When a question comes out of the blue

Better know what "E-85" is

A pure "gotcha" question always seems rather unpleasant. Memories for me come back to when we had a DFL candidate who was pretty well positioned to become governor. Guy's name was Mike Hatch. Remember him? He had a lot of energy and would have been good for the state. 

That is an extra-difficult statement to make now in 2023 when Democrats of all kinds face so much adversity in this strange climate of public opinion. 

The "gotcha" question I am thinking of was not even directed at Hatch. It was directed at Judi Dutcher the lieutenant governor hopeful. As I recall, it was a Morris native who asked the question in his role with an outstate TV channel. And let me emphasize, this interview did not appear to have a motive of wanting to sink the Democrats' campaign. His question still came off as a "gotcha" type. 

Dutcher herself sort of flinched upon getting it because she did not have an answer readily available. Was that a negative for her? I would not consider it as such. So you want me to remind you of what the question was. The media guy asked about E-85, what its potential was. Was it a good thing? That I recall was the gist of it, pretty general. I suppose Minnesota farmers were pretty well invested in this. 

Well then I'd ask: if this was simply a product available through the private marketplace, why not just let market forces determine its value, its merit? I mean, we don't have a "command economy," do we? Republicans would be revulsed at the idea, right? But Republicans like everyone else always know what side their bread if buttered on. 

Republicans used to complain about the Farm Bill: big, bloated, expensive, draining of private initiatives - you know the rundown. Republicans continued with such talk until they realized they were losing elections because of it. They then just decided to accept it, move on. Move on to other issues, perhaps the social issues which now have become the ticket to getting people to eat out of their hands. When will this end? Trends come and go in politics. 

Judi Dutcher (MPR)

Minnesota history has it pretty well recorded - not just legend - that Hatch and Dutcher lost the political race because of Dutcher's obvious fumbling. She initially was flustered by what she thought was a "quiz bowl" question - her words as I recall. I cannot disagree with her. I would suggest that if someone wants to go out and buy E-85, help yourself, go for it. Not sure that politicians have to pull the strings with this or other products in the marketplace. 

There are times I guess when Republicans really do like a "command economy." 

The political landscape is even more sensitive for Democrats today. I mean the tiniest misstep can blow up in their face. People out here in Western Minnesota are so eager to elect any Republican, we may even throw out Michelle Fischbach because she isn't conservative enough. I'm merely stating reality and would like to add: "Be careful what you wish for." 

Try to be aware of the consequences of your vote. Do you want to see programs like Social Security and Medicare endangered, I mean their very existence? Do you want to see a political party - the Republicans - seize absolute power by taking every little step to improve their odds and destroy the Democrats, this through what would become "sham" elections like we see elsewhere in the world? Please think carefully abut this. 

So many of you have been influenced by the gay rights issue. Many of you do not like abortion and I'll be the first to say it is a troubling subject. Let's blame God for how He created the human body and our reproductive systems. 

But if you believe Lindsey Graham and yell for a "nationwide abortion ban," do you realize how simplistic and ill-advised this is? When in fact "reproductive health issues" are complicated and could end up affecting your very own family? And when this happens, conservative Republicans do not simply stand back and allow for the possible suffering and death of a female family member. No, not when it affects them. But they use the issue to get votes. And it works. Rural Minnesota is full of churches that go right along with them. 

We are in suspended animation with ignorance. I would like to think it will just pass as political fashion. But I'm worried. 

Haley represents the old Confederacy (Salon)

So why am I thinking of the little Judi Dutcher anecdote pulled from the musty archives of our state's history? Well, the recent news brought us this little nugget about how Nikki Haley got asked the question about the Civil War. I cannot hold Haley's answer against her. 

My defense of her involves how far back in time the Civil War has become. Why make a big deal out of slavery now when it would only serve to blame Southerners who have become reactionary enough the way it is. Leave them alone - let's all just try to get along. 

Of course the Civil War was about slavery. The people alive today had nothing to do with it. Haley disregarded slavery in response to the question. She talked about freedom in a rambling and general way. Oh, the freedom for Southerners to own other human beings? Well no, she wouldn't have intended for her answer to mean that. 

But to just say "slavery" would have been such a downer. Haley is going to lose to Donald Trump anyway. And Trump has very high odds of going on to become U.S. president again. It could well mean the end of the U.S. as we've known it. I am troubled and I disapprove. But I am in a very small minority out here in Western Minnesota which might just as well be described as "East Dakota." The new reality has completely taken over. 

Judi Dutcher has appeared to leave politics. All I know about "ethanol" is that it's terrible for small engines and I'm sick of dealing with this issue. And farmers vote Republican.

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com