The Bully Pulpit

Last year the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul took their best shots in competition for a national political convention. Both mayors are Democrats, and St. Paul's mayor Coleman "won" the honor to host the 2008 National Republican Convention. The media touted this as a coup which would bring $$$$ into the local economy.

Periodically there is something written about preparations for next summer's convention. This spring they were addressing the pigeon problem by building little rooftop condos for them. Plan was to fool them into moving in and then the city planners would steal their eggs. I thought it would be more efficient to just poison or shoot them (the pigeons, not the politicians).

I am reasonably sure all the freeways and roads will be in good shape for the summer of 2008 because they are working on ALL OF THEM this summer.

No doubt the whole metro will be prettied up by August '08. Perhaps we can mimick LA's action in 1984 in preparation for hosting the Olympic games; they bought up the slightly tattered tuxedos from rental shops and donated those formal clothes to free stores in hopes of having better dressed homeless men on the streets. True story.

Local laws have recently been passed about where and when you can panhandle. I wonder if these laws apply to our more upstanding citizens. Today's St. Paul Pioneer Press has an article titled, "Governor Pushes for Convention Donations". Quoting Gov. Pawlenty, "We're looking for each Fortune 500 company headquartered in Minnesota to give at least $1 million: and some of you will be able to be far more generous than that." Doesn't this sound like panhandling to you? I don't think it is unique to the Republicans. All parties probably do it and that is why I can't help but feel we are all compromised. These fortune 500 companies are probably squeezed by both major parties. Whatever happened to wanting the convention so the local economy would benefit financially?

We are "nice" in Minnesota, and I suppose the necessary funds will be collected. On second thought, why are they necessary? Do we still need national conventions? Won't candidates have the endorsements before the convention? I miss the drama of the conventions of decades ago when they actually kept the TV audience awake late at night while candidates worked the room to get the necessary votes for a majority. Remember scenes where southern states pledged their first round votes to the local favorite son? Everyone jockeyed for the position of throwing these votes to the leading candidate at the right time to be the state to put him over the top. Politics no longer work that way. Candidates have been "working the room" since a few days after the 2006 elections. It will be decided in earlier and earlier caucuses and primaries who will be the party standard bearers. All that will remain is settling the bill.