state + local

Dayton has compromised. GOP has not compromised. Dayton cares about people. GOP worships no-tax ideology. This true conservative will vote Democrat next year, because I care about people.

Stand firm, Governor. It's time for the Republicans to abandon pushing their social agenda through the budget. There should be a balance between cuts and a tax increase for the wealthiest 2%. After all, former Governor Pawlenty left this budget mess behind. Though the shutdown is painful, expensive, and frustrating, if the Republicans had gotten their way the pain would have been permanent. In the end, the budget is not just a number, it is about the important services on which Minnesotans rely. This fight is not about PR, it's about people.

That exchange of proposals says it all, doesn't it? GOP proposal - Dayton counter-proposal - STOP. Way to haggle, GOP.

Fire them all! Replace with honest integrity filled people.

There are at least 11 known members of MN Legislature that are members of A.L.E.C. If you look at the leaked memo the Republican's list of required bills that Gov Dayton sign, you will see the similar bills on the A.L.E.C website proving that it is Corporations and outside money and influence that these MN Republicans are representing and not the people of MN. Members of A.L.E.C believe there is profit they can get from making Government services onto Private run services. Like prisons, schools, etc... You can also Youtube A.L.E.C events and speeches. Last year A.L.E.C member and Gov candidate Tom Emmer used A.L.E.C. written bill to push for privatizing prisons in MN. Here is a list of MN A.L.E.C. members. They are trained to stay on A.L.E.C talking points and why their speeches match those of other GOP Legislative members in other states. MN A.L.E.C members. Sen. Mike Parry (R) Sen. John Sterling Howe (R) Sen. Chris Gerlach (R) Rep. Paul Anderson (R) Rep. Mike Benson (R) Rep. Steve Drazkowski (R) Rep. Sondra Erickson (R) Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer (R) 2011 Chair Person. Rep. Joyce Peppin (R) Rep. LInda Runbeck (R) Rep. Ron Shimanski (R) By ALEC’s own statements “45%” of ALEC members are ‘private sector’ members, and ‘public sector’ members, who pay minimal annual dues are only 1% of ALEC revenue 'donations' of their $7 Million budget, all paid for 'donated' by major US corporations, and the mega-rich like the Koch brothers. “This bill makes it perfectly clear that Minnesota Republicans choose to protect big business and insurance companies rather than defend the rights of Minnesotans,” said Sen. Latz. (DFL)

Dayton promised not to shut down government, and the Repubs promised that jobs would be their number one priority. So what does that all tell you? Dayton can't predict the future and the others are a bunch of skunks.

All the spin in the world doesn't change the fact that the legislative session has a beginning and an end. They had over 5 months to work the budget, instead we got Constitutional Amendments and it wasn't until the final weeks of the session that they even presented a partial budget. From the beginning the Gov asked for a full budget. In the end the cost of a shutdown will be far greater a burden on the state than the small tax increase for the millionaires.

Gov. Dayton - read the papers from the counties outside the metro - they have laid off most their human services staff - this is what it will look like across the state if the GOP budget passes. GOP thinks gay marriage rights, abortion rights and voter ID are more important than the people of MN. Stand your ground Gov. Dayton and protect jobs.

Fire them all! Replace with honest integrity filled people.>>> There's a way to do that, as I recall.

Politics may be a zero sum game but I'm not sure effective governance is a zero sum game or whether a free market is either. Reportedly 7,700 millionaires would be affected by Dayton's use of $ 1 million as an arbitrary boundary for a top tax bracket. (That's not a million $ in life savings but rather a million $ in taxable gross annual income.) I can understand how these few might prefer to brag about their net worth without attracting closer IRS inspection. But doesn't the cherished concept of competition makes a million dollars of income a blind (i.e. as if an average) for the real fortunes surpassing that by several orders of magnitude. A vigorously enforced tax upon the self-sustaining uber fortunes in this state might actually increase the number of individuals breaking into the millionaire category. Dayton's background gives him a unique insight into some of this. Reducing the income disparity between the wealthiest and the poorest citizen can be nothing but a benefit to the state and nation. After all some of the greatest fortunes do some of the greatest good in the US but yet they certainly claim the tax credits for it. Their peers are also privileged to do some of the greatest harm in America when the electorate buys into the BIG LIE sold by agents of these moguls who commision this propaganda with the blessing of the SCOTUS.