Rep. Anderson bashful about being GOP?

Let's not be subtle, Rep. Anderson

Did you get the flier from Rep. Paul Anderson a few days ago? I wrinkled forehead as I looked all over it, seeing if party affiliation was there. A simple party affiliation, a reasonable thing to want to know about someone. Many people likely know he's Republican. The candidate and his handlers shouldn't assume so much, though. 

The rep for 12A

I have never met this politico. We know he's an incumbent because the flier says "re-elect." But his political party? Apparently we're not supposed to know. Oh, I happen to know he's Republican. He's our District 12A representative.

Word is, Anderson is a reasonable person not in league with some of the more headline-grabbing members of his GOP flock. So he's "normal." But what does it say about the political party if one has to designate certain of its members as normal? 

So, Anderson is not like some of the Republicans on the national stage who can be wild and unhinged. Let's say he's pragmatic? Is he an actual outlier in the Republican Party in this regard? 

Unlike Kristi Noem, I don't think Anderson would want to entertain the thought of having Donald Trump's face added to Mount Rushmore. He can correct me if I'm wrong. Actually that stance would up his odds of being re-elected.

Who would pay for the Mount Rushmore thing?

I am only vaguely familiar with Mr. Anderson. He's new to those of us in Morris. Shall we assume he's proud to be a Republican? If so, why not a little affirmation? Or, is a part of him embarrassed by the antics of some of his political brethren on the national stage? I mean, like the one who jokes about bulls impregnating cows, as the likes of Tom Cotton and Rick Scott stand behind him trying to keep serious looks on their faces. The guy's in the news today for flashing a "prop" police badge in a debate.

Remember when Herschel Walker was in the news for coming to the Vikings in a trade? A trade with the Dallas Cowboys, pretty good for the Cowboys as I recall.

 

A blue/gray thing?

What about Lindsey Graham, the guy from South Carolina who tosses up scattershot thoughts? Many of these weird Republicans come from states of the old Confederacy - not a likely coincidence. The media does not make this observation often enough. John Harwood did - he was axed by CNN. 

The rhetorical bomb-throwers are leading a political party around that ought to be more mature. I assume Paul Anderson would want his party to have the rational stance about things. Be temperate sometimes. But maybe he's nervous about all that is going on. 

Just check in with cable TV news on any given day. I no longer get standard TV but I can catch all these programs through YouTube. That's a pleasant surprise I got when I cut the cable. A few years ago I could not live without TV. Today it's quite practicable. 

So we're left wondering, based on Anderson's promo stuff, just what party he's in. If he was trying to avoid anything contentious with this thing in our mailboxes, it should fail. 

 

The photo of Paul Anderson at right is with a 2012 article headlined "Anderson endorsed at GOP convention." (Hometown News photo)

 

Now, Paul Anderson might seem like a totally agreeable person if you were to meet him. I am actually certain of that. He seems to have a thing about women and abortion. This isn't in his flier, but Rep. Anderson has a grade of "F" from Pro-Choice Minnesota. 

It was just in 2021 that Rep. Anderson co-authored HF 1099 which aims to limit the use of funds for state-sponsored health programs for funding abortions. Then in 2022, Rep. Anderson co-authored HF 3291 which establishes "Choose Life" special license plates. 

Pro-Choice Minnesota considers these measures "blatant attempts to ban abortion care." 

 

Different playing field now

Simply stating pro-life might not have seemed so drastic when women had the protection of Roe vs. Wade. We all know, thanks to Trump's three Supreme Court appointees, Roe vs. Wade was scrubbed after 50 years. How often does the Court take away a right from people?

'Til now we have been partly just amused with Trump and his flock with the likes of Herschel Walker. Oh, there's a litany. We must stop the mere amusement and realize: all that has gone on in the last few years should prompt a clarion call. 

If Paul Anderson is a little embarrassed to be a Republican now, I wish he'd step forward and frankly state his concerns with the bomb-throwing element of his party (metaphorical reference). The GOP everywhere has become so cowed. Maybe you should just square with us, Rep. Anderson, on how you at least subconsciously feel disturbed about elements in your party, so much so, you don't wish to affirm you're a Republican in your leaflets.

Your Republican bedfellow Michelle Fischbach was one of those to vote against certifying the 2020 election results. Not even Tom Emmer did that. I'm no fan of Collin Peterson, as he campaigned in 2020 like he wasn't even proud to be a member of his party. He was bludgeoned with a simple photo that showed him and Nancy Pelosi, just smiling very pleasantly. So that's some sort of cudgel. 

Maybe Rep. Anderson has some inhibitions about his own party? Behind closed doors, he's fine with his party. Maybe the public image is getting some baggage. I'm being generous.

Important side note: when researching this gentleman, please don't confuse him with former State Senator Paul Anderson of the Twin Cities area. 

 

An accurate lens

Let's give credit where credit is due: Rep. Anderson did vote yes on a resolution condemning the "violence and violent rhetoric" at the nation's capitol. Rep. Jeff Backer, meanwhile, our former state rep, was one of just eight representatives, all Republicans, to vote "no." What an asshole. The vote was 111-8 on January 25, 2001.

So Rep. Paul Anderson of Starbuck is not a crazy but it appears he's totally in league with the anti-abortion element. Anti-abortion forces are now weaponized with the Supreme Count's ruling that destroyed the Roe vs. Wade precedent. Elections truly have real world consequences. 

I am concerned about the issue, but in a more broad sense I am alienated by so much of the Republican Party, a party which believe it or not once believed in personal modesty. Amazing. Today they are scared to criticize an ex-president who openly drops the f-bomb, as in "General Mark Milley is a fucking idiot." I wish General Milley had been our president, democratically elected of course. 

So this morning, without even checking, I know Trump is all over the the headlines. Like it's "Groundhog Day." Maybe Trump simply wants attention and he pulls strings thusly. So it's a concerning mental disorder. Narcissism? But it's a problem for all of us now. It threatens women's reproductive health rights. 

So in light of that I proclaim: "Vote Edie Barrett."

There is now a wonderful billboard on the northwest edge of town that shows Barrett and Kari Dorry. Doggonit Kari, I have to confirm the spelling of your name every time I type it. Carrie Dorrie? Cari Dorrey? Well, just takes some discipline. We'll all get familiar if she succeeds vs. Torrey Westrom, he of the dodgy residency status. Unfortunately, I doubt the odds are high of that happening, or of Barrett knocking off Paul Anderson. 

Westrom would not be so cavalier about his residency if he was a first-time candidate. His biggest accuser on this front is not even a Democrat.

Barrett and Dorry are both from Ortonville, nice town.

The Republicans appear for now to be in the driver's seat here in rural western Minnesota. It is possible to get sick of Democrats if they get too much power. But right now the "Republicans" are making me puke. I wish I did not have to express this in such a manner. There is an undercurrent of something truly dangerous in America now. Diagnosing it may go beyond our general understanding of the political parties and their agendas. Actually the underlying problem may not be political; I would assert that the central bank (the "Fed") is at the heart. It's under the radar screen. Is another round of "QE" coming? Are we headed toward digital currency?

 

Addendum: Fresh news as of yesterday, is that Trump acolyte Roger Stone called Ivanka Trump an "abortionist bitch." Such sunny, positive individuals. Alex Jones just did an interview on "Newsmax." Why is anyone interested in even talking to Alex Jones? Well, it's "ratings."

 

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