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Jewish World Review July 13, 2011 / 11 Tamuz, 5771 A preview of what may happen if President Barack Obama and House Republicans don't resolve their impasse By Jack Kelly
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
Was that the moment when former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty blew his chance to be president?
It was the day after Mr. Pawlenty coined the clever (and accurate) term "Obamneycare" to highlight similarities between President Obama's health care plan and the one Mitt Romney imposed in Massachusetts when he was governor (2003-2007).
Mr. Pawlenty was languishing in the polls despite a sterling record as governor, thanks to low name recognition and a demeanor often described as bland or boring.
But in the weeks preceding the GOP debate in New Hampshire June 13, Mr. Pawlenty made tough, articulate speeches detailing his policy positions. He denounced ethanol subsidies in Iowa, called for Social Security reform in Florida, and made the most comprehensive statements on foreign policy of any candidate. Conservatives who'd overlooked him looked again with new respect.
After throwing down the gauntlet the day before, Mr. Pawlenty refused to confront Mr. Romney during the debate. This revived concerns he may be too nice to be president.
It's too soon to pronounce Mr. Pawlenty politically dead. But if he falls short, his big mistake was not running for a third term.
With Washington gridlocked, action on the fiscal crisis has moved to the states.
In Ohio, Gov. John Kasich cut $2 billion from the $8 billion deficit he inherited from his Democratic predecessor without raising taxes.
Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels gave Hoosiers a small tax cut when he balanced his budget. He weakened the power of teacher unions, and greatly expanded school choice.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie won approval from a legislature controlled by Democrats for a measure which requires public employees to pay more for health care and pensions.
In Wisconsin, Gov. Scott Walker erased the $3.6 billion deficit he inherited without raising taxes. His budget requires public employees to contribute more for health care and pensions, restricts the power of public employee unions, and expands school choice.
The new law has saved at least one school district from bankruptcy.
Massive protests by public employee unions made the budget fight in Wisconsin a national story, Gov. Walker a national figure.
"Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker appears to have the makings of a national GOP rock star fighting the growth of union influence and trimming the fat from state government to get Wisconsin's fiscal house back in order," said Glenn Beck producer Phil Rizzuto.
Democrats controlled at least one house of the legislature for all of Mr. Pawlenty's eight years as governor. But Republicans won both houses last year. So if Mr. Pawlenty had run again (he surely would have won; a much weaker GOP candidate fell just 9,000 votes short), he could be doing what Gov. Walker is doing next door in Wisconsin, and winning similar plaudits for it.
Instead, Minnesota offers a preview of what may happen if President Barack Obama and House Republicans don't resolve their impasse over raising the ceiling on the national debt.
The legislature passed in nine separate bills a budget that would raise Gopher state spending to its highest level ever, six percent more than in the last biennium, but do so without raising taxes. Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed all nine. He wants to increase state spending 24 percent.
The legislature passed its budget bills with six weeks to go in the legislative session, but Gov. Dayton didn't veto them until the very end, triggering a shutdown of state government July 1.
The governor intentionally caused the shutdown, because "if it were broad-based and painful enough," Minnesotans could be persuaded to support his big spending ways, said Minneapolis Star-Tribune columnist Katherine Kersten.
Gov. Dayton -- with the assistance of biased reporting, chiefly from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune -- blames the shutdown on Republicans. Things aren't working out as he planned.
Hardest hit have been members of public employee unions. But "many of us not dependent on the government have found the shutdown a minor inconvenience at worst," said Minnesota blogger Scott Johnson (Power Line).
A Survey USA poll June 20 indicated 87 percent of Minnesotans oppose increasing state spending. The resolve of Republican legislators is strengthening, Mr. Johnson said.
President Obama doubtless will blame Republicans if no deal is made on the debt ceiling. Let's hope House Speaker John Boehner has as much gumption as do the GOP legislators in Minnesota.
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JWR contributor Jack Kelly, a former Marine and Green Beret, was a deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force in the Reagan administration.
© 2009, Jack Kelly |
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