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Set election law straight

Former President Donald Trump has been stumping a lot recently, holding rallies in front of his faithful, making promises and pounding the idea that former Vice President Mike Pence could have and should have acted to stop Joe Biden’s election. On Saturday, Trump held out the idea that if he regains the White House, he will pardon the Jan. 6 Capitol rioters who are being put in jail for their insurrection. “If I run and if I win, we will treat those people from January 6th fairly,” Trump said Saturday night during a rally in Conroe, Texas. “And if it requires pardons, we will ...

First step on path of democracy tonight

Tonight is precinct caucus night in Minnesota. Political parties will be meeting, precinct by precinct — the smallest political subdivision. Neighbors will get together with like-minded neighbors to discuss issues, offer resolutions, consider candidates and elect delegates to represent them in upcoming political conventions. Within a few months, their input, along with the input of precincts around the state, will give guidance to their parties and help select candidates who will represent them. That’s the theory, at least. Precinct caucuses work best with a big turnout from the ...

North Korea’s way of asking for a favor

On Sunday North Korea launched an intermediate range ballistic missile, capable of reaching the U.S. territory of Guam. It is the seventh launch North Korea has made in January alone. This follows a long North Korean history of ignoring weapons agreements in its drive to develop its nuclear weaponry. It is also a typical step in the North Korean form of diplomacy. North Korea has a habit of rattling its sabers, either by missile launches, or provocative military exercises. It then uses those provocations as bargaining chips when it seeks some kind of concession from the West. It ...

Thumbs Up/Down

New ownership THUMBS UP: The Lord moves in mysterious ways, it is said, but there’s not a lot of mysery in the move that Grace Community Church is making into the former United Church of Christ. It’s just a matter of good people putting their heads together to do something good. When the United Church of Christ congregation voted last year that it was time to dissolve, it made plans to share its asset among needy and deserving organizations. One of its assets was the church building at the corner of Third South and Minnesota Streets, built in 1973. As it happens, the church with ...

Cooking with gas

There used to be a saying that indicated approval of someone’s successful efforts — “Now you’re cooking with GAS!” We suppose it was a reference to the old wood-fired cook stoves, which were much more difficult to use than the new-fangled gas-fired ranges and ovens. But today, “You’re cooking with GAS!?” might be an exclamation of horror by those who are concerned about our carbon footprint and global warming. A study, published in Thursday’s journal Environmental Science & Technology, indicates that gas stoves contribute significantly more to greenhouse gases because ...

Breyer’s retirement won’t change court

Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is retiring sometime this year, according to numerous sources, giving President Joe Biden his first chance to nominate a replacement with a majority, however slim, in the Senate to confirm his choice. A year from now, he might have a tougher time as the Republicans are considered favorites to take back control of the Senate in the November elections. Biden has vowed to place the first Black woman on the court, and the speculation on who that might be has already started. Biden’s nomination, whoever it is, won’t change the solid 6-3 ...