So now we control the Legislature in Minnesota, and the House in DC.
So what do we do about it?
Yesterday, I said the new GOP majorities need to “go on the attack”.
Let me be clear; I don’t mean that in the Chicago Democrat/DFL sense of the term.
The GOP was sent to DC and Saint Paul, both, on an epic wave of popular focus on principle – small-government, lower spending, more accountability.
- The GOP in Saint Paul needs to tell the DFL where they can stuff their $38 Billion wish list. The Dayton “budget plan” needs to be scuppered; a plan similiar to Emmer’s – pared back to current spending plus any increases in revenue that comes from growth, not tax hikes – needs to be pushed. Hard. As in the first week.
- And when Dayton vetoes it, they’ll need to pass it again. As nearly unchanged as possible. And keep passing it. Over and over and over. What are they going to do? Is Dayton going to cave in – fatally weakening himself with his base (and likely causing him to close down the governor’s office and flee to Vail)? Or shut down the government, fatally weakening himself with his base and making the GOP go “waaah, waaah, waaah” in mock mourning?
- Vast swathes of state government need to be privatized.
- The budget process needs to be converted to a zero-based sysem – especially heath and human services. Our current system takes the previous budget, adds the projected increase in need, and factors in inflation – basically a recipe for nothing but budget increases.
One thing the GOP must not do; try to become popular with Lori Sturdevant, Keri Miller and Nick Coleman. Or compromise with the DFL without exacting two pounds of budget-cutting, spending-slashing, entitlement crushing flesh in return for every pound they give up.
You have the power now. Make it matter, or we’ll find some legislators who will. We’ve done it once now; we can do it again.
Larry Spend Everything Pogemiller has announced, in essence, that he’s too good to be the minority leader, so they put Paul Thissen into the role.
I have heard Thissen talk of the isses and I believe that he is less liberal than most. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that he’s more of an old line Dim than most, but, certainly seems to grasp their principles.
You speak of Lori Sturdevant as though she were some empty, vacant, monolithic Cro-Magnon vestige from a philosphical school of belief that no longer fits any social or economic model ….
Forget it. I just lost my own argument.
There you go again. You mean-spirited Rethuglicans want to throw children out on the street and make grandma eat dog food.
And then feed grandma to the dogs. It’s the circle of life!
Grandma’s dog food now comes in a rice, soy and lamb dry mix. Far less spendy than the meaty entrails in the can.
And it fits in with Michelle Obama’s health & diet crusade!
If Republicans compromise with the Democrats, the Dems will use that against them. Remember what happened to Bush 41 when he agreed to compromise on the tax increase. In 1992 the Democrats used that against him.
Remember that everybody in the legislature is up for re-election in 2 years.
Don’t blow it. Don’t overreach, and don’t under perform. Keep things open, honest and transparent.
I’m sending everyone an “Ignore the Poor” button; I got a gross of ’em from the Archbishop.
I’m sending everyone an “Ignore the Poor” button; I got a gross of ‘em from the Archbishop.
LMAO.
I’ve got a couple hundred Hope & Change buttons left over. Any offers?
I was hopin for changin and by golly we got some…..marvelous!
I’d be willing to contribute to a fund to purchase every member of the GOP caucus a blaze orange lapel pin that says “When you win, you take our money; when we win, we keep our money.”
Or maybe just “Cy was right!”
Great idea nate, I’d love to have a pin like that!
bosshoss429
I don’t understand your comment because the two people you refer to do not serve in the same position- nor could they. Pogemiller is a Senator and Thissen is a Representative. These are different- one works for the house, the other the senate– hello??
This is why I’m always scared when people go to the polls to vote….
I’m sure you have very little knowledge of Senator Pogemiller’s voting record if you don’t even know where he works!