How crazy is this?

By Christopher Truscott

Strib: Kahn has another voting proposal

Should Minnesota's Constitution be amended to allow people who are permanent residents -- but not U.S. citizens -- to vote in local elections?

That's the question Rep. Phyllis Kahn, DFL-Minneapolis, and some fellow DFLers want to submit to Minnesotans in the 2008 election.

Kahn said the amendment would allow local units of government to decide whether they would authorize permanent residents to vote in local elections, including for mayor and school board. It would not include state or federal races.

Under the measure, people who are at least 18 and have resided in the precinct for 30 days could vote in local elections if they are a permanent U.S. resident.

On one hand Phyllis Kahn wants to unravel Minnesota-Canada relations by abolishing the high-profile Legislative Commission on Minnesota-Ontario Matters and on the other she wants to extend suffrage to non-citizens.

Certainly we want immigrants to get involved in their new communities, but come on. Voting is for citizens. Nobody reading this would move to Spain and expect voting rights in Madrid's local elections.

Glad to see a DFL lawmaker hard at work on the big 2006 campaign issues.

It's almost like a Saturday Night Live skit.

Stick to the basics. Stick to the basics. Stick to the basics.