Repaying Debt
With the MnGOP not paying rent to its landlord, DFL tweeters have enjoyed themselves by taking pleasure at the expense of conservatives. They are right in saying that if Republicans want fiscal responsibility in government, Republicans should practice the principle with their own checkbook.
However, party debts – MnGOP and DFL – are a misuse of fundraising dollars. When debt is the result of a government budget, we are misusing taxpayer dollars.
Mitch Berg makes an excellent point with the following tweet:
Dear #MNDFL: Lecture the #MNGOP about its rent when you’ve stopped welching on paying back the shift. #stribpol #mnleg #narn Thanks!
— mitchpberg (@mitchpberg) April 9, 2012
A DFL legislature in 2009 took money from schools to balance the budget and never payed that money back. Last year, Governor Dayton requested another education shift to balance budget and Republican legislators – over my objections – conceded.
Last week, those same Republicans passed a bill to repay the debt created by the education shift. The Governor vetoed that bill to repay our schools. (A veto which was endorsed by Education Minnesota President Tom Dooher!)
I can’t defend the mess the Republican Party of Minnesota finds itself in, but I can defend repaying the education shift as quickly as possible. For DFLers, mocking others is easier than defending Governor Dayton’s irresponsible use of school money.
