It’s time to pack the minivan, make sure there’s no holes in the tent and the cooler is full of beer (or juice). Schools across the state are ending, summer break is upon us and that means it’s camping season, right?
Crap, I forgot about that pesky little issue: if the government shuts down, that will mean no state parks to camp in. The GOP is protecting the richest 2% from a modest tax increase instead of protecting the summer plans of countless Minnesotans.
I don’t think we should let them get away with ruining our summer. So if the government shuts down, who wants to go camping on Speaker Zellers’ yard with me? I hear Maple Grove is nice this time of year.
As a former camp counselor, I feel particularly well suited to provide you with the following packing list for our adventure on Zellers’ front yard:
- Obviously the basics will be important: tent, sleeping bag, sweatshirt for those cold Minnesota nights, etc.
- Firewood, consider using Tim Pawlenty’s “economic” plan for kindling.
- Flashlight, consider using it to shine a light on the issues Zellers’ should have focused on this session (jobs and the budget) instead of where is focus was (marriage and voter ID)
- S’more ingredients: marshmallows, chocolate and Graham Crackers.
- Something to read, look for something in the Self Help section about the importance of compromise, do us all a favor and leave a copy of it in Speaker Zellers’ mailbox
There are some real important issues here, like the loss in user fees over the July 4th weekend and how that will impact the parks budget into the future. And while the closing of the parks is not the worst consequence of a shutdown (compared to the thousands who will lose their jobs) it is one of the most visible consequences to the broadest swath of Minnesotans.
It’s for both of these reasons that progressives must illustrate the cost of the conservatives’ stubborn refusal to compromise for the betterment of our state. We also need not lose one of the best parts of summer: camping trips. So camping out on Speaker Zellers’ yard is really a win-win, right?
You bring the bug spray; I’ll bring the S’more.
Comment