138 Minnesota Lawmakers Are Accepting Pay Despite Shutdown

[Big Fitz]

138 Minnesota Lawmakers Are Accepting Pay Despite Shutdown : It's All Politics : NPR

This weekend, The Minnesota Star Tribune printed a list of 138 legislators who are still collecting paychecks despite the state government shut down. The paper reports that Gov. Mark Dayton, as well as 14 senators and 48 representatives, announced they would not accept pay as long as the shutdown lasts.

But that means that 72 percent of Republicans are still cashing their paychecks and 65 percent of Democratic-Farmer-Labor party members are still getting paid.

The AP reports that news has angered some public employees.

But perhaps the news making the most noise is that Gov. Dayton has declared about half his staff "essential" — including his personal chef and a housekeeper. The AP reports:

Republicans have ridiculed Dayton over the fact that the housekeeper and personal chef at the governor's mansion were deemed "critical" employees, prompting the governor's office to announce that Dayton would pay the chef out of his own pocket.

None of them should be getting paid, how ridiculous.

Probably... But since it is Governor Dayton who is refusing to negotiate away his precious small business/middle class tax increase (tax on the rich my copious pimply pasty white tuckas) and a balanced budget with all cuts was vetoed by him months ago, put the blame on him where it belongs.

But oh wait, he won't be affected either because he's a trust fund baby and doesn't need the salary from the government, so what the fuck does he care???

 

[hboats]

138 Minnesota Lawmakers Are Accepting Pay Despite Shutdown : It's All Politics : NPR

This weekend, The Minnesota Star Tribune printed a list of 138 legislators who are still collecting paychecks despite the state government shut down. The paper reports that Gov. Mark Dayton, as well as 14 senators and 48 representatives, announced they would not accept pay as long as the shutdown lasts.

But that means that 72 percent of Republicans are still cashing their paychecks and 65 percent of Democratic-Farmer-Labor party members are still getting paid.

The AP reports that news has angered some public employees.

But perhaps the news making the most noise is that Gov. Dayton has declared about half his staff "essential" — including his personal chef and a housekeeper. The AP reports:

Republicans have ridiculed Dayton over the fact that the housekeeper and personal chef at the governor's mansion were deemed "critical" employees, prompting the governor's office to announce that Dayton would pay the chef out of his own pocket.

None of them should be getting paid, how ridiculous.

When the Wisconsin Democrats fled town they still got paid. I didnt hear you complaining then.
The politicians are negotiating and trying to come to terms. They didnt just deedee ma to a hotel room in Chicago.
Why shouldn't they get paid?

Actually they're not negotiating. Gov. Dayton is traveling the state today and trying to garner support for his stance on raising taxes instead of meeting with the state Reps to try to come to a solution.

Dayton refuses to pass an emergency one month budget to keep government running while negotiations continue. It appears to me that Dayton doesn't care that there are state employees that aren't getting a paycheck. He'd rather use it as a campaign slogan against his counterparts.

Dayton's only solution so far? Raise taxes on cigarettes and alcohol. Great, just what we need in Minnesota, another tax increase on the middle/lower class. Thanks Gov. Dayton.

Rick

 

[Big Fitz]

138 Minnesota Lawmakers Are Accepting Pay Despite Shutdown : It's All Politics : NPR





None of them should be getting paid, how ridiculous.

When the Wisconsin Democrats fled town they still got paid. I didnt hear you complaining then.
The politicians are negotiating and trying to come to terms. They didnt just deedee ma to a hotel room in Chicago.
Why shouldn't they get paid?

Actually they're not negotiating. Gov. Dayton is traveling the state today and trying to garner support for his stance on raising taxes instead of meeting with the state Reps to try to come to a solution.

Dayton refuses to pass an emergency one month budget to keep government running while negotiations continue. It appears to me that Dayton doesn't care that there are state employees that aren't getting a paycheck. He'd rather use it as a campaign slogan against his counterparts.

Dayton's only solution so far? Raise taxes on cigarettes and alcohol. Great, just what we need in Minnesota, another tax increase on the middle/lower class. Thanks Gov. Dayton.

Rick

It's the "PLEASE SUPPORT ME!!!! I want to steal from the ebil rich (but not me) for you but your legislature won't do it for me!!!!" tour.

 

[The Rabbi]

When the Wisconsin Democrats fled town they still got paid. I didnt hear you complaining then.
The politicians are negotiating and trying to come to terms. They didnt just deedee ma to a hotel room in Chicago.
Why shouldn't they get paid?

Why shouldn't they get paid? Probably because 23,000 people have been laid off due to their inability to do their jobs. I don't recall that being the case with those Wisconsin state senators but if it was, certainly they shouldn't have been collecting checks, either.

Are the other public workers still working? Are they going to the office every day and pushing papers around? If so, they need to get paid.
The legislators are working. They ought to get paid too.

 

[kiwiman127]

138 Minnesota Lawmakers Are Accepting Pay Despite Shutdown : It's All Politics : NPR

This weekend, The Minnesota Star Tribune printed a list of 138 legislators who are still collecting paychecks despite the state government shut down. The paper reports that Gov. Mark Dayton, as well as 14 senators and 48 representatives, announced they would not accept pay as long as the shutdown lasts.

But that means that 72 percent of Republicans are still cashing their paychecks and 65 percent of Democratic-Farmer-Labor party members are still getting paid.

The AP reports that news has angered some public employees.

But perhaps the news making the most noise is that Gov. Dayton has declared about half his staff "essential" — including his personal chef and a housekeeper. The AP reports:

Republicans have ridiculed Dayton over the fact that the housekeeper and personal chef at the governor's mansion were deemed "critical" employees, prompting the governor's office to announce that Dayton would pay the chef out of his own pocket.

None of them should be getting paid, how ridiculous.

Who ever said politicians were smart?

They are in a budget battle and what do they do? They shut down the biggest money makers for the state and leave open as "critical" departments that drain the state of money.

State Parks are a money maker for the state of Minnesota, guess what? They're all closed because they're not "critical."

The lottery is another big money maker for the state of Minnesota, guess what? It's shut down because it's not "critical."

So, let's see, we are hurting for funds, but we close down two of the biggest earners in the state?

And these are the people we want in charge of how our taxes are spent?

Rick

I have a lake cabin in Wisconsin and I was stuck in traffic for over an hour on a highway HWY 8) going to Wisconsin. From what I understand, because all the State Parks were closed in Minnesota, many folks from Minnesota and neighboring states that had planned to spend the weekend of the 4th in Minny's State Parks fled to Wisconsin's State Parks.
So, we're paying these do-nothing politicians, while they are costing Minnesota major revenue with the shutdown because the politicians refuse to work this problem out.
Let's have a statewide recall on all of our representatives, senators and governor or do what the Gov wanted to do, get a mediator. This is totally ridicules

 

[martybegan]

youtube - ‪governor christie on msnbc's morning joe: June 27, 2011‬‏

see? If there was ever a guy in need of a personal chef, it's him. He needs to eat what? Every half hour? If that doesn't happen all nearby children are potential snacks!

get in my bellyyyyyyyy!

Ah, the good old Christie Fat jokes, gradually becoming the primordial ooze of poltical humor.

 

[Big Fitz]

When the Wisconsin Democrats fled town they still got paid. I didnt hear you complaining then.
The politicians are negotiating and trying to come to terms. They didnt just deedee ma to a hotel room in Chicago.
Why shouldn't they get paid?

Why shouldn't they get paid? Probably because 23,000 people have been laid off due to their inability to do their jobs. I don't recall that being the case with those Wisconsin state senators but if it was, certainly they shouldn't have been collecting checks, either.

Are the other public workers still working? Are they going to the office every day and pushing papers around? If so, they need to get paid.
The legislators are working. They ought to get paid too.

Yep. My portion of the regional government had surplus revenues that are paying for us and other critical services in the Twin Cities (water and sewage among others). My branch of this will start shutting down somewhere between 2-6 weeks in which time, I may be laid off. THEN... if the budget cuts go through, they STILL may lay me off along with 499 other people in my section.

And I still think the governor needs to cave.

 

[kiwiman127]

Personally, I think both parties are at fault, but then I'm not a Dem or Repub. The state owes me considerable ching because I over paid my taxes, I want my money. Naturally the only department that is open is tax collections.

 

[Big Fitz]

Personally, I think both parties are at fault, but then I'm not a Dem or Repub. The state owes me considerable ching because I over paid my taxes, I want my money. Naturally the only department that is open is tax collections.

Ummm no. Both parties are not equally at fault for the financial mess. The libs have been running the state legislature and most major local governments for 30 years.

This year the newly elected GOP legislature passed the LARGEST budget in MN history, and it's still not enough? No. I don't think so.

This is all about big spenders pissed their credit card limit isn't being increased for their pet projects and they must do some REAL CUTS to their vast unaffordable projects.

No no... there is no "both parties have an equal share in this." There is a distinct imbalance on the side of the democrats. If they had not wildly overspent in good years, we'd not be so screwed in the lean years now.

 

[EriktheRed]

see? If there was ever a guy in need of a personal chef, it's him. He needs to eat what? Every half hour? If that doesn't happen all nearby children are potential snacks!

get in my bellyyyyyyyy!

Ah, the good old Christie Fat jokes, gradually becoming the primordial ooze of poltical humor.

Well, considering Christie himself is a pile of primordial ooze...

 

[CitizenPained]

Whether or not his chef is 'essential', I'm fine with him paying the chef out of pocket. That chef probably cares about things like consistent paychecks.

I'm not sure the Governor of MN entertains in state dinners the way that the President does, but, yeah, that does seem a wee bit odd.

 

[Big Fitz]

Whether or not his chef is 'essential', I'm fine with him paying the chef out of pocket. That chef probably cares about things like consistent paychecks.

I'm not sure the Governor of MN entertains in state dinners the way that the President does, but, yeah, that does seem a wee bit odd.

I doubt Dayton could make a bowl a cereal for himself. He's a trust fund brat who's never had a net worth below 25 million. Daytons Department Stores ring any bells?

But at least he quit part way through his first senate gig because he wigged out and went on psychotropic (or whatever they wanna call it) medication to help him out with whatever it is he has screwing up his brain. Yeah, I want that kinda guy in charge of my budget and state national guard. Crap... it's too late.