Its the demographics stupid!

"The local paper can tell us that the Governor and his pet trains are more popular than sliced bread and canned beer. Big whoop. It means nothing. In 'realville', neither are popular. Both need to be replaced."

I will borrow and modify the once famous line from James Carville. Remember? "Its the economy stupid!" That became a classic line in the Clinton days. It was meant in a somewhat impolitic way to get everyone's attention focused on what was important back then - the economy. 

Today, there were some results published of polls taken in Minnesota concerning the Governor and light rail. The Governor it seems, has made a tremendous recovery from his Senate days, and now has a sky high popularity. And the paper believes Governor Dayton will use his new "celeb status" to beat the stingy old Republicans over the head to get what he wants. Like funding for light rail.

Speaking of which, the polls also showed the majority of Minnesotans want more choo-choo trains. Really? How does that work when very few will ever use them? Well the answer might lie in the demographics used for these polls. Why do demographics matter that much? To paraphrase James Carville, "Because, it is all about the demographics, stupid!"

I would love to see the results of those polls in the county in which I live. Or even the counties directly to the north and west of me. Why? Because up here, Dayton is about as popular as a deer tick. And light rail? Why should people living up here be forced to pony up for this "toy", when very, very few will ever ride it? 

In the manner of fairness, the paper admitted the polls taken in Hennepin and Ramsey were a lot more skewed than the ones further out state. Why? Many in those two counties are lower income and pay little or no income tax. So government becomes nothing more than a "Santa Clause". Give little or nothing in, get lots out.

One of the participants questioned said she really liked Dayton because he "taxed the rich". It would be a shocker to this lady to know how many higher income young people as well as retired people have fled this state for that very reason. But then again, it is not her ox which is being gored.

Here is the bottom line. I live out here in "realville". Many of friends also live in "realville". Many of the representatives in the Minnesota House and Senate represent people from "realville". We know taxes are too high in this state. It is driving away business (and people). Dayton is responsible for those high taxes. It was his idea. And many of us hold him personally responsible. Even though is he not running in 2018, we will hold the next DFL nominee personally responsible.

My take? It has been bad here for so many years, many have become used to it. It has become the new norm. The status quo. If people in Minnesota could live for a few years in Wisconsin, South Dakota, Texas, Nevada or Florida and then come back here, the polls would tell a different story. 

The local paper can tell us that the Governor and his pet trains are more popular than sliced bread and canned beer. Big whoop. It means nothing. In "realville", neither are popular. Both need to be replaced.

Stay tuned for better news. Our next Governor will be a fixer - a mechanic. You won't need a phony poll to tell you things are good - each and every day you will be living it.