RSS Feed MenuThe Wall Street Journal yesterday reported on Tim Pawlenty’s advocacy of constitutional spending limits.
Mr. Pawlenty has proposed an amendment to the Minnesota constitution that would limit spending during any two-year budget period to the amount of revenue collected during the previous budget cycle. At a Republican fund-raiser in New Hampshire on Dec. 16, the governor also pushed the idea of an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would force Congress to pass, and the president to sign, a balanced budget.
Pawlenty’s campaign strategy is now coming into focus. With his interview in Newsweek last week, the governor reached out to religious conservatives, nodding to anti-evolution ideas and readjusting his record on gay rights. The governor’s speech in New Hampshire seeks to appeal to Tea Party activists and the economic conservative base.
This may seem business as usual for a Republican candidate, reassembling at least two legs of what Mitt Romney called the three legged stool of the GOP: social, economic, and national security conservatives.
Yet this basic approach carries risks. As a less-known candidate, Pawlenty must try harder to gain attention – arguably too hard. The artful phrasing of his Newsweek interview suggested — without stating — that he personally doubted the truth of evolution. And his announced economic policy would rule out most government actions to counter-act recession — indeed, might well have forced the federal government to raise taxes in 2009, to catastrophic effect. Pawlenty’s base-pleasing moves in 2009 could emerge as real vulnerabilities if he gains ground after 2010.
DFL // Dec 29, 2009 at 1:45 pm
I can’t see Pawlenty going anywhere but as a last second fill-in like a fourth-string quarterback put in the line-up at the end of disasterous season. Think Keith Null of the 1-16 St. Louis Rams. At best, Pawlenty might prove to be an obscure presidential loser like Alton Parker or Alf Landon, run just because nominating presidential candidates is what political parties do every four years. Even the Communists ran old Gus Hall quadrennially until it was hard to tell Hall’s program from that of Mike Dukakis and Jesse Jackson.
The Republicans look to succeed in the next few election cycles because they are the opposition. But what can possibly be the new Republican agenda that a Pawlenty, Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney or Mitch Daniels propose? Drastic budget cuts, especially in entitlements? They would be electorally obliterated because Americans want entitlements whether we can pay for them or not. Reaganesque tax cuts? The current massive deficits make that a no-starter- supply-side arguments will not work at this time in American history. Military adventurism? But America is broke and the only supporters for a reprise of military intervension are the neo-conservatives and the military wing of the Republican Party. No, the Bush Agenda has crashed and burned, the Republicans have rightfully been sent to the sidelines, and the Obama Agenda now gets its chance to crash and burn, which I am sure it will eventually do. Weep for America.
sinz54 // Dec 29, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Pawlenty is eager to tell the GOP base what they want to hear, in order to capture the nomination. That puts us in the odd position of hoping that Pawlenty is lying to the base, and doesn’t really intend to campaign on those things for the general election.
Pawlenty would run into serious trouble in a campaign against Obama, if the Dems forced Pawlenty to explain how the Federal budget can be balanced without raising taxes. (Where exactly can you find $1.7 trillion dollars of cuts? And has the public EVER gone along with massive cuts to social programs?)
Pawlenty would also lose the suburban vote, the moment he starts taking anti-science positions on global warming and the Theory of Evolution.
With the GOP base as polarized as it is, it’s difficult to win their hearts without alienating the rest of the public. Candidates who succeeded, like McDonnell in VA, were already beloved by the base–and could then reach out to win over suburban and Independent voters. Pawlenty isn’t as beloved by the base, and he has to work harder to show he’s really one of them. But even if they buy that, all his statements will end up on YouTube and embarrass him with the rest of the electorate, come election time.
Carney // Dec 29, 2009 at 4:38 pm
DFL sneers at “military adventurism”. That demeans our country and our allies, as if we went to war for kicks and thrills. This is a dangerous world, with serious malefactors and fanatical killers in it, including those who run rogue states that seek nuclear weapons and/or harbor, supply, and train terrorists. We did not seek this conflict but we must prevail in it. If only those who posture as too cool to be patriotic, and who work steadily to undermine morale here in the homefront, could somehow have the protection our fighting men provide withdrawn in such a way as to leave those of us who back our war effort safe. Sadly, the free riders get a free ride.
balconesfault // Dec 29, 2009 at 5:38 pm
If only those who posture as too cool to be patriotic
It is quite possible to be patriotic and believe that the invasion of Iraq was a really bad idea.
The last time it was polled, by Gallup in 2008, 53% of Americans believed that the Bush Administration deliberately mislead us as to whether Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, or not. Would you claim that 53% of Americans are unpatriotic?
Military adventurism refers to going to war without having a serious debate over the negative consequences of the military action. Pipes and drums and flags without considering the broken bodies or crushing debt. That describes the run-in to the Iraq War to a T.
Stewardship // Dec 29, 2009 at 7:18 pm
I met Gov. Pawlenty last spring, and had high hopes for him. One can hardly slide a piece of paper between Palin, Romney and the end of the far right spectrum. Pawlenty would be better off being himself, touting his own record and opinions (Sinz is right…well documented on YouTube) and trying to win moderate Repubicans and independents in the primaries. With Obama so far left, there is a huge swath of the political spectrum available for someone who doesn’t play the “out flank Sarah” game. T-Paw has looked mighty foolish disavowing his long held positions, and trying to make headlines. It’s all going to come back to haunt him if he doesn’t cease and desist in the New Year.
DFL // Dec 30, 2009 at 9:44 am
balconesfault and I agree for once. A patriot loves one’s country. He does not necessarily agree with every decision made by the government to use the military overseas.
balconesfault // Dec 31, 2009 at 12:31 pm
balconesfault and I agree for once
I’ve actually noted a lot of agreements between us in various threads. I enjoy debates with those who aren’t always calling names, or lobbing bombs into the discussion, and you certainly are one of those, DFL.
Happy New Year to all.
gmckee1985 // Jan 1, 2010 at 7:02 pm
Pawlenty and Romney are the best candidates/potential candidates for 2012 at this point.