It is typical when a chief executive gives an address to the Legislative branch that the response by the live audience is 
very partisan. For example, when a President gives the state of the union address, members of his party will applaud at all the appropriate places in the speech, and if the point is particularly poignant, they will stand and cheer. Conversely, members of the opposing party, while usually polite, will remain silent when most of the applause lines are delivered, unless it’s a point that nearly everyone can agree with.
So when Governor Tim Pawlenty delivered his state of the state address, I was not surprised when Democrats refused to applaud in response to the Governor’s calls to reduce spending, and to get Minnesota out of the top ten in the nation for tax burden.
However, one obvious applause line that everyone should have agreed with, was when the Governor talked about the need to create private sector jobs. But when he delivered this line, and the right side of the House Floor where Republicans were seated applauded, the left side where Democrats were seated was nearly silent.
Nothing much surprises the Truth Detector anymore, but on this one the Truth Detector says, “Are you kidding me?” Are Democrats really opposed to private sector job creation? Are Legislative Democrats that beholden to public employee unions that they don’t dare publicly approve of private sector jobs? Where do they think the money to pay public employees comes from?
The Truth Detector says Minnesota’s financial mess will not get straightened out with the current Legislative leadership in charge of things.
