Speed Gibson

I commented on another site that I might have to figure out which member of NARN's Opening Act has the best attendance record.

I spun through my Pogo recordings back to September 1 so far, which was the second Saturday of the State Fair. As I write this, I'm listening to the Final Word covering the launch of the [Look] True North site that has been a great success. I was at the Fair that day, watching it live, which has me wishing for the return of Global Warming.

The past 26 weeks contain excused absences for Thanksgiving and Christmas, so 24 is a perfect score which no host managed to receive. There was a tie for 23, shared by Mitch Berg, Michael Brodkorb, and also David Strom on his show.

But who took the most of those "well deserved" days off among the Opening Act? Chad the Elder did 15 of 24 shows. Brian (is he still "St. Paul"?) Ward appeared 18 times, but Powerline's John Hinderaker made it to the studio 20 weeks, besting the Fraters.

I'll extend this to a rolling full year later.

This race seldom is to the swift, as this week's results show once again. The worst in show - Danny Noriega and Kady Malloy move on to the round of 16.

The only one I got right was Jason Yeager. The other three were not on my radar at all. Bogus Gold got two right and a leaner so we're about even now.

I posted that Molnau should step down last month. I felt she was too unresponsive to the public after the bridge fell, innocent as she appears to be for that tragic event. I also felt that five years was enough time to show some needed, tangible, visible improvements in this department.

But that's not why Senators Pogemiller and Murphy ousted her. It was the proverbial pound of flesh. It would be most amusing to appoint Murphy as the new MnDot chief, to show off his own management skills and engineering expertise.

Adding this to the Yecke rejection, may I ask why proven, effective leaders with solid professional bona fides should accept a State Commissioner job? Particularly if it means moving to Minnesota or leaving a much more profitable private situation? I know what I would do: thank the Governor, meet with the appropriate Senate Committee for one day, and await confirmation. I wouldn't sign anything, start the job or even show up until confirmed, which had better be prompt, no more than 30 days.

Maybe that's the point, to exclude the capable to make room for local, politically motivated appointments. We lose the top flight Dr. Yecke and get Alice Seagren. No offense to her, but I think she would readily acknowledge that she's not in Yecke's league. Few are, and we'll never land another one thanks to Dean Johnson and the DFL chapter of Education Minnesota.

My guess for Molnau's successor? Peter Bell.

As you know, I support almost all Operating Levy referendums for public school districts. Their Boards should have the power anyway. That's why we elect them and we can turn them out if we don't like what's happening.

Earlier, I had thought that Robbinsdale (281) should consider trying again in 2008 to pass theirs. It would have been difficult in a Presidential year according to the statistics, but I thought the situation acute enough and now clear enough to carry the day. No longer.

The mortgage/foreclosure "crisis" will probably last the rest of the year. Gasoline could hit $4 a gallon we're told. The job market is soft, no question. If there was a chance, the Legislature grabbed what's left of our discretionary income to buy another toy train.

Superintendent Stan Mack was right all along. They should hang on, maybe even consider a reform or two, and wait until 2009.

Flush with new money, the Central Corridor light rail project is charging ahead, agreeing on the route linking downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul. It will cost a projected $909 million, which is about $1.5 billion in real money, not to mention the deferred but certain to be added stations, parking, and some solution to the proposed closing of the Washington Avenue bridge to traffic.

And we don't need it. We have excellent transit already. Here is how the Central Corridor compares for morning rush hour from Minneapolis to St. Paul:

• Bus 94D (freeway express), 32 min, $2.75
• Light rail, 35 min, $0.00-$2.00 (honor system)
• Bus 94B (freeway), 40 min, $2.75
• Bus 50, 43 min, $2.00
• Bus 16, 52 min, $2.00

Besides the cost, well over $10 a ride like the Hiawatha Line, we will also pay in human tragedy when 10 ton rail cars take on pedestrians and cars.

This was definitely not Ladies Night. I dare say the best acts of the night - Carly and Syesha - were bested by at least three of the boys last night. Seven of the ten had serious pitch problems, typically in the soft passages and lower notes.

Carly Smithson couldn't quite land "Crazy On You" but certainly did well enough to be safe. Syesha Mercado's voice carried her through a bad song choice and a horrible arrangement. Honorable mention goes to Brooke White, whose one mistake was scoring it below her range, causing pitch problems.

Kady Malloy's "Magic Man" was the worst by far. She missed every note, had no power, and showed no stage presence at all. Joining her I think will be Amanda Overmyer, but Asia'h Epperson was just about as bad.

Amanda should have been the one doing "Crazy On You" instead of Carly. She might have won the night with it. But she was lost doing Kansas, no fit at all for her. There was a flash of brilliance, but otherwise she wandered in and out of key. Let's face it, she's a one trick pony, might as well leave now.

Asia'h was the final act, usually selected by the producers to have the show finish strong. I was initially happy with the song choice, even if the judges weren't, as it's a perfect vehicle to start small and finish big. Epperson couldn't handle it, though, partially because she was somewhat victimized by another shoddy Rickey Minor arrangement. Mostly, though, she just doesn't have the vocal range for this song, and this song doesn't require anything exceptional.

The rest of the performances were entirely forgettable.

So, I say that Kady and Amanda leave tomorrow night, but Asia'h should start packing her bags, too.

I haven't heard any Democrat or news account deny it, so I'll accept the GOP claim that the "Transportation" bill is indeed the largest tax increase in state history. Then I remembered that this isn't even supposed to be a budget year, just a bonding year.

It's not like this was a carry-over. Spending for the biennium was increased about 9% in last year's session, well above inflation once again. Now it's what, about 11-12% higher?

And they're not done yet. We have a deficit to close, probably another billion or so. There's a K-12 finance "reform" bill coming that reportedly will seek another billion. That and a "need" to compensate for the regressive taxes just passed clearly means the DFL will want more corporate and personal income taxes. With the new support of the excommunicated six House RINO's, only the DFL itself can prevent another record tax increase.

It's 70's week, a rather dismal decade musically I think.

There were two top acts - David Hernandez singing an authentic "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" and David Archuleta singing a creative version of "Imagine" to close the night.

Luke Menard and Chikezie who should have left last week did much better this week. Luke hit some difficult notes and sequences on key and Chikezie found a perfect song to show off his R&B skills.

There was one clear loser - Danny Noriega who missed almost every note on the way to ruinging a Carpenters song, not easily done. But two will go home, and the other should either be Jason Yeager or David Cook, both of whom did bar band songs. I had hoped for better from Yeager.

The rest get a C but should be safe. Michael Johns didn't light my fire, sounded like he was trembling. Jason Castro was annoying dull. Robbie Carrico was more like "warm blooded" but otherwise stayed on key.

So, put me down for Noriega and ... hmmm ... Yeager going home on Thursday.

Let's not forget about the 41 principled House members that voted no, earmarks be damned, to sustain the veto of the Transit Tax bill. In fact, I have an idea that maybe someone better connected might consider implementing.

How about setting up a campaign fund mechanism where we the grateful toss in a symbolic $41 donation toward the 2008 House races of the courageous 41 and worthy challengers to the other 6?

There have to be many thousands of us mad enough to make this modest contribution really add up.

I am recording Willie and Jay this week for my morning drive radio reviews of 2008. Jay noted that Rep. Jim Abeler also made news in 2001. It seems he was making big money renting his properties to charter schools, and of course, voting money for charter schools in the Legislature.

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I don't know if this just started, but I also heard the return of the "move to Sioux Falls" ads.

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FYI, I happened to hear WCCO's Al Malmberg around 4 AM or so Monday morning before the veto. Even he was disgusted by all this money being spent on Light Rail. This isn't a party line issue as KSTP's polling showed. No demographic favored this bill.

The war is over. Our standard of living will drop again, this time largely to pay for another shiny new Light Rail system. Forgive me if I decide not to play along.

The gasoline tax is going up by 2 cents a gallon immediately as I understand it, and by 3 cents more on September 1. We use a little under 100 gallons a month, so that's an additional $2 now, $5 in September. We would have to cut our consumption by 10% now, 25% in September to equalize the tax bite, which is a bit difficult. I have a better idea.

I occasionally take the bus to work, like when my son needs the car or it's at the shop. A rush hour trip is $4 round trip, $3 otherwise. This is a bit more than the gasoline and other car expenses would total, but there are three upsides. One, I have to walk 24-48 minutes on such days depending on the exact time and route, which burns some calories, which is good. Two, it saves maybe a dime of state gas tax.

The third positive is that Metro Transit is heavily subsidized, the fare box paying maybe one third. So that round trip costs the MTC another $3 per day. Granted, there are fixed and variable costs in that number, but clearly just three extra days a month should position me as reducing my net contribution to Light Rail.

Actually, I like riding the bus, and after all, that's what the self-appointed transit experts like Senator Murphy want me to do, right? I'm only too happy to oblige, to drive less - and pay less net tax - for a better Minnesota.

The Republican Party stands for nothing if not at least holding the line on taxation. Without that, we are at best simply more thoughtful Democrats.

I therefore conclude that the six turncoats who voted to override the Veto today should be asked to answer the following question:

What has changed from last year?

These House members voted to sustain the veto of a smaller, but still absurdly bloated bill in 2007. Yet now in 2008, they vote for an even larger bill. We had a surplus last year, a deficit this year. They didn't even wait for the forecast, as I asked my DFL representatives to do.

The obvious answer is the I-35W bridge collapse. Would passing the 2007 bill have prevented that? Not according to the National Transportation Safety Board and the Legislative Auditor. And what does Light Rail have to do with any of this? Nothing; it is what is always was: pork.

No, barring some other creative, credible answer, these six should be shown the GOP door. If they can't get this right, (and even our big-spending Prime Minister Pawlenty can!), we cannot depend on them for the rest. The income tax rates will be jacked up next, no doubt with their help.

The irony is obvious. We would have been better off passing last year's bill. We will at least be better off when these six are last year's Representatives, no matter who takes their place.

I am still sitting on the sidelines as far as McCain is concerned. Oh I'll vote for him, but I'll need more convincing before asking others to do the same. Still, I felt a thrill going up my leg over the New York Times hit piece and McCain's smooth rebuff.

I have a question for the Senator: what if the Times had run this with less than 60 days before the general election? Care to rethink your campaign finance law?

I thought MnDot - the Minnesota Department of Transportation - was dysfunctional according to Senator Murphy and his DFL friends. Yet the DFL wants to give them billions more to mismanage?

I'm sending an email to my DFL representatives regarding the transit tax bill. I don't think I'm asking too much.

What's the hurry? You have all session to override the veto of the Transportation Bill. Certainly you can wait two weeks, insignificant in terms of any related construction.

One week is to allow for more public input, given that there are significant changes you made less than a week ago. You owe us that much given the size of the tax increases in this bill.

By then, the new revenue forecast will be out, and you yourself will need a second week to see if further changes are warranted, depending on the size of the deficit.

Whatever decision you might make this Monday, you'll make a more informed, more credible decision on March 10th or after.

I doubt this problem is unique to Minnesota. No matter what the state Constitution says about its Legislature being part time, career legislators will work the edges to create a defacto full time Legislature.

Minnesota is a prime example. Yes, the time when they can actually pass Legislation is limited, but that doesn't stop it from creating make-work for the off season, as in endless committees. There are seminars, presentations, and conventions to attend and junkets to see other cities' light rail, stadiums, etc.

If I understand this new Transportation Contingent Appropriations Group (TCAG) concept, the Legislature has now granted itself some off-season Executive authority over transportation projects. For the first time, they have also announced their desire to call themselves into session.

The war is over. We essentially now have a full time Legislature. It's for the wrong reasons, DFL reasons in fact, because this arrangement suits their chosen and/or preferred life style: public sector employment.

If we're going to remove this bias, which is to say return to the spirit of the citizen legislature envisioned 150 years ago, we have to make it feasible for most citizens to consider running for the Legislature.

Currently, base salary for a Legislator is a little over $31,000 I believe, and it hasn't been adjusted for some time. It's probably too low. It obviously precludes many talented people who make significantly more from considering Legislative service.

The perfect plan as proposed by economist Dr. Walter E. Williams would be to pay them $1 million a year IF they agree to stay away from the Capitol! That would more than pay for itself. But seriously, what if we set the pay at, say, $250,000? Almost anyone could afford to serve at that salary (and no per diems at all). But we'd never get rid of them.

I think we should focus on entry and exit. What if we set the pay at the your second highest income the past five years, or $35,000, whichever is higher. Further, you get a generous severance when you leave, like 10% per year served, up to one year's worth. Maybe more, but whatever is sufficient to allow you to transition back to your old life or profession.

Yes, that means some Legislators would be paid significantly more than others. But today's equality of pay is creating great inequity of service. And as we've seen, the pay really isn't equal today, thanks to per diem abuse. Let's look at it as buying hours, and some people's hours cost more than others.

One other detail: pensions for Legislators should be eliminated even if we change nothing else. Create 401K style alternatives so they can continue to fund their retirement directly.

I know it will never happen as I've described, especially when you have to get the Legislature, the majority of whom like the current system, vote on it.

I did a detailed review of Bill Bennett's Morning in America last April 2006, where I said that smart as he is, he never gets very deep into an issue. I think that's still a valid assessment.

Bennett doesn't take the straightest path to most points, though occasionally he does get in a profundity. He's too laid back for the time constraints of the program, the longest segment being about 13 minutes including the bumps in and out. He spends too much time setting up the perfect question rather than simply guide his guests and callers. As a reliable commenter observed, he's more suited to overnights. Remember Hobb's House anyone, where Franklin Hobbs ran WCCO all night?

I do see that we've lost another minute to the commercials since then, basically all those "Bulova studios" and "E-Fax" sneaks in the bumps. Net content is now down to just over 33 minutes per hour. (I measure that as from when the host starts talking to when the host stops talking each segment.)

I batted .500 guessing who would get voted off American Idol this week. I had the right girls, Joanne Borgella and Amy Davis, but the baddest boys will compete next week. Garrett Haley would have been my third choice to go, but a mild surprise was to see Colton Berry leave before Luke Menard and Chikezie.

Bogus Gold again this season has the best Idol coverage in the MOB and he didn't see Colton leaving, either.

AAA found the phrase I was looking for, calling the DFL's so-called Transportation Bill what it truly is: the Transit Tax Bill. As I read it, about 75% of the new money could wind up in the Central Corridor Light Rail Project alone. It's all about Transit and it's certainly all about Taxes.

It's not about transportation, that much is certain. We need to change the language like the Democrats do so often. Don't miss a chance to correct anyone calling this the Transportation Bill.

Again, the field is very weak this season, which maybe stands to reason. The field of amateur wanna-be's has been plowed six times before.

I must say that Amanda Overmyer is a definite exception, unique, fun, and good within her chosen style. And Carly Smithson has the best pure voice in the competition - boy or girl. But we're going to have to snore for a few weeks while we vote out most of the rest.

Two must go this week, so put me down for Amy Davis and Joanne Borgella, with Brook White in the wings.

I think it's time for another swing through the radio dial, to see what's new and old in morning radio. Last time I did multiple day, all hours samples. This time, I'm just going to do some one day, 6 AM to 8 AM samples, starting with Bill Bennett's show tomorrow. I think I'll limit myself to 3 shows a week, too, Tuesdays through Thursdays.

One thing I'm particularly curious about is whether there are more commercials now, like all those "our phone lines are sponsored by Schmidlap's Sundries" when coming back from the breaks.

This isn't going to be pretty. Season seven is the worst collection of guys by far. The only one I totally liked was the last one, Michael Johns who did Light My Fire. I'm hopeful for Jason Yeager, who did Moon River, not perfect, but close enough. The competition could use a Michael Buble style alternative.

Two will go, and those should clearly be "Chikezie" (out of date by decades) and Luke Menard (wrong look, wrong song, can't sing).

We have the per diem scandal, where our Legislature has cleverly raised their own pay, possibly illegally, certainly immorally. Many committees and meetings were formed to help run up those tabs. We have a proposal to allow the Legislature to call itself into Special Session at will, which would require a Constitutional Amendment. We can gripe all we want, but the concept of a part-time citizen Legislature is long since dead. Short of locking down the Capitol and associated offices, again by Constitutional Amendment, it's time for the Republicans to drop such talk. There is as much chance of that as enacting term limits, given who has to vote on it.

But some reform on per diem itself may be possible. Virtually every city and county howled, yet significant Eminent Domain reform was passed recently. The Legislators smelled the fear and anger over Kelo decision and largely had to go along. The people understood it. Ditto the U. S. House Bank and Post Office scandals that helped the GOP take the Congress in 1994. The people understood it.

So how do we frame the per diem scandal? It is every bit a scandal going back to the days of former per-diem and expense account champion Bill Luther. We have to present it in terms the people readily get. Can I overdraw my checking account? You mean corporations can move me off my land just because they promise to pay more taxes?

I'd even invoke a little Management 101. You have two salaried employees, identical in almost every way, including results however measured. But Nerlman spends 60-70 hours a week, while Bob works pretty close to 40 hours a week, maybe even a little under. Who is the better employee?

Nerlman could make a good case if he produced even 20 percent more output. But he doesn't. Instead, those hours of dedication are somewhat of a liability. There's no excess capacity. He's more likely to let you down for illness or unforeseen absences. You can't as readily send him on business trips, for the backlog will overwhelm him when he returns.

So, who's the better Legislator? Committee chair Nerlman who holds 120 days of hearings in the off-season? Or Bob, who gets his work done smoothly during the session, and goes home to his family and day job when he's supposed to?

The truth be told, Legislator Nerlman is incompetent, and if taking per diem for all those hearings, possibly dishonest. The Legislature has time constraints, as in many professions. A surgeon has only so long to to perform a heart bypass operation, and there are no coffee breaks. A lawyer has to be to court on time and risks contempt citations for plainly wasting the court's time. A sports reporter has only so long after the game to make deadline. In fact, no employer will give you endless time to achieve results, even in the public sector. We aren't going to wait forever for that new I-35W bridge.

If Bob can do his work and go home, why can't Nerlman? The expectations are in the Constitution. I'll give him a pass if it's his first term, but he has no excuse after that. Arguments that all those extra hearings make for better legislation are unprovable, and again, not recognized by the Minnesota Constitution. In fact, it's the Nerlmans that create the crazy quilt of school finance formulas that districts are constantly recomputing before making any significant decisions.

Nerlman's bus formula requires a fancy calculator. Bob just pays the IRS mileage rate. And if it's at all close, the districts will obviously opt for the latter. Again, who is the better legislator?

Bob.

NASCAR is back, with the 50th running of the Daytona 500 today, which I'm just starting to watch on the DVR. Normally I skip over much of the pre-race, but wow, did NASCAR do a nice job.

There were old cars parading while several acts each representing a decade performed. And there was Chubby Checker "on the pole" starting the field with "Let's Twist Again." He looked great and sounded great. Brooks and Dunn closed it out, with the black #3 car of the late Dale Earnhardt Sr parked in front.

There was the usual flyover, fireworks, and a fantastic rendition of the National Anthem by Trisha Yearwood. I'm going to have to pick up a CD or two of hers.

The NFL halftime committee should take note.

The Transportation Bill is front and center. We're all talking about what it is and isn't. It's going to be rammed through or be the focus of the their fall Legislative campaign. I've said this before, but I think we're still missing the point: Light Rail.

Of course there's pork in the Transportation Bill and the Bonding Bill. But let's not hesitate to name the biggest slab by far: Light Rail.

We have plenty of money for roads and bridges, particularly if the urban/rural allocation is adjusted by usage, not by politics. There's no need to raise taxes except for one reason: Light Rail.

Maybe it's not getting much attention because our Prime Minister has been walking both sides of this street. He's agog about rail service from Big Lake and signed off on another $70 million for planning the Central Corridor line. As such, he can only so go far when demanding cost/benefit justification on all projects because in McCain fashion he went soft on: Light Rail.

If I were a Legislator I would vote no on any bill containing money for any new Light Rail construction. We have to live with Hiawatha, and fund its endless deficits. But no more, please. For it sure looks to me like the biggest boondoggle in the 150 year history of Minnesota is: Light Rail.

My friends, please. You're all excited how Prime Minister Pawlenty has his veto pen ready for this year's legislative session. I'm glad, too, but let's keep some perspective.

As Governor from 1999 through 2002, Jesse Ventura and his "Big Plan" increased total state spending by 30 percent in just 4 years, from $32.7 billion to $42.7 billion. This is total spending per biennium - "all funds" - not just the general fund usually referenced. The general fund went up 26 percent, but it's the total spending that counts.

The first six years of Pawlenty will have increased total state spending by another 30 percent, from $42.7 billion to $55.4 billion per biennium. Year six is as passed in the biennium budget from last session and certainly will be revised slightly this session, but this won't affect the six year total much. (The General Fund went up 29 percent.)

I don't blame Mr. Pawlenty entirely. He was spectacular in dealing with the mega-honking deficit in 2003, but spending still went up over 7 percent that biennium, a little over the inflation rate. He collapsed in 2005 as we all know, then rebounded in 2007 when the over-confident, out of touch DFL leadership tried to both ignore and corner Pawlenty. It was close, great fun really watching Larry Pogemiller et al get schooled by our state's most adroit politician. But while the vetoes held, the spending still went up over 9 percent for the biennium.

Let me also observe that we got some tax relief and rebates from Governor Ventura, and the school portion of our property taxes was eased. As I'm sure the Democrats will agree, property taxes quickly rebounded in Pawlenty's first two years and are once again at the threshold of pain in most communities. And, Governor Pawlenty raised taxes, and during the relatively prosperous 2006-07 biennium.

We were fooled in 1998, finding that Ventura was about as Independent as his buddy Arnold Schwarzenegger is Republican. But the numbers show that state spending is rising almost as fast under Pawlenty.

I take no pleasure in seeing the Minneapolis Star Tribune suffer another round of layoffs. The 58 laid off are real people, many no doubt leaving jobs they really enjoy. As this industry continues to contract, there are fewer such opportunities available.

Obviously I don't understand this business, specifically why it is so unwilling to change, even to survive. There are tens of thousands of potential customers that would ask little more than a little more serious journalism. I'm one of them, one who subscribed for something like 35 years before even I had to quit in frustration. And yet it seems they'd rather fight than switch.

To survive, the Star Tribune's owners would do well do dust off the old book "Quality is Free." Nobody is going to quit the paper if you raise (i.e. restore) your standards. But more will quit if the quality continues to decline.

What happened to my Legislator? I knew her from her City Council days. She was a citizen, resident, and parent first, and while a DFL'er, willing to challenge some of the liberal sacred cows. No longer. According to the Taxpayer's League 2007 Scorecard, she is now a zero, 0 for 12 as far as the taxpayer is concerned. I think I, my family, and my district deserve better.

Zero is the voting record of a party hack. One might argue that 100 would be also be a (GOP) party hack and I'll agree with that. But the number matters. Zero is achieved by deliberately and consciously taking away my liberty and money. One hundred at least represents the effort to preserve the latter, sometimes reclaiming some such as with Eminent Domain reform and tax cuts.

She has one of the safer seats in the Legislature and just got her first committee chairmanship this term. And, she's going to law school. Life is good, and no doubt better if you tow the party line. Alas, incumbency has drawn another to the dark side.

You may remember that Al Gore and John Kerry had to "reorganize" their campaign teams when their Presidential campaigns faltered. Hillary Clinton has had to do the same, replacing Patti Solis Doyle with Maggie Williams, yes that Maggie Williams.

As with McCain, much can happen given the time remaining. But whether Clinton regains the momentum or not, this does call her executive abilities into question, whatever you estimated them to be.

I'm so used to the comparative expertise we see here in the DFL every election that I assume the national party must be at least as good. Only once again, it isn't.

Given that it's only February, there's a surprising amount of banter being printed, blogged, and broadcast regarding Senator John McCain.

Facing the three-headed Ghidorah of Clinton, Clinton, and Obama, some have already capitulated; McCain is the best we can do this round, essential really given our agreed number one priority of national defense.

Others believe the die of Islamic terror is cast, that the Clintons already know what must be done, that even a neophyte like Senator Obama will sober up after one briefing. Then there is McCain's openly stated desires to close Guantanamo and open the Mexican border, his "I got the message on amnesty" notwithstanding.

The nomination all but secure, McCain is now putting on the mantle of Reagan. He knows he has a significant credibility problem with Conservatives. He knows he cannot win the General election without all of them. What's strangely appealing to me is that McCain's own unpredictability, his ability to assume the politics of the moment, means that his past record isn't as telling as it would be for a more principled candidate. Is he really willing to change, to be more like the Conservative he once was?

We have time to find out, to negotiate in fact. If he wants to be more like Reagan, let's talk about free speech, for example. Is he willing defend the First Amendment by Executive Order, by veto, and by judicial appointments? He said he heard us on the amnesty bill, sort of. Will he also admit that McCain-Feingold was a mistake and seek its repeal? Will he turn back any attempt to bring back the Fairness doctrine? That would be enough for me.

In other words: "Trust, but verify."

At a Legislative "town hall meeting" today in Brooklyn Center, Senator Linda Scheid was asked about her bill for Primaries to replace caucuses. She clarified what the bill would do, and hopefully I'm stating this correctly.

She wants a Presidential primary only, every four years, but not to replace the rest of the caucus procedure. She anticipated that the Primary would be first, like on Super Tuesday this year followed by the regular caucus meetings in March. The reason Scheid gave was "disenfranchisement" of voters who because of traffic and the 8 pm deadline could not vote at the caucus. That vote is binding in the DFL, i.e., allocates delegates.

Personally, I think this bogus. Every caucus goer was given an equal opportunity to participate in their respective caucus. Yes, the unexpectedly high turnout was a problem, at least on the DFL side, but is that any different than a snowstorm? No, the caucuses were a great success, in part thanks to that high turnout.

State government should continue keep a healthy distance from internal Party operations. We can afford to wait another cycle. All Parties will be better prepared, at larger venues where necessary.

I have an idea for a new product, some sort of meter or monitoring device for cable communications. I'd like an independent means of verifying I'm getting what I'm paying for. A basic meter would monitor signal to noise ratios. A fancier model would check transmission integrity, i.e., check the digital carrier as well.

I thought Digital Cable would be a golden age when we upgraded from Analog. It was at first, what with the good quality and no ghosts on local channels. I got more channels, and HD channels for the future. It had music channels, dual channel DVR recording, and On Demand. And, I also got truly high speed internet, where I've clocked download speeds over 10 MBits per second; that alone puts satellite/DSL in second place.

But like Analog, it's still a physical medium, and still subject to poor quality connections, device malfunctions and distribution miscalculations. Instead of fuzzy pictures and audio distortion, you get "tiling" and often sound dropouts as well.

We had been seeing a little tiling of late here and there, but suddenly it was massive Tuesday night while trying to watch the Super Tuesday coverage (while listening to King on The Patriot of course). It was still bad Wednesday morning, so I called and was told that Friday at 11 am was the soonest available.

I checked again this morning - still very bad, unwatchable, very little audio. I come home at 10:40 to await Comcast, and of course, now it's working perfectly, not a tile in sight. I called Comcast asking what happened, but of course they didn't see any nearby repairs. I cancelled the appointment but warned that if the problem returns, I will demand immediate service. (Yeah, I know...)

So anyway, Radio Shack, I think there's a market for this, since professional units are several hundred dollars minimum.

Is Senator McCain "the New Reagan" or "the New Nixon?"

Here's what he's telling Primary voters via automated phone calling:

Hi, this is Senator John McCain.

I'm calling today to personally ask for your vote and make a pledge to you. As your President, I promise to lead our nation and our Party as a Ronald Reagan conservative.

I'll lower your taxes, veto wasteful government spending, and insure our Party returns to the smaller government principles on which it began.

I'll secure our border first before pursuing any other immigration reform.

I'll appoint Conservative judges like Justices Alito and Roberts.

I will protect the sanctity of life and have a 24 year record to prove it.

This is my committment to you.

As you go to the polls, consider our greatest challenge as a nation is to defeat a relentless enemy of radical Islamic extremists. My life experience has prepared me better than any other candidate to defeat this enemy. We can and will win this war.

Again, this is John McCain and I humbly ask you to vote for me.

This was played on The Mark Levin Show last night (2/6).

Like so many Republicans, I find the rather bizarre rise of John McCain troubling. I wasn't going to worry about it unless he wins the nomination, and that we once thought would have to wait for the convention. But here we are, with McCain all but certain to have the delegates necessary in a few weeks. The debate on his acceptability and prospects in the General Election has already started.

To be or not to be a loyal GOP voter: That is the question.

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the policies and betrayals of outrageous pretense or to take arms against the sea of troubling rhetoric and positions by the pretender.

To skip November: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub. For in our absence what events may come when we have shuffled away from the voting booth must give us pause.


I'm really torn on his, to hold my nose, to abstain, to vote third party perhaps. There are many good people and good arguments on both sides. All I know now is to wait. An immediate decision is not required. Hopefully, I'll know in time, to know whether to be active in the campaign or not, but I'm otherwise willing to wait until Election Day.

Was moving up the caucus into Super Tuesday a success? It's hard to argue with the numbers, but let's consider what drove those numbers. It's a Presidential year, and the incumbent isn't running. The field is still open, at least when the caucus began. There is great angst over the rise of John McCain, that we had to "head him off at the pass!" The prospect of another Clinton or a hard lefty that would make George McGovern blush certainly had to be a factor. And, there is the Ron Paul phenomenon.

It was a perfect storm, to the point where several caucuses were simply overloaded. It was standing room only, even in some precinct rooms. Forgivably, there weren't enough forms and supplies. Still, it was a great turnout, and a needed validation of the caucus concept (on both sides) that many politicos consider obsolete given the meager attendance in years past.

We won't see numbers like this again for at least four years. But will it now lapse back into the comparative slumber we remember? It doesn't need to. I myself am looking forward to the next one. With more modest but still historically larger attendance, the next cycle should be at least as enjoyable, only work much more smoothly and comfortably.

Like everywhere else, the SD 46 caucus in Brooklyn Park was many times larger than normal, standing room only in the school cafeteria. I'd say the total might be around 400. Our precinct was 45. It was 47 for a while, but I couldn't convince a couple of wayward DFL'ers to stay. We were short of supplies, too.

The straw poll was Romney 21, Huckabee 11, Paul 6, Undecided 5, and McCain 2. After the shyness wore off, the mood was clearly anti-McCain, as the vote showed. Immigration (i.e. amnesty) was national issue number one. But a number were clearly unhappy with the Legislature, as in spending. I must add that the Ron Paul supporters were a class act, asking good questions, making good points. I saw a lot of heads nod when one of them said, calmly but resolutely, that this election was the last round for the non-Conservatives. Of course, we appear to disagree on who's Conservative and not.

The only bad thing was that we clearly need more young voters. It was a 40+ crowd, including a little diversity.

Attending the District 281 School Board meeting last night, I heard a couple of residents question the Board's intent to hire a consultant. The purpose is to facilitate developing a longer term vision for the District. The engagement has been penciled in at about $40,000, reallocated from various other funds in the budget.

To the residents present, this is money that could go to restore program cuts or help keep a school open. Not really. Against a total budget of $200 million, this is pocket change, but pocket change that can provide significant benefit.

Here we have a Board willing to admit they don't have all the answers, willing to seek others' inputs, willing to consider new ideas to help improve education in the District. My fellow taxpayers should welcome this and not worry about this small amount of money that I believe will pay dividends many times over.

Don't sweat the small stuff, particularly when it's for a needed and proper purpose.

Like Terry Bradshaw, I've seen every one of them, four of them painfully. And I agree with him and no doubt many others who have lived as long as we have, this was the best ever. The halftime show was average at best, but it was a legendary matchup, game, and result.

To be honest, I might have passed on attending the Minnesotans for Global Warming rally except that it was an opportunity to travel the route of the proposed Central Corridor. Yes, I took the bus. I took the 94B express from downtown Minneapolis to the Capitol, and the 16 along University coming back.

Actually, the rally ended well before the scheduled 2 pm finish, so I decided to go the extra mile and take my first ride on the Hiawatha Line, end to end. Total time was 38 minutes, 2 over the scheduled 36 minutes for this 12 mile, 16 station run.

Aesthetically, I was somewhat underwhelmed by the experience. The cars seemed rather plain and the seating awkwardly laid out to make room for bicycles. There were bumps and jostling, and some screeching and clanking almost every mile.

So how long will the Central Corridor take, specifically to the Capitol? Part of that depends on the final route, the bridge, a possible tunnel and so on, so the best guess from various web sites is from 24 to 29 minutes. Judging from my run to the Mall of America, I'd say even 30 minutes is fair.

The 94B express made this trip in 21 minutes, including one stop at Snelling. Of course, the train will make several stops, but the 16 local took 49 minutes. Downtown to downtown, the express bus wins. If you want to stop along the way, the train is faster but with fewer stops, you'll likely have to walk or transfer. In other words, it's pretty much a wash. Oh, and car travel beats them all.

Another billion dollars, probably $1.5 billion in fact for a Central Corridor line that won't save time, that won't reduce congestion. It almost certainly will increase congestion, like the Hiawatha Line does now to east - west traffic. And, sadly, it will kill a few people, like the Hiawatha Line has. It will run large operating deficits, just like the Hiawatha Line. As I've heard, while I had a valid transfer in my pocket, I could have as easily simply walked up and got on without paying. Nobody appeared to be checking.

For a lot less money, we could rework University to be more bus-friendly, and we could buy some deluxe motor coaches to provide a smoother, quieter ride.

I attended the "Don't Tax Our Breath" rally at the Capitol today. Alas, there were only about a dozen of us there, so this may be my first "exclusive" coverage of any such event. Hosted by "Elmer" of Minnesotans for Global Warming, we had music, a visit from Al Gore, and the ceremonial attempt by their own groundhog to see his shadow. He did not, so we should have an early spring.

I'm sure they had hoped for more people, but that's difficult to do without a big name like Jason Lewis and given the weather, however average for early February. But let's also remember the Global Warming Day of Action last April fell well short of expectations, too. Maybe that tells us something about this subject, that the specifics tend to drown the message - either way.

I do think Elmer has a good approach, to focus on carbon dioxide. On one hand, it is the whole basis of all the theory and hype, and the subsequent legislation. But CO₂ is also readily understood by the public, the entire basis of the most basic and most vital process to us humans, the carbon cycle. How can photosynthesis possibly be a bad thing? Isn't that why these same people fret over the (alleged) loss of the Amazon "rain forest" (i.e. jungle)?

Add to this the relatively easy to understand historical data of prior warmings, and that CO₂ levels have risen in response to these warmings. Then point out how drastic the lifestyle changes being legislated truly are - and how absurdly ineffective.

No, not that Hot Chick Friday. I'm talking about Sue Jeffers on the KTLK air this morning, ably assisted by Andy Aplikowski. Plus, we had Lassie and the Lady Logician call in.

My kind of women!

In true liberal fashion, the intelligentsia at MnDot are once again "ramping up" their plans to limit our access to the roads we've paid for. Channel 5 Eyewitness News reported on this last night.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation will change operating hours on some Twin Cities Metro area ramp meters beginning Feb. 4.

The new hours of operation will be 5:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The new operating hours will go into effect on the following heavily traveled corridors, with additional corridors adjusting operating hours over the next several months:

• Highway 10 from Highway 169 in Anoka to Interstate 35W in Arden Hills
• Highway 100 from I-494 in Bloomington to I-394 in Golden Valley
• I-494 from 34th Ave. in Bloomington to I-94 in Maple Grove

Previous hours of operation on these corridors have 6 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.

In other words, your commute will take longer starting Monday.

The only long term conclusion MnDot apparently drew from Senator Dick Day's six week experiment (2000) was that accidents rose 26% during that period. Embarrassed by the obvious results, a huge drop in congestion, the meters were largely disabled. But even before this story, I have noticed that these ramp meters seem to be more active of late.

MnDot doesn't get it. As the 2000 hiatus unquestionably proved, ramp meters cause far more congestion than they prevent. Far more.

Senator Day is promising action this session, talking of taking a chain saw to these ramp meters. Maybe we need a museum to remind us of past failures. We could have a solar powered WiFi transmitter from St. Louis Park, a ramp meter, and pictures of the Duluth Aquarium, the Hiawatha Line, the Shubert Theatre, Block E, etc.