Porous, Virtual Political Borders + Tsunami of Outside Money People who decry the outsized influence wielded by sparsely-populated states in the electoral college (think, North & South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and Rhode Island) are missing a key point: thanks to porous borders — and lax campaign finance laws — many of the elections in those states are...Read More
Devil in Details? Maybe Not See if you can track what is — at least to me — the unassailable logic of the following, three-part syllogism (a logical proof favored by ancient Greek philosophers). Don’t worry; if you get stumped, I’ll help you out. #1. The airwaves are a public asset that government, representing the people, licenses to...Read More
“Out of” vs. “From” OK, I’m pretty sure whoever is behind “UnitedToAmend.org” is against — not for — torrents of cash subverting the political process. Unfortunately, “get big money out of politics” also describes what corrupt politicians do. You might even say that’s their primary goal. Nobody asked me, but I might have tweaked the bumper sticker...Read More
Star Tribune: Outside Cash Floods Rematch of Rick Nolan & Stewart Mills “Residents in Duluth, Brainerd and the Iron Range: Get ready for a sustained bombardment of political advertising. The Eighth Congressional District race between Democratic Rep. Rick Nolan and GOP challenger Stewart Mills has now drawn the largest flood of outside cash in the...Read More
Is Trump Sui Generis?** [Editor’s Note: The views expressed here are solely those of Ross Kaplan, and do not represent Edina Realty, Berkshire Hathaway, or any other entity referenced.] Since trashing Donald Trump is — as the Wall Street boys might put it — a (very) “crowded trade” at the moment, let me play the contrarian...Read More
Lawrence Who?!? What do you do if like Donald Trump’s message, but are repulsed by the messenger? According to polls, Trump is leading the Republican field because millions like his message: that today’s money-soaked politics serves the interests of a select few — and disserves the interests of everyone else. Meanwhile, it’s equally clear that...Read More
