by Joe Sheeran | September 11, 2009 • It has been said on this blog that Minnesota 2020 is a pro-trek think tank, which refers to the large number of staff who love and live all versions or life forms of the science fiction epic Star Trek.
Only being a casual observer to the Trek series, I chalked up the staff’s obsession to a group of really smart people finding a social outlet. Quickly though, I realized, following subtexts of their conversations about Trek, that the show provided a concept for the ideal society–Minnesota 2020’s ultimate goal.
| Hindsight is the official blog of Minnesota 2020. Hindsight gives the run down on the news that jumps out at us on the issues that matter. Often times these stories show us how much further we need to go to have the progressive policy realized in Minnesota. |
We strive to achieve a positive vision of the future. We believe everyone should have access to a primary care doctor, like Bones McCoy. Minnesota 2020 realizes how important it is to achieve economically sustainable energy alternatives, like recrystallized dilithium. Most importantly, Minnesota’s schools should prepare our children for the 21st century the same way Starfleet Academy has prepared generations of students for the 23rd and 24th centuries.
While the full Trek vision of the future is probably centuries away, if it could even exists at all, Minnesota 2020’s ideals are achievable in our lifetime. I’m glad I spent the summer contributing to the goals of affordable health coverage for all, building an electricity grid at reduces the need for carbon heavy fuel, and ensuring our students have access to the best educational resources.
Minnesota is a great place to live, work and raise a family because we’ve invested for the future. But if we continue down the path of cutting funding for our most vital services, what could have been a great sci-fi epic brought to life will wind up becoming the Klingon Moon of Praxis–which exploded due to lack of long-term thinking.
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