For those who need info: Information for a Minnesota voter can be seen here.  National information here.  NBC has a Plan Your Vote site as well.

For folks who live in the same community I do: SD 47.  (The link is the local Democrat website.)

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This morning (Sunday Nov 6) I was driving in to Minneapolis, and approximately at 3M headquarters, about 15 miles from downtown Mpls, a beautiful and almost magical view of the Minneapolis skyline appeared and held on the horizon.  It was almost like a mirage, perhaps a quirk of the morning atmosphere on a bright, chilly, breezy day.  It is the only view of the skyline I could see on my trip in.

No, I wasn’t hallucinating (at least, I don’t think so!)

In the 24 hours just passed I’ve been to downtown Minneapolis twice.  Last night to Minnesota Orchestra; today to Mass at Basilica.  Both days on the much maligned (per TV political ads) Hennepin Avenue, at night.  There were zero nervous moments, walking to a restaurant on Nicollet Mall; parking in a public ramp….

The Orchestra was its usual magnificent self, particularly with Tchaikovsky’s Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor for piano and orchestra.  Pianist Simon Trpceski, proud Macedonian, earned a standing ovation at the end of the piece, and did two encores.  Conductor Scott Yoo “born in Tokyo and now living in Connecticut” was superb.  There was a large crowd.  Afterwards, an evening crowd on Hennepin Avenue, and yes, an emergency vehicle at one of the bars on the street, where people were standing in line to enter.  Nobody seemed in panic mode.

A few hours later, to church at about 17th and Hennepin.  Attendance seemed pretty large this day.

The Sunday newsletter headlined “Realities are more important than ideas”.  (I first thought it said “ideals”.)  If you’re interested in the text, here it is: Realities Ideas. Personally, I think “Ideas” and “Ideals” are, in this case, synonymous.

The Pastor did his best threading the needle that is a divided church on the eve of the upcoming election.  I thought he did okay.  He made comments about a favorite song of his.  I think the song is Walk On by U2.  I looked it up, and it seems to fit the tenor of his comments.  Take a listen, here.  The emphasis seems on social justice, set in  Rio….

Hang in there.  Vote.  Then stay engaged.

NOTES:

1. I expect to do a followup post about the time polls close on the east coast on Tuesday, purposely before the counting, which will go on for some days with endless analysis.  Then I’ll do my own post-mortem on Nov 22, two weeks after.  I likely won’t advertise either – just look back.  I may take some time away from computer, but comments are welcome any time.

2. I expect that Rachel Maddow’s Ultra series on America’s flirtation with Fascism will continue with episode 6 on Monday, with two more to follow on succeeding weeks.  It has been a very worthwhile and informative program.

3. Heather Cox Richardson’s near daily posts are outstanding summaries of what is going on in the national arena.  Here’s the most recent.

Have a good week.  Vote.

COMMENTS

from Jeff:  I am watching the latest Star Wars series spinoff on Disney+   , it is called Andor.  About a the backstory of a character named Cassian Andor who dies in the movie “Rogue One” which came out in 2016?…. It starts with, and has some of the star battles, etc…but it is a much more nuanced and heavier toward dialogue and slow developing story.  Basically it is about how fascism infects and then overtakes systems, and one persons realization of how fascism works.    Excellent casting and good dialogue and character development.  The last 2 episodes, 8 and 9, which take place on a work camp for prisoners, are written by Beau Willimon, who was the writer and developer of House of Cards, on Netflix.  The slow pace and creativity of showing the evil of fascism from both sides (victims and oppressors) is brilliant.