A new documentary premiered on KSTP5 Thursday evening, with appearances from Minneapolis Times Editor-In-Chief David Schultz and Editor Carol Becker
“A Precarious State” is creating a stir on online comment boards and has racked up almost 150k views on YouTube alone in the first 2 days after airing on KSTP Thursday night. Our very own David Schultz and Carol Becker are featured throughout the film, with Carol featured prominently over the second half hour as well as the panel discussion which followed. Produced by Rick Kupchella, a 20 year KARE 11 veteran anchor and investigative reporter. Much (a majority?) of the show is focused on the City of Minneapolis.
From the producer: In 2020 the Covid 19 Global Pandemic rocked the nation, causing illness and death, shuttering businesses, and devastating state economies. That same year, Minnesota had a second reckoning, the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis Police Officer, followed by the rioting and torching of the city. Now, more than 5 years later many US city and state economies have bounced back. But by all accounts, MSP and Minnesota more broadly has not.
The question is why?
How much of it has to do with the events of 2020 and how state and city governments have responded to the poly-crisis of the pandemic and social justice reckoning in the years since.
More importantly, what can be done now to ensure this once thriving city – and state – will rebound and continue to grow & prosper, for the benefit of all?
From the producer: In this Precarious State live show, host Rick leads a post-documentary panel with Carol Becker, Pat Garofalo, Don Samuels, and Jim Rubin. The discussion highlights rising crime, drug camps, and business decline in Minneapolis, and how defund-the-police and anti-capitalist policies have reshaped the city. Panelists debate political polarization, the clash between mainstream Democrats and socialists, and the impact on small businesses, housing, and safety. Audience questions raise concerns on schools, leadership, and homelessness, with panelists urging civic engagement, accountability, and higher voter turnout as essential to turning the city around.
Say what you will about the Mayor, but if he weren’t there to be the firewall against proven terrible ideas from the DSA and DSA leaning majority, on the council, the last businesses in Uptown and the last private housing investment would be over. He is criticized for being uncooperative by wielding a veto pen. Realize, for the last budget the council returned overnight a Mayor’s budget with an unprecedented 75 amendments. Some redirected funding for core services to pet projects and friend run non-profits.
In a different time, I could rank Hampton and Davis. As it stands, their alliance with Fateh, makes a vote for him possibly the numbers to raise Fateh from #2 to #1. Why do I oppose Fateh? I find him wholly un-trustworthy. He has been less than an arm’s length away from some of the biggest public funding frauds in history. At a time where clearly increased oversight in critical, he was the sole author of a bill to lower the bar to access housing funding for special developers. I was at that city convention, there were so many irregularities under the direction of DSA and DSA sympathizing organizers, clearly favoring Fateh. Did you hear about his loan proposal? He proposed loaning city tax dollars at no interest rates. The state, the schools, and the city are facing huge revenue shortfalls. Remember, when you are in a hole the first thing to do is stop digging.
We have problems in our city, but the portrayal of Minneapolis in this so-called “documentary” is preposterous.
How so? I lived in Minneapolis for 35 years, moving out in 2021. It might be “preposterous” for armed gangs to shoot it out on the streets of our flagship city, but it certainly is not preposterous to report on it.
Since Frey has been in office for 8 years now and he is a “strong mayor”, isn’t our city’s “precarious state” his fault?
No, it’s “our” fault for voting him in.