Minnesota government shuts down

[Lumi]

Minnesota government shuts down


Minnesota?s government shut down at midnight local time Friday after six months of negotiations between Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton and the state?s Republican-controlled legislature failed to produce a budget compromise.

At a late-night capitol press conference attended by the very GOP legislators with which Dayton was sparring, the governor blamed Republicans for refusing to budge from a no-tax increase position.

?They would prefer to protect the richest handful of Minnesotans at the expense of everyone else,? Dayton said. ?Instead of taxing their friends, they would prefer very damaging cuts to healthcare, public safety, mass transit? and other state services.

 

[Duff Miver]

Message for Minnesota Teabaggers -

Be careful what you ask for, you may get it. :shrug:

 

[Skulnik]

Dayton sounds like Obama, nothing is his FAULT, Democrats SUCK ASS!!!!


JMHO


:0074

 

[Chadman]

I feel really bad for the folks who had plans to camp and visit our state parks over the holiday weekend. Thousands of people will have no place to go now. Minnesota Zoo is closed, Canterbury Park is closed, etc. I think this will impact my father in law who is a state electrical inspector. Bad news for him. At least my last summer class will continue, I was really worried about that.

I have to say, now that they've shut it down, people will realize the impact and start putting pressure on their legislators. It usually has to come to something like this before people realize what's going on. I don't expect this to be decided very soon - both sides apparently are digging in.

My two thoughts from what I've read and heard this week: I do think Dayton wanted at least in part to shut things down for political reasons. He knows this state is more blue than red and will probably get more motivated to support that side eventually. I also think the Republicans have taken the unbending stance about not raising any taxes, even for the top .037% of the population that Dayton proposed after starting at 2%, then going to 1%, then down further. Dems have agreed (from what I hear) to plenty of budget cuts, but Repubs won't budge on the combo plan to cut spending and raise taxes only on a very few - both sides giving. I do think that's a big part of Dayton's stand, and I can understand it.

 

[Lumi]

Message for Minnesota Teabaggers -

Be careful what you ask for, you may get it. :shrug:

another standard reply from you

 

[bleedingpurple]

My nursing license needed to be renewed by July 31, glad I did that early thus week, may have been forced out of work

 

[Mags]

I feel really bad for the folks who had plans to camp and visit our state parks over the holiday weekend. Thousands of people will have no place to go now. Minnesota Zoo is closed, Canterbury Park is closed, etc. I think this will impact my father in law who is a state electrical inspector. Bad news for him. At least my last summer class will continue, I was really worried about that.

I have to say, now that they've shut it down, people will realize the impact and start putting pressure on their legislators. It usually has to come to something like this before people realize what's going on. I don't expect this to be decided very soon - both sides apparently are digging in.

My two thoughts from what I've read and heard this week: I do think Dayton wanted at least in part to shut things down for political reasons. He knows this state is more blue than red and will probably get more motivated to support that side eventually. I also think the Republicans have taken the unbending stance about not raising any taxes, even for the top .037% of the population that Dayton proposed after starting at 2%, then going to 1%, then down further. Dems have agreed (from what I hear) to plenty of budget cuts, but Repubs won't budge on the combo plan to cut spending and raise taxes only on a very few - both sides giving. I do think that's a big part of Dayton's stand, and I can understand it.

Chad - when the government shuts down, and folks don't get paid (presumably), does the union still get its cut?

The positive in this is, it could shut down the unions if they get starved of their lifeblood - cash - which will make budjet cuts much easier, as no more feeding the dragon anymore.

Unions add nothing to the quality of services provided to the customer - they just add unnessary cost to the process and raise tax rates.

Thank God we have Walker and a balanced budget. You won't see our parks closing down - but, admittedly, WI is much better business climate, with people in government that really understand how small business works, along with eliminating waste.

AND we have the Packers, not the Vikings!

Have a good weekend Chad.

 

[Trench]

Unions add nothing to the quality of services provided to the customer - they just add unnessary cost to the process and raise tax rates.

More BS, Mags. Unions add to the quality of services provided to customers by fighting for safe and fair working conditions and living wages for middle-class workers and in doing so, improve both the quality of the service provided by those workers and the quality of life of those middle-class workers. It's too bad a guy like you can't be sent back in time a hundred years to work in a sweatshop with no workers rights whatsoever or be sent over to Shenzhen, China right now to work under similar conditions. You'd be singing a different tune about unions within days, probably hours.

If you believe Mags' spin, little Mary McGuire, the local 3rd grade teacher, is extorting you with her outrageous $40K salary, but corporate welfare for billionaire tycoons like the Koch Bros. is what keeps our economy churning. Seriously Mags, you need a reality check. I'd love to see a spoiled frat boy like you spend a week working an assembly line in iPod City (six 12-hour days on your feet with no breaks or social interaction with your co-workers, for 72 cents an hour). You'd never bash a union again as long as you live. I guarantee it.

 

[Mags]

More BS, Mags. Unions add to the quality of services provided to customers by fighting for safe and fair working conditions and living wages for middle-class workers and in doing so, improve both the quality of the service provided by those workers and the quality of life of those middle-class workers. It's too bad a guy like you can't be sent back in time a hundred years to work in a sweatshop with no workers rights whatsoever or be sent over to Shenzhen, China right now to work under similar conditions. You'd be singing a different tune about unions within days, probably hours.

If you believe Mags' spin, little Mary McGuire, the local 3rd grade teacher, is extorting you with her outrageous $40K salary, but corporate welfare for billionaire tycoons like the Koch Bros. is what keeps our economy churning. Seriously Mags, you need a reality check. I'd love to see a spoiled frat boy like you spend a week working an assembly line in iPod City (six 12-hour days on your feet with no breaks or social interaction with your co-workers, for 72 cents an hour). You'd never bash a union again as long as you live. I guarantee it.

Trench - you are quoting things that help the worker, but my point still stands (and you didn't refute it) - these unnecesary additional costs the uniion adds to the cost of the product do nothing for the customer - a better prodcut does not result, and it ends up costing more due to union involvement.

And, no, I'm not a spoiled frat boy - not that there is anything wrong with fraternities....

 

[Trench]

Trench - you are quoting things that help the worker, but my point still stands (and you didn't refute it) - these unnecesary additional costs the uniion adds to the cost of the product do nothing for the customer - a better prodcut does not result, and it ends up costing more due to union involvement.

And, no, I'm not a spoiled frat boy - not that there is anything wrong with fraternities....

Yes, I did refute it, Mags.

Employees working in a safe, healthy and fair work environment, making a living wage with basic benefits will produce a better product or service than those who don't, every time.

If unions help employees secure those things in some sectors, more power to them. But guys like you would rather not be bothered with pesky little things like workers rights and benefits so you can save a dollar on that ink cartridge at Wal-Mart. :0074

 

[Chadman]

Chad - when the government shuts down, and folks don't get paid (presumably), does the union still get its cut?

The positive in this is, it could shut down the unions if they get starved of their lifeblood - cash - which will make budjet cuts much easier, as no more feeding the dragon anymore.

Unions add nothing to the quality of services provided to the customer - they just add unnessary cost to the process and raise tax rates.

Thank God we have Walker and a balanced budget. You won't see our parks closing down - but, admittedly, WI is much better business climate, with people in government that really understand how small business works, along with eliminating waste.

AND we have the Packers, not the Vikings!

Have a good weekend Chad.

I'll give you what I know about this shutdown. It has nothing to do with unions, it has to do with how to attack the budget deficit from different political perspectives. The republicans are more concerned with protecting the top .037% of incomes in the state at the expense of everything else. 7,700 people protected while everything else shuts down. Nothing more, nothing less. The governor wants a tax increase on these 7,700 people - whose tax returns show next to none of these people employing anyone - just straight income at the highest levels of anyone in the state. Along with this increase - which he agreed to drop from the top 2%, then to top 1%, then to this extreme low number - he proposed cutting 2.1 Billion from the budget - and that's 2.1 Billion from Pawlenty's budget, yes, more cuts than Pawlenty wanted during a budget shortfall on his watch. So, a multi-faceted democratic plan to attack the deficit, but the republicans won't budge in protecting their 7,700 people.

So, your commentary on unions and what will happen really has no basis in reality, or fact. The issue here is not about unions - as much as you fantasize that it could be.

I'm proud that our Governor stood tall against the wildfire union attacks and vetoed many of the efforts undertaken by outside the state interests - much like the ones that funded your governor and his power grab. Our parks may shut down for a week or so, but I'm proud to think that our students probably will come out a lot stronger than yours will after attacking the #2 performing education system in the country. I'm guessing you won't be at #2 for long, once those teacher rewards keep getting whittled away... and teachers look elsewhere to educate.

 

[Mags]

I'll give you what I know about this shutdown. It has nothing to do with unions, it has to do with how to attack the budget deficit from different political perspectives. The republicans are more concerned with protecting the top .037% of incomes in the state at the expense of everything else. 7,700 people protected while everything else shuts down. Nothing more, nothing less. The governor wants a tax increase on these 7,700 people - whose tax returns show next to none of these people employing anyone - just straight income at the highest levels of anyone in the state. Along with this increase - which he agreed to drop from the top 2%, then to top 1%, then to this extreme low number - he proposed cutting 2.1 Billion from the budget - and that's 2.1 Billion from Pawlenty's budget, yes, more cuts than Pawlenty wanted during a budget shortfall on his watch. So, a multi-faceted democratic plan to attack the deficit, but the republicans won't budge in protecting their 7,700 people.

So, your commentary on unions and what will happen really has no basis in reality, or fact. The issue here is not about unions - as much as you fantasize that it could be.

I'm proud that our Governor stood tall against the wildfire union attacks and vetoed many of the efforts undertaken by outside the state interests - much like the ones that funded your governor and his power grab. Our parks may shut down for a week or so, but I'm proud to think that our students probably will come out a lot stronger than yours will after attacking the #2 performing education system in the country. I'm guessing you won't be at #2 for long, once those teacher rewards keep getting whittled away... and teachers look elsewhere to educate.

Well, Chad, I'm not too concerned about the state of our education system in WI.

MPS will continue to be one of the worst in the nation with less money. The rest of the state will continue to be good.

Too much is made of the teachers. Frankly, the quality of student plays a large role in the effectiveness of teachers. WI overall has committed kids that do well. MPS does not, which is why they do so poorly (heck, 40% are not even in school on a given day).

Getting public workers benefits in line with private sector employees is fair and right. The benefit programs are outrageous in the public sector. Much of this was hidden and not well known by the general public.

The best part of the whole budget debate is tranparency - people finally see the outrageous benefits, etc that the Dems have been giving the public unions and are pretty fed up with it - especially when they compare those benefits to what they are getting themselves in the private sector.

And the union ain't happy about this getting out - it will be much more difficult to pull the wool over the taxpayers eyes in the future. And that again is a good thing.

 

[Duff Miver]

. Much of this was hidden and not well known by the general public.

The best part of the whole budget debate is tranparency - people finally see

Duh, Maggot. State/Union contracts are in the public domain, available to any and every citizen to see, read and copy.

You're dumb as a doggie.

 

[Trampled Underfoot]

You're dumb as a doggie.

That is a low blow.

 

[The Sponge]

Duh, Maggot. State/Union contracts are in the public domain, available to any and every citizen to see, read and copy.

You're dumb as a doggie.

I remember one time my father had an insurance agent over. Same ole bullshit. Unions are killing the country. Big Fox News watcher. Its the people on Welfare. I said to my dad "why in the world would u trust this nitwit with ur money"? Never saw the guy back. They are all the same. Must be one of the courses they take at Liberty College.

 

[Mags]

Duh, Maggot. State/Union contracts are in the public domain, available to any and every citizen to see, read and copy.

You're dumb as a doggie.

Duff, you are as a dumb as a union thug. Probably are one.

How many people go look at those contracts? Exactly - nobody does.

But once the outrageous salaries and benefits show up in the paper, people know and understand what a joke it is.

Even someone at your level should be able to comprehend that.

 

[Duff Miver]

How many people go look at those contracts? Exactly - nobody does.

So, Maggot, whose fault is it that you right-wing freaks are too stupid to know anything? Mine?

Sorry, I don't even know your mother.

:mj07: :mj07: :mj07: :mj07: :mj07:

 

[Chadman]

Well, Chad, I'm not too concerned about the state of our education system in WI.

MPS will continue to be one of the worst in the nation with less money. The rest of the state will continue to be good.

Too much is made of the teachers. Frankly, the quality of student plays a large role in the effectiveness of teachers. WI overall has committed kids that do well. MPS does not, which is why they do so poorly (heck, 40% are not even in school on a given day).

Getting public workers benefits in line with private sector employees is fair and right. The benefit programs are outrageous in the public sector. Much of this was hidden and not well known by the general public.

The best part of the whole budget debate is tranparency - people finally see the outrageous benefits, etc that the Dems have been giving the public unions and are pretty fed up with it - especially when they compare those benefits to what they are getting themselves in the private sector.

And the union ain't happy about this getting out - it will be much more difficult to pull the wool over the taxpayers eyes in the future. And that again is a good thing.

Mags, you don't have to convince me you're not that concerned about the state of education in Wisconsin. I think I understand exactly what your position is on that - it's far more about you than education - I get it.

I'm not sure if you're talking about Minnesota or Wisconsin when you're talking about the budget debate and transparency. And the union worried about something getting out. It's not an issue in Minnesota. It's mostly about republicans protecting 7,700 millionaires - almost all of which do not provide any jobs for the state. At the expense of virtually everyone else in the state.

 

[Trench]

I'm proud to think that our students probably will come out a lot stronger than yours will after attacking the #2 performing education system in the country. I'm guessing you won't be at #2 for long, once those teacher rewards keep getting whittled away... and teachers look elsewhere to educate.

I'm really not surprised to read that Mags isn't concerned about the quality of education in Wisconsin. I think we've known that since he began super-cheering for Gov. Gumby and demonizing middle-class teachers. If Act 10 stands, I wouldn't be surprised if Wisconsin drops out of the top 10 performing states within a decade. But Mags will just blame it all on Milwaukee (MPS), just as he does now.