Governor Dayton Government Shutdown

(reprinted with permission from author Paul Pekarek)

Governor Dayton and the media have made much noise about the Government Shutdown. But what are the facts?

Ready to hear about how the Governor Dayton Government Shutdown came to be?

1. Legislature made a balanced budget. Governor Dayton won’t sign it – in other words, in simple terms: Dayton refused.
2. Earlier on, Dayton offered a budget. It was late. His fellow DFL Legislators failed to even introduce Dayton’s Budget Plan to the Legislature. How can this possibly have happened? Is the governor even trying to make a budget? No. Dayton refused.
3. Republican Legislators gave Governor Dayton 9 budget bills & a tax bill. Dayton vetoed all 10. In other words, Dayton refused.
4. Republican Legislators funded K-12 at Dayton’s levels. Dayton refused.
5. Republican Legislators funded Public Safety at Dayton’s levels. Dayton refused.
6. Republican Legislators removed tax reforms. Dayton refused.
7. Republican Legislators asked for a mere outline of Dayton’s extra $1.8 billion in tax & spend ideas. Dayton gave not even an outline, more-less a plan – So … again we see, Dayton refused.
8. Republican Legislators passed a $34B budget (14% over our prior $30B budget). Despite false claims of “Republican Budget Cuts”, this record budget increased funding for schools, hospitals, and a host of other state activities. Indeed, this record spending shows how Republicans tried so hard to avoid a shutdown, that they actually compromised, no abandoned, their goal of cutting government. Yet, $34 Billion is not big enough for Dayton; the 14% increase in government isn’t big enough for Dayton – Dayton refused to accept all this liberal big-government panacea. Again, we see -- Dayton refused.
9. Republican Legislators compromised, offering to keep MN the nation’s 5th-largest tax burden, per Dayton’s wishes, by eliminating Republican tax reforms & tax reductions. The reforms & reductions would have benefitted all taxpayers. Republicans offered all these taxes to Dayton, instead of to taxpayers, hoping to compromise to avoid a government shutdown. Again, we see -- Dayton refused.
10. Republican Legislators compromised their 2 Nov 2010 election sweep from voters wanting smaller government, by compromising, giving Dayton his preferred huge budget and increased regulations. Even at this supreme Republican sacrifice, for the cause of compromise; again, we see -- Dayton refused.
11. Governor Dayton intentionally shut down the government, and keeps it shut down. First, Republicans were waiting in chambers for Dayton to call them back into session, even at the 11^th hour. Dayton failed to avert this Governor Dayton Government Shutdown even at 10pm on the eve of the shutdown – even two hours before the Governor Dayton Government Shutdown would occur, again, we see, Dayton refused. But that’s not the end of this number eleven. Governor Dayton continues to refuse. Now news outlets are printing endless examples about how the Governor Dayton Government Shutdown is hurting Minnesotans. And still, even with all the media coverage of the Governor Dayton Government Shutdown – again, we see: Governor Dayton refused.
12. Dayton won’t compromise his extra 6%; he won’t give any counter-offer. He demands Republicans compromise on each & every principle, while he insists he not compromise on a single thing. Only in socialist ‘doublespeak’ can that be called “Compromise”. Governor Dayton has behaved as an intransigent ideologue – Republican Legislators compromised on almost every point – even entirely abandoning many points. Again, we see, … Governor Dayton refused.

Regards,

- Paul

Paul Pekarek, Major, USAF (Retired)

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