Editor's take: Today's news 7/14

Are felons for Democrats?

Another story getting a lot of attention is the discovery that several hundred convicted felons were allowed to vote in Minnesota.

The research by conservative watchdog group Minnesota Majority unearthed a bunch of felons who voted in Franken-Coleman election.

Ramsey County is prosecuting, but as Majority spokesman says, nothing can be done legally. Some media, including ours quoting a third party, are coming up with headlines like "Felons favor Democrats"

It's not surprising to me that our system of counting ballots and making sure people are legal that relies on volunteers at a school cafeteria is going to have some flaws.

Heck, we can't even keep track of sex offenders.

There are some kinks in this investigation. The research was unable to show if the so called felons where indeed felons when they voted. You can be convicted of a felony in Minnesota and then later be allowed to vote once you've done your time and other circumstances are right.

Here's an excellent unearthing of the facts to caution some to not get too excited just yet.

Here's a fairly complete story on this felon vote controversy.

Mauer seems kind of listless at the plate

Watching Joe Mauer over the last few games, he seemed relaxed at the plate, almost too relaxed. His facial expression is not as intense as it normally seems.

Makes one wonder if his head is not in the game and if so why not. Lots of pressure from the big contract getting to him possibly.

The moving from second on a ball hit to the right of him on the infield was simply a mental error. Little leaguers are taught that rule from day one.

Mauer, of course, was thrown out.

Strib columnist called him "tepid." I agree


Will class warfare sell in politics this year

Given Mark Dayton's clear campaign message "Tax the Rich" and his surprisingly, to me at least, strong poll numbers, one wonders if there's just enough anger at "the rich" to turn this election into a fight between the classes like we've not seen in the past.

Here's the theory: The economy is bad, people are losing their jobs or being asked to do more with less at their jobs.

Average people equate their employer or manager as the "rich" therefore they have a lot more people to be angry at as opposed to just being mad at the neighbor down the street who bought a new Lexus.

 Typical workers want to get back at how they've been treated. The "rich" are becoming their target.

The recent furor over Tom Emmer's comment about $100,000 waiters also seemed to suggest there is a bit of class angst out there.

As soon as Emmer suggested a lower minimum wage, one of his opponents, DFL candidate Margaret Anderson Kelliher came out proposing a higher minimum wage. The thought here is again, creating that kind of two-class argument in the political arena.

Should be interesting to see how this develops and how the campaigns might use this emerging social trend in their messaging.