David Brauer wrote:
I think this is unfair speculation on a pretty thin reed - not to mention unfair to the Greens, about whom Michael takes a half-empty attitude. He takes the position that Greens might wither if the DFL has "another shot" at the two Green seats - but I look at it as the Greens, who showed impressive clout in 2001, having "another shot" at the 10 remaining DFLers. Phyllis is often attacked as a gadfly, but if anything that track record also demonstrates independence. Given that history, I think she deserves the benefit of the doubt that she might possibly just think this is the right thing to do, regardless of the partisan consequences. PS I agree with Dor�: while this change might have merit, it is bad procedure to ex post facto truncate the current four-year terms. [TB] I'm not sure that truncating terms is any worse a procedure than to draw new lines that don't take effect until half way through the decade. The US Constitution established the census for the purpose of drawing lines, to wait 5 years for the lines to be effective is also bad procedure. Another future solution is to remove the ban on drawing new ward lines prior to establishing new state legislative districts. Had that ban not existed it would have been possible to draw lines prior to last fall's elections (the census data became available in early 2001, lines could have been drawn prior to the July filing period). I keep hearing about a possible lawsuit to force a 2003 election, some of the word even naming the lawyers who would file the suit. I'm not a lawyer, I don't even play one on TV, I have no idea how such a suit would come out but I do know that lawyers generally don't file suits that they don't think they have a chance of winning. Rep. Kahn's legislation would make Minneapolis consistent with every other type of government in the state. We will be electing the entire Legislature and County Board this fall from new districts. I think she is trying to do the right thing. Terrell Brown Loring Park [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
