Dave Thune has been getting some flak for stating that downtown residents don’t want 8.000 “puking Republican lobbyists in the streets at four in the morning.” [A wise guy would then ask what time they wanted them puking, but there is no wisdom here, is there?]
Even though his record indicates that Thune does not ever deserve the benefit of a doubt, it might not be too far out of line to be at least a little understanding on this one. I doubt if the people who live downtown [or in any other of our city’s neighborhoods] want anybody puking downtown, regardless of occupation or political affiliation. But somehow, Senator Sandra Pappas thought it necessary to apologize for his comment on the floor or the Minnesota Senate.
Well, Thune is one of her constituents, but doesn’t this take constituent services a bit far?
But it seems to me that the apology is excessive and unnecessary. After all, Senators are relatively well aware of political processes and the speech they entail and should be able to give the councilmember’s comments a proper perspective. And although to many of us outsiders, they both seem to be part of the flaky, intolerant left, there must be more than the High Bridge separating Pappas from Thune.
And the Boy Wonder noted that Saint Paul is not Las Vegas. No, it is not. You can still smoke there.
Which brings us to the real difference: The real drinking for the cigars, the lobbyists and power players, will not be in our saloons and bars nor in the saloons and bars of Mpls. or Bloomington or anyplace else in our area. That action will be moved to suites and rooms where the cigars can do what gives them their name.
And the hanging, unanswered question would be, “Why wouldn’t we take this step for other conventions and groups that use our city?” After all, we wouldn’t want people to think that attorneys, lawyers, clergypeople, hardware dealers, ice hockey fans, dentists, baton twirlers [at least their over-21 chaperones], and others to be denied the amenities that we give the Republicans.
Previous post: You might want to drink late too [3/28/08]
Related articles: [from Minnesota Monitor]: Pappas apologizes for Thune's 'puking Republicans' remark
RNC: St. Paul says 'no' to 4 a.m. bar close
Even though his record indicates that Thune does not ever deserve the benefit of a doubt, it might not be too far out of line to be at least a little understanding on this one. I doubt if the people who live downtown [or in any other of our city’s neighborhoods] want anybody puking downtown, regardless of occupation or political affiliation. But somehow, Senator Sandra Pappas thought it necessary to apologize for his comment on the floor or the Minnesota Senate.
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1 comment:
I haven’t sent you anything for a while. Sorry, been busy. I am not worried about puking lobbyists of any persuasion. I do wonder what we’ll do when someone else big wants a big convention and more drinking time. Will they make a special legislative act for them? After thinking something like that over a few times, maybe we would just go to 4:00 permanently.
Midway Barb
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