| It's not directly related to campaigns, but Minnesota's legislative session is still a vastly important part of the political process in Minnesota. It is, after all, what we elect state representatives, state senators, and governors to actually do.
And it's also a prime opportunity for Tim Pawlenty to demonstrate to the rest of the country that he has true Reaganite bona fides on core conservative issues.
I still maintain that Pawlenty isn't looking to become John McCain's or anyone else's running mate this year, and that his real goal is to run for President himself in 2012. I also don't think he would make a particularly good running mate in 2008 (more on that as part of a pro-con MinMon piece later this week). However, that's not stopping him from tossing a grenade into the legislative chambers before they even get down to business: His spokesman Brian McClung said yesterday something to the effect of "Democrats are trying to jump-start the session by attaching the jumper cables to your wallet."
Here we go again.
more after the break |
| Look, Mr. Governor, as long as you keep the debate over the amorphous concept of "government spending" and look at "government spending" as a negative, evil beast, you will never make a good national candidate, and you will remain in the annals of history as a divisive, political governor instead of the kind of governor who can actually bring people together. Your priorities are your priorities, but among them I doubt we would find "the good of the people." If "the good of the people" were one of your top priorities instead of "keeping a lid on taxes," then you might not be taking such a hard line, and you might recognize that not every spending program, requiring fair taxation of all Minnesota citizens, is evil.
Let's take, for example, Pawlenty's call for an offset to the proposed nickel-a-gallon gas tax increase. Mr. Pawlenty's "keep a lid on taxes so we can grow jobs" logic breaks down when we realize that
a.) to the degree that they do affect job growth, small tax increases like the proposed gas tax hike are an extremely small factor when compared to things like education level and transit infrastructure
b.) "low taxes equal job growth" has no long-term evidence backing it up
Charlie Quimby can do a better job on the actual numbers and economic theory than I can. But essentially, the Pawlenty theory is based on "more" instead of "better" -- more jobs equal more revenue, instead of better jobs for those who already live and work here generating more revenue and economic stability. Thus, when there's a downturn like the one into which we're currently sliding, the "more" economy gets hit hardest: there are fewer jobs available, and the state hasn't invested in the better jobs that could make the hit less painful and our economy stronger in the long term. Short-term political gains outweigh actually doing what will make Minnesota competitive with quickly growing areas in other parts of the country for the long term. Nice.
This isn't to say there isn't blame enough to go around for DFLers in the legislature. But the blame for them is a different kind -- they are to be blamed for not sufficiently standing up to Pawlenty's backward anti-progress tax policies.
Come on DFL legislators, the only reason he won in 2006 was because the DFL candidate refused to connect with voters in the Twin Cities who should have been his base, and he imploded in the campaign's last week. Not an entirely unexpected event, but the fact remains that Pawlenty has never, ever, ever won a majority of a statewide votes, and he's not the big scary political boogeyman as which some of you seem to view him.
If you need help framing the content of a particular bill so you don't get whacked at the polls in 2008 or 2010, let me know. But in the meantime, show a little backbone, and don't let the threat of a veto stop you from doing your job. The executive does not set the legislative agenda, rather the Legislature does. I suggest you take those big majorities out for a spin and let the chips fall where they may, even on contentious issues like the transportation bill. |
