TPaw’s Failed Economic Policies?
Here’s a couple articles with proof of TPaw’s failed economic policies. Here’s the details from the first article, dealing with Minnesota’s unemployment rate:
The state’s jobless rate hit a five-year low in May, a cause for celebration for Gov. Tim Pawlenty who touted it Tuesday as another sign of an economy on the right track. The state’s seasonally adjusted rate for May was 3.7 percent, down from 4.1 percent in April. It compares with a national unemployment rate of 4.6 percent.
Rather than releasing the figures in typical news release fashion, Pawlenty personally shared them with reporters in a press conference. “This is not just a minor change in the unemployment number,” said Pawlenty, a Republican seeking a second term this fall. “It’s a five-year low and it represents a significant change.” Even as the rate declined, the total number of jobs in the state held fairly steady last month. The state has more than 2.7 million people in its work force.
Here’s the details from the second story, about the upward trend in state revenues:
Minnesota revenues were 11.5 percent, or $110 million, higher than previously predicted in May, the state Finance Department announced Monday. “This is wonderful news,” said Rep. Jim Knoblach, R-St. Cloud, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. Since the state’s last revenue forecast in February, total collections over the past four months have been $265 million higher than the forecast projected. “It continues the trend since the February forecast of positive news,” said Finance Commissioner Peggy Ingison. Half of the four-month increase is due to higher than predicted corporate-tax collections.
This news isn’t what Democrats wanted to hear. Not only did TPaw wipe out a $4.5 billion deficit and turn it into a $1 billion surplus but he did it without raising taxes and with unemployment dropping to Clinton-era levels. If Minnesota Republicans don’t exploit these facts, then they deserve to lose. That said, I fully expect Minnesota GOP candidates to fully exploit these statistics to the fullest extent.
Technorati Tags: Tim Pawlenty, Minnesota Politics, 2006 Election
Cross-posted at LetFreedomRing Blog
June 13th, 2006 at 1:46 pm
I think MN is like CA: a Republican legislative majority is impossible, no matter how successful the policies of its Republican governor. I’d argue that even if legislative districts weren’t gerrymandered in such a way as to guarantee a Democrat majority.
June 13th, 2006 at 8:03 pm
Of course Governor Pawlenty will exploit these facts.
Not surprisingly, Governor Ed Rendell (D-PA) , another incumbent governor runing for re-election, is making similar claims .