Dayton finally comes to the table. What's for lunch

Having found him unable to disagree agreeably over lunch on a social occasion back when he was completing his term as state auditor, I know he can be wild in a small group setting.

Minnesota Polls Red on Blue Governor

The spoiled aristobrat Dem Governor of Minnesota, Mark Dayton--remember him, the Senator who fled D.C. in fear--is getting a slap in the face from his constituents. True North with the KSTP poll.

Perhaps they read about his spending priorities, keeping the chef and gardener--let me eat cake--while letting the rest of the state go hang.

The liberal Minneapolis Star Tribune thinks the newly-elected Republican legislature should split the difference--gee, let's just go in the red a little less bloody with borrowed money (tax the rich!), but the new GOP Senate majority leader--she's hanging tough:)

(Wisconsin's not doing too badly these days either.)

I watched this play out in the city at the #ro11 conference this weekend. Illinois could learn a thing or two.

Powerline with more.

  --crossposted at BackyardConservative

“Fargo...It’s a way to offshore without necessarily going as far as India or China.”

Microsoft's been there 10 years and growing. Lower costs are key, especially in this costly Big Government environment.

Approaching a century ago, can we learn from Calvin Coolidge to help us now? Chicago Boyz. Capitalism and freedom, and some really ugly current charts.

Over in Kansas City: U.S. economy is being suffocated by uncertainty. Crushing regulations and credit squeeze.

From savvy Mary in Illinois:

Watch some of the French Open this weekend. Miss Li, freed from the government run sports program, is now the first from her nation to win a grand slam event. In addition, she will only pay 12% of her $1.7 million check for winning the French Open to the Chinese government instead of the 67% the government demands of the players under its control. Less regulation. Lower taxes. Improved results. If China can figure out that control coupled with low rewards don't produce the desired results, why can't Washington?

Why indeed. China sounds like Illinois. America is heading there, though we have at least one other bright spot.

Meanwhile, Obama's campaign guru thinks it's WWII:

With their hopes dashed of substantial improvement in unemployment anytime soon, aides indicated that the theme was likely to be less “morning in America” and more “don’t change horses in midstream.”

Mr. Axelrod said: “We’re not going to be putting up a ‘Mission Accomplished’ sign. Part of the message is going to be we have to see these things through.”

In an interview at his Chicago consulting offices, Mr. Axelrod repeatedly said “stability” for the middle class would be central.

Oh, wow, locked into stagnation, or worse. It's a war all right "Obama's troops...already on the ground", but we're the enemy. As Peggy Noonan notes, this president is really, really cold to those who disagree with him--which is a lot of the country these days.

Not all Americans can or will vote with their feet, but if we want America to still be America, we've got to vote this guy out.

More. Via RCP: Chinese entrepreneurs leaving China. Gordon Chang, Forbes:

  Beijing, since 2008, has been targeting private entrepreneurs and abusing them even more than usual, so it is natural they are now trying to protect themselves from a rapacious state.

Escaping crony commies. Some are coming here, some to Canada. Entrepreneurs unite! Lose the chains.

David Skeel: The Real Cost of the Auto Bailouts

...Latest wrong track poll, The Hill, voters looking ahead to where they'll be in Nov. 2012. HT Memeorandum. Will you better off? Just 25% think so. Not an Obama winning the future outlook these days.

  --crossposted at BackyardConservative

Wake up

Anemic Job Growth, More Layoffs. The Obama Economy

You break it you own it, Barack. Far below expectations: CNBC.

Chicago gas prices highest in country again.

More housing hell.

Obama on the spot today as that crack on the job Joe the Biden is overseas.

Meanwhile it's Day 760 and counting on the Dems' lack of a budget. Remarkably cynical. Yes we can.

More. We need jobs, and growth comes from small business. The GOP alternative.

"Who’s anti-intellectual, the party that designs a creative and daring plan to save entitlements while balancing the budget, or the party that responds to that idea by filming a video of a man throwing grandma off a cliff?" - RedState

--crossposted at BackyardConservative

Pawlenty Braves Iowa on Ethanol

He may lose to Michele Bachmann in the Iowa primary but kudos to Tim Pawlenty for breaking the ethanol stranglehold Iowa has had on both parties. WSJ:

"The truth about federal energy subsidies, including federal subsidies for ethanol, is that they have to be phased out," Mr. Pawlenty told a crowd in Des Moines. "We simply can't afford them anymore."


He's certainly right about that, though that hasn't stopped nearly every other candidate from deploring the federal deficit while supporting the most egregious of corporate welfare subsidies. This marks a change for Mr. Pawlenty, who over two terms leading Iowa's northern neighbor first fought farmers on subsidies but later supported their push for a 20% ethanol mandate for gasoline. But in refusing to stick to the script for candidates looking to harvest votes in February's Iowa caucuses, Mr. Pawlenty has passed an early test of fortitude. By opposing ethanol despite the political risks, Mr. Pawlenty will also gain credibility to tackle other energy subsidies that drain the federal fisc to little good effect.

His ad was a winner and he's building on that.

More. Examiner pro and con here.

Lake Country