Republicans love attacking our government as big, bloated, and useless. As such, one of their much-touted “reforms” from last year was a Sunset Commission, which was tasked with recommending duplicative or useless agencies that should be abolished. It should make them feel better, then, that the commission couldn’t actually find any government agencies or commissions that need to be eliminated:

The draft report of the Minnesota Sunset Advisory Commission suggests eliminating just one state government commission, and even that proposal could be pulled back. The group recommends eliminating the Combative Sports Commission and rolling its duties into the Amateur Sports Commission. But several Democrats on the commission objected.

Of course, they don’t really want to make our government more efficient — they want to all but disband it. That’s why some Republicans insisted on shuttering agencies simply because they can:

“If we’re a Sunset Advisory Commission, and we come back to the Legislature and say ‘keep everything,’ and don’t do some of the things that seem to be are fairly obvious,” said GOP Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer , “it seems like we have missed an opportunity.”

Rep. Kiffmeyer, your own commission didn’t find any changes to make. Clearly there aren’t any agencies that are “fairly obvious.” And pushing to eliminate agencies just because you can is just another example of your party putting ideology over good governance.

This shutdown is all about the MNGOP’s demand for special treatment for the richest Minnesotans. Even though the richest 2 percent pay less than the rest of us, the MNGOP would rather shut down the government than have them pay their fair share. They even balked at taxing those who make over $1 million a year!

Many Republicans in Minnesota seem to have a real disdain for the poor and middle class, and some of them don’t even try to hide it. Case in point: Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer.

Kiffmeyer is skeptical about Dayton’s push for revenue; she believes it’s motivated chiefly by Dayton’s desire to hike taxes on the wealthy.

“It’s not about revenue,” Kiffmeyer said. “It’s about a tax increase, because they want to go after those who’ve actually worked hard.” [SC Times, via Outstate Politics, emphasis added]

Do you hear that, Minnesota? The rich are the only ones who work hard. Did you get that, teachers and firemen and policemen and construction workers? I hope you’re paying attention, single mother working two minimum-wage jobs.

If you cared, if you were worth a damn, if you weren’t such a lazy pile, you’d be rich too. Rep. Kiffmeyer really believes that, and that’s why she has no respect for 98 percent of all Minnesotans. That’s also why you’re getting cuts, while the richest Minnesotans aren’t being asked to sacrifice a thing.

You want the MNGOP to care about you? Quit being such a worthless lump and become a millionaire already.

Another day, another constitutional amendment proposed by the Republicans that will take away our rights. This time, it’s our right to vote. Republican leader Kurt Zellers thinks voting should be a privilege, not a right. Now he’s co-author of a constitutional amendment that would stop some Minnesotans from voting.

I can’t help but wonder, is the MNGOP planning to do anything about jobs and the deficit? Or are they just going to propose one constitutional amendment a day that takes away Minnesotans’ rights? At this rate, the 2012 ballot is going to be completely filled with ballot measures.

Maybe the MNGOP could save us some time and redesign the ballot. Combine everything into a single measure and just ask who should be allowed to retain their rights.

House Republicans have introduced a second anti-voting bill, HF210. In advocating for this bill, they are arguing that we have millions of dollars to pay for a system that does not address a single real problem, even as they slash billions from education and the social safety net.

This bill will have the exact same problems as the original anti-voting bill: It will prevent the old, poor, and disabled from voting. Many elderly citizens, especially in rural areas, can’t easily make it to Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) offices that can easily be several hours away from them. Many also have trouble obtaining the proper documentation. Many of the poor working two or more jobs can’t make it to DVS offices during their limited hours. And the new bill adds new burdens for the disabled by barring guardians and health care aides from assisting them.

What makes this particularly heinous is that the bill will not prevent a single case of fraud. The only thing it will achieve is stopping citizens from exercising their lawful right to vote.There is no evidence whatsoever of any case of voter impersonation in the state of Minnesota. While there have been a small number of cases of felon voting, this bill would not do a thing to fix that problem.

So while the bill would not solve any problem, it would cost millions of dollars. At a press conference today, former Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer demonstrated the new machinery that would be required. Providing it for every single precinct in the state would cost millions and millions, and for what?

I can’t imagine the rationale behind ever implementing a system that would stop Minnesotans from exercising their right to vote. But to spend millions of dollars on that new system, at a time when we’re slashing essential services from the budget, is the ultimate insult to the people of this state.