Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz had some Republicans in mind while delivering his state of the state address Wednesday. They just weren’t the Republicans sitting in the House chamber in St. Paul.
The DFL governor, who began his second term in January, aimed some of his sharpest jabs at national Republicans, especially an unnamed fellow governor from Florida. He portrayed a Minnesota under the control of Democrats as a bulwark against the spread of “the forces of hatred and bigotry,” referring in part to anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and policies.
“But let me say it now, and let me say it clearly: That march stops at Minnesota’s borders,” Walz said.
Walz has gotten some national press attention because Minnesota’s DFL trifecta has been able to pass progressive bills on abortion access, transgender rights, carbon-free standards, free school lunches and breakfasts for all students and rental assistance. He has enjoyed positioning himself as the opposite of Republicans gaining national profiles such as Ron DeSantis of Florida. Though after saying he was going to do something un-Minnesotan, “talk about what we’re really talking about,” Walz didn’t talk about WHO he was really talking about, though he got close.
“I’ve seen some of these other governors on TV – they find a lot of time to be on TV – and they’re always talking about ‘freedom,’” he said. “But it turns out what they mean is that government should be free to invade your bedroom, your children’s locker room, and your doctor’s office.
“Here in Minnesota, when we talk about freedom, we talk about having your children be free to go to school without worrying about being shot dead in their schools,” Walz said.
And he kept after the unnamed DeSantis. “Look, I’m only the governor of this great state. It’s not up to me how folks in places like Florida go about their business. But I have to tell you, I’m pretty glad we do it our way and not their way,” Walz said. “They’re banishing books from their schools. We’re banishing hunger from ours.”
It is expected that governors and presidents use these addresses to proclaim their states and nations as strong. Walz didn’t disappoint. The DFL governor told a joint convention of the Legislature that the state of the state of Minnesota is strong “and it’s getting stronger with every investment we make in our people and the futures they’re working so hard to build.
“But make no mistake: Minnesota’s strength isn’t just in our economy, or our schools, or our natural resources. Our strength also comes from our values,” Walz said, quickly returning to national themes, contrasting what he and legislative DFLers are doing with what “they” are doing. He cited restoration of voting rights to felons when they are released from incarceration, allowing undocumented immigrants the ability to get drivers licenses and the recognition of Juneteenth as a state holiday. He portrayed his agenda as evidence of “choosing the right fights.”
“Look, I get it, I get it,” Walz said. “Politicians want to be seen as ‘fighters.’ But what they don’t seem to understand is that it’s not enough to be a fighter. You have to choose the right fights. And if there’s one thing I hope folks in other states take away from what we’re doing here in Minnesota, it’s this: It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you stop complaining about corporations going ‘woke’ and start giving a damn about people’s real lives.”
[image_credit]MinnPost photo by Tom Olmscheid[/image_credit][image_caption]Senate President Bobby Joe Champion and House Speaker Melissa Hortman give each other a high-five during Gov. Tim Walz's State of the State speech on Wednesday.[/image_caption]
That makes laying out an agenda seem late in the game. Walz tried it anyway with a recitation of his budget and tax policies — some already embraced in House and Senate budget bills, some missing. He made a pitch for rebate checks without specific dollar signs that would have reminded that House DFL checks are much smaller than what he proposed. His child care and child tax credits are different from what appears in that same House DFL taxes bill. And his plan to create a new state agency for children is alive but not thriving.
The biggest gap between his agenda and what is being pushed by legislative DFLers is in public safety.
“Of course, putting families first also means upholding our very first and most basic responsibility for all of us, keeping our communities safe,” Walz said. “That’s why our plan includes more than half a billion dollars in public safety funding for cities and counties across our state. That’s the single largest investment in Minnesota’s history. Whether it’s a surge in car theft or taking on the opioid epidemic, our first responders and law enforcement agencies they’ve got an awful lot to deal with – they should have every resource necessary to tackle the issues that face communities.”
Those grants have not yet appeared in legislative plans, though a Senate DFL tax plan that could hold them has not been unveiled. House DFLers assert that they increase state aid to cities and counties not just with one-time money this year but with more in future years. But Republican leaders noted the gap between what Walz asked for and what has so far been delivered in budget plans.
Walz shifted quickly from public safety to another pitch for gun safety measures, an issue that has zero GOP votes and that is struggling to find consensus among DFLers in the Senate.
“We all know damn well that weapons of war have no place in our schools, in our churches, in our banks or anywhere else people live their lives,” he said, to applause on the DFL and stillness on the GOP side.
“Here’s what’s gonna happen,” Walz said. “We’ve got a gun safety bill on the table. And we’re going to get it passed. And I’m gonna sign it. We’re going to have universal background checks. We’re going to have red flag laws to keep guns out of the hands of people. And we’re going to have lawful gun owners not be impinged upon one bit to continue doing what they’ve already done. If there’s anybody that doubts, anybody in America that doubts that we’re going to take meaningful action to protect our kids, I’ve got two words: Watch us.”
Walz ended with a rah-rah charge to DFL legislators and activists, something he described earlier in the week as akin to a half-time speech from the former high school assistant football coach.
“I want to take a minute and say thank you for the services that you’re providing on all of these issues and the service you provide to civic life in Minnesota,” he said. “ We’re drawing a roadmap for 49 other states by doing whatever it takes to become a state that works – for every single person.
“Let’s not waste the opportunity.”
Republican Response
Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson from East Grand Forks noted the attention on DeSantis when he reacted to the speech.
“Ron DeSantis is probably off his Christmas card list at this point,” Johnson said. He went on to describe the speech as “a national campaign speech ignoring the needs of Minnesotans across the state.
“This was a big step backward,” Johnson said of the tone of the address. “I was looking for a unified message tonight, something that all Minnesotans could get behind. It seems the ambitions of the governor are national and we’re starting to forget about the needs of Minnesotans.
[image_credit]MinnPost photo by Peter Callaghan[/image_credit][image_caption]House Minority Leader Lisa Demuth and Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson responding to Gov. Walz’s State of the State address.[/image_caption]
House Minority Leader Lisa Demuth of Cold Spring said Walz should have recognized the death of police officer Joshua Owen who was killed in the line of duty over the weekend in Pope County. While Walz is proposing $550 million to help local police response, little of that has been proposed in the House and Senate public safety bills.
On gun safety, Demuth said Republicans fundamentally disagree with the red flag and background check bills.
“What Republicans and most Minnestoans are looking for is they are looking for criminals to be held accountable and keeping guns out of criminals’ hands,” she said.
Walz has really come into his own with the trifecta in place. I hope I have the chance to vote for him for President some day. I’d even consider canvassing for him if I wasn’t afraid of getting shot by someone in a MAGA cap.
If national security is the responsibility of a US President , Walz failed his test as he froze in his moment of truth as Minneapolis was looted , burned and a police precinct was destroyed.
His response to public safety is coming years later (maybe) and only because it became an issue in the last election.
You have a better chance of being shot or assaulted driving , walking or using mass transit in Minneapolis than your fear of someone in a MAGA hat.
You know that the role of Governor isn’t the same as a dictator, right? I don’t think it would have been appropriate for Walz to have rounded up protestors, especially since it is arguable that the anger behind the protest was absolutely justified, even if the property damage wasn’t. Similarly, Walz can’t just wave his hand and create new public safety policy. He is finally able to do it now because we don’t have Republicans obstructing the legislature from doing its job.
As someone who walks, drives, and takes public transit in Minneapolis, it sounds like you’ve never stepped foot in this city. MAGA, on the other hand, wants people dead because they don’t fit into gender or sexuality norms, or because of who they vote for, or sadly because of the color of someone’s skin.
Wow!
Lifelong central MPlS resident here. The highest likelihood is that you will both be safe anywhere most of the time.
But, for the one dude to ignore that instances of violence on MPlS public transit and in certain areas in any urban area are exponentially higher than some lily white maga suburban/rural burg? That’s a failure of basic survival instinct. The “I believe in science” is not strong w this one.
First , Walz has the authority and responsibility to deploy the National Guard to protect private and public property from being destroyed. He waited 3 days as $100’s of millions was being destroyed in what you claim is a justifiable response.
Second , I am a Republican and I know several close friends who are the same. I do not know a single person who shares your hysterical viewpoint that wants someone dead for their gender identity , sexuality , skin color or who they vote for.
Walz is a lightweight on the national stage. Without a $19 billion taxpayer surplus nobody would listen to him.
I do, there are several commenting here regularly. Aside from that, if you continue to vote for candidates that include such as a part of policy agenda, you are ALSO in support of such policy. If you were TRULY against such conduct, you would refrain from voting for candidates that are (essentially any modern conservative candidate). The truth may not agree with the narrative you create in your head about your supposed beliefs, but that’s not OUR problem to address.
Why don’t you explain to us where in the Republican policy agenda it states that they “want people dead because they don’t fit into gender or sexuality norms , or because of who they vote for , or because of the color of someone’s skin.” I missed that.
This is nothing more than the hysterical rant of the angry who can’t cope with the fact that not everybody thinks like they demand . The ensuing tantrum and insults confuse the fact that this is about Walz and his lack of integrity on the issues he campaigned on and his lack of leadership when it mattered.
Umm, pretty sure life in prison (or capital punishment) for those accused of providing (or assisting others in acquiring) gender affirming care qualifies, yes?
Or the same for abortion services. If you don’t understand that there are millions of conservatives that would start killing liberals, minorities, and glbt folks tomorrow, if they could be assured of no legal consequences, I don’t know what to tell you, except to correct your massive naivety.
Or perhaps you’d consider breaking up families to just be hunky dory as well
Walz called out the National Guard and things calmed down. Do you understand how long it takes to call out National Guard from around the state.
Compare him to Trump, sore loser, who called out for insurrectionists, did not check them for weapons and sent them out to fight – and then encouraged them to find and deal with Mike Pence – and only called out the military out after the insurrection had failed. afterwards, he called the rioters patriots and said he loved them. He has now promised that those convicted for injuring more than 140 police officers will be pardoned if elected. Traitor to our democracy!
And you dare to attack Walz, who served 24 years in the National Guard instead of being a draft dodger. I could say a lot more but no point in piling on.
Quick Google search: “The standard is to be able to assemble the Governors Quick Reaction Force in 4 hours, normally these QRF’s are about 150 soldiers with leadership, then they have a follow on force of around 400–500 in 6-8 hours.
Each state has an emergency operations center so 1700 soldiers in 18 hours is nothing.
With Katrina, my battalion of 700 soldiers assembled and rolled in less than 4 hours and we hadn’t been together in 6 months, as it was 6 months to the day when we had came home from Iraq.”
I live right by the third precinct. I drove through the center of all of this at Lake/Minehaha while that under construction apartment building was completely consumed in flames. There were people in the hundreds not thousands at lake and minehaha at that point in the evening. A large portion were watching the fire consuming looted booze. It was a bit of a party atmosphere. I felt no sense of personal danger.
A battalion of state troopers, squads from other jurisdictions, and the first rapid response part of the national guard could have been there that night (if that was the first night, it’s kinda a blur). This could have saved the town talk building, gahndi mahal/migdizi’s (sp?) brand new facility and the post office which were all burned on the next night if I remember correctly.
It is possible a stronger response might have sent rioters out into the neighborhoods and caused other unknown violence and damage. We will never know.
I do know, to say Walz had no ability to speed up and call in a more forceful response is not correct. He could have declared an earlier emergency and gone over Frey’s (drunk? drugged? overwhelmed? something wasn’t right w that dude that night) head.
Also, no one said anywhere that trump would be better than Walz. The commenter simply said (agree or disagree) Walz riot response makes him leary of Walz natsec chops. You gotta get orange man outta your head, it’s unhealthy.
Finally, who gives a bleep about anyone’s “service”? Like any profession, they are doing a job for money. There are good and bad people who have served. Religiously prostrating yourself for someone’s millatary service over any other profession is a weird bush era post 9/11 perversion.
If Walz’s unit hadn’t been called up for deployment to Iraq, he might have even served 25 years!
I find it interesting the criticisms of Walz by repubs regarding the riots after the George Floyd murder, when they support trump who enabled a violent coup attempt and then refused to hold him accountable, continuing to support this authoritarian, anti democracy candidate…and don’t get me started on DeSantis who is appearing even more anti democracy.
Even worse is their criticisms of violence in Blue states when crime is higher in red states. Of the 10 WORST states for crime, they’re all red states with just a few purple states…BUT NO BLUE STATES.
Repubs…if you want to talk about crime…fix the mess in your repub states…and get informed.
“I’d even consider canvassing for him if I wasn’t afraid of getting shot by someone in a MAGA cap”
You sound like Jussie Smollett. I find it interesting how conservatives are treated here like a lot of bloodthirsty monsters, when the self evident rhetoric here from liberal dems is extraordinarily viscous.
William, you use rhetoric comparing gender-affirming care to child sterilization and mutilation. YOU are the one using inciteful language. When you are trying to convince people that children are being sterilized and murdered, you are practically begging them to take action against it – and I don’t mean by voting.
You, like many here, clearly have no idea what so-called “gender affirming care” actually does to children physically. The landslide of lawsuits of those who have been harmed by it is just beginning.
Here’s one for you Jeff.
No, just checking in because I live in Minnesota and I have a few things to add to the conversation (more than snark) whether you appreciate it or not.
You realize you’re more likely to get shot at in cross fire in North Minneapolis than anywhere in the suburbs?
Well, the suburbs are full of democrats, so I do feel safe there. As for North Minneapolis, I’ve never had a problem.
“They’re banishing books from their schools. We’re banishing hunger from ours.”
This from the guy who’s administration had $250M stolen by the frauds at Feeding our Children. Is he sure that the kids are actually getting food?
Do you mean the federally-funded Feeding our Children program? Let me know if you’d like a quick refresher of the difference between federal- and state-funded programs. In the meantime, you may want to look into the bill that Walz just signed that guarantees free lunch for all students.
Except that it was over seen by the state for compliance-see the MN auditor’s report. I’m all for lunches for kids, but there are ways to remove the stigma without funding lunches for kids whose parents make plenty of money. I voted for Waltz both times, but am left feeling like there are some real gaps. Children are less likely to be shot in school here, true, but unfortunately, a number of children have died in the streets and car crashes.
I disagree with your second point. I am personally completely fine with all kids having access to free lunch, regardless of their parents’ income. Those kids have the privilege of choosing to access it or not, and if they do, I imagine there is a good reason for it. I just don’t see the value in excluding kids. I would love to hear your ideas on how we can remove the stigma outside of just guaranteeing every kid a free lunch, though.
To your first point, I will admit there is a lot more nuance that I alluded to in my first comment. Yes, it is federal money, and yes, there was state oversight, but my understanding was that the means of fraud used by Feeding Our Children were pretty darn complex and not easy to spot without some thorough investigation. And, what do ya know, they WERE caught. Yes, it is unfortunate that it happened and I hope we can prevent similar situations in the future (and continue to catch other pandemic fraudsters), but credit is also due in some respects, as well. Lastly, the original comment blamed all of this on Walz, which I think is incredibly dubious and clearly just partisan rhetoric.
Pretty complex? You mean like billing for 2600 lunches every day in Pelican Rapids (pop 2500)?
And even though they were eventually caught, how much of that money was recovered?
Poor kids were already getting free lunch. Now all kids do even though they didn’t need it as their parents could provide for them. Fortunately it is the school districts that are on the hook for this in the future, not the state government. Look for school districts to come up short in the future and need higher property taxes to pay for the free lunches.
Well, whatever you particular persuasion you can definitely see a difference in governing style. If you’d like a governor who heartily embraces the outrage de-jour then go with the Republican, Ron DeSantis is the prime example of that, banning books, Abortion at 6 weeks, his signature don’t say gay bill has been expanded to all students K-12, he’s attacking the largest employer in central Florida, a company that adds Billions to the state’s economy. If that is what trips you trigger, than by all means vote Republican, or better yet move to Florida, or any number of other states following Meatball Ron’s play book. But if you want calm sensible leadership, that respects ALL citizens of the state, cares about things that are actually REAL, not something made up to inspire hate in the base, then you need to elect Democrats.
Last week Fort Lauderdale was hit with torrential rains, 2 ft in 24 hrs. Their governor was in anther state campaigning. Since then he’s taken time to attack Disney, again, while south Florida suffers. Yesterday Florida’s Senator Marco Rubio complained that they still had gas shortages in the south. Apparently he thought someone in power should do something about that. One might think that one of a state’s two Senators had some sort of power, the Governor’s phone number perhaps, but I guess that’s not how things work in Florida. Who knows maybe Marco got an out of office reply when he tried to call? Whatever the case in Florida, you can bet our Governor would not be among the missing if disaster were to hit Minnesota. Walz is no DeSantis and we should all thank god for that.
The comparison by Walz between a good government, pro-democracy state like MN and the gerrymandered, “conservative” extremist hellhole of DeSantistan was quite appropriate for organizing a “state of the state” speech. It gives a good framework for thinking about what sort of state one wants to live in, and what one would like a state’s government to focus upon.
Add in the fact that the FL sink-hole is now doomed from a climate perspective. The latest deluge on Fort Flooderdale is just the start of the two foot rainstorms that will inundate that state. But one can only make so many comparisons in a limited amount of time.
Walz was desperately trying to do a sell job. About 19,000 more people left Minnesota last year than moved into the state. https://www.americanexperiment.org/minnesotas-population-grew-by-only-225-last-year/. In contrast, Florida had a net domestic migration of 318,855. (874 people a day move there)
Even little South Dakota had almost 2.5 times the population increase last year (13,660) than Minnesota (5713).
Sorry, but, who cares?
Less taxpayers to fund the government means those remaining should care.
I think we’ll be just fine. Besides, less people that those taxes need to support.
So less than even a modest Metro suburb? Good for them.
A more recent number (https://www.americanexperiment.org/minnesota-loses-19400-residents-to-other-states-in-2022-pace-of-exit-is-quickening/)
Weird. You’d think with nmbers like that, housing prices would be dropping. Yet, they’re not. New construction can’t keep up with demand. In short, their data doesn’t pass the smell test*.
* statistics being what they are, it might be that boomers are leaving for a sunbelt retirement. Which, if that’s the explanation, hardly reflects poorly on the Walz admin. What are they supposed to do, ban winter?
Explain Florida and Texas getting flooded with folks from California, New York, New Jersey and Minnesota. Those millions of folks fleeing Democratic states must not have heard Walz’s State of the State address. They may have been fleeing ahead of the next pandemic where one Governor put the sick patients back into senior living centers and one Governor did not. Keeping ahead of the pandemic curve….. Good move!
You folks on the right seem to be obsessed with people moving from one state to another, like it is some sort of gotcha. I think the part you fail to recognize is that we don’t care. We aren’t worried about the state suddenly running out of people. In fact, I think many of us are very happy to wish bon voyage to conservatives leaving the state.
It’s simply an indication of people voting with their feet. And unlike the ballot box, these votes aren’t bogus.
You gonna vote, or just keep complaining?
Minnesota won’t run out of people. Workers maybe. Higher income people maybe. Adequately educated ones maybe. When the tax revenue drops and the budget isn’t so rosy (within two years) it will be up to the remaining liberals to pick up the tab which they say they will gladly do.
Umm, I’d take the least educated immigrant 100 times out of 100 over a comparable lazy, entitled, white conservative. They’ll do a better job, have more ambition, and improve the cultural climate of the state in every possible way. You wanna be replaced? Thanks for saving us the trouble of kicking you out.
It was a poorly executed “Trump rally” with the lies, misinformation, name-calling, irrational exuberance, and plenty of red meat for the publicly educated masses.
Could Walz be more of a bully or egotist than Trump?
It would be interesting to compare the campaign rhetoric of Walz with what he is actually proposing. I do not think he campaigned on smaller or no rebates – higher taxes on the poor and middle class, higher auto registration fees, higher taxes on businesses that we be passed on to consumers, higher sales taxes, increased energy costs, advancing the regulatory State, expanding government dependency, and growing Government at +30%.
Of course, those who are so excited to apply a certain standard to the GOP rhetoric would never apply the same standard to the DFL. That would be grounds for being “shut out” of the process.
What has Govenror Walz named after himself? Walz steaks? Walz vodka? Walz magazine?
Does Governor Walz fly around in a private jet with his name emblazoned on it?
Is Governor Walz selling hideous NFTs that show him in the most ludicrous situations imaginable?
Does Governor Walz hold rallies largely for the ourpose of self-adoration?
How about bully? Shall we try that one?
“How about bully? Shall we try that one?”
Ask some legislators, bully would be kind.
The nerve of that man! Being a Democrat and using the power of his office to enact his agenda! Why, he absolutely refuses to accede to the demands of the Republicans just because he disagrees with them! Such nerve!
Perhaps the Republican snowflakes who complain about bullying could reflect on their Blessed Leader, who has transformed bullying from a symptom of his chronic insecurity to the lodestar of his career. They might also consider the legislators and Governors around the country, distinguished by the “R” after their names, who see easy targets in transgender children.
Republicans need to remember what they like to say when they are in power: Elections have consequences. If they are so bent on preserving their ideological purity (playing to the base) that they refuse any efforts at compromise or engagement, then that’s their good fortune: something new to complain about, without actually having to do anything.
His head has grown right alongside his ego.
Ego is bad because he’s a Democrat, right?
No, an ego like that is bad no matter what side of the aisle you are on.
A characteristic of all politicians, virtuous or evil. It takes a certain amount of ego to say you would be better at governance than someone else.
You have no idea who I have voted for. Totally fake news, like most of your posts.
Thank you king of snark. Why don’t you actually make a comment about something relevant, instead of your cute little quips. No, I never voted for Trump. Next.
If you don’t like us making fun of your silly rhetoric, try rhetoric that isn’t silly and easily made fun of.
Well it sure did not take long for the conversation to end up in the ditch, or would the manure pile be a better analogy? The “R” folks had a great opportunity to say, this is what we are for and why, didn’t see a word of it, you know where was the, this is what is common and will bring us folks together! Now I am not 100% lined up on the DFL agenda, never have been. But crying about who is leaving or not leaving the state and not knowing why is a absolute zero in my world. For most seniors, moving to Florida or Texas or Arizona is all about the weather, it is doubtful they are leaving for the anti-abortion stance, or the Book banning, or anti-gay etc. rhetoric at 65-70 years old. Got a neighbor whose father moved to Florida and handed out $200K non-refundable for the gated community, moving back to Connecticut. Makes you scratch your head or your butt a little. Could we be entering the Wizard of Oz scenario? “There’s no place like home”, but you have to take the adventure to understand it. I like Walz, end of the day I think he does have the interest of all Minnesotans at heart, perhaps too much in some places and not enough in others, but his heart is in the right place, and that is #1 important.
Ask kids in Richfield and St. Paul if they are worried about getting shot in school. What a dimwit.
I like the moniker that I recently read after DeSantis offered another one of his off-the-wall edicts, ‘Ron Insanity’
“the forces of hatred and bigotry,”
And interesting way to refer to people who don’t believe in sex changes for youngsters, that think that parents should be aware that their 13 year old daughters are having abortions, that believe that the present public school system isn’t properly educating their minority children…
It’s pretty clear Walz was talking about Repub extremism controlling DeSantistan, not the (somewhat milder) Minnesota version. In any event, for too many “conservatives” everywhere, their conception of “freedom” means the freedom to dominate others, including other parents.
If the shoe fits.
What do you hear from Senator Wesenberg lately?
You’ll notice, as usual, our dim witted governor didn’t get into too many specifics about his alleged accomplishments? The devil is in the details of his ridiculous executive orders. Zero chance being a sanctuary for the irreversible mutilation of minors would actually pass both chambers.
I never knew that Minnesota is a sanctuary for those wanting to circumcise minors.
The more you know…
Walz sounds like he is running for president.
Though I’m not sure being a strong state is about being a hub for abortion, and child sterilization and mutilation in the name of gender ideology.
Hmm, who will bite this time…
Many here rolled their eyes at me whe I said after 2015, all that anti-Russia rhetoric would lead to WWIII, and many here are still in denial, righteously about that. Now that I am saying eugenics is alive and prospering in Minnesota, I expect in ten years when that is considerably more obvious many here will remain in denial, righteously.
And your prediction about “eugenics prospering in Minnesota” will be just as accurate as the previous one about “WWIII” with Russia. For future reference, you should take note that use of the term “World War” implies a war with more than two national combatants. And Putin can’t even get Belarus to join in!
As for “eugenics”, unfortunately that word does not mean what you apparently think it means…
Guess your OK with telling and forcing other folks how to live their lives vs. the way they want by wedging yourself in between them and their Doctors as some omnibus-intellectual and then disguising it as a universe moral high ground natural law.
I am saying children should not be allowed to take drugs that will sterilize them, or have surgery removing reproductive body parts. As for unlimited, on-demand abortion, along with so called “gender affirming care”, that is a long time dream of eugenics, so not a good look for Minnesota.
You must be enjoying life out in Redder Minnesota, WHD. The life of the party!
So…I take it that you’re against circumcision. In ALL instances?
Your obsession with imagined child mutilation would make Hans Christian Andersen blanch.
“Uh, really, dude, that’s taking it too far.”
As I keep saying, like those who have been harmed by mRNA jabs, those detransitioners dealing with sterilization and major health issues because of “gender affirming care”, are gaslight and otherwise treated as if they do not exist, to the eternal shame of the left.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, lets talk about the ~ 1% that reacted wrongly (although foretasted) not the 99% that reacted positively! So better to let 99% suffer and die than the 1% adversely effected. Such great reasoning!
And who is gaslighting who?
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/florida-surgeon-general-altered-key-findings-in-study-on-covid-19-vaccine-safety/ar-AA1ahhLg?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=5eb745c670f2477ca47dc1275c522df9&ei=35
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/big-data-study-debunks-one-of-the-most-common-fears-surrounding-covid-19-vaccinations/ar-AA1aeZKT?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=c8707519f4da422e8f544240b2d64fbb&ei=42
Just a note about this Center For the American Experiment garbage that keeps popping up in these discussions. First, with a population of nearly 6 million people, 19k is hardly a significant exodus of any kind out of the state, more people than that went to the recent Red Hot Chili Peppers concert at the Vikings stadium. Second, census bureau actually classifies MN’s population as flat or stable, not declining. Third, Americans have always been free to move around and have done so for hundreds of years, this is not evidence of political preference or Party success. Even if you look at the graph on the CFAE “report” you’ll see that between 2001 and 2016 there was a sustained “loss” of population regardless of Party control. The idea that the recent statistically insignificant drop is due to rampant wokeism of some kind is simply facile. Republicans and conservatives have perfected the practice of promoting the statistical fallacy that correlation = causation ever since Charles Murry invented the concept of welfare queens back in the 70’s. If you look at the data you see that several “red” states are losing even more population… despite not having our winter weather. Whatever. At any rate… as Florida sinks into the ocean due the climate change it’s governor denies; rest assured people living there will indeed vote with their feet and seek refugee status elsewhere. With any luck they’ll secede before that eh?
It’s not that people are moving out of states, it is the states they are moving out of and the states they are going to. Exodus from Blue states to Texas Florida. I wonder why? Numbers don’t lie.
Again, it’s like you still haven’t figured out that no one cares what conservatives do with their lives. You all wanna go live in the third world Southern states, have at it. I mean I get it, you all think your presence is some gift to the rest of us, but really, we still, TRULY, don’t care about you, at all.
Well golly gee Joe, N&S Dakota, Iowa etc. are a lot closer and just if not more red than Florida and Texas, why not move there? Suspect weather and retirement has absolutely nothing to do with it. Also suspect if they are blue voters they will defiantly turn to red voters once they cross the state line, all those values and beliefs out the window.
Joe, people (especially people at the CFAE) lie with numbers all the time. In this particular case the numbers being used have absolutely nothing to say about WHY people are moving from some states to others, and their own numbers show that some red states are losing twice as many people (Louisiana for instance) while some blue states are gaining. As a guy who’s old enough to remember growing up with Republicans whining about all the people moving to MN in order take advantage of our welfare programs, I’ve seen this before. Obviously the 300k people who moved to Florida aren’t all from MN, and the weather not Walz is the most likely reason for moving there, regardless where your moving from. Older Minnesotan’s have been retiring to Arizona for decades in order to escape our winters… not support Republicans. In the end, you don’t actually know where those 19k Minnesotans moved to, or why. The claim that they all moved to escape liberals is simply facile.
I thought it was a divisive speech. I don’t want to listen about governors from other states. Also, it is evident the state isn’t interested in bipartisan leadership. or debate.
Give me a break. Republicans whine about “bipartisanship” only when they are in the minority. When they are in the majority, it’s “elections have consequences.”
Your observation applies equally to use of the word “divisive”…
Last summer Gov. Walz offered the Republicans a 30/30/30 split of the surplus that gave them tax cuts and rebates, funded some Democratic priorities, and socked 30% of the surplus into the rainy day fund. The Republicans preferred to block this bit of bipartisan budgeting, figuring they were going to win big in November. Oops. So they have only themselves to blame that the Democrats are using the majorities the voters gave them to pass Democratic priorities.
“So they have only themselves to blame . . .”
Assuming, of course, that they have either the will or the capacity for self-assessment, or the will or the capacity to accept the responsibility for their own errors.
And what would have made it less divisive more uniting? Yes, I am very curious, if the taxes I pay, the books I read, the people I talk to are devisive, I am really curious where the common ground is.
It is probably true that more Minnesotans are moving to southern states, and also that a large % of those are older, and maybe saying they don’t like MN taxes. Citing a single statistic is cherry picking and hardly constitutes a persuasive argument.
It is also true that MN’s population is still growing and has been a long time.
It is also true that the MN has a median family income roughly $10,000 higher than every state it borders, ranging from %16 to 20% higher. The same spread is there individual income. I used the US Census Bureau, Statista and Worldometer’s data.
MN with its stronger government COVID response also had from 4 to 32% less COVID deaths per capita then those 4 states, and about 20% less that TX or FL.
SD has a substantially higher violent crime rate per capita than MN, and has for many years.
AND in an aggregation of the business journals including right-leaning Forbes and Fortune, MN comes out ahead of all these states with the sometimes exception of SD, probably due to its aggressive tax-incentive recruiting. Not to mention the Quality of Life surveys and rankings.
This info is easily available. And if you only try to find one statistic to make a point about how the Dems have ruined MN, you are not credible.
If you want a higher chance of being a victim of violent crime, especially TX and FL with their new wild west gun policies, you should move their
Finally, the CAE is so prejudiced and desperate that they mass- mailed a glossy report last year stating the MN economy was tanking, amid the release of the copious data that MN had highest job growth, lowest unemployment and significant income growth, all better than the neighboring states with GOP leadership in place a long time. They had to use shallow-analysis statistics like WI led MN in job growth – because MN had record low unemployment while WI had more people that were out of work, so of course!
They mailed me a copy unasked for. I keep it with my Mad Magazine collectiom and Gary Larson books.
Its been great since I moved. The state GOP has kept me supplied with fire starting material, all on their dime. Since they don’t bother to send out folks to determine my political leanings, (I already told my local DFL canvassers they have my vote, so they can spend time on others), I expect the gravy train to keep on rolling.