A worthy analysis of such an event must place it in context, explaining observed distinctions between the self-important candidates. Groessel in this instance does not honor his profession: Barnes and Sund, he lazily asserts, 'showed similar party ideals and similar ideologies about federal policy and values.'
Cotton in ears, Groessel has decided: The eventual DFL candidate will be either Sund or Barnes. (So obvious an assertion requires not a word of explanation, to Groessel.) No other person might be vying for the nod--and Groessel views any primary challenge an impossibility:
The debate came before the April DFL convention and party endorsement, which will essentially clear the stage for one of the DFL candidates to run against Republican Congressman Erik Paulsen in the November general election.Sidestepping attentive observation or analysis, Groessel--without irony--reports standard candidate boilerplate as if it were news:
Barnes and Sund made clear that the DFL party needs to rally together and have strong internal support before either candidate will go against Paulsen. In their opening remarks, Barnes and Sund both said they just want the DFL to win the Third District, regardless of which candidate ultimately runs against Paulsen.During the debate--scroll to 15:00--Sharon Sund issued the following extemporaneous words:
When our taxes were several times higher, we didn't have the problems that we have today. The middle class was booming, we were creating jobs. Taxes were high and people were happy, our elders weren't living in fear when they retired, we weren't worried about our children falling behind academically, our schools and our roads weren't crumbling.Dumbing it down for Sun readers, Groessel softens and reworks Sund's odd sentences--very much changing their meaning:
Sund said when taxes were higher than they are now, the middle class was in good condition, schools and roads were not crumbling.Community newspapers such as the Sun--and nosepick pseudojournalists such as Groessel--go through the motions, playing their role in maintaining suburban apathy and disengagement.
To the dustbin!
