|
Senators
versus
Gridlockers
EIGHTH
INNING
The
eighth
inning
began
with
the
Senators
leading
11
to
7.
A
high-scoring
game
was
fast
becoming
a
partisan
contest
of
wills.
The
constituents
were
engaged
and
frustrated
by
legislators
spending
too
much
time ranting
about
"needs and
wants."
Compromising
gave
way
to
rigidity,
and
the
Gridlockers
struck
hard
in
the
eighth
inning
by
creating
impasses
at
virtually
every
turn.
They
beat
up
on
omnibus
bills
and
punched
line
drives
at
the
Real
ID
bill.
Various
tactics
nibbled
away
at
the
Senators'
confidence
as
infield
hits,
sacrifice
bunts,
and
intentional
walks produced
four
runs.
The
Gridlockers
took
the
field
in
the
bottom
of
the
eighth
with
the
score
tied
at
11
and
sent
E.
Ternol
to
the
mound.
The
time
he
took
between
pitches
was
painful
to
endure,
and
legislators
had
a
lot
of time
available
for
texting
and
calling stakeholders.
Their
boredom
was
temporarily interrupted
by
a
news
story
claiming
that
Minnesota
Sports
Facility
Authority
(MSFA)
personnel
had
helped
themselves
to
free
tickets,
food,
and
beverages
at
Vikings
games.
Mark
Koran
(R-North
Branch)
led
the
charge
as
legislators
publicly
attacked
such
inappropriate
entitlement
behaviors.
The
riled-up
Koran
ripped
a triple
down
the
left-field
line
and
then
fiercely
interrogated
MSFA
leaders.
Ultimately
his
quest
for
fairness
helped
bring
about
a
host
of resignations,
"mea
culpas,"
and
rules
designed
to
regulate
future
complimentary
admissions
and
concession
freebies
for
politicians
and
their
friends.
Dan
Schoen
(DFL-St.
Paul
Park)
stepped
to
the
plate
with
a
sensible
amendment
on
behalf
of
police
officers
and
firefighters.
He
slapped
a
double
to
right
field,
scoring
Koran
with
the
go
ahead
run
while
persuading
his
Senate
colleagues
that
PTSD
should
be
a
qualifying
diagnosis
for
a
Worker's
Compensation
claim.
But
that
was
where
the
inning
ended
for
the
Senators,
as
Paul
Gazelka's
(R-Nisswa)
strategy
of
working
with
others
in
a
statesman-like
fashion
did
not
carry
the
day.
Old
habits
came
to
the
fore,
and
a
houseful
of
bickering
and
posturing
undercut
even
the
best
of
intentions.
The
inning
ended
with
the
Senators
ahead
12
to
11...
but
time
was
running
out
and
the
possibility
of
extra
innings
haunted
the
"upper
chamber."
Play-by-play
provided
by Senator
Scott
Jensen
(R-Chaska)
Senator
Scott
Jensen
|