MPR: Vintage Ventura on SE Minnesota Tour

Vintage Ventura on SE Minnesota Tour
by Art Hughes
March 16, 2000

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The Body's Politics

Session 2000

Listen to Ventura on MPR's Midday program.

Governor Jesse Ventura is pushing hard to keep his unicameral legislature idea alive. On his bus tour of Southeastern Minnesota Ventura also hammered home his vision for transportation spending, high-speed Internet access for rural areas, and property-tax reform.

IN THE DIM BARS, noisy factories and even a small-town barbershop chosen as the backdrops for Ventura's southeast Minnesota tour, people come out as if for a parade. They wave from the roadside wearing pink feather boas, hold up hand-lettered We Love Jesse signs and beg to have photos taken with him.

Some are like Barbara O'Reilly of Chatfield, who voted for Ventura and have a fierce devotion to his public policy ideas, such as a unicameral Legislature. "It saves money and it makes everybody work harder to do the things they should get done and not waste so much time doing it over and over again," she said.

Ventura spoke about the unicameral issue at every chance, including the entire Zumbrota-Mazeppa School District assembled in a high school gym. "I'm going to teach you a new word today," Ventura told the students prior to revealing the word - unicameral.

At his earliest stops, Ventura was almost diplomatic toward the Legislature saying there are many fine lawmakers. But by the time he reached Rochester, those who are against his unicameral plan had become "gutless cowards." He insists putting the one-house Legislature proposal to a popular vote is merely a way to educate the public and increase voter turnout.

Ventura also advocated his Twin Cities light-rail plan coupled with money to repair some aging highways, even as state house members in St. Paul were carving out the transit portion of the governor's proposal. He told his captivated audiences high speed that Internet connections are vital to economic development even though he personally hasn't made it past computer Solitaire. And Ventura says Minnesotans should pay a flat fee for car license tabs like they do for hunting and fishing licenses.

For Timothy Butts, a former NAACP president in Rochester, it wasn't quite enough "I have a certain sensitivity to Governor Ventura's lack of awareness of the dynamic diversity of southern Minnesota," Butts said. "He did elaborate on the economic growth. But I don't think there's a level playing field for that economic growth."

Ventura repeated his themes in Winona at day's end, but his time for a national audience. He was the guest on the cable news show "Hardball with Chris Mathews" doing a series of programs from college campuses. The show brought out classic Ventura as he broached topics ranging from cult leader David Koresh to gun control to abortion.

Ventura's bus tour through southeastern Minnesota continues today as he makes his way up the Mississippi River with stops in Kellogg, Wabasha, Lake City, and Red Wing.

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