Twin Cities Daily Planet (https://www.tcdailyplanet.net/author/john-marty/page/2/)
Although the “Occupy Wall Street” movement’s message has been criticized for being unclear, it is beginning to sharpen its focus around demands that government begin to represent the interests of the “99%” instead of carrying water for corporate interests and the wealthiest 1%. It’s not an attempt to punish the top 1%; most Occupy advocates understand that we are all in this together. Continue Reading
Zygi Wilf and the Vikings are attempting to make their Ramsey County stadium deal sound like a run-of-the-mill, routine proposal. It is not. The Vikings are asking for the #1, all-time, biggest taxpayer subsidy of any sports franchise anywhere in American history!
Our nation’s Founding Fathers would be horrified.
This summer, there were nine Wisconsin state senate recall elections. For the record, two of the Republicans facing recalls lost, the other Republicans and all the Democrats survived. Setting aside the issues related to those recalls, it is disturbing to see how the “democratic process” worked in these elections.
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Why does one need to write in defense of good government? Because right wing politicians have vilified government. Under their relentless attacks, government is portrayed as evil – something Grover Norquist wants to reduce “to the size where I can drag it into the bathroom and drown it in the bathtub.”
No politician will admit that they consider funding a Vikings stadium a top priority. But for some, it seems to rate higher than education, health care, or other needs.
Every month, the post office delivers dozens of half-inch-thick new member enrollment packets from Blue Cross, Medica, Health Partners and other HMOs to 2211 Clinton Ave South in Minneapolis. Most of the packets will be returned to the HMOs, “addressee unknown.” No one actually lives there. It’s St. Continue Reading
It is a reality that the enormous state budget deficit will require significant budget cuts and tax increases. Yes, I know that Republican legislators claim they will not accept any new taxes, but their first budget proposal contained significant tax increases on renters and is projected to cause large property tax increases on homeowners and businesses. Continue Reading
Over the years, many items in the state budget have been scrutinized with a fine-tooth comb. Continue Reading
