Banana Republic of Spring Lake Park

Well, heck. I thought I published this back in March. Better late than never, and it still applies...

And to top it off the State Republican Party has the audacity to declare on their website " Minnesota Citizens are the Winners Thanks to the Hard Work of Governor Pawlenty and Republican Legislators" Really? Here are the accomplishments, according to the State GOP:

With the completion of Governor Pawlenty's second state government budget, we have now solved over $5 billion in deficits without raising any job-killing tax increases.

And under the Governor's leadership the state budget increase far outpaced worker salary increases. But, wait, they will say, unemployment is way down so more people are workingand therefore paying taxes. Well, yeah, today they are. Where are the decreases in the Human Services budget from the reduced welfare costs? And when the economy goes south in a year or two then what? Those tax-paying citizens will be out of jobs and the program increases will still need to be paid for.

In fact, it is the tax cuts pushed by Minnesota House Republicans in 1999 and George W. Bush in 2001 that have allowed our economy to recover and deliver more tax revenue to the state each year.

Hooray for 1999!!! That was like six freaking years ago. We are now officially reliving the glory days of Minnesota conservatism. Those were the days, weren't they? Jason Lewis, Governor Turnbuckle. More proof that nothing has changed in six years. How pathetic.

· Major education reforms - performance pay for teachers (QComp) and
additional college credits in high school classrooms (Get Ready, Get Credit)

Does anyone know what the hell this is? Since Education Minnesota wasn't actively opposing it it must be bad. Or were they bought off with massive increases in public education largesse ($800 million for each of the next two years). Do you think the teacher's union will rally around the Republicans in 2006?

· Tough new penalties for sex offenders, including life in prison without parole and a new indeterminate life sentence that will keep offenders locked up as long as they remain dangerous.

Hmmm - I didn't see a death penalty bill passed. Now we gotta pay to keep these cretins locked up. Three squares and cable TV. Probably internet access too.

Aggressive restrictions on the sale of methamphetamine precursors like
pseudoephedrine.

An admission that the state doesn't have the balls to significantly beef up their investigative and enforcement function. Nope, we'll just manage the supply.

Enhanced penalties for those who manufacture or sell meth.

Who the hell couldn't have voted for that. /Runs off to review voting records. (One Republican senator voted against the bill and 10 House Democrats voted against the companion bill.)

· New benefits and incentives for military members including 100% tuition reimbursement for National Guard members, reenlistment bonuses and "Support our Troops" license plates

Well, duh.

· Passage of the Governor's proposal for a constitutional amendment to
dedicate 100% of the Motor Vehicle Sales Tax to transportation.

Whatever. We're still going to get commuter rail jammed down our throats. I can hear the whining now: "Where's our source of dedicated funding? Public transportation is important too."

Hopefully now that the Party has new leadership some new focus can be brought to bear on the things that make Minnesota great: Families and economic freedom, not more government spending.