Open discussion: Molnau dismissed as MnDOT Commissioner

Well I am wondering, how can anyone do the full time job as a Director of a large state agency with many important functions (like the DOT) while also serving as the Lt. Gov?? I am going to have to go check my State of Florida codebook and see if that is even possible here?

Wouldn't it be great if McCain chose Pawlenty and they won! Then Carol would be our Governor! Paybacks would be a ..................

This may have been a long time coming. Gary, the election is still several months away - anything can happen between now and then (and that's assuming that a McCain/Pawlenty ticket stands a good chance of winning).

Isn't she the person that caused the Interstate I-35 bridge to collapse?

Good, now that she's gone no more bridges will collpase.

Hello David, let us know what you discover. (P.S. Haven't caught up with you in awhile, it is good to see your name. Hope all is well!)

Gary, you just might inspire me to open a discussion for political speculation, both wild and not-so-wild. We can bookmark it and come back in 9 months. Would that be a theory gestation period, or what...

Jim, did you check out the Votetracker page on the Transportation Finance Bill? I wonder what role that will play in the political future.

Diana we're moving at the speed of politics this year! Does anyone have a count of how many times has Pawlenty stated a potential VP nod wasn't in his future?

Any MnDOT Commissioner would be at the center of that storm, Winston. Nature of the situation. I'm wondering though... considering the collapse, do/don't people want a full-time MnDOT Commissioner? Or what is your perspective behind that?

And Head's up: 02/29/08 Midday @ 11:06 a.m. CT Bipartisanship takes a hit at the Capitol this week. Be sure to send a question, I'm trying to clear my schedule to listen live.

The Lieutenent Governor does not do much. So it wasn't a big deal.

The problem is that legislators want to spend money on new stuff rather than to repair old stuff. When you spend money on new stuff it looks good and you can bring home the bacon and get relected.

Look at what's happening now. We are projected at 1 billion in the whole but they still want a 1 billion bonding bill even though we can't afford it. So, we add new stuff so the Democrats can reward the Republicans that voted for the transportation bill and to give all the Democrats goodies in their districts that will cost the state or local governments in money to operate when there built.

Fixing old stuff doesn't get the votes, fixing stuff without giving out new sruff doesn't get the votes. That is the problem.

Pure politics, nothing else.

Job programs in the private sector used to work, job programs in the public sector never worked.

witch hunt pure and simple.

Enabling the car culture is not progress anyway, so if roads and bridges get a third of what they need to stay even, I guess that's fine by me. More pressure to build transit could hardly be denied in the wake of this vote to shake up MnDOT.

Someone will be looking for better, and faster transit, and I'll be here, waiting.

"The Lieutenant Governor doesn't do much..."

So why did Pawlenty ask her to resign so many times? Because she's a symbol? Or because she erred in some way?

Pawlenty asked what?

HUH?

You know Gary whom was it that told us we have 3 Billion dollars in out budget? Without taking in account inflation??? And know pouts like a kids who didn't get what he wanted since those 6 voted to fix the state then do the funny money moving money from one place while cutting another operation budge??? I don't know how you get to work but driving on those roads is the s*)&) for the distance I have to drive. All those borrowing are bascially a tax on the younger generations to pay back...no matter how you look at it...but then you have interest on those loans...to top it off. So I would have a pay as you go that will stop most of the waste the wanna be VP **ahem**