Want a model on how to govern, Democrats? Look to Minnesota's miracle.

[Ocelot II]

Opinion by E.J. Dionne -

“Democrats codified abortion rights, paid family and medical leave, sick leave, transgender rights protections, drivers licenses for undocumented residents, restoration of voting rights for people when they are released from prison or jail, wider voting access, one-time rebates, a tax credit aimed at low-income parents with kids, and a $1 billion investment in affordable housing including for rental assistance.”

Take a breath and move on: “Also adopted were background checks for private gun transfers and a red-flag warning system to take guns from people deemed by a judge to be a threat to themselves or others. [Democratic] lawmakers banned conversion therapy for LGBTQ people, legalized recreational marijuana, expanded education funding, required a carbon-free electric grid by 2040, adopted a new reading curricula based on phonics, passed a massive $2.58 billion capital construction package and, at the insistence of Republicans, a $300 million emergency infusion of money to nursing homes.” The mix of tax cuts and increases, by the way, will make the state’s revenue system more progressive.

There’s a lot more, including laws strengthening workers’ rights and unemployment insurance for hourly workers previously left out of the system; a refundable child credit for lower-income Minnesotans; and free breakfast and lunch for all Minnesota K-12 students.

State Democratic leaders said in interviews that as soon as they learned last November that they would have their first trifecta in a decade — meaning control of both chambers and the governorship — they decided they would not hold back to calculate the politics of every move. “I thought this would be a once-in-a-generation opportunity, and it should be viewed that way,” Walz told me. “And I've always said you don't win elections to bank political capital. You win elections to burn the capital to improve lives.”

https://wapo.st/3oFEmqm

[ProudMNDemocrat]

1. So proud of Minnesota's Team...

Starting with my dear friends, Tim and Gwen Walz. Peggy Flannagan is damn awesome too. Friends Keith Ellison and Steve Simon rank high with me.

Several members of the Minnesota House and Senate I have gotten to know over the years. Looking out for the people of this state should be a no-brainer.

[walkingman]

2. Sounds good to me...but not a snowball's chance in Texas these days. The GOP

has done exactly what the article said but in favor of Republicans. They have maintained complete control for so long that they have been able to tweak any efforts by us Dems as soon as they present themselves.

Add to that being a part of the Bible Belt and it will be extremely difficult to change things UNLESS we can break the curse by maybe ridding ourselves of the most despised Senator in America. That just might be an opportunity to break the 100% Statewide stronghold in 2024.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

15. Fascism can be brought to such a screeching halt...dead forever. Voters control the government, not

the other way around…Republicans hate that notion and reality of democracy.

[Merlot]

20. Voter suppression & gerrymandering control the voters

[Blue Owl]

3. K&R

[Pinback]

4. Well done, Minnesota Dems!

This is most encouraging.

And note that it took plenty of elbow grease and coalition building to create this “miracle.”

[catbyte]

5. I wish that would happen in Wisconsin. We in Michigan are catching up to Minnesota, and it would

be great to have a Big Blue Wall of Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, but they seem to be stuck going the other way. Let's hope the new State Supreme Court can do something about that.

[sarcasmo]

14. Agree, thinking of moving back to Michigan.

[madeup64]

6. Loving the italicized quote in paragraph 4

Look how negative Obamacare polled during the time that the Democrats were working it through committees and to the president's desk and then all the way up until 2012. Even though Republicans opposed it every turn and obviously have made great strides hurting the law via lawsuits and administrative actions by various government agencies to undermine it when they were in power, it is now ingrained in the system and has made a difference in a lot of people's lives. Insurances inability to deny people for pre existing conditions and allowing kids to stay on their parents' Insurance until 26 are not going anywhere because people like it.

The vast majority of Republican states that opposed the Medicaid expansion at first have now come around and implemented it because there's no denying that states are better off with the expansion with then without it.

Could you imagine if the Democrats would have fought hard and got the public option in the ACA? But at the time they gave up that fight to ensure passage of the law. When you have the power you should be implementing as much of your policy as you can because it takes time for policy to to be implemented and then for those changes to have a real world effect. Democrats had the presidency the house and 59/60 seats in the Senate and certainly didn't act as though they had the power they did. Could you imagine if the Republicans were in the same position Democrats were in from 2008 - 2010? What they would have passed? I really wish Democrats would have that mindset too.

I think I'll be repeating this ad nauseam:
"You don't win elections to bank political capital. You win elections to burn the capital to improve lives.”

[Merlot]

21. So true, that one still hurts.

Could you imagine if the Republicans were in the same position Democrats were in from 2008 - 2010? What they would have passed? I really wish Democrats would have that mindset too.

[MLAA]

7. Every kid gets at least 2 good meals a day!

That should be nationwide!

[Fiendish Thingy]

8. Whitmer in MI is equally impressive.

Dems governing ruthlessly for the people, without hesitation or pragmatic incrementalism, is how you persuade normally apathetic people to show up, vote Dem, and create majorities that last a generation or more.

[Ocelot II]

10. WA is another one. If these and other states can be effective examples of good government

that really benefits people, maybe people elsewhere will think twice about voting GOP.

[MineralMan]

9. I've only lived in Minnesota since 2004.

This legislature has done more in one session than any other since I moved here. That's what Democrats should do wherever they can, I believe.

Just do it, folks, if you can!

[Deuxcents]

12. Would love a miracle for Florida...watching other states doing good governance

And wish that for us. It’s so good to see that it can be done well and gives me hope

[Alexander Of Assyria]

17. Mass media is NOT watching progressive States laws...transfixed on the crazy R train wreck of

illegal laws…dozens of train wrecks in the dozens of mini-me led quasi nations called Republican States.

Liberal States advancement of People’s priorities is being ignored as much as the Federal State advancements…competency is so boring…the corporate media wants to show Americans the circus!

The wise, sane representatives of the People…second page news..the moronic, insane, fascist circus…front page! But doesn’t matter in the long run, reality is real…it always wins, by definition.

[LiberalBrooke]

13. So proud to live in this state.

Well done DFL team!

[NowISeetheLight]

16. What You Pay For

Minnesota has higher taxes. But you get what you pay for. Having grown up there the roads sucked (potholes) but that was about it. Schools were pretty good, healthcare is renown, good social support systems. I read they’re #46 on the “corporate tax friendliness” rankings. To me that means they’re not supporting the oligarchs. They’re one of a few states that taxes social security benefits which isn’t great. Property taxes are high but it’s nice to have schools and libraries that are decent.

https://taxfoundation.org/publications/state-local-tax-burden-rankings

They’re #18 in schools and #7 in school safety. #15 in healthcare and #8 in public health. US News ranks them #5 overall on their Best States list.

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/rankings

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/minnesota

Sure the state has some issues. I still subscribe to the online StarTribune website and keep track of local events (I moved out in ‘94). I love Minnesota. The thing is THEY TRY. Sure it’s expensive to live there. But it’s a nice place with good people. They’re doing it right.

[Ocelot II]

19. MN has never taxed all Social Security, and new legislation eliminates the SS tax

on single people with total incomes less than $78K and couples with less than $100K. The rationale for taxing some SS is that people with high incomes that include SS should be taxed the same as everyone else at that income level.

Corporate taxes are higher here but corporations stay anyhow because the population is well-educated, ensuring they can get high-quality employees. A relative of mine moved to AR because taxes are lower there (and because his wife is a flat-out racist who wanted to get away from non-White people), but the difference between the states is pretty striking - per one list, MN is #5 of best places to live and AR is #45. https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states You definitely get what you pay for. And with the Dems now in charge it's only going to get better.

[lees1975]

18. Minnesota and Illinois are long-standing Democratic bastions.

They are as progressive as it gets in the midwest, and that needs to spill over into Iowa, and bring it back, and into Wisconsin and Ohio.

Yeah, there are complainers about taxes. But the infrastructure it provides benefits everyone, even the whining conservatives. And frankly, added up, the taxes aren't that bad and the services they provide make up for it.

[sab390]

22. There's still a lot of damage to fix

40 years of Reagan and this state hasn't always been DFL. There are a lot of homeless, many people of color and other minorities who are in bad shape. It's a great place to be white. Good jobs, good housing, and nice scenery. But now the hard work begins. The problem isn't the bigots, it's the ones who don't see it.

[Ocelot II]

23. Gotta start somewhere, and at least we're starting and not regressing.