Over at MNPublius they ask the question, what are Pawlenty's priorities? Unfortunately, the answer does NOT appear to be helping the state recover from an enormous budget deficit.
Since the start of the 2009 session, Tim Pawlenty has met legislative leaders just three times. What’s T-Paw doing with all his free time if he’s not trying to close the budget deficit? Well, during that same period, Pawlenty has made 24 appearances on national media outlets (including 7 on Fox). That’s a stunning 8 national media appearances for each meeting with legislative leaders.
As we look back at the tenure of a Governor Pawlenty we have seen year after year of magical budget "shifts" in order to put off actual solutions to our budget problems. From the foolish tobacco bond borrowing that trades off short term gains for long term debts to making unacceptably deep cuts to parts of the budget while at the same time leaving other areas completely untouched there is little semblance of shared sacrifice. The Republican Party in general and Governor Pawlenty specifically try to claim they are opposed to tax increases but turn around and push tax increases onto property taxes so they might continue to claim the mantle of being anti-tax.
I don't necessarily relish the cuts found in the Senate budget but at the very least it represents real solutions to our long term budget problems. With a healthy mix of 14% across the board cuts in the next four years and a raising of revenue through making our tax code progressive once again, the Senate seeks to create a shared sacrifice for ALL Minnesotans.
Leaving some solutions off the table is simply unacceptable in these difficult economic times and it is unconsionable for this Governor and his party to continue to play my way or the highway game. Perhaps rather than gallavanting around the country preparing for a 2012 Presidential run the Governor could join us back here in Minnesota because we need some honest solutions to our real problems.
I don't necessarily relish the cuts found in the Senate budget but at the very least it represents real solutions to our long term budget problems. With a healthy mix of 14% across the board cuts in the next four years and a raising of revenue through making our tax code progressive once again, the Senate seeks to create a shared sacrifice for ALL Minnesotans.
Leaving some solutions off the table is simply unacceptable in these difficult economic times and it is unconsionable for this Governor and his party to continue to play my way or the highway game. Perhaps rather than gallavanting around the country preparing for a 2012 Presidential run the Governor could join us back here in Minnesota because we need some honest solutions to our real problems.
