#mnshutdown

My state's government shut down today. 20,000 employees were pink-slipped, important social services have been cut off, and perhaps most importantly for a family with two small children who are traveling to Grandma & Grandpa's house for fireworks this weekend, all rest stops are closed. Why? An impasse between the Republican-controlled legislature and our Democratic governor over our state budget. Apparently it's news to the GOP that corporations and churches don't fix potholes. As Robin Marty just tweeted: "this is what happens when you elect a bunch of people to run the government who don't like government."

All credit to the fabulous Gov. Dayton, who is holding the line against "increasing taxes on the top 2% will make companies relocate to Sioux Falls" baloney (confidential to Kurt Zellers: I've seen Sioux Falls. Neither Target, 3M nor Medtronic is leaving for Sioux Falls). The constant refrain from conservatives is that our state needs to live within its means, yet they don't have a problem with funding the construction of luxury boxes in a new Vikings stadium. Seriously?

Image via Crooks and Liars

And of course, you know what the MN GOP prioritized this session, instead of job creation, health care, taxes and whatnot: MARRIAGE! Yes, marriage! Ensuring that state marriage law is hetero-only is apparently more important than, y'know, funding domestic violence shelters! I'll leave it to someone else to research the cruel, cruel irony of all of those legally married Minnesota heteros treating their children and one another like garbage. I'm too sickened to think about, it, let alone Google the statistics that would leave me in a sweaty, crying heap on the floor.

Summer vacation just got longer, hotter, and scarier.