Tim Pawlenty, just another garden-variety Republican a**hole

[marmar]

from MoJo:



Pawlenty Ready to Back Gov't Shutdown Over Debt Ceiling

— By Suzy Khimm
| Mon Jan. 24, 2011 9:27 AM PST


Tim Pawlenty—who has all but announced his 2012 bid for the GOP presidential nomination—has come out against raising the federal debt ceiling, and he's even willing to shut down the federal government over the issue.

In a Washington Post op-ed on Friday, the former Minnesota governor argues that Congress should refuse to act when US borrowing approaches the statutory cap later this year. Conservative Republicans have already threatened a standoff with the Obama administration over the debt ceiling, vowing to force America to default on its debts if Democrats don't deliver the spending cuts the GOP wants. But even if the federal government were to shut down in the wake of a debt limit fight, the conflict could help the country in the long run, Pawlenty claims. A 2002 shutdown in Minnesota when Pawlenty was governor "changed the state's spending pattern dramatically," he writes.

Pawlenty also defended the utility of a federal government shutdown during a January 12 radio spot with the American Family Association's Bryan Fischer. Though Pawlenty was criticized for defending Don't Ask Don't Tell in the interview with Fischer, he also emphasized that he was a fiscal right-winger as much as a social conservative:

FISCHER: You had a government shutdown over a budget battle back in 2002. What lessons would you want to pass on to fiscal conservatives today if that were to happen today in DC?

PAWLENTY: Well, two things. One is that you can't be reckless about it. But we had a partial government shutdown in Minnesota and the world didn't come to an end. And so you don’t want to have that be your goal. But sometimes, Bryan, when it's appropriate and you're standing on the right principles, there needs to be strong conviction and sometimes a showdown.

Though Pawlenty has stopped short of calling for a full-scale revolt, his hard line could encourage Congressional Republicans intent on drawing Democrats into a game of chicken as the debt ceiling fight draws nearer.


http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/01/pawlenty-government-shutdown-debt-ceiling

[FiveGoodMen]

1. Yes he is!

He spent 8 years helping to ruin my state.

[glinda]

2. And cutting money for Bridge inspections and repairs. Guilty as charged.

[FiveGoodMen]

4. He never even got the proper blame for that one!

A report was eventually issued stating that the metal plates that failed were too thin and therefore the failure was due to bad design.

BUT: That hardly exonerates anyone involved for the fact that the plates were known to be bending. Four years before the collapse, inspectors took photos of the severely bent plates and -- having no specific instructions on what to do about it -- chose to do nothing!

Heads should have rolled.

[glinda]

5. Wanna know a secret? A big one?.....

My mother witnessed that they built the new bridge right on top of the old one perhaps using some of the original metal plates from the old bridge. I asked her twice to clarify this to me and she was adamant in that part remained as they built the new one. Now don't you suppose that would be the reason that the metal was different and also of different composition?
Why would my mother watch the building? Because our business and home was taken by eminent domain and before you get on the bridge, you go through my old bedroom. She would go and watch them build it because they took everything from us.
I have written a few authorities about this but no one gives a shit. Too busy covering up?

[FiveGoodMen]

9. Wow!

Did you get any kind of fair price for the property?

[fishwax]

3. he came off as a clueless idiot on The Daily Show

As DUer underpants (I believe it was) put it, "He looked like a haircut."

[glinda]

6. He is evil. I am not kidding.

[Initech]

7. I'm getting so sick of this fight over the debt. The solution is so fucking simple!!!

TAX RICH PEOPLE! TAX RICH PEOPLE! TAX RICH PEOPLE! TAX RICH PEOPLE!

[gratuitous]

8. No big deal for Tim if your savings bonds are worthless

Besides, Minnesota's shutting down didn't end the world (unless you were luckless enough to be on the I-35 bridge, but let's not talk about that), so why not give it a try?