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Harris Goldstein

Minneapolis, MN
Commenter for
3 years 40 weeks

Recent Comments

Posted on 07/10/12 at 04:50 pm in response to Marriage amendment to be 'epic fight'?

"solely between one man and one woman"

Sounds to me that it outlaws polygamy.

Posted on 07/08/12 at 02:31 pm in response to Why Americans want to spend more on health care

Paul Ryan's approach will solve this problem. It changes Medicare from a defined benefit to a defined contribution. Granted, the profit and overhead of private insurer's will mean you get less for your Medicare dollar. And, instead of those nasty government bureaucrats "controlling" your healthcare, we'll have those benevolent insurance company bureaucrats.

It does allow us to control cost. But, in the end, it's a coward's solution as it simply allows the government to say "it's...

Posted on 07/06/12 at 04:10 pm in response to Analyzing the Obamacare tax increases

ER usage - the most expensive (and probably least effective) way to address a health issue that isn't a true emergency - is high not only due to copayments. The ER is the one place you can go (with the exception of some free clinics) and not be refused care for lack of payment. So, while I don't think it does enough, I don't agree that it does nothing.

I would argue that the biggest driver is our own health and nutrition habits. This is where those who argue against any government...

Posted on 07/03/12 at 02:03 pm in response to Accretive asks judge to dump AG Swanson's charges

"there's no evidence that the data on the laptop has been compromised"

More than a little bit like saying "yes, your honor, I shot at his head - but I missed".

In one case an intentional act that - no thanks to the perpetrator - causes no harm. In the other case a grossly negligent act that - no thanks to the perpetrator - causes no harm (at least no evidence of harm - yet).

Posted on 06/15/12 at 04:02 pm in response to Ritchie refuses to defend Voter ID; GOP cries foul

RE: Helmberger's comment on General Mills - What bull!!

General Mills has absolutely nothing to gain by taking a public stand on this issue other than the impact this amendment would have on it's ability to attract and retain talent. I give them credit for not being bulldozed by those who "defend" marriage by restricting it.

And, by the way, if "Marriage is more than a commitment between two people who love each other. It was created by God for the care and well-being of...

Posted on 06/14/12 at 06:46 pm in response to Minnesota Senate to get hit with another Brodkorb defense legal bill

look at the bright side.

Exhibit A - Jobs
We'll be keeping many lawyers (and some journalists) employed. Then there is the downstream benefit of all the attendant services such as printing, messengers, etc. I finally see where the GOP's focus on jobs is coming to fruition.

Exhibit B - Tax Revenue
We can expect some small percentage of the money we're forced to pay lawyers (not to mention any settlement or civil liability) to return to the state as tax revenue....

Posted on 05/29/12 at 03:07 pm in response to Six blighted Twin Cities locations — and what should be there instead

At the risk of piling on, your comments on North Loop's need of a hardware store, bank, and dry cleaning display a lack of knowledge that is uncharacteristic of your prior work. And it detracts from a basically valid point.

The North Loop would benefit from expanded retail, including some of the types you mentioned. We do need more diversity in "everyday" non-bar focused restaurants with good take out (a good Thai or Vietnamese place would be like printing money). We do have Black...

Posted on 05/09/12 at 07:50 pm in response to Now the get-real negotiations on stadium begin

It's in the conference committee where it can get really ugly. Look for some major rollbacks to get back to the original (poorly) negotiated deal.

Posted on 04/30/12 at 09:14 am in response to DFL Sen. Marty: Taxpayer subsidy for stadium is $77 a ticket

Sen. Marty's letter (accessible via the Forbes link) will hopefully be read by every legislator. I don't agree with all the points he makes (for example, I don't believe moving the team is an "empty or baseless fact") and he doesn't give enough credit to the non-football uses of a stadium (though there really aren't many that could not be handled in other local venues). But it gets past the emotion and asks why.

Essentially his argument boils down to:
1. Why are subsidizing a...

Posted on 04/27/12 at 07:52 pm in response to Few if any pro-stadium votes from Minneapolis DFLers

You can't negotiate if you aren't willing to walk away from the table.

Mullery has it right. Even if you agree that the Vikings stadium deserves some public funding, it doesn't need to be so much.

It might be too late to go back to the drawing board, but maybe a couple of relatively simple changes (one example, Minnesota gets the naming rights for what the Vikes have called "Minnesota Sports Complex" in their PR material) can make this a reasonable deal for Minnesota.