Here are some things you might ask opponents of Voter ID legislation the next time they tell you that Minnesota has the best election system in the nation and there is no evidence of ineligible voting.

Ask them if it is a good thing that on election day in 2008, more than 500,000 persons walked into polling places, filled out pieces of paper called Voter Registration Applications, and then voted. The State treated these individuals differently than your registration if you are one who registered prior to the election. Specifically, your registration information was compared to the Department of Public Safety records indicating you are a citizen and are not a felon with unrestored voting rights. Additionally, your information was checked against court records to confirm that you are not under a guardianship order that has revoked your right to vote. Other checks were also done including confirming your residence in the precinct by sending a post card via the U.S. Post Office to see if it could be delivered to you.

Each day until the state convention comes to order on May 18, we shall consider a variety of reasons for endorsing Dan Severson to challenge Senator Amy Klobuchar in November. Follow the series at Fightin Words and check in on the day of the convention for a compilation including the most compelling reason to support Dan Severson.

One of the advantages of being a relatively new activist is not taking anything for granted. While more seasoned players may fall into routine for routine’s sake, new folks often ask why things are done the way in which they are.

And that’s just what they’ll spend in a month:

An independent group favoring Republican presidential rival Mitt Romney is launching a $25 million, monthlong advertising campaign in 10 states against President Barack Obama, further escalating an expensive TV ad war in presidential battlegrounds six months before Election Day.

Crossroads GPS plans to open the effort Thursday by spending $8 million on a TV ad that castigates Obama on the economy by using his own words against him.

And just where will these ads run?  The list is instructive:

Tuesday night, Mark Ritchie traveled to St. Cloud to talk about the photo ID constitutional amendment. His presentation lasted approximately 20 minutes, which was followed by a 15 minute Q and A period.

During his presentation, Secretary Ritchie talked about the great expense of a photo ID system. he also spoke about how people lose their drivers licenses, then don’t get their replacement license for “sometimes up to 3 or 4 weeks.” Ritchie made the point that, if we went to a provisional ballot system, people who had lost their license just prior to that election “would have to do this”, at which point Ritchie crossed his fingers.

First, the odds of a person losing their drivers license right before the election are tiny. Further, if it’s taking the DMV 3-4 weeks to process a drivers license, then the DMV needs a top-to-bottom overhaul. Either that or that function needs to be privatized immediately.

I never endorse candidates.

Partly it’s because I can’t imagine anyone really cares what a schnook blogger from the Midway thinks.

Partly it’s because on the off chance I do have even the faintest shred of clout about these things, I’d rather use them to help people think for themselves.

Partly it’s because my vote really doesn’t matter; I’m sixth alternate in a district with ten delegates of whom nine have been pretty disciplined about showing up for conventions.

Ron Paul announced yesterday that he would not campaign in any states where primaries have yet to take place, a statement that many took to be a withdrawal from the campaign.  This morning, the campaign held a conference call with the media explaining that they had no way to prevent Mitt Romney from winning the nomination outright with bound delegates, but they still hope to have a “major impact at the national convention” anyway:

Rep. Ron Paul’s campaign conceded Tuesday it probably cannot win enough delegates to be the Republican presidential nominee, though it said it still will try to play a major role at August’s convention in shaping the GOP’s rules and platform going forward.

As I mentioned last night, Gov. Dayton decided to add insult to injury yesterday by vetoing the one remaining legislative priority the Republican-led legislature had:

In a stinging coda to a divisive legislative session, DFL Gov. Mark Dayton on Monday vetoed a GOP-led package of business property tax breaks that were a top priority for many of the state's corporate leaders.

The veto came hours after a session-ending triumph for Dayton and a bipartisan group of legislators, when Dayton made a rare, ceremonial show in the Capitol rotunda of officially signing the bill to create a new $975 million home for the Minnesota Vikings.

A billion for the Vikings, bupkes for other businesses. Not surprisingly, the reaction wasn't happy:

Since he took over the top position in MnSCU, Chancellor Rosenstone has said the right things. This is a perfect example of that:

“By listening to Minnesota employers, we can obtain a greater, much more precise understanding of the state’s workforce needs. Armed with this data, we can ensure that higher education is delivering the right academic programs and preparing graduates with the skills necessary for the success of Minnesota’s businesses and communities.” – Chancellor Steven Rosenstone

The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system is committed to supporting economic growth throughout the state. The system’s state universities and community and technical colleges provide career preparation and continuing career education for more Minnesotans than any other organization in the state.

Minnesota’s Political Post-Game Show will be getting a new home!  The Late Debate with will be moving to its new home on Twin Cities News Talk, AM 1130 KTCN beginning Saturday, May 26^th.

Conservative co-hosts Jack Tomczak and Benjamin Kruse will be live from 2-4pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

For more information on KTCN, visit http://www.TwinCitiesNewsTalk.com.

Hugh Hewitt has seen and talked to just about every Senate candidate in the country. To receive his endorsement says a ton about the caliber of a candidate that Pete Hegseth is.

Each day until the state convention comes to order on May 18, we shall consider a variety of reasons for endorsing Dan Severson to challenge Senator Amy Klobuchar in November. Follow the series at Fightin Words and check in on the day of the convention for a compilation including the most compelling reason to support Dan Severson.

Many of the reasons so far listed for supporting Dan Severson for U.S. Senate are practical. He is far and away the most experienced candidate. He is a proven leader. He has run statewide before and built the relationships necessary to win.

However, all that matters less without a platform of positions which promises to translate conservative principle into actual policy. Dan has that platform. More than rhetorical flourish, Dan has articulated specific actionable policy objectives.

Speaker Zellers and Senator Senjem had barely brought the gavels down on the session when the DFL’s paid PR organs – Alliance for a Better Minnesota, Common Cause and the unions – and their unpaid ones in the media started chanting the meme: it’d been a “do-nothing” legislature.

That is, of course, objectiively wrong.  The GOP went into the session with big plans, and threw itself into carrying them off.

The DFL and Governor Dayton went into the session with smaller plans:

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Gov. Dayton is learning quick how to veto job-creating bills. MNGOP Chairman Pat Shortridge issued this statement after Gov. Dayton vetoed another job-creating bill:

“Governor Dayton had a one track mind this legislative session, the Vikings Stadium, and in the process, he let several great opportunities slip by. The bipartisan tax bill that Governor Dayton vetoed today would have helped our state’s economy grow and put our people back to work.

Unfortunately, it joined other common sense items, like the end of the Last In First Out policy that governs teacher employment decisions, paying back the school shift, tort reform legislation and several other key jobs bills, in the Governor’s veto pile.