Poll: Overwhelming public support for basic gun-control laws

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If only we had majority rule in this country … . The Strib’s Jim Ragsdale reports on the paper’s gun-control polling. “More than 70 percent of all respondents — including 60 percent of gun owners and 64 percent of Republicans — favor universal background checks, a rapidly emerging gun-control priority in the legislative session. Only 25 percent oppose such a broadening of background checks, while 3 percent are undecided. … The National Rifle Association and local gun rights groups vehemently oppose the bill. But among average Minnesotans, such a bill appears to have broad and deep support.”

At MnLEFT, Tony Petrangelo looks at the entire poll and says, “This is yet another example of why polling on issues is a completely different ballgame than polling on horse-races. You have to purposely try to screw up question wording on a horse-race poll. On an issue poll however, there really is no right way to ask a question and as such, there are an infinite number of wrong ways to ask it. Because of the realities of the polling business model, wanting to convert a maximum number of respondents as efficiently as possible, there is pressure to make questions concise. The more words, the longer it takes to read the question and the longer the interview takes. But too much conciseness can lead to a respondent having a lack of relevant information to be able to properly respond to a question. The flip side is that too much context, or the wrong context, can taint a respondents answer just as easily as too little context.”

Rethink your visits to Stillwater. Tim Harlow of the Strib tells us, “Highway 36 will be closed for two months this spring and summer between Hwy. 61 and White Bear Avenue as part of a $30 million makeover of the road that also includes replacing traffic signals with an overpass at English Street. Work on making Hwy. 36 a ‘limited access freeway’ is set to begin later this month, the Minnesota Department of Transportation said. … A second project also is on the table for 2013. MnDOT will remove the signals at Hilton Trail in Mahtomedi and replace them with an overpass that carries Hwy. 36 traffic over Hilton Trail. The agency also will build roundabouts on either side of the interchange to direct drivers to frontage roads, Hilton Trail and Viking Drive. Lanes on Hilton Trail will be closed for two to three months this summer, but minimal disruptions are expected on Hwy. 36, officials have said.”

It’s a good thing they’re not teachers or some other public employees … . Elizabeth Dunbar of MPR says, “In the midst of an effort to win a 10.7 percent rate hike that it says it needs to remain competitive, executives at energy utility Xcel are defending the money it spends on employee compensation. The Minnesota Department of Commerce is challenging the rate increase, which would amount to about $285 million, saying Xcel should cut $22 million in bonuses for Xcel executives and expensive flights on corporate jets. Officials are also concerned about cost overruns on upgrades to Xcel’s nuclear plant in Monticello. Xcel Regional Vice President Laura McCarten said the compensation helps the utility attract top talent.” I believe that’s what AIG said, too.

Fear the triclosan. A Duluth News Tribune story says, “Minnesota state agencies will stop buying and using hand soaps, dish soaps and laundry cleaning products that contain triclosan by June of this year, according to an executive order issued by Gov. Mark Dayton. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency announced today that the state will stop buying any products with triclosan and phase out their use by June. Triclosan has been classified as an endocrine-disrupting compound, is antibiotic-resistant and causes other health and environmental problems.”

I’m sure they’ll be a lot more popular out on the sundecks. The AP says, “Minnesota’s budget chief says he will likely wait until summer before deciding whether to activate so-called blink-on revenue options for the new Vikings football stadium. Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner Jim Schowalter encountered sharp questions Monday from lawmakers who are worried that general tax dollars will be needed to compensate for poor results from expanded gambling. Finance officials said last week that the electronic pull-tabs are producing only a tiny fraction of anticipated revenue to pay off future state debt on the stadium. Last year’s stadium law gives Schowalter power to initiate a sport-themed lottery game and impose a luxury suite tax to make up for shortages in e-pull tab revenue.”

Related … . Tim Nelson of MPR writes, “State officials may soon be searching the couch cushions looking for change to boost electronic pulltab revenues for the Vikings stadium. And Hennepin County Board Chairman Mike Opat has a very, very clear message for them: ‘Our position to date and going forward is going to be very, very strong opposition, to using any of the ballpark sales tax.’ There is some extra money there. Opat says the .15 percent countywide sales tax approved by the Legislature and Hennepin Commissioners in 2006 is more than enough to pay the debt service on Target Field’s 30-year bonds. ‘We’re looking at being able to pay off the debt 5 to 10 years early. It’s significant and we’re proud of that fact.’ Opat says, calling it the result of prudent financial management. ‘I cannot think there would be one vote over here to participate in backfilling a hole in with the football stadium that comes as a result of poor planning with the pulltab revenue.’ ” Three words: Personal seat licenses. Three more words: Personal parking licenses. And, oh hell, three more words: Personal beverage licenses.

What sort of crazy love beads and patchouli oil hippie talk is this? Tom Scheck of MPR writes, “Sen. Jeremy Miller, R-Winona, and Sen. Roger Reinert, DFL-Duluth, have formed a ‘purple caucus’ with the hope of putting the needs of the state above party politics. Miller and Reinert appeared at a news conference at the State Capitol today to announce the group. They say the goal is to start showing that lawmakers can cooperate across party lines. ‘What is the price of admission?’ Reinert said. ‘It’s the idea that you’re willing to be a Minnesotan first and some other label second.’ Reinert says the group plans to start meeting on a semi-regular basis to discuss where they agree. Miller says he hopes the focus will mainly be on the budget, jobs and the economy.”  

Those of us for whom camo Carhartt is a fashion statement are delighted to hear that it is fashion week in Minnesota. At City Pages Tatiana Craine writes, “Minneapolis-St. Paul Fashion Week comes only twice a year. It’s prime time to flaunt what you’ve got — in your closet, that is. From the amount of heels teetering on icy sidewalks and bare legs shivering in the wind, it was clear that no one was going to let weather get in the way of style. This year, we did some trend-spotting to see what some of the hottest looks of the season are, both on the runway and off. … Hats are big no matter the season — you can tell it’s summer by the floppy hats flying in the wind — but stay on the lookout for the return of the classic beret.” “Beret” — check. Now I can dare run over to Ace Hardware.