With both the Minnesota House and Senate passing bills to fund a new billion dollar Vikings stadium it is reminiscent of the debate over the Twins ballpark. As that great philosopher Yogi Berra stated: “It’s deja vu all over again.”

 When Governor Dayton took office in January 2011 he spoke of working with the newly elected Republican majorities in the Minnesota House and Senate. During his inaugural speech he said to the legislature “Let’s get Minnesota working again by working together.” Just fifteen months after he uttered these words there is little if any sign that Gov. Dayton has made the slightest attempt to work with Republicans in either body. Dayton’s rhetoric is about jobs, but his actions reflect his desire for higher taxes and more state debt.

Recently both the Minnesota House and Senate passed a proposed constitutional amendment that would require voters to show a government issued photo identification before casting their ballot. The bill passed both bodies with solely Republican votes. In the last two years; few topics have received as much attention or been debated more than the bill simply known as “photo I.D.”

Last year the legislation was debated for months in numerous committees and finally passed, but was then vetoed by Governor Dayton. This year, the tactic has been to put the question directly to the voters in the form of a constitutional amendment. Upon final approval by the legislature the question of requiring a photo I.D. for voting would be placed on the November ballot, without the need of the governor’s approval.

There’s an old axiom among fire fighters that should be exercised by legislators in St. Paul this spring – “when the fire is out, the firefighters go home.”

Last year’s protracted budget debate extended two and a half months beyond the constitutional deadline and lead to a 20 day government shutdown. It should be obvious to anyone who follows the three-ring circus at the Capitol that the budget fire is out and legislators should put down their gavels and return to their families.

Anyone who has watched a “Popeye” cartoon is familiar with the character “Wimpy.” He is the unassuming gentleman who always seems to be hungry for a hamburger, but never has any cash. His standard line is “I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.” This is the same motto that state legislators of both parties have been using in the debate over school aid payments for the last thirty years.