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The Military is “Priority No. 1,” Governor Announces
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Polly Mann, W A M M
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Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty is proposing that the state borrow $6 million to repair and maintain Minnesota’s veterans homes and build a World War II Memorial on the Capital Mall. In addition, he is requesting $7 million to raise college tuition reimbursements for Guard members to fund 100% of their costs, up from the current 80% allotment. His plan will also offer reenlistment bonuses of $1000 a year, up to a maximum of $5000 for mid-career Guard members. If Minnesota’s enlistment quota was low, this might be understandable, but even though Guard recruitment is down 30% nationally, Minnesota had the most National Guard recruits per recruiter (about 26) and surpassed its recruiting goal.
Asked where he would find money for his initiatives when the state is facing a projected $700 million budget deficit over the next two years, the Governor declared, “We’re going to reset priorities. And this is priority No.1” He proposes raising $6 million by having the state sell a new “Support Our Troops” license plate. DFL Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson of Willmar said that currently the state offers 80 to 90 specialized license plates which don’t sell well. He predicted a “Support Our Troops” plate would be popular, although he admitted that $6 million “may be an overly optimistic prediction.” Senator Johnson is a chaplain and brigadier general in the National Guard.
Repairing and maintaining veteran’s homes sounds reasonable, but $675,000 for a new World War II Memorial! Can you imagine the outcry that would ensue if the proposal for a memorial were one to peace? In addition to causing the loss of human life and property, wars don’t solve problems, so what is the point of memorializing failure?
Governor Pawlenty should get together with Minnesota Attorney General Mike Hatch. In a recent letter Hatch charged that by the end of 2006, in order to balance the budget the state would be forced to assess at least $2 billion in new fees, raid $1 billion of the tobacco settlement earmarked for health care, and drain $100 million from the Health Care Access Fund, earmarked to provide health care for the poor.
Perhaps something could be worked out with the Vikings, not including a new publicly funded stadium. Maybe they’d do benefit games with the proceeds going to the state so health care for the poor wouldn’t be threatened and we could meet our budget. We do have to be creative in these troubled times. |
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Word-Up!
"I knew that I could never again raise my voice against the violence of the oppressed in the ghettos without having first spoken clearly to the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today - my own government."
— Rev. Martin Luther King, April 4, 1967
We must build up that power of the people which will be different from the power of the State.
— Vinoba Bhave, India, independence fighter, 1895-1982
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© 2005 Women Against Military Madness. All rights reserved.
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Complete February 2005 Index - click here
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