In the old days they had people cheering prisoners fighting lions, or public floggings

[question everything]

or public executions, anything to divert attention from the real issues, like the misery of the common man.

Minnesota governor Pawlenty, on his road to the White House vetoed every proposal to raise tax on the richest residents and to cut expenses on MinnesotaCare for the poor, cutting funding for the cities and to schools and more programs.

But, hey, Minnesotans are dancing in the street, the local TV and radio stations, including the venerable Minnesota Public Radio, and the dailies have only one major story: a farve - or something - will grace the state to accept multi million dollars to run holding a pig skin full of air.

I think that public executions are cheaper, in the long run.

[valerief]

1. Minnesota, the state of collapsing bridges. nt