Thursday, May 28, 2009

DFL Party: Opportunity Lost as 'King Tim the Obstinate' Stands Alone


Source: DFL Party

Unwilling to come to the table and compromise, Pawlenty again places his own national ambitions before Minnesota’s interests

ST. PAUL (May 19, 2009) — Last night the Minnesota State Legislature adjourned sine die following a hard-fought session. The Minnesota DFL Party released this statement from Chair Brian Melendez:

“I commend the legislators from both parties for their hard work throughout the session. Unfortunately, Governor Pawlenty was unwilling to participate in the process. His national ambitions kept him away from the table.

“The DFL leadership in both houses passed legislation to tackle the $6.4 billion budget shortfall in a balanced, fair manner. The DFL caucuses worked hard to save and create jobs, protect health insurance for vulnerable Minnesotans and keep intact critical local-government aid. They came to the table in a spirit of compromise — while Pawlenty sat on his throne wielding his veto pen as a scepter.

“Pawlenty’s go-it-alone stubbornness will harm our state for generations. But he’d rather play to his party’s Iowa caucus-goers than serve Minnesotans’ best interests. His rhetoric is about no new taxes, but his reality is ever-increasing property taxes, one-time funding, long-term borrowing and cruel cuts to health insurance for working Minnesotans. Pawlenty chose the Bush model of cowboy diplomacy over the Minnesota model of working through challenges together.

“His my-way-or-the-highway process of unallotment will have devastating results for Minnesota’s communities and people. I can see why he isn’t showing his face in public today.”

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