Living in "interesting times"

There have been several unpleasant, although not earth-shattering, surprises as the legislature tries to finish its business in time to keep all the state's doors open. I remain of the opinion that any legislator who aspires to any kind of leadership position must be required to take and pass an advanced course in the fundamentals of negotiation, Minnesota needs many more "win-win" solutions than we get.

rainbow's end: pot of gold?

Photo by J. Harrington

It will be interesting to see what actually gets accomplished before midnight and how late the governor has to stay up to sign the bills. According to the Star Tribune, as of mid-afternoon, Facing midnight deadline, Legislature debates education, taxes. Some of us (at least me) remain perturbed, to put it mildly, that the legislature couldn't finish its job during the regular session. If most of us performed as poorly as our legislature, we'd be fired, and rightly so. But, apparently the performance problem isn't limited to the legislature, at least based on other stories displayed in the e-edition of the STRIB concurrent with the legislative deadline story. As further evidence that we are living under the  curse of interesting times, consider:

• Minnesota high court yanks judicial candidate Michelle MacDonald's law license


• Mayo Clinic faces lawsuits over nude patient image snooping


• Bill Cosby freed from prison, his sex conviction overturned


• New results due in NYC mayor race after vote count blunder, and


• House votes to launch new probe of Jan. 6 insurrection

At the moment, the only comment I have about the preceding is the now classic: "I can't even ..." Actually, that's not true. I'm hereby appropriating the phrase "A man needs to believe in something. I believe I'll go fishing." There's little else I can do about much of this except SMDH!

Why I Voted the Socialist Ticket

By Vachel Lindsay

I am unjust, but I can strive for justice.

My life’s unkind, but I can vote for kindness.

I, the unloving, say life should be lovely.

I, that am blind, cry out against my blindness.

Man is a curious brute—he pets his fancies—

Fighting mankind, to win sweet luxury.

So he will be, though law be clear as crystal,

Tho’ all men plan to live in harmony.

Come, let us vote against our human nature,

Crying to God in all the polling places

To heal our everlasting sinfulness

And make us sages with transfigured faces.

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