Thursday, June 15, 2017

Living the (American) dream!







"If we truly want to maintain the American dream as it should be, we can't do it with the Met Council hanging around. They would be much better served working in Moscow as part of the politburo."



A couple of years ago, we were in a store buying something. Some young man was waiting on us. He was probably making eight to ten dollars an hour, and seemed happier than a clam. When we checked out he thanked us for our purchase. We thanked him for his help. His response - ""Glad to do it - I am living the dream". For this young man, at that point in time, he probably was. But will it be his dream in five to ten years from now?

Shortly after we got married, my wife and I had our eyes set on what our dream would be. And based on how many of our friends thought, their dream was very similar to ours. Life out in the burbs (or further), some kids, good job, and so forth. The only chink in the armor was the drive. We both loved the northern area of the metro for many reasons (including that is where my wife was employed), but my job opportunities were south of the metro. So, I ended up with decades of long drives. But the life we had, living on four acres of woodland, located in a nice city, a great county, made my long drive worth it.

However, the unelected, unrepentant, unaccountable Metropolitan Council has other designs for what the "new" American dream should be in the Twin Cities metro area. People like me, are considered by the Met Council to be "unsustainable". Selfish pigs. How should we be living according to Thrive 2040 (the Met Council bible)? First off, forget living on 2 1/2 acres, 4 acres, 10 acres or whatever. Unsustainable. Live in the City of Minneapolis. In a high rise. Everyone should have a living footprint of less than 2,000 square feet.

The more I hear about this lifestyle the Met Council is trying to force us into, I think of the movie La La Land. Not the movie so much - just the title. No don't get me wrong. There are some millennials who might want to live in a high rise setting. Who don't want a car - just take the train. I have seen life like this when I worked in Washington. I lived it for weeks at a time when on lengthy negotiations. I could not wait until I got home, so I could sit on my deck, with my wife, and listen to the quiet. To enjoy the panorama of green trees and other foliage in our back yard.

2019 will be the year we get rid of the Met Council for once and for all. How do we do it? Here are the steps:

  • Step One - Republican control of the Minnesota Senate. Done. Even though a very thin margin, the Republicans control the Senate until 2020.
  • Step Two - Maintain control of the Minnesota House in 2018. Even though it is the Senate who can kill the Met Council, having a strong House to back them up would really help.
  • Step Three - This is the critical one. WE NEED TO ELECT A REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR!!! If we get another DFL statist like Dayton, all bets are off. Even with a Republican Senate, a statist will veto any bill to kills the Met Council.
If we truly want to maintain the American dream as it should be, we can't do it with the Met Council hanging around. They would be much better served working in Moscow as part of the politburo. Why Moscow? Because they sure don't act very American, that is why.


  

3 comments:

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  2. "Wahhh, I own multiple acres of land, wahhhh." Seriously, listen to yourself. Complaining about the drive to your good job from your nice suburban home when many can't even afford a baseline apartment rental. Do you know how ignorant and privileged you sound?

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    1. Dear Ms. Cowbell - Thank you so much for your note. However, I think you have me mistaken for someone else. My wife and I are both retired living on a modest fixed income. Neither of us came from wealth - we came from modest homes with larger families. My wife put herself through college by living in a small bedroom with her younger sister and working part time. I went in the service after high school (Viet Nam Era) and when I got out I went to college under the GI Bill. Neither my wife's parents nor mine could afford to pay for our college so we used other means. We bought our acreage 35 years ago because my wife got a job teaching Title 8 in ISD # 15. For 36 years, she taught kids with special needs. She also worked with a growing Hmong population in the district who were adapting to our language. Land was cheap up in the Northern burbs back then. But even as cheap as it was, we did not have the money. We took out a 5 year note. We raised two kids out here. Nobody ever accused them of being of privilege. Blessed by God, yes. My youngest daughter lives in Mpls., not that far from you. She works in homeless outreach and has a provisional license in drug counseling and harm reduction. My oldest works in Social Services for a county up north. My wife and I have worked with the homeless up here at HOPE 4 Youth, Community of Promise, we are partnered with Union Gospel Mission and have worked with the Anoka Food Shelf for years. There is more, but I don't want to bore you. Do I wish we were people of enormous wealth? Absolutely! Why? The most important lesson we have learned in our lives is from whom is blessed, they must in turn bless others. We give as much as we can right now, but if I had more, I would love to give more.

      One final thing about my article on the Metropolitan Council. Am I critical of them? Yes, I sure am. This country fought a battle for our independence from England over taxation without representation. That is why I rail against them. Tyranny, pure and simple. Since you live in Hennepin County, I would like to invite you to join one of your County Commissioners quest to be our next Governor. That would be Jeff Johnson, and I am on his team. Jeff has a plan to make life better for all (yes, even in Minneapolis) and ridding us of the Met Council.

      One final thing before I close. Do I still believe in the American Dream? Is the good life possible both in the urban settings as well as the rural? Absolutely. Trust me - it is.

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