the police.”

Soooo.....Republicans POUNCED?!?! Hey, whatever it took!

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Imax theater level projection

It's been said about the political left that even when their preferred candidates win elections, they remain miserable louts. 

From black activist Touré: 

If you’re a Trumper I hope the pain and anxiety you feel now is excruciating. You voted against America and for a cult leader who has no redeeming or admirable qualities. He’s a cretin who cares nothing about this country and you don’t either. You deserve all the pain and more.

— Touré (@Toure) November 6, 2020

Yep, I voted for President Trump. But excruciating pain over his (likely) loss? Pffft. Barely more than mild disappointment. Y'see, when one doesn't view elected officials as a deity, there aren't daily sh*t fits, complaining about "microagressions" or desperate attempts to seek a "safe space."

Sorry to disappoint, bruh. 

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I'd listen to the words he'd say but in his voice I heard decay.....

It's the Sunday after Election Day, so there is a ton to digest about the results of the 2020 campaigns. As such, today's edition of my radio show The Closer will be power packed for the entire two hours, starting at 1:00 PM Central Time. 

In the first hour, I'll pore over the national results. Although it appears President Trump has been denied reelection, the GOP had a very good election cycle overall. 

Then in the 2:00 hour, I will talk to four different elected MN state senators who helped keep the Republicans in the majority in that legislative body. Zach Duckworth (2:00), Julia Coleman (2:15), Karin Housley (2:30) and Gene Dornink (2:45) will each have one segment for a proverbial victory lap. 

So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing.

 

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 or, if you're near downtown Minneapolis/West Metro area, 107.5 FM on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link, or check us out via iheart radio as well as Amazon Alexa (just say "Alexa, play The Patriot Minneapolis"). If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #NARNShow or "Like" our Facebook page.

Until then.....

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Jim Ramstad: 1946-2020

A genuine human being from a milieu in which they're at a premium. 

Former U.S. Rep. Jim Ramstad, who served western Hennepin County for nine terms in Congress and earned bipartisan respect for work on mental health and other issues, died on Thursday.

Ramstad was 74. He had been suffering from a degenerative disease, according to former Rep. Erik Paulsen, who succeeded Ramstad in Minnesota's Third Congressional District.

"A lot of folks who run for office today get involved in politics because they're more about an ideology rather than offering solutions to problems facing their community, the state and the country," Paulsen said Friday morning. "Jim was about identifying a problem and fixing it."

Paulsen, who got his start in politics with a staff job in Ramstad's DC office, said he last spoke to Ramstad two weeks ago. He was still living in Wayzata as he did for many years, Paulsen said, and was being cared for by wife, Kathryn Ramstad.

"We didn't know it would happen this fast," Paulsen said of the man he called his friend and political mentor. "His nickname was the Rammer. He was always very full of life, vibrant."

Ramstad was our Congressman when my wife and I lived in Brooklyn Park (2000-2001) and Coon Rapids (2001-2008).

In early 2007, Congressman Ramstad cast a vote with which I vehemently disagreed. As such, I called his Washington, D.C. and Minnetonka offices to leave voice mails conveying my dismay. Within a matter of days, Congressman Ramstad sent me a letter addressing my concerns. Mind you, it wasn't one of those pre-written form letters which many elected officials send along as an obligatory response. No, this particular correspondence *substantively* addressed the specific criticism I had with his vote. While I still disagreed with his rationale, the fact he took that kind of time to craft a reply meant a lot. Given he had consistently won reelection by 30+ points, Ramstad could've chosen to be the classic safe-seat member of Congress (**koff** Betty McCollum **koff**) by ignoring my bluster and thus being a proverbial ghost. The fact he often engaged his constituents on such a personal level was a testament to who he was as a person.

Condolences to Mr. Ramstad's loved ones in this tremendous loss.

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I guess that's it

 Decision Desk has called the 2020 presidential race. 

Decision Desk HQ projects that @JoeBiden has won Pennsylvania and its 20 electoral college votes for a total of 273.

Joe Biden has been elected the 46th President of the United States of America.

Race called at 11-06 08:50 AM EST

All Results: https://t.co/BgcQsEyt3j

— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) November 6, 2020

To be honest, I'm pretty wrung out from this entire cycle, so I don't have a lot to add here. However, I'll have plenty to say on this Sunday afternoon's radio show. 

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As predicted here......

Well, one of my election predictions came true. We don't have a definitive winner in the presidential race despite what President Trump may believe. 

Unless there are stunning developments over the next couple of days, blogging will be lite the rest of the week. 

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Special edition of the NARN: Election 2020 broadcast

From 8:00 pm Central Time until Midnight (or possibly later) tonight, Mitch Berg and I will be poring over election results on AM 1280 The Patriot.

Listen on AM1280, online at AM1280ThePatriot.com, or download our FREE mobile app.

I have a feeling it's gonna be another barn burner!!!

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Election 2020: Prediction time

I'll do my best to go with my head over my heart here but no promises. 

MN Senate: This MN legislative body is literally the only thing blocking Gov. Tim Walz and the DFL-controlled House from enacting a prog utopia of gun control, economy-crushing climate change initiatives, higher taxes, etc. As of last session, the GOP has a slight 35-32 edge. However, a good number of their races are having unconscionable amounts of "progressive" PAC money thrown at their Dem opponents. 

Where the Republicans are most in jeopardy are SD26 (Carla Nelson of Rochester), SD33 (David Osmek of Mound), SD34 (Warren Limmer of Maple Grove), SD39 (Karin Housley of Stillwater), SD44 (Greg Pulles of Wayzata, who is running in place of the retiring Sen. Paul Anderson) and SD56 (Dan Hall of Burnsville). Unfortunately there are scant opportunities for GOP flips. I feel confident that Republican Zach Duckworth can oust DFL incumbent Matt Little in SD58 (Farmington, Lakeville). From there, who knows?

I'm not sure how much things have changed in Blaine since 2016, but GOP candidate Brad Sanford in SD37 might be able to win his rematch with Sen. Jerry Newton, who won in '16 by 3%. The only other possible (albeit remote) GOP flips are Jeff Jiang in SD48 (Eden Prairie), Mary Giuliani Stephens in SD53 (Woodbury, Oakdale) and Jose Jimenez in SD57 (Apple Valley, Rosemount). 

Admittedly I'm going more with my heart on this, but I say the GOP suffers a net loss of one seat, thus holds a razor thin 34-33 majority. 

MN House: The DFL, thanks to flipping 18 GOP seats in the 2018 midterms, have a healthy 75-59 majority in this body. I believe the Republicans flip some of those back, but they need to gain nine seats in order to seize control. I'm going with a net gain of about five seats for the GOP here. 

MN Congressional District One: Despite a wave of anti-Trump sentiment in 2018, Republican Jim Hagedorn defeated Dan Feehan, albeit by a mere 0.76%. Higher turnout in a presidential election year likely means Hagedorn wins the rematch with Feehan by about a 2-3% margin. 

MN Congressional District Two: Incumbent Dem Angie Craig is receiving a serious challenge from Republican Tyler Kistner. Having won by 5.5% in 2018 and there being no viable third party to siphon off votes like in 2016, Craig would appear to have a slight edge here. I say she wins by around 3%.

MN Congressional District Three: In his first reelection bid, Democrat Dean Phillips is in the right place at the right time with CD3 having completed its transformation from "purple" to lite blue. Republican Kendall Qualls is an impressive candidate and the Third would be blessed to have him represent them in D.C. Sadly I don't see it happening. Phillips by about 5-7%. 

MN Congressinal District Four: If the shrill and unaccomplished Betty McCollum gets less than 70% here, the GOP should consider it a moral victory. 

MN Congressional District Five: The best opportunity to oust incumbent Ilhan Omar was in the DFL primary over the summer. While Dem challenger Antone Melton-Meaux raised some serious campaign cash, his bid fell short. 

GOP candidate Lacy Johnson is a heckuva guy and deserves consideration here, but the vast majority of constituents in CD5 will continue to check the DFL box in all races. Again, a moral victory here would be Omar garnering less than 70%.

MN Congressional District Six: Incumbent Rep. Tom Emmer (I'm proud he's my Congressman, by the way) wins by 30% or more. 

MN Congressional District Seven: In one of the reddest CDs in the state (on par with CD6), the Seventh has been represented by Dem Collin Peterson for nearly 30 years now. As the district has tilted further right, Peterson has only won by single digits against underfunded GOP challengers each of the past three cycles. However, that ends this year as former MN state senator Michelle Fischbach retires Peterson with a 3-5% victory. 

MN Congressional District Eight: As one travels north of the Twin Cities suburbs on the eastern side of Minnesota, it is overwhelmingly Trump country. With the exception of the Duluth area, this would appear to be a safe Republican seat for the foreseeable future. It won't be easy but I believe incumbent GOP Rep. Pete Stauber wins this time by about 2%. 

US House: After a net gain of 40+ seats in 2018, the Democrats have 232 members to 197 for Republicans (there is also one Libertarian and five vacant seats). In order for the GOP to regain a majority (at least 218 seats), the Dems would have to suffer a net loss of 15 seats. That ain't happenin'. If anything, Democrats will have a modest 5-10 seat gain. 

US Senate: Republicans currently have a 53-47 majority in the upper chamber. As for GOP flips, Tommy Tuberville looks as though he'll prevail over Dem Doug Jones in Alabama, who scored an upset in a 2017 special to fill Jeff Sessions' former seat. 

The only other races where Republicans are in striking distance are in Michigan (John James) and Minnesota (Jason Lewis) (!). I'm going to go out on a limb and say the GOP gets one of those but not both. 

Regarding Democrats pickups, it would appear Republican incumbents Susan Collins (ME), Cory Gardner (CO) and Martha McSally (AZ) will be ousted. Other vulnerable GOP Senators include Thom Tillis (NC), Steve Daines (MT), Kelly Loeffler (GA - likely not decided until Jan. 5 runoff) and Joni Ernst (IA). I say Dems pick off two of those four.

In the end, I'll predict Democrats have a net gain of three U.S. Senate seats, which puts that chamber at ---- 50-50. That means whomever is elected Vice President will be the tie-breaking vote in the upper chamber. I mean, why shouldn't 2020 be the source of more chaos? 

President of the United States: My first prediction in this category is we won't know the winner of this race by Tuesday evening/Wednesday morning.

In 2016, Donald Trump scored a huge upset over Hillary Clinton with a 306-232 edge in the Electoral College (304-227 after presidential electors cast their votes). I believe Trump's 2020 opponent, Joe Biden, wins all the states Mrs. Clinton won in '16, in addition to Michigan, Wisconsin and Arizona.

If that occurs, the map would look like this: 

Click the map to create your own at 270toWin.com

So what happens if neither attains the minimum 270 EVs to win? Well then it's hello 12th Amendment to the Constitution! Again, why shouldn't 2020 be the source of more chaos? 

Happy voting (if you haven't cast your ballot already). 

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A misguided sentiment

As we've been smack dab in the midst of another election season, you've likely been bombarded with the sentiment "Vote like your life depends on it!" If I'm being charitable, I would merely say such a mindset is misguided. And if I'm being blunt, I'd reply with "GET A GRIP YOU FREAKING LOON!!!"

Oh sure, dependent upon who's in what office I may pay more or less in taxes, be subject to more or less government regulation when engaging in certain activities, etc. But this idea that such scenarios are so life altering shows how we have lost our way as a country. Quite simply, it's unhealthy to put so much faith in fallible human beings. Why do you think we see so many relationships fractured because of differences in political worldview? 

My emotional and physical well-being is predicated upon critical decisions I alone make in my life, none of which are related to politics. So regardless of whether my preferred candidates prevail this election cycle, I will never cease praying for guidance from my Lord & Savior. In short, no, I will not vote like my life depends on it. Because it doesn't.

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