But Don't Take My Word for It
Peter Robinson ·
Jul 10, 2010 at 7:02am
Ricochet member Trace Urdan, commenting on this week's podcast:
As with the previous governor-guests, Tim Pawlenty was smart, reasonable, calm, pleasant. The contrast with our elected national representatives could not be more pronounced.
Why do we only hear from the media about Michael Steele, John Boehner, and Sarah Palin week in and week out? I think Fox needs to hit the road and start...profiling the work that is being done outside of Washington. The smart, optimistic, but frank talk of these governors is what America needs to hear.
That big green button, on the right of the homepage, about halfway down. To hear Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota for yourself, just click that green button.
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Comments :
Jun '10
Re: But Don't Take My Word for It
I've been watching Pawlenty since he was our Minnesota House Speaker, and I concluded (long ago) that he's the real thing. He's more centerist than Michele Bachmann, but he's never pretended to be Michele Bachmann. What you hear from his mouth is what you get. We live in a blue state (Remember Senator Franken?) and somehow, Pawlenty manages to win statewide elections as a Republican. And that doesn't happen by accident. On policy, he's two steps ahead of the Democrats and twice as prepared. They just can't get a grip on him. He does tell dumb jokes, but otherwise the guy is damn smart. His wife (a former judge) is great too. They're both the real thing as far as I can tell. Weekend trips to visit an Argentine mistress? Ain't never gonna happen. And no, I don't work for the guy, never met him.
Jun '10
Re: But Don't Take My Word for It
etoiledunord:
"I've been watching Pawlenty since he was our Minnesota House Speaker, and I concluded (long ago) that he's the real thing."
We had a similar experience eight years ago in New Mexico under Governor Gary Johnson. I'll take "real" over a professional politician any day. Unfortunately, the days of government by citizen legislators is gone, though I'm hoping the Tea Party movement might start some sort of restoration.
God Save the Republic!
May '10
Re: But Don't Take My Word for It
For those of you who haven't followed the story- Pawlenty did in 2003 exactly what Chris Christie is doing right now. He came into office with a several billion dollar budget deficit and an education funding system where the state sent money to the school districts to supplement local property tax revenue. He started by cutting off the "local government aid" and thus telling the school districts to chill the spending increases. He also had a cap placed on property tax increases so that they couldn't make up the difference by jacking up property valuations and mil rates.
They all screamed to highest heaven- and lost the battle, thus closing the $3 to 4 billion (that's a lot in Minnesota) budget gap without raising taxes.
Our local teacher union is called "Education Minnesota", and if they left the dues noney with the teachers instead of spending millions every year on TV advertising for tax increases, the teachers wouldn't need raises.
And he does it all while smiling, telling corny jokes, and playing hockey.