There is a major difference. National defense is controlled by the Federal government and is an obligation for the President to do. The state government had a “Better” plan proposed by the governor and the minority party. It was totally ignored.

We were forced into Iraq because that was one of the many messes Clinton created which Bush had to clean up. Therefore we’re all paying for Clinton’s messup from 1993-2001. It’s ironic one of Hillary’s best punch lines is it’s a Clinton to cleanup after a Bush. This Bush has been spending the last seven plus years cleaning up after Bill’s mess ups.

Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN

Hell of a plan, Walter – and you can pick up my family’s tab for Iraq while we’re at it….

After all this is the typical DFL way. Do a program and make other people pay. I’m only following in the logical leadership of your party. They were the ones who rejected repriortizing spending to build the roads with the tax increase. Why should I have to pay when they ignored the better solution. Since you want to pay than pay for some people who don’t think this is a good idea.

Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN

That’ll do Sheeple, that’ll do

We have a spending problem for starters! Not an income problem!!!!!

Years ago I had a friend who I was trying to help with his fiances. I’ll work out with him what bills were due and gave him cash for the rest. We had a big discussion about Christmas presents and I told him that if he had devoted every available cent he’ll have a certain amount to spend. I let him cash his last paycheck before Christmas so he could have the cash to buy his presents. When I saw him I asked for the rest of the money and he was a couple of hundred dollars short of what I expected to see. “Where’s the rest?” I asked. He went on to explain that there wasn’t enough money with the total I gave him.

Now for your typical DFL lawmaker they don’t think in terms of that $34 billion is a lot of money (Wisconsin for example is a bigger state, but spends less). They think in terms of dreams in every category of spending and don’t priortize.

for example your avarage person won’t:

buy a new house,

buy a new car,

take an expensive trip,

do fully fund IRA contributions each year.

They look at their income and priortize! They give up buying a car for one year. They might build up a bigger down payment to lower their monthly payment. They might not take their trip. Mind you if you’re a DFL lawmaker these are alien concepts! The fact that you don’t want to priortize along with the DFL lawmakers is the problem.

by the way since you think gas prices are so cheap how do we work out with you paying the extra taxes that I, Chestnut, and Mike have to pay just because the DFL won’t sacrifice spending in one pet area instead of increasing taxes.

Come back my lost sheep! See the light!

Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN

…

Answer: Democrats have been in charge of them for over 45 years.

I think she’s sincere in her comments. Usually women lacking in any sort of physical attractiveness make up for it with sincerity.

By the way, that guy in the photo seems to be bored. Who is it?

HCDFL, this shows your ignorance. The gorilla project is in the current Senate DFL’s bill. It hasn’t been passed by the Senate yet. Hard to line item veto something that hasn’t been passed yet.

The DFL is playing a shell game with our tax money. They claim that transportation is such a high priority that we have to raise taxes, and then they try to borrow money for non-transportation projects like the gorilla exhibit, and bike paths, and nature centers, and on and on.

All of our spending and bonding has to have the same set of priorities applied to it.

The Governor could have used his line item veto on any part of the transportation bill,

More of your ignorance. The governor can only line item veto appropriations bills. He can’t line item veto tax bills.

You need to tend your sheep more and comment less.

By the way, would you care to explain why MN’s budge is 35 BILLION more than WI’s budget when they have more people and have just as good, if not better services? Gee, could it be the the democrats are wanting to spend too darn much money?

Minnesota has a MASSIVE spending problem, not an income problem. And if you think the state economy is bad now, wait ’till your DFL idiot friends get done with it.

If you knew 25 percent what you think you do, that would be a massive improvement.

Yes, I agree with you (in comments 10 and 11) that Clark looks hot.

But then, maybe that Clark looks hot in comparison to Large Marge (standing behind her and blocking out the sun) and the unshaved underarm types that make up the DFL women (or does the DFL spell it “womyn”) caucus.

The reason why even though oil prices are at record highs is because we don’t have to have the extra expense of formulating fuels with cleaner air addictives. Not to mention demand will go up just because it’s warm. My point to HCDFL is he seems to think because the price of gas is cheaper in Minnesota compared with other states it automatic we should increase the tax and make it higher.

You know if I was reporter at that press conference my followup would’ve been, “Okay so what’s your plan to balance the budget without a tax increase” When Clark is shocked I’ll say you just ruled out a tax increase by saying it’s hypothetical so it must be coming from spending cuts.

Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN

HCDFL:

* Even if we assume your data is accurate you don’t raise taxes in the middle of a recession. You’re hurting the people who can least afford it to begin with.

* Minnesota has lower gas prices than most of the nations just because most of it is supplied by Canada. The transportation costs are lower. so just because that part is cheaper we shouldn’t automatically pay more.

* since it’s so cheap I’m sure that you’ll be happy for the people who you’re telling this is no big deal.

Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN

Yep, the quality of life in states with lower taxes is superior to the quality of life in Minnesota. They have less crime, better roads, fewer freeloaders, and better natural resources.

Hell, you want to compare quality of life, look to states with higher taxes… California, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, etc… their quality of life sucks, their roads suck, their education sucks, their healthcare sucks, everything in those smelly, socialist states suck.

Makes me wonder why we’re wasting billions on the socialist state the DFL wants to create.

It’s time to take a stand against the stupidity of the Left in Minnesota.

All dem rednecks gonna hop da free train back up here and we all gonna get a free rectal exam from da Big L at da free health care club to see if dere’s any cash up dere blocking things up.

When the Big Liberal takes control, we all gonna live off da fat of da lan’ and ride dem free rails all da day long!

We used to woik at Ford an’ 3M an’ Honeywell an’ Fisher Nut Co. an’ da breweries, but dem days is gone.

Da Big L can’t tax wat we aint got, da time comin’ gonna be HoboTime all da time an’ evera thing gonna be free…

Great now on top of one of the highest income tax and coperate tax we also have the highest in gas taxes. Amazing what makes a liberal proud.

Nope, they need to cancel the premium channels on their cable account.

http://www.twincitiesgasprices.com/Price_By_County.aspx?state=MN&c=usa

Which by the way, doesn’t give exact prices either. For that, you’d have to go to this page (Which isn’t the map like you said either):

http://www.twincitiesgasprices.com/Prices_nationally.aspx

And as I said, the gas prices are very fluid. I’ve posting prices on gasbuddies for years. Next week, it could look very different. Gas prices in Minnesota are very volatile because we have on large entity here loves to do a gouge, and spike the prices up by 20 or 30 cents every other week.

By the way, the coasts and Hawaii are almost always higher priced. But come warmer weather, when MN switches to the summer blend, our prices will be higher comparatively. Not to mention, we haven’t had a gouge here lately, and we usually get one of those ever other week, so look for the gouge, probably this week, and most likely on Tuesday or Thursday. And by the way, SA will usually be the leader that gouge.

HCDFL, is it true that you had a rough caucus the other day after the transportation bill went through and the forcast came out and several of your first termers finally figured out what happened? Did one actually ask if there was a way to undo the bill? Just curious. Was Otremba’s gavel really held hostage? Was Marge really threatening to roast marshmellows on it?

My guess is that the libs will try to ram through every bad bill they can from here until the final gavel. They won’t have this kind of chance again because they are going to lose seats. Only problem is that they won’t find an override in the House as easily available now. All the cards have been played. Transportation was a low hanging fruit. Angles were available to play. Like buying minority members off. Other tax jacks would be much more difficult to pull off.

Of course they are going to raise taxes…that is all they know how to do? That and spend other peoples money as if it grew on trees.

LL

You say that as though it’s a bad thing. Maybe you’re right, maybe Minnesota should fuck it’s citizens over as much as other states do.

The question is how deep will the cuts be, what will be cut and who will be affected.

Frankly, who cares, so long as there are cuts. This state spends way to goddam much money on bullshit. Start with yanking the funding from the Twins Stadium, then take the money back for the Guthrie and the Walker. After that, void the contract with all state workers, and make state workers pay their fair share in their own health insurance and retirement benefits. Next, end SCHIP payments to adults (nearly all of Minnesota’s SCHIP funds go to adults). Next, eliminate all catering expenses from every government agency, department and office — they can make their own sandwiches. Next, cut legislator’s per diem in half, and eliminate all housing and mileage expenses for legislator’s living within 45 miles of the Capitol. Next, divert every cent used to pay for bike paths, “green ways” and other non-roads projects and re-dedicate them to ROADS. Follow that up with a 5 year state hiring freeze.

Just a few suggestions.

what: the new gorilla exhibit at the Como zoo
who will be effected: gorillas

There’s $11 million.

So now the question is, did you just misread, or are you fibbing. I have a feeling it’s the later.

Look in the new bonding bill.

$11 million for a gorilla exhibit.

$0 for any new bridges (except for a bike bridge).

By “hot” do you mean sweaty? I think she’s homely, “Planet of the Apes”-like.

Love how she shirks total DFL responsibility for balancing the budget, the onus is completely put on the Governor. I guess those 134 elected people can just sit back and wait for the Guv to figure it out for them.