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Jeff Klein

Minneapolis, MN
Commenter for
4 years 28 weeks

Recent Comments

Posted on 01/23/12 at 12:06 pm in response to Rybak embraces DNC's anti-Romney messaging

I like Rybak, but I'm a little concerned to see him aligning himself so much with the national Democratic party. As the popular mayor of a medium-sized, progressive city, he has a lot of leeway to take unusual positions on policy or try creative solutions to problems. By tying himself to the party line, I'm afraid he will limit his options, and in particular get caught up in the corporate nature of the national party.

Posted on 01/23/12 at 07:15 pm in response to Rybak embraces DNC's anti-Romney messaging

"If you want to live in a third world country in which our socialist demoncrats insist on doing keep voting for them. "

"Third world" socialist democracies:
- Finland
- Germany
- Sweden
- France

"First world" limited-government paragons of freedom
- Turkmenistan
- Armenia
- Cambodia
- Chad

Posted on 01/23/12 at 12:43 pm in response to Who's running the regional railroad?

Having two downtowns creates huge logistical problems for public transportation. Not that it should stop us from trying, but it's important to remember that somebody who takes the Northstar and works in St. Paul would have to transfer to the light rail and ride another 35-40 minutes. Or vice-versa for the train from Hastings if they work in Minneapolis. Nobody is going to do that. We should design the commuter trains so they have one more stop - the downtown of the farther city.

Posted on 01/23/12 at 11:39 am in response to Legislators may spend much of the session focused on jobs -- their own

@1: I have yet to see any conservative tackle the fairly obvious point that the policies they advocate for are already in place in our nation's least desirable states.

Posted on 01/23/12 at 03:11 pm in response to Legislators may spend much of the session focused on jobs -- their own

@11: Ok Mr. Swift. Let's slash our services and our wages so we can undercut the southern states and get our jobs back. And then they'll do the same. And so on. Yeah. There's a plan for the long-term well-being of the majority of Americans.

Posted on 01/20/12 at 03:31 pm in response to The very dramatic word choices of Newt Gingrich

@#9: Given the usually high level of discourse on this particular news outlet, I'm kinda bummed we can't get semi-reasonable conservatives to pitch in. The ones who do are the most outrageous kind of partisan hacks. I'm about as liberal as they come but I still give credit where credit is due*. To the Dennis Testers of the world, everything any liberal does ever is wrong. It's black and white to the point of childish hilarity. While the secretary of state has little control over the "...

Posted on 01/13/12 at 10:52 am in response to Adieu from Max

Max - I have been reading you since the MnSpeak days. Your voice will be missed - good luck!

Posted on 01/12/12 at 01:15 pm in response to Congress tells Americans: Commute by car, not transit

It's so naive to pretend that the government can do *anything* and not influence peoples' behavior. Just by building roads we encourage driving. If Mr. Swift wants real freedom, such places exist. We call them "Somalia".

Posted on 01/11/12 at 05:10 pm in response to Dayton, DFL leaders unveil three-pronged jobs package for 'quick' action

That sales tax number seems strange. It would imply that with our 4.27% sales tax and 5.2M population, the average Minnesotan spends $15 online each year. Doesn't that seem low?

Posted on 01/11/12 at 10:44 am in response to New funding process frustrates small public radio stations

While I agree with @3 that sometimes NPR/MPR bend over too far backwards to not be seen as "liberal", they are still an incredibly valuable news source, with fairly neutral and intelligent, detailed reporting. This is possible because they don't have the profit motive to either leave things out they find inconvenient or appeal to the lowest common denominator. As MPR has grown it has invited its share of flack, but I think we would find our knowledge-based democracy, or what's left of it,...