A Leader Must Communicate

Rep. Erin Murphy and Sen. Linda Berglin have been working diligently to develop an alternative to the GMAC that Governor Pawlenty will approve of. Our Governor is all about efficiency and saving tax-payer dollars - especially if he can do it on the backs of the poorest of the poor. With that in mind then why is it that the governor is failing to communicate with these two legislators? Berglin said, "It would be a whole lot easier if the governor would tell us what he would like instead of what he doesn't like." These legislators have made proposals and then made modifications suggested by officials of DHS, but they still do not know if the Governor will veto the bill or not. This kind of efficiency reminds me of tactics used by boys in junior high.
In December, our Social Services director, Joan Tesdahl, told us that Nicollet County has 147 case-loads under General Assistance Medical Care. When GMAC goes away, they will be transitioned into Minnesota Care, the government option medical insurance. However, they will have to pay monthly premiums. Will they be able to do that? Will they remember to do it and will they be able to make good decisions to budget and set money aside for that? Will they be able to keep jobs to earn the money to pay the premiums? The simple truth is that many will not be able to accomplish these tasks. They will fall through the cracks and then we will end up paying more in emergency room bills and public safety costs.
These important facts will go unknown to the ultraconservative supporters nationwide whom Governor Pawlenty is trying to impress. They will only see the headlines that point out Governor Pawlenty's fine management of a state budget in poor economic times. No, this governor is not about leadership or statesmanship, he is about power to accomplish is own ambitious agenda and he will even stoup to doing it on the backs of our poor. end