Minnesota
September 10, 2012 — Scott Johnson
I caught up with former Minnesota Secretary of State and current state Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer before the Federalist Society debate featuring National Review columnist John Fund and Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman. I mentioned Rep. Kiffmeyer yesterday in “Photo ID: Women, minorities hardest hit.” She was the sole voice of reason quoted in Jim Ragsdale’s pathetic Sunday Star Tribune story on the proposed Minnesota photo identification constitutional amendment. Rep. Kiffmeyer
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September 10, 2012 — Scott Johnson
After his lunch appearance that John Hinderaker writes about in the adjacent post, National Review columnist John Fund debated Hennenpin County Attorney Mike Freeman on the subject of voter fraud and the proposed Minnesota constitutional amendment that I have been writing about in the “Ritchie ratchet” series of posts. When I caught up with him a few minutes before the event got started, John Fund graciously asked me: “Aren’t you
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September 9, 2012 — Scott Johnson
Today’s Minneapolis Star Tribune features a page-one story by Jim Ragsdale opposing the proposed Minnesota constitutional amendment requiring photo identification for voting. The story’s genre is a familiar one. It’s the genre mocked by the parodic New York Times headline: “World to end tomorrow: Women, minorities hardest hit.” The story is illustrative of the Star Tribune’s pathetic coverage of the photo identification amendment. The Star Tribune has served as the
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September 4, 2012 — Scott Johnson
Thanks to the Minnesota Supreme Court, Minnesota voters will be allowed to vote on two proposed Minnesota constitutional amendments when they go to the polls in November. Despite the best efforts of the League of Women Voters and Democratic officials, proposed amendments protecting traditional marriage and requiring photo identification for voting will be on the ballot as the Legislature directed. Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie — forgive me for
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August 27, 2012 — Scott Johnson
Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie — the Man from SOROS — has done himself and his office no honor with his high-handed attempt to undermine the proposed Minnesota constitutional amendments protecting traditional marriage and requiring photo identification for voting. Ritchie sought to undermine the proposed amendments’ chances of passage by toying with the ballot titles prescribed by the legislature. Today the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that, in doing so,
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August 24, 2012 — Scott Johnson
Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie — the Man from SOROS — opposes the proposed Minnesota constitutional amendment that would require photo identification for voting. Ritchie gave a stemwinder of a speech (“in his personal capacity,” of course) opposing the amendment at the state Democratic convention this summer. I posted the video in “The Ritchie ratchet.” I think the amendment is a great idea, as do most Minnesotans. The opportunities
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August 19, 2012 — Scott Johnson
We went to see local jazz singer Connie Evingson perform songs from her recording Sweet Happy Life this past Sunday at the Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant in downtown Minneapolis. The recording is a tribute to the songs of Norman Gimbel, and it is terrific. We are crazy about Connie, but we really loved this show with its emphasis on Gimbel’s contribution to the popularization of bossa nova. Who, you
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August 2, 2012 — Scott Johnson
I’ve written here and here about the proposed amendments to the Minnesota Constitution that are to appear on the ballot in November. Proposed by the (Republican) legislature, (Democratic) Secretary of State Mark Ritchie — the man from SOROS — has given new titles to the amendments through which he seeks to undermine their adoption by the voters. One of the two proposed amendments would enshrine the definition of marriage as
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July 31, 2012 — Scott Johnson
Minnesota Sixth District Rep. Michele Bachmann has been under fire lately for her letters to the Inspectors General raising concerns about the possible involvement of the Muslim Brotherhood in activities of the United States government. Our small local chapter of the Republican Jewish Coalition convened a get-together last night to rally around Michele. As chapter chairman Mark Miller figures, this was Rep. Bachmann’s fifth appearance before our chapter. No one
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July 13, 2012 — Scott Johnson
Two constitutional amendments are set to be on the ballot in Minnesota this November. One is to recognize marriage as the union of a man and woman. Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie — the man from SOROS — has rewritten the title of that amendment to mitigate its appeal, as I noted here. It is now to carry the title imposed by Ritchie: “Limiting the status of marriage to
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July 10, 2012 — Scott Johnson
When 16-year-old Clarisse Grime was run over by an out-of-control Ford Expedition outside Harding High School in St. Paul this past Thursday, the Star Tribune originally portrayed the accident as an issue of traffic control: Moore, 52, ran with her daughter and other neighbors across Hazelwood, only to see the teen take her last breaths, Moore said. Her daughter, Ashley Moore, 23, said the girl’s boyfriend was crying and pleading,
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July 7, 2012 — Scott Johnson
I’m not rethinking gay marriage, and I intend to vote “yes” on the proposed constitutional amendment that will be on the ballot in Minnesota this November (along with the proposed voter id. law that I wrote about here). The amendment would define marriage in the Minnesota Constitution as between one man and one woman. According to Ballotpedia, the amendment is intended to protect marriage from “rethinking” by the judiciary. Readers
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July 1, 2012 — Scott Johnson
Democrats treat illegal voters as a core constituency. There may be some other explanation for the Democrats’ adamant opposition to requiring voters to present photo identification prior to voting, but it seems to me by far the simplest and therefore likely true under a political application of Occam’s Razor. We see the Democrats’ protection racket at work in Minnesota. Last year Governor Dayton vetoed a bill passed by Republicans in
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June 29, 2012 — John Hinderaker
I have learned from multiple sources that two recent polls, conducted by independent polling firms, show that Minnesota will be in play in this year’s presidential race. Even in blue Minnesota, Obama can’t get to 50%. Accordingly, watch for substantial amounts of money to flow into the state to try to close the small gap that currently exists and win it for Mitt Romney.
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June 10, 2012 — Scott Johnson
The featured op-ed column in today’s Star Tribune is our friend Katherine Kersten’s “State poised to enter a legal danger zone.” In a preview of coming attractions, Kathy observes that Minnesota’s liberal establishment has effectively set the state up for an educational adequacy lawsuit of the kind that has done such wonders for schools and kids elsewhere. Based on her own first-hand experience and related Center of the American Experiment
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June 2, 2012 — Scott Johnson
Occasional contributor Joel Mowbray (jdmowbra@erols.com) has filed a report on the Democratic primary contest this coming Tuesday in New Jersey’s Ninth Congressional District. The contest pits two incumbent Democrats against each other. Based on support in the contest for the 2008 presidential nomination, President Obama supports Steve Rothman. Rothman opponent Bill Pascrell supported Hillary Clinton. Bill Clinton is in turn supporting Pascrell. Giving the story a local angle, Minnesota Fifth
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April 24, 2012 — Scott Johnson
National Review senior editor Jay Nordlinger, you may recall, is the author of Peace, They Say, a history of the Nobel Peace Prize. He stayed with us last week when he was in town to make a couple of presentations to audiences assembled by the Center of the American Experiment. We greatly enjoyed our time with Jay. Jay devotes the second half of his NRO Impromptus column today to his
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