Bluestem Prairie

Minnesota College Republicans reject private control of private religious institution

The Republican Party is changing. First it was the Emo Senator breaking ranks with the Borg by supporting local decision-making on school levies.

Now College Republicans want students to defy a decision made by a private religious college. In College Republicans protest water bottle ban, the Strib's Jenn Ross reports:

College Republicans passed out bottled water to passers-by Tuesday in protest of the College of St. Benedict's new ban on bottled water in campus vending machines, cafeterias and sporting events. The protesters said they aren't against sustainability but are defending the free-market system.

"Just as the government should not ban plastic bottles in America, a school administration should not ban the sale of plastic water bottles on their campus," said Ryan Lyk, chairman of the Minnesota College Republicans, in a statement.

This fall, St. Ben's became the first school in the state -- and the ninth in the nation -- to ban the sale of plain bottled water on campus. Macalester took a similar step Sept. 1.

Students can buy bottled water off campus and bring it to class.

The protesters' release points out that St. Ben's 31 new "hydration stations" cost money to install. The college spent $20,000 on them, hoping to make it easier for students to refill reusable water bottles. In the long run, college officials said, they expect the ban to save money.

But that expense is just one part of the problem, said Kate Paul, a St. Ben's student and a Minnesota College Republicans leader. Her statement: "The hydration stations not only cost us money to use, they are costing us our ability to choose and convenience that derives from choice."

This is a stunning show of support not for the free market, but for consumer rights. St. Ben's is a private college founded by the Benedictine orders, known for moderation and hospitality. But the fifth chapter of Rule of Benedict concerns cheerful obedience to leadership, while the students are looking simply to service their own wants.

Moreover, the students seem to be a bit confused by their chosen analogy, which equates the private college's administration with government. Should they really wish to follow the free market arguments which appear to be so dear to their tender young hearts, the little darlings will recall the advice given to workers who wish to organize their workplaces.

That logic suggests that those who don't like working conditions or work rules have the choice to find a new job elsewhere. Likewise, in the free market of education, if students don't like the rules, they can simply go elsewhere if they don't approve of the private school's decision about an investment that it believes will in the long run cut costs.

Bluestem will keep our eyes up to see if the College Republicans will begin to approach Wells Fargo or Cargill with protests about how those private entities decide to spend their money or limit consumer options.

Or maybe this really is about College Republicans not liking sustainability, rather than sticking it to the private religious institution in the name of consumer choice.

Photo: water bottles in a landfill, the most awesomest manifestation of the free market ever.

If Waseca's zombies seek brains during crawl, should Sen. Parry run or join their search?

The Waseca County News reports in Zombies 'crawl' for a cause:

Last October the police received a report of a man covered in blood sitting out in front of PJ’s Tavern who was believed to have been part of a bar brawl.

Upon further investigation the police found 39 other people covered in blood — dressed like zombies. This year, organizer Tim Miller said they have already alerted authorities about the upcoming Second Annual Zombie Crawl scheduled to take place on Saturday, September 24 from 6 p.m to 1 a.m.

The crawl is a charity event designed to help kids enjoy Halloween:

All of the money raised from the crawl goes to purchase Halloween costumes, make up, accessories, pumpkins and carving kits for kids. They will be given away on Saturday, October 8 at the Miller Armstrong Building. The kids will also receive goodie bags filled with all kinds of donations. ...

“Last year we gave away 60 costumes,” Miller said. “The crawl is awesome, but I think the best part is seeing these kids walk away with some great stuff and huge smiles on their faces.”

“This is a really cool event,” said Jennifer Hamilton. “Parents get dressed up and have a good time plus we are raising money for kids.”

Hamilton explained that if dressing up like a crazy, brain eating zombie is something you would enjoy, then by all means mix up a batch of fake blood and have at it.

Costumes are optional, however.  Read the entire article at the County News.

Photo: Waseca's very hungry zombies. Submitted photo at WCN.

Chronicles of Cottonwood County: it's time for real beer to come out of the shadows in Windom

Cottonwood County is one of Minnesota's rural gems, and Windom's Mari Harries would like more people to get to know it. The young policy associate at Minnesota 2020 is working on opening River City Eatery and she's run into a regulatory roadblock that will prevent diners from truly appreciating the prairie.

3.2 beer.

More precisely, Windom's beer license regulation, which unlike her restaurant's state license, restricts her to serving 3.2 beer. This is a real shame, because she won't be able to serve the great sacred local beers flowing from the waters of nearby Lucan and New Ulm, nor any of the truly micro breweries in Southwest Minnesota.

She writes at Hindsight 2020:

As River City Eatery starts to take shape and my dream of opening a restaurant in my rural southwest Minnesota town are coming true, I'm getting thirsty from all this hard, but oh so much fun work.

I'm getting thirsty for some great, local craft beer.

The beer and wine license I have obtained from the state of Minnesota allows River City Eatery to sell “strong beer,” but the Windom city ordinance only allows us to serve 3.2 beers. It’s an issue I’m certain many other small towns face.

Local micro brews don't come in the 3.2 style, which leaves my only options as a restaurateur in the City of Windom being Miller or Budweiser. . . .

As one friend tweeted, "Strong beer for a strong local economy."  This is true, and Windom itself is the place--during the government shutdown-- I first learned of the Prohibition-era song popular in labor circles, "No Beer, No Work." (Revised version here).

Minnesotans brew up some pretty tasty beer, and our local economies could use the boost it can give restaurants. Here's hoping that Windom and other small towns drink in Harries' wisdom.

Her restaurant looks like it's going to be pretty swell, too. Follow her progress at my $.02: Finding Windom. 

Related posts: No Beer, No Work: a song for the end of the shutdown

Last call on shutdown: Minnesota's looming beer riots send state's leaders back to bargaining table

Sacred local beer honored among "Top Ten" breweries in 2011 US Open Beer Championships

Prairie ramblings: Brau Brothers Brewery in Lucan

New Ulm's creator of sacred local beer honored for service to humanity

Spring flooding report: New Ulm budget woes jeopardize sacred local beer reserves

All Saints Day, Jeffers Petroglyphs, Cottonwood County

Obama stops for pie and "hi" in SE Minnesota; Bachmann tells lie about Iowa family reunion

It's the little things in today's news that provide both telling details and nice end rhymes for what may seem the end times of American politics.

Obama stops for pies and "hi's"

The Rochester Post Bulletin reports in Obama's stops at Cannon Falls deli, Zumbrota coffee shop a thrill for diners that the Presidential bus stopped in Zumbrota for that most fundamental Minnesota treat, a little pie:

President Obama's visit to Zumbrota was a sweet deal for Dean and Carol Jackson, co-owners of The Coffee Mill, a coffee shop known for its homemade pies.

While he was there, Obama bought a coconut cream pie, two German chocolates, two graham cracker creams, two apple and two pumpkin, Carol Jackson said. "Enough to feed the whole bus."

According to the PB, the coffee shop owners owners only had fifteen minutes notice that the president was stopping by. Read the rest of the article to find out about his turkey sandwich.

The PB also notes that the President stopped to say hi to a bunch of kids in President Obama makes unscheduled stop in Chatfield. CNN reports in Obama Bus Tour's Stop #3: Chatfield, MN:

President Obama made a seemingly unplanned stop at a children's summer camp program in Chatfield, Minnesota. He spent several minutes shaking hands with about 45 kids in colorful "Valleyland Kids" t-shirts. The young kids, ranging from kindergarteners to 7th graders, then posed for a picture with the president. Clearly he needed some help getting up once the photo-op was over.

That takes care of the pie and hi, now on to the lie. Michele Bachmann is involved.

Politico on Bachmann lie

Who cites a family reunion as a reason for tardiness, after skipping the gathering? Mrs. Family Values Bachmann, that's who.

Politico reports in Bachmann skipped family reunion she cited:

On her victory lap of Iowa yesterday, Straw Poll winner Rep. Michele Bachmann paid repeated tribute to her local roots, and repeatedly mentioned her family reunion that day, citing it as an excuse for her late arrival at a local party event in Waterloo.

But Bachmann's mother and two cousins told POLITICO's Emily Schultheis that Bachmann didn't attend the reunion, though her husband and children did. Her spokeswoman, Alice Stewart, didn't respond to two emails asking for an explanation of the disparity.

Bluestem thinks---heck, we don't know what to think about this one, other than as an example of the triumph of the post-moronic style, where words lose their meanings and all that is solid melts into air.

Who wants pie?

Photo: The President gets some helping hands from kids in Chatfield. via CNN.

Failed burrito baron back in fast food industry, empty spin sandwich on breakfast menu

Via the Daily Caller, Bluestem has learned that failed burrito baron and Minnesota Republican state chair Tony Sutton is re-entering the food service industry in Cannon Falls, an archetypal small town in greater Minnesota.

Earlier this month, our peep into the state pachyderm party's latest FEC filing revealed that the RPM's federal account owes debts and obiligations of $608,147.51. While Tony Sutton has started drawing a salary of $100,000 a year, he's obviously having a hard time making ends meet, so it looks like he's taken a second job.

According to the Caller, tomorrow morning with find him slinging up  “A Big Ol’ Hunk of Nothing on Two Thick Slices of Nada” in Cannon Falls. Given that the media already has reservations for a later seating at the President's table, it's hard to say who'll bite on the hash Sutton is serving RNC chairman Reince Priebus.

People is Cannon Falls plan to fill the President's town hall. Star Tribune reports in Cannon Falls residents grab tickets to see Obama:

The small river town of Cannon Falls had to wait 83 years between presidential visits, so it was no surprise that there was pent-up demand for tickets to see the commander-in-chief.

Between 1,300 and 1,500 people -- in a town with a population of 4,000 -- showed up Sunday for a chance to attend Monday's town hall meeting with President Obama.

"I've been doing this for 20 years, [and] I have not seen an event where people were so happy and exhilarated about this opportunity," said Police Chief Jeff McCormick. . . .

Can Sutton's nothing sandwich match that level of enthusiasm?

Doesn't look promising. The rest of the failed burrito baron's menu laid out in the re-written press release the Caller has posted? It looks like heartburn and Sutton's signature "outrage," but perhaps the party boss will experience more customer satisfaction than that he met in the waning days of Baja Sol's doomed franchise.

Photo: Minnesota Republican chair and failed burrito baron Tony Sutton frowns for the camera at a Tax Cut Rally St. Paul, Minnesota May 7, 2011. Photo by Fibonacci Blue; used with permission.

Free-ranging Senator Franken stops for a little piece of pie on the prairie

With the debt crisis bill passed, Minnesota's congressional delegation is out on recess--and Al Franken is using the time to visit Greater Minnesota.

It's no secret the Frankens are pie lovers, so Bluestem isn't surprised to read about this stop in yesterday's Mankato Free Press article, Franken continues trip through Mankato area:

Al Franken’s wide-ranging tour of south-central Minnesota comes to Mankato today following stops Wednesday at Farmfest near Redwood Falls, Lyle’s Cafe in Winthrop and the New Ulm Medical Center.

The Farmfest stop is a traditional one for Minnesota’s elected officials, and the famous pie at Lyle’s explains the Winthrop stop.

Winthrop is just down Highway 15 from Bluestem's national headquarters in Hutchinson.

It's too bad my state representative Ron Shimanski couldn't enjoy some pie with Al at the restaurant just outside Minnesota House District 18A, but the Minnesota Independent reports that the Silver Lake apple grower was headed far farther south.

No wonder constituents like Gus Ziemer send letters with headlines like Party politics caused lawmakers to stray from their duty to the Hutchinson Leader. Heck of a party.

Franken's progress across the prairie demonstrates there's plenty to do in sunny Greater Minnesota and that Al talks fluent Minnesotan. The Marshall Independent reports in Franken talks agriculture at Farmfest:

With a debt ceiling deal reached in Washington, national legislators are coming back to Minnesota. U.S. Sen. Al Franken was present at Farmfest on Wednesday, speaking at the main forum tent and meeting with members of the public. However, questions from audience members at the forum tended to center more around topics like ethanol subsidies and the next Farm Bill.

Franken gave an update on his involvement with agriculture-related issues in Congress. Agriculture is a key part of Minnesota's economy and traditions, Franken said. "I know that in representing Minnesota, a large part of my job is representing you," he told audience members. . . .

The rest of the article is a fascinating read about Franken's fairly technical responses to the questions--but the discourse is pretty familiar stuff out here on the prairie. That gal in the bib-overalls may not have an Ivy League degree like the junior senator, but raise a point about federal farm policy, impossibly complex, and she'll sound like the expert she is. And has to have been to stay in an brutal business.

Franken fits in pretty well with the farmers.

His remarks at the farmshow parallel a column in the ECM chain, Sen. Franken fights for future of Minnesota farmers, which touches on renewable energy and railroad issues. Go check it out.

The West Central Tribune reports in Sen. Franken talks agriculture, debt vote at Farmfest stop:

. . .Dressed in khaki pants, a dark collared shirt and cowboy boots, Franken fit right in during his Wednesday afternoon radio interview with Lynn Ketelsen of the Linder Farm Market.

The Democratic senator, back in Minnesota while Congress is in recess for a month, said he was not pleased with how the negotiations went to keep the country from defaulting on its obligations. . . .

In addition to the radio interview in front of an audience under the Forum Tent at Farmfest, Franken spoke to the crowd there for about 15 minutes about various issues facing Minnesota farmers, including the 2012 Farm Bill that Franken said he hopes is actually completed in 2012.

Franken said that direct payments to farmers and agriculture research could “take a hit” in next year’s legislation. The current farm program includes “direct payments” to farmers that are paid each year on qualifying crops regardless of market conditions, and “countercyclical payments” that are paid only in years when market prices fall below a set level.

“It seems an emphasis is on a safety net program to make sure we keep farmers farming,” Franken said.

As a member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Franken said he is working on legislation to capitalize on wind energy and give small farms and cooperatives the opportunity to own wind.

Franken also spent time Wednesday at the University of Minnesota tent at Farmfest and meeting his constituents on the grounds of the annual show. . . .

The focus shifted from ag to health care for the New Ulm stop, the Journal reports in Franken talks health care, debt ceiling:

Sen. Al Franken stopped by New Ulm on Wednesday for an update on the status of the New Ulm Medical Center's (NUMC) Heart of New Ulm program.

NUMC Administrator Toby Freier and Heart of New Ulm Community Coordinator Betsy Pieser led a brief presentation on the status of Heart of New Ulm before taking questions from Franken.

The main highlight was a Center of Health Care Innovation at Allina study showing a drop in New Ulm heart attacks and the HeartBeat Connections program that provides health coaching. . . .

. . .Franken said after the meeting that he thought Heart of New Ulm was overall moving in the right direction.

"It's unrealistic to for people to expect an incredible transformation this soon," said Franken, "But, as pointed out, it's doing a good job of bucking obesity trends nationally and in Minnesota."

Health Care

Franken said there needs to be a national push to approach health care like the Heart of New Ulm, which emphasized keeping people healthy as opposed to just treating illness.

Staff writer Josh Moniz covers Franken's reaction to the debt ceiling bill in depth. Definitely worth a read.

Though Franken established himself first as a comedian, it's clear from the coverage that he's growing comfortable in his relatively new senatorial skin, at ease with policy and the wide range of people on the prairie.  Doggone it, we like him.

Sacred local beer honored among "Top Ten" breweries in 2011 US Open Beer Championships

Although the state shutdown continues, Minnesotans won't just be crying in their beer this weekend. Gopher State residents can raise a glass of sacred local beer with pride, since New Ulm's Schell's Brewery has placed again among the "Top Ten" breweries at the 2011 US Open Beer Championships.

The Mankato Free Press reports in Schell's "top 10" at U.S. beer open:

The company said Schell’s line-up of beers impressed judges spanning the globe with the judging panel representing such countries as Australia, England, Canada, and The United States.

"It’s rewarding to know that our efforts here at our modest brewery in Southern Minnesota are making an international impact,” said president Ted Marti.

“Being able to compete with the likes of nationally known breweries with deep pockets for the latest equipment and technology is tribute to the personnel we have here at the brewery."

 “I also suppose our standards for brewing beer comes from living in a community filled with thirsty Germans- if you don’t make a damn good beer, you’re sure to hear about it!”

This doesn't explain the popularity of Nordeast, New Ulm's stealth brew for the Twin Cities, but Bluestem will leave that question for more sophisticated tipplers.

Photo: Deer from brewery mural.

New Ulm's creator of sacred local beer honored for service to humanity

Andrew Volstead, the original blue-nosed gopher, is still dead. In New Ulm, the Marti family continues to serve beer--and humanity.

The New Ulm Journal reports in Ted and Jodi Marti to receive Service to Mankind award:

Ted and Jodi Marti are best known as the owners of Schell's Brewery in New Ulm. But their activities above and beyond the brewing of beer have earned them the New Ulm Sertoma Club's Service to Mankind Award. . . .

Nominators for the Martis pointed to their long contributions to organizations in and around New Ulm, such as Flandrau State Park, the New Ulm Food Shelf, Bavarian Blast, Turner Hall, the Lind House, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame.

The brewery's tours and its Bock Fest are among the top tourist attractions in town.

The Martis have also gone above and beyond the call of duty with their participation in the Wounded Warrior Project, Beyond the Yellow Ribbon, and the members of the Minnesota National Guard. . . .

During the brewery's 150th anniversary celebration in 2010, the Martis hosted a variety of community events, even donating and helping plant 150 trees along the New Ulm bike path.

What can Bluestem say about Minnesota's brewery industry? In addition to providing citizens with the solace of tasty beer, it creates jobs and civic engagement. And beer.

Photo: Endearingly great beer puts a smile on your face.

Ag commissioner Frederickson has signed a budget bill; now waits to learn if axe still falls

There's another budget story buried behind Senator Mike Parry's need to talk about his feelings. As demanding of the spotlight the Waseca Republican may be when to comes to acting out, the side drama is illustrative of the legislative majorities' unwillingness to share information (though emotion flows like water from a duck's back right now).

Forum papers' Don Davis's  Capitol Notebook includes this peepshow:

Shellito was far from the only commissioner who appeared wary about the legislative budget plans.

Agriculture Commissioner Dave Frederickson has the only budget already approved, but faces a further cut if legislative budgets pass. He did not understand why if his budget already is law he would face further cuts.

“What more shall we do at the Department of Agriculture?” Frederickson asked. “What do you want me to do?”

Lanning’s response: “You are going to have to wait and see what comes out of this process.”

So, despite having a budget the legislature approved and the Governor signed, Commissioner Frederickson is supposed to "wait and see"? While the fiscal year is one thing, the growing season, with farm markets and other needs running across the summer, is another. A little common sense might be helpful, Representative Lanning.

Failed burrito baron and party boss Tony Sutton stiffs counties, looks to MNGOP to stuff tortilla

Yesterday, the Minnesota Progressive Project wrote that failed burrito baron Tony Sutton's Republican Party hadn't paid its bill to Olmsted County. Today, the Mankato Free Press reports that it's also still in hock to Nicollet County.

In Nicollet County to GOP: pay your bill, Southern Minnesota readers learn about the use of ALL CAPS to plead for an overdue bill:

After five attempts to get the Republican Party of Minnesota to pay its outstanding bill, Nicollet County Auditor Bridgette Kennedy resorted to capital letters and a threat on the latest invoice she mailed last week.

“FINAL BILL,” the invoice for more than $1,300 warned. “IF PAYMENT IS NOT RECEIVED, THIS BILL WILL BE TURNED OVER TO THE NICOLLET COUNTY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE.”

The bill is for labor and copying costs related to more than 3,000 pages of election-related documents demanded by the party in the wake of the narrow victory by Democrat Mark Dayton over Republican Tom Emmer on Nov. 2. The party put out similar requests to the rest of Minnesota’s 87 counties and many of those are also waiting to be paid five months later.

And what does Sutton say to this?

Republican Party Chairman Tony Sutton said Wednesday that the party is working steadily toward getting the bills paid and that all counties will eventually be reimbursed.

“ The hold-up is we don’t have the money, and we’ve been paying them off as we get the money,” Sutton said. “Everybody will get paid.”

Sutton, who said the party is about halfway through the list of unpaid counties, glanced at the list and noted recent or impending checks for Sibley and Martin counties.

“I don’t even see Nicollet on the list here,” Sutton said. “Hold on, that means we haven’t gotten any kind of invoice from them.”

Moments later, he said he’d need to check with the party’s finance director to verify why the county wasn’t listed. And he said, again, that all counties will be paid.

“I appreciate their patience and understanding,” Sutton said.

This is fascinating stuff, since the Star Tribune reports that Sutton is looking to get himself paid if he is re-elected as party boss. In Did state GOP chief offer to jump fence on gaming?, readers discovered:

Sutton, who has not been paid as party chairman for the past two years, said he may seek compensation if he wins reelection as expected this week.

"I've gotten a lot of encouragement from activists and donors," Sutton said. "They think I'm crazy that I've been doing it full time with no compensation."

If the party job comes with a paycheck, Sutton said, he may let his wife take control of Winning Strategies.

"I may have to mothball or maybe it's something Bridget can do, I don't know." Sutton said. "I'm really debating what do I do. I only have so many hours in the day to work. And right now I spend probably 95 percent of my time on the party. So from a practical matter, that's where I'm spending my time."

Goodness gracious. Seems like his wife is looking for work as well:

Lethert and Bridget Sutton exchanged e-mails earlier this year. In one of the e-mails, which were reviewed by the Star Tribune, she discussed the family's need to "replace lost income." In another she asked Lethert to help her find a job.

Tony Sutton did not dispute the authenticity of the e-mails, which were supplied by Lethert and which do not address the alleged racino proposal.

It must be tough, losing a business partnership like the one they had with TCF executive Bill Cooper.

Related posts: Mower County to Tony Sutton: Send us the $2,242 MNGOP owes for recount

New Madrid Fault moves north; or, Tony Sutton shakes it up in the Rochester Post Bulletin

"A lot of problems going on": Republican Party of Minnesota led way in letters from FEC

Google is not your friend; or, another winning strategy from MNGOP chair Tony Sutton

Career opportunities: Bridget Sutton is "no longer with" Baja Sol

Star Tribune finally notes Sutton-Baja split; Bluestem Prairie reported story March 7

Consumers are stupid: Agri-Growth Council touts Babe in a Blender Restoration Act

So far, the reaction against bills introduced in the Minnesota House and Senate that would impose increased penalties for trespassing and destroying property used for animal and crop agriculture, while imposing new penalities for video recording, audio taping and undercover investigations has focused mostly on cruelty to animals.

Missed in that? Cruelty to the free exchange of information in a marketplace.

The reactionary language pushed by the Agri-Growth Council--of dubious constitutionality when banning the instruments for expressing the rights of the free press--illustrates just how stupid corporate interests can be. At a time when a significant share of the consumer food market is clamoring to know about their food, the Agri-Growth Council seeks to impose a government-enforced ban on information. Maybe that's what that big party the Council threw for the RNC in 2008 that the journos loved so much was all about.

This is good business practice?  Asymmetric information about quality of the product tipped to the seller's advantage? Seriously?

Go ahead: tell the consumers you think they're stupid and so unable to discern the truth about images surrounding agricultural protection, that the only recourse for the horny-handed tillers of the soil and cagers of red-eyed hens is to turn to government to ban camcorders, audio tape and investigative researchers and reporters.

I'm sure that will do wonders for agri-business's image. What's next? A food libel bill like the one that brought Oprah to trial?

Here's a hint about markets, guys. Theorists going back to Adam Smith have thought that markets work really well when there's free-flow of information. Let consumers gain confidence that your operations don't involve practices they object to, and they'll buy your products.

I've looked over the bill's language, and frankly, I don't find the sections about imposing higher penalties for trespassing and destruction or tampering with facilities, crops or animals to be objectionable. Whether ideologically motivated or not, vandalizing farms is a problem, especially since fields and production facilities are often remote from law enforcement. That part of the bill could help address this very real problem in rural Minnesota.

But placing these facilties behind a wall of secrecy will only encourage distrust of food production in America. Stories of dead chickens fed to live ones and the notorious "babe in a blender" practice by hog farmers in the 1990s? You want them? Really? Or the case that the Strib notes has motivated this bill's introduction:

Late last year, an investigator sent by the Humane Society into a large turkey hatchery in Willmar captured video images of practices that included workers tossing sick, injured or surplus animals into grinding machines while still alive. A company spokesman said at the time that the video showed acceptable industry practices but acknowledged that some of its employees' actions appeared to violate the company's animal welfare policies.

Perhaps industry could change its practice to accommodate what the market demands. Hoodwinking your customers might not be the best solution to the problems that this and other videos document. (There's also the possibility that this bill could be considered the Michael Vick Shield Law, by providing cover for those engaging in dog and cock fighting).

While the actual practice of public relations pioneer Ivy Lee had a very dark side, he did spin a theoretical maxim that might be helpful for the Agri-Growth Council:

"Tell the truth, because sooner or later the public will find out anyway. And if the public doesn't like what you are doing, change your policies and bring them into line with what people want."

And if you can't take apocryphal advice from William S. Burroughs uncle, I don't know what to tell you.

Images: Rod Hamilton, author of the House version (above); A promotion for the Agri-Growth Council's big 2008 party (below).

Disclosure: I serve as the president of the McLeod County Farmers Union. The Minnesota Farmers Union has not taken a position on the Magnus and Hamilton bills.

Speaking of manure: Winona Daily News weighs in on Drazkowski's dysentery bill

It's not just Brown County's train-manure truck accidents that we have to worry about in the carrer of muck-raking blogger, for Steve Drazkowski is on the loose, and he's popped out another half-baked bill.

Naturally the editors at the Winona Daily News are on the job, wiping the floor with Draz once more with their editorial, Our view: Look who's coming to dinner ... dysentery:

Few people will probably line up to speak out against veterans, churchgoers, and the local high school's popcorn stand. That's at least how state Rep. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, has framed legislation he's authored that would exempt certain groups from state health codes.

Then again, equally few people aren't going to wave banners saying, "Yippee, diarrhea," either.

Drazkowski's bill, like many of his well-intentioned but half-baked ideas, seeks to reduce the mandates on citizens and eliminate the need for local government. . . .

What's the problem with Draz's latest offering? The editors explain:

While it is certainly folly to expect that a church potluck would have white-gloved inspectors dipping thermometers in a seven-bean casserole, this law is more about organizations that routinely serve food as fundraisers. People should be given some type of assurance there are some food quality standards.

As officials from the Minnesota Department of Health pointed out, the problem may not be solved by this legislation. In fact, it could create more problems than it solves. If the exemption is passed, parochial school lunch programs could be shuttered, and VFWs around the state could find themselves without a kitchen.

That's not what Drazkowski intended. It wouldn't become the law to help churches, schools and veterans, it would become a law of unintended consequence.

More than 3,000 people in the past seven years have gotten sick from these same organizations. . . .

The editors suggest that Draz pay more attention to fixing the state's budget crisis and less to the local fish fry.

Not mentioned in the editorial: there's already a law exempting potlucks from government inspections. As the 2000 AP article Potluck outlaws buck the system in Minnesota, former state representative Al Juhnke crusaded to rescue the Sons of Norway from a criminal path. Potlucks have been exempted from health inspections since the "Minnesota Hotdich Bill" was passed.(Juhnke lost his seat in the House in 2010, but recently was hired as Senator Franken agriculture and energy outreach guy).

Draz is looking to exempt on-site kitchens, and conflating benefit suppers with hotdish potlucks does no one any favors.

In theater of absurd analogies, Glenn Gruenhagen makes a monkey of legislative debate

To me, the struggle to pass the so-called Cheeseburger Bill has always seemed more symbolic politics than legislative relief for a real threat. It's certainly not a "jobs, jobs, jobs" bill, which is probably why it has the attention of Republican leadership now controlling the Minnesota House.

In short, the sort of imaginary problem to hag-ride the mind of a guy like Glenn Gruenhagen, fearful of sodomy and his own shadow.

Thus I had to snort in laughter at the latest Gruenhagenism, duly reported by Dave Orrick at the Pioneer Press in Minnesota House panel OKs bill barring fast-food lawsuits:

Monday's debate quickly descended into a battle of analogies, as well as a referendum on whether society is too litigious.

"Let's say I choose to eat 100 bananas and my stomach ruptures," said Rep. Glenn Gruenhagen, a Glencoe Republican. "That's not the banana growers' fault."

Draz puts in a cameo appearance as well:

Rep. Steve Drazkowski, a Republican from Mazeppa, said the proposal offers badly needed reform. "I think (the bill is) exactly on track to where we need to go here in society," he said. "Our society has gotten to be a sue-happy society."

There's one problem with the bill:

Joel Carlson, a lobbyist for the Minnesota Association for Justice (formerly known as the Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association), said such a statement was "disingenuous," citing court statistics showing the number of personal-injury claims filed in Minnesota fell 30 percent from 1998 to 2009. Moreover, he said, the proposal isn't needed because Minnesota law already has provisions that presume people are responsible for their own actions. "That's the reason cases haven't been brought in Minnesota," he said.

On Planet Draz, it's only legislation that ensures women get pay equity that's redundant. But protecting slider slingers from lawsuits that are already banned? There you go: more government regulation of government.

Image: Gruenhagen's superego confronts his id, or else a still from the classic cartoon short, Rejected. Decide for yourself.

Spring flooding report update: Schell's brewery owner relieves risk to sacred local beer reserves

Last week, Bluestem raised an alarm based on a story in the New Ulm Journal in Spring flooding report: New Ulm budget woes jeopardize sacred local beer reserves.

Josh Moniz, the NUJ reporter who covered the city council meeting during which flood relief efforts were discussed, has emailed some welcome news:

I've talked w/ Ted Marti since the meeting and it sounds like he has found a back-up warehouse to ship the beer if the flooding gets too bad. So, no need to worry.

Moniz notes that a more thorough update will be published in the Journal's Progress section, out on Friday.

I will sleep soundly through tonight's blizzard, secure in the knowledge that New Ulm's exquisite brewery products won't be exposed to the whims of Minnesota River flood waters.

One way lovers of the wonderful old establishment and other Minnesota breweries can aid our native beer--now that sandbagging isn't a priority--is to ask legislators to support a law which will allow larger breweries to . The Star Tribune editorial board urged passage in Brewing up 'jobs, jobs, jobs':

A bill likely to be introduced in the Legislature next week would amend a state statute on brewery operations.

If it's adopted, the Surly Brewing Co. plans to build a new brewery and event center that would house a 250-seat restaurant, bar and roof deck. Surly's beer would only be sold on tap, and the brewer would not sell liquor or wine.

Unlike with smaller brewpubs such as Rock Bottom in Minneapolis, current state laws don't allow a brewer of Surly's size to offer on-site drinking. The outdated limitation also impacts other Minnesota breweries in the same size classification, including Summit in St. Paul and Schell's in New Ulm.

While Schell's hasn't announced any plans related to this proposed change in the state's law, it certainly would be wonderful to buy a tap of good New Ulm beer at the historic brewery.

Update: Two of Minnesota's mayors agree that the bill should pass. On Facebook, Minneapolis mayor RT Rybak and Duluth mayor Don Ness engaged in a friendly rivalry:

R.T. Rybak

Here's why I am in favor of changing the state laws so we can have more local beer made and sold in Minnesota. I would love a Surly or Fulton brewhouse in Minneapolis and love to go to a brewery in New Ulm, Duluth, the Range, Lucan or other parts of the state . If Grain Belt could transform Minneapolis and Schmidt transform St. Paul a generation ago, we can do that again. . . .

Don Ness Nice work RT - you have our support in Duluth on this one! This change also would allow places like Duluth's Brewhouse to wholesale. I love Surly, but the Starfire Ale at the Brewhouse is Minnesota's best beer. I'm getting thirsty - time for a Furious!

Image: Schell's Snowstorm. Mmm, beer.

Freshman senator Gary Dahms sours on raw milk bill

Last week, Brian Lambert's Daily Glean in Minnpost sipped from articles about the bill to allow more liberal sales of raw milk; three Republican state senators,  Gary Dahms (Redwood Falls), Sean Nienow (Cambridge), and Claire Robling (Jordan) sponsored the measure. (In the House, Sarah Anderson, Bob Barrett, Kurt Daudt, and Dean Urdahl support the lower chamber's version).

The New Ulm Journal reported yesterday that Dahms will remove his name from raw milk bill:

Sen. Gary Dahms, R-Redwood Falls, said Saturday that he will be withdrawing his name from the Minnesota Senate bill aimed at making it easier for consumer to purchase raw milk.

Dahms declined to comment on the reason he wanted his name removed or even the date it would be officially removed. . . .

The bill was introduced on January 27;  Dahms' name was stricken today. The article continues:

. . .The most prominent component of the move has been the legal battle with Minnesota dairy farmer Michael Hartmann. The state has alleged that raw milk sold from Hartmann's farm in Gibbon was responsible for the sickening of at least 15 people with E. coli, campylobacter and cryptosporidium. Hartmann is accused of selling the milk illegally at Twin Cities drop sites. The investigation into the case prompted the state's crackdown.

Also opposing the bill is Minnesota Milk Producers Association, which represents the state's dairy farmers who pasteurize their milk. The organization has come forward in opposition, arguing that there is many health risk associated with raw milk. . . .

Lambert had written his digest in more colorful language:

Quite honestly, I had never read the Food Poison Journal until today. But Drew Falkenstein’s story on Minnesota allowing raw milk sales caught my eye: ... the home state of Mik Hartmann, whose raw dairy products have been implicated in outbreaks that sickenend at least 15 people in the state, and who has been at the heart of a major legal battle — one that he lost — ever since. I hope Minnesotans don't get too comfortable just because they live in one of the states where outbreaks go to die.” Uh, waiter, can I change my order? Instead of the milk shake, I’ll have a scotch on the rocks.

Mark Steil at MPR adds: ... None of the bill's three co-sponsors could be reached to discuss the legislation. The bill will serve as a forum to debate the merits and risks of drinking raw milk. According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly 1,700 illnesses and 2 deaths were traced to raw milk over the decade ending in 2008.”

Expanded raw milk sales are championed by groups like the Organic Consumers Association, while opposed by Minnesota public health and agriculture regulators, as well as the Minnesota Milk Producers Association.

What changed Dahms' mind so quickly?

Update: the Mankato Free Press editorial board weighs in on the raw milk issue here: Our View: Restricting raw milk the better plan.

Squirrel: the tastiest rodent you've never eaten

With only five weeks of this winter's small game season remaining in Minnesota, Bluestem readers might be wondering what to do with all the extra squirrel in the freezer.

A recipe from my native Blue Earth County can help: squirrel stroganoff.

This dish, fine comfort food (not comfortable for the squirrels of course), comes my way via "Tastes of Amboy" cookbook and was contributed to the cookbook celebrating the town's 125th anniversary by Lisa Durkee, who runs the Amboy Cottage Cafe.

First, you'll need to get some squirrels; they are fairly abundant in local woods and attics, but we recommend chasing them out of your attic before taking aim. Then cook up this recipe.

2 dressed and cut up grey or fox squirrels
2 sliced onions
3 cloves chopped garlic
1 1/2 c. flour
8 oz sliced mushrooms, sauted
2 c. sour cream
1/3 c. oil
Salt and pepper to taste
6 servings egg noodles

Combine flour, salt and pepper. Dredge squirrel pieces in the flour. Brown the squirrel in oil. Add onion to brown slightly. Add garlic and turn pieces. Add 3 cups of water. Cover and simmer until tender (about two hours). Add mushrooms and sour cream to gravy. Salt and pepper to taste. Return to pot and serve over noodles with plenty of napkins.

Bluestem recommend putting the napkins on the side. Squirrel is quite tasty, and like nearly all wild game, lean, local and antibiotic-free. Some cooks prefer to make their squirrel stroganoff with bacon and other additional ingredients, but this recipes is both simple and elegant. Squirrel meat is sweet and nutty, as one might expect from their diet of acorns and the like.

Photo:  A grey squirrel.

Prairie Rambles: visiting 1862 U.S.-Dakota War sites

On Sunday, Twin Cities Daily Planet reporter Sheila Regan was my guest for a tour of places associated with the 1862 U.S. Dakota War. Regan had not traveled before to the upper Minnesota River Valley where many of the significant actions of the conflict took place, as her coverage of indigenous people's issues for the Twin Cities Daily Planet, The Circle and other publications focused on the Twin Cities.

Though the day was sweltering and part of our travels took us down dust-choked gravel road, the beauty of the wide valley impressed Sheila after driving miles through Meeker County's rolling hills and Renville County's flat farmland.

Not that either county was just drive-through. Leaving Hutchinson, we stopped at the marker near where Thaóyate Dúta (Little Crow) was murdered in 1863. The commemorative plaque on the side of Meeker County 18 used the name "Little Crow," while a red wooden stake stake near it honored the Dakota leader with his name in his own language.

The contrast underscores the tensions surrounding the story Regan is researching for the TCDP, described in Spot.us:

2012 marks the 150th Anniversary of the U.S.- Dakota war of 1862. The war ended with the largest one-day execution in American history, where 38 Dakota warriors were hanged on December 26, 1862 in Mankato, Minnesota. Some 1,700 Dakota women, children, and elders were forcibly marched to a concentration camp at Fort Snelling. 

Many American Indian advocates hope to bring attention to what happened, although there is disagreement about the best way to honor this dark history.

Some American Indians focus on the need for better American Indian representation both in cultural institutions such as the Minnesota Historical Society and in school curricula. Others call for the razing of Fort Snelling, which to them symbolizes the genocide of the Dakota people. 

I propose to write a story about the ramifications of the Dakota war for Minnesota today, and on the events and actions that will lead up to and mark the 2012 anniversary.

Spot.us is a tool for funding projects by freelance journalists like Regan who take on more extensive projects. Please consider visiting the Spot.us page set up for Sheila's project, and contributing what you can to help her with the expenses for the story.

The trip wasn't all business, though. As we tooled eastward on Renville County 15, I ordered Sheila to stop and back up, for there was a stand of ripe wild thicket plums beside the road.

While we grabbed a bag to put them in, we may have eaten more warm, ripe plums on the spot, the slight wild sour bite in each fruit surprising the palate inside the more familiar domestic plum sweetness.

When we reached the Lower Agency, the supervisor for the historical site noted that elders in the nearby community had observed that wild plum were now less abundant, given the use of farm chemicals.

I'll be dreaming about that sweet and biting memory of warm fruit on a northern slope for awhile, I think.

Photos: Roadside marker, photo by Sally Jo Sorensen (above); Wild Plums, photo by Sheila Regan (below).

Note: Bluestem Prairie is a Contributing Blog for the Daily Planet; we exchange articles at no cost to either venue under this agreement.

Emmer's Waitergate road trip: if you're in a hole, quit digging; scrubbing YouTube? Maybe not

The Worthington Globe reported Friday in Political Notes: GOP's Emmer gets plenty of tips:

During a Moorhead visit, Emmer said Fargo has many more eating places in part because North Dakota laws are similar to those he wants, which makes it less costly for restaurants to make money because they would be able to pay servers less than minimum wage.

Intrigued by that tidbit, I went to the web site of the Fargo Forum, owned by the same newspaper chain as the Globe. Here one can read in Emmer defends tip credit:

Tom Emmer points to Fargo’s rows of restaurants as one reason to pay Minnesota servers less.

While in Moorhead on Tuesday, the Republican gubernatorial candidate defended his stance on reinstating minimum wage restrictions for tipped employees in Minnesota.

He said it could reinvigorate the restaurant industry in the border city.

“This is a great example of what Minnesota needs to do to be competitive,” he said. “And it’s not to reduce wages; it’s hopefully to increase more opportunity and allow them (servers) to garner more wages.”

Restoring a “tip credit” in Minnesota like one used in North Dakota and other states would allow restaurants to pay tipped workers less than minimum wage.

North Dakota employees who make $30 or more in tips a month can be paid $4.86 an hour. In Minnesota, large employers that take in $625,000 or more must pay a minimum of $6.15 an hour.

While the article simply reports what Emmer said in Moorhead, the paper was quick to note the flaws in the Republican candidate's logic.

The paper's editorial board weighed in with  Emmer’s wage idea for servers not very helpful (emphasis added):

Tom Emmer got it wrong. The Republican candidate for Minnesota governor would cut wages for Moorhead’s restaurant servers so, he said, Moorhead restaurants can compete on a more level playing field with Fargo restaurants. He said the difference in the way the two states pay wait staff is why there are more restaurants in Fargo.

No, that’s not it.

Fargo is a bigger city. It has more of everything than Moorhead because the customer base is bigger. Therefore, investors in restaurants and nearly every other retail business go where the traffic is.

How much bigger is Fargo than Moorhead? Fargo is home to around 95,000 people ( 2009 estimates), while the 2008 city population estimate for Moorhead is just over 36,000 (see figures in right hand column). The editors continue:

Additionally, Moorhead has several of the better restaurants in F-M, which attract customers from Fargo because they are good restaurants. They thrive because they offer good food and good service at fair prices – and they do so within the framework of Minnesota’s wage laws.

Finally, does Emmer really want to paint Moorhead as a low-wage city at a time when Fargo and Moorhead are focusing economic development efforts on creating good-paying jobs? It’s the wrong signal.

Tom Emmer apparently took that advice to heart, more or less, and the campaign (or someone) has pulled a YouTube of his remarks in Moorhead. A google hit ghost remains:

YouTube - Tom Emmer in Moorhead on Jobs Tour

Jul 6, 2010 ... Tom Emmer gives an update from Moorhead on Lumber Companies and Tip Credits.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QsuGZ5oKT0 - Cached

At RogueOn Minnesota, one can see this post, Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, Jobs – Emmer Message, and there's a black space for a Youtube, which one learns has been removed by the user. (And yes, I've saved screenshots).

The "Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, Jos, Jobs" message is posted on the real Emmer for Governor Facebook page, but when one clicks through to the link to the Emmer for Governor campaign website, the message is "Page Not Found." Another post with a similar title is now on the website.

Who  posted that clip? RogueOn Minnesota or Emmer for Governor? Who took that YouTube down?  Perhaps someone downloaded the clip and could email the footage to me via so I could see who produced the now vanished Emmerism.

While the brain trust running Team Emmer might have fancied that the far northwestern corner of the state was a place to make a tepid defense of the tip credit, away from the meddling minions of moderation in the metro, an early May post at Outstate Politics suggests that this might also be an area where rural Republicans may be tempted to feel a bit of buyers' remorse:

For all the talk about unity coming out of the Minnesota Republican Party Convention this weekend, this article from the Bemidji Pioneer shows that rural Minnesotans aren’t all that excited about the Twin Cities Republican ticket:

Seifert’s loss left a huge chunk of rural Republicans without a candidate they fully support.

On Friday’s balloting, the 1st, 7th and 8th congressional districts went heavily for Seifert. They represent by far the bulk of rural Minnesota, pretty much everything outside of the Twin Cities and St. Cloud.

Seifert noted that Emmer received “zero from Moorhead south to the Iowa border.” [emphasis mine]

Unfortunately for them--and Minnesota--it's pretty difficult to send this half-baked popover back the kitchen. Dave Mindemann at Mnpact looked at the same Forum chain article in A Rural Opening for Democrats?

Golden oldie that rhymes with Emmer, part II: Demmer on minimum wage Youtube

Yesterday, Bluestem took a look at the May 2, 2005 debate in the Minnesota House on raising the minimum wage. Here's Randy Demmer's floor statement:

Meanwhile, some fun reporting is coming out because of the Emmer proposal. First, Emmer is "explaining, not gaining, as they say. I like comment #4 the best, which begins:

Love all the liberal righteous indignation. These same people are willing to:

1) Take away customers from these same servers by imposing property rights violations in the form of smoking bans. Servers lost their jobs when the smokers stopped coming in thanks to these same busy-bodies.

I'd like to hear "Average Joe's" opinion of endorsed Republican Secretary of State candidate Dan Severson.

Second,  Star Tribune column Jon Tevlin did a bit a of fact-checking in Myth list: Unicorns, Big Foot, rich waiters. He talked to the owner of the restaurant where Emmer made his statement about the tip credit and claimed that some waiters made over $100,000. The response:

"I don't want people thinking we have people making $100,000 a year here, because we don't," said Kasel, who had to call his 29 employees that morning to prevent a mutiny. "No way, shape or form did I [tell Emmer] anyone made $100,000."

Kasel said rather he told Emmer that a couple of his employees do well, and that "If all the pieces fell in the right place" they could make $100,000. But not a server, he said.

Finally, MinnPost's David Brauer looked at the endorsed MNGOP gubernatorial candidate's claims that Minnesota's restaurant prices were as high as those in California in Emmer and Olive Garden:

The media has noted the candidate's assertion of $100,000 tipped employees, median server income that is less than a third or a fifth of that, but no one has checked this Emmer claim:

"Minnesota's menu prices are comparable to California and New York. We have some of the highest prices in the country. It just gets passed on to consumers."

Of course, there are so many variables in menu pricing (restaurant fanciness, cost of ingredients, etc.) that making an apples-to-apples judgment is tough. But there is at least one place we can turn to for a pasta-to-pasta comparison: Olive Garden.

. . .At least when it comes to this corporate Italiano eatery, Emmer appears to be wrong: Minnesota prices are clearly and consistently lower than California's. (Just to be sure, I checked the OG in Clovis, near Fresno, in case Burbank seemed too glam. The California prices were identical.)

Go read both the Tevlin and Brauer pieces.

Gubernatorial speed dating: Emmer slips on wait staff minimum wage proposal

One of the best dating tips I ever received was to watch how a man treated wait staff and bartenders. That's how he'd treat you after a few months into a relationship, my wise friend said. Experience soon taught me the merit of her advice.

That helpful insight came to mind when I read Emmer: Count employees' tips towards minimum wages

Republican gubernatorial candidate Rep. Tom Emmer said the state could gain jobs if employers could a pay a lower hourly wage to employees who earn a lot of money from tips.

He stopped by the Eagle Street Grille in St. Paul Monday morning, saying government needs to listen to businesses about reducing regulatory burdens and adding jobs.

"With the tips that they get to take home, they are some people earning over $100,000 a year. More than the very people providing the jobs and investing not only their life savings but their families' future," Emmer said.

Emmer said some well-tipped Eagle Street Grille employees are among those making more than $100,000 a year. But one of the grille's owners said only a "couple" of his 45 or so servers make that much in a good year.

One doesn't have to wonder how Emmer would be treating average working people with that take on taxation. The Bureau of Labor Statistics placed the mean annual wages for waiters and waitresses in Minnesota at $22,730.

Let's just say that if Tom asks for a number so he can chat more about his big visions, he's getting this one.

Photo: Wipe out much, Tom?