Minnesota Vikings Help Cover the Cost of Innagural Parties for Governor Walz

Governor Tim Walz capped off his first week in office with an inaugural party in Minneapolis on Saturday, treating thousands of Minnesotans to a night of food and performances meant to highlight the state’s diversity and strengths, according to the Star Tribune. That’s all well and fine. Politicians have parties to thank supporters and volunteers after slogging through seemingly-endless campaign season, and as long as taxpayers are not paying for it, go for it. But if we don’t pay for it, someone else does. According to the Star Tribune: The party capped a week of ceremony and celebration for the administration. After...

Should Minnesota Require Rooftop Wind?

California has mandated rooftop solar units be placed on every new home built in the Golden State. Given Minnesota winters aren't as conducive to rooftop solar as sunny California, should Governor Walz push for similar measures in Minnesota, only requiring rooftop wind turbines for new and existing homes? The short answer, obviously, is no. I've posted an article from engineering.com to demonstrate just how terrible such a mandate would be.

Minnesota’s economic news, w/e 1/18/19

A round-up of the last week’s economic news stories in Minnesota.

AMERICAN EXPERIMENT BOOK SHELF

Duluth School Board Pays Out $55,000 to Citizen Watchdog

Schools exist to disseminate knowledge and information, right? Apparently the Duluth School Board didn’t get the lesson plan. This week the board of Minnesota’s 22nd largest district by enrollment reached a settlement with a former board member turned citizen watchdog who’d sought  information on Duluth school’s controversial Red Plan, according to the News Tribune. The Duluth School Board on Monday unanimously approved a $55,000 settlement with former member Art Johnston, ending Johnston’s quest for data involving the district’s long-range facilities plan and other matters. “What you as a district would get would be dismissal of this lawsuit,” said Trevor Helmers, the...

Witty Comebacks That Could Have Changed History

Turns out there is a fancy French word, “l’esprit d’escalier” to describe an artful, witty comeback.  It literally means “staircase wit” as in one only realizes their missed opportunity for a great comeback too late, as they are exiting down a staircase.  Writer Joseph Epstein had a fun column in the Wall Street Journal yesterday that suggested a few clever gamechangers. Dan Quayle [was] the victim, in a 1988 debate with Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, of a notable put-down. Mr. Quayle compared his experience to that of John F. Kennedy, to which Bentsen famously replied: “Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy.” I...

Employers look to hire ex-felons trained in technical programs

Many Minnesota employers are struggling to find workers. One place most aren’t likely to look is among ex-felons, who make up about 8 percent of the state’s adults, according to MPR. Things are changing in that respect, however. With Minnesota’s near-record jobless rate and more vacancies than job-seekers, employers are taking a new look at a population that’s historically had a hard time finding work.

Democratic Senators Move to Disenfranchise Minnesotans

Two Democratic Senators, Charles Wiger and John Marty, have introduced S.F.34, a bill that would enlist Minnesota in the national effort to do away with the Electoral College and decide the presidency on the basis of the “national popular vote,” a journalistic construct with no constitutional significance. The proposed legislation is called the Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote. States that subscribe to it pledge to choose their electors not according to the wishes of that state’s voters, but rather in obedience to the “national popular vote.” The Agreement goes into effect when it...