MN Governor’s race: Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Smug
Being so far from home, I have not been able to track the Minnesota gubernatorial race as closely as I would like. I finally took the time to watch YouTube footage of the Almanac debate the three candidates held. The debate did little to alter my preconceptions and stances, but it was interesting to see. My thoughts on the candidates are as follows.
Mark Dayton: I genuinely dislike Mark Dayton. I found his manner to be smug and petty. His argument about raising taxes on the wealthiest Minnesotans is tired and would be foolish in thee middle of a major recession. He seems clear on what his policies are, but they all seem to be pretty misguided. I also realized that his face is extremely irritating. He does this thing where he pouts his lip as he attacks his opponents, which makes him come across as really disingenuous. He also has these sad puppy dog eyes that inspire more disgust than compassion.
Tom Emmer: The man is an orc. Almanac has this schtick called the “Slapshot Budget Challenge” where each of the candidates had to add or remove pucks—representing budget items—from piles linked to spending categories, to show how they would balance the budget. It seems pretty clear that Emmer does not have a plan for reducing the deficit, and watching him struggle through the “Slapshot Budget Challenge” was like watching a walrus try to cross a freshly-waxed gymnasium. A few days later, I saw something on the Star Tibune’s website about how he went to a factory in Burnsville to release—I kid you not—the first half of his plan for job growth. There was a quote from him acknowledging that a lot of people would like to see the whole plan, but that they “need to be patient.” Really? Really.
Tom Horner: He’s clearly a dweeb, but he makes some sense. I’m not keen on higher sales taxes, but I believe him when he argues that it is the best option for small businesses. The fact that he is for education reform is reassuring, although I have not seen the specifics of his plans. Hopefully, it will be similar to the work that has been done in DC. (Side note: Michelle Rhee’s departure is a defeat not only for DC, but for the American educational system as a whole). When Emmer and Dayton get into shouting matches (which they did frequently), he gave the usual “Minnesotans deserve better” routine. That message is good, but he needs to find a way to deliver it that is less canned and more authentic. I think this guy really is our best hope, regardless of his relative lack of charisma. He’s got some sensible ideas and seems to have a good head on his shoulders. That’s more than can be said for the other two.
I can’t really talk about the Vikings right now. It appears that we need to figure out how to win football games without being able to run or catch the ball. I miss Sydney Rice so bad it hurts.
