Minnesota Report
In the yester years, when Minnesota politicians were civil to one another, before the John Marty Campaign Finance Laws, where they could commune and imbibe they could usually sort matters out. There have been seven actors of whom have shaped our current piss poor state of politics. Four were Presidents, Lyndon Baines Johnson (D)-Due to Vietnam and the distrust of instituions, Richard Milhouse Nixon (R)-Because of Watergate and a further distrust of instions, Ronald Wilson Reagan (R)-His creation of Dual Federalism, breaking up of the Air Traffic Controllers Union and the false economic theory of Reaganomics, Donald John Trump (R)-Causing the 2021 Capitol Insurection, then pardoning the rioters, inaddition to all of his other actions in his 2nd term, House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R)-The Contract for America, which opponents refer to as the Contract on America and the recruiting efforts for nonpartisan races and hosting training workshops to teach partisanship, Speaker Irv Anderson (DFL)-When he called for the removal of Rep Bob Pavlak (IR-MN) and secured the House majority, and his term as House Speaker, through a vote where the member in question was unable to vote, and Speaker Steve Sviggum (R)-Who constantly advocated for a better redistricting map, because more Minnesotans voted for the House Republicans, but because of political gerrymanding the concentration wasn’t dispersed enough to show such representation, and who came to power because of Jesse Ventura R-MN) and then changed dramatically the rules and provided lessor support through the DFL’s caucus budget than did all previous leaders. The DFL had three members/staff person while the Republican majority had two member/staff person.
Each one in their own way has fostered the confrontational style of politics we see currently as the state of play and set a consistently lowering the bar for what are the determining factors of success.
Now, William Jefferson Clinton (D) might also be a mentionable person and might be guilty of creating the “constant campaign” during his terms in office and his advisor Dick Morris who brought forward the idea of “triangulation” which is a strategy similar to George Walker Bush (R) strategy from Karl Rove “keep pressing forward and win at all cost”. Each in their own right set a new bar of conflict which positioned policy as a win/lose situation turning it into politics, rather than a compromise.
The point of all of this is what has been lost, Politics is the Art of Compromise, in spite of the partisan zealots who view it as capitulation.
To this end, in the spirit of Checks & Balances we may not be in the room, but to only resolve we can envision in which the DFL is willing to return to the House Chamber is in the following manner. In this case, collectively, our publisher Shawn Towle, a moderate DFLer with over 38-years of legislative experience, and as student of the Minnesota institutions, calls for a compromise, where all sides retain face, and the citizens of Minnesota, the principal focus are fully served.
With the 2024 election be in all accounts a tie 67-67, in spite of the lost ballots in 54A, and the lack of residency in 40B, followed by a delayed Special Election due to a premature call by Governor Tim Walz (DFL-MN). Since each matter has be adjudicated, it time to get an agreement on develop a legitimate power sharing agreement, and let the matters rest.
The proposed seven tenets of the Checks & Balances compromise are:
- Both Rep Lisa DeMuth (R-13A, Cold Spring) and Rep Harry Niska (R-31A, Ramsey) will sign a letter stating support the submission of Election Certificate they will vote on as many ballots as necessary to seat Rep Brad Tabke (DFL-54A, Shakopee) as a full voting member of the 2025-26 Minnesota House of Representatives, and encourage their colleagues to do the same.
- Both House Leaders DeMuth and Rep Melissa Hortman (DFL-34B, Brooklyn Park) should flip a coin for the Speakers seat.
- The winner gets to declare which year of the biennium in which they will preside and the opposing leader will become the House floor leader.
- The two positions will switch at the beginning of the 2026 session.
- The committee assignments will be equal in number and the partisan staff will be equal in number.
- The nonpartisan staff will provide the committee support and the chairs will be in rotation each meeting with the gavel changing hands on each subsequent meeting with the incoming chair of the day presenting the agenda at least 24-hours in advance.
- All department bills will have bipartisan authorship.
- If and when, a Conference Committee is called for, each side will put forward their respective two members, with one key exception, the person must have voted for their bill in committee and on the floor to be available for consideration as a member.
- All meetings with the Governor will have both sides present.