Gee, why can’t the government just fire up the presses and print themselves $5 billion worth of crisp new bills. Problem solved, right?

Your typical Democrat does not have anything to “say” until he has reached the safety of an anonymous comment thread.

Al got his lunch handed him.

When faced with a straightforward question exposing his greed and hypocricy, he chose to tap dance for the crowd instead of accepting responsibility for his decisions like a man.

Al Franken is a liar, cheat and a fraud. He may as well have personally stolen the money from poor kids trying to get to camp. Actually, speaking of which… that the Gloria Wise “charity” gave money to a divisive, dishonest and partisan broadcast endeavor smacks of financial impropriety.

Al Franken should continue to be exposed for the greedy, lying pig that he is. The Gloria Wise “charity” should lose its tax exempt status.

What a bunch of crooks.

This special session is going to happen so I have an idea. Pawlenty should say fine if you want to raise the gas tax then 60% of the state gas tax should go to the 7 county metro which accounts for 60% of the states population. Currently the 7 county metro only gets 25% of the gas tax.

Meanwhile, Bush should tell Oberstar that you want a nickle increase in the fed gas tax fine, then appove drilling in ANWR first. Just signing the ANWR drilling bill would cause oil prices to drop. How about some “bipartisanship”? You Dems allow us to create 700 new union jobs in the oil drilling business and we will give you your favorite pet project, increased taxation.

http://restraininorder.blogspot.com/2007/08/frank-question-goes-unanswered.html

That’s a cute approach if you buy in to the man-made global warming myth. But to pretend now that the gas tax was for roads in bridges is an out and out lie. Of course, it’s a DFL lie. The only kind.

What we need to do is get rid of all the non-necessary BS from the federal and state budgets. We sure as hell don’t need 130 miles worth of paved recreational bike trails. But hey, our transporation dollars sure paid for that instead of necessary things like roads and bridges.

How is increasing a tax to pay for infrastructure going to remove incentives to build wealth? Your basic argument is that people have to have encouragement to go out and look for wealth. I haven’t met a person whose ambition in life was to get wealth so they could spend their money to maintain the infrastructure that they use on a daily basis.

No one can build wealth if the basic tools, infrastructure and education, are lacking.

The government has no right to the money the people earn. When government steels more money from the people, the people have fewer incentives do the things that earn them more money. And everyone loses… and that $5 Billion disappears.

Moreover… $5 Billion a year would cost you a hell of a lot more than $100 per year. … well, unless you’re part of the 45 percent who pay no taxes (aka the DFL base).

Even by themselves, the federal gas tax will never find its way to road improvements… it already finds its way to bike trails and bullshit. The state gas tax was 7.5 cents per gallon, not 5 cents.

Over the last 15 years, gas tax receipts have increased 300 percent. Why do we need even more? Where’s the money going? Answer: useless transit projects, and pet projects.

The gas tax increase won’t do a damn thing to get anything anywhere faster. It will only extract more cash out of your wallet.

I criticized your silly statement that the question shouldn’t be asked of Senate candidates when we (including you) thought your comment was related to a state gas tax increase.

Eitherway, everyone also knew that this issue is important at the state and federal level. So regardless of your failure to understand the question, it was a stupid comment. Minnesota Senate Candidates should be expected to answer questions of importance to Minnesota voters. Do they support a state increase? Do they support a national increase. Both are questions with merit, regardless of the candidate. Fool.

Nothing’s evasive about you correcting yourself, except asking why I thought you were being evasive before you corrected yourself. Get a time line… and a watch. Learn how to use them.

Now, you’re right. Pawlenty did veto two gas tax increases. Both were lumped in to gianormous bills that included dozens of other tax increases. He vetoed reckless, bullshit legislation that the DFL forced through the legislation at the 11th hour.

Those gas tax increase are not separate issues, because they were part of larger issues. Are you this stupid naturally? Or do you practice?

Throughout his administration, Pawlenty has showed incredible leadership.

Feel free to continue studying. Granted you’re another uninformed, ignorant liberal, I’ll presume you won’t get far fast.

Complete BS.

Rational people need only ask the question: “Is it cheaper to pay a dame a gallon and have employees and goods move faster; or save the dime and pay for employees and goods sit stuck, in traffic.”

I THOUGHT the question was about the MN gas tax. There is NO POINT to asking Senate candidates about a state tax.

What’s evasive about me correcting myself and pointing out where this blog also got twisted up in that answer? Especially not when I admit that all the Dems would support such a state tax because it’s really needed?

And Pawlenty did veto two gas tax increases. That is its own issue. It’s not part of anything else. He did what he did. Period.

Feel free to ask any other questions if you’re still confused. I’m not trying to be evasive, but you seem determined to give offense.

That’s how you’re being evasive you nit.

I have no respect for liberal clamoring for gas tax increases at any level. Even less for their usual reckless pandering. The tax will only hurt the economy, and it will never find its way to its intended purpose.

There’s more than enough funding at the state and federal level. Politicians need to start spending it wisely. With Democrats in charge, there’s no hope for that, however.

Pawlenty showed incredible leadership in the face of an unprecedented reckless and dishonest push by liberals to pickpocket taxpayers for an additional $5 Billion… none of which was for road and bridge improvements.

You and your ilk make me sick.

As someone who was born conservative and who left the Republican party when it got radicalized post-Nixon, I believe that it’s reckless and irresponsible to underfund necessary services.

I have no respect at all for Mn Republican opposition to a gas tax hike, and even less respect for the gambit of trying to make this a trade off issue.

Highways and bridges MUST be maintained and repaired. That’s not debateable. Holding this necessary work hostage to some political pledge on taxes is reprehensible. If you want to cut out all social services from the state budget, well, go ahead and try. But don’t say it’s a choice between the two. Each expenditure is its own choice, and each decision should stand alone on its own merits.

Pawlenty played hardball with an essential service when he should have been leading and fighting for even more funding.

I was off on my answer, and so are you. You must specify that the candidates were responding to a federal gas tax hike or you are misleading your readers.

BUT, I’m sure all three do support a hike in the state gas tax, even though Franken was the only one to say so, that question not having been asked.

Why exactly should the question not have been put to Senate candidates? Gas tax increases are being pushed at both the national and state level, and it’s reasonable to assume that the Senate candidates will be required to vote on the issue in the future.

This is the exact type of question that should “be put to” all candidates at both state and national levels.

Perhaps this liberal boob doesn’t like the question is because he knows that liberals support every increase, including this one, which is opposed by 75 percent of the public.

Sorry if the question is inconvenient, Mark. But it should and will continue to be asked.