Politics were once again on full display this past week by the Republicans. This has to do with the proposal that would have allocated funds for the Rural Finance Authority loan program. This is a program within the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.

The Republicans asked at Feb. 20’s floor session to suspend the rules to take up this bill that had not been introduced to expend the operation of this fund. They had not spoken with the committee chair, committee staff, majority leadership or any of the DFL members about this bill. 

When you get a bill at the last possible moment, you never know what else is going to be in it. GOP Rep. Garofalo of Farmington likes to gloat and make a mockery of others, as he often does, as he has no boundaries in his behavior. At an insulin bill hearing this past week he again gloated that their party was successful in sneaking in a couple lines in a bill that the DFL didn’t want at the last minute to be placed in the large omnibus bill during the last session. Who knows what else was in this bill that was rejected by the DFL with no opportunity to vet it? I continue to be in shock at Garofalo’s behavior at committee hearings as well as others on the floor I’ve attended. Then perhaps I shouldn’t be, as this has been going on for some time now. It’s pretty sickening watching their behavior as the GOP Minority Leader Rep. Kurt Daudt is one them. Learn from your leader, I guess.

This bill that was rejected will be brought up again by going through the proper channels, and no harm will be done by doing this. Meanwhile, Republicans are bashing the DFL for not looking out for the agriculture industry, creating a disrespectful image of the DFL in their weekly reports that is entirely false. 

Why does this behavior continue to happen? Where is the communication by the GOP? Why do people like Rep. Garofalo and others continue to be rude on the on floor as well as in committee hearings? Where is the transparency? Is this the new way of communicating? Is this reaching across the aisle in a nice way? Bottom line is this: Be sure to ask questions when you wonder why someone said what they did in a report that doesn’t make sense.  Once again I’m disappointed in their weekly reports that are e-mailed out that are either misleading or confusing the public.   

Paul Tuveson

Woodbury