Talk at the Bill's Diner in Hillcrest continues to center around Minnesota's government shutdown. Hillcrest patrons are puzzled most by Minnesota's Republican legislature. Here is a recap of the morning's discussion.
Bill Orland, retired local lawyer, weighed into the discussion. As someone who once advised teachers when they negotiated with school boards, he said that there are four things negotiators always do: make your position and reasons clear; show the other side how your position helps everyone; never stake out a position from which you cannot move; and compromise if you make the other side move closer to your position. That sort of compromise is a victory.
Bob Swanson, local car dealer and real estate agent, who has never sided with Orland or teachers in any local negotiation, agreed with Orland--to the surprise of all those at the cafe. The board, he said, like the Governor, always holds the trump cards in any negotiations, and the Legislature was stupid not to realize it.
Orland added that in the future the Republican legislature may learn what teachers are up against. You can argue ideology all you want, but when it comes time to settle, you either accept the best compromise you can or you go on strike, and a strike means that everyone loses--teachers most of all.
Bob Swanson agreed again. Only this time the losers are the residents of Minnesota.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Ironwood County July news
Things remain quiet after the July Fourth holiday. People seem settled into their summer routines. Talk at the local diner centers around the bull-headed Republican legislature that can't negotiate its way out of a doorless bathroom in Apache Mall.
There was some talk about Schreiber's new YouTube video promoting his new book coming in the fall. Not that anyone in the diner had seen it, but they'd heard about it. Not that anyone in the diner had read his books, but they'd heard about it. In fact, not anyone in the diner had read any books since high school. That's about par with the rest of Ironwood County.
There was some talk about Schreiber's new YouTube video promoting his new book coming in the fall. Not that anyone in the diner had seen it, but they'd heard about it. Not that anyone in the diner had read his books, but they'd heard about it. In fact, not anyone in the diner had read any books since high school. That's about par with the rest of Ironwood County.
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