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Albert Lea and Austin are linked
Published 10:01am Friday, January 27, 2012
Are local Republicans are trying to rig future elections for state representative and state senator? In October 2011, the Supreme Court Redistricting Panel met in Mankato to get input from citizens on the new redistricting map. The meeting turned out to be remarkable for the large number of Freeborn County Republicans who turned out. Unhappy that they have had difficulty winning and holding the Senate seat and having only recently taken back the House of Representative seat, they have decided to attack the problem by manipulation. It is sort of like a football team with a spotty win record trying to better the odds by changing the size and shape of the playing field. I guess if you have trouble winning on issues, you exploit the chance to change the rules to get that little edge.
The group, which included Richard Murray, Matthew Benda and Alan Arends, complained that Albert Lea and Austin, and presumably Freeborn and Mower counties, no longer have anything in common. Forget that the two cities are only 20 miles apart and many thoughtful people have suggested that they share common economic interests as rural towns deeply invested in the food industry. In fact, some might say that they have more in common today than in past years because Albert Lea today is proud to have within its border a company, Select Foods, that is closely related to Hormel Foods. Freeborn County Republicans might not be interested in working with Austin and Mower County. That is their choice. Freeborn County DFLers, however, are most certainly eager to do so.
Arthur Anderson
Albert Lea
Arthur….The tinfoil is wrapped a little tight isn’t it, the courts were involved, are you saying the minnesota courts have been corrupted and a group of people have conspired steal a position that the DFL feels that they own?
Here is a thought try winning on ideas instead of offering the same old tired ones that have caused massive overspending, over-regulation and explosive growth in government but that is not your party’s style is it.
One other thing it’s not like the DFL to use front groups to manipulate the system either like “Draw the line minnesota” They allege that they are non partisan but in reality they are a front group with groups like Common Cause Minnesota, the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits and TakeAction Minnesota a deeper look shows a alliance of poverty industry and public employee unions hardly non partisan group trying to influence outcomes of redistricting.