Minnesota, We Have Shutdown

Gee, the Republican legislature, swept into power for the first time in forty years to reduce the size of government, has already passed the largest budget in Minnesota state history.

But petulant Mr. Wouldn’t Even Be Governor but for Tom Horner is obsessed with raising taxes to spend even more, so here we are.

No Talks Expected Before Tuesday for Minnesota Shutdown

Minnesota lawmakers are back in their districts. Some are facing voters for the first time since the government shutdown. That reception may go a long way in determining how long the shutdown will last.

. . .

Reporter: “Do you feel like you went back on a campaign promise of some kind to not shut down government?”

Dayton: “Unfortunately, the two parts of that promise came into conflict with each other because I felt it was ultimately more important to raise the revenue necessary to meet a fair, middle compromise position”

Dayton says a deal fell apart when republicans sought agreement on social policies like abortion.

Kurt Zellers – (R) Minnesota: “To say that this blew up over policy…again, to Amy ‘s point this isn’t true.”

House speaker Kurt Zellers and senate majority leader Amy Koch say the breakdown came over tax increases. They offered non-tax revenue to meet the governor’s demands–and deny they wanted a shutdown.

See also:
Minnesota government shuts down over budget impasse
Minnesota government shuts down over budget woes
Minnesota government shuts down after tax plan torpedoes budget
Minnesota government shutdown puts Tim Pawlenty in spotlight
Minnesota Dem gov fights GOP’s ‘no new tax’ stance
Minnesotans frustrated, angry over state government shutdown
Minnesotans feel pinch of government shutdowns
Minnesota budget row shuts public services
In Minnesota Shutdown, Wider Budget Conflict Comes to a Head
Minnesota shutdown: The shape of things to come?
Lori Sturdevant: Scorched earth politics
Shutdown not seen harming Minnesota’s reputation
Who’s Shutting Down Minnesota?

Despite the shutdown, life in Minnesota goes on, most people don’t even notice, and every day the shutdown continues the State saves money.

/so hang in there Republicans, this is why you were swept into power, to reduce the size of state government and hold the line on taxes, keep the shutdown going as long as it takes until Dayton caves on his tax raising obsession

The 2010 Aftermath

Not total victory, but all in all, it was a very good day for Republicans.

After GOP landslide of Election 2010, what next for Obama?

The Republican Party has swept the Democrats out of power in the House and gained seats in the Senate, sending a strong message of voter discontent to President Obama on the economy.

Republicans scored at least a 60-seat gain in the House, the biggest partisan shift since the Democrats lost 75 House seats in 1948. In the Senate, the Republicans fell short of the 10 they needed to take control, and failed to capture their most-hoped-for quarry: the seat of Senate majority leader Harry Reid (D) of Nevada, who defeated tea partyer Sharron Angle by five percentage points. It is the first time in 80 years that the House has changed hands without the Senate following.

The historic wave that makes Rep. John Boehner (R) of Ohio the expected next speaker of the House also hands Mr. Obama the biggest challenge of his political career. Suddenly, the president has no choice but to work toward his unfulfilled 2008 campaign promise of greater bipartisanship. The alternative is gridlock and the appearance of ineffectiveness. But if Obama concedes too much to the Republicans, he risks losing the support of his Democratic base when he runs for reelection in 2012, as expected.

Maybe even more impressive and certainly just as important was the Republican near sweep at the state level. Republicans will now be in charge of redistricting in the majority of states, which will set legislative boundaries for the next ten years.

Forget D.C., look what Republicans won in state legislatures

This is especially important in years ending in ’00 because these newly elected governors and state legislators will (with the exception of California) be the ones redrawing legislative and congressional district lines that will stand for the next decade until the 2020 census. And occupying the governor’s mansion puts that party in control of an immense statewide political apparatus to help its presidential ticket two years hence.

Come January, Republicans will now run crucial governors’ offices in….

…major presidential battleground states like Florida (Rick Scott), Ohio (John Kasich), Pennsylvania (Tom Corbett) and Iowa, where former Gov. Terry Branstad returns. New Mexico voters elected their first female governor, Republican Susana Martinez, a Latino. Sometimes-maligned South Carolina voters chose Nikki Haley, who is not only the state’s first female governor but only the nation’s second of Indian American descent (Louisiana’s Bobby Jindal being the other.) Oklahoma also picked its first female governor, Republican Mary Fallin.

According to the authoritative Stateline.org, the country’s contests for governor and lieutenant governor cost $850 million. Heading into 2012, the GOP will control at least 29 of the 50 governor’s suites.
Perhaps more importantly, the Republican wave at the national level was also felt at the grass-roots level, where Republicans gained control of at least 19 more state legislative chambers, possibly two dozen as vote-counting continues.

The GOP will have a majority in at least 54 of the 99 state legislative chambers, including a minimum of 53% of state legislature seats (about 3,900). That’s the most the party has controlled in 82 years — and up about 700 seats from Monday.

Of course, we didn’t win them all and this one personally sticks in my craw. If it wasn’t for third party spoiler candidate Tom Horner (former Republican), Republican Tom Emmer would already easily be the next Governor of Minnesota. Mark Dayton should send Horner some flowers or candy or a tip or something.

Guv’s race: Long ride, no end in sight

A seismic shift in Minnesota’s political landscape unfolded Wednesday as the most game-changing election in a generation sent Republicans and the DFL scrambling for the last undecided prize — the governor’s office.

DFLer Mark Dayton unofficially leads Republican Tom Emmer by 8,856 votes — a margin so slight that it could trigger a hand-ballot recount for the second election cycle in a row.

Officials began the tedious, nerve-wracking task of locking up ballots, which both parties may guard around the clock.

The day’s events placed the state, yet again, in political suspended animation, awaiting the prospect of another recount brawl that could take months to resolve and get tangled in the courts.

See also:
2010 Elections Exit Poll Analysis: The Political Price of Economic Pain
Election Day 2010 and its aftermath
Exit polls Election 2010
Karl Rove, U.S. Chamber Amass Winning Record in 2010 Elections
Tea Party Top 10 biggest winners and losers
Statehouse wins put GOP in redistricting driver’s seat
Vote 2010 Elections: What’s Your Reaction to Republicans’ Big Win?
With 2010 Behind Us, A Look Ahead To 2012
Republicans celebrate, outline legislative goals
In Social Media Election, The GOP Capitalizes
How will Obama react to GOP gains?

Tuesday’s vote was an absolute thumping repudiation of Obama and the Democrats and their big government, far left agenda. Now that the Republicans have a tight leash on the Democrats, will the Democrats learn to play ball in the poetical center? Will the Democrats learn to at least read the destructive legislation they vote to cram down the throats of the American taxpayers, over the vociferous objections and protestations of the electorate.

/because, if the Democrats don’t learn their lesson this time, they’re going to get thumped even harder in 2012, the American people have spoken and they’ve had enough of Obama and the Democrats’ progressive socialism