Two items before closing up shop

Posted at 4:48 PM on April 14, 2006 by Bob Collins (3 Comments)

MPR Capitol reporter Tim Pugmire is going to have a piece on Monday morning, looking at the Republican race in the 6th District. We'll have extended interviews with Michele Bachmann, Jay Esmay, Phil Krinkie, and Jim Knoblach. I'll post the entire thing online at 3pm Sunday and you'll find it here at that time.

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There's a place where good ideas go to die and maybe that's where this one will end up too, but at least it's worth a shot. Yesterday I suggested that it would be good to have the three candidates for U.S. Senate sit and listen to the stories that the soon-to-be-unemployed autoworkers at the Ford Assembly Plant in St. Paul have to tell. No speeches. No using them as props to make a point. Just listen and, with any luck, learn.

I wasn't volunteering to organize it, but one candidate has already responded, saying it was a good idea. Maybe the other two will join in. I know their "people" read Polinaut, so here's your invitation. Of course, we also have to convince a few folks within these hallowed halls that it's OK to have three candidates for a top job in the same place, and not actually feel compelled to ask them what they have to say. (It's sort of like putting a dish of jellybeans out and not digging in and eating them). There'll be time for that, and it would be cool to find out if what they learned changed how they feel about certain things.

These folks have great stories and great passion about it means to work everyday. They have histories in which several generations have all worked in that plant. And they have perspective that's valuable.

I just had a thought. What if we got Studs Terkel to come host the show?

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Comments (3)

Studs wouldn't be expensive, but you'd have to pay for round the clock nursing and his agent would probably have to accompany him.

The guy is really, really, really old.

Posted by da Wege | April 14, 2006 10:49 PM

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Posted by John Rosina | April 15, 2006 5:10 AM

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Well. I just spent an hour writing history on the Auto industry, workers and trade policy of the US and somwhere between sign off and send it all disappeared! I am very sympathetic to the Ford workers concerns, I have 30 years with GM. The plant closing is beyond their control and not any fault of their own.

If I get enough energy, should you like, I would love to provide some back drop for the auto worker's (and all American worker's) plight.
It's not that complicated, but it is most misunderstood by the average hard working person.

I love your idea. Be sure to ask the candidates about currency exchange rates, the 1998 bail out of Japanese banks by America (to the further detriment to American workers. Ask about Trade agreements and Policies. Do they understand how multinational Corporations profit on either side(s) of the ocean. All the unlevel playing field issues of the last 30 years.

If the candidates are ill informed on these issues, you may want to consider someone else for state and National level politics.

Posted by John Rosina | April 15, 2006 5:24 AM

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