Posted: 7/20/05
Final Draft - by Cliff Buchan
Will voters still remember in 2006?
Could the absence of a swarm of politicians in Forest Lakeís annual Fourth of July parade been a mirage?
Veteran parade watchers couldnít help but notice the lack of those who must ask for votes every two or four years. Maybe it was just a fact that there is no major state election in 2005 to explain why there were so few politicians in the parade.
Many folks around here, however, have come to associate parades and politicians in the same breath.
But it is also a good bet they stayed away for reason.
Just about anyone who is associated with state government has little to be proud of these days. It took a seven-week special session of the Minnesota Legislature to put an end to the eight-day partial state government shutdown. Although a budget deal was finally struck, lawmakers left down with other business unfinished.
When it comes to state government, Minnesota is certainly not the North Star state in terms of exemplary behavior. When it comes to performance, Minnesota lawmakers could better represent a Third World nation.
There is plenty of blame to go around. No one in St. Paul should even attempt to claim high ground in this debacle.
And that goes for the DFL-controlled Senate, the Republican-controlled House and the Republican governor.
Once again, Senate DFLers could not refrain themselves from spending programs that bordered on lavish and unnecessary, prompting many to ask, ìhow much is enough?î
Once again, many House Republicans were painted into a corner with their ìNo New Taxesî pledge and a political bent that has tipped so far to the right that anyone who strays from the flock will be cannibalized by their own base.
Once again, our Republican governor, also handcuffed by the pledge, was forced to look to casino gambling and a cigarette/tobacco fee-tax to find the revenue to shape a budget deal.
Where is the spirit of compromise that has been the stateís political trademark for decades?
It is such reasons that may help explain why politicians took a pass on parades like the one in Forest Lake on July 4th. Media reports have indicated other community parades experienced the same lack of politicians trying to press the flesh.
With the special session still under way on July 4, many lawmakers were looking for cover wherever they could find it. And a parade route was not the place to look.
We give credit to our Rep. Ray Vandeveer for having the courage to walk the city streets here on July 4th. When the Republican passed my location in the parade, there were many subtle but pointed comments aimed at the legislator. And none were kind nor expressed their appreciation for the attendance of the lawmaker.
The parade route lineup listed Vandeveer and Sen. Michele Bachmann as a tandem for the parade. She was nowhere to be seen. That is surprising for a woman who wants to run for Congress next year.
The best profile right now is a low profile? In Bachmannís case that is a major personality change.
The question, however, still begs: Will voters remember in 2006?
Will incumbents risk an election day drubbing and walk away without running again? Will incumbents who run be turned out to pasture by voters?
If the election took place this fall a good many incumbents would be in trouble, and that could include some in leadership positions. These are culprits, after all, who drive what has been a process that is fraught with failure.
The comments heard here ó both from Republicans and Democrats ó is that voters are extremely disappointed in their lawmakers. After a session a year ago was commonly labeled as a ìdo nothingî session, the process only became worse this winter, spring and summer.
The talk of a second special session this fall to finish the unfinished business will truly make this legislature a legislature for all seasons. They never stop meeting, it seems, and never seem to finish their work on schedule.
But the memory of individual voters may soften in the 16 months that must pass before the next statewide election in 2006. At least that is what todayís incumbents must be hoping for this summer.
Next yearís Fourth of July parade in Forest Lake may be a gauge of what politicians can expect if they have the courage to return.
Will they be greeted with high fives and cheers or will there be cat calls and eggs buzzing their way? Only then can todayís do nothing lawmakers truly guess if their political hide is safe and there is no tar and feathers awaiting them at the end of the day.
Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
Fax 651-464-4605