n an echo of the national budget fight, [Governor]Dayton wanted to raise taxes on the wealthiest 2 percent of Minnesotans. Republicans wanted to close the gap with spending cuts and accounting shifts.
"I cannot accept a Minnesota where people with disabilities lose part of the time they are cared for by personal-care attendants so that millionaires don't have to pay $1 more in taxes," Dayton said at 10 p.m. Thursday when it became clear that a deal would not be reached. Supposing we allow the rich to contribute up to two dollars a year. Would that make you happy? Suppose we tax rich politicians at 75% before taxing anyone else...
Republicans called on the governor to convene a special session so that a stopgap measure could be passed and a shutdown avoided. He refused. Me? I'm not going to work an extra hour to keep 20,000 people working and the State Parks open. I've done my part! It's Bush's fault!
"We have been working tirelessly to meet Gov. Dayton's funding requests that, in many cases, we matched 100 percent of the way," state Senate President Amy Koch (R) said in a statement Thursday night. "Unfortunately, Gov. Dayton has chosen to prioritize his rigid, tax-and-spend ideology, rather than prioritize the best interests of Minnesotans as we move into the holiday weekend." Some of that on both sides - ideology over pragmatism...
Negotiators came close to an agreement, with Democrats proposing $35.8 billion in spending over the next two years and Republicans asking for $34 billion. But the budget for health and human services, which constitutes about a third of state spending, proved a sticking point.
Republicans offered a deal that included layoffs of some state workers and teachers along with some unrelated measures they have been unable to pass, including a voter ID law and abortion restrictions. Maybe that's what queered the deal.
State parks will not open on what is normally the busy July 4 weekend, and the state's Department of Natural Resources has estimated tourism losses of $12 million for each week the government is closed.
"It's awful," said Lori Peterson, a visitor from Illinois. Her family is headed to Minnesota for an annual fishing trip without the necessary -- and now unobtainable -- fishing licenses. "We're talking about going to Canada next year." I've already used the 'Shattered Nation Longs to Care About Stupid Bull$shit" graphic, Lori. Do we still have a femto-violin? Besides, who is going to arrest you for catching fish without a license, you moron?
Posted by: Bobby ||
07/02/2011 08:12 ||
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"including a voter ID law and abortion restrictions.
MaybeDefinitely that's what queered the deal."
FTFY.
Posted by: Barbara ||
07/02/2011 11:41 Comments ||
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The Parks and the DMV are always, always the hardest hit.
Posted by: S ||
07/02/2011 14:29 Comments ||
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Dayton (D- Brave Sir Robin) will back down. He barely won the primary and barely won the General. He's also a p*ssy
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/02/2011 15:00 Comments ||
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Some of that on both sides - ideology over pragmatism... Agreed. I for one am getting more than a little bit sick of the "my way or no way" clowns on both sides of the aisle. All states have problems with their budgets. Some of it because of the recession the other self inflicted (OK legistrature inflicted). And yet when some one offers real solutions they are shouted down by the true believers right and left. What's going to need to be done is budget cuts along with some form of revenue reform. Personally instead of raising taxes I would just as soon see some form of flat tax system that allows no, zero, nadda deductions.
On a conference call just now with reporters, Senator Chuck Schumer made the most aggressive case weve heard yet along these lines, leaving little doubt that Dems are locking in behind this message as the deficit talks hit crunch time and as the 2012 campaign looms.
Do they simply want the economy to go down the drain to further their political gain? Schumer asked. They seem to be against anything that may create jobs, because they view a weak economy as key to their political chances in 2012. Its an uncomfortable question, to be sure, Schumer continued. Are they trying to undermine the economy on purpose, for political gain?
Pressed by a reporter on whether he really believes the GOP wants to destroy the economy on purpose, Schumer went further than ever before and took this out of the realm of the hypothetical. Its a thought you dont want to believe, Schumer said, but every day they keep giving us more and more evidence that theres no choice but to answer Yes.
Posted by: Bobby ||
07/02/2011 08:04 ||
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Do they simply want the economy to go down the drain to further their political gain?
(KUNA) -- Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has hinted to the White House that he could leave his job next fall, US media reported late on Thursday.
First reported by Bloomberg News, White House officials said on condition of anonymity that Geithner told President Barack B.O. Obama that he is considering leaving his post when the White House reaches an agreement with Congress on raising the federal debt limit and if the US economic conditions are stronger.
The speculation about his future started when Geithner said in a speech in Chicago at the Clinton Global Initiative "I live for this work" and added "it is the only thing I have ever done. I believe in it. We have a lot of challenges as a country. I am going to be doing it for the foreseeable future".
The Treasury Secretary affirmed that the US risks of defaulting on its obligations if Congress failed to raise the USD 14.3 trillion federal debts ceiling by August 2, but negotiations between the administration and Congress have reached a stalemate in the past few weeks.
Geithner reportedly wants to leave his job for personal reasons since his family is moving to New York next fall and his son is finishing his final year of high school. He plans to commute between New York and Washington next fall unless conditions allow him to leave his post.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/02/2011 00:00 ||
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With any luck, he will be definitely out of his job as of January 2013.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia ||
07/02/2011 0:19 Comments ||
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Geithner reportedly wants to leave his job for personal reasons
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Yes of course, the 'stock'... more time with the family response.
The jig is up. The Chinese Communists are dumping American bonds. Geithner's job is finished, he'll soon be returning to his first love and the real money, the Kissenger Foundation.
Henry Kissinger made headlines on January 5, 2009 by proclaiming Barack Obama to be the architect of a New World Order. He told CNBC that His task will be to develop an overall strategy for America in this period when, really, a new world order can be created. Its a great opportunity (at least for Kissenger and Assoc), it isnt just a crisis. But even more important than this eye-opening statement was where Kissinger made it¯the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
The 2008 annual report of the U.S.-China Security and Economic Review Commission found that, Since China joined the WTO [World Trade Organization] in 2001, the United States has accumulated a $1.16-trillion goods deficit with China and, as a result of the persistent trade imbalance, by August 2008 China had accumulated nearly $2 trillion in foreign currency reserves. Chinas trade relationship with the United States continues to be severely unbalanced.
Thank you Henry and Tim. BTW, we have Messrs Chan, Peterson, Yuan, and Lady de Rothschild awaiting you in the VTC suite to discuss Asia Pacific Philanthropy Consortium issues, please don't keep them waiting.
#5
wellll a job as Turbo Tax Spokesman is out, perhaps H&R Block?
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/02/2011 15:01 Comments ||
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My crystal ball says his replacement will be... hold on I need to concentrate;
K, r, u, g, m, a.. sorry can't read the rest, too blurred, so no idea who it's to be.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
On a conference call just now with reporters, Senator Chuck Schumer made the most aggressive case weve heard yet along these lines, leaving little doubt that Dems are locking in behind this message as the deficit talks hit crunch time and as the 2012 campaign looms.
