From the Lefthand Corner

We are just driving back from our biennial DFL State Convention in Rochester. It was not a new experience. I believe it was my 27th such event, dating back to 1964. It was another three long days of fascinating frustration to us DFL junkies, of boredom and bewilderment to some of...

Another horrible and senseless occurrence happened in Texas last week. It was another isolated, but too common, event: a school shooting with multiple deaths of students and teachers. Our society in aftermath wonders, "Why? Why? Why?" Then, while the almost constant coverage is in...

Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty recently announced his candidacy for governor again. He was our governor for eight years, ending just eight years ago. He was a very negative governor then, and there is no reason to believe he'll be any better now. Pawlenty made a feeble attempt at the presidency...

Politics has strange timetables. The best-laid plans of mice and men. Early last week Rick Nolan was working his way toward re-election for one last term as our U.S. Congressional District 8 representative. He had selected his campaign manager and most of his campaign staff, accumulated...

The Trump train keeps rolling along, bringing far more damage than improvement. This column is mostly a review of Trump's inaugural speech from January 2017. On Tuesday, we were all "blessed" with Trump's version of the "greatness" of his record, how "great we all have it now" and...

There is good government all around us. We are surrounded with good government, no matter how much we complain about it. I believe that our best present-day governmental units are local, starting at the township level and continuing with our city council and school board levels. We...

Again this year, the biggest newspaper in the state published - and headlined several times - last weekend as "MEA weekend." Radio and television did the same. That has been going on for almost 20 years all across the state. It should and could stop anytime soon. The proper name in...

Most of you in the Northland probably don't know Tim Walz. The only reason that I do a little bit is that, as a longtime partisan hack or activist (or if you want to speak flattery, "elder statesman") back in the summer of 2000 or 2004, I happened to sit next to Walz during a several...

We as a society like to waste a lot of time complaining about our government. Overall, our multi-tiered government (with notable exception) is pretty good. It has been quite stable over almost two and a half centuries. We have had a quiet, free and safe environment over the years....

The Minneapolis Trib had a lead guest editorial a couple weeks ago on, what else? President Trump. It was entitled, "My president? Yes. My leader? No." It was about the first six months of the Trump presidency. What else?

President Trump, Gov. Walker and others of their ilk are making a big deal over Foxconn coming to Wisconsin to manufacture electronic equipment. Some of us see the "big deal" another way. For some of us who like comparing Minnesota favorably with Wisconsin whenever we can, this looks...

Whenever I encounter anyone of my elder age grouping, single or a group, once we get past the weather and grandkids and the horrible political climate, and ask what is of most important concern to them, No. 1 is their present and future health care, and No. 2 is Social Security, or...

The U.S. Supreme Court recently agreed to decide whether the U.S. Constitution limits how far lawmakers can go to redraw voting districts to favor one political party over another in a case that could have huge consequences for American elections. The justices will take up Wisconsin's...