Minnesota: The social conservatives are in control!

Checks & Balances ^ | Apr 29, 2003 | Checks & Balances

[jdege]

The GAGG Session

Yesterday’s nearly 8-hour debate in the Senate on the Conceal & Carry legislation is the last piece to our acronym for this legislative session, which is G-A-G-G. It stands for Gays, Abortion, Gambling and Guns. These are the issues that have played feature roles this legislative session and all emanated from the state House.

The renegotiation of the state employee contract to remove the provision for domestic partnership benefits began the moniker. This followed by the 24-hour Waiting Period for Abortion and rapidly on its heels the Racino bill for slot machines at Canterbury Park. Finally, the Conceal and Carry legislation round everything out to GAGG.

The double entendre for the word gag is also appropriate since the opinion of the minority on each issue is fairly easily squelched. The social conservatives are in control and they are principally the Republicans in both Houses, but many DFLers are supporting the same issues.

The distraction of the social agenda is divisive and manipulative. These issues tear at the fabric of the state. The discussion is counterproductive to moving ahead to solve the budget crisis because the Senate majority is smarting from the defeats they are experiencing at the hands of the functional conservative majority. There are few arrows left in the quiver for Senate Majority Leader John Hottinger (DFL-23, St. Peter).

Sure the Senate has yet to take up the confirmations of Governor Pawlenty’s cabinet, but in the larger question of accomplishments what does that mean. The blocking of Commissioner candidates isn’t a very large bargaining chip.

So far the House is handing the Senate their lunch and the bread may be dry and moldy, but the Senate is eating it nonetheless. The time of Roger Moe is a by gone era. The man who could pull a rabbit from out of any hat is no longer on the stage.

[jdege]

The distraction of the social agenda is divisive and manipulative.

Aw, gee!

[JohnnyZ]

MWA-HA-HA-HAAA!!!!!!

Tim Pawlenty for Prez!!!!

[WorkingClassFilth]

As a Minnesotan, I can savor the howls of despair from our homegrown communists with sensibilities that have been refined over a lifetime of scandanavian socialist sanctimony.

The control of our House of Representatives, the Governorship, the passage of a 24 hour waiting period and fully informed abortion law and, yesterday, the passage of a 'shall issue' concealed carry reform law are more earth shaking here than the San Andreas fault.

On the whole, life is good.

[Atlas Sneezed]

Guns are a social issue?

[Johnny Gage]

Absitively Posilutely...

You know we're on the right track when the DIMS are crying in their Spring Water like the babies they are.

[wjcsux]

You need to give them some cheese with that whine!

[onehipdad]

Now I'm not surprised that, like NYC, LA & Philly, the Dixie Chicks have TWO nights scheduled, for St. Paul...

[Shooter 2.5]

A man's greatest pleasure is to defeat his enemies, to drive them before him, to take from them that which they possessed, to see those whom they cherished in tears, to ride their horses, to hold their wives and daughters in his arms.
Genghis Khan

OK, I don't go that far but they had forty years to clean up their mess. They didn't do it. Their social experiments have caused crime to rot our cities, driven out our businesses and destroyed our schools. They have ignored the pleas of the taxpayers and bought votes with the treasury.

The next election is going to be fun.

[jdege]

I just wish the Senate was up for election in 2002, instead of 2004.

[Richard Kimball]

I just wish the Senate was up for election in 2002, instead of 2004.

Uh, either your watch stopped, or you're dead.

[Shooter 2.5]

What Richard Kimball said.

[axxmann]

The problem for the Senate is the DFLers they lack the discipline to stand unified on every issue and create an opportunity for the negotiation on issues to between the leadership of the two bodies.

The problem is the monolithic thinking of the members of the Republican House Caucus. They seem to speak with one voice on every issue and there is no room for free thought.

HUH?

[jdege]

Sorry. Make that 2004, instead of 2006.

The redistricting of 2000 meant that all of the Senate ran for reelection in 2002, for four-year terms, and won't face reelection until 2006.

(Minnesota doesn't have "classes" of Senator seats, the way the US Senate does. They'll all come up for reelection together, save for special elections due to vacancies.)

[Shooter 2.5]

I just hope the voters have long memories.

In the meantime, we're going to have more advances across the country with the CCW laws. I hope someone keeps a transcript of all the lies the dems used yesterday. It might come in handy someday.

[WorkingClassFilth]

"You need to give them some cheese with that whine!"

Nah.

I favor the dismantling of the welfare state and subsidized programs like free cheese distribution. If these cockroaches want to nibble food they don't grow or earn, they'll starve in my brave new world.

[Valin]

The distraction of the social agenda is divisive and manipulative

OMG!! Anything but that. Now I feel real bad.