Twins stadium -- An election-year two-step

Aron Kahn wrote an insightful piece about the Twins stadium issue in yesterday's Pioneer Press, the gist of which was that on the Twins stadium issue, Republicans are playing not to lose an election rather than playing to win one.

He didn’t say, but I will -- in the process of trying to play cute on the stadium issue, Republicans aren’t representing Minnesotans very well either.

First point, the state law mandating a local referendum is there for a purpose. If it’s a good law, abide by it. If it’s not good law, abolish it for everyone. It’s not the governor’s preference nor the legislature’s prerogative to play favorites with taxpayer dollars.

Second, Kahn reports that House Speaker Steve Sviggum, R-Kenyon, has 41 Republican votes in favor of a stadium, but he wants the balance of the required 68 votes for passage to come from Democrats. Mr. Speaker, if a Twins stadium is good for Minnesota, urge every Republican to vote for it. If it’s not good for Minnesota urge every Republican to oppose it. You and your fellow Republicans were elected to do what’s best for the state, not dance an election-year two-step with the DFL.

Winning or losing on the stadium issue isn’t everything, it’s how honestly you represent Minnesota that counts.