Email: Minnesota’s National Headlines

Minnesota’s National Headlines
	It looks like Minnesota’s presidential caucus might actually matter in 2012.

While most times, I’d welcome the well-lit national news live shots showcasing downtown Minneapolis or the State Capitol, this year I worry what the national media will say about the Land of Lakes.

After all, they’ll be hitting Minnesota just as our legislative session heats up. While coverage will focus on the presidential contenders, national reporters like to provide the rest of the country with the local political flavor. This time they'll focus on conservative issues with Romney, Gingrich and Paul in the race.

Back when Minnesota’s conservatives worked on policy that mattered, you could count on serious discussions of health care, education, transportation and broad economic development.

Now, I fear conservative caucus goers will highlight the social distractions, constitutional amendments and the false rhetoric that Minnesota’s taxes are driving away businesses. No doubt this will be mixed in with a heavy dose of Bachmann and Pawlenty bashing the state they helped govern.

If Right to Work, anti-education or middle-class busing legislation is moving thorough the Capitol come caucus time, you’re likely to see stories comparing Minnesota to Walker’s Wisconsin and file video of Minnesota’s summer shutdown.

This is in stark contrast to when progressive values took center stage during 2008’s tightly contested primary between then-candidates Obama and Clinton. That race complimented Minnesota’s progressive policy vision, focusing on affordable health care, a green energy economy, and expanding access to higher education, among other public policy issues.

Debate about such ideas and policies has always worked to benefit all Minnesotans. When conservative presidential contenders come to town, however, you’ll hear the two big talking points about limiting government and cutting taxes for the rich.

As the last decade has taught Minnesota, that’s not a policy for prosperity. It’s conservative cronyism.

The national reporters who really do their homework for the caucus will highlight a historically progressive state that leveraged natural resources, invested in hardworking people, and established a fair regulatory framework to produce a prosperous Minnesota.

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