Rep. Mark Olson, Krinkie and Strom are Still Spreading Disinformation at the MN Historical Society

[Avidor]

Last year, I made a video about an exhibit at the MInnesota Historical Society that included videos with David Strom, Phil Krinkie and Mark Olson.

http://old.theuptake.org/2007/11/misleading-transportation-exhibit-at-mn-history-center/

I checked with a curator at the MNHS and he says the exhibit is still there.

The exhibit misleads people into thinking that there is still a debate about whether LRT is successful.

That debate is WAY over.

The Hiawatha LRT is a huge success and Mark Olson's PRT boondoggle was voted down at the legislature years ago.

Phil Krinkie and the disgraced Mark Olson are no longer in the legislature.

The right-wing ideology espoused by David Strom and Phil Krinkie has proven to be a disaster for the country.

How long will the MNHS allow these right-wing ideologues to mislead visitors to the History Center about transportation?

The MNHS receives funding from the state legislature.

Please write to your legislators and tell them that state funding should not be used to spread misinformation about transportation.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

1. In good news, PORTLAND continues to build light rail lines

When I left in 2003, they had a line (made by joining two lines) that ran from the eastern suburbs (Gresham) to the western suburbs (Hillsboro), as well as a spur to the airport, and a line running north to the Columbia River was just a couple of months away form opening. There was a streetcar that looped through downtown to some of the yuppie areas (it has since been extended into other neighborhoods).

Since I've left, they have nearly completed a line running along the eastern edge of the city (roughly following the most heavily-frequented bus route) and are beginning construction of a line to Clackamas Town Center, a major mall in the southern suburbs. Vancouver, Washington, is talking about cooperating on extending the norther light rail line to their city now. (They voted it down in 1997, silly people.)

And that's not all. There's a new commuter rail line connecting two of the western suburbs, and 16 of the most heavily-traveled bus lines are on "frequent service," which means a MINIMUM of every 15 minutes, 7 days a week.

When I ponder facts like this, I really miss Portland. I mean, a city with slightly fewer people than Minneapolis alone can get all this done, while a huge metropolitan area like the Twin Cities is still dickering about long-range plans that don't even add up to a system.

[Avidor]

2. Thanks , Lydia... and it's not just Portland...

Part of the problem is right-wingers in Minnesota have been allowed to use the media and public, taxpayer funded outlets to spread their misinformation.

I suppose it's "Minnesota Nice" to allow a convicted and disgraced former legislator, who was rejected by BOTH legislative caucuses a platform to say PRT will be the "next Microsoft" to students and visitors.

Mark Olson in an exhibit? .... does the MNHS have any shame?

There is no excuse for the MNHS to allow this exhibit to continue to mislead the public about an important issue such as transportation.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

3. Portland has right wingers, too (home of Lars Larsen), but

I think the difference is that the Portland area Metro Council is elected by voters, while the Twin Cities Metro Council is appointed by whoever the current governor is.

Whenever someone has run for Metro Council on an anti-transit platform, they've been defeated at least 2 to 1.

I hope that the Central Corridor line will be the tipping point for the Twin Cities. LRT wasn't that popular in Portland, either, when they had only one line.

[Avidor]

5. Good point.... Pawlenty appointed GOP "think tank executive" Annette Meeks

Met Council bio:

http://www.metrocouncil.org/about/CouncilBios/MeeksBio.htm

Meeks talking about Bachmann:

http://dumpbachmann.blogspot.com/2006/05/annette-meeks-vote-for-michele.html

Annette Meeks:

I have to say that in watching Senator Bachmann tackle one of the toughest issue that is before the electorate today, that is debating whether or we are going to have a gay marriage amendment on the ballot either this year or 08, I have been very struck by the fact that she has tried to make sure her speech is very respectful and not the hate-filled, vitriolic stuff that we've come to expect in alot of political debate. That's very very hard considering some of the stuff that has been thrown at her.

Here's the rest of them:

http://www.metrocouncil.org/about/members.htm

[dflprincess]

4. It isn't Minnesota Nice, it's Minnesota denial

we still want to believe that not only are the men strong, the women good looking and all the children above average, we want to believe that all our politicians are honest, upstanding citizens who in their hearts all care about what is best for Minnesota even if they disagree about what is best. We just can't admit that Pawlenty doesn't give a damn about anything but his own ambition or the Bachmann should be in an institution because we (well, not us here) elected them and if we vote for people like that, what does it say about Minnesotans in general?

[Avidor]

6. There some nasty history buried under that "Minnesota Nice" myth...

Read some of it here:

http://www.citypages.com/1995-10-11/news/minneapolis-confidential/

...and here:

http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/whistleblower/2008/07/25/a-lasting-shame-of-minneapolis/