Would the next liberal republican please stand up?

He was considered by some to be "Minnesota's leading citizen" . . . polititian, traveler, civil rights advocate, book collector, legislator, environmentalist, philanthropist, governor, millionaire. At home in the board room. At home on the Iron Range. He himself an everyman.

No, I'm not talking about Buckaroo Bonzai, I'm talking about 95 year-old Elmer L. Anderson who passed away yesterday. His life brought him from a nine-year-old with polio, to parentless teanager, to salesman, to dairy farmer, to CEO of a billion-dollar coporation, to legislator, to governor, to philanthropist. Any of us could only hope to have so rich a life.

Of course, what I have described is just the barest of sketches. Read the Strib Story, for a more complete picture. What I think is important to realize about this man is that he represents a kind of politician/civic leader that doesn't seem to exist anymore in Modern Minnesota's ideologically driven political world.

Elmer L. was elected governor in 1960 as a "liberal republican". That's right folks, it was once possible in this state to be a Liberal Republican. You might ask, "what is that supposed to mean." Look to how he approached the business world for an answer to that question. According to Strib writer/biographer Lori Sturdevant, as CEO of Fuller "it meant more to him to be listed as one of the 100 best companies to work for rather than to make the Fortune 500 list."

Both Republican's and DFLers could learn a lot by reflecting on Elmer L.'s life. The saavy businessman without the ruthless efficiency. I think that is the essence of why we enjoy a high quality of life in this state. We once seem to have had political leaders who could demonstrate both long term business-planning smarts AND a humanity towards those that most depend on the services government provides.

I think we could use a few more Elmer L.'s in Minnesota's public life.

I don't care if you're a Republican or a DFLer.
RepublicAndersons . . . DFeLmers . . . please stand up.