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Minnesota Capitol 2012 Wall of Shame
by Mark Jenkins, Chair
In the Fall, our elected officials will travel the roadways and airwaves of Minnesota to tell us about all of the good things that they accomplished durring this legislative session. They will campaign as though this session was one big win for their party and their candidacy. They hope that Minnesotans don't pay attention to, or at least don't remember, the times that they or their party fell short of the public's expectations. I will not put every shortoming on this page. We don't have enough room. I will only post the highlights of our State's political lowlights.
January 24, 2012 - Republicans increase unemployment and partisan rancor at the State Capitol
The Senate Rules and Administration Committee voted 7-4 (straight party line vote) to cut the chamber's budget by 5% (admirable). These cuts include $385,000 in nonpartisan Senate staff, $444,000 in DFL Senate staff and ZERO cuts in GOP Senate staff. Democrats contend that these cuts could reduce DFL Senate staff by as many as 14 people. If this is the case, then nonpartisan staff could be cut by as many as 12 people. In less than a day, the Republican Senate leadership has put up to 26 people out of work and has shown the public that the Republican leadership is Pope in the "mother church of state government".
Bright spot for the day - Senator John Howe (R - Red Wing) is trying to form a "bipartisan caucus".
Updated January 25, 2012
