We’ve just been through a presidential election in America and in less than one week a new president will be inaugurated.  Anyone who watched that presidential election proceed and move to its conclusion over the past year would now know that “anything can happen” in American politics and just when you think you have seen it all. . . . .something you have never thought of pops up.

It’s just another reason why I’ve became a believer that “Truth can be stranger than fiction”.

I’m from the state of Minnesota and our politics are as strange as they are anywhere else.  Quite frankly, the state is like lots of other places at this point in time — very much equally divided among the liberals and the conservatives.

As a matter of fact, Minnesota is so equally divided that, as this article points out, the state legislature was set to begin today with 67 House members who are Democrats and 67 House members who are Republicans and the State Senate was set to convene with an even tie also. . .with 33 Democrats and 33 Republicans.

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

However, nothing is as it seems — as in the House Democrats are down to 66 members because one of their victorious candidates had his residency challenged and lost that challenge. So, they are down to 66 and in the minority until a new election for that House district position takes place in late January.  And, as the above linked article points out the minority group is planning not to show up today so that a quorum is not present. . . which, if present, would let the Republicans elect the speaker and place the majorities on all committees because of their temporary 67-66 advantage.

And, in the Senate which normally has 67 members avoiding any ties, one Democrat member has passed away putting the number at 66 — 33 of each party.  In an even stranger twist, Republicans are trying to get Senate member Nicole Mitchell disqualified from voting until her burglary charge case is adjudicated in late January which would at least temporarily drop the Democrat number to 32 and give the Republicans the edge in that chamber also.

What exactly is one of the items that Mitchell is accused of stealing?  . . . . her father’s ashes.  There is more to that story, but here is what the USA Today reported last April when Sen. Mitchell was first arrested and charged:

“The Minnesota state senator who was arrested and charged with first-degree burglary said the incident unfolded at the home of a relative with dementia as she was trying to sneak in to retrieve her father’s ashes.”

We all saw the pathways of how the 2024 Presidential Election played out. . . . . now we have these types of issues happening.  Do you think that this is what our forefathers anticipated back on July 4, 1776, when our Declaration of Independence was adopted?

Related History— Here’s a story that Funeral Director Daily published on July 4, 2024, which gives a look at my “connection” to America’s Declaration of Indepence.

More news from the world of Death Care:

• Sweden embarks on a sober search for more cemetery space in case of war.  Associated Press
• “Just put me in a pine box”:  Some veterans show interest in lower-cost green burials offered at three national cemeteries.  Stars and Stripes
• Multi-million dollar relief for Youpla victims a choice highlight for 2024.  National Indigenous Times (Australia)
• Supervisors discuss green burial proposals, take no action.  Times-Republican (IA)
• Scandia Cemetery sees possible future plans to address erosion. Video news story and print article.  Northern News Now (MN)
• Human composting is rising in popularity as an earth-friendly life after death.  CNN

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