Secrets of the City

Ventura’s nuts.

I don’t want to think about Ventura’s nuts.

He is a joke. Worst idea evar.

This sucks.

Deez nuts. The election roster is beginning to look like what they had in the California Gubernatorial election in 2003 when Gray Davis was recalled. File under “any attention is good attention” in media terms.

Don’t mess around with the FISH POLICE.

To elaborate, Ventura talks about how he’s not a politician… but um, he ran for Governor while Franken’s never been a politician. Ventura further rags on Franken for not living in Minnesota his whole life… but Ventura doesn’t even live in the United States. Great start to Ventura’s campaign.

Is his residency in question?

This is the first time I have ever thought about volunteering for a candidate’s campaign (Franken). Jesse just might push me to do so.

Coleman FTW, because:

The government consists of a gang of men exactly like you and me. They have, taking one with another, no special talent for the business of government; they have only a talent for getting and holding office.
–H. L. Mencken

Jesse has stated that he lives in Mexico. However, he only lives there part of the year. I think he is a snow bird… Nevertheless, his residency (in Minnesota could be challenged.)

If I could snowbird to Mexico, I would, and screw my career in politics.

MNpublius points out that we might be jumping the gun here…

He’s back. Let us not forget that he has never lost an election. I can’t wait to see him kick the asses of the republicans and the democrats. The people will speak and the mainstream media, politicians and party hacks will have to step aside in MN again. I

Max, you know you aren’t allowed in Mexico anymore.

I hope this is just a publicity stunt. Unfortunately I think either way is hurts Franken’s chances.

MNpublius points out that we might be jumping the gun here…

So does ABC News.

Unfortunately I think either way is hurts Franken’s chances.
Actually polling shows that it helps Franken. It probably shifts some independents from Coleman

Jesse Ventura is the new Jack Shepard.

Jesse officially denies being in the race, but that he may be sometime in the future, if he wants to change his lifestyle.

…but that he may be sometime in the future, if he wants to change his lifestyle.

Pretty much sums up Ventura and this race: it’s about him, not Minnesotans.

This is the second time today I get to say this: who cares? Either way Coleman wins.

Next!

You say Coleman, I say hell no, man.

I don’t know why nobody pays me to come up with campaign slogans.

I would hire you Max. In fact I may run just to have you come up with slogans.

This is the second time today I get to say this: who cares? Either way Coleman wins.

Colman thought that once before and lost along with a democrat that thought he had some very good credentials. Never count the body out. He is in reality a protest vote and one I am hoping for. Colman pulls independents not ideological conservatives, who probably could care less about Norm at this point. Jesse wins by 3 percentage points. Mark that down Max. A Swandog prediction

Ventura said of Coleman, “the guy has not had a job in the private sector his entire adult life. He’s been collecting government checks since the day he got out of law school and went to work for the attorney general’s office. So when Norm Coleman tells people in the private sector he feels their pain, how? He’s never been in it. At least Al Franken knows what the private sector is. I would like to send him out and get a real job in the private sector.”

Indeed. Jesse has a point.

He said something on “Wait Wait” a month or two ago about seated senators campaigning yet are still supposedly doing their jobs and he had to quit his private sector job in order to campaign for governor. I think he made an interesting point, especially now that campaigns seem to last longer and longer.

(just want to say it is hard to get a private sector job after a government career. believe me, I tried. skills do not always translate)

Pretty much sums up Ventura and this race: it’s about him, not Minnesotans.

Pretty much sums up any Ventura race. He only ran for mayor because he wanted to reverse an assessment on his property.

Ventura said of Coleman, “the guy has not had a job in the private sector his entire adult life. He’s been collecting government checks since the day he got out of law school and went to work for the attorney general’s office. So when Norm Coleman tells people in the private sector he feels their pain, how? He’s never been in it. At least Al Franken knows what the private sector is. I would like to send him out and get a real job in the private sector.”

Indeed. Jesse has a point.

Except for that time between leaving the Mayor’s office and the Senate campaign, when he had a high paying make-work job at some law/lobby offce to tide him over between gigs.

…but that he may be sometime in the future, if he wants to change his lifestyle.

»» Submitted by »»» s4xton at 10:37 AM on July 9

I completely disagree with that assesment. To me it seems to mean that if he enters the race, then he’s all the way in…not only when he’s running but once he’s elected. Say what you will about his oddballishness, but I double-dog-dare you to name another high level elected official who’s maintained the tone of his election-time rhetoric during his administration like Jesse did. Wellstone might be the exception.

just want to say it is hard to get a private sector job after a government career

it’s who you know, not what you did. I’m pretty sure you don’t have the rolodex equal to that of a US Senator.

Depends on what level government career one has had. Dick Cheney won’t have any trouble at all finding private-sector employment; Colin Powell hasn’t done bad for himself, either. On the other, Tawnja in the GAO steno pool doesn’t have anything more to offer a private-sector employer than does a Jeanne Thorne temp.

I understand that there is a problem with the two party system, but right now all politics is broken, our country is broken, and our state is sadly broken.

We don’t need a “nadar” moment here with people like the http://mnfamilycouncil.blogspot.com/ drooling over the idea of an upset with a jessie running.

the people such as those at http://mnfamilycouncil.blogspot.com/ are trying extremely hard to make everything a part of their special one interest agenda special group.

I think these type people are why we need to stand up and vote for Franklin.

think these type people are why we need to stand up and vote for Franklin.

I think that is why we need to vote Jesse into office. Fiscal conservative values and liberal to moderate on the social issues. Most people are in that category. Plus the Dem’s and Republicans are way out of touch. Only the extremists get a voice in our current political structure god bless dissent.

The only thing it will do is to allow the extreme right to catch up and break things even more.

you need to gather people and the government together and fight for a third party outside of an election.

jessie was not the answer when he was Gov and made a mess.

We need educated, policy making, law knowing people in our government.

Which Fraklin is running?

this one?
this one?
this one?

Holy crap, I loves me some Roosevelt Franklin!

jessie was not the answer when he was Gov and made a mess

I think these type people are why we need to stand up and vote for Franklin.

Goes to show how effective advertising is, no?

from ages 4-6, Roosevelt Franklin was the only black kid in my neighborhood.

Hey hey hey, I heard somebody call me by my first name first and my second name second!

I would totally vote for Roosevelt Franklin.

I heard somebody call me by my first name first and my second name second!

I am crying tears of nostalgiac joy.

I’m not sure how I feel about no longer being the only puppet on this site.

Sock puppets excepted, of course.

Isn’t RF technically a Muppet?

Hmm, looking at the muppet wiki, I’m thinking there’s a VH1 “Behind the Music” style bio-show on Roosevelt Franklin.

Roosevelt Franklin’s story is one the white man don’t want you to hear!

If I knew how to edit video, I would mash up this and this. or use Roosevelt as the intro.

Jesse did give us the light rail system.

Well he always said “the money was there.” Like there was a big sack with a $$$ sign on the side, and Minnesota better take it or someone else would.

that’s exactly the kind of guy we need in the Senate. Aren’t we Minnesotans all tired of being net payers in terms of the federal budget? Let’s take what belongs to us…no more helping Arkansas.

I say no more Arkansas.

Jesse made Gawker…must be a slow news day in NYC. Or they’re tired of hating on Emily Gould.

I say no more Arkansas.

Agreed.

I say no more Arkansas.

Agreed.

That’s racist.

esse made Gawker…must be a slow news day in NYC. Or they’re tired of hating on Emily Gould.

Snooze! I don’t care if it’s Rex, Gould or Jesse. Wake me up when Gawker posts on DeRusha (he has is own tag, for pete’s sake!)

the entire state is scheduled for a Colemanoscopy on November 2. What, so I created an account to say that, so what?

I say no more Arkansas.

That’s racist.

How is that racist? We’re selling the entire state to the highest bidder. We’re just selling responsibility to all the people who decide to reside within their borders to Canada. Or whoever we can trick into buying it.

I don’t even like my relations who live in Arkansas.

In conclusion, Northern people of all races dislike Arkansasians of all races.

Jesse did give us the light rail system.

That only proves that he is human and makes mistakes like the rest of us.

rndmcwby: Nicely done. Seems worth the registration to me.

We like Jesse, he needs to run for Senate and put some excitement back in the political scene here.
But he really does need to lose that greazy looking mullet or what ever he’s stylin….looks ishy.

Arkansans are too slow to be in any kind of race.

Just kidding. Some of by best friends are from Arkansas. Well, I knew a guy from Arkansas once and he was all right. And I named one of my cats after a guy from Arkansas.

Oldfarts: I think you may be confusing crazy with excitement? Part of me wants Ventura to jump into the fray just to see it blow up, but it will most likely grow old quickly.

btw: I miss your 2:0(

I suspect that if Ventura gets in, Franken’s in for a rough ride, despite the poll suggesting a slight bump — with only Franken and Coleman in the race, Franken has a real shot at controlling the debate, getting his ideas into the mix, and recovering lost ground. Add Ventura to the picture and the battle of ideas shifts from a tug of war (with Bush’s baggage weighing down Coleman) to a crazy foodfight that probably favors the “statesmanlike” incumbent.

I hadn’t seen the polls showing a benefit for Franken.

Seems you would see Jesse draw some of the “anti-Coleman” vote away from Franken.

Thanx Cat, We 2 miss our 2 too.

Fine. I had to register just to say that I will not endure a colemanoscopy without a colemanectomy. Now I just feel used . . .

If Ventura runs, Coleman’s a lock. Ventura and Franken split the young and the clueless vote, giving Coleman all the adult votes. Probably doesn’t matter.

If Ventura runs, Coleman’s a lock. Ventura and Franken split the young and the clueless vote, giving Coleman all the adult votes. Probably doesn’t matter

No maz, Ventra will get the pissed off independents who are sick of the religious right and all of their crap. He pulls the middle and wins with a margin similar to the one he won with for governor. I am mad as hell at all of them and if we can send one crazy sob to congress and just piss both parties off their is a god. Let us not forget that congress is not exactly the apple of the general public eye. All of the “young” voters have grown up some and they like the guy. We all know he is a nut-bag but he is our nut-bag. It is about sending a message to both parties that we the people are so sick of all of you, that we are willing to send some half cocked, mullet loving, loud mouth ass hole who probably is not the brightest bulb on every issue to congress vs the same old shit breathing career politicians who lie, cheat and steal from all of us.

Ventura campaigned for governor as a libertarian but governed as a democrat (light rail is not a libertarian idea). I voted for him! But fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice … he’s not gonna fool us again.

The number of people who are allegedly sick of religious nuts in office is insignificant. I mean, have you really been harmed by such people? or are you just being a religious bigot? I’m as unreligious as anyone … probably more than you, but I haven’t seen any adverse affects of having people who believe in god in public office. I’m more turned off by the bigots who oppose them for religious reasons.

Norm Coleman is certainly no conservative, but I’ll vote or him because he has accomplishments I admire (Xcel energy center, NHL franchise, no property tax increases while he was mayor) I agree with his votes in the senate (tax cuts, scotus justices, funding for the war on islamo-fascism), and his principles are more compatible with mine than the alleged comic’s are.

My original point being, the same people who think Al “no franken way” Franken is worthy of the people of MN in the U.S. senate are the same type of people who would believe the same of Ventura. So they split that vote. Coleman wins by 10 points.

because he has accomplishments I admire (Xcel energy center, NHL franchise, no property tax increases while he was mayor)

So, you support taxes to support corpirate welfare (Xcel center, NHL franchise).

No “tax” increases, but user fees got hiked pretty frequently for things that had been paid for through broad based taxes.

It would be interesting, but way more work than I care to do, to have an easily searchable database of all of maz’s political prognostications. I don’t think he’s been close even once.

I don’t think the hockey fans in this state who’ve sold out every Wild game since their existence sees the team and their rink as a “corporate welfare” issue. I don’t know about the people in Fargo. Do they play hockey up there? And my property taxes have increased over 60% since the democrats took over city hall. From $2200 to $3600.

I think when I told everyone George Bush would win re-election, you guys all laughed.

The number of people who are allegedly sick of religious nuts in office is insignificant. I mean, have you really been harmed by such people?

I think eroding my rights to get a safe and legal abortion are pretty harmful, not to mention defending fundie pharmies who decide that dispensing birth control is also pretty damn harmful. I think bullying the public schools into teaching abstinence only sex ed is wildly harmful.

1. what do you mean “eroding your rights?” Can you get an abortion in this town or not?
2. Defending fundie pharmicies is defending a busines owner’s right to do business the way he sees fit. If the pharmacy was a monopoly, like say, government run, then you would have a beef. But simply takng your bidness elsewhere harms the pharmacy more than it harms you. I would think.
3. The teachers union has never been known to be “bullied” by anyone, least of all christians. Seems to me.

A lot of that tax increase was because Norm and Randy deferred a lot of necessary expenses. Maybe they wouldn’t have gone up so much the last couple of years if Norm and Randy had allowed modest increases: Streets need to be maintained, sewers anad water lines have to be repaired, cops and fire men need to be paid. You can put that stuff off only so long before things start to collapse.

I think when I told everyone George Bush would win re-election, you guys all laughed.

OK, once. Even a busted clock is right twice a day.

1. See the battle that was thankfully defeated in South Dakota. It probably would have been voted in had it not included victims of rape or incest. See the many states that require parental or judicial consent for abortion (even though girls should be covered by privacy laws).

2. Failiure to provide a prescribed medication in small towns places undue hardship on poor women without the means to drive 50+ miles to the next pharmacy.

3. The union has nothing to do with my point. Schools can get fed $ if they promise to stop talking about condoms and why it hurts when you pee. You’re crazy if you think underfunded schools aren’t taking that money and sucking it up.

Streets need to be maintained, sewers anad water lines have to be repaired, cops and fire men need to be paid.

Those things happened under Norm and Randy too. No public services have increased that I can detect since the price went up 60%.

1. See the battle that was thankfully defeated in South Dakota.

But at least the issue was voted on. The people decided. The bar owners who had to ban smoking should have been so lucky.

2. Failiure to provide a prescribed medication in small towns

That’s true a most things if you choose to live in a small town. I know of veterans who drives a couple hundred miles to attend the VA hospital at Fort Snelling too. That’s the price you pay when you choose to live where you choose to live.

3. Frankly, other than a biology class, it’s not the role of the government schools to educate kids on how to procreate and/or avoid reproduction. My generation and the ones before mine didn’t have “sex education” in school and we managed just fine.

1. It shouldn’t even been voted on since it flew in the face of federal law.

2. That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.

3. No, sorry, that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.

2. Defending fundie pharmicies is defending a busines owner’s right to do business the way he sees fit. If the pharmacy was a monopoly, like say, government run, then you would have a beef. But simply takng your bidness elsewhere harms the pharmacy more than it harms you. I would think.

“Taking your bidness elsewhere” is not always an option when “elsehwere” is 50 or a hundred miles away, and is probably no different from your “here.” Especially when you need something like Plan B.

Second, in some respects, pharmacies and pharmacists ARE a “monopoly.” I realize that’s not the most accurate term, but they regulated and licensed by the government. And that’s a GOOD thing.

2. That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.

3. No, sorry, that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.

Wow, you’ve led quite the sheltered life I guess.

But at least the issue was voted on. The people decided. The bar owners who had to ban smoking should have been so lucky.

So which rights should be put up for a popular vote? Slavery? Interracial marriage? Same sex relationships? The right of women to vote, own or inherit property?

A pharmacy is a business. If they don’t carry what you’re looking for, you go to a different one. In wouldn’t take too many trips to that store to realize they don’t carry your favorite brand of cigarettes or hair curlers or birth control bills. BFD. Go somewhere else. It’s not life or death.

I guess I should have qualified points 2 and 3:

2. That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard you say today.

3. No, sorry, that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard you say today.

So which rights should be put up for a popular vote?

So which rights are you referring to? The ones enumerated in the constitution or some other ones?

Streets need to be maintained, sewers anad water lines have to be repaired, cops and fire men need to be paid.

Those things happened under Norm and Randy too. No public services have increased that I can detect since the price went up 60%.

Unless you’re going to suggest that the cops, firemen, the guys that fix the potholes should work for slave wages, they were reaching a breaking point where something was going to have to give.

How long would you be able to maintain your current lifestyle if your income were to be frozen for the next 12 years? Even with minimal inflation, you’re going to reach a point where you’ll have to start dropping things from your expenditures.

See, the way it works is, the people can vote on stuff. But if the people voted to confiscate my property for example, a judge would step in and tell the people that, sorry, that vote doesn’t count because under the constitution, I have a right to own property and you don’t have the right to confiscate it. It’s pretty cool the way that works.

So, wait, did Maz just defend the concept of slavery?

How long would you be able to maintain your current lifestyle if your income were to be frozen for the next 12 years?

Look, I know tons of government “workers.” Some are even relatives. They have the most generous pay, benefits and retirement system in the history of man. None of the ones I know would dare to complain that their pay and benefits package isn’t enough.

Well, under the 9th amendment, we’re not restricted to only those that are enumerated in the Constitution:

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

The drafters recognized that the concept of liberty is ever changing in an expansive direction.

My mom makes $8 an hour and hasn’t had a cost of living increase in 5 years. Do you think that’s generous pay?

Although she does get decent benes.

Um, actually, maz, did you miss Kelo? The Constitution certainly does allow confiscation (with compensation) of property in certain circumstances. In some circumstances (criminal forfeiture), it even allows it without compensation.

Furthermore, I’m sick of you stating that government employees don’t work. Both of my parents work their asses off everyday.

@david: I agree. But judges will and do decide whether votes on referendums will be made law due to their constitutionality. That’s their job. The folks in california have had several referenda overturned by their state court system, for example.

@alie: Your mom needs to ask herself why she stays in that job. Because it sounds to me like she’s being exploited.

Um, actually, maz, did you miss Kelo?

I most certainly did read kelo. In fact, I lived in that neighborhood back in the 70s. The kelo decision was one of the reasons why we need more conservatives judges on the court.

They have the most generous pay, benefits and retirement system in the history of man.

Apparently you haven’t looked at corporate CEO compensation lately.

In regards to pharmacies, I believe the proposed legislation was to protect pharmacists who didn’t want to dispense products their employer sold. It seemed to me at the time that it’s an awfully liberal, big government, non-Libertarian prospect to tell private businesses that they can’t fire people who won’t do their jobs or they’ll get in trouble with the government.

Perhapes you read this at the time:

Breaking news
St. Paul Invokes Eminent Domain to Acquire Minneapolis

Saint Paul MN-27 June, 2005
Dennis Tester for the Watley Review

Buoyed by the Supreme Court’s decision to expand cities’ power of eminent domain, St. Paul Minnesota filed today to acquire the neighboring city of Minneapolis for commercial development.

“St. Paul has been facing some very difficult economic decisions,” said Mayor Randy Kelly. “Building viable economic development strategies for the city has been our number one priority. We think that the Supreme Court decision really opens a door for us, and will allow St. Paul to finally resolve some of these intractable issues.”

“The Supreme Court decision makes it easier for us to justify this course of action in the name of economic development,” said Kelly, “although actually we could easily have made the case that taking over Minneapolis would be analogous to condemning a blighted property. I mean, come on. Have you been there lately?”

St. Paul will compensate the current residents of Minneapolis with “fair market value” for their property, a total amount estimated to be well within the city’s ability to pay out of its STAR program revenues. After evicting all current residents from Minneapolis, St. Paul plans to add a new Twins stadium, an apartment complex for wayward girls, international airport, and, most critically, a 400 square mile landfill.

“I have mixed feelings about this,” said Minneapolis resident Franklin Comstock. “

“On the one hand, I am not thrilled to be kicked out of my home and be paid pennies on the dollar for the privilege. On the other hand, St. Paul is evicting the Minneapolis city government as well, every last official and bureaucrat. That is an immensely appealing concept.”

Others are more concerned about the Supreme Court decision and St. Paul’s plans.

“The Supreme Court has really started down a slippery slope by expanding the definition of “benefit to society” which can be used to justify eminent domain ,” said economics professor Brad Turkelson, of the University of Minnesota.

“Making way for an interstate or a military base is one thing. Making way for a new landfill is something entirely different. Where is this going to stop? What if they decide that eminent domain could be invoked for the moral benefit of society? Do we want to go there? We all know how close Kelly is to the Archbishop.”

If St. Paul is successful, it would mark the first time that eminent domain was used to take over an entire city. Other cities, and even states are reportedly watching St. Paul closely, and may be considering takeover efforts of their own.

California Governor Schwarzenegger is quoted as saying “Dibs on Nevada.”

Apparently you haven’t looked at corporate CEO compensation lately

But kurtis … I am a corporate CEO and I want a raise!

Well, sometimes when you give yourself a raise that doubles(*) your salary, you have to take a breather to let your business catch up to you.

*I don’t remember the exact figure, but a year or two ago you boasted about how you had (whatever it was) your salary.

In regards to pharmacies, I believe the proposed legislation was to protect pharmacists who didn’t want to dispense products their employer sold. It seemed to me at the time that it’s an awfully liberal, big government, non-Libertarian prospect to tell private businesses that they can’t fire people who won’t do their jobs or they’ll get in trouble with the government.

I don’t believe it was introduced here, but some places (Illinois?) have proposed legislation that would require pharmacies to to stock commonly prescribed drugs.

But kurtis … I am a corporate CEO and I want a raise!

I don’t think your business is publicly traded, i.e., it’s not a corporation. But in any case, you can’t cover up a bald-faced lie with anecdotal evidence.

In regards to pharmacies, I believe the proposed legislation was to protect pharmacists who didn’t want to dispense products their employer sold.

If that was the case, then I misunderstood the situation alie was describing. It seems to me that at the time, “some people” were arguing that the government should force the pharmacy to sell birth control products even if they chose not to.

Sub-chapter S is a corporation. Not all corporations are publicly traded, kurtis.

The regional cases that made the news here were of pharmacists that refused to fill a prescription for a drug that was on the shelves of the pharmacy. In a couple of cases, the pharmacist in question even refused to return the prescription to the patient so that they could take it elsewhere to be filled.

But even if it were a matter of requiring a store to stock certain drugs, the pharmacy has accepted a regulated license from the government to be able to dispense regulated substances. Both parties do this for reasons of quality and access control, among others. It’s reasonable that they might be required to ensure access to as broad an inventory as possible.

The pharmacist’s role is to ensure that the prescribed medication is properly dispensed, is not contraindicated by any potential drug interactions. It’s not to make moral judgments about the prescription.

Another potential issue, I don’t know if plan b would typically be covers by insurance, but some pharm plans can limit your options of where you can get a prescription filled.

Ventura campaigned for governor as a libertarian but governed as a democrat (light rail is not a libertarian idea). I voted for him! But fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice … he’s not gonna fool us again.

I hate the light rail see numerouse posts (wanyno I will not respond on this thread,you the man though) However, I am a pratical voter and a libratarian one at that but what does one do? If you have to choose from big government republicans who have lost their fiscal way vs a guy who sucked the federal system openly well oink oink we all eat pork. The republicans have only one issue left that is defensable and that is limited taxation but the get a d on that one, we won’t talk about limmited govenment, while we currently have no choice but to nation build. The democrats well they are more fun to party with, but hell they are like a dead show that has lasted 15 years to long, JERRYS DEAD. Jesse is real, I know he is not bought and paid for. Self interested, willing to exploit his fame yes, but open and real he is. If both parties sqirm a bit well to bad, that in and of itself is worth it. It is not about pricipal on this one, it is about sending a clear mesage.

The number of people who are allegedly sick of religious nuts in office is insignificant. I mean, have you really been harmed by such people? or are you just being a religious bigot? I’m as unreligious as anyone … probably more than you, but I haven’t seen any adverse affects of having people who believe in god in public office. I’m more turned off by the bigots who oppose them for religious reasons.

Ask someone who is gay, how that is going. Ask someone who fucked up and needs an abortion how that is going. The current administration seems to want a theocrocy, well I ain’t buy that one. Pander and harm, I am a libritarian, especially on social issues. It is not my business what people do, as long as it does not harm other.

Norm Coleman is certainly no conservative, but I’ll vote or him because he has accomplishments I admire (Xcel energy center, NHL franchise, no property tax increases while he was mayor) I agree with his votes in the senate (tax cuts, scotus justices, funding for the war on islamo-fascism), and his principles are more compatible with mine than the alleged comic’s are.

The only time I have voted aginst norm was when jesse is running. I voted for him as mayor. I like norm, he is the portion of the republican party I like.

My original point being, the same people who think Al “no franken way” Franken is worthy of the people of MN in the U.S. senate are the same type of people who would believe the same of Ventura. So they split that vote. Coleman wins by 10 points.

THE BODY BY 3

The pharmacist’s role is to ensure that the prescribed medication is properly dispensed, is not contraindicated by any potential drug interactions. It’s not to make moral judgments about the prescription.

Oh really? What if a psychiatrist prescribed a “marital aid?” Should the pharmacy be required to stock those? Who gets to decide what’s a broad enough inventory?

Furthermore, I’m sick of you stating that government employees don’t work. Both of my parents work their asses off everyday

I have family that works for the state, lighten up. Quit making it about you, its politicts not my mommy and daddy work. I don’t think maz means harm, so wtf. You give maz a lot of power by sounding like a child.

Ask someone who is gay, how that is going. Ask someone who fucked up and needs an abortion how that is going.

The last I looked, it wasn’t just republicans who oppose gay marriage and it isn’t just religious nuts either. Polls show up to two thirds of the people oppose gay marriage. Your god, Paul Wellstone opposed gay marriage. Barry Obama opposes gay marriage. So, it’s not just a religious nut thing.

Also the last time I looked abortion is legal in all 50 states. Nice scare issue though I guess.

You most likely wouldn’t get an actual “prescription” for a marital aid. The psych would just tell you to go to Sex World and pick one up, or give you a web address for an online store to order from.

Second, a “marital aid” isn’t a pharmaceutical, so I wouldn’t expect a pharmacist to carry them, just like I wouldn’t expect to pick up contacts or corrective glasses, or hearing aids or cochlear implants at Walgreens or CVS, Even though each of those requires prescriptions from a licensed Medical professional.

The Snyders in my neighborhood has transformed about a third of their store to wheelchairs, walkers, and a whole line of products intended to help handicapped people. Way more products and types of products like that then any drug store I’ve ever seen. No one made them do that. Certainly not the government. They decided on their own to participate in that market for business reasons. Since they added all those things to their inventory, obviously some things had to go. The store isn’t physically large enough to accommodate all the new stuff as well as the old stuff. So who decides what pharmaceutical/medical products get to stay and which have to go? The government?

I don’t think maz means harm, so wtf.

Stop being so naive, asshole.

They have the most generous pay, benefits and retirement system in the history of man.

I don’t know what you are talking about. Most of my co-workers, in the professional class, would make more money doing their exact jobs in the private sector, considerably more. We start with two weeks vacation, not exactly awesome. MY health insurance is good, but families is expensive, and at Hennepin County, it is almost prohibitive to most employees. And I have to go to a ghetto clinic to keep it cheap.

I get $100 matched 457b dollars a year and a pension that won’t be around when I retire, which to get full benefits, will be at 67 because rule of 90 is long gone.

In addition, we get little respect from the public. We get no incentives from our employer. We can’t even get a work picnic unless we pay for it ourselves. I’m an unclassified employee, which means even though I’ve worked for the State for 2 years and government for 7, I have no seniority, no bumping rights, and no union protection, even though I pay dues.

I do it because I believe in my project and believe in good government. Not for the pay or benefits.

You give maz a lot of power by sounding like a child.

Says the commenter who writes like a 12 year old.

Wow, Swandog, that was a pretty shitty swipe at Alie. Maz made a broad statement about gov’t workers which Alie’s parents both are. Of course she is going to take it personally because it directly affects her.

The last I looked, it wasn’t just republicans who oppose gay marriage and it isn’t just religious nuts either. Polls show up to two thirds of the people oppose gay marriage. Your god, Paul Wellstone opposed gay marriage. Barry Obama opposes gay marriage. So, it’s not just a religious nut thing.

You haven’t looked in awhile then. CBS had a recent national poll, 58% favored some form of legal recognition of gay relationships. True the numbers opposed to calling it “marriage” are still high, but htey’ve been steadily dropping. It’s mainly a matter of attrition. At the time of his death, I believe Wellstone had changed his position. I do remember him saying that was one vote that he regretted.

Also the last time I looked abortion is legal in all 50 states. Nice scare issue though I guess.

And yet, numerous states (Mississippi, for one) have laws on the books that would immediately outlaw abortions the moment the USSC overturns Roe and Casey. South Dakota is making a second attempt to outlaw almost all abortions, in contradiction to Federal law.

Numerous other states have imposed such stringent regulations, that abortions are all but impossible to obtain in those states. SD has ONE clinic on the eastern edge of the state. Doesn’t mean much to tell someone in Sturgis that they have a right to an abortion if they can’t get across the state.

Oh really? What if a psychiatrist prescribed a “marital aid?” Should the pharmacy be required to stock those? Who gets to decide what’s a broad enough inventory?

They’re “dick pills,” get it right.

Oh, and I’m sure conservative parmies have little problem with it because they’re only scared of vaginas.

/kidding…sort of.

I’m unclassified and I don’t pay union dues. Why do you have to? That sucks. (But you do have to keep in mind that those dues are about to get turned around in a big way to support people you’d probably like to see win elections.)

There’s partial member dues and full member dues. Everyone has to at least pay partial member dues.

wheelchairs, walkers, etc. aren’t regulated like schedule drugs are (other than normal consumer safety regs).

All I need to do to sell those is to get the normal business licenses. In order to sell scheduled drugs, there’s a whole other ball game to go through.

You’re trying to compare apples and oranges.

As long as maz is entertaining us, perhaps he can explain to us why light rail isn’t a libertarian idea but roads are. My understanding is that the libertarian idea is toll roads.

Make that troll roads.

Hey kc!, wasn’t someone here today saying that a government employee couldn’t find a job in the private sector because the skills weren’t transferable? I’ve heard the claim that professionals working for the government would make much more money in the private sector too.

Baloney. I’ve hired two former government employees. One was a teacher and the other was a high school principle. I wanted to help them out and thought they could help us out. I ended up firing both of them within a year because they couldn’t cut it. They weren’t used to the accountability or the expectations were too high or something, but they just seemed totally shocked at the pace of work and were simply unable to keep up with the rest of us. I haven’t taken that risk again.

Years ago when I was out of work I interviewed for the position of director of training at Hennepin county. I went through three rounds of interviews and finally it came down to two older guys for my final interview. They said, “look, you’re obviously qualified for this job. But do you really want to work here? You’re an innovator and high achiever. You’d be really frustrated here. The bureaucracy doesn’t know what to do with guys like you. Bottom line, you’d really be unhappy here.”

Finally, I think your job and work conditions would be better if you didn’t have that union to deal with.

In the famous words of swandog, “this isn’t about you,” maz.

heh heh heh.. she said troll roads…

You haven’t looked in awhile then. CBS had a recent national poll, 58% favored some form of legal recognition of gay relationships.

I’m surprised that number isn’t higher. It’s the marriage thing that people have a problem with.

Finally, I think your job and work conditions would be better if you didn’t have that union to deal with.

God, I’m actually agreeing with this statement. Truly the end of days.

As long as maz is entertaining us, perhaps he can explain to us why light rail isn’t a libertarian idea but roads are.

Because roads are required for commerce and national defense. We approve of those things. Also, light rail riding (with other passengers) is a collectivist activity, whilst driving your car is an individualist activity.

There’s partial member dues and full member dues. Everyone has to at least pay partial member dues.

Otherwise known as “fairshare.” The fairshare portion is supposed to represent the costs to the union for the collective bargaining work. Which, even if you don’t join the union, you in theory benefit from, since you either directly get the pay scale and benefits, or, they use those scales to set yours.

None of the fairshare is supposed to be used for political efforts. I’m not sure if that applies to organizing costs.

Also, light rail riding (with other passengers) is a collectivist activity, whilst driving your car is an individualist activity.

Oh, please. As wayne has pointed out, the interstate system was one of the biggest social engineering efforts this country has ever undertaken. Eisenhower used the guise of national security as a way of pushing it through Congress.

And wayne would certainly know, wouldn’t he. Did you know that wayne never worked at any job during his high school and college years? His current, entry-level job at Doughboy inc. is the first job he’s ever had. So he’s got, like, loads of credibility with me.

Considering that wayne can actually link to credible sources of information, he has loads of credibility with most others.

All this depends on the criteria for freedom. Maybe for some people, the ability to not have to pay for a car and insurance and gas, is freedom. Someone doesn’t need that in order to live their life.

Wow, Swandog, that was a pretty shitty swipe at Alie. Maz made a broad statement about gov’t workers which Alie’s parents both are. Of course she is going to take it personally because it directly affects her.

No that is the problem. It is not about her specific situation. We all live to some degree with hypocrocy. We all have to work. Please do not make every situation about your situation. Life is hard, her parents work god bless them. I hope they win the lottery and post on mnspeak for the rest of thier lives but, it is not about them or alie. Your parents have value because they work, I praise, support, and want the best for them. That said it is not about you.

swandog, knock it off. Maz makes personal assertions all the time, so do lots of others. Don’t like it? Well, don’t let the door hit ya where the good lord hit ya.

I’m surprised that number isn’t higher. It’s the marriage thing that people have a problem with.

It is the marraige penalty that I have a problem with. I also am opposed to government being involved with my private life.

The best advice for a board like this is: Don’t let out personal information that you don’t eventually want to have used against you.

It is the marraige penalty that I have a problem with. I also am opposed to government being involved with my private life.

That’s a difficult thing to fix. Fix the marriage “penalty” and you’re likely to introduce a “singles penalty.”

I don’t have a problem with it, Rat, but apparently swandog does, in that he choses to make a point by being a deliberate ass.

When you have an (increasing) army of workers who can’t afford cars and gas, I’d say light rail is necessary for commerce. That’s the opinion of every other 21st-century city, anyways.

And seriously, when you’re sitting out in rush hour and you’re surrounded by a million other poor bastards, you’re part of a collectivist activity, which is rendered hilariously inefficient by making it semi-individual. Thinking more broadly, anything put in place by the government is a “collectivist” idea, and so all of us are in a position to decide which is a better way to solve the collective problem of transportation. Even Jessie freakin’ Ventura had the sanity to see that the solution was more complex than “more roads”.

That sucks. Being forced into a union and having to pay dues blows, and I have no confidence whatsoever that “fairshare” dues don’t go to political efforts.

Here, because I always have my stack of stuff at the ready, even at 10pm on a weeknight, are some of the union political contributions from 2006 to the Minnesota House DFL. This does not include what they spent on the state senate, federal or state constitutional races. Not all of the unions are state employee unions, but I include them for information’s sake.
Education Minnesota: $129,500
Lakes & Plains Regional Council Carpenters & Joiners: $100,000
SEIU Minn State Council Political Fund: $82,000
AFSCME Minn PEOPLE Cmte Council 5: 80,000
(Note: For comparison’s sake, the largest PAC contributor to House Republicans was Faegre & Benson Law PAC with $29,180. Thank you! It gave $28,000 to the House DFL.)
MN AFL-CIO: $22,350
MAPE: $19,500
Local 59 Political Fund: $15,750
Int’l Union of Operating Engineers: $15,000

And what the h*ll, for those of you staying up late I’ll throw in the added gift of tribal PAC donations even though it has nothing to do with anything in this thread…
Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux: $130,500
Mah Ma Wi No Min Fund (Mille Lacs Ojibwe): $84,000
Prairie Island Indian Community PAC: $72,500

TMI?

Kevin, this isn’t about you.

And seriously, when you’re sitting out in rush hour and you’re surrounded by a million other poor bastards, you’re part of a collectivist activity, which is rendered hilariously inefficient by making it semi-individual

I guess you’d have to ask the individuals in the cars if they feel they are part of said collectivist activity. I’m guessing that most would say trading it off would be trading in one set of problems for another set of problems. And they prefer the current set of problems.

Cut me some slack. Not being named a sexy person was quite a downer. Need to rebuilds my self-esteem.

I call bullshit on gov’t employees not doing good work because whoever makes govt cheese deserves to earn more than POTUS – that stuff is delicious!

Oh and Mother Bixby does good work as well.

Just not as good as the people who make govt cheese. But to be fair no one at any level/branch of the govt is better than them.

Bix, indeed, that gov’t cheese was delicious, but whoever decided to distribute powdered milk needs to be hung from a yardarm.

Kevie, we’re here for you!

No you’re not. I used to distribute powdered milk.

Hold me.

And seriously, when you’re sitting out in rush hour and you’re surrounded by a million other poor bastards, you’re part of a collectivist activity, which is rendered hilariously inefficient by making it semi-individual. Thinking more broadly, anything put in place by the government is a “collectivist” idea, and so all of us are in a position to decide which is a better way to solve the collective problem of transportation.

That’s not my point, jeff. The difference is in who controls when and where you go. In a car, you decide when to leave, which route to take, and where you can take your vehicle on a myriad of road options. With a train, someone else decides when you leave, where you go (the track controls that) and there’s no way society can or will build train tracks to the degree you have pavement.

But the control issue is the difference. A car enables individual action and control. With a train, someone else (the government) has all the power and control, not a lowly passenger.

I had that powdered milk too. I couldn’t figure out why we had govt food in the first place and according to Mother Bixby, periodically it was made available to anyone in our neighborhood.

In conclusion, if the city wants more people to move to North Mpls and stay there, they best start providing a govt cheese incentive. If not, I’m moving to Kenwood as soon as I make my first million.

No you’re not. I used to distribute powdered milk.

Hold me.

The first step in healing is to ask for forgiveness, kev…now go get me some govn’t cheese republican lackey!

Kevie, we’re here for you!

That’s right Kwatt… cry to Alie about not being a sexy hottie. She’ll make it allllll better.

She only likes me for my access to the cheese.

Such is the story of my life.

not a lowly passenger.

Why the adjective? It’s not a surrender as much as a choice.

That passenger is free from car payments. Free from insurance payments. Free from paying $4 per gallon for gas.

Who’s lowly and who isn’t depends on your point of view.

That’s not my point, jeff. The difference is in who controls when and where you go. In a car, you decide when to leave, which route to take, and where you can take your vehicle on a myriad of road options. With a train, someone else decides when you leave, where you go (the track controls that) and there’s no way society can or will build train tracks to the degree you have pavement.

But the control issue is the difference. A car enables individual action and control. With a train, someone else (the government) has all the power and control, not a lowly passenger.

sounds like an anarchist maz. Give me freedom or give me deaht.

“lowly” only in terms of control. The peprson driving a car is the person who decides when to go, where to go, how fast to go, etc. They are the activist. The train passenger is a victim of someone else’s idea of when to go, where to go, how fast to go, etc. They have no control. They are passive participants. Lowly. Passive participants.

She only likes me for my access to the cheese.

Such is the story of my life.

Aww, kevs…too much wine tonight?

Passive participants.

Sometimes I like to be lowly… and passive

Passive participants.

Sometimes I like to be lowly… and passive

If you are actively choosing to get on the train, how is that being a victim or passive? The control is in the choice.
Jeez, you make it sound like lockdown travel.

my first double post!!! ya hoo!

“The train passenger is a victim of someone else’s idea of when to go, where to go, how fast to go, etc”

Maybe to them, the automobile driver is a victim of another kind. Am I a victim of the whims of the oil market? — Damn straight I am. They are raking in billions off my back, and yours. What is your answer? — cut their taxes. They won’t thank you, because they don’t care about you. Maybe in a perfect world they shouldn’t. I don’t know.

They have no control. They are passive participants. Lowly. Passive participants.

So are we all, every time we fill up at the pumps.

The train passenger is a victim of someone else’s idea of when to go, where to go, how fast to go, etc.

How is driving a car on predetermined roads run by the government any less passive? You have to follow speed limits or risk a ticket. You can’t just decide to drive through a random field because you decided to… by your reasoning the field owner could deflate your tires.

Until they invent a better jetpack, we are all passive travelers.

The difference is in who controls when and where you go. In a car, you decide when to leave, which route to take, and where you can take your vehicle on a myriad of road options. With a train, someone else decides when you leave, where you go (the track controls that) and there’s no way society can or will build train tracks to the degree you have pavement.

And when you’re sitting on that parking lot that used to be I94, you’re most definitely in control of when you can move.

And of course, building all of that pavement certainly doesn’t require any “coillectivist” action to pay for it, build it, or even decide where it gets laid down.

Must be the night nurse came to change old man maz’s depends.

Until they invent a better jetpack, we are all passive travelers.

Like this?

Must be the night nurse came to change old man maz’s depends.

Can’t be. Teucer’s mom just left my place.

Wait, are you guys all arguing about the free will and level of oppression associated with different forms of transportation?

Srsly?

Look, until teleportation becomes an option or you can just wish yourself to work, every form of transportation is going to involve the man keeping you down.

That said, drivers do things like this and users of public transportation do things like that.

Now can we return to the more relevent topic of how one might go about procuring govt cheese. I get paid on Friday, so I’m willing to pay top dollar for a brick of the govt cheese.

I’ll bet they keep bricks of it at Fort Knox with the gold. And I bet that, given the way the economy has been going, the value of the dollar will be tied to govt cheese.

I’m a full union member. I support my union, they just can’t legally support me. Hmmmm.

But the reason I no longer work for the union is because they are a little shady. I had tons of fun as a union organizer, but the free beer and weed got old and the misuse of funds hit me at the core. The last straw was when they made me work on the Gore campaign knowing I was voting for Nader.

As to skills being untransferable, it is because the private sector doesn’t believe we do stuff that they do in their business. They think their project management is different from ours or that their computer programming is different. But we do the exact same jobs, just at less pay.

Congrats on the $1500!

or that their computer programming is different

To be fair, we are using programming that was created about 60 years ago.

Oh, and they also teach business processes modeling here, which is also pretty outdated. So…

We use Windows here, too.

Thanks. I had no idea they did that sort of thing. And here I was bitching about gov’t employment. Heh.

and fair enough Ang, but it doesn’t mean we couldn’t learn the new way in like 5 seconds. People just think gov’t employees are dumb.

wow I’m glad that my work experience has such an impact on my credibility, and not, like, my ability to research and think critically.

PS, Mr. Tester, you’re a damn fool and a liar. I certainly did work in college, you piece of shit.

Wayne, get it under control. Attack the points, not the man.

and fair enough Ang, but it doesn’t mean we couldn’t learn the new way in like 5 seconds. People just think gov’t employees are dumb.

We’re not dumb, it’s just that the process to change our systems would take a really, really long time. It’s too expansive, and by the time we would finish an upgrade, it’d be time for another upgrade.

People just think gov’t employees are dumb.

New state employee slogan: We can brain today!

hey, dennis doesn’t feel any need to work with points. he seems to think it’s totally cool to make attacks on my person when I’m not even around.

why is it he still has an account again?

I want Maz and Wayne to duke it out tonight at the meetup.

Well, try not to stoop to his level.

I don’t stoop to violence, that’s for sure. I’d consider making an exception for his holy trollness, though.

But seriously, max, if he’s going around shit-talking me when I’m off sick, I’m going to defend myself.

Watch out for his famious “submarine punch,” wayne.

He calls it “the Polarus.”

Or what that something else?

Don’t be deliberately obtuse, Wayne. Defend yourself all you like. Just don’t fling insults around.

I’m most worried about him having PTSD flashbacks and trying to mount me.

I just don’t get why it’s ok for him to fling his shit around like there’s no tomorrow and as soon as I say something back I get chastened. If you’re going to let him do it, don’t have a double standard. At least delete his shit instead of just tut-tutting him and watching him carry on as usual.

as soon as I say something back I get chastened.

I think you mean “chastised” wayno.

I would assume you’re above “Well, he gets away with it, so I should too.”

Also, while Maz was wrong about you, he didn’t call you a piece of shit. I know it seems like a subtle distinction, but its an important one.

And, Maz, if you don’t actually know what you’re talking about, especially when it regards other people on this site, you might want to be smart enough to keep your mouth shut.

Wayne, totally understand your anger and I tried to stick up for you, but I think Max is trying to say that Maz is merely trying to get a rise out of you and get you whipped into a frenzy by calling you out. But, you are creative with the different ways to call someone an a-hole.

He IS creative with the a-hole calling, I’ll give him that.

Alie’s point is good as well. Maz has shown himself to have trollish tendencies in the past, and, if he’s enjoying pissing you off, he might say things just to get that response.

By the way, Maz, if I get a whiff of you doing that, you’ll get to move on to your next favorite whine: “Why is Max deleting my comment? It’s just not faiiiirrrr!”

If I were you, I’d be worried he might track you down and let the air out of your bike tires.

By the way, Maz, if I get a whiff of you doing that, you’ll get to move on to your next favorite whine

Somewhere in Mac Groveland there’s a fat old guy sitting at (chained to?) in nothing but his thick glasses and frayed and skidmarked tighty whities cackling in delight as wayne gets his panties in a bunch.

ok fair enough.
also thx for the correction rat. not enough coffee this morning.