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<\/p>\nLast but not least, if you are Dayton\u2019s choice for Budget Commissioner, good luck solving the deficit with this plan, especially when the last line in the document is: \u201cThat leaves me $635.4 million to go.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now, bear in mind that 635 million is roughly 1.5 times larger than the immense tax hike the Dems were able to pass in the 2008 session, when they controlled both houses, in a year when the Dems had a huuuuge tailwind, with immense political cost to themselves.<\/p>\n
And they want to enact this after <\/em>passing a tax hike that was ten times<\/strong><\/em> as large <\/strong>as the one that they managed in 2008.<\/p>\n With a huge tailwind.<\/p>\n And control of both houses.<\/p>\n Against minimal organized opposition, other than the against-the-ropes GOP.<\/p>\n Simple fact: \u00a0Mark Dayton’s entire “plan” is based on the vacuous, vaporous idea that “taxing the rich” – who are largely not “rich” – can by itself balance the budget. \u00a0Even under ideal circumstances – meaning “Dayton gets exactly what he proposes” – it can not work.<\/p>\n Dayton will not get exactly what he wants. \u00a0Even if the DFL retains control of both chambers – and it likely will not – they can not pass a budget ten times as large as the divisive, controversial budget <\/em>they passed in 2008; there will still be a huge deficit, while will require an expansion of the defnition of “the rich”. \u00a0Which will, in turn, kill more jobs and drive more layoffs and lead to less <\/em>revenue…<\/p>\n …and it’s a moot point. \u00a0Dayton is likely going to lose the House this year; if (heaven forfend) he’s elected, he will face fierce GOP opposition in both chambers, and a populace that’s doesn’t even <\/em>know how shell-shocked the Obama Tax Hikes are going to gut-shoot it.<\/p>\n So if Dayton is (heaven forfend) elected, the best <\/em>he can hope for is complete, utter gridlock<\/em> that will leave the deficit to be dealt with by more fee-juggling and accounting jiggery-pokery, even as Dayton is forced to pay off his chits to his constituents; jacking up union hiring, pouring more money we don’t have into our education system.<\/p>\n Even under the “best” circumstances, the Dayton budget is a complete waste of time.<\/p>\n At worst, it’ll multiply the very problem it’s supposed to “fix”.<\/p>\n This is the Dayton “Plan”.<\/p>\n In a state with a functioning news media, it would be the subject of acerbic fact-checking and \u00a0muted ridicule.<\/p>\n Since the only real functional news media in this state is the conservative alternative media, allow me to begin the ridicule right here.<\/p>\n