Regrettable, but not terminal

The MN GOP had a bad couple of days. Certainly in the media.  While I have several thoughts about that I'm just going to share an anecdote which may reveal how i feel about these issues and whether they are or should be politically career-ending.

A few years back I had a business meeting with the former chair of the state DFL party. He had then recently lost a primary election for an open congressional seat.  I was struck by how bitter he was; and that he'd reveal that bitterness to someone he had just met.  He had terrible things to say about the man who ultimately won the race (and who still holds that seat).  He further complained that the Strib wouldn't cover many of this man's alleged transgressions, including an affair with a staffer and a police call to his house due to what he described as excessive child discipline.  I took from this man's statements, although he didn't come right out and say it, that his campaign had been trying to get the Strib to cover these issues.   (There were certain other issues which the STrib had to cover about this candidate because they were public record, and quite embarassing).

I had previously assumed from watching this congressional race that the Strib handled this candidate with kid gloves.  It was still surprising to hear this from withing the DFL party. 

This exchange confirmed my belief that the Strib plays favorites.  But it also taught me that political damage can often be overcome.

A unanimous Eden Prairie budget

Just a few random thoughts on the passage of the Eden Prairie budget.

In 2005, Ron Case introduced using the budget stabilization fund to reconcile the budget.  He still votes for doing so, but somehow gets away with criticizing others who do likewise. He is both for it and against it at the same time, and no one calls him on it. Amazing. 

I was disappointed that it passed unanimously. I thought one council member would have done something to hold the budget flat. What exactly is the average compensation package for Eden Prairie employees?  I bet it's north of $75,000, excluding pension.

Which leads me to my final thought. Has council member Aho voted against the council majority on any issue of substance this year? I honestly don't know the answer to that question; but i have a hunch.

breakfast with Gary

I had breakfast with my friend Gary today.  I've known Gary for almost ten years but our routine of having breakfasts together began about 18 months ago.  Since then, he emails and texts me and we get together every six weeks or so.  He's been a good friend, forcing me to engage and interact even when I didn't want to.  He's done it just right--not too pushy but enough so that i'll feel bad if I blow him off. 

There's rarely an agenda for our meetings, although recently that's changed a little bit. But, one thing remains true-i always leave our meetings with a smile on my face. 

I'm an introvert by nature and not-at-all easy to engage. But, I'm grateful that Gary has put up with my bs.  Everyone needs a friend like him.

football is a game of possessions

There are many different theories of how to win football games. My theory is pretty straightforward--football is a game of possessions.  Control the clock; don't turn the ball over; and have more possessions than the other team and you're in good shape to win.  I'm not a fan of the quick scoring fad which has infected college football. Problem is--quick scoring teams leave too much time on the clock.

Number three son's football season is coming to an end. His team lost its first play-off game because it fumbled the ball 4 times.  That's a killer, even in 4th grade football.

school board saga

A few random thoughts about the current state of affairs in the Eden Prairie school district.

First, it appears the administration is playing "hide the ball" with enrollment numbers.  Numbers are down, especially involving families whose children were to be moved as part of redistricting.  They should own it.

Second, because the "new" elementary school (Oak Point) is affiliated with the former Intermediate school which failed to make AYP, the students (including my two sons) are permitted under NCLB to transfer to another elementary school in town. I don't think that my kids would transfer. But, I was disturbed that the letter the administration sent out on this issue foreclosed a transfer to two of the four elementary schools in town (read: the two schools that parents would want to send their kids to are not allowed). I see this as kicking sand in the face of the parents.  The administration has screwed this whole thing up and they simply won't take ownership of that. Parents who want to move their kids should be able to move them to any of the four elementary schools in town.

Finally, the school board candidates.  There are two who i'll certainly vote for. Problem is, I have four votes.  Most of the candidates are trying their best to cover all the bases while actually saying nothing--i.e. they're willing to look at everything, study hard, include all stakeholders, and make a decision that is well-thought-out and the best for the district.  Gee, that's illuminating.

the lost decade

For most Americans retirement depends on compound interest.  Most of us don't have pensions to rely upon and you really can't retire upon whatever amount you put away in your 401k--you need those dollars to grow faster than the rate of inflation for a couple of decades.Then, you may perhaps have enough to retire when you reach your mid 60s. 

The last decade has been anemic, with stock returns barely keeping pace with inflation.   This is a real problem for people in their mid 40s, like me.  Those who are a decade older enjoyed most of the boom time in the 1990s and had enough money to enjoy those gravy years; most of my age peers were just starting out and didn't have enough put away to enjoy those 20% years.

Those who are now in their 30s have plenty of years ahead of them and frankly would be better off just slugging that 15% into their 401k during a stagnant stock market.  Time is on their side.

But, investors like me are running out of years for compound interest to even have a shot at doing some magic.  People may be working, and they may be earning. But, I don't think many have really done the retirement math--this is a problem that we won't be able to outrun.

Should the unemployed be a protected class?

We live in a competitive society which prefers outcomes based on merit. Accordingly, most people agree that discrimination based on grounds other than merit is wrong. But, when should government intervene and make discrimination illegal? That's a good question which isn't nearly debated enough. And, I'm not going to spend the time tonight to analyze our various civil rights laws. 

Instead just a brief comment on the current jobs proposal which the Obama administration is trying to get through Congress. For, one as-yet-not-well discussed provision of that jobs bill would make it illegal for employers to discriminate against the long-term unemployed.

People are unemployed for a variety of reasons. Some for performance-related reasons, but most not. It's a bad policy for any employer to lump the unemployed together and decide not to interview any of them for a job opening, preferring instead only those who are currently employed.  Actually, I think you could probably make the argument that an employer would find a hungrier, harder working employee among the ranks of the unemployed than among those who would need to be coaxed out of a current job.

That said, government should tread carefully when it choses to make bad conduct illegal. It might make a nice sound bite on the campaign trail, but I hope most people see this proposal for the gimic that it is.