Category: Economy

by Dave Mindeman

Minnesota has the 5th fastest growing economy in the nation.

That is pretty significant. Our neighbor, North Dakota, takes top honors and by a lot....they have a 13.4% increase in growth. The next highest is Texas a 4.8%. Of course, North Dakota is benefitting from the Bakken oil boom....and a lot of their growth is fueled by scrambling to keep up with the needed development around that.

In fact, the Bureau of economic statistics attributes 3.26% of that North Dakota's growth from mining alone. Mining in North Dakota would rank 11th in the nation for economic growth.

Considering the fact that North Dakota didn't really do much to specifically earn that growth, we will just acknowledge it and move on.

Two other states in the top 10 - Texas and West Virginia - also derived a significant portion of their growth from mining according to the bureau. As Governor Perry gives his Texas sized speeches about economic growth, he should bear that in mind.

Oregon, Washington, and California are numbers 3, 4 and 5 respectively. (Actually Minnesota and California are tied at #5 in growth).

Now, these three are certainly not low tax states. In fact, conservatives like to point to California as some kind of economic model in reverse. Obviously, like a lot of other things they say, they are wrong.

As for our neighbors....Wisconsin's growth is at 1.5%, Iowa at 2.4%, and South Dakota is humming along at 0.2% growth.

Aren't these the guys who are "open for business"?

Category: GOP Politics

by Dave Mindeman

Gov. Rick Perry of Texas is keeping with the recent Texas Governor tradition....All Hat No Cattle.

In another showboat display of wasted political energy, the Governor signed the "Merry Christmas" bill.

On Thursday, Perry signed what has been dubbed the "Merry Christmas bill" into law. The measure allows schools to display religious symbols such as nativity scenes and Christmas trees so long as at least one other religious image or secular icon is also included.

In addition, the new law allows staff members and students at the state's public schools to exchange traditional holiday greetings, such as "Merry Christmas," "Happy Hanukkah," and "Happy Holidays" without fear of reprisal.

Perry, himself, put it this way.

"It's a shame that a bill like this one I'm signing today is even required; but I'm proud that we're standing up for religious freedom in this state," Perry said, "Religious freedom does not mean freedom from religion."

I have my doubts that this law will pass Constitutional muster, but it wouldn't really matter because most of all, it is just silly.

Perry's pronouncement is even sillier....

"Religious freedom does not mean freedom from religion."

I wish Perry would at least try to understand the concept. Religious freedom has always meant that we can practice our own personal religion in any way we wish, but it also means that we have freedom from state sponsorship of any one particular religion.

America is a majority Christian nation....but that does NOT mean that America is simply a Christian nation. The success of our democracy is based on embracing diversity and variety.

Americans come from all races, ethnic origins, and a variety of religious affiliations. And all of use share the same citizenship.

Nobody is prohibited from saying Merry Christmas, but when it comes to public governmental entities, emphasizing one particular religion symbolically or otherwise is prohibited or at at least has to meet restrictive criteria.

It really is the simple Golden Rule - do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Governor Perry and his followers would be outraged if Muslims decided to hold a mass prayer vigil at a school....complete with every participant bowing to Mecca. The outcry would be loud and angry.

So, why wouldn't we assume that Jewish and Islamic people would be uncomfortable with opening Christian prayers for each school day or at a public graduation ceremony or at city council meetings.

I don't think it is too much to ask for Christians to forego public displays of Christianity at government or school events. It isn't some kind of war on Christians - it is just simply courtesy - and respect.

Category: Guns

by Dave Mindeman

This is how ridiculous the debate on gun laws has become....

Even al-Qaida gloats about what's possible under U.S. gun laws. In June 2011, a senior al-Qaida operative, Adam Gadahn, released a video message rallying people to take advantage of opportunities those laws provide. "America is absolutely awash with easily obtainable firearms," Gadahn says, explaining that "you can go down to a gun show at the local convention center" and buy a gun without a background check.

That message ends with a "what are you waiting for?"

In New Jersey, Gov. Christie is actually debating whether or not he should sign a legislative bill that blocks a person on the "no fly" list from purchasing a gun. He's just not sure....

In Nevada, a universal background check bill passed the legislature and Governor Brian Sandoval quietly vetoed it.

The bill, which narrowly passed in the state Senate in May and was approved by the Assembly in June, would have also required Nevada courts to send information about legal defendants who are found to be mentally ill to a national clearinghouse for all new gun purchases within five business days after the finding.

Gov. Sandoval decided that this "was an erosion of Nevadans Constitutional right to bear arms".

Al-Qaida laughs at us. It is almost too stupid for words.

If preventing gun sales to people on no-fly lists is too much of a restriction on gun rights, then we have lost all sense of reason.

We MUST start to seriously evaluate gun sales in this country. I have no problem with legal sales. No problem with owning and keeping a gun. And I agree that we do not need a national gun registry.

But if we cannot even look at any legislation with the word gun in it, unable to evaluate it on its merits, then we have a full impasse to gun safety in this country....and the numbers of people who pay an ultimate price for that will only grow.

Al-Qaida just laughs.