Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty said Friday that the ongoing fury over congressional health care reform is a sign of broader public resistance to liberal policies being pushed by President Barack Obama.
Pawlenty, a second-term Republican governor and potential GOP candidate for president in 2012, spoke Friday night at the Republican State Dinner at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center. During an interview before his address, he said the election of Obama last year raised the question of whether America had shifted to the left on the political spectrum.
But Pawlenty said the rejection by many Americans of the "out-of-control" spending by Obama and the Democratic-controlled Congress shows that the nation overall is not willing to endorse Obama's liberal agenda.
"He's governing as a hard-core liberal, and the country doesn't like it," Pawlenty said. "I think the answer is in, and the answer is 'no,' because this country is pushing back pretty hard."
Republicans can take advantage of that push-back to gain seats in the mid-term congressional elections next year, Pawlenty said. They can make those gains by returning to responsible fiscal polices that Congress and former President George W. Bush failed to uphold and Obama and the Democrats seem to be discarding entirely, Pawlenty said.
The federal government should follow states in establishing a policy against deficit spending, something most Americans would support, he said.
"I wish the federal government had a similar approach. They are spending us into oblivion," he said. "It's out of control."
Most citizens would vote for a constitutional amendment to prevent deficit spending at the federal level, but the amendment process is a daunting task that diminishes the chances of such a vote, he said.
Republican Sen. John Thune and the state Republican Party invited Pawlenty to Rapid City for the party's annual gala. Pawlenty said he hoped to inspire party members to begin working on the next election cycle. He also wanted to praise South Dakotans for a long history of fiscal responsibility that continues even with the current financial struggles.
"In relative terms, South Dakota is doing very well compared to the nation as a whole," he said. "I think there are lessons here that the rest of the country could learn from."
Pawlenty was considered to be among the leading candidates last year when Sen. John McCain went looking for a running mate in his presidential campaign. But McCain selected Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, a choice that was criticized by many after the McCain campaign faltered and Obama went on to win.
Pawlenty said he won't second-guess the Palin selection, however.
"I love Sen. McCain," he said. "I think once the economy collapsed last year, it didn't matter who he got."
Pawlenty continues to be mentioned as a presidential possibility in 2012. He is elevating his national GOP profile with trips across the country and pointed criticism of Obama.
Pawlenty, who announced earlier this year that he won't seek a third term as governor, declined Friday to discuss a possible presidential run. He focused instead on the "Freedom First Political Action Committee" he made official this week. He said the PAC will help candidates throughout the country who are committed to controlling government growth and preserving freedoms.
Contact Kevin Woster at 394-8413 or kevin.woster@rapidcityjournal.com
