[speedgibson] Speed Gibson: Who will save him this time?

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Posted by Speed Gibson:
Who will save him this time?
http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1186632457.shtml


   Testimonials to Pawlenty's handling of the I-35W are predictably
   appearing on the new [1]Party of Pawlenty web site. Actually, he is
   doing well, as the polls confirm. But he also seems poised to make a
   potentially career-ending mistake: calling a Special Session.
   A couple of the usual suspects are of course pointing to his vetoes as
   at least shortchanging our safety and infrastructure. To give this any
   credence by talking of raising the gas tax after all seems a puzzling
   position and/or strategy.
   The reason Pawlenty finds himself adjusting his collar is that he
   governs by perception, not principle. He campaigned against light
   rail, remember? Now he's all for it, even recently moving up the
   schedule even though the federal money isn't approved yet. Where is
   this in the "conservative agenda" that Pawlenty is supposedly moving
   forward?
   A conservative lets the numbers speak for themselves. Light rail is a
   bust, everywhere in the country. It solves nothing as it consumes
   billions in construction costs and further millions in operating
   losses. A conservative Governor would have been actively explaining
   why the MVET Amendment was a bad idea. He would have vetoed the
   transportation bill saying that Light Rail is 0 for 1, and won't be
   expanded, "not on my watch."
   But now that he's flip-flopped, he's caught. He can't decry the money
   going to Light Rail and public transit in general. A conservative
   Governor puts a moratorium on light rail et al, at least long enough
   to get to the regular session in 2008. Instead, Pawlenty has the
   opposite problem, facing pressure to raise taxes to cover that
   excessive public transit and disproportionate rural highway spending.
   I'm sure he'll at least have the good sense not to call a Special
   Session until after the State Fair. But if he does, he won't be
   re-elected in 2010, especially if the Democrats run a moderate
   candidate like Peter Hutchinson.
   Judi Dutcher saved him in 2006. Larry Pogemiller saved him in 2007. If
   he indeed calls a Special Session and raises taxes, losing another big
   slice of the conservative base, who will save him this time?

References

   1. http://www.partyofpawlenty.blogspot.com/