Palwnty's Flip Flop

I was checking out the St. Paul Pioneer Press today and saw that Governor Pawlenty is back to his Flip Flopping ways again.

Talks broke down Tuesday evening between DFL legislative leaders and Gov.
Pawlenty on how to fix a nearly $1 billion budget deficit and provide homeowners some much needed property tax relief.

Of course the Governors spokesman Brain McMlung said "Tonight, the DFL walked away from negotiations," but but added that a deal is still possible

So why did the DFL walk away?

Maybe it could be that the Governor is back to playing games.
According to the Mpls Stat Tribune website:

Their was some speculation Monday night that a deal on the budget might be close. But when everyone returned to the table on Tuesday the governor started to move the negotiators further apart.

The Pioneer Press stated that:

The issue that brought the talks to a close, according to a spokesman from the governor's office and legislative leaders, was a $50 million savings Democrats wanted to use from a health care reserve account.

Democrats said they had thought Pawlenty agreed to use that $50 million to help with the state's budget deficit, and they learned only during the talks Tuesday that Pawlenty wouldn't agree to use that money.

"We are concerned at this point that the governor isn't serious. ... There's that goal post, and the governor is moving the goal post," Assistant Majority Leader Tarryl Clark, DFL-St. Cloud, said.

The story goes on to say that shortly after adjourning the House and Senate for the night, House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher and Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller, DFL-Minneapolis. sent a letter to the governor Pawlenty stating;

"Governor, given how we are close to an agreement, we hope you can find a way to work with us to finalize this budget solution,"...


It looks like the DFL is willing to talk some more but time is in the essence. If all Governor Pawlenty wants to do is flip flop on different item and stall for time in the hopes of delaying the Peoples business from get done on time, then the Legislature needs to take care of business and get their bills to his desk in plenty of time, so that any override votes that need to be taken before Mondays adjournment can be taken.

I also saw this little article on the governor that was amusing