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Oberstar vs. Cravaack and the future of Minnesota’s Fightin’ Eighth – Part 2
This is Part 2 of my post analyzing the 2010 showdown between Rep. Jim Oberstar and Chip Cravaack in northeastern Minnesota’s Eighth Congressional District. (Read Part 1). Long term, both political parties — indeed, leaders of all stripes — need to consider the impact of inevitable, ongoing demographic change to northern Minnesota. This region’s unique…
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Oberstar vs. Cravaack and the future of Minnesota’s Fightin’ Eighth – Part 1
For 60 years northeastern Minnesota’s Eighth Congressional District has stood as one of the nation’s most fascinating political anomalies. Granted, until this year a majority of the MN-08 contests in this period have been fairly boring DFL routs, except of course for a couple high-drama DFL primaries. Even this year’s well-publicized bout between longtime DFL…
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Northern Minnesota political series on the way
I’m still trying to find the right voice and posting frequency here on MinnesotaBrown. The blog will be an important part of some new radio/internet projects I’m exploring for 2011, but for now I’m still deciding the right mix of political commentary, regional news and my ramblings as a typical internet blather-lord. It’s a strange…
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Paper: known consultant working inside Range agency
The Mesabi Daily News is shocked, shocked (!) to learn that the commissioner of the Iron Range Resources agency might be making arrangements to become a private consultant after her term is up this winter. The article is full of the sort of dramatic attempts to solicit comments usually reserved for those convicted of unseemly…
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COLUMN: Keep it interesting, Minnesota
This is my weekly column for the Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010 edition of the Hibbing Daily Tribune. Keep it interesting, MinnesotaBy Aaron J. Brown I’ve been trying to quit, but it’s so hard. Temptation is all around and it’s only going to get worse. I wish I never started. I’m talking about politics, not pills.…
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Join me today in Chisholm
Join me today at 2 p.m. at the Minnesota Discovery Center in Chisholm for a new lecture on Iron Range politics. An open, probably lively discussion will no doubt ensue. Find out more at mndiscoverycenter.com. Related posts: No related posts.
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Awesome lecture to be dropped like hot on Saturday
“Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.” ~Abraham Lincoln “The richest village in the world.”~Hibbing’s reputation during the tenure of 10-time village president Victor Power “The Iron Range will never, never, never be the same.”~Gov. Rudy Perpich, after the iron mining collapse of 1982. “Don’t call it a comeback.…
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Can Bob ditch after the White House gig? Yes he can.
I enjoyed this quote from the recent Rolling Stone interview with President Obama regarding the president’s one very brief interaction with Duluth native and Iron Range-raised American icon Bob Dylan: “Here’s what I love about Dylan: He was exactly as you’d expect he would be. He wouldn’t come to the rehearsal; usually, all these guys…
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Saint Louie, Louie
The Duluth News Tribune has been doing some investigative journalism lately. I’m just going to let that linger on the screen for a second. Nice. OK, so the DNT ran some good stuff Monday about the St. Louis County Board and its travel reimbursements for its seven county commissioners. The smoking gun scandal is not…
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Lincoln, Power and Perpich
With another political season upon us, the Minnesota Discovery Center in Chisholm has opened a new exhibit reminding us of times when politics was even more important (and somehow even dirtier). “Abraham Lincoln, a Man of His Time, a Man for All Times” debuted this week, with a localized exhibit highlighting two important Iron Range…
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Inappropriate emphasis of key POINTS in a SPEECH
I ALSO have a master’s degree in communication. Unfortunately this guy is doing a good job if showing what that’s actually worth. This viral video has been dubbed the “worst stump speech” in the history if the republic. I don’t know. I kind of like it. It’s good enough to get him on the Itasca…
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This Iron Range blogger is done apologizing for Iron Range cronyism
Well, they went and did it. Today I’m breaking with my party and conventional political wisdom in describing a great injustice being done to the people of the Iron Range. That’s not a light word, injustice. I aim to defend its use here. The matter, of course, is an old one, something I’ve railed on…
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Excelsior Energy to seek huge break from Iron Range Resources
This story explains my rather foul mood tonight. Excelsior Energy, a nearly 10-year-old front company staffed by lawyers and lobbyists with Range roots, is seeking a rather profound sweetheart extension on what was already a rather appalling $9.5 million in sweetheart loans from Iron Range Resources. If the terms of this proposal are upheld, the…
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In which my shocking party affiliation is revealed
The internet is littered with link bait and spam sites, robot-generated content that mindlessly spews random (usually stolen) content. But one of these sites is good for a laugh. “Voter Factory” allows you to search a person’s name and hometown and find out if they are a Democrat or Republican. I was shocked to learn…
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Judge dismisses order, clearing Anzelc
One of my stated conflicts of interest is that am the volunteer campaign manager for Rep. Tom Anzelc, a good friend and fellow Balsam Township resident. You might recall that a temporary restraining order was issued against Tom by a former girlfriend in June over salacious allegations that he denied. I defended him on this…