So John "I don't know how to send email" McCain is considering the Governor of Minnesota, Tim Pawlenty, for his running mate? For those of you who don't live in Minnesota, let me introduce you.
1. He never "won" election, nor did he "win" reelection. The vast majority of Minnesotans voted for the Democratic or the Third Party candidate. Tim Pawlenty won by default. Key Point: the majority of Minnesotans did NOT choose him.
2. While he cries "no new taxes" most Minnesotans are suffering oversized classrooms, collapsing bridges, decreased police force, decreased fire-fighting capabilities, and an increase in state fees across the board. Because his administration refused to up the state's education budget, homeowners like us saw a HUGE increase in our property taxes just to staunch the bleeding in our public schools.
3. He has a problem with his vocabulary. He increases "fees" on many services but claims they aren't a tax. No one is fooled.
4. He absolutely LOVED taxing the residents of Hennepin County (city of Minneapolis) without a referendum for a new Twins Stadium because poor little rich owner Carl Pohlad didn't want his own bucks tied up in his own stadium.
In his own words on his Truth in Taxation plans - "If significant dissatisfaction is registered, a levy referendum on the amount of increase above a certain level will be triggered. We've got to trust the people. So once again I ask the Legislature to pass a carefully drawn and limited form of Initiative and Referendum. We need to allow the people the chance to directly speak on the major issues of the day."
Unless of course those people are actual residents, and you are actually talking about their money.
5. He vetoed a powerful piece of legislation that would have allowed homeowners facing foreclosure some relief, and would have forced Minnesota mortgage companies to work with these folks. He "felt it wasn't Government's job to interfere with private contracts". Minnesota is facing a mortgage/foreclosure crisis of EPIC PROPORTIONS! Entire neighborhoods are going down the tubes. And since when do Republicans not want to interfere in private contracts?? They LIVE for that stuff!
Read this article for a reference to the above picture. Minnesota used to be a glowing example of the good work taxes can achieve, and what a liberal government can provide it's people. Now that's democracy!
More insight ahead as I come across the details.
