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Friends
and
neighbors,
Please
enjoy
the
fourth
inning
of
Senators
versus
Gridlockers,
as
well as
a few
video
updates
of
my
latest
work
for
Senate
District
47
at
the
Capitol!
Play
by
play
provided
by
Senator
Scott
Jensen
(R-Chaska)
Score:
Senators
4,
Gridlockers
3
FOURTH
INNING
Things
got
a
little
dicey
for
the
Senators
in
the
fourth
inning,
as
the
Gridlockers
came
to
bat
and
unsheathed
some
of
their
tradecraft
trickery.
They
slowed
progress
on
Real
ID
compliance
by
raising
suspicions
about
government
intrusion
into
private
lives,
and
the
ongoing
Senate
mantra
“get
‘er
done”
lost
steam. Effective
and
efficient
governing
suffered
at
the
hands
of
fear-mongering,
and
the
Senators’
achievements
in
the
first
three
innings
were
in
danger
of
becoming
a
distant
memory.
Dropped
balls,
missed
grounders,
and
wild
pitches
allowed
the
Gridlockers
to
score
three
runs
and
build
momentum. The
University
of
Minnesota
Regent
selection
process
was
clumsy,
and
hyper-partisanship
played
too
big
of
a
role
in
this
important
bicameral
task. The
only
bright
spot
in
the
top
of
the
fourth
was
a
skillful
catch
on
the
centerfield
warning
track
by
Andrew
Mathews
(R-Milaca),
as
he
succeeded
in
getting
the
Sherco
power
plant
bill
passed
with
support
from
both
sides
of
the
aisle.
A
somber
bunch
of
Senators
gathered
in
the
dugout,
looking
at
a
tie
score
and
contemplating
what
was
yet
to
come
when
Jeremy
Miller
(R-Winona)
took
on
the
role
of
“spark
plug”
clapping
his
hands
and
encouraging
his
teammates
to
work
together.
With
a
disarming
smile,
he
advanced
Sunday
liquor
sales
to
the
plate
and
hit
a
huge
homerun
into
the
left
field
second
deck
bleachers
–
Sunday
sales
passed
with
a
bipartisan
38-28
vote. Eric
Pratt
(R-Prior
Lake)
was
next
and
ready
to
swing
for
the
fences
when
the
opposition
insisted
on
using
the
Real
ID
bill
as
a
vehicle
for
illegal
immigrants
to
obtain
driver
licenses.
Pratt
was
temporarily
sidelined
and
Gary
Dahms
(R-Redwood
Falls)
pinch
hit
for
him. After
telling
umpire
Michelle
Fischbach
(R-Paynesville)
that
reinsurance
was
the
best
way
to
stabilize
the
individual
health
insurance
market,
Dahms
slapped
a
double
down
the
right
field
line. Unfortunately,
the
inning
ended
when
Dave
Osmek
(R-Mound)
resolved
to
fool
the
Gridlockers
with
a
drag
bunt
–
he
took
too
much
time
complaining
about
light
rail
and
dreams,
and
was
easily
thrown
out
at
first.
With
the
fifth
inning
about
to
begin,
the
Senators
led
by
a
run
and
had
received
a
painful
reminder
that
keeping
an
eye
on
the
ball
would
be
necessary
if
they
were
going
to
prevail
over
gridlock.
Senator
Scott
Jensen
To
watch
my
latest video
update
of
what
we've
been
working
on
at
the
Capitol,
including Sunday
liquor
sales,
Real
ID,
and
healthcare
reform,
click
here.
To
watch
my
remarks
on
the
floor
session
during
the
Sunday
liquor
sales
debate,
click
here.
Miss
the
third
inning?
Click
here.
Contact
my
office,
as
well
as
subscribe
to
our
newsletter
here.
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