I read both Rep. Bennett’s article and Hensley’s article, and it’s amazing what people say.

Hensley has been upset with the governor about the bonding bill. Please realize that at the time of Hensley’s article in the paper the governor hadn’t still received the bonding bill. I might add he received it finally on May 1. Last year he received it 30 minutes prior to adjournment. Hensley is also upset about being overtaxed. The projected budget surplus is based on people working not on what the Legislature decides to tax you. If the number of people working drops, then the government collection also drops. It’s not about being overtaxed but rather that our economy is going well because people are working. They are working because the economy is good. It’s been a long haul but Democrats have given us a strong economy. That could change quickly as we found out when Bush and Pawlenty were in charge (think $7 billion deficit). 

Rep. Bennett is concerned about the mockery in the final days of the Legislature, and she indicates that in her weekly newsletter. Apparently she has a short memory. It was her and her party that caused a fiasco at the end of the session last year. This includes the speaker of the House turning off the microphones of people he didn’t want to hear from. If that happened in grade school sports those kids would get detention. She is blaming others for the lack of getting things done. Step up and be a leader rather than a whiner. After all, who is in the majority party in Minnesota’s Legislature these days?

Hensley and Bennett must realize that the Republicans are playing games right now. They don’t submit information in a timely fashion and add “junk” to the omnibus bill to the point that many good items will never be passed.

As a nonpartisan group, the League of Women Voters is working hard to salvage the Minnesota Citizens for Clean Elections. At the same time, the Republicans controlled the Minnesota House.

Republicans failed to hold a hearing within the 45-day limit for two appointees to the Campaign Finance Board. When they fail to do their job it cripples the board’s ability to do its job. Furthermore, the Republicans want to slash the board’s budget by 33 percent, which will continually limit the impact of a board for clean elections. The Republicans are clearly trying to limit, impact and even destroy democracy on both the state and federal level.

To all of you who follow the legislative process, please be skeptical of what you hear from these two. It is really sad.

Paul Tuveson

Woodbury