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Ray Schoch

Minneapolis, MN
Commenter for
3 years 15 weeks

Recent Comments

Posted on 02/03/11 at 07:31 pm in response to The character 'Tim Pawlenty' doesn't explain the conservative Tim Pawlenty

An interesting piece, Eric. I haven’t read Pawlenty’s book, either, and don’t intend to. Campaign biographies by the people doing the campaigning are, almost by definition, self-serving.

Not having read any other campaign biographies, I have no idea how typical Pawlenty’s lack of explanation for his conservatism might be – “typical,” by the way, regardless of party or political affiliation. Do we expect, or even want, our political leaders to be introspective enough to have that sort...

Posted on 02/03/11 at 10:23 am in response to 'New nukes' bill passes Minnesota Senate

I don’t often endorse my former home of Missouri, but at least there, once the “Blue Laws” were repealed, liquor was, and is, available at your friendly local supermarket, on any day of the week. I’m a teetotaler, and regard alcohol as the most dangerous and widespread drug currently in use in the society, but we’ve made it legal, and it’s far easier to track (and tax) if it’s available at the supermarket. Might as well make the drug dealers corporate…

“…Bachmann is a solid fundraiser...

Posted on 02/02/11 at 12:40 pm in response to Wall Street pay at record high

What I really think wouldn’t make it past the MinnPost review, so, to be far more polite than I actually feel, it’s beyond disgraceful. Nothing Lloyd Blankfein has done, or will do, justifies his salary or bonuses, and a good case could be made – ought to be made, in my view – that the Wall Street shysters that created the Great Recession ought to be in prison, not having their lackeys make reservations for dinner at a tony New York eatery to celebrate their even-more-obscene wealth. Much of...

Posted on 02/02/11 at 12:32 pm in response to Yes, Egypt's in turmoil, but think about it: The Mideast has been remarkably stable

If you're an investor, stability is good, and repression unimportant.

If you're a writer, freedom to write what you think is good, repression unbearable, and investment opportunities are way down the list.

It's not often that "freedom" and "stability" find a way to live together relatively peaceably. That makes the past couple centuries in the U.S. (with the obvious exception of Mr. Lincoln's tenure in the White House) very unusual on the historical scale.

Posted on 02/02/11 at 12:51 pm in response to Bills on teacher-contract deadlines: Reform or anti-labor moves?

Gosh, one wonders just how these six (!!) bills will promote the jobs agenda that Republicans claimed was so vital during the recent campaign…

If nothing else, a January 15 deadline would give teachers who are about to be laid off because of Republican cuts to education spending a little more time to try to find employment. I’m told their “people skills” make them excellent greeters at Wal-Mart. Maybe that’s how the bills fit into the Republican jobs agenda – in addition to tax breaks...

Posted on 02/01/11 at 03:36 pm in response to How beneath-the-radar spending defeated DFLers running for MN House

Interesting piece, Eric. One of my complaints against the 'Strib in the last election cycle was the paucity of coverage and information regarding statehouse elections outside the Governor's office. Perhaps devoting some of the 'Strib's resources to the more localized races might have shown what was going on.

Posted on 02/01/11 at 04:01 pm in response to Cheers in Champlin for lesbian royal couple

I don’t know Desiree or Sarah, and I’ve been retired for more than a decade, but this incident, and its resolution, is a nice example of why I loved teaching in a public high school. Challenging assumptions is a big part of any genuine education, and rebellion, of varying degree, is part of a teenager’s DNA. I especially enjoyed their use of the web. Contacting sympathetic organizations with access to legal clout is MUCH more effective than griping on a Facebook page, and even a high school...

Posted on 02/01/11 at 03:31 pm in response to Obama's strategy: Carefully, slowly dump Mubarak

I’m sorry… this is too on-the-spot to pass up…

When Obama said, “…you must respect the rights of minorities, and participate with a spirit of tolerance and compromise; you must place the interests of your people and the legitimate workings of the political process above your party. Without these ingredients, elections alone do not make true democracy” he might well have been talking to John Boehner and Mitch McConnell.

Posted on 01/31/11 at 11:39 pm in response to Visions of a new Upper River dancing in their heads: Four dazzling proposals

One of the drawbacks of local democracy (and sometimes state and national, as well) is that long-term plans are extremely difficult to carry out. Changes in the public’s mood, inclination to pay the necessary tax dollars, and even popularity of types of recreational activity (“recreational fashion,” if you will), etc., all work against a coherent vision being carried out to its designed conclusion, regardless of its attractiveness and public support at the time of adoption.

Since I’m...

Posted on 01/28/11 at 05:50 pm in response to Mark Dayton is 'miserable' assembling his budget fixes

“In just her third term, she has developed a fan base like 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin’s: Energized, fiercely loyal and capable of making a critic’s life miserable with threats of political retribution.””

Sad.