The Great Pretender, part two

In the Great Pretender, Spotty told his readers about state senator Geoff Michel’s efforts to run away – rhetorically only, of course – from his Republican caucus in the Minnesota Legislature. He needs to do so, of course, because of the bluing of Edina, Geoff’s hometown. Oh, what a tangled web we weave!

Now, Spotty wants to spend some time over the next several days talking about the real Geoff Michel. First, let’s talk about civil rights, specifically the rights of gays and lesbians.

Whenever the passage of a so-called “defense of marriage” amendment to the Minnesota Constitution comes up, Michel gives a sad smile and says he thinks the people should vote on the issue. He wants voters to think that all of the controversy and his profound thinking on the subject have left him wounded and weary. By favoring a referendum on the amendment, Geoff is trying to wash his hands of the whole affair like Pilate, and like Pilate, he seeks to avoid moral responsibility for his conduct.

But there are no moral dodges, Senator. And isn’t it conservatives who are always telling us about how we all have to own up to the consequences of our own conduct? In the Great Pretender, Spotty mentioned a presentation made by Michel last week that was reported to him by Spot’s Dump Michele Bachmann friends. Apparently, there was this exchange during the question and answer period:

Q: Would you be in favor of permitting a referendum on a constitution amendment to reinstitute slavery?

Michel: No.

Q: Would you be in favor of permitting a referendum on a constitutional amendment to prohibit miscegenation? [interracial marriage for the youngsters in the crowd, ed.]

Michel: No.

Q: How is a gay marriage ban amendment any different?

Michel: Baleful stare at the questioner and a refusal to answer, other than to repeat that’s my position.

Eva Young, the publisher of Dump Michele Bachmann calls Geoff Michel a “stealth Leviticus” politician. That’s an accurate description. The senator and the Republicans want next session to be all about gays, all the time. Why?

Because it panders to the prejudices of the public. By focusing on this divisive social issue, attention will be diverted from what’s really important, like education, transportation, and health care, and that’s helpful to conservatives. This brings the Great Pretender’s crowing about the 2020 Caucus into sharp relief.

Michel trots out the old saw about activist judges who might make an unpopular decision in favor gay marriage. Exactly. Which brings us back to slavery and miscegenation; you might throw women’s suffrage in there too, just for fun. The whole idea behind the equal protection clauses in both the federal and Minnesota constitutions is to prevent a majority from trampling the rights of an unpopular minority. As Spotty has observed before, when it comes to civil rights, sometimes the majority is just a mob.

Sometimes a person, even a legislator, needs to lead, not follow. Regrettably, Geoff Michel has decided to be Nathan Bedford Forrest and not Susan B. Anthony. History will judge him accordingly.

Spot would like to write more on this subject, and will, but right now he has to go out and go kibble shopping for Lee!

Tags: Geoff Michel gay marriage stealth Leviticus politician

The Great Pretender

A Minnesota state senator, not the crooner. Geoff Michel, not Freddie Mercury and the Platters.

Oh yes I'm the great pretender (ooh ooh)
Pretending I'm doing well (ooh ooh)
My need is such I pretend too much
I'm lonely but no one can tell

Yes, Geoff has been getting lonelier and lonelier since the election in 2004. John Kerry carried Geoff’s district (41) which includes the salons of Edina. The same election swept a dozen or so new DFLers into the Minnesota House of Representatives. The DFL just took another state senate seat in Minnetonka in a special election. And one of the Representatives in Geoff’s district, Ron Erhardt, is a well-liked moderate Republican who is increasingly alienated from Governor Pawlenty.

And we know that Geoff is tight with the guv. He and the guv signed the No New Taxes Ever, I Really Mean It, Cross My Heart and Hope to Die Pledge by the Minnesota Taxpayer’s League that helped cripple publics schools and will lead to double digit property tax increases just for 2006. That’s an election year, isn’t it Geoff?

What’s a party apparatchik to do? Become the Great Pretender, of course.

How does a guy with a 100% rating from the Taxpayer’s League of Minnesota in 2004 (he slipped a little this year) become the Great Pretender? Well, if you’re Geoff Michel, you start by trying to look as bi-partisan as you can, without actually being bi-partisan, of course. A tall order you say? Nah, not for a pro like Geoff. You could start by assisting in the birth of a shuck and jive called the 2020 Caucus.

The what? The 2020 Caucus is a recently formed group of primarily first or second term legislators from both parties who, for the most part, come from swing districts. They recognize that there is a big anti-incumbent sentiment in the electorate, and as new legislators they know they are the most vulnerable. What’s a callow legislator to do? Well, try to put a little daylight between your caucus leaders and you; run against St. Paul. And that is exactly what Geoff is trying to do with the 2020 Caucus. Boy, Spotty, you are a cynical S.O.B. In Spot’s case, the S.O.B. part is accurate, but he pleads not guilty to the cynicism charge. How does Spot know that’s what Geoff is doing? Pretty simple, really.

The 2020 Caucus is dedicated to the proposition that the sky is falling. People are getting old at an alarming rate; we must plan; we must plan! Okay, what are the 2020 Caucus’ plans? Well, um, there aren’t any. None? Nope, not as far as Spot can determine. This group just wants to raise the issues, and let its members appear as earnest and statesmen-like as possible, hoping to divert the wrath of the voters.

Spotty, this group is certainly going to caucus together—caucus is in the name, after all—and develop legislative positions on stuff, right? Again, no. So the senator will still be at Dick Day’s beck and call. He admitted as much last Wednesday night at a presentation as part of a public affairs series at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. (Some of Spot’s friends from Dump Michele Bachmann were there and filled Spotty in.)

And ask yourselves, boys and girls, what are they going to propose? The budget has to be balanced every biennium. Do we bounce a bunch of people off of Minnesota Care, funded by the medical provider tax and premiums paid by enrollees, and then take half-a-billion dollars out of Minnesota Care surpluses to help plug up the budget deficit? Well, the governor already thought of that.

Maybe we could raise additional tax revenues now and salt some money away for when the boomers get old. Good idea. Let’s ask Davy Strom and the rest of the deep thinkers at the Minnesota Taxpayers League what they think about running surpluses year after year! Geoff’s in tight with the Taxpayers League after all.

Behind it all, of course, the senator hasn’t changed. He just wants you to think he has. In coming posts, Spot will discuss how Geoff is the same old, same old on education, taxes, transportation, and civil rights, especially for gays and lesbians.

Tags: Geoff Michel