President Biden: The NEW one and only politics thread

I've never been disappointed by Armstrong's writing. If C-SPAN Books still exists and she's on, don't miss her.

 

May 15 is something of a high holy day in this state, the general fishing opener. The Minnesota GOP just sent a release bashing Tim Walz for not spending ENOUGH time in Otter Tail County at the Governor's Fishing Opener event fishing with the locals (he apparently went out at sunrise, caught a perch and was headed back to St. Paul before 8 a.m.) when the parties are miles apart on a state budget. Because Minnesota is a part-time legislature, they are constitutionally obligated to adjourn at midnight Monday, so that is nominally due in three days. A special session is all but inevitable, and if they don't have a budget by, I believe, mid-June, there's a government shutdown. On the other hand, I'm sure their comms department had the "Walz wasted the whole day fishing instead of giving relief to all those hardworking job creators and Minnesota families" release go to waste today.

 

I've been in Florida for just over 20 years and I've never seen a legislative session that so attacked the citizens of the state. What was done this spring in Tallahassee will reverberate for years.

 

I watched it religiously when Brian Lamb hosted. Haven’t seen it in years.

 

Weaksville. Go Rep. Ryan!

 

I was at a gathering last night. My local state rep came in. He and I are regular acquaintances - not buddies, not even friends, but when we meet, we shake hands, slap backs, and discuss the state of the State; I have his cell number, and if I called right now, he'd answer... anyway - and I told him we needed to have a talk. I said, "Not tonight. We're at a party. But soon. It won't make a difference, but we're gonna talk." He said, "I know; I know." My point was made without really brining up anything.
He talks a good game when he's in town, but when he's at the capitol, he toes the party line. He knows that I'm one of the few people who actually follow the state legislature.

 

My state senator was as close to sane as an Alabama Republican gets and would actually listen to people. The the governor made him head of the parole board, so we are having a special election in July to anoint the Trump drone coming up behind him.

 

Vile creep

 

I don’t know who her editors are, but if they have any sort of backbone, they call up this guy’s communications people and tell them that if their guy pulls another stunt like this again, you’ll provide zero coverage of his events except for brief mentions that he’s a candidate. No quotes. No profiles. If he’s elected, you’ll report on his votes. If he’s at any events, all there is is one sentence that indicates he attended the event.

Yes, you have a duty to your readers. But have some dignity and don’t give every asshole a forum just because of who they are.

 

Most of the people who follow this guy probably don't read newspapers.