Well, that sucked. Kamala Harris ran on the slogan “A New Way Forward,” but to those voters unhappy with the Biden administration, she looked too much like more of the same. So we are still looking for that new way forward.
With the national government lost for now, it’s time to look to the states for direction. Back in the Progressive Era, Wisconsin was known as the Laboratory of Democracy. Maybe it’s Minnesota’s turn to offer a model. At least now we have our governor back, and his new-found celebrity could help draw attention to the great things happening in our state.
Our DFL leaders were smart to make the most of our trifecta while it lasted. The list of legislative accomplishments during the last session is long and impressive, including universal school lunches and paid family and medical leave. Now that we’ve lost our majority in the House, passing more such major legislation is unlikely in the short term.
The challenge now is not for the government to do more, but to do better. The challenge is to overcome cynicism about the ability of government to get things done. Frankly, Minnesota has work to do on that score. When we met with the county administrator last year, he seemed pleased with a lot of what the legislature had done, but he was still waiting for any of it to show up locally. The rollout of legalized marijuana has also been slow and bumpy. The Feeding Our Future scandal still hangs over the administration.
Two things are doable this term that should help. The first is streamlining bureaucracy. Most of that can be done without legislative action by putting good people in charge of state agencies and giving them a mandate. If they need someone to tell them how to make things run smoothly, they can go ask Secretary of State Steve Simon.
The second is regulatory reform. This is nerdy territory, and I’m no expert. But some very smart people have been talking about this for a while, and one big complaint is that Democrats tend to load up their good ideas with burdensome hurdles that stand in the way. The state, like the rest of the country, faces two huge challenges where this could be crucial. One is transitioning to clean energy. If we don’t get away from fossil fuels quickly, the planet could be toast, literally. We need to modernize the grid and speed the development of a decentralized system of wind and solar, and anything that hinders that process demands a close look.
Housing is another huge issue where regulatory reform could help spur more construction. I would love to see the state and counties build more public housing, but as long as we continue to rely on private developers, there needs to be a way to build affordable housing and still make a profit. If reform encouraged denser development and the use of alternative building materials, it would also help with the climate crisis.
Happily, regulatory reform has the potential for bipartisan appeal. Republicans have never liked regulation, and Democrats are beginning to realize that passing great legislation is of limited value if it doesn’t deliver change that people can see. If it’s done wisely, it can show that government really can be a force for good.
Meanwhile, we can anticipate the Trump administration shooting itself in the foot. Another clown show is in the works with the people he’s nominated for high-level positions in his administration. When inflation ticks up again, the treatment of immigrants becomes horrific, and peace doesn’t break out, voters will begin to feel buyer’s remorse. Here in Minnesota, we can be ready to show them a better way.
Paul Harris
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