Pawlenty for President
2012, gop, Nation, POTUS, Tim Pawlenty 8:00 AM
by Nick Stone of Drawnlines Politics.
Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty has been lauded as a “blue state governor with red state characteristics.” That characterization may not be charitable enough to describe the man who – almost singlehandedly – turned Minnesota around. Minnesotans decided they’d had enough of tax and spend state government and took a chance on a change of direction. That’s what they got from the man affectionately known as “T-Paw”.
When Tim Pawlenty took over as governor in 2003, his predecessor had failed to tackle skyrocketing taxes and ever-increasing spending. Jesse Ventura couldn’t do in St. Paul what he did in the ring. Minnesota had seen years of 20% increases in average spending. The Democratic legislature and a series of liberal governors from both parties had been helpless to control runaway government. The tax-and-spend culture resulted in ever-higher spending sprees at the expense of taxpayers, budget solvency, and indeed the welfare of the people. Despite huge tax hikes, they left the incoming governor with a 17% budget deficit ($4.6 billion). Pawlenty ended the open bar mentality, changed the culture in St. Paul, and eventually closed the budget gap.
T-Paw is a proven leader. He was able to use confrontation to achieve what collaboration could not. After what he described as “World War III” with teachers unions, Pawlenty made Minnesota the first state to offer performance pay for teachers (Washington Post). When the Democratic legislature failed to close a $2.7 billion budget shortfall, he singlehandedly vetoed or “unallotted” the difference. He drastically bent down the state spending curve and reduced budget growth from an average of 21% to a mere 2%. By his final year, he reduced real spending for the first time in 150 years. Pawlenty’s government balanced the state budget and left the incoming government with money in the bank. Indeed the conservative Cato Institute gives Pawlenty an “A” for his conservative fiscal policy, one of only four governors to receive such high marks.
Governor Pawlenty also ushered in a renaissance for the state Republican Party. He offered voters a clear choice between the same old tax-and-spend policies embraced by both Republicans and DFL’ers before him, or a new path of responsibility and growth. The results: He ended his term with long coattails. Pawlenty left his Party in control of the legislature for the first time in decades, and campaigned to close a wide gap and nearly win the Governor’s Mansion for a Republican successor.
Mr. Pawlenty has the ability to articulate conservative ideology in a way that resonates with lunch bucket crowd working those strong back jobs that make America great. His knows how to bring people together to solve problems, how to stand up to fierce opposition to get a job done, and he knows the difference. His likeable charm, family spirit and faith in America are reminiscent of our nation’s 40th president.
Tim Pawlenty would fundamentally change the culture in Washington. If we have had enough of runaway government and open bar mentality, we might decide to take a chance on proven results in 2012. Pawlenty is a conscientious and inspiring leader, a tested and true conservative. He would be the game changer America so desperately needs.
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Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty has been lauded as a “blue state governor with red state characteristics.” That characterization may not be charitable enough to describe the man who – almost singlehandedly – turned Minnesota around. Minnesotans decided they’d had enough of tax and spend state government and took a chance on a change of direction. That’s what they got from the man affectionately known as “T-Paw”.
When Tim Pawlenty took over as governor in 2003, his predecessor had failed to tackle skyrocketing taxes and ever-increasing spending. Jesse Ventura couldn’t do in St. Paul what he did in the ring. Minnesota had seen years of 20% increases in average spending. The Democratic legislature and a series of liberal governors from both parties had been helpless to control runaway government. The tax-and-spend culture resulted in ever-higher spending sprees at the expense of taxpayers, budget solvency, and indeed the welfare of the people. Despite huge tax hikes, they left the incoming governor with a 17% budget deficit ($4.6 billion). Pawlenty ended the open bar mentality, changed the culture in St. Paul, and eventually closed the budget gap.
T-Paw is a proven leader. He was able to use confrontation to achieve what collaboration could not. After what he described as “World War III” with teachers unions, Pawlenty made Minnesota the first state to offer performance pay for teachers (Washington Post). When the Democratic legislature failed to close a $2.7 billion budget shortfall, he singlehandedly vetoed or “unallotted” the difference. He drastically bent down the state spending curve and reduced budget growth from an average of 21% to a mere 2%. By his final year, he reduced real spending for the first time in 150 years. Pawlenty’s government balanced the state budget and left the incoming government with money in the bank. Indeed the conservative Cato Institute gives Pawlenty an “A” for his conservative fiscal policy, one of only four governors to receive such high marks.
Governor Pawlenty also ushered in a renaissance for the state Republican Party. He offered voters a clear choice between the same old tax-and-spend policies embraced by both Republicans and DFL’ers before him, or a new path of responsibility and growth. The results: He ended his term with long coattails. Pawlenty left his Party in control of the legislature for the first time in decades, and campaigned to close a wide gap and nearly win the Governor’s Mansion for a Republican successor.
Mr. Pawlenty has the ability to articulate conservative ideology in a way that resonates with lunch bucket crowd working those strong back jobs that make America great. His knows how to bring people together to solve problems, how to stand up to fierce opposition to get a job done, and he knows the difference. His likeable charm, family spirit and faith in America are reminiscent of our nation’s 40th president.
Tim Pawlenty would fundamentally change the culture in Washington. If we have had enough of runaway government and open bar mentality, we might decide to take a chance on proven results in 2012. Pawlenty is a conscientious and inspiring leader, a tested and true conservative. He would be the game changer America so desperately needs.
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Posted by Nick Stone
on 8:00 AM.
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Oh good. So he can continue the policies of making you a second class citizen. Really great choice. You're truly delusional.