Having grown up a Barry Goldwater Republican, I do understand conservatism. Modern day Republicanism is pretty much the opposite of what Goldwater worked for. Not maintaining necessary infrastructure is a radical, anti-government notion that owes nothing at all to conservatism. True conservatives maintain their tools, their vehicles, their roads and bridges.

Radical, warmongering, pro-corporate Republicans, otoh, hate taxes because they hate America, and want to retire to a gated castle someday with colored servants and ivory handled pickle forks. At some point in the ’80s Republicans went from "by your own bootstraps" to cronyism, corruption and "by any means necessary" politics.

Mass transit, btw, is for the public good, and is inherently consistent with conservative values. Let’s not forget that before Reagan, the Republicans were the party of the environment because they understood that exploiting natural resources had to serve the public, not private good.

Barry Goldwater would have been disgusted by Tim Pawlenty’s "my way or the highway" governing, and I don’t think William F. Buckley Jr. would have been very impressed either.

"If you like being overtaxed, then simply don’t attend and ignore this post."

You’re absolutely right. Don’t attend and ignore this post. Heck, I think it’s awesome they are having this rally, people deserved to be heard no matter what their belief is. But the idea that we are overtaxed, especially when compared in a world view, is just silly.

Like the orange yard signs say, I’m "happy to pay for a better Minnesota", even if I don’t always get to decide what things make it better.

I need a beer.

Don’t even get me started on left-leaning posts of the last year on MB

You get to post what you want and I get to post what I want. Glorious, ain’t it? That’s why we’re both here. Different posters = different flavors, folks!

Oh my gosh. Two years in a row I post about this tax cut rally and two years in a row people label this blog "far right" because of one post.

I’ll just repost what I replied last year: "yeah, because the metroblog doesn’t promote Anti-Bush Protests, Planned Parenthood or do profiles of DFL politicians."

Don’t even get me started on left-leaning posts of the last year on MB (global warming, public transit love, photoshopping Michelle Bachmann killing people, etc). Chill out, people.

If you like being overtaxed, then simply don’t attend and ignore this post.

I appreciate your comments- there are certain things government doesn’t need to spend on/do for its constituency.

However, I’m surprised Gov. Pawlenty chose to veto this bill and continues his divisive rhetoric. Perhaps if it had been called the ‘user fee’ that this tax actually is he’d have been more comfortable.

I didn’t know the facts about gas/vehicle taxation, so I looked it up: http://www.taxes.state.mn.us/other_supporting_content/history_mn_tax.shtml provides a very concise history of the state’s tax system. More specifics about our state’s fuel taxes and comparisons to other states can be found here: http://www.dot.state.mn.us/information/funding2005/historyofrevchanges.html

Here’s the key thing to me: Inflation is the elephant in the corner of the room. Nobody wants to admit it’s there, but that won’t make it go away. That 20 cent tax in 1988 has been decreased in value by inflation over the past two decades by more than 40% (see http://www.measuringworth.com/calculators/uscompare/index.php)

I think it would be a lot healthier for these discussions to involve an honest look at what the consequences of not funding transportation are. Not passing a gas tax in abscence of other plans to build and maintain our transportation system in MN is not leadership. Going against popular opinion to provide funding to keep this a great state to live in is.

Josh

As an aside, I didn’t know our readership skewed so far left. Those that bother to comment, anyway. Way to carry the progressive libertarian flag, Greg!

I would hardly consider bike paths to be pork, but I’m with you on the ski jump, polar bears, and aquariums.