As Reported on Air America Radio...

Al Franken, after giving due consideration to the possibilities, and after dragging out the announcement for the whole of his three-hour program (broadcast today from Washington DC), has decided that he will not run for the Minnesota US senate seat being vacated by Dayton in 2006.

What this will ultimately mean for Minnesota has yet to be determined. I have not been very warm to the idea of Franken actually running except that I wanted to see him give Norm Coleman a whapping in public ( a race that would take place in '08). I have always thought Franken is a bright man but he has spent his carreer making people laugh. The big question that remains for him is whether or not people will now take him seriously.

The field for 2006 remains wide open and the pundits for local and national radio are focussing only on the right-wing side of things. Perhaps Al Franken has a heart-felt desire also to take it to Norm Coleman publicly. The 2008 race gives Al a chance to develop his viability.

His recent work as a talk show host puts him in good company as far as Minnesota politics is concerned. Our current fluffy junior senator, Norm Coleman, worked for the local right-wing hack station (KSTP AM) as did our former Governor Jesse Ventura. Former Senator Rod Grams also had experience as a small-time TV news anchor.

His candidacy would certainly make any race much more interesting. The legacy of Hubert H Humphrey, Walter Mondale and Paul Wellstone, as it would be lvied out in Al Franken, will have to wait a bit longer.

I wonder what Paul's older son is doing in 2006.

Dayton decides not to Run!!!

Mark Dayton, Democrat, Senior Senator for Minnesota, announces today that he will not seek a secon term. I am befuddled. This is a man who has been trying to be a senator for as long as I can remember.

In the past Month Dayton seemed to have found his voice and his seat was marked as one of the top 'must have" seats for Republicans in the next cycle. So why, just when he seems to be growing a pair, does Dayton decide to step aside? If you figure it out let me know. I always thought this guy was a hack. In his own words - he isn't the strongest candidate the dems have to offer. This from the incumbent senior senator.

Does Minneapolis Mayor RT Rybek have what it takes to be the next Wellstone? Will Patty Wetterling dust her self off from her miserable congressional run last fall and claim the mantle for herself? And what about Al Franken?

I know we are two years out on this thing but expect an interesting and active few weeks in Minnesota politics.

And a Word about the State of The Union

GW must have been very grateful to Joe Leiberman. And I doubt no one was more shocked than Joe Leiberman when GW grabbed the back of his head and planted a big wet one on his cheek.

I watched for a bit and did not see the Prez kiss any other members of congress, even from his own party - for better or worse, those odd times when Joe was the only member in the whole chamber to applaud paid off (albeit in a very odd way).

Bush's proposed SYGA

Second of two articles about Social Security.

This is a final indicator that we are in a new "Me Decade".

First of two informative articles about Social Security Privatization.

Give 'Em the Finger.!..

Kudos to the Iraqi people. They turned out, by all reports, in high numbers, especially when compared to the pathetic turnout reported in the US. They should be proud of themselves.
I resist my natural cynicism in order to celebrate this historic moment and will wait until more information is given to us about what exactly they have voted for.

I love the purple index finger idea. It would seem that this idea, along with others implemented in Iraq to increase voter turnout and accurately discern who has voted (presumably to avoid voter fraud) could have easily been used in the US last November.

Some of these ideas, if slightly modified, could have served us well last November. The purple finger, for instance, needs only minor modification- move one digit toward the center (isn't the center the way of today's politics after all). We could then all exit the polls and extend an instant message to the pollsters, pundits and media in general while at the same time renew the sense of defiance that an informed vote should express.

Secondly, all parties and political leaders should do whatever they can in their power to make sure that every citizen has easy access to the polls. I have heard no reports of guns or snipers last November but anyone who follows the news is well aware that efforts were made to squelch the voting of particular groups in particular areas of the country. And to be clear, I am not pointing "a finger" at the right or the left in this regard.

Again, let's celebrate with and for the Iraqi people, but let's hope they did better for themselves than we have done of late.

Something New

A busy life of moving and trying to reorganize has kept me away for a while. Look for renewed activity in the later part of next week (around Feb 10 or so). Until then, I invite comment as to what you might be looking for in this blog space.

It woud be good to stir up some rousing conversations.

Until then, Peace.