Out For Drinks With “Lucky” Carroll

I met my old friend, Inge Carroll (whom everyone calls “Lucky”) at a local watering hole to compare notes about politics the other day.  Lucky is a DFL operative.

CARROLL: So did you see teh article?  Teh Republican party said came into offices saying they were going to create jobs,but they have cost 16,000 jobs!

MITCH: For starters, why do you always pronounce “the” as “teh” after you drink cosmpolitans?  And then, huh?  You’ve missed the news? Minnesota’s unemployment rate is down.

CARROLL:  You are teh lier!  Didn’t you hear it on teh MPR?  Teh Republican policies have cost 16,000 jobs!  That means all of you Rethuglicons are TEH LIER!

(CARROLL orders another cosmopolitan)

MITCH: Um, what on earth are you talking about?  Minnesota is recovering from the recession faster than other states, largely because the GOP stood off Dayton’s orgy of taxes and regulations.

CARROLL:  Hah!  You didn’t read the article, did you?  You don’t even know what I”m talking about!

MITCH:  Well, that’d make two of us, if it were true – but yes, I read it. It says that because of LGA cuts, local government are having to either raise taxes, or cut government jobs, or both.

CARROLL:  Yep?  16,000 jobs!

MITCH:  OK.  Well, sorry to hear that – being out of work sucks. But what, you think government jobs are sacrosanct?

CARROLL:  Oh, I think people kind of like having teachers and firemen and cops and services.

MITCH:  Well, at face value, it looks more like people in towns around Minnesota like to have them – provided they can get someone else to pay for them.  When they have to pay for them themselves, not so much.

CARROLL:  (Glares at MITCH):   Why do you hate the troops?

(And SCENE).

Lucky had to get back to her job at “Alliance For A Better Minnesota”, where she power-sands memes.

7 thoughts on “Out For Drinks With “Lucky” Carroll

  1. If people would elect more fiscally competent leaders, they wouldn’t have to pay more taxes OR lose services….just ask the good folks from NowThen

    http://www.startribune.com/local/north/136346968.html

    Seems that when faced with a smaller piece of pie, or no pie at all some public employees are willing to learn to savor the flavor and chew the pie a little slower…or somethin’

  2. “teachers and firemen and cops” – uh-huh.

    It is the old cops and firefighters first mentality. In other words, cut what hurts to protect what nobody needs. Seriously, what bureaucrat would cut the annual January Diversity Training Conference in Florida?

    We need to stop talking about waste in government and start talking about priorities in government. Like what is and is not important? Cops, you cannot do without, file-clerks you can do without.

    I’ll tell you right now where we should be cutting – inspections… Not because “regulation is bad” but because in a down economy we don’t need as many inspectors.

    Also, how about consolidating services?

    Look at what LOGIS has done with consolidating IT services. Why does both Minneapolis and Saint Paul have a police and fire department? Why do they both have inspections and IT departments? Why do they both have (multiple) civil rights and domestic abuse offices?

    Forget about being liberal, libertarian or conservative, what about just plain old efficient, effective government?

  3. One more thing that would have an immense benefit if we got rid of them: public sector unions.

    Exhibit A: Scott Walker’s Wisconsin.

  4. Bill C: Yes. Public employee unions are an abomination. Government (largely) has no competition. The only reason for public employee unions is to extort more money out of the public itself. If you don’t like your government job, go work somewhere else. But don’t stick me with the tab on your inflated salary, gold-plated health care and lavish pension. Join the rest of us in the real world. I insist.

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