"As I see it, Minneapolis is a bastion of freedom when compared to many other parts of the country. I am free to speak my mind here. I am free to live my life as I choose without having to worry about the government watching my every move. I can pick up my phone and talk to my city council person, and hear directly from the people who run my city. The people have a lot of power here. I feel that the city has protected my rights better than other parts of the state and most of the rest of the country. I can go to meetings and tell my leaders face to face, what I think. Personal rights are still important here."<
Now me:
I am one of those "liberal democrats" that Peter Vevang is describing, but honestly I do not see his point. Where exactly in that sea of red in this country cannot Peter Vevang enjoy the exact same freedoms? And which rights has Minneapolis protected for him more than they are protected in other cites in this country? I also am getting a bit "tired" of my fellow liberals thinking Minneapolis is the last bastion of freedom in a red sea of a republican fascist state. It happens to be America and whether in "red" republican areas, or "blue" democratic ones the personal freedom is about the same. The world, and our democratic republic, did not end because Democrats did not pick the right candidate to run in the last election, or work hard enough in other states to get him elected. We just have to pick better people and work harder next time. Heck folks, that is the way our Democratic Republic works. In the last twelve years there have been reports (That I clearly remember) and worry that each of the parties, the Republican Party and now the Democrat Party, were dead. All because they chose wrong, or did not work hard enough, and lost some elections, but neither time did such talk mean duddely squat. Though I would have preferred a Democratic President, I am not sure the average Minneapolitan will notice that drastic of a life style change. The four years will be only a ripple onto the shore of our great country, not a tsunami. Over time they might wear down our Minneapolis shoreline, but not in four years.
Minneapolis will continue on. Even though we are the last great hope for liberal humanity in a GREAT red sea of the unwashed of mind, we will seek to preserver. We do, however, have another election coming up that can indeed impact our lives. The City election for Mayor and City Council will likely have far more impact on our lives than the national scene. These are the people that are required by law to supply the police to protect you, to give you public services like water, sewer, garbage pickup, clean & plow the streets, and most important spend our money. It is the City whose inspectors can condemn your house. It is the City that can allow drug dealers to stand ten deep in front of your door (which they have mine and some in the Jordan Neighborhood in the past)! It is the City that can decide. Federal dollars come through the City, not directly to the people. Most State programs come through the City. In the very long term the Federal government can impact your quality of life, but it is the City that can immediately destroy your lifestyle, or improve your lifestyle if the City politicians so choose. And the ONLY accounting we have from those City politicians is during the year they are elected.
So people need to organize and get to those DFL caucuses if they want change in the City of Minneapolis. Cause it is the DFL that controls this City, and it will be three years before a City politician will need to listen to you again. It is the only "reckoning" we will get. If you believe the City Council Members and Mayor kept their promises and did a good job then go vote for their delegates. If you believe the CM's and the Mayor forgot all promises as soon as elected, then hold them accountable and go vote to throw them the hell out of office; because they deceived us and did not improve the City. The choice is ours.
Remember, the election is not about who is friendly, popular, cute and likeable, or who can tell me and you exactly what we want to hear in order to get elected. The election is about who will get the job done. Part of that is to account for how well that person remembered and kept his or her promises from last time. I'm talking real substance here, not just more fluff promises. If there has not been real substance to their promises then lets toss them the hell out and start with some new ones who might keep their promises. The time to vote to throw them out only comes every four years, and it is the ONLY reckoning the people of Minneapolis get (if you discount the couple of "elected" politicians who went to jail in the last four years).
Jim Graham,
Ventura Village Neighborhood, Phillips Community, Sixth Ward of Minneapolis, in the Fifth Congressional District of the "Great Blue State of Minnesota"
"If you're ridin' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it's still there."
- Will Rogers
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