commentaries

Their rhetoric as the minority bears no relationship to their agenda and behavior when they're in power.

"Responsible budgeting in the past two years has generated increased state revenues without increased tax rates. Our November budget forecast showed $1.7 billion in additional tax revenue for the next biennium without raising a single penny in new taxes" Please. "Responsible budgeting" included borrowing from our schools and accounting gimmicks which have left this state with the same long term budget shortfalls that we have experienced over the past decade. Perhaps the results of the last election will spur the GOP to actually do what they said they would do in the prior election cycle - work on developing jobs and increased economic activity in this state - instead of trying to foist their narrow-minded social agenda upon us.

The Republican Party in Minnesota is a joke--their antics remind owatonnabill of a Three Stooges movie far more than any sober attempt at legislation. Giving the DFL their due: as misguided as they may be, at the same time they follow their ideals. Gotta respect that. What's to respect in a bunch of careerists intent on protecting their collective butts while searching frantically for the right words to convince (deceive) an electorate that their intentions are in the best interests of that electorate? Not much. Not much at all.

Yeah,right. Republicans in the Minnesota legislature have proved themselves to be fiscally irresponsible, unable to balance budgets and too eager to structure our budget to manufacture deficits every year. Balanacing the budget with the money intended for schools is incredibly shortsighted and growth stopping. Investments in infrastructure are simply to complicated for these two to understand. Somehow Hann and Daudt, in the same editorial, invite democrats to work in a nonpartisan way while accusing them of introducing legislation already designed to appease their "liberal" campaign contributors. The immaturity with which these republican leaders approach the legislative process is understandable, the name calling and the constant using of the dirty word "liberal" to incite recrimination and polarization was learned from the king of demagoguery... Tim Pawlenty. "No new taxes" is not a substitute for thoughtful policy and progress for our state. The economic growth seen in the last two years is inspite of and not because of the last two failed budgets. Hopefully this legislature will do the people's work and not simply the work of one man (Grover Norquist) who represents the privlaged.

I guess if you define "fiscal discipline" as accounting gimmicks, borrowing from our schools with shifts of 40%, borrowing against tax anticipation bonds, etc, then you live in LA LA land. All the borrowing and gimmicks done by the Republicans just tells me that they could not find places to cut the budget (and they still left us with a billion dollar hole) but rather than admit that, they pretend that they are fiscal magicians. They think we are not paying attention. Minnesota has a revenue problem caused by so many people being out of work. Job one of the legislature should be to get people back to work.

So now that your party has lost control of the legislature, you think it's time to "work together." Funny, but I don't recall seeing much evidence of that attitude while you were in the majority.

Again they say they will work for all Minnesotan's, but only on their terms -- simply amazing.

This is the kind of message that we need to follow. A moderate agenda with close fiscal management is the best path.

Hey Hann, how much is the Brodkorb/ Koch scandal costing the taxpayers this week? This from the party of "fiscal responsibility and "family values."

Ending the fiscal year of 2010, the MN state budget was starting to show a slight surplus. However, if the Republicans can show what they did to generate more revenue, I would like them to show that. When they were in control, only social agendas were the topic and they sponsored no bills that would generate new revenue or jobs. All they did was steal from pension funds, and tax funds from the Iron Range, and withheld billions from our schools to be paid back years later. Now, they want to claim their fiscal responsibility brought additional revenue to the state. Hogwash!