Compassionate Conservatism at work in Minnesota

[dflprincess]

Minnesota, like most states, is having money problems. During the last legislative session the DFL proposed (although weakly) raising income taxes on singles earning $125,000 and couples earning $225,000+. Governor (and Bush stooge) Timmy Pawlenty along with the rest of the rethuglicans held fast to their "no new taxes" pledge and went about happily slashing the budget.

Here are some snips from today's Minneapolis Star Tribune about the results of those cuts (and to give the Strib credit, the first story started on page 1 - very hard to miss):

http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/4099835.html
<snip>
When the Legislature balanced the state budget this year, health and human services took the biggest single hit. Social service leaders say the fallout so far has been relatively invisible to the public.

Already, Minnesotans are losing child care subsidies, services for disabled children, after-school help for juvenile offenders, mental health services and other programs -- sometimes with heart-breaking consequences. Human service agencies, meanwhile, are cutting staff and services.

"Where there were reductions that had a human impact, we tried to make those as delicately as we could," said Rep. Fran Bradley, R-Rochester, who oversees the House Human Services Committee. "You never know exactly what the human impact is until it starts rolling out," he said.
(Well, duh Mr. Bradley)

http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/4099770.html

<snip 2>
Teischica Bankston is on the road to success. She weaned herself off welfare, landed a reliable job and started training to become a registered nurse.

Then she got the letter saying her copayment for subsidized child care, which pays for day care while she's working, would jump from about $75 to $250 a month.

Another letter informed Bankston that the amount the state would pay for child care while she attends school would drop from $5 to $2 an hour.

A third envelope contained the news that her premiums for MinnesotaCare, the state's subsidized health insurance program, would go up if her income goes up even modestly.

http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/4099794.html

<snip 3>
Ann Strom has a modest mission in life: She wants her 10-year-old son with Down syndrome to learn to read and write, make friends and be a functioning member of society.

But when her family's fees for disability services jumped from $175 to $525 a month -- and an estimated $1,300 a month next year -- she panicked.

"I don't think the Legislature had a clue what they were doing,' said Strom, who with her husband, Craig, is raising four boys in Plymouth.

<end snip>

Governor Timmy claims to be a close personal friend of Jesus. I wish I could be there when they finally meet. "Say Tim, you know line I threw out about 'what you do the least of my brethren you do to me?' I wasn't just a talking point."

[Deja Q]

1. The closer a politician claimed to be Jesus ALWAYS means 1 thing

They're much, much closer to Satan. :-(

Expect more budget problems in 2005 as some of Pawussy's deal to "balance" the budget included 1 time payoffs from the tobacco lawsuit.

It's only going to get worse, but by then the effects of Timshit's actions will be loud and clear. :-(

This is the world the repukes want. We just need to urge the poor to visit their rich cities and neighborhoods more often... and maybe get the rich to live in poor areas for a while too. It'd almost be funny how quickly they change their ways, except the problem is too damn serious to even be worthy of a smirk (Duhbya pun intended).

He also said that ALL Minnesotans would have to take a hit. He's a filthy liar, his rich friends aren't taking any hits of any sort that I've seen.

[dflprincess]

3. This is a horrible thing to say

but I'll say it anyway.

What may do the Repukes in is that it's not just the poor being hurt by this. The family mentioned in my first post that has the Down Syndrome child, is solidly middle class. But, they have 3 other kids and, I gather from the article, at least one is in college. Even with their income, their disabled child did qualify for state aid.

My sister-in-law has a friend who admits she was once rabidly Republican. Again, a family that is middle class. That changed several years ago when one of her kids suffered severe brain damage after an illness. She realized then that the help her family was getting was a result of programs Democrats had championed. She was active in Wellstone's last campaign and has been pushing Kucinich to anyone who will listen.

It's sad that there are so many people who think it's always going to be the other guy who needs help; never figuring out that all it takes to put you in that situation is a car accident or being bitten by a mosquito carrying encephalitis.

[XanaDUer]

4. Sad, but I think you're correct

like, when blue-collar jobs went overseas...not too much. But now white-collar jobs are flying away-BOOM! The Do-Something crew is now worried.

Very upsetting stories-made me really angry.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

2. Let's see- MN has elected Coleman, Ventura, Pawlenty

oh dear. Shit happens to the nicest folks.