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Danie Watson

Mound, MN
Commenter for
5 years 24 weeks

Recent Comments

Posted on 04/25/13 at 06:39 pm in response to Orono investment banker Scott Honour to challenge Dayton

Because St. Paul is home to our capitol and many government buildings, the city has no choice about making due with a significantly smaller tax base per acre of downtown than other cities. All Minnesotans must in some measure pay for the tax-free real estate our state government occupies in service to its citizens.

In addition, under Pawlenty and under the GOP-controlled 2009-2010 legislature, cuts to local government aid fell disproportionately on St. Paul and Minneapolis, with many...

Posted on 04/22/13 at 06:11 pm in response to 'Ban the box' legislation would limit when job seekers have to reveal criminal past

In this context we need to be talking about the heavily disproportionate number of people of color who are arrested, and as a consequence, a heavily disproportionate number who are sent to prison.

I can't summon the data for you, so take this as anecdotal, but former prisoners who are not reintegrated into society, especially through employment, are much more likely to reoffend than those who are able to find employment. Do we intend to encourage more crime, or reduce it?

I...

Posted on 04/11/13 at 01:44 pm in response to Dead: Sanford takeover of Fairview

Ironically, gay rights advocates initially proposed legalizing civil unions for gays, and the conservatives cried "Armageddon!" After all the awful insults and shameful bigotry hurled at gays, advocates pushed back with legislation and legal challenges across the country to get marriage equality.

Here in Minnesota, the conservatives--not content with Minnesota's DOMA law--were in a lather to pass a constitutional amendment, and got trounced. Now they are angry that gays and advocates...

Posted on 04/02/13 at 11:42 am in response to Local doc supports Sanford-Fairview plan

I count two stories today about drug cartels: Sinaloa out of Mexico, and health insurers in Minnesota.

Posted on 03/27/13 at 02:26 pm in response to Dayton administration offers two versions of e-pulltab estimates

If Mac Hammond contends that this long list of things will change if marriage equality becomes law, isn't the mirror argument true? That this long list of woes currently affects gays who cannot marry? And he's okay with that, apparently.

Posted on 03/25/13 at 02:00 pm in response to Minnesota accepted gambling industry's e-pulltab estimates

I do find the lack of accountability to be maddening. Why isn't the stadium plan required to meet some revenue targets before we break ground? And why does the difference have to be made up by the taxpayers instead of being divided among the various partners, including the Vikings?

Outcomes like this will make a cynic like me into a full-blown curmudgeon.

Posted on 03/12/13 at 01:48 pm in response to Minnesota officials say TurboTax is fixed

Is Representative Radinovich in the pocket of the powerful salmonella and E. coli lobbyists? It's the only "common sense" explanation.

Posted on 02/06/13 at 03:56 pm in response to Pro-firearm crowd, Cornish decry 'worthless' gun bills

The no brown M&Ms in the bowl was famously a part of the Van Halen performance contract, but not because the performers were fussy. The provision was in the contract because in each city they performed the stage and setup crews were different. The band provided a long list of technical details that had to be complied with for the safety of the band and the audience, and the smooth running of the show.

The presence of brown M&Ms in the bowl meant the technical requirements for...

Posted on 01/29/13 at 02:39 pm in response to Supervalu execs pocket $22 million in 'golden parachutes'

It may be tempting to joke about these findings, but they are backed by serious science. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been collecting (voluntary) data for decades and has a database of more than 400,000 responses--so not some one-off or flaky study.

The Adverse Childhood Experiences study, or ACEs, establishes a clear link between adversity in childhood and increased risk of a host of illnesses: obesity, smoking, drug and alcohol abuse, violent behavior,...

Posted on 01/22/13 at 03:55 pm in response to Obama stops begging for bipartisan compromise — finally

The GOP has frequently refused to engage with the Dems in order to reach compromise. The GOP willingness to send the nation into default--even delight at the prospect!--is the clearest example.

This refusal to compromise *weakens* GOP power by abdicating their active role in negotiation. The less they engage, the more Boehner is forced to turn to right-leaning and moderate Dems for votes. Each time he does, the legislation must be amended to meet Dem requirements, and Boehner and the...