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Jim Spensley

Jim Spensley's picture
Minneapolis, MN
Commenter for
5 years 28 weeks

Recent Comments

Posted on 03/28/13 at 07:34 pm in response to Supreme Court choice Lillehaug just the latest in long line of 'political' appointments

The reason Justices are appointed to long terms is to bridge over partisan Governors. The Governors in turn want to center the Court majority. In my opinion Justice Lillehaug will be great as a jurist and as a moderating force against Pawlenty's appointees.

Doug Grow has the ability to suggest the upcoming cases that might be decided based on partisan philosophies, and why a Justice might wander from facts and law for a politician or a political cause.

If this wandering was...

Posted on 02/23/13 at 12:36 pm in response to Air traffic control tower closings would have a minor impact on the Twin Cities

FAA re-authorizations and budgets have been screwed up of 14 of the last 15 years. Further FAA staff reductions would be after an accumulation of 1] acknowledged ATC and key inspector retirements; 2) big changes in traffic patterns as airlines "consolidate" flights at fewer hubs; 3) the irregular and several times delayed deployment of ATC systems and equipment; and 4) the lack of visible progress in training and work-rule compliance as airlines merge work-forces with the trend toward...

Posted on 06/23/12 at 07:42 am in response to Federal lawsuit seeks to tighten Minnesota’s Election Day registration procedures

The American way isn't ever having citizens prove they haven't been convicted of a felony.

The election laws allow candidates to have poll-watchers (challengers) who can ask the election judges to rule on eligibility if the challenge reasonable --NOT suspecting that the person's vote would be against the candidate they represent -- and then the ballot become provisional.

The transparent purpose is to slow the voting process way more in precincts with more renters or recent...

Posted on 08/28/11 at 09:49 am in response to Al Franken's relationship with unions gets chilly

Senator Franken is right to be skeptical about job numbers, and it is not necessarily true that former T-Mobile workers will keep their jobs and join the Communications Workers union.

Monopolization, however, is bad for the consumer and the money AT&T might rake in from higher rates will not necessarily increase workers or worker compensation. With less competition in the industry generally, AT&T can control services and rates in the largest markets and abandon others to...

Posted on 08/05/11 at 12:39 pm in response to Short-term FAA deal passes, but parties still differ on policy

The arti9cle is a more thorough report than many I've seen, but a few things still need to be clarified:

Who put the House Republicans up to insisting on changing the NMB election rules? Delta CEO Richard Anderson, because it shields Delta from competitors and Delta made changes earlier this year -- selling off regional subsidiaries and laying off professionals, pilots and flight attendants -- that could increase the chance of unions winning representation or forcing wage hikes under...

Posted on 06/15/11 at 03:55 pm in response to Footnotes to the shutdown: Read the layoff notice

Who was expecting an personalized letter? If the impasse isn't over soon, who would be left to draft or send a letter? I thought the lay-off Memo "no discredit" and "everyone" was far more polite than any a down-sizing corporation would issue.

I don't know who complained, or if anyone actually did, but it is a tough situation and no State employee should be in limbo.

Can't the legislators see that making 10,000 people unemplyed for a week is much the same as losing 200 full...

Posted on 02/11/11 at 12:02 pm in response to Dan Boivin named chair of Airports Commission

The South Metro Airport Action Council wants to work with Mr. Boivin and welcomes his statement about working with everyone. This will be refreshing if it signals more open discussions and more meaningful public hearings and if "everyone" has an opportunity to meet Commissioners occasionally on the public side or MSP security.

As an economic engine MSP has been more valuable to Delta NWA and connecting passengers and its role in Metro economic growth is quite a bit less than planned...

Posted on 08/11/10 at 08:23 am in response to Northern Minnesota gives Dayton late victory over Kelliher

It is a mistake to follow only the percentage of the votes as they are reported. The totals, raw numbers, are better because they may indicate turn-out and, in this case, which party primary has more participation.

Early returns are from Metro Counties, where there are many precincts, of widely varying sizes. This makes the "per cent reporting" less than useful as a gauge of turn-out, participation, or votes counted.

When almost all of the Metro precincts had reported,...

Posted on 02/04/10 at 08:28 pm in response to MSP airport security: Whole-body scanners are likely, but not everyone's on board

There is a lot of truth in the comments that better imaging may not mean better security.

I want to raise another point: cost/benefit. There is a rate issue in screening passengers. Screening 1,000 passengers per hour requires ten 100-passenger-per-hour stations. If a reasonable wait time, (let's say, 90 minutes in a screening line)is applied, the cost of imaging equipment at hubs like MSP skyrockets because most flights are boarded during 5 or 6 six hours each day while MSP is...

Posted on 11/19/09 at 09:16 am in response to For Minneapolis-St. Paul airport visitors, the journey has become a (shopping) destination

Yes, business is good for shops and eateries with their captive audience inside security perimeters. One cafe is newly opened on the outside of security, a place for locals to wait for delayed arriving passengers.

Yes, the commission makes money and the sales taxes are paid. But the revenue is basically spent writing down gate leases for Delta/NWA and improving/adding facilities inside the terminals.

Overall, it would be a good economic sign for Minnesota and the Metro if...