A Tale Of Two Tales

As the legislature grinds toward a halt during the first session since the end of complete DFL control, there are two ways of looking at what just happened. 

One of those ways, I discussed with Walter Hudson on my show on Saturday:  Two years after DFL (and only the DFL, as they were not only proud to say, but as they made a part of Governor Walz’s vice-presidential bid) jacked up the state’s budget 40% even after spending an $18 billion surplus, thus creating biggest budget in state history by a wide freaking margin, GOP fights like hell to force an 8% cut – the greatest cut in state history, not only in absolute but inflation-weakened dollars, but in percentage terms.  

Put that way, it’s a win.  No a huge win – but certainly the closest to a “W” anyone’s going to get with a tie in one chamber, a minority in the other, and a progressive loony for a governor.   To loosely paraphrase what Winston Churchill said after Dunkirk, states are not saved by successful blocking actions.  But after a decade and a half when being Republican at the statewide level felt completely futile, it was a great start.  

Provided, of course, that you’re inclined to notice or opint out the wins. 

Which brings us to the other point of view on the session, from “Action For Liberty” – as their headline breathlessly put it:

Uniparty Pushes 2nd Largest Budget in MN History

They elaborated a bit (I’ve added emphasis):

RINOs are selling this plan as the largest budget cut in Minnesota history, which only tells half of the story. When Democrats had total trifecta control in 2023 and passed a $71B budget which was about a $19B growth in government. Pre-covid spending levels would mean a return to (at least) a $52B budget. Having the largest cut means nothing if the budget is still the 2nd largest in MN history, only behind the budget passed in 2023. For an analogy, the Dems flooded Minnesota’s basement with 19 feet of water and the GOP is bragging that the basement will now only be flooded with 14 feet of water! See below: 

That’s a little like saying “If I’d demanded a hot third date with Anna Kendrick on Saturday, I’d be in a much better mood today”.   Action For Liberty pushed the notion that the GOP should have demanded rolling spending back to pre-Covid levels – which, when faced with a singularly arrogant DFL majority in the Senate and a progressive ninny for a Governor, may be less plausible than that date.   Demanding a nearly 30% budget cut would have never gotten into, much less out of, committee in the Senate – which means all the strenuous demanding would have been useless and performative. 

Which, as we talked about last week, is pretty much the entire point with groups that are, shall we say, like Minnesota Gun Rights.