Pumpkin carving and the debates

Last night Claudia and I carved pumpkins for All Hallows Eve while we listened to Minnesota’s gubenatorial and senatorial debates.

I thought the Independence Party candidates handled themselves quite well. In fact, after the Governor’s debate I commented to Claudia that Minnesota could be proud to have fielded three such bright and articulate candidates this year.

I won’t vote for Hatch. Worse than his take-no-prisoners demeanor is the worry that he could end up with a Democratic legislature. I’m now a proponent of divided government. So it’s between Hutchinson who impresses me far more than the last IP candidate, Jesse Ventura, and Pawlenty. I’m so irritated with the GOP now that I’m not sure I can bring myself to vote for Tim. I wrote a column a couple years ago saying that if he reneged on his campaign promise not to raise taxes I would vote for him. He didn’t renege and so I don’t feel obligated to vote for him.

Two notable Pawlenty accomplishments:
1. Drastically reducing Minnesota’s Income taxes.
2. Dropping Minnesota, which was once fifth, to 30th on the fifty state rankings for per-capita-spending for students in our public schools.

I’ve been leaning for Hutchinson ever since I first heard him speak two months ago. As an independent candidate myself I can hardly fail to vote for a man just because one of the lessers of two evils are more likely to win.

We had pumpkin gore all over the newspapers by the time the debate was winding down. It seemed metaphorical.

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