Which side are we on?

I must have dozed off at some point and the world, at least in Minnesota Congressional District 8, changed. Ballotpedia confirmed some news I learned yesterday and added some more. There are now 4 Democratic candidates for Congress in our district. That's what it says at Minnesota's 8th Congressional District election, 2020. [UPDATE: I don't feel quite as bad since, effective 10:00 am today, our local DFL party website only listed two candidates. I'm sure there's a good reason, like a candidate or supporter hasn't yet notified the District 32 DFLers? If I learn why only two, I'll share it in a future posting.] Where were we? Until yesterday, I knew of only one DFL candidate in MN-CD8. Ballotpedia also notes that three political rating entities all currently suggest that a Blue Wave isn't likely to wash our Republican member of congress out of his seat. Maybe, if enough Democrats and Independents actually turn out and vote, those pundits may be proven wrong.


Having written the preceding paragraph, it's time to drag out two of my favorite quotations. The first is attributed to Yogi Berra:

“It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future.”

The second comes from, among others, Peter Drucker, famous management consultant and author:

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.”

Now, to create a more desirable future in MN-CD8, Democrats need to decide which, if any, of the four candidates to endorse at party caucuses on February 25, and for whom to vote in the state primary election on August 11. The options at the moment are:

• Marjorie Holmstrom-Sabo [UPDATE: Withdrew]


• Quinn Nystrom


• Soren Christian Sorensen


• Gaylene Spolarich

Three of the candidates are women. The candidate I knew was running is Quinn Nystrom. The candidate I first learned about yesterday is Gaylene Spolarich. [Full Disclosure: I was a supporter of Leah Phifer as the Democratic candidate in 2018. She ultimately withdrew her candidacy.] A major reason I supported Phifer is she favored a diversified, greener economy for the  district. I'm looking for a similar approach to economic and community development issues, plus environmental protection, this election. The first time I heard about Gaylene Spolarich, she was described as a "pro-clean water candidate." That's very encouraging. I'm going to spend some time over the next few days getting caught up on what I can learn about where the candidates stand on the issues I care about. I'll share my thoughts here.

Ely, MN tourist attraction: reclaimed mine pit

Photo by J. Harrington

The politics of mining will no doubt play an outsized role in this election. The latest evidence of that that I've seen is in this article from the Hibbing Daily Tribune: BAKK CANCELS POLITICAL FUNDRAISER AT FORTUNE BAY. Those of us who live South of mining country should probably be paying more attention and spend more time researching candidates and issues or we're liable to find an economic activity with a long, strong track record of abusing both the environment and taxpayers dollars have managed to get a non-representative Representative elected to Congress.

Politics

By Randall Mann

This is what he dreams of:

a map of burned land,

a mound of dirt

in the early century’s winter.

A map of burned land?

A country is razed

in the early century’s winter.

And God descends.

A country is raised

because of industry.

And God descends,

messengers rush inside

because of industry,

in spite of diplomats.

Messengers rush inside

to haunt the darkened aisles.

In spite of diplomats,

the witnesses know well

to haunt the darkened aisles,

experimentally—

the witnesses know well

that ushers dressed in black

experimentally

lurk by the cushioned seats.

That ushers dress in black

should tell you something:

lurking by the cushioned seats,

the saved and the terrible.

I should tell you something:

this is what he dreams of,

the saved and the terrible—

a mound of dirt.

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