DFL Platform

Posted at 12:05 PM on June 7, 2006 by Bob Collins (4 Comments)

Here's the DFL platform (pre-convention version) in PDF format on the DFL site. There are presently 164 items on there. It will be interesting to see which items the endorsed candidate agrees to run on and which ones he/she/it doesn't.

At least one candidate I'm aware of opposes repealing concealed carry (item #149). Creating a cabinet-level Department of Peace (#131) might be interesting. Say, do you suppose there'd be any turf wars in the Department of Peace? Withdrawing all troops from Iraq in one year (#123) will be dicey, as is ending funding for all military activity in Iraq (#120). A statewide smoking ban (#81) will run afoul of at least one gubernatorial candidate.

Amending the Constitution to say every Minnesotan has a right to health care (#33) is a nod to Becky Lourey, who filed a bill to that effect this year that didn't get a single hearing in a DFL-controlled Senate committee.

And rejecting state funding for sports stadiums (#23) is certainly not a nod to gubernatorial candidate Steve Kelley, who carried the water in the Senate this year. In fact, that will run afoul of a whole bunch of incumbent Democrats according to MPR's Votetracker.

Comments (4)

Would rejecting state funding for sports stadiums really impact that many candidates? Given that Hennepin County is paying for the Twins stadium, wouldn't that kind of plan meet the criteria? As would a metro-wide tax that funded stadiums and transit (a la Steve Kelley).

In any case, the items you reference are rather disappointing. Looks like it'll be another good year to support non-major parties.

Posted by bsimon | June 7, 2006 3:17 PM

Yeah, I think it would -- or could -- Bryan. The issue isn't over. The Vikings are up next, and I think you can pretty much bet the Target Center will be painted as a rat trap in the next year or so.

But your point is an interesting one and I hadn't noticed that the platform isn't phrased "public funding," it's "state funding." Clever, eh?

Posted by Bob Collins | June 7, 2006 3:43 PM

Great year for non-major party, or even independent candidates.

The state / public funding language question is another great example of how the DFL manages to avoid being the opposition party while pretending that they are. A principaled stand would be either to affirm the right of Minnesotans to vote on sales tax increases or to propose the repeal of that provision. I didn't find anything like that here.

The stadium itself didn't really split on party lines - it was more rural v. metro. Outstate legislators didn't have any trouble taxing Hennepin residents. I suppose that we're so strongly blue in Hennepin made it politically possible for the GOP to pass the exemption on the referrendum.

In the end, I just agree, it's a good year to say a pox on both their houses.

Posted by Justin C. Adams | June 9, 2006 9:46 AM

"A statewide smoking ban (#81) will run afoul of at least one gubernatorial candidate."

You mean, of course, Mike Hatch. That is, unless Sue Jeffers is running as a DFLer now...

Posted by bob from ALAMN | June 9, 2006 11:37 AM

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