News & Articles

An aromatic meditation
on the glorious leader

A fast food perfume,
Bronzer melts in heavy air,
Eau de diaper.
M. Arnold Bowen
Duluth, Minnesota

Time to end Trump’s ego war

President Trump has several reasons why he declared war on Iran but as far as I know Iran has never invaded another country.  But we have Russia, which is bombing Ukraine and has threatened the European countries. We have Israel that is bombing Lebanon and killing Palistians and Christians on the west bank and Gaza strip. We have our country where we’re killing alleged drug dealers and Iranian people. The list goes on.

I’m not saying that Iran is good. As a woman I wouldn’t want to live there. I’m just saying that the war is all about the oil and Trump’s ego. Other countries are worse than Iran.
Cecilia Hill
Duluth, Minnesota

The vampire has risen

The rumors of Senator Mitch McConnell’s demise have been greatly exaggerated — or perhaps they were just standard legislative procedure.
After a dramatic 92-day disappearance that launched a thousand internet conspiracy theories, the 84-year-old Kentucky Senator rolled back into the U.S. Capitol this week.
While it is a relief to see he is alive and recovering, it was his first off-camera statement to the press corps that truly resurrected my spirit. Standing — well, sitting — before the media, McConnell quipped, “I must admit, after two years of — decades, actually — dodging your questions, I wasn’t sure how many of you would be here today.”

First of all, we must admire the stunning political honesty. Most politicians try to convince us they are open books. Mitch just casually admitted that ignoring the press is his primary hobby, right next to blocking Supreme Court nominees and moving at a turtle’s pace.
To admit to 20 years of strategic ghosting takes a level of confidence only a seasoned Washington veteran can muster.
But let’s look closer at the math.
If Mitch has been successfully dodging questions for two decades, why would he think the press would give up now?
If anything, the press corps has spent the last 20 years like frustrated bloodhounds, chasing a turtle who masterfully retreats into his shell the moment anyone asks about a budget deficit or a party rift.
In fact, his staff took the “dodging” tradition a step further during his grand return by explicitly barring reporters from recording video of his remarks. It seems the only thing more elusive than Mitch’s policy answers is high-definition footage of him actually speaking.
Welcome back, Senator. The Capitol simply wasn’t the same without its premier practitioner of the political silent treatment. We can only hope that over the next few months of your final term, you will treat us to a few more decades of silence.
Monty Larson
Rice Lake, Minnesota