Just Couldn't Let This One Go

 Actually, there are a TON of circumstances in today's world that I can't let go, but this one feels particularly egregious, as if that's even possible any more.

Most of you know that Minnesota is considered a fairly progressive state in its politics and widely touted Minnesota Nice-ness philosophy which, I'll agree, is pervasive in its philosophies and actions.  

Which is why I'm compelled to write about comments made by the Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor.

In Minnesota, voters choose the Governor and Lieutenant Governor as a team.  The current elected officials are Democrats, Governor Tim Walz (former member of the US House of Representatives) and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan.  As a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, Flanagan is the highest-ranking Native woman elected to executive office in the history of the United States.

Told ya we're progressive.

The gubernatorial offices are up for election this November and the Republicans have chosen a pair of brain damaged if not brain dead candidates to oppose Walz and Flanagan.

The are Dr. Scott Jensen and former Vikings player Matt Birk.

Ah, a doctor! one might exclaim.  There's an intelligent person--or so one might assume.  Indeed, Dr. Jensen earned his medical degree in family practice from our state's well respected University of Minnesota, and currently practices family medicine in Watertown, a small community just barely outside the metropolitan Twin Cities area.  

Don't hold your breath waiting for Dr. Jensen to demonstrate what one would reasonably imagine he might have learned as a physician in family practice.  In May, Jensen attacked the current Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon for his operation of the state's election system, suggestion Simon should go "to jail" without providing evidence that Simon had done anything illegal.  (Oh, why not, right?)  I take this as substantive evidence of brain damage/death.

This morning's Minneapolis-Star Tribune reports that the Republican Lieutenant Governor candidate, Matt Birk, a favored speaker at Right-to-Life conferences, doubled down on his assertion that--let's boil it down here, shall we--woman should be kept barefoot and pregnant.

Again, Birk is well educated, a Harvard graduate.  He won the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award which recognizes NFL players for excellence on and off the field.  Guessing that Payton is rolling in his grave at this comment from Birk:

from the Star-Tribune:

Speaking at the National Right to Life conference in Georgia last month, Birk said American culture "loudly but also stealthily promotes abortion" by "telling women they should look a certain way, they should have careers." Birk said abortion rights activists who oppose bans that do not allow exceptions for rape or incest victims "always want to go to the rape card."

An abortion, Birk said, is "not going to heal the wounds of that."

"Two wrongs is not gonna … make it right," said Birk, a former Minnesota Vikings center who is the running mate of Scott Jensen, the GOP-endorsed candidate for governor.

And

"You know, women used to not be able to vote in our country. Now we let 'em drive," Birk said. "I mean, I have three teenager daughters that drive, I don't know if that's a good law or not. Just kidding. Sorry, kidding, kidding to all the women out there."



Sorry, not Sorry from the musical Six


There are no excuses for these sorry examples of well educated men.  I won't give them the benefit of the doubt.  They're not brain damaged.  They're brain dead.  And I'll take it this far...so is any Minnesotan who votes for them.

Minnesotans, pay attention!  Our primary is August 8.  Mail in balloting has begun.  YOUR VOICE COUNTS ONLY WHEN YOU VOTE.

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