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If Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty embarks on a 2012 White House bid, his speech today in Washington D.C. could provide a framework for the message he would deliver to primary state voters later this year.
Kicking off his book tour for his new memoir “Courage to Stand” with remarks at the National Press Club, Pawlenty offered a pitch that was two parts biography, one part contrast, and one part vision.
The former Minnesota governor spoke at length about his humble upbringing in a scrappy suburb outside St. Paul, MN, the blue-collar tableau that gave rise to his theory of “Sam’s Club Republicanism.”
When he was growing up in the 1960s in Minnesota, he recounted, someone who didn’t finish high school had options -- a “fallback” or “safety net” -- by working a blue-collar job. “But as we all painfully know, times have changed,” he said. “Those strong-back jobs have faded away.”
Pawlenty also leveled measured cases against the Obama administration on everything from health care and the economy to foreign policy, and he outlined a way forward for the country based on “commonsense values that can get us back on track.”
The generally mild-mannered former governor seemed energized by a largely friendly audience and a press section full of national political reporters, testing out applause lines and appearing pleased with the results.
“Just because we followed Greece into democracy, doesn’t mean we need to follow it into bankruptcy,” he told the crowd.
Touting his tenure as governor of Minnesota, Pawlenty laid the baseline for why he believes he could do a better job to grow the economy than President Obama. He noted that in the “state of McCarthy, Mondale, Ventura, and Al Franken,” he reduced spending.
“If you can do it there,” he said, echoing Frank Sinatra, “you can do it anywhere.”
The unemployment rate in the state is about 7 percent, below the national average of 9.4 percent.
Pawlenty laid out what he sees as “common-sense values”:
- Money: He proposed increasing job growth by talking to private sector business owners and considering what can be done for their taxes, regulations, permits, worker-compensation and energy costs to encourage hiring.
- ‘Can’t spend more than we have’: He criticized President Obama on health care for failing to deliver on his pledge to make the health care overhaul bipartisan and focused on cost containment. “He broke that promise,” Pawlenty said. “That is not what he delivered. It is not going to work.” He said state workers need more “skin in the game,” so they will migrate to lower-cost providers.
- The U.S. needs to be ‘smarter’: He said that if the U.S. isn’t the biggest or cheapest country, “then we better darn well be the smartest. … You cannot have a successful society and have a third” of students not completing high school. He laid out his vision for education, higher teacher standards, for example, but then went on to lionize former DC Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee. “Everyone’s waiting for Superman,” he said, referring to the documentary on school reform. “We had a Superwoman. And her name was Michelle Rhee,” who he described as “dismissed.” (Rhee not keeping her job, however, is more nuanced than that simple explanation. The incoming Mayor Vincent Gray retained her deputy, Kaya Henderson, but Rhee was criticized for her approach, described by some as a “bull in a china shop.”
- “Bullies respect strength not weakness,” said the "Minnesota Nice" former governor on national security, adding, “We need to do it with voices of strength.” He criticized the Obama administration, charging that there was a “troubling trend” developing on issues of foreign policy, including missile defense.
Pawlenty, who was on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart yesterday in New York, said he missed President Obama’s Tucson address because he was on a plane to Washington. But from the “excerpts” he read, he said, “From what I could see, he did a fine job.”
And he defended Sarah Palin, saying that some unfairly placed blame upon her politics in the aftermath of the shootings.
“In those early hours and early days, she was falsely accused,” he said.
Pawlenty was considered a front-runner to be John McCain’s vice-presidential nominee before he picked Sarah Palin. He reiterated today that he believes McCain’s choice of running mate didn’t especially impact the race. “I didn’t think it was going to matter who he picked as his vice president,” Pawlenty said. “Once the economy cratered, he or whoever the GOP candidate was, we would have ended up in the same spot.”
Pawlenty is thought to decide on a run sometime this spring, likely by around March. He said again today that he’s “seriously considering” a run.
Msnbc.com’s Carrie Dann contributed.
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Who?
Your mom~
Who are you?
I am your king.
Well, I didn't vote for you.
All the posts of the past week have reminded me of this classic scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail where King Author talks politics with the peasants. Except not quite as funny.
You know, the guy who spoke out against Obama's plan to make repairing and restoring our nation's infrastructure a major part of the American Recover Act, the very same guy who as Gov. of Minnesota had a major bridge collapse in his state that cost a number of Americans their lives.
Ron, before you make comments about that bridge collapse you better educate yourself on it. That bridge had a design flaw from the day it was built.
It's good to hear at least one republican, Pawlenty, admitting to the GOP's responsibility for the economic collapse.
Tim Pawlenty has shown for quite some time now that he can be the voice of common-sense, middle of the road conservatism......and still get the job done. If Minnesota's unemployment rate is well below the national average, some would be wise to consider what he has accomplished. Sometimes, it's not about "activity" or "sound bites" or showmanship........sometimes it is simply about hard work, cautious consideration and results.
Because he is a Republican, however, and from a usually "blue" state..........he will, of course, be villified, attacked, maligned and otherwise criticized at every opportunity by the liberal press.
I am very impressed by Mr. Pawlenty and would watch his campaign with favor. If he were to get the Republican nomination for President then I think he would be a good candidate.
watching this slimy snake squirm and dodge the question when jon stewart backed him into a corner this week was quite satisfying.
Who is Pawlenty ?
This is our fine Minnesota Rep that wouldn't accept gov't help to rebuild a bridge that killed many of our neighbors and drove our economy into MAJOR debt. NO way he is qualified to be President.
Really? Are you sure about that? If I remember right, Tim Pawlenty did a pretty fine job of balancing the budget, and even had a rainy day fund.
And if I also remember right, that bridge was reconstructed in record time with earth friendly materials.
And if the other 49 states in the union are sinking, what's going to keep Minnesota afloat? The article stated that Minnesota unemployment rate was 7% compared to the national average of 9.4%. I think given the circumstances he did a pretty good job! Not to mention he refused to raise taxes!
Steve first of all Minnesota in some districts had the highest per capita earnings, Minnetonka had R&D Pfizer was there, at the time $45,000 per family in the early 90's lower only by Connecticut and New Jersey. Also everyone posting here is correct, Pawlenty is responsible for that bridge he refused to allocate money to fix it. Pawlenty walked into a state that was fiscally responsible and all he needed was a little tweaking and he turned his back on that.
Do not let him do to the country what he did to Minnesota! We have a crushing debt left to pay for what he didn't cut. State roads gone to crap. The condition of the schools means fewer companies requiring educated peple creating jobs here.
Barbara, your comments about the bridge are blatently false. The reason the bridge collapsed is because they were repairing it and there were thousands of extra pounds of materials and equipment located on the bridge deck. This was in addition to girder plates that were found faulty by design.
Yup, He balanced the Minn. budget, He just quit paying the bills he ran up and let the deficit add up,,,,,,,,,Reminds me of how Bush put us into this recession
Nice to see the GOP lackies busy rewriting history again. Never accept blame, gents. Push it off on Obama, unions, homesexuals, minorities, whatever fits the need of the day.
Pawlenti is the same old, same old Republican. Run up debt you can pass to next person and claim it was never your own. Maybe the reason people don't have a "fallback position," Tim is that all those blue collar jobs either had their unions busted or were moved overseas.
Who is Tightwad Tim.He is a Bush clone,a fee, instead of tax guy.He fee'ed the Gopher State till they can be fee'ed no more.He cut from every group in the State,the poor,those of poor health,those with mental health issues,Education,all while keeping his Rich banking buddys happy.Tim is also quite the hunter,last year he shot a deer during his photo opp,(My guess the photo opp was for his NRA Creds),went in and had lunch,went out to track his kill,never found it's trail,and bailed for a speech in Iowa after he could not find it. Thats who Tiny is,a small person with a big agenda,we in sota are glad to see him go.
As a neigboring North Dakotan, I can attest to the fact that Minnesota is in the toughest shape I can recall in my lifetime. We used to envy Minnesota. Their schools and roads were always in better shape than ours. Now, as we sit with a large surplus, they are struggling with a deficit. We make frequent trips to the Twin Cities, and people who have lived their since birth have little good to say about Pawlenty. As for the bridge, I heard he was responsible for delaying inspection on that bridge, which may have contributed to its collapse. Yes, Pawlenty never met a "fee" he didn't like, so he wouldn't be accused of raising "taxes". Not to be trusted!
He wouldnt take his home state repubs or dems in Mn arent too fond of him.
I am a Michelle Rhee fan and a DC resident, but I also understand why change was needed for that position under our new Mayor. I find it troubling that someone clearly not versed in all considerations would use that example. When someone fails to take the time to research an issue before putting forth his opinion, it fails to instill confidence.Â
Tim Pawlenty: When he was growing up in the 1960s in Minnesota, he recounted, someone who didn’t finish high school had options -- a “fallback” or “safety net” -- by working a blue-collar job. “But as we all painfully know, times have changed,” he said. “Those strong-back jobs have faded away.”
I've noticed something lately. No one really speaks of the working class or the poor. And I've been wondering for a while if they have been lumped in with the Middle Class. What I've been asking myself a lot lately is what is wrong with being part of the working class? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. They are hard workers with hard lives, who live paycheck to paycheck. Are the tea partiers considered "Working Class"? I know I have always considered the tea partiers to be white "Middle Class". Selfish, self-centered white middle class who don't give a damn about the working class or the poor. From what I saw at their rallies, many of them are also racists. We saw that front and center during the health care debates. Are unions considered working class or middle class? I know all my white office co-workers can't stand unions. Why is that? They sound like they want to keep the working class down. And they feel they should be making more money. It is after all always about them. They say they did everything right. So my question: Did the working class not do everything right? Is that their implication? That they didn't work hard? We know that the wealthy certainly didn't do everything right. The working class were not the ones who shipped their jobs overseas. Every working class person I know has worked very hard for years to try and support their families.
I came across this interesting article today, which I have shortened:
Middle Class v. Working Class
Benjamin David Steele - April 2010
I’ve noticed something strange about how politicians and pundits use ‘working class’ and ‘middle class’. I don’t hear the working class referred to much in the media, especially not by conservatives. Being working class has become considered a bad thing. Everyone wants to be middle class. What bothers me about this is that the middle class is shrinking even as the poor increasingly become the target of those on the right. For instance, the Tea Party protesters are mostly older whites of the upper middle class and above (i.e., not the average American). These old white conservatives grew up during a time when there was much more opportunity of upward mobility. But since the beginning of Reaganomics, the wealth disparity has been increasing and so the numbers of the poor have been increasing. One recent survey showed that most white Tea Party supporters don’t believe minorities are intelligent, hardworking or trustworthy. This is a new class war. As the middle class shrinks, the upper middle class sides with the rich and sees the poor as the enemy.
I don’t know if this will start to reverse again, but I don’t think these affluent conservatives want it to reverse because it was conservative policies that were a major contributing factor towards this concentration of power and wealth. Of course, they’d love to blame it on the liberals. The problem isn’t the evil government and even the Tea Party supporters don’t actually blame the government. Most of them are on Medicare and of course they support Medicare even though it’s one of the biggest government expenditures. Studies show that conservatives love big government when Republicans are in power. Even Tea Party protesters fondly remember George W. Bush and yet offer little support to Ron Paul who is a real small government fiscal conservative.
What the Tea Party protesters don’t want is a government headed by a Democrat president. The reason they give is ‘socialism’ which is simply a codeword for helping the poor and needy. It’s class war, pure and simple. Interestingly, the only voice the working class has in the mainstream right now is Michael Moore who is a radical leftwing social justice Christian (or ‘commie’ for short).
It’s very odd because the Republican party used to side with the working class. However, now that the working class has become a part of the growing poor, the affluent conservatives are trying to distance themselves from the working class even as they try to portray the Tea Party as working class populism. This means the real working class doesn’t have any direct political voice… which might be why, despite the conservative propaganda, the poorest of the working class tends to vote Democrat. So, the Tea Party is pretending to be working class which it isn’t while simultaneously pretending not to be Republican which it is. I wish there was a real working class populist movement that would shake up politics. Even real libertarians can’t get a movement started without it being taken over by Republican operatives.
The worst part is that the mainstream media (especially Fox News) creates such a distorted picture of reality that the average person has a hard time telling which way is up. The poorest of the poor who lean towards Democrat are also the demographic that feels the most disenfranchised from the whole process and so rarely votes. For this reason, it’s in the interest of affluent conservatives to keep the poor disenfranchised. I saw a news report recently which was about a corporate memo stating in blatant terms that democracy of civic participation wasn’t beneficial to their profits. When Wall Street gives billions of dollars to all politicians on both sides, how can there be even the slightest hope for a real democracy that represents the average person much less those below the average.
The Tea Party protests the loudest, but it’s not the Tea Party supporters who have been hit the worse by the economic downturn. The hardest hit are the minorities, the poor, and the blue collar workers. Once upon a time, the working class fought hard to have a collective say in our society. It was from the battles with the wealthy elite that workers unions formed, but the conservative movement fought back and destroyed the power unions used to hold. Conservatives have the audacity to blame unions for helping to destroy the economy when it’s blue collar workers who are the ones who have lost their jobs more than anyone. Their jobs got sent overseas. but somehow the poor working class trying to feed their families is seen as the enemy of the affluent rightwingers.
I just don’t get it. The world would be a better place if the upper middle class whites combined their forces with the poor instead of sucking up to the wealthy elite hoping to get some scraps from the table. Since the middle class is shrinking and the economy is so uncertain, wouldn’t it make sense to make nice with the poor. Many poor working class people once thought of themselves as middle class as well, but times have changed. I remember hearing an interview of a woman who recently became unemployed. She said that she always thought the unemployed were just lazy, but she admitted that she had failed to understand how hard it can be when your job is taken away.
It’s a sad state of affairs. The poor are blamed for being poor. The unemployed are blamed for being unemployed. But oddly the conservatives blame all of the problems of Wall Street on the government which means blaming it on Obama and the Democrats. Why is it in the conservative mind everyone is to blame for their own misfortune except wealthy capitalists? Why does the Tea Party criticize everyone from ‘socialists’ to immigrants and yet they’ve never protested Wall Street? Why?
______________
So what is bothering the tea partiers is not big government. It's one thing only - if you work with this Democratic President, you're done. That's their only measuring stick. Willing to work alongside the President of the United States for good decent legislation gives you a black mark. Selfish & self-centered as always. They want their country back. Whatever that means. I think I have an idea.
____________
If you’re in trouble or hurt or need—go to poor people. They’re the only ones that’ll help—the only ones. The Grapes of Wrath
HERE, HERE, WELL SPOKEN! PATBOSTON MA
Good article. Thank you for sharing it. While I don't like the direction President Obama and the Democrates have taken the country during their rein of terror (when they had the majority in the house), I too believe that in the next couple of decades, the middle class will be gone for ever. Perhaps when Congress and the President are equally balanced between the left and right, there will be progress for all Americans.
Jimbo, even a cursory glance at history will reveal that the attack on the m iddle class started in the Reagan administration! It has continued for 30+ years.
Tim Pawlenty helped to bankrupt Minnesota. we are over 6 billion dollars in the hole. Most all of us are glad to see himm go. . . Pawlenty is equal to a vote for George W Bush if elected again. He had little value for human life -- the HIGHWAY I35W Bridge went down on his watch. He know it was a problem before the colapse of the bridge yet did nothing.
Pat Boston MA....right on the mark. Great overview of the state of affairs in the country today.
For all here that are touting the virtues of Mr. Pawlenty, since this article is about his "Courage" to run. Mr. Pawlenty's was the Governor of a state whose demographic is 92.6% white. The largest contributing factors to the unemployment numbers are in African Americans and Hispanics. So his unemployment numbers are really NOT that impressive. For a man who does not have the courage to speak to Michelle Bachman ("I want all Minnesotans armed and dangerous") and Sarah Palin's ("Don't retreat, reload") very incendiary comments, took over a fiscally sound state and cannot seem to find the "courage" to tell the public the truth about all of his amazing "achievements" is not the man I want in the WH....that would just be like having a clone of W there.
And now the line up of wanna be's...... fun and games.
I don't know if anyone happened to watch The Daily Show last night, but he was on, and I've never seen a politician so blatantly dodging simple and fairly worded questions as Pawlenty did. He was asked about the reality of the Obama Administration versus the violent rhetoric of the right several times, and refused to answer, gave non-answers, and then answered with something completely unrelated. Pretty skillful, and obviously building that skill for a 2012 run.
as long as he continues to dodge questions (as he did on the Daily Show) and refuses to say that the political rhetoric needs to be more civil - he'll never get my vote...
and for that matter -
any politician who uses inflammatory phrases - ballistic references - demonizes the opposition or builds their campaign on fear - will not get my vote....
we need to do what is right for the country -
not obstruct progress with the intent to sabotage the president - in order to benefit the republican party for the next election....
those who do so may find out that a majority of people who do vote - are opposed to these tactics....
So does that mean Obama won't get your vote-some quotes-I need to find out whose ass to kick, If they bring a knife we bring a gun, You must punish your enemies, of course we'll let them ride along, but they must sit in the back. All these things were said by Obama. We don't even have to say what Biden has said. So the talk is on both sides. What will be interesting is if Obama does what he says and stops blaming Bush for everything.
Sorry mr mike! All the crap that President Obama is cleaning up IS Ex-President Bush's fault! A fact is a fact, like it or not!
Republicans, Pawlenty included, continue to peddle the myth that Obama is responsible for the polarization of the country and for the total lack of bipartisanship. The fact that they decided to oppose everything he proposes, even when he took the idea from them, is apparently irrelevant. The fact that he allowed equal representation on the Senate Committe that wrote the Health Care bill does not count. There is one and only one driver of this polarization; the GOP scorched earth strategy that consistently throws the country under the bus. They are making sure Obama does not get any credit for anything good and, sadly, the electorate has rewarded them for that.
And how about the Democrates treatment of Bush? i suppose you think they were cordial? The crap is on both sides.
@CAlUSA,
You have to look at the President/Nancy/Harry for some of this polarization. Look at what occured during the ObamaCare l"lack-of-debate" with Nancy and Harry behind closed doors. And you do also need to look at how the Unions were treated on HC vs. the balance of the country.
When you look at the deficit and the other spending bills that haven't worked, who was accountable for those dollar losses: Obama/Nancy/Harry. I honestly don't see how you can say the GOP scorched earth strategy was responsible for throwing the country under the bus.
@ mr mike: yep, I agree with you the Dems treatment of Bush was anything but cordial. Bushie didn't fight back to slanderous statements made by many in the media, and with such a soft target, they piled on, to the point of outright statements of his life.
But, without question, the GOP will continually be blamed for anything and everything.....it is the nature of the liberal element to needlessly attack although the truth may be twisted to suit the liberal mid set.
Democrats gave bush almost everything he wanted. Greed is destroying America and our people are totally divided. Both parties helped big corporations outsource for slave labor. Remember how fast they came together to bailout wall street when their stocks were tanking?
Capital gains tax is only 15% and that's where most big money is made. We badly need a government. This one is owned and if we don't come together against this insane greed we will soon be in depression and chaos. We need someone like Ralph Nader and a lot of new representatives to support the American people instead of worshiping the "golden Calf". It does not look good because we have too many brainwashed who go against their on interest.
"Polarization" of the national electorate certainly goes back much, much farther than the brief period of 2007-2011 when Democrats had a majority in both Houses. While roots of the process are found in the campaign strategies developed in the late 1960's and 1970's, in terms of continuing efforts to harden positions based on ideology the most striking starting point came with Bill Clinton's victory in the 1992 elections.
At the same time, the technique of demonizing political figures emerged as a preferred tool to stir emotions of party adherents, techniques that had been used in the American past but for a brief time between about 1960 through 1992 were regarded as unworthy tactics of a shrill fringe.
During the time between the election and Clinton's inauguration in January, 1993, a steady stream of harsh language poured out of a Republican attack machine. Some of the statements and claims were complete fabrications, eventually exposed by the author of the fabrications in the early 2000's. At the time, however, the lies acquired the force of belief and upon them mounted an ever-growing pile of exaggerations, more falsehoods, and propaganda created by citing half-truths.
In the 1994 election cycle, Newt Gingrich proposed a "Contract with America" that mated ultra-conservative ideology with the chorus of personal vilification of both Clinton and his wife. Throughout the entire Clinton Administration, the polarization increased.
With election of George W. Bush, a left-wing version of personal attack along with ideological conflict arose. Some of it approached the quality of the vituperation flung at Clinton, but in general was voiced by a far smaller chorus and did not usually involve the leading figures of the Democratic Party, as had been the case during the 1990's with the Republicans.
However, at the same time Republican leadership began vilifying the Democratic Party's leadership, focusing on Senator Harry Reid and Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi. That personal and ideological stream of sewer-talk rose to a very shrill height in advance of the 2006 elections, and continued unabated up to the present.
With election of President Obama in 2008, again even before he took office in 2009, the extreme right wing of the Republican Party, encouraged by the Party's leadership, took up the cry. "We want out country back!" echoed in the political discourse long before President Obama had much of an opportunity to achieve anything. That kind of polarization did not reflect much of substance, for there hadn't been much action undertaken except a shared effort by outgoing Preisdent Bush and soon-to-be-President Obama, on the TARP Program and plans to keep the auto manufacturing industry in America from complete failure.
From that point to the present, again the polarization of the country has been fueled largely by vituperation without end from the Republican right. Neither Sen. Reid, nor Rep. Pelosi, engaged in any sort of comparable discourse, although at times they spoke in defense of the Democrats.
While the Republican Party today claims it was disenfranchised by Congressional Democrats and later the President during major legislative projects like Health Insurance Reform, that claim rings hollow. Not only did the ultimate reform bill contain several major proposals advanced by Republican legislators but more to the point President Obama and Democratic Congressional leadership invited GOP participation. After being flatly rejected, the Democratic Congress moved forward on its efforts.
Today Republicans cite refusal in the Senate to propose amendments or submit bills for re-consideration in committees. Again, that's a hollow claim - the Republican strategy at the time was to delay adoption of any bill, or if possible, gut a relatively delicate accomodation among Democrats divided over aspects of the ultimate measure by presenting amendments that also would rip out key provisions of the bill.
The Republican Party throughout all of 2009 and 2010 followed the politics of disaffection, refusing their participation or approval at every turn, attempting to interrupt the orderly processes of government, and stirring the ultra-right voters as well as the Tea Party coalitions to near-violent hatred of the President and the Democrats.
Tim Pawlenty's speech did not ring true - he also has revised recent history to suit himself. Similarly, the posts here that blame Democrats for polarization of the country are for the most part propaganda based on a very small slice of the long record of the past two decades.
pawlenty of jokes..
not minnesota's finest.
 This coward writes on a book on "courage". Too funny!
I have seen him in three interviews in the last week, when asked direct questions he back peddels, evades, misdirects. I was struck all of his answers. He clearly lacked the "Courage to Stand" on any issue or make any statement that might be controversial.
What bothers me is that all these "mainstream" Repubs. are so terrified of Sarah Palin's influence on their fake populist movement, the Tea Party gang, that they will never say or do anything to upset her and her minions, even when she's clearly elevating the hate/fear mongering. A bunch of cowards is my opinion. Proving once again, the only thing they care about is money and power, and will do anything to get the White House back. Pandering to the lowest denominator in our society. Disgusting.
Pawlenty is an oppurtunist and manipulator. We in Minnesota have watched him be a political chameleon and change color and spots to wherever the political wind blows. His no new tax mantra was a farce as he raised taxes in "fees" and property taxes. He used a budget shell game to close budgets that ran in deficits over the eight years he was in office and walks away from a 6 billion dollar deficit. The state reviled him and if he is picked as Republican candidate for president, I predict that he will not even carry his home state.
Our supreme court had to slap him in the dirt for his power play around our budget, even one of his friends he picked to be on the court ruled against him. He would not have been elected if it wasn't for two very strong independent candidates drawing votes away from the Democrat challenger. Like, GW Bush, Pawlenty inherited a budget surplus and ran it into the ground after promising Grover Norquist's idiot bunch no new taxes.
We say Good Riddance.
Jesse Ventura gave away the surplus to the people of Minnesota.
Well see2779349, Obama and the GOP at least compromised on one item recently - the continuation of the Bush tax credits......you have to like what the GOP did to assist the President.
People who are not familiar with Pawlenty should examine Minnesota's economy and "state of the state". Years ago, MN was a leader in education; today it's 36th. Pawlenty cut the top income tax rates, but cut state aid to counties & schools. County property taxes have risen dramatically. Our roads used to be among the best, but our freeway system is outdated. Manufacturing, the industry that created the middle class, is shrinking. Tourism is a big industry in the state, but does not pay well. People who want this type of governing for the rest of the US should think about where Minnesota used to be, and where we are now.Â
Your roads are pretty damn good! Try coming to Illinois if you want to see crappy roads.
Pawlenty is leaving Minnesota with a 6.2 billion dollar deficit. I'm sure his "no new taxes" rhetoric that we heard for the past 8 years will play well nationally. Beware the consequences....
Minn Sue please get your facts straight. The budget is 100% balanced. We are facing a 6.2 B balancing act for this coming year, funny dayton is in office now. Pawlenty had his own budget to balance and did a great job in doing so. You must have been listening to Dayton. Just like our Pres, Dayton chooses to blame instead of taking care of the businss he was elected to deal with. PLEASE NO MORE LIES.........
See 277 please be aware of the FACT that both houses of the Legistrature have been Dem for the past 25 years. Please do not blame them, for they know not what bills they have passed. PLEASE KEEP TO THE FACTS.......
I am so glad the left wingers are sticking to Obama' pledge.
Wow! Are you lucky. Out "conservative" governor has presided over our sliding into a $26-billion shortfall. To cover this inefficiency and malfeasance, a proposed 20% cut in all agency budgets is being proposed. Our state senators have reduced their monthly operating budgets by a whopping 5% and representatives in the House by 10%. Woooo. Such frugal sacrifice. Meanwhile, our well coiffed Gov. Perry continues to live in his $10,000 a month rented dwelling, paid for by Texas taxpayers. No word from Ricky what he may reduce or give up and no one is holding their breach in expectation. Uh ~ ~ Ricky has presidential aspirations also, even if he has to cycle through the VP's office to get there. Oh, our legislature and governor have been Republican since GW Bush defeated Richards (D). Its been mostly down hill since then. Things look great here if you don't count the deficit.
I used to live in MN - prior to Pawlenty. The most prominent governor during my time there was Jesse Ventura. I much prefer Jesse!!
Jesse Ventura was a self-serving rock with lips. He did not govern. He continued his professional wrestling ways as governor.
Yes! Minnesota Sue is correct. The frmr Gov. would be Bush all over again. Tim's way or the highway.
One of the things the nation needs to fully understand is Tim's handling of the MN pocketbook through "unallotment". Step 1: Maintain campaign rhetoric regarding no new taxes. I have huge respect for Pres GHW Bush for going back on this campaign promise. He put the nation ahead of his party. In Minn., our frmr Gov put the party ahead of the state. We're $6.2B in the hole because our Gov never could figure out that you can't cut your way out...it had to be balanced with a form of revenue increases.Step 2. Veto anything from the legislature that attempts to balance spending cuts with new taxes. Step 3. No special session. Period. Remember no new taxes. Step 4. Times up! Given an obscure law here he exercised his authority and broke out the pen to "unallot" or cut spending any way he saw fit without any check and balance from the legislative branch. Step 5. Ignore the hypocracy. Beneficiaries of state spending cuts had to raise taxes to make ends meet. Dear USA: In spite of what you hear, former Gov. Tim Pawlenty caused my taxes to increase. So we had to read lips all over again. Let the record show that Pres GHW Bush was a great pres for breaking a campaign promise. Shame on frmr Gov Pawlenty for putting a GOP campaign promises ahead of the interest of this great state.
I voted for Jesse as well. He did what he said he would. Something I wish all our politicians would do.
The suburb he is from is NOT and never has been "a scrappy suburb"
So the stockyard area of South St. Paul is not and was not scrappy?
carad the budget isnt balanced he took last years bill and put it somewhere else.Kind of like we pay the mortage payment withour utility bill money. now were behind on the utility bill.this is anology what pawlenty did.Basically said instead of raising taxes we will put off paying some bills.school districts went in debt waiting for state money...Steve you are correct Ventura gave the surplus back to the people leaving mn with little emergency savings.We were poorly prepared for recession.
It is the Republicans that practice class warfare. Pawlenty is a scumbag that must find a way to beat out both Huckleberry Hound as well as Mo Romney that used to be a liberal and has taken every possible position on all of the social issues.
Mn has been known for surpluses,good roads,good schools,great technology state till the last 10 or twelve years.now where a becoming a backwoods state,Makes pawlenty proud?
I have only been a visitor to MN. We stayed at "Madden's Resort" and it was beautiful. From what I have heard Pawlenty say personally and from what I read about him----my opinion of both he and the GOP are low. The Republican Party is not the party that it used to be.
Cat and carart I do agree Ventura is better than Pawlenty any day.
Let me stater mybias up front: I am a Democratic researcher who has covered Paws (we callhim that). He's a JerrySeinfeld type of guy-a slick don' tbelieve theH ype fellow-who appears wellon TV, and charms the socks of you while filching your pocket. Paws like former Governor Wendell Andersonp layed hockey-he wasn't an Olmpic player,but he was good. Sara hPalin,by contrast is only a hockey mom. And her fame comes mainly from the husband Todd Palin who is the National Snow Mobile champoin-among ofther things. Sarah spectates..Paws gets his hands dirty.
Paws takes responsiblity-specific example here- a $600,000 dolar fine was levied against his commitee for flase reorting just after he took office. PAws went on TV and accepted resposibilty upfront-even though he wasn't the bookkeer andthat's definietlynot his strong suit. Compare that with Sarah Palin and herblood Libel comments-instead of admittng mistake s and overkill, she makes matters worse with anti-semtic rhetoric further inflaming folks needlessly. Paws was in the 1st week of his administration-and what happened wasn't good.Yethe took itlike a man and promised to do better.
On the collased 35W bridge: Paws,did-contrary toposts above DID accept federal aid for bridge rebuilding. And he worked closely with Congressman Oberstar chair at the time of the Transportation/pulic works coomitee.. What can be laid at his doorstep is this: thefailure to inspect the roads and bridges of this state for clues of detioriation. Sinc e the collapse this has beenrectified-but Paws has been reluctant to fund reconsturtion efforts. Indeed,were it not for congress an Oberstar's federal funding and stimulus money Minnesota would be in far worse shape.
Paws decieves people ontaxes. He brage about his no new taxes pledge-the convientlyforgets that he signed a law overturning a previous state law requiring referendus before major projects could be enacted. If that law had notbeenchanged, the Minnesot Twins would not have a new stadium because everypoll ever taken showed "no bailboutsfor Billionairs" would cause the proposal to go down in flames. Now we are stuck with new sales tax topay for the stadium.
At the same time Paws cut 30,000 low income and unemployed Minnesotas off health care-no once,but twice inhist wo terms of office, Billionaire like Carl Pohland (who has since died) count more thanunemployed people who are sick and unemployed.
He's a mixed bag on healthcare. He sided with Congressman Jim Ramstad and incoming Governor and former US Senator on prescription drugs for seniors, and set up a state web site to help Senior to get drug from Canada at low prices. But he also opposed the very system of bulk bying drugs that the Canadians use to get those low prices from being established in the US. And that is why thePresidnt of Pfitzer is one of Paws leading supporters.
WE urge you to go to the Forbes Magazine web site for a state b ystate comparison of heath care. Due to the wide influence of the Mayo clinic we rank well. You will note it is not the numberof dollars spent-wr are the same per centage as Texas. It'show we spend thm that make the difference.
Paws has been to Afganistan and Iraq 3 times. Sarah Palin has yet to even use her passport. Paws is drab and bland. He's no innovative ideas. He had a cross state borderagreement with Democratic governor Jim Doyle of Wisconsin to save money-but nothing happened and no money was saved.
Paws promised hewouldbe onjobs "like a mouse on Doritios" Tom emmer,therepublican cadidate for governor in Minnesota publiclyadmitted Paws failure to attract jobs to Minnesota-hadly a ringing endorsement for Pawleny's campaign.
Paws is not the worst candidate for Prez. Haley Parbor's White Citzens councils defense andSarah Palin's are so far the worst. But here's thepoint: it's not that youare running. Isn't what areyou gonna do if election. and the aswer is nothing.
Great post Arlin, I thought it was very balanced and informative. I saw Pawlenty on the Daily Show last night and had a moderately positive of perception of him. He did avoid some of the (very tough) questions that Jon Stewart asked him and I would have been quite impressed if he had taken the opportunity to lead and give a real opinion on whether the rhetoric represents the reality.
That said, many politicians avoid tough questions whether it be the Daily Show or Meet the Press. I would definitely have to consider him in contrast to Obama should he decide to run in 2012. That doesn't mean I would vote for him, it depends on how Obama handles his last 2 years in office and what I learn about Pawlenty in the interim. Still, he is a viable candidate for my vote, unlike Palin, Barbour or Huckabee...
I don't know that Palin lost the 2008 election for Jon McCain but she helped make my decision for me. I was leaning Obama but still considering McCain (I voted for him in the 2000 GOP primary) up until he picked Palin as his running mate. That was the nail in the coffin and after that my mind was made up.
Also how the GOP handles themselves between now and 2012. It's time to put up or shut up. I'm the voter they say they want to win back, let's see if they really mean it. Cut spending in a responsible manner, raise taxes in targeted areas to support policy, cut taxes in others... finally, stay out of my personal life!!! I would prefer the conservative financial philosophy of the GOP but I will not vote for someone who feels that they are superior to me and will legislate my lifestyle or morality. It is not negotiable...
Arlin you hit on the nose,after he keeps you on the phone for hours selling you a product.He wont return your calls if you have a question on what you just bought.There is worse, but for what purpose would there be to elect him.
Those who rely on others to do for them are "slaves". They are beholden to those whom they have chosen to depend on for, Housing, Healthcare, Education,...(you can fill in the blank). I dont mean to get religious, but have any of you (on the left) ever read the Old Testament? When the Cananites kept giving all their resources to Pharoah, until they had nothing left and Pharoah (the government) had everything and decided who would eat, who would live, who's new born baby would. If Americans continue to give every responsiblilty to the Government, soon we will be nothing but a nation of slaves too.(in some aspects we already are) This, I think, is what the "tea partiers" and so called conservatives are concerned about. And anyone who allows John Daily, or any other entertainer to do their thinking is just perpetuating the cycle towards slavery. Maybe it won't happen in my lifetime, but it only took 2 generations for the cananites. John Daily is pretty knowledgable and very funny but I don't see him running for office. If he is so wise, why is he not the president? I may have the answer, because being the president makes you a target. You know someone who sticks their neck out for what they believe. Someone who willingly takes a beating. No matter what they do, they get beat by one side or the other.
As for George Bush vs. Obama...I voted for Bush "twice", he wasn't perfect, but of course I didnt wait for him to buy my kids groceries, pay my mortgage or my medical bills either. I voted for Pawlenty, "twice" He has my vote if he runs for President. I give him credit for not answering John Dailys question today, because no matter what answer he would have given, the media would have ripped him apart. And besides, reality is in the eye of the beholder. As for Jesse Ventura...I voted for him, .... he is the only politician directly responsible for giving me a dime..(surplus refunds). Do I blame Pawlenty for the I35 bridge falling? No more than I blame Bush for 911. Do I blame Obama for the fact that I lost my house? No more than I blame the person(s) reading this. And no more than I give any of them credit for my new, fabulous job.
After job loss, and losing our home, we picked up what was left and moved on. We left Minnesota for a new start. One week after arriving in our new home state, my husband and I found work, although not nearly at our previous pay, but in Arizona of all places. One of the worst economies in the nation.
We did not collect unemployment, have not collected food stamps, or government medical care and we have two young teen boys. We work, we rent, we homeschool, we volunteer, and we don't ask the government or any elected official for anything. While most of our friends who lost job's and home's over the past 2 years, have collected all of the above, we have chosen not to. Because we don't want to be enslaved to anyone, especially government. It is time we turn back to some of the good thing's that our country once had. Those "blue collar" jobs, neither Pawlenty nore Bush are responsible for their disapearance. If anything it is the Unions. Yes, I said Unions. Because Unions cost manufacturing companies too much revenue those companies moved out of country. Including some of our Education. Look into on-line schooling, you will learn what I am saying. The wave of the future for High Schools is on-line. Cost is low, liability is very low and teachers can be anywhere in the world.
Polarization is not Bush, Pawlenty, Clinton or Obama's fault, it's the MEDIA's doing. They "pounce" on every little comment. A person cannot live a perfect life, yet in the lense of the media we are all expected to do just that, or else. The media does not respect Privacy or Civility because it does'nt make headlines. So, if we/you want to undo the Polarization in America, then Turn off the TV, walk outside and visit with your next door neighbor or the old man or woman down the street or hall or go to the local coffee shop and make some new friends. Don't judge people you no nothing about because you "think" you know what makes them tick. And definately don't knock those who have been elected to office and did the best they could. I did not vote for Obama, and probably would not if given another chance, but.....I am rooting for him all the same, because if he fails our country fails. Obama has at least 2 more years to sail this ship the best he can, we should be praying for him to have courage and strength and resolve to Lead us all. When 2012 comes we can all have our opinions when we vote for the next president. Respect one anothers RIGHT to think differently than you. And take it out at the voting booth.
One more thing.... check your spelling people. We are supposed to be educated. It's ridiculous that you guy's criticize Pawlenty and Bush when you can't even spell correctly.
Good post, I only disagree with two things:
1. Unions have largely outgrown their usefulness but they also played a pivotal role in our industrial revolution. The US middle-class consumer has been the primary driver of global growth since WWII and unions helped create that American dream with good paying jobs for people willing to work hard and learn fast, the "strong-back" jobs that Pawlenty talks about were union jobs. The problem is not unions but the new nature of a global economy and our failure to seriously compete in that arena.
We are not investing in education or physical infrastructure like our competitors, we've gotten complacent and compliant. China is not just cheaper, they also work hard and educate people in Math and Engineering instead of Communications & Comparative Literature. It's time to get serious.
2. We shouldn't applaud Pawlenty for avoiding Jon Stewart's questions. I'm not going to condemn him because it's a reflection of today's political culture more than it has to do with his personal integrity. At the same time I am concerned by the reluctance of so many politicians today to avoid media scrutiny or take a stand on issues. People have the right to know what they are voting for or else the whole system becomes a mockery. I wish we had had more political parties so there were better options...
Also, Jon Stewart is a very smart (at times) interviewer and just because he isn't the president doesn't invalidate his level of discourse. I would aks you to watch the video of him interviewing the governor and tell me that those are not some very smart, tough questions. For the record, I do not think that the reality matches the rhetoric. President Obama needs to move to the center but the world is not going to end and there is no conspiracy to usurp our rights. The people will decide who's right in 2012.