A Tarryl Clark press release yesterday puts our current economic situation into a weather related analogy:
When it comes to the state’s finances, we are in the first day of the storm. This storm has already gone from rain to sleet and ice to snow. The snow is falling and it’s going to keep coming for days. Sometimes you wait for the snow to stop before we grab our shovels, but we can’t do that. We have a $457 million gap in our present 2008-09 budget. That needs to be fixed quickly, probably before the holidays. Although we have $155 million in reserves, we will have to do $302 million in cuts.
I don't disagree that we need to begin immediately finding solutions to a crisis that has not fully developed yet. However, we need to make sure these decisions are made in a thoughtful and strategic manner. Even if we start shoveling before the snow stops, we would still want to shovel those areas that are in need of immediate attention.
Clark is on the right track though as she and the other leadership are keeping ALL options on the table and looking to the people of Minnesota for input. This is precisely the people powered politics we need in this state and this country.
Clark is on the right track though as she and the other leadership are keeping ALL options on the table and looking to the people of Minnesota for input. This is precisely the people powered politics we need in this state and this country.
We brainstorm and come up with practical and resourceful solutions. We come together and help each other out. If a neighbor needs help clearing their walk, we get out the shovel. If a car is stuck, we get out and push. We are going to need to do all of that and more. But we know that a day will come when the snow and wind stops and the clouds will clear. We know that, together, we can overcome this. Together, we can build a stronger Minnesota. Together, we can put Minnesota back on a road to prosperity—even if we have to bring road graders in to clear a path first.
Unfortunately, the signals I have seen so far from the Republican Party is both combative and unproductive. We can only hope that a handful of sensible Republicans will ignore their leaderships divisive rhetoric and come to the table to solve the problem. Minnesotans will understand cuts and will be generally forgiving if they see that a comprehensive plan was developed to find broad solutions. It is when a myopic vision is offered that people get frustrated and in a punishing mood.
1 Response to "Tarryl Clark: Economic Blizzards..."
You want solutions? You want bipartisanship? Fine. Let's start with a fair, fact-based discussion of cutting taxes the minute this deficit is eliminated.
If you aren't willing to engage in that discussion, then I'll know that this is all happy talk.