Tim Pawlenty is, Sadly, Done

It pains me to write this about a man whose election I contributed time and money to just a few years ago, but Tim Pawlenty's political future is finished. He was elected on the simple premise that, in the fourth-highest taxed state in the country, there was no need for tax increases; and the simple promise not to raise them.

By going back on his word on this issue (and others; failing to address our roads problem, embracing rail, trying to expand gambling, stadium talk), he has demonstrated a politically fatal lack of spine. His reversal is analogous to Ronald Reagan deciding after his first term that the Soviets were okay after all, or George W. Bush deciding Iraq was better off under Saddam. We elect leaders to lead, not to turn tail and reverse course when liberal elite opinion turns against them.

Do we really need more government and higher taxes in Minnesota? As the Taxpayer's League has pointed out, sales tax revenue is up, income tax revenue is up, even corporate tax revenue is substantially higher than last year. Yet Pawlenty caved in to the worst elements of the liberals and passed a huge tax increase. Further, as the Taxpayer's League points out in this PDF, 20 years ago the four largest employers in the state of Minnesota were Honeywell, 3M, General Mills and Pillsbury (private companies all); today, three of the four largest employers -- the state of Minnesota, the federal government, and the University of Minnesota -- are government entities.

By his failure both of will and of common sense, Governor Pawlenty has wrecked his own dreams of higher office. It's a shame.

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- posted by Tom Pick @ 6:04 AM