Every couple years, Democrats trot out the line about the Republican economy being the worst economy in whatever amount of time. In 1992, it was the worst economy in fifty years. In 2004, it was the worst economy since 1932. This year, it’s the worst economy in eighty years. It’s getting rather old. It has the same impact as saying “Liberal, liberal.” Here’s the opening paragraph of the DFL post:
Today, Minnesota DFL Chair Brian Melendez held a press conference to present a new report entitled: “The Cost of Coleman: A Report on the Effects of the Bush–Coleman Economy on Middle-Class Minnesotans.” As gas prices skyrocket, wages fall, and the economy continues to worsen, the DFL Party issued the report to highlight Republican Senator Norm Coleman’s support of failed Bush and Republican policies that have generated the worst economic circumstances for the middle class in 80 years.
Chairman Melendez is pretending that the skyrocketting gas prices are Sen. Coleman’s fault, which they clearly aren’t. It’s becoming apparent to everyone that the current escalation is driven by Speaker Pelosi. Even the Washington Post takes her to task in this editorial:
WHY NOT have a vote on offshore drilling? There’s a serious debate to be had over whether Congress should lift the ban on drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf that has been in place since 1981. Unfortunately, you won’t be hearing it in the House of Representatives; certainly, you won’t find lawmakers voting on it anytime soon.
I can’t blame Chairman Melendez for pretending like the high gas prices are Republicans’ fault. If I were the state party chairman who had to defend obstructionists like Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, I’d be forced into full spin mode, too. People are noticing that Reid and Pelosi are obstructing a vote that would drop the price of gas.
What Chairman Melendez characterizes as the failures of the Bush-Coleman economy can be laid directly at the feet of the current Speaker and Senate Majority Leader.
“Times are tough, and we owe it to the people of Minnesota to debate the serious issues that affect them daily. But while Al Franken has toured Minnesota this week to promote fresh, specific ideas for actually helping middle-class Minnesotans improve their lives, we have seen Senator Coleman and his surrogates, including special-interest front groups, do everything that they can to avoid talking about the issues that Minnesotans care most about.
Chairman Melendez obviously wants to ignore Sen. Coleman’s bill that would increase energy production and shrink people’s energy bills. If I had to defend the least qualified candidate in Minnesota history, I’d want to ignore Sen. Coleman’s common sense legislative agenda.

