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We've done it again. Minnesota, long regarded as a lone beacon of sanity in the craziness that poses as politics, has created a new governing concept with the adjournment of the 2009 Legislature. Political scientists are still studying this new and stunningly imaginative approach to governing, but it appears a certainty that our elected state officials have found a way to be at the State Capitol almost every day since the first week in January and adjourn the session without getting anything done.
Unbelievable as it may appear, it looks like we've invented the first in the nation "No Fault Legislative Session." Examine the empty echoing blather coming from the DFL-led House and Senate and the Republican governor: Listen closely and you'll discover that nobody is responsible for anything.
The halt, lame and infirm are going to lose their state funding, but the legislators say that's the governor's fault because he vetoed the bill. The governor says, "Right back at you." The DFL wanted to hike state taxes and fees so high that even Bill Gates would have to apply to his own foundation for a grant if he ever wanted to live in Minnesota.
What's more, this no fault approach to governing will add to the state's luster by raising our governor's public profile as a highly favored potential Republican presidential candidate in 2012. They'll say: "He solved a deficit of almost $5 billion and never let the spenders raise a dollar in taxes. It will sound good until some crank notes that Minnesota college students will be paying among the highest tuition in the country for their public education.
Imagine the possibilities "No Fault" will make available to Pawlenty for campaign slogans: "Vote for Tim, he took the white canes away from the blind without raising a dime of state tax dollars." Or, how about "Fewer kids died in our hospitals under Pawlenty." Of course, you run the risk that somebody might point out that those poor kids died at home because of the governor's unallotment of funding for hospitals.
The future for "No Fault Government" seems limitless. Whatever the issue—gay marriage, huge deficits, war, peace, pollution—the common political war cry need only be: "It was their fault, not ours." Regardless of party, every candidate can use the same lawn signs, only having to add a name. "Hey, I am a less fault than the other guy. Vote for me!"