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Jon Erik Kingstad

Afton, MN
Commenter for
2 years 45 weeks

Recent Comments

Posted on 07/15/11 at 07:40 pm in response to Some questions -- and answers -- about Minnesota budget deal and what happens next

While I sense the State is breathing a sigh of relief that the shutdown may be over, it's not really over until Dayton signs a bill approving the budget. Right now, Dayton's agreement to a special session might not mean an agreement if Zellers and Koch cannot keep their fanatic martyrs in line. Just so we're clear who these fanatic martyrs are protecting, I'll link to a not entirely dated in Newsweek about our Galtian overlords and who thinks they're really in charge around here:

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Posted on 07/14/11 at 02:38 pm in response to Dayton says his proposed deal is bad for state, but better than indefinite shutdown

I agree with the Governor. He's taken the higher road by compromising on his principles and in my opinion the right thing. My only question is what happens next January, when the State has to go through this again? Aren't even numbered years the years that bonding issues were traditionally taken up? I cannot believe the fanatics are going to change their minds about taxes.

Posted on 07/14/11 at 05:23 pm in response to Dayton says his proposed deal is bad for state, but better than indefinite shutdown

@#5 Eric: I think the Governor did what he believed was best for the state and while he compromised or backed off what he believed was the best means to that end, he did so to achieve a temporary goal which was alleviate the suffering created by Republican inflexibility and fanaticism. I'm thinking while this deal, if accepted by the Republicans, postpones the shutdown for another eight months, we should be back at this place again a year from now but with elections much closer than they are...

Posted on 07/15/11 at 11:09 am in response to Dayton says his proposed deal is bad for state, but better than indefinite shutdown

@25 Ken: As one of the confused, thank you for your clarification. I don't think voting against the deal prevents the Dem. legislator from pointing out why. This shutdown has driven home the point that the "tax and spend liberal" bumper-sticker slogan by the Republicans is beginning to wear thin as people see that not raising taxes, especially on the wealthy who have benefitted from the federal tax cuts, refuse to pay their fair share for state services. Republicans who run on any "no new...

Posted on 07/12/11 at 03:19 pm in response to Fuller argument that partial shutdown is unconstitutional

If the Court does decide this, look for the phrase "The Constitution is not a suicide pact."

Posted on 07/12/11 at 08:10 am in response to The Minnesota Supreme Court could rule on key constitutional question raised by shutdown spending

#1 and #7: Let's not forget about the increase in court fees! The worst being the "motion filing fee" which requires the payment of $100 fee per motion per party for any motion. This a regressive tax on individuals who are forced to take their grievances to the courts and be subjected to combat by discovery.

Posted on 07/09/11 at 06:49 pm in response to Millionaires, it turns out, not cool with tax increase idea

Vance Opperman has been a major DFL kingmaker since I've lived in this state. I've attended three DFL State conventions and he was always a presence there working to advance the agenda of this or that politician. I now have an understanding why Mark Dayton stood on the sidelines at the 2000 convention while Opperman worked the delegates for votes for his guy.

His comment shows his true colors and allegiance in this showdown.

Posted on 07/08/11 at 10:42 pm in response to Grover Norquist looms over Minnesota's budget impasse

The list of Republican State Senators who signed the Norquist pledge is a bit smaller than the list of those who signed an open letter to the Governor in February saying about the same thing. I hadn't thought about the idea of signing a "pledge" as amounting to the same thing as taking an oath but maybe in a sense it is by being a violation of the oath. By signing such a pledge to not raise taxes while in office, do these legislators violate their oath to uphold the Minnesota Constitution...

Posted on 07/08/11 at 10:29 pm in response to Shutdown battle moves to billboards and radio ads to pressure both sides, but are they counterproductive?

#4. Ditto #7. Great post!

Posted on 07/08/11 at 09:03 am in response to 'Wisemen' income tax proposal isn't going anywhere

It's bad that the state's credit rating has been downgraded. But let's not forget that Fitch was one of the actors who played a part in creating the financial crisis that got us here.

According to Wikipedia:
"The Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission reported in January 2011 that: "The three credit rating agencies were key enablers of the financial meltdown. The mortgage-related securities at the heart of the crisis could not have been marketed and sold without their seal of...