Good afternoon, Today Gov. Tim Walz expanded eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine. Now multiple new groups of Minnesotans can get vaccinated, including adults with certain medical conditions, and some types of essential workers. [Read more from Tim Nelson] Walz's decision to consider a host of factors, including age, job, and medical status, goes against what some other states have done and what Republican lawmakers in Minnesota wanted : a simple system of eligibility by age, with older first. Sen. Karin Housley, R-Stillwater, had pushed for the next eligibility group to be all adults over 50, especially in contrast to younger, healthier workers in critical industries, because of the higher death risk for older Minnesotans. Walz, in response, argued today that his system will be more efficient, with boosts to both people most at-risk (people with medical conditions) and people key to the normal functioning of the state's economy. In this case, Walz gets his way because he holds all the levers of power, with Republicans thus far unable to muster the votes in the DFL-majority House to override Walz's emergency powers. The Republican push to prioritize seniors and then middle-aged Minnesotans over other categories is interesting politically, because it follows a few other high-profile efforts in recent years where Republican lawmakers have held themselves up as champions of seniors. Among a few things that come to mind: this vaccine priority battle, their push to end taxes on Social Security income, and criticism a few years ago of the state's handling of nursing home complaints. The backdrop to all this is Minnesota's steadily aging population, which is especially pronounced in the rural areas of the state where many Republican voters and lawmakers live. In another COVID-related partisan battle, House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt today cited recent improvements in the outbreak as justification for ending or significantly unwinding Minnesota's COVID-19 restrictions. "If we're going to react to a spike, we also need to react to when our numbers are plummeting," Daudt said. Walz has lifted some restrictions lately but says he wants to be cautious, especially with unknowns related to COVID-19 variants in the state — but today he floated the idea of unwinding restrictions in certain counties or regions earlier than others. Former state Sen. Scott Jensen, R-Chaska, is running for governor, according to an embargoed announcement obtained by the Minnesota Reformer. Jensen, a doctor known for sometimes forging his own path in the Legislature, is the first declared challenger to Walz — though the Reformer notes Jensen's announcement doesn't actually say he'll be running as a Republican. Plenty more Republicans are expected to explore a run for governor, including Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell. [ Read more from the Reformer's Ricardo Lopez] Not much policy news from the Legislature, with most major issues likely to linger until the last possible minute. One exception, a bill to pay for public safety during the Derek Chauvin trial, is still being negotiated. If you've tried to buy a home in the Twin Cities lately — or have a friend who has — you're well aware that the market is, well, bananas. It's possibly just a blip due to pandemic-related conditions — such as many seniors who'd ordinarily be selling their homes right now holding off because they don't want to go into nursing homes in a pandemic — but for now it's as much a seller's market right now as you might ever see. Now, Politico reports, concerns that a generation of would-be homebuyers might be locked out of the market are starting to reach national policymakers. [ Read more from Politico's Katy O'Donnell] Something completely different: Do you like massively overthinking things? That's basically my favorite pastime, along with being a huge nerd, so of course I loved this series of articles by military historian Bret Devereaux, examining the Siege of Minas Tirith from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings from a historical perspective : How did medieval sieges actually work? Was Denethor as unhinged as he seemed? What did the movies get wrong about the (spectacular) charge of the Rohirrim? Listen: "Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis," by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Perhaps my favorite classical work ever — lush, emotional, superbly executed. Listen on good speakers with your eyes closed and let it wash over you.
