State of Shutdown, Week 2: It's Almost Over

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeGovernor Mark Dayton of Minnesota and Republican leaders who control the Legislature made a deal Thursday to end the longest state government shutdown in American history. 

The deal is this:  Democrat Dayton agreed to accept the GOP's budget offer that was made prior to the government closing its doors.  It would not involve any new taxes, but would borrow money from funding to schools that have been promised for years, and from the state's settlement with the tobacco companies.  In exchange, the Governor agreed to drop his "tax the rich" proposal that he campaigned on while the GOP gave up some of the social agendas they spent their time on in the regular Legislative session (such as voter ID) instead of working on the budget.

All of this is pending Legislative approval, so the Governor is expected to call a special session in the next few days.

The GOP should be high-fiving themselves.  They won a staring contest that resulted in Governor Dayton blinking.  With their uncompromising stance on no new taxes and their attitude toward their constituents, they brought an entire state to its knees.  Hope they're proud of themselves.

What's even better news for the Republicans is that this is not an election year.  With the shutdown apparently over, sixteen months will pass before they have to face the voters again.  That's time enough for people to move on to other things.

As for Governor Dayton, he has the next four years to live this down.  He was all that stood between a budget deal and a shutdown that has cost Minnesota millions of dollars, ruined lives, and damaged its reputation.  "Tax The Rich" was a nice thought in these days of economic malaise, but he ended up picking a fight with the wrong people.

What happened in Minnesota should be of interest to President Barack Obama and congressional leaders, who have a budget problem of their own to deal with.  One should hope there would be a better result.