Minority party animals

In the face of unrestrained tax increase proposals and unsustainable growth in government from the DFL House and Senate, Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Republican leadership, notably Minority Leader Rep. Marty Seifert (R-Marshall) are using the tools of minority party status to put the brakes on giddy Democrat overreaching in the afterglow of the 2006 elections.

One of the benefits of losing the majority in the House last year is that it has sharpened the ideological focus of the new minority party, among elected officials and the grassroots alike. Jason Lewis, conservative icon on 100.3 KTLK-FM, and the Taxpayers League of Minnesota, under new president and former Minnesota House Rep. Phil Krinkie, both have their groove on. While many if not most conservatives are restless, there is a renewed sense of hope, from a possible change of the state Republican party chair, to much discussion of the wide 2008 Presidential candidate field.

The Governor, Annette Meeks, and Dave Thompson, on last week's At Issue with Tom Hauser (Sundays on KSTP-TV 5 and KSTC-TV 45) did a great job stating their cases. And AM 1280 The Patriot provides a vital public service every Saturday when it broadcasts the Northern Alliance Radio Network. Of course, the message also needs to reach out to the voters who don't watch the Sunday morning political shows or listen to NARN. I guess that's up to the rest of us.

A big election loss doesn't have to be all bad — but thank goodness we have Gov. Tim Pawlenty standing between us and a DFL socialist utopia, with its ever-increasing redistribution of poverty and nanny-state repeal of our freedoms.