Almanac: At the Capitol

There are many nervous liberals ready to cry foul over Governor Pawlenty either threatening or actually issuing vetoes this year. Let's look at the facts: DFLers often give credit to former Governor Arne Carlson as being moderate and working to move the state along smoothly. What they will NOT say is that he vetoed 179 bills or items in his 8 years in office. The lovable and venerable Al Quie vetoed 31 bills during his 4 years.

At the same time, Governor Pawlenty has so far vetoed only 16 bills after over 4 years in office. Granted, House Republicans kept many bad bills from reaching his desk in the first place. However, Democrats said little when Governor Carlson vetoed over 30 bills in my first two years in the legislature. They understood the Governor had to bring the discussion back to the middle on regulations, spending and taxes.

Governor Carlson is looked upon by many in the state with bringing sound fiscal management back to the state through the use of his veto, especially in his first term. Not one was over-ridden and I think many of our liberal friends who now laude Governor Carlson as a "doer" and as someone who worked to move the state forward vetoed the K-12 bill my first term for him to get expanded deductions and credits for parents of school kids. Governor Carlson understood the veto as a tool to bring moderation and sound management to the legislature.

Our caucus and the public at that time realized the management Governor Carlson brought to the state. In fact, if I remember correctly, when he issued vetoes, his popularity went up in the state. While legislators may get caught up in appealing to special interest groups, for pork projects and lose sight of the forest through the trees, the Governors bring management aspects and statewide perspectives to the process.

The people I talk with at my town meetings and around the state are saying "thank goodness for Governor Pawlenty" in bringing moderate balance to a left-wing legislature obsessed with taxing, spending and regulating. I think if you tracked down Arne Carlson today, he would agree that the discussion needs to be brought back to sound management, reducing long-term obligations on spending (or "tails") and a need to hold the line on taxes and job killing regulations.

Below is a chart to show that Governor Pawlenty has actually not vetoed as much as many other Governors.