Skip to Content

Bill Gleason

Minneapolis, MN
Commenter for
5 years 28 weeks

Recent Comments

Posted on 05/22/13 at 10:12 am in response to Minnesota’s new tax laws decidedly lacking in reform

its punchline:

"the most important reform in the budget is that it erases a projected $627 million shortfall and balances the books without the kind of one-time accounting shifts and other gimmicks that have been used over the last decade."

If this isn't a reform, I don't know what is.

Facing up to the fact that we have a revenue problem is what the voters wanted. And further reforms were blocked, mostly, by exactly whom?

Posted on 05/23/13 at 06:56 am in response to Minnesota’s new tax laws decidedly lacking in reform

I am always a little suspicious whenever anyone claims that job creation should be of higher priority. I'd argue that there is plenty of it in the latest budget. To give a non-trivial example, who is going to do all that all day K teaching? And about that money being spent in Rochester for infrastructure, no jobs there, right? I could go on.

So what, Mr. Peterson, are your ideas for job creation? The usual tax cuts for business that will - according to the GOP - lead to enormous...

Posted on 05/22/13 at 08:59 am in response to More funding, all-day K: 'This is very definitely the education session'

Many schools are unionized...

Get over it.

The schools in Finland are unionized also.

"government education" ? Whatever does that mean?

The days of arguing against something you don't like, simply because unions are involved, are hopefully over. The voters are getting tired of hearing the phrase "union thugs" every time a subject comes up that Republicans want to bash and have no other good reason to do so.

Posted on 05/21/13 at 09:03 am in response to Anti-bullying bill dies in Senate

The same sex marriage bill was almost certainly passed because the DFL leadership decided not to push on stricter gun control issues this session. Sorry that we couldn't have both but it was a necessary decision. Those in more conservative districts will have a hard time surviving sticking out their necks once, let alone twice.

The far right wing of the GOP has been pushing the idea that somehow the anti-bullying bill was going to lead to furtherance of the homosexual agenda in the...

Posted on 05/17/13 at 08:57 am in response to Out of there ... tax on booze and 'high earner' surcharge

"University of Minnesota research case is not a scandal"
link: http://ow.ly/l8ejI

I'd ask readers to look at the whole piece on the Star-Tribune web-site, especially the comments.

Mine was:

One might think from reading Dean Friedman's piece that Dr. Elliot is some sort of lunatic who, alone, has been agitating for a totally unnecessary investigation of the death of Dan Markingson.

Ask yourself: Why...

Posted on 05/10/13 at 11:50 am in response to Are Fido and Fluffy good for your heart? Studies suggest yes

No surprise to those who walk their dogs once or twice a day...

Also, a cat is a comfort. Many retirement/assisted living places have cats wandering around at will on the floors where residents live.

Maybe pet owners should get a break on health insurance?

Posted on 05/09/13 at 09:25 am in response to Union files grievance over Minnesota State Mankato coach's firing

another excellent article about health care in the PP:

"At one medical center in Minneapolis, the average Medicare payment for a joint replacement during 2011 was $45,212 -- one of the higher rates in the country, according to numbers released Wednesday, May 8, by the federal government.

That would pay for more than three joint replacements in Fergus Falls, where the average Medicare payment for patients undergoing the procedure was less than $12,000."

Pricing a hip?...

Posted on 05/09/13 at 12:01 pm in response to Union files grievance over Minnesota State Mankato coach's firing

The fact that these numbers have just been made public by the federal government means that they will be subject to much additional analysis.

The scandalous nature of the discrepancies in charges has been noted by the New York Times, the LA Times, etc. Tip of the hat to Chris Snowbeck to being right there too.

And it is not simply a matter of lack of competence in the boonies compared to the Twin Cities.

There is an interesting site on the New York Times that I...

Posted on 05/07/13 at 11:01 am in response to Rally by gun-control advocates didn’t change Thissen’s mind

And is a smart politician, this term being used in a complimentary way.

The difference between the GOP and the DFL in Minnesota seems to be that the GOP wants it all or else nothing. The DFL is willing to take half a loaf. And compromise is at the heart of successful politics.

If a gun control bill were defeated this term, those who believe that it was the right thing to do would never hear the end of it. Witness the small but vociferous crowd of armed gunsels who showed up...

Posted on 05/07/13 at 11:09 pm in response to Rally by gun-control advocates didn’t change Thissen’s mind

but that is the way I see it.

My problem is with your last paragraph.

"I continue to believe that we can have both."

I simply don't believe that this is the case. We are going to have a hard enough time getting legislators in sensitive districts to vote for same sex marriage let alone do this AND vote for gun control. Ask Representative Melin and Senator Bakk about their positions on gun control. It is not just Republicans for whom gun control is a problem.

And...