Tim Pawlenty is said to be the Romney campaign's latest flavor of the month for its vice presidential selection. And Wednesday on The Ed Show, Ed explained why Romney and the former Minnesota governor might indeed be a dream ticket—for the Obama campaign.
Schultz took us back to 2007, when the I-35W Mississippi River Bridge in Minneapolis collapsed thanks to structural problems, killing 13. The accident came after Pawlenty, then the governor, had gutted transportation funding, and had refused to fund inspections which could have prevented accidents like the collapse.
That's not all. By the end of his term, Pawlenty had left 9 percent of Minnesotans without health insurance, and had added just 6,200 jobs in eight years, despite a booming national economy. And he stuck the state with a record $5 billion budget deficit.
Mike Hatch, a Democratic former Minnesota Attorney General joined Ed to talk about Pawlenty's lackluster record.
"If fiscal repsonsibilty is a key component of the selection, the governor fails in that regard," said Hatch. "I don't think leaving the state with a $5 billion deficit is fiscally responsible."



Oh, my heavens, what a Laurel & Hardy pair! Pompous on one side and infantile on the other!
Well, at least Timmy doesn't have a sweater vest.
I Cannot believe that anyone would Want to attach themselves to RobMe's side -- That would be the Equivalent of attaching "palin" to your side - HA-HAhahahahaaaa !!!! I Wonder If They Are Related ??? hmmm ????
Indeed they are! They were asked and the both said "Yes but we both have different a mother and father"
In MN we found out that T-Paw has done Medicare frauds. He left this state in so much debit. He is a loser them two need to be together both are loser.
tim pawlenty,
another republican leaving a huge deficit.
what else is new?
This is in regard to Trillion Dollar Bill segment on the show tonight: The so called Tea Party's hierarchy takes their marching orders from the same people that give the extreme republicans in Congress their marhing orders. This is why we havnt heard a peep from the so called "Tea Party" about this bill.
Back to the old ignore and deny...It will go away....
Two questions come to mind here. Is Obama / Biden a Republican dream ticket?? Probably yes if you are a republican.
Are we really going to talk about Minnesota's 5 million dollar deficit which would lead directly to talk about Obama's 5 TRILLION dollar deficit?? Probably no if you are a democrat.
Absolutely idiotic comments.
"..about Minnesota's 5 million dollar deficit" Must be a typo eh?
"..Obama's 5 TRILLION dollar deficit?" All of this is from BUSH's 2 credit card wars, Medicare part D and the massive tax cuts for the wealthy 1%! Even the stimulus, it wouldn't have been needed if BUSH had cared about us and our non-existent jobs in the first place!
Never mind the Teabot!
2000 Euro cost $0.98 2008 Euro cost $1:48 The dollar lost nearly 40% under GWB and GOP fiscal policy. Cash for the "bad" mortgage crises came from GOP unregulated fiscal instruments. Look up the price of commodities and you will see the GOP depreciated dollar at work .
We are in deep debt due to GOP borrowing to finance Reaganomics.
No wonder the federal budget is getting so large.
BTW the current shape of the Debt to GDP curve was set under Ronnie, was reset under Clinton (in a good way) and returned to Ronnie's upward swing by GWB. Until revenue is adjusted the curve will continue as it has, Obama's administration has had no effect on revenue due to GOP intransigence.
The curve is exponential and climbing fast.
The Republicans have opened Pandora's Box. Use this situation, make President Bush's employees who started this guns incident testify. I bet lots of damaging info would come out. We could start a legal fund and if the GOP backed down, use the money for President Obama's re-election.
They're not going to do that! It would make them look bad and upset their whole plan to get Holder out. You know how they hate it when we make them look bad! :)
The Republicans have opened Pandora's Box. Use this situation; make President Bush's staff, who started this guns incident, testify. I bet lots of damaging info would come out. We could start a legal fund and if the GOP backed down, use that money for President Obama's re-election.
Everyone liked it better the first time. I thought Pandora’s box was Jan Brewer!
Oooooh. Nasty.
T Paw didn't cause the bridge collapse at all. But living in MN, I saw how Tim operated. He played games, like for example, on several occasions, when a big bill was being debated by the mostly dem houses and were mostly done debating it, they would look to the Gov. to see if he was likely to veto them or not. Tim would say he has a plan for consideration he's working on too. BUT here's the rub... he'd wait until the last minute of the regular session to spring his plan on them not leaving enough time for more debate, then threaten to veto. Causing the legislator to compromise under duress to avoid letting the bill languish until a costly special session is called or worse wait until the next reg session. Plus he was never around either. Had snippy evasive answers. A corp. lawyer with no empathy, just profit-driven ideology.
Why didn't you just say he was a Republican?
All it took President Obama to derail that 100 Million train coming straight at him, was a little shift in the Law, and a handful of Immigrants---- I Love It...........
Hey, Ed, how's all those absentees from Wisconsin coming? And I'm still waiting for Walker to be indicted.
Say, are you still on the union payroll? Lots of unemployed in the messiah's America; they sure could use a gig like getting six figures from the AFL-CIO for appearing on TV and playing a reporter.
There are two kinds of republicans, the rich and the suckers...Exibit 'B'
Exhibit B:The SUCKERS?
Six figures....hey it's you righties who worship atheist prophetess of greed Ayn Rand and her greed is good philosphy or that people shouldn't apoligize for their success.....make up your mind! LMFMAO Can't even stay consistent on that idea I see. But I'll give them the benefit of th doubt and say it's not total dishonest lying and is really just because the base of the party is so damn old its got alzhemiers and can't remember what it's said in the past. What other excuse could there be from the vast blatant contridictions coming out of the party in the past two or three years, what else could it no one could be that dumb...........as to not get that
so first don't apologize for success, then it's Ed redistribute his wealth
most people who are wealthy are on the left which is why the right said dems shouldn't want to raise any taxes on them....remember that Tex? Now the right claims to have a monopoly on business and wealth. Interesting how they didn't say that when running against John Kerry.....
first if you're unemployed you're lazy but that can only be Obama's fault because you should blame yourself....????......the GOP doesn't even know what means 'cuz it's so damn dumb lol
small government and then they want to monitor, regulate, control and place tracking devices in women's vaginas....they're too busy trying to get into our wives, daughters, aunts, etc. uterus. A uterus is not a public park, it's not public domain for the government or anyone else to try in get in without an invite
To me it's starting to seem like the GOP politicians see government perhaps as a phallic symbol of power like a new sports car you buy when you're having a mid-life crisis....and what do they do with this legislative government strap on?
Well they're fracking women with these laws which is what these men are always interested in...fracking women
they're fracking our elections
they're fracking us at the pump
they're fracking the environment
they're fracking our schools
they're literally fracking our ground with diesel fuel
and many others including but not limited to teachers, police, firefighters, unions, the poor, students, muslims, gays(which they never want to admit they like fracking the LGBT community and want to say they don't hate gays it's just their wide social policy stance)
I've personally had it with these mother-frackers fracking our nation. It's time America say frack you back to the tea party.
Now if you are rihgt wing bobble head you will never want to admit it but in time all shall see......the bridge and pawlenty are a good example. T-Paw didn't break the bridge but he embodied the same policy and philosophy against all government spending that allowed the situation to happen.
The trolls are going to regret it when their bridge or underpass that trolls traditionally for centuries have called home collapses right on top of them. They live under bridges but they don't want to fix em
Well we are fracked well CC. LOL
He is not so Good & Pawlenty when he was Gov of MN he was another one of those govs that balanced the shortfall on the budget by shifting debt from one place to another like taking money from Mike to pay Ike, and the poor people took the hit. Now the Teatards are trying to sugar coat his record. He's not so Good indeed.
Petition/Student Loans....the Teapublicans haven't yet done a single thing to help this country. What a bunch of SLUGS! If the bill isn't passed by June 30th it time is up!
http://www.defendstudentloans.com/?sc=x2
done, xo. education is so important.
Typical Liberal crap response, when faced with the facts which Eddie is very fast & loose with and you edheads drink up the kool aid with vigor.
Except the only truth tea bagged republicans know are the ones made up in the minds of Fox news which are nothing but 34 lies reworded and repeated, for some weird Reason tea bagged republicans believe a lie told more then 3 times it transforms into truth. The truth is the republicans are toxic waste for the US.
whomitmay Hows the Government worker. The do nothing check cashier.
Oh look its our very own welfare queen stealing state computer time. Poor irish always projecting his failed life onto others. To bad irish its your own fault for voting for the wealthy hoping they would tinkle down on you. Poor little guy always the brides maid never the bride.
And the tea-drunk righties print their drunken swill.
After today's Job report. I think Obama is as good as done. You libs can talk about Your BLA BLA BLA Fox news, Eric Holder or what ever Crazy Ed the Hypocrite says. It Is, What It Is. GONE, DONE, GOOD BYE.
Then there is reality according to the latest polls of likely voters Obama polls at 53% while Mittens the corporate lap dog polls at 40%. So once again irish knows TT.
that was yesterday you corn ball
Governor Pawlenty was a very mediocre to poor governor. He shifted money from one pot to another to attempt to balance his books all so the rich and corporations could get a tax cut. The schools, aid to city and local governments were all cut. So guess what happened? Property taxes in Minnesota went up 46% from 2000 to 2010, according to the state auditor, Rebecca Otto. The 46% increase figure comes from the auditors report on property tax rates for city governments. Just last year we had one third of all school districts asking for yet another property tax increase despite the fact that teachers have been cut or not received large cost of living increases for a great period of time.
Here is what people need to really know about Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty along with the Ryan budget they endorse. The GOP is making a tax policy burden fall heavier on Seniors, those on fixed incomes, and the working poor with these increased property tax increase. As the federal government cuts aid to state and local governments, strapped states cut aid to school districts, city, and local governments like counties with lots of road and water drainage infrastructure to maintain. The failure to adequately fund federal aid sharing programs with state governments means school districts, cities, and local governments like counties get caught short. This GOP ploy is to shrink government and raise regressive taxes on the local homeowner so oligarchs in the plutocrat class get more tax cuts. If you are happy with this vote for Romney. I will support President Obama because I despise this GOP supply side cost shifting to the local homeowner's property taxes.
Independent women and Hispanic voters in key battle ground states are strongly behind President Obama. The jobs reports will not change much of anything because most voters realize this recession was caused by policies under Bush. GOP deregulation of the Wall Street investment banks led to the financial crisis. Two wars that cost $4 trillion long term. The Bush tax cuts are the major reasons for the trillion dollar budget deficits and doubling of our national debt. Clinton left a surplus for Bush in 2001. President Obama walked into the White House with a $1.3 trillion budget deficit. The 2008 recession was the worst economy since the Great Depression, many are calling it a lessor depression. We have to understand that it took eight years for us to get into the economic hole and it could well take President Obama almost eight years to clean up George Bush's mess. Yes, things are that horrible because of GOP supply side policies, unpaid for wars and tax cuts for the rich that are decimating our economy and financial well being. All so the oligarchs can get another tax cut.
It is important to point out that Mitt Romney endorses the Ryan budget plan. Romney will make permanent the Bush tax cuts. This would add about $4 trillion to our national debt by 2020. The GOP will decimate Medicare adding $6,000 for premiums for Senior all so plutocrats get another tax cut. Sooner or later middle class people will rebel from this suicidal logic of the GOP supply side economics.
The Romney's are people of low character masquerading as upstanding individuals. They left people in the street without benefits or pensions for the sake of their personal profit to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. They are cretins. The Romney's are predators who lack common humanity. . Most Americans could never stoop so low as the Romneys. Most folks could never do what the Romney's did. Most folks are humane and compassionate. The Romney's aren't. They are predatory. They put on their fake faces for the cameras to make themselves resemble actual human beings. They aren't, they're primordial.
They care about the poor corporations that are on welfare, though. They want to increase their benefits.
Let's see, is this the civility the messiah talks about sometimes?
The right wing has lied so completely on President Obama, I don't know if they even recognize the truth any longer.Mitt Romney, while at Bain Capital, sacked more companies, ran them into bankruptsy...made off with his money and billed the federal government when he ravaged their pension funds. He is a scoundrel of the first order, and hides behind his money, and a promise to further decrease the taxes his 1% pals are paying. If we aren't careful, letting the right wing buy this countrys' elections will reduce us to becoming a futile society. I say no to the modern day sheriff of nottingham, and yes to robin hood. (who would be the democrats)
I am tired of hearing Mittens talk about Obama's failed policies that added trillions to the National debt.
Can anyone explain to me which democratic policies added TRILLIONS to the debt?
Someone needs to ask Romney that question. NOW.
The only policies that added more debt are ALL GOP, stimulus spending to fix GOP screw-ups is also GOP spending.
Again, which Obama policies added TRILLIONS to the debt?
There are none.
They are back repeating the old worn out Welfare queen story made up in the mind of their demented saint Ronnie.
Someone needs to push this question and shut the Romney lies about blaming Obama for the lagged economy.
...
It does not matter who Mitt Romney picks as his running mate for November. He is going to shellack Barack Obama in the general election. I cannot wait.
You people, all you do is attack, call names, lie, spin...stories about whoever is even mentioned as a running mate.
If you want to make fun of someone...what about Biden? What gets me is if Mitt Romey chose Biden to be his running mate....IMAGINE THE JOKES, THE NAMES, THE GAFFS, THE CRAP YOU WOULD SAY ABOUT BIDEN.
We know that scenerio is not true but if the tables were turned, you people would have a field day with Biden.
Obama had better worry about his own little house. With the corruption coming to light and his house of cards shaking....getting ready to fall.....what to do?
This guy has got to go. Our country cannot afford 4 more years of this type of "non leader". Compare his promises back when he was campaigning against what he has delivered. What a joke.
Good bye Barack Obama.
Except you can't seem to grasp that Mittens can only muster 40% of likely voters to vote for him. Obama has 53% support of likely voters. Our country can not afford any more GOP magic economic failures. To bad for you that your guy is such a wanker that all but the most rabid GOP base would vote for him. Oh and johnny no matter how many time you repeat it it will never be fact or truth, it will still be another johnny lie.
Why is it you never comment on what I say...you go straight to calling people names. What a joke.
Because you never say anything other then the same old talking points that for 1 are meaningless and 2 you seem to believe if you repeat them enough they become unquestionable fact. Here is a clue todays facts could change tomorrow if new evidence shows the fact to be incorrect, that is called science, you know the stuff you don't believe in. Take for example in the late 1700's when the first steam operated locomotive was invented the inventor claimed it could reach speeds of over 35 mph. Fact at the time was if a person traveled faster then a horse could run the wind would rip the skin off the persons body, why because no one had ever traveled faster then the speed of a horse before. So reality is there are no unquestionable facts until all evidence has been gathered. So it is a fact that you have yet to post anything that was worth replying to because you keep presenting the same evidence that has been already proved to show your evidence is not correct.
I am a lifelong Democrat who actually views the Tea Party as a grave threat to our society. This election cycle will be tough for Obama but he will get reelected if he works hard at it. We could well be sitting up late waiting for close returns in several key states. But I really think all the corporate money will have more impact on Senate and House raises, something I am greatly worried about. Obama has some strong advantages in key voting groups that gives Romney an uphill fight even with 8% unemployment.
1. Romney's entire base consists of mostly blue collar and some white collar white conservatives who are mostly middle aged 50 years old or older. A majority of these people are hard core church going people and mostly conservative. The families in this group are long time Republicans. These types of Americans are in decline demographically. This group is not large enough to get Romney across the finish line although I expect very tight races in some of the state's Obama won in 2008.
2. President Obama has the market sown up on college educated men like me. I will be 50 in a few months. The college educated people or people with a couple years of college generally favor Obama if they are 30 or under. I talked to a lot of college educated people and only a small number will vote for Romney. The educated people with at least a two years of college or a Bachelor's degree poll strongly for Obama.
3. Black people are expected to vote for Obama in the 90% plus range. Some experts predict a 95% black vote for Obama because of a backlash against the racism and bullying of President Obama. Blacks were written off by the GOP long ago as a voting block. Remember all those angry old white Tea Party activists with signs saying President Obama was a "Nazi", "Socialist", and "Communist" or compared him to some kind of animal like a dog? Black voters remember these signs and will vote in droves for Obama. Black voters hatred of the Tea Party and the bullying of President Obama and the obstructionism of his agenda by the GOP has this group solidly behind President Obama.
4. Hispanics are breaking hard for President Obama since the Dream act/change in policy for immigration was announced. The GOP has no way of counter this shifting trending because the GOP filibustered the Dream Act in 2010, something Hispanic leaders are beating with a drum in Spanish media. Normally I don't pay attention to polls but I do when they swing hard in one direction. 67% of Americans think that allowing the Dream children stay in America is the right thing to do for the country. This poll was on MSNBC a day or two back. Other polls show similar super majority approval. This majority will swing stronger overtime as more people realize the correctness and morality of the allowing the Dream children to stay in America. You should expect a very solid majority of Hispanics to vote for Obama in many key states from Florida, Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Nevada and others. Romney needs to win Florida or Ohio or Virginia to have a chance at getting 270 electoral votes. Hispanics will be critical in these states and Hispanics are strongly behind Obama. You know the 800,000 Dream children and their families will be voting for Obama. This will be enough to settle the matter in Florida and Ohio for President Obama. President Obama is will be richly rewarded by Hispanics at the polls. Romney will get no where near the 40% that he must get of the Hispanic vote to have any feasible path to 270 electoral votes.
5. Romney also has extremely serious problems with independent women. Independent women are fired up, contributing, and more importantly vocally supporting Obama/Biden. Independent women are livid at the GOP for the anti-aboriton, anti-family planning, anti-women's reproductive health care bills that has made formidable enemies out former supporters. The people who run the Tea Party/GOP made a huge tactical blunder in pushing this "war on women" agenda. The unnecessary vaginal probe tests and cuts to Planned Parenthood piss off women voters period from grandma down to the grand daughter. Many women have had to use Planned Parenthood services when they were first married and poor. There is much sympathy for this organization that runs deep amongst independent women. Young college aged women would tear out the eyeballs of a conservative who pushed anti-birth control or antiabortion laws down their throats. Conservatives have totally underestimated the anger college educated women under feel towards them. These women are fit to be tied with anger at the Republicans and Romney. Men who care about women's lives don't mess with their access to family planning, birth control, or abortion for any reason because women carry a disproportional risk of pregnancy, STD's, and the burden of carrying or raising children resulting from a pregnancy. Its a fundamental issue of fairness that the GOP just does not get so they will lose at the polls despite 8% unemployment.
Hell hath nor furry like a pissed off woman who has been mistreated and scorned by the right winged GOP. This issue of accessing reproductive health is a deeply visceral and emotive for women of all ages, even Republican women. All women use birth control at sometime in their lives and are worried about their daughters and grand daughters access to cancer checks, family planning programs, and access to abortion services. Many women are victims of rape or incest and have abortions or have abortions for sound medical reasons that threaten the mother's health, such as ectopic pregnancies. Women also take birth control pills for a whole range of medical reasons and medical conditions. Never in my adult live have I seen a political party screw up so badly. The Tea Party should have shut up about abortion and Planned Parenthood but the damage has been done for this election cycle. I think the damage has been done to the conservative movement because the younger college educated women are spitting angry over this issue. This is the Republicans "Waterloo" or Achilles heel in my mind.
Republicans are going to wonder what happened to their brand of political dog food. The GOP has hard time reaching out beyond the old cranky white man into the new demographics that are taking over our nation's future. Despite their large advantage in political money, Democrats will win many elections the GOP thought they had sown up. The reason for this will be the Dream Act changes solidifying the Hispanic vote and the GOP's vicious assault on women's reproductive health. Democrats also have advantages to exploit over the Ryan budget that threatens to raise Medicare premiums for Seniors up to $6,000 annually. Simply raising the Medicare and Social Security tax cap to $250,000 incomes will greatly increase Medicare's financial stability.
President Obama will also have strong advantages over Romney in debates. While Romney is an accomplished politician Barrack Obama is an excellent debater and speech maker. Romney has had bad problems answering simple straight up questions that running for office for five years should have been ironed out long ago. President Obama needs to work hard and campaign smartly but despite a money advantage the game will swing Obama's way barring a major breakdown in the European Union.
The economy is strong in many respects. The Dow Jones is approaching 13,000, oil has leveled at under $100 per barrel, job growth is weak but positive, and most importantly large corporations are making very strong almost record profits. Corporations are sitting on $2 trillion worth of money from profits last year. This year's profits are also set to approach $2 trillion again. So despite all the bitching, business in the private sector is actually quite positive. It is the business on Main Street, amongst small and medium sized companies, that is suffering. The reason for this, is that the middle class lost about 40% of its savings, equity, and millions of jobs, or are underemployed from the 2008 Great Recession. The demand for goods and services on Main Street mostly from working class and middle class people make up about 70% of our commercial economy. Its not tax cuts for the wealthy that matter, its good paying jobs with benefits like family health insurance, that bring prosperity to Main Street businesses and companies. I call this "the trickle up" theory of economics that the history books support rather than partisan ideology.
Its a simple theory backed by volumes of sources and evidence, when middle income people have more money they spend it on Main Street businesses near their homes. If you want businesses to grow we must have progressive taxation that reinvests money back into the Main Street economy. This is why I support an infrastructure bill of at least $2.5 trillion to be spent immediately fixing our old dilapidated infrastructure. Bond interest is cheap, millions of jobs will be created, and state of the art infrastructure is critical for saving water, energy, and for our ability to compete against the BRIC and Asian-Pacific Rim countries in a 21st global economy. Romney never talks about the BRIC's while President Obama does all the time. Romney and the Republicans do not understand the complex international economic interdependent relationships of a multi-polar world where Asia will call the shots not America. Obama understands this while Romney seems ignorant about it all.
Theres only two types of Demarats. Delusional and second well only word that comes is Delusional. Point Blank.
No delusions are bragging that you are doing better then everyone else in your income bracket and that some day you too will be wealthy through hard work. Reality is hard work only gives you a bad back the person you work hard for is the one who gets wealthy for doing nothing other then getting you to break your back to support his life style.