Something Fishy in Minnesota

Wellstone Action, a progressive organization that trains young progressives in the art of campaigning, has been accused of financial irregularities. The sons of Senator Wellstone, who the organization is named after, are demanding that the organization stop using its family name, saying it has betrayed the core values of its parents.

The brothers sent a letter to Wellstone Action's major donors, asking them to exert pressure and withhold funding until more answers are forthcoming.

The dispute originated over how $200,000 had been spent.

MinnesotaCare Expansion Announced: One Step Closer to Single payer

Governor Dayton and the Democrats (you say DFL, I say Democrats) have announced plans to expand MinnesotaCare, a state program providing health care to individuals making less than 200% of the federal poverty level. The expansion would allow individuals with higher incomes to opt into the system, which will be a state run health plan.

The Democrats claim this will reduce costs. It isn't clear that will be the case. Whatever the merits, this expansion might really happen. Despite it being a terrible idea, I take comfort knowing, the states are the laboratories of democracy. Hopefully, we'll all take note of Minnesota's inevitable failure. But I doubt we will. Indeed, its inevitable failure might be considered a feature, not a bug.

 According to Gerald Kominski, Director of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, the public option only makes sense in states where there are only a few providers in the ACA marketplace. So how big is Minnesota's ACA marketplace, MNsure?

4.

Minnesota started out with 5. But insurers, realizing that savings weren't to be found, have left the markets. This is a nationwide phenomena. Only 5% of counties have more than 5 or more  plans available. The same thing happened to ACOs in Medicare Reform. We started out with 32. Now there are only 8.

This is deliberate. Democrats want the insurance markets to fail so they can introduce a public option. Remember, Obamacare was designed to fail. MinnesotaCare is designed to fail. When it does, Democrats will demand we do something to fix it. Don't be fooled.

Thanks for read.

A City Without Police

According to the Star-Tribune, some politicians in Minneapolis have been flirting with the idea of a city without police. In a pamphlet entitled, 'Enough is Enough' these politicians and activists examine the first 150 year of the Minneapolis Police Department.

I hate to judge a book by it's cover, but this organization, called MPD150, sounds rather naive. This is from their website:

Through historical investigation, interviews and research into viable alternatives we have produced a performance review that examines the department's past – its track record since 1867 including the failure of reform efforts; its present – its current practices and impact on community life; and the future – the necessity of dismantling its overbearing political and paramilitary power and the transfer of its resources into alternative models of community safety, well-being and resilience. [Emphasis added.] 

Evidently MPD150 and its supporters intend to oppose Mayor Frey's proposal to expand the Minneapolis Police Department. At present the department is so overstretched that it almost only responds to emergency calls.

MPD150 and its supporters on the city council, would rather see the money spent on community organizers, not sworn officers. They also believe that reducing the number of police on the streets would benefit black and Latino youths.

Minneapolis has 2.15 officers per 1,000 residents [the Star-Tribune rounded up]. Milwaukee--that infamous gulag--has 3.15 officer per 1,000 residents.

The local police union would like to see a force of 1,000 officers.

Three members of the Public Safety Committee, Messrs. Cano, Cunningham, and Ellison, hope for the day when Minneapolis no longer has a need for a police force.

Up next, excepts from MPD150's no doubt ridiculous report and perhaps a bit of satire.     

Tim Pawlenty Eying Run

Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty is considering a run for governor, according to the Star-Tribune. He held a no frills meeting with potential campaign donors.

The case is an interesting one. Pawlenty is a Soft Never Trumper. Minnesota is a Blue State. And Pawlenty is the last Republican to win a state-wide election there. According to other reports, Republicans have lost somewhere between 33 to 50 seats in various elections to Democrats.

It will be interesting to see what sort of arrangement is reached between the Trump camp and his former critiques in the coming months.