Democrats ex machina

The latest development in Minnesota’s budget standoff/government shutdown is the announcement of a supposedly bipartisan committee of elder statesmen to resolve the crisis. Over at MinnPost, former Star Tribune columnist Doug Grow can barely contain his excitement. The Star Tribune reports on the formation of the committee here.

Announced by Democratic former Vice President Walter Mondale and former Republican Governor Arne Carlson (emphasis on former Republican), the committee will search for that ever elusive middle ground on which compromise is to be achieved. Carlson was last seen in the Star Tribune, incidentally, endorsing Obama for the presidency over John McCain.

According to Grow, former Republican Senator Dave Durenberger (emphasis on the former Republican) is also one of the movers and shakers behind the committee. Durenberger was last seen in the Star Tribune endorsing John Kerry for the presidency over George W. Bush. This is bipartisanship a la the Star Tribune.

The committee will have “access” to one current government official. That would be Mark Dayton’s Management and Budget Commissioner Jim Schowalter, the commissioner who has attended every budget negotiation on Dayton’s behalf. As I say, this is bipartisanship a la the Star Tribune.

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