Have Republicans become an invasive species?

If you haven’t already voted early, tomorrow is the Minnesota primary. I’ll wait until the before work rush is over and head down to vote a little before 9-ish. My usual strategy is to skip voting for anyone running unopposed. That will probably serve me well tomorrow, too. All in all, I’ll be very interested to see how the primaries turn out, especially getting a look at the DFL versus GOP total turnout. At least I’m not living in Indiana,  nor, in light of recent votes there, would I.

For the record, here’s the definition of an invasive species:

As per Executive Order 13112 (Section 1. Definitions) an "invasive species" is a species that is:

1) non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and,

2) whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.

It’s far from clear if Republicans are native to any ecosystem, and it’s really obvious that their introduction causes both economic and environmental harm and harm to human health. Think about their eradication as you vote tomorrow and next November.

presumed, but not confirmed, purple loosestrife infestation

Photo by J. Harrington

I’m sorry to report that, again this year, the Carlos Avery marshes around County Road 36 are replete with what I think is purple loosestrife. I’ve not been close enough to confirm it isn’t swamp loosestrife. As in some years past, there’s a broad band of purple flowers along the edge of the Sunrise river channel just south of CR 36. The water’s too deep to turn loose a herd of goats, as some have been doing with buckthorn, another invasive. The likelihood of eradication is not promising.

Meanwhile, we miss the flocks of Canada geese that used to hang out on the road shoulders near the bridge at the Sunrise river. The county rebuilt the bridge and extended the guard rails along where the geese once loafed. It’s probably less hazardous for both geese and motorists, but it’s also frustrating how relatively easy it was to eliminate the native waterfowl and how challenging it usually is to eliminate an invasive species. I wonder of we could get Congress to repeal the law of general cussedness.

Today’s poem is from Field Guide to Invasive Species of Minnesota by Amelia Gorman.

Norway Maple

How funny—
               My name is samara
               just like your favorite tree.

How funny—
I grew up across the street from you and the paper mill,
it closed before I could work there.

Now you and I tolerate pollution
as well as the trees
only a few tar spots on our lungs,
felt gall on our skin.

Platitudes won’t kindle fires
but heartwood will after we take out the spline.

We’ll tell stories about the Crimson King,
his adventures with
Schwedleri and Drummondi
and the Pendulum.

We’ll learn dead hobbies like
turnery and touching. 

We’ll get drunk on Norway syrup all winter
it isn’t sweet like the sugar maple—
no, it’s something better.

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