How will the shutdown and its aftermath affect your vote?
Posted at 5:00 AM on July 18, 2011
by Eric Ringham
(64 Comments)
Filed under: Politics/Government
The state government shutdown, now in its 18th day, may be nearing its end, but its consequences will linger for some time to come. Today's Question: How will the shutdown and its aftermath affect your vote?
Comments (64)
What this episode teaches me is the importance of compromise, of listening to each other, of realizing that our world is made up of multiple perspectives, and we need to honor all of these and try to reach a consensus where all feel listened to. It seems Governor Dayton was willing to do this more than the Republican leadership.
I was a lifetime republican. I voted for Goldwater. I caucused for Magovern . When he selected Palin I bailed. I realized that I had very little in common with the republicans.They had moved way too far right for me. i will continue to vote DFL until the republicans start to show just a little common sense
I agree, cannabis should be legal. However, if you think Obama is a radical far left liberal socialist marxist, you're just not paying attention. Unless you believe that folks on the real left wing of the Democratic Party are only pretending to be deeply disappointed and upset with him as part of a disinformation campaign (worthy of a Glenn Beck conspiracy theory), there is no basis for saying Obama has been governing as a leftist. Maybe deep down in his heart he believes in progressive causes, but his actual policies have been quite moderate. Same goes for Dayton. But then, if your primary source of info is Faux News, the truth would seem to have a liberal bias. Wake up and smell the bullshit.
@ Steve The Delirious
Wow Steve, I didn't think you were in favor of legalizing marijuana, but you must be smoking it!
Obama a moderate? Center in the left hand column maybe if you want to call him a centrist of anything. But Govy Marky Boy Dayton? A moderate??? Wow that's some awesome weed you're smoking there dude. Can I have some? That way after I smoke it I will think that Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity are tree-hugging, bleeding heart liberals!
Our tax money is being held hostage during the shutdown. We have paid for parks and highwaysWe are losing a lot of tax revenue. In the future, I want negotiations to be open to the press so that we can know exactly what is discussed. Dayton seems very unprofessional when he answers almost every question with "it's their fault." The Republicans probably haven't acted professionally either. They should all be voted out of office.
To CF:
The "creative" attempts by the governor to negotiate and compromise to which I referred were those BEFORE the governor made the last offer, that the Republicans accepted. This last offer (which was basically what the Republicans proposed by June 30th) was not what I had in mind when I praised the governor's earlier efforts.
Please re-read the rest of what I wrote. I agree with you.
Well, Clark, mediocrity would be much better than the disaster the ridiculous right is dragging us down into, though I'd prefer to call it sufficient sustainability. And if you think my views are "far left," that just shows how out of touch you are with history and with the real lives of ordinary people. Dayton and Obama are straight-down-the-middle moderates and only seem far left by comparison with some of the right-wing nutcases now serving in the Legislature and Congress.
The GOP has really damaged itself in the past year. With what they did in WI and now in MN. It's obvious that they have moved towards representing business rather than people. The constitution say 'We the people' not 'We the business interests' right? Or has that changed?They've alienated a large swath of the population in a way that they won't be able to recover from.
The shutdown has primarily served as a personal reminder for why I voted for Tom Horner in 2010. I was not then, and am still not now, interested in voting for someone like Gov. Dayton who simply insists on pumping more revenue into a system filled with inefficiencies. Nor would I ever cast my vote for any GOP candidate claiming that deep across the board cuts are a solution consistent with Minnesota values. My vote is reserved for the leader who best explains how he or she plans to use my taxes to help deliver the results that Minnesota citizens are looking for from our state government.
Steve the clueless
Enjoy your world of mediocrity along with the other free loading far left.
By the way, airlines were deregulated under Carter not RR.
Yeah, John (posting at 2:11pm), you can indeed learn lots of stuff by going online. Some of it is even true. However, it raises a red flag for me whenever an assertion includes the phrase, "the only way to...." Sometimes there really is only one way, but usually that mindset betrays a lack of imagination.
I will vigorously campaing against any yahoo that takes a pledge that impacts how they will or will not vote while in office. I voted for them to think. If they are gving that up before they come into office... they are admitting ignorance.
I will be advocating for every company that I have a share in to: (1) require open polling of shareholders for political spending. (2) require the shareholders to approve the formula to calculate funds availble for political spending. (3) fund the top 20 most popular shareholder poltical spending ideas proportional to the votes received.
I agree with John. Most people that are in the know are getting away from the big money controlled candidates and going for the alternative parties.
I am voting for Ron Paul also even though the NEWS Media does show the REAL data.
Politics has never been about Republicans OR Democrats (or any other party for that matter). It's about me, and my family and my neighbors and the world that we live in.
this shutdown only reiterates that I want a candidate that listens as much as he/she talks, that has higher education, and that surrounds themselves with other people I respect.
I should have said "moderates of *any* party"--Independents too!!
I vote mix of R, D, and IP....looks like even more IP now. Seems like 10-20% base will grow even more
Any politician who campaigns without finger-pointing will capture my interest and very likely my vote in the next election. I want to see people who are as concerned as I am about how polarized our government has become. I'm ready to give my traditionally-Democratic vote to moderates from either party. It's time for government to do what the rest of us do every day in our marriages, families, workplaces and communities: compromise.
I live in the District represented by Alice Hausman in the House and Mary Jo McGuire in the Senate. ( Mary Jo recently replaced Senator Ellen Anderson who was appointed to head the PUC.) At Town Hall meetings that these representatives have held, I have formed the impressiion that they are thoughtful legislators who have the long-term interests of the State in mind. I don't think that they are "tax and spend" DFLers as many often brand members of that party. I think they are well aware of the budget restraints that need to be implemented, but at the same time, realize that, especially in difficult economic times, there is still need for investment for the future. I would be inclined to vote for these legislators if they chose to run in the next election. Of course, if I felt a better candidate was running, I could cast my vote for that person. Automatic votes for an incumbent (or a throw-them-all-out vote) are not responsible, rational votes!
Our State and Federal Government is so corrupt that we have no chance unless people start getting involved.
This is the first time in my life that I am making a political contribution and it is to Ron Paul.
Look at what he stands for and study it, it is the truth and the only way to go.
Please realize we do not have control: TSA, Homeland Security, the Israeli Lobby (they control most of our politicians, IAPAC), Federal Reserve (which are not Federal at all), the BIG banks (Goldman, JP Morgan, Chase, etc...); just get online and look, you will learn on your own!
Our government has stopped working because we sent people as our representatives who are not working for us.
My representives from Plymouth got elected claiming to be great leaders and full of great ideas - we have gotten nothing from them except pain and no solutions. They are working at someone's direction, but it is not the people they were elected to represent.
I certainly hope people in my District remember this in 2012.
Doesn't affect my vote much, actually. The delusional Tea Party adherents and their Republican enablers never had a chance to get my vote anyway.
I personally think Gov Dayton probably did about the best he could given what he was dealing with. I suppose he could have let a few thousand seniors and disabled die and see if the "conservatives" would change their tune at that point, but it seems pretty doubtful given the related feedback found here and elsewhere.
@ Sheryll
As for the governor, I admire that his was the only side that appeared to make creative....
Creative? Are you kidding? What's "creative" about kicking the can down the road, borrowing even MORE money, robbing the government schrools and raising taxes? What makes this worse is the GOP leadership actually fell for it. I only hope that the GOP rank-and-file have the presence of mind to realize their leaders may have suffered a brief lapse of sanity and NOT vote for this attempt at repeating a historic failure.
Only a desperate unemployed union state employee could come up with such horse hockey!
"The Democrats are trying there hardest to divide our great county..."
And the Republicans aren't doing that? Once again, accusing the other side of using the same underhanded strategies your side is using is, sad to say, an effective way of deflecting suspicion. When will people wake up and smell the bullshit?
I will continue to vote for Democrats just like I always have. It is the new highly conservative bloc of Republicans that is ultimately responsible for the government shutdown and the poor budget compromise that resulted. I hope voters in districts with Tea-Party inspired legislators will vote differently in the future. Debt is worse than taxes, and the Republicans have been financially reckless by fixating on a "No Taxes" stance.
I have issues with both parties in this compromise. If republicans still refuse additional revenue, more important services will be at risk, so they will likely not get my vote. Dayton also will not unless he pursues additional revenue, since this budget deal will put us in the same or even worse position in two years as the cost of doing business increases as it inherently will.
It has become perfectly clear that some of our legislators have " thrown their constituents under the bus" by not supporting the citizenry of their appointed districts and regions. Therefore, I look forward to actively participating in their dismisal in 2012; As they have demonstrated little representation for the various district citizenry they are supposed to be speaking and making decisions for based on the peoples values.
They did not do a very good job of cutting costs and size of government. I do not feel that I want this country to become any more divided than it all ready is. The Democrats are trying there hardest to divide our great county and spread the wealth by legislative ways instead of the old fashion American Way of Hard Work. I have been a Union member all my working life and am ashamed of how the Union people have changed in 40 years of working. There is no pride in doing a good job. Only demanding more and working less. This is not true of all Union People but sad to say it is the majority now.
Floyd,
You got a source for this statement? Voter fraud would imply a large scale action by many many thousands of people knowingly committing felonies.
I am particularly concerned about the massive voter fraud problem we have in this state
The same way any issue affects my vote; I will take it into consideration and weigh it against my interest in a given candidate.
I am assuming that the question is meant to provoke a reaction based on the frustration with the government's inability to compromise. And I find these reactions to be ironic. Most people, based on their comments, seem to be set and absolute in their support for either the democrats or the republicans, and will continue to do so no matter what. In other words, they blame the other side and are not moving off of their positions.
Wasn't this budget impasse all about the same kind of thinking?
My representative were in the minority and I will vote for them again.
I would propose that we modify the state constitution so that if we have a state shut-down, there would automatically be a continuing resolution. All budgets would remain the same. All current representatives and the Governor would be forced to stand for re-election in the fall of the same year. I'll bet if they knew they could be voted out in a couple of months, they would reach a compromise, or let the people decide.
I live in District 53. If my Republican officer holders cave in and support the current beget agreement, I will seek more appropriately conservative candidates next time. I am particularly concerned about the massive voter fraud problem we have in this state. Dayton clearly was elected as the result of a stolen election. We must pass the voter ID law, now, as part of the buget package.
I will vote for whoever makes a convincing enough case for solving the future budget problem, without using fancy accounting tricks. Whether that candidate is Democrat, Republican or Independent. That being said, and since the current crop of politicians have failed in that already, the likelihood of me voting for an incumbent is low. Any incumbent would have to make a stellar appeal to get my vote at this point. This game of political chicken, stick in the mud, and accounting party tricks has left a sour taste in my mouth that will not easily be washed away.
I am hearing many say they will not vote for incumbents. People! This is how we got where we are today! There was unprecedented turn over in the last election and many veteran law makers were voted out. We need to be very careful about "voting the bums out" because we risk getting worse bums who do not know now to govern.
The newly elected have caused this mess. They showed us they could campaign, but they forgot to take off their candidate hats after being elected and put on their governing hats. There is a huge difference and there is a skill to governing that needs to be nurtured by veteran lawmakers and the new folks need to be open to being mentored.
Four words: VOTE. THE. BUMS. OUT. I'm a state employee who was sidelined from important work for most of July for THIS? Why didn't the leaders pay attention to their own words when they acknowledged that no one would be happy with this deal? It's because it's a terrible deal! They are willing to make an awful deal that solves nothing, only so that we can replay the tape again in two years -- all in the hope that things get so much better that we'll magically have more money by then.
No one wants bloated government, no one wants waste. The governor's proposal to raise additional revenue from the wealthiest of the wealthy was not because he wanted more government for its own sake. But desperate times call for desperate measures, and these are rather desperate times. People are unemployed who were never unemployed before in their lives. People have no medical insurance who were never in the position of not having it before. Yet the Republicans think it's right to spare those who are not paying their fair share and instead take it from schools (yet again) and live on hope. Brilliant. There are no words for this kind of insanity. I divorced a guy this financially irresponsible, undisciplined, and disingenuous. Can I divorce this legislature?
As for the governor, I admire that his was the only side that appeared to make creative, genuine attempts to negotiate and compromise. I'm deeply disappointed that he capitulated to the side whose only strategy seemed to be to dig in their heels. I appreciate his concern for unemployed state workers and the public that they serve (which was his stated reason for agreeing to this deal), but how much better it would have been to hang on for a real long-term solution, and gut out the short-term pain. As it stands now, all this pain was for nothing.
I will vote for whoever holds the line on spending, holds or decreases taxes, and does not try and make Minnesota MORE of a Nanny state.
∑
DTOM
I will be voting for a governor who:
- has a vision for keeping the state great
- can clearly communicate his or her vision for keeping the state great
- has compassion for the people of Minnesota but also well understands economics and finance
- comes to office owing little or nothing to either the extreme right or the extreme left
- is a true leader
That candidate may well be Governor Dayton. As he points out, he has 3 1/2 more years to prove his worth.
Does it matter anymore? The question is better asked, will the shutdown/agreement or whatever, affect your decision to even bother to vote in the first place?
We had a GOP Gov., (T-Paw), and a DFL House. And the can got kicked, partisan split, bicker, bitch and more bickering. All the while they ignore the voters.
"Vote the bums out!", "Damn the incumbents!", we all yelled.
We now we have DFL Gov., (Marky Dayton), and a GOP House. And the can got kicked, partisan split, bicker, bitch and more bickering. All the while they ignore the voters.
"Vote the bums out!", "Damn the incumbents!", we all yelled.
Next we will get had a GOP Gov. and a DFL House. And the can gets kicked, partisan split, bicker, bitch and more bickering. All the while they ignore the voters.
"Vote the bums out!", "Damn the incumbents!", we all yelled.
Then we get a DFL Gov. and a GOP House. And the can gets kicked, partisan split, bicker, bitch and more bickering. All the while they ignore the voters.
And so on, and so on, and so on..... Until we can eliminate "winner-take-all" bi-polar political parties, adopt unicameral legislature or parliamentary system.. something! Voting won't change anything. It will just be the same pig with a different diamond ring in his nose.
Sweep them all out. I won't be voting for any Ds or Rs. Perhaps Independent Party from this point forward.
After all of the posturing of the Republicans in this process, I will most certainly vote against the Republican party in whatever way is most expedient. Their stalwart adherence to a political ideal (not raising taxes) despite the economic reality of our state is immature and disgraceful. Their refusal to compromise is infantile, damaging, and against the spirit that makes MN great. If the same behavior is exhibited at the national level, I will respond the same way in 2012 by voting against Republican ideologues.
If I ever hear a candidate for any office make a pledge that they will not raise taxes under any circumstances, I will immediately write them off as a right-wing idealogue not worthy of an elected public position.
My Representative and Senator have been in the minority during this session, and during that time have been fairly responsive to my needs as a constituent. I will vote for them again if they run. I will be giving the Governor more time before I pass judgement on if he will be getting my vote in his next election.
I will support all Democratic candidates with my vote and my contributions of money and time. This is a bad deal for schools and yet, Ms Ortman, on channel 4 news yesterday swore that education would be ok. The republicans don't want public education, jobs,etc their only concern is protecting the wealthy with no new taxes. I have a suggestion for them--move to Mexico. Nobody pays taxes there. See what life is like with a weak central government. You need to experience it.
My district is represented by reasonable people who care about the citizens they represent, they happen to be all democrats, so my votes will not change. But I may actually consider giving money to organizations that will fight the re-election of representatives like Koch and Zellers who sold the citizenry of Minnesota down the river for 7000 millionaires.
I'm voting for Pedro.
I consider myself an independent, but have not in many many years seen one republican worth voting for. I already had planned to vote against that dimwitted creep Hackbarth, that energy company shill (and pseudo-religious zealot) Jungbauer on that state leave, and still continue my crusade against that lying psycho Bachmann. Only difference in the upcoming elections is I'll be out actively campaigning for the non-incumbents.
It’s interesting to see all the comments that are posted here and other places about this. Especially those that are “I will only Democrat” and “The governor sold out.” Consider that perspective is that there is only one way of accomplishing something and that is “My way is the right way, or you can hit the highway” approach to situations. I would like you to consider this and who you would hear something like this from. “If we don’t play my way, I am going to take my toys and go home.” Over times, Democrat and Republicans in power, here in the State of Minnesota and on all levels of government around the world have tried this and we can see those results very evident today. To sides of the political spectrum, quit blaming the other side for what did or did not get done, who won or who lost. Take responsibility for what you can be responsible for and let’s move forward. The Democrats don’t have all the answers just like the Republicans don’t have all the answers. When both sides stand in the position that I/We are right, then that makes the others wrong. Consider what it’s like for you when someone tells you, “you’re wrong. “ What is your experience in that moment? What if government ran LIKE a business?
I will probably continue to vote Republican, but I'm going to really question candidates or incumbents role or view in the recent budget showdown in Minnesota because neither the Republicans or the Democrats were willing to make the tough and responsible decisions that could have balanced the budget and grown Minnesota's economy. Everyone was more concerned with getting reelected than with getting the job done right.
I'm so glad that the Republicans took over both houses and shook things up. The Democrats had to realize what it was like to be in the minority.
Just think, if the Dem's would have kept the House and Senate, and with Dayton as Gov, the Democrats would have taxes and spent so much they would have gorged themselves like Monty Python's Mr. Creosote!
Ebenezer Clark, you might find you'd ejoy life more if you'd broaden your definition of success to include more than just how much profit you extract from the economy. Instead of counting how many megabucks you rake in, try counting how many lives you improve, or how many smiles you put on other people's faces. That kind of wealth cannot be confiscated.
I will continue to vote for progressive democrats. What has changed this year is that I am donating money for the first time in my life to political campaigns. Another thing that has changed is that I am starting to register voters for the first time in my life. National and state politics are equally important to me.
It won't change my vote. I recognized the moral bankruptcy of the Gang Of Plutocrats when they nominated the extremist Bush over the relatively moderate McCain in 2000. Maybe a solid majority will now begin to realize that the ridiculous right has been winning elections lately only because it has been more effective at getting people to believe its lies than the loony left has.
The shutdown and the agreement (whatever it ends up being) won't change my future vote, I'll vote democrat, but I don't support this type of solution one bit, so I'll be looking to my representatives to explain their situation and why they voted for or against the solution and make my mind up at that time.
I don't want to see a budget made on the backs of education and borrowing against tobacco, but I also don't want to see the state workers out of work any longer.
I doubt that this shut down will affect many votes. I know in my case I will still favor fiscal discipline and financial responsibility. A trait that I felt existed more with our Republican controlled legislature than our 43% Governor. I will strongly oppose the presence of an Independent candidate, I blame them for the budget shut down. It was difficult for the Governor with only 43% of the vote to feel he had the support of the majority of the people..
Government grew again by double digits!
It's never enough is it?
DFL'ers? Is it ever enough?
Seems like a good many of our legislators have a warped senseof finance and no sense of economics. We have BOTH an income and out go problem. Trying to achieve balance means using both sides of the scale.
Borrowing money IS NOT the answer here and there are 3 sets of borrowing going on: 1) from the schools (shameful) , 2) from tobacco revenues and 3) the bonding proposal. All cost each of us now and long into the future.
I can't vote for people who don't understand basic concepts.
I wish it were as simple as saying out with all the incumbants next time. That would assume there was a better alternative waiting to take their places. People continue to run on a platform of change, yet the change does not come and we get more of the status quo. The system is completely disfunctional, and without a complete overhaul, nothing will change-regardless of who we elect.
First time Republicans control House/Senate in 36 years...And this is what they do?
The shutdown won't change my votes. I always knew Republicans weren't fit to represent what is best for our communities.
From the GOP party of; "not one penny more" and "live within our means". Comes: delaying (again) and deferring payments (again), and borrowing(again) our way to prosperity. What ever happened to cutting our way to prosperity?
Are you serious, how will this effect my vote? As long there are enough low information voters out there that vote slogan and not facts, my vote means nothing... Ask me how I really feel!
Never would vote for a democrat especially a far left radical democrat like Dayton whose primary campaign goal was to punish success with his confiscatory tax plans.
Though I do not agree with all Republican positions, they understand we have a spending problem, not a tax problem.
Those on the left simply do not understand when taxes on the wealthy fail to generate desired income, they next come after middle class to support their welfare society programs.
Minnesota is a 50/50 state so hopefully the state becomes more like Texas and less like Greece.
I never vote for republicans to being with. The lack of compromise, the hatred of people in general, and children in particular maked me want to work all the more to make sure they do not reach elected office.
That said, if any of my reps vote for this budget, balanced on the back of school children, flushing away the future in a way that can never be retrieved, I will work to make sure they also are not re-elected.
As for Governor Dayton, while I realize what he is trying to do is save the people of the state of Minnesota from more damage, his capitulation on the tax increase and again, balancing the budget at the cost of literally the future of Minnesota is so disappointing, I will not be voting for him in the future either.
I think people have buyers remorse with GOP. I don't think they realized who they really represent. They will be swept out if office in 2012.
All of the idiots who vote/speak against re-legalization/decimalization of Cannabis/Hemp/Ganja/Marijuana, the world's most useful and versatile plant, ought to be voted out of office. Brainwashed and deluded individuals like those hardly have any wits to vote let alone hold office.
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