Minnesota Report
With the Minnesota Legislature effectively tied—House at 67-67 and the Senate at 34-33—we find ourselves facing a Bipolar Body: a beast of two minds. Progress under these conditions is elusive. The POCI Caucus remains divided and impassioned, and yet, Checks & Balances has the solution. But first—
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We must acknowledge our absence from the Minnesota State Capitol over the course of the entire session.. We have encountered barriers to participation and communication. Our efforts to engage constructively have been thwarted by gatekeeping, posturing, and, frankly, unacceptable decorum from certain members—chief among them, Rep. Aisha Gomez (DFL-62A, Minneapolis)—whose conduct we deem obstructive to both dialogue and deliberation is not only a big Fat bully, but also a bitch and if we didn’t refrain from being rude, she is the C-word.
.That said, let us address the central issue: the budget. The path forward is unequivocally a revenue one. With uncertainty still surrounding federal actions under Donald J. Trump (R), the state must prepare for looming fiscal challenges. This preparation demands a substantial infusion of new revenue.
We have communicated our proposals to the Legislature and specific members thereof. Their responses have included escalated security measures, including calls to the Sergeant at Arms, resulting in reprimands directed at our publisher, Shawn Allen Towle. This occurred despite the fact that Speaker Emeritus Melissa Hortman, Rep. Rick Hansen, Sen. Aric Putnam, and Marc Kimball, among others, were given ample opportunity to engage directly, and chose otherwise they called the cops.
(Editor’s Note: Kimball once did call, and he was explicitly TOWLED to have Sen. Erin Murphy return the call, which, to Our knowledge, did not occur.)
To our readers: You hold the real power. Call your respective Senator and Representative. Tell them you support the Shawn Towle Solution.
The Shawn Towle Solution
We propose the following:
1. Target Ineffective Health Spending
The HHS Budget has experienced a nearly 90% increase over the past four years due to spending on weight-loss pharmaceuticals. We question the efficacy and equity of this expenditure. As for alternatives, Our personal experience with Emerald Caviar has yielded a loss of 25 lbs in two months, supporting a food-based model over injectables. Let us invest in innovation, not dependency.
2. Legalize and Tax Sports Betting
Yes, sports wagering is addictive. Yes, it requires regulation and resources for addiction treatment. But it already occurs daily, illegally and online. The state’s refusal to legalize this and capture the revenue—while continuing to cede control to exclusive interests—amounts to legislative negligence. We say: legalize it. With no Native exclusivity, the state should retain 100% of the revenue.
3. Establish a State-Run Casino in St. Paul and a Riverboat too.
We assert the need for a state-run, state-financed casino, independent of tribal compacts, and strategically located in St. Paul, a city languishing under the ineffective stewardship of Mayor Melvin Carter III. This facility could serve as an economic anchor and generate substantial revenue. Why is this not being discussed? Also as the host city St Paul should receive 1/3rd of the profits so she can get her sales tax in line below all surounding communities.
Riverboat gmbling is a simple option and also should be applied and St Paul will become a more popular location than Chicago.
A Word to Legislators
Sen. Aric Putnam,
You truly called the Sergeant at Arms on Us? We must ask—was this because We challenged you to act as a leader beyond the narrow lanes of constituent and donor relations? We reached out because we believed in dialogue. Your failure to engage prompted this publication. FYI Speaker Emeretis Melissa Hortman and Rep Rick Hansen did the same in the other body.
Sen. Sandy Pappas,
We texted you what we also sent to Marc Kimball. Marc, your failure to ask Erin Murphy to call—after being directly told—demonstrates a lack of strategic coordination at a time when your caucus desperately needs cohesion. With the POCI Caucus internally fragmented and Republican votes required to pass legislation, leadership must emerge.
We, the smartest minds in Minnesota Politics, do not merely offer critique. We offer a solution. The issue is singular: lack of revenue. The remedy is multifaceted, and We have presented it here.
A Forged Future
We would have preferred to say all of this differently:
“We hope this message finds you well and understanding that it is when the heat of the forge is applied to the steel—until it softens and is drawn from the fire—that it is laid upon the anvil, shaped by strikes into a sword, a shield, or the blade of a plow. The future of this state requires such shaping. Do you have the will to wield the hammer?”
We await your answer. And so does Minnesota.
—Checks & Balances