Reluctantly, I have been captured by the stadium debate. With a little past experience in state policy and the places where those decisions are made, the personalities, processes, and strategies interest me. I find the floor debates unpredictable and engaging and I usually root for what I think is my favorite team. I admit that I am not a fan of football, nor do I hate it. It is part of our society that is filled with personalities, processes, and strategies. I do understand the emotions, from the highest elation to the deepest disappointment.
What I don’t understand is how the Star Tribune can justify publishing their most recent editorial, Strong Leadership Leads to Stadium Deal.
While it is true that our state and city leaders were the ones who crafted and negotiated what will eventually be a stadium, the process does not suggest “strength” anywhere:
- Strong leaders are willing to make choices for the advantage of their followers, not for the advantage of a few billionaires who don’t really need their help to get something accomplished.
- Strong leaders think of the future as opportunity for the children they lead, not as an unlimited gold-filled purse that some one else can fill.
- Strong leaders do whatever they can to help us all, not knowingly sacrifice a percentage of us with gambling addiction to “get it done.”
- Strong leaders understand priorities and that our love of a game should never have precedence over our ability to educate, house, clothe, feed each other, or go to the doctor.
- Strong leaders seek guidance from their followers, don’t hide from them behind closed doors and talk between offices to ensure they don’t violate pesky transparency rules.
- Strong leaders don’t let their morals and beliefs be hijacked by the wealthy, corporate America, or labor unions.
- Strong leaders don’t push green, just because they want to be able to say “I told you so” in 10 years.
- Strong leaders lead, they don’t follow their caucus when they know it is just wrong.
I am not foolish enough to think that the Star Tribune, so full of intelligent and savvy editors, is so naive to believe thier own polly-annish words about the state of our current political leadership. Are they hoping to score some up close and personal points with the new best friends at the new stadium, or are they so happy to be part of the five block plan, the happiness is clouding their judgement? The Star Tribune doesn’t understand the term “strong leadership” in journalism, so we can’t expect them to recognize it in politics either.
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