Incremental progress
After finally meeting behind closed doors for a while, there is at least a little progress on the budget. It's not a deal yet, but it's a start. It would be nice if Pawlenty actually admitted his cigarette tax was a tax, though.
If they don't work things out, there is a plan for a partial government shutdown. It's a pretty crappy deal for state workers, though, who would have to cash in vacation time if they wanted to get paid after June 30th. I hope it doesn't come to this.
posted by MN Politics Guru @ 20:25
2 Comments:
Don't you think the "government shutdown" would hurt Pawlenty and the Republicans more than the Dems in the house, desperate to gain back the majority after 3 years of the Pawlenty/Sviggum tag-team?
Perhaps I'm taking bluff-bait, but I bet the Dems are perfectly willing to go through with the drama of a gov't shutdown, and the Atty. General defending the usefulness of gov't services before the courts, rather than let Pawlenty cut more services without raising more revenue.
I bet 2004's 13-seat gain has given the DFL the chutzpah to publically confront the Governor and bring their message (money for education, healthcare, fair taxation) onto the frontpage and the ten o'clock news.
I think most would view a shutdown (partial or otherwise) as a "pox on both their houses." I agree bill, that there is a bit of "chutzpah" in there, but I think many would blame the Legislature as a whole (and the Governor) for the needless impasse.
The sad reality is they have had five months plus to get their work done. And they have not. You and I are expected to get our work done on time, why should they be any different?
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