Lewis: McCain has better choices than Pawlenty

COMMENTARY — Recently, I wrote a critique of Tim Pawlenty and the possibility of him being named the running mate of presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain this year.  Turns out, right-wing talk show host Jason Lewis agrees with me that McCain could choose a better running mate.  However, it would appear that he agrees for quite different reasons.

[I]n 2005, signs of his “progressive” instincts emerged. In a quest for new revenue, Mr. Pawlenty supported a 75 cents per-pack cigarette tax. He called it a “health impact” fee. No one was fooled. User fees are generally charged to ensure that those who use a government service pay for the cost of providing that service. In this case, however, it was obvious that smokers were just being tapped to fund health-care entitlement programs.

Following the tax hike, the governor pushed through a state-wide smoking ban in workplaces, restaurants and bars. Aggressive, Nanny-state government seems to be big with Republican governors these days — although policies such as smoking bans do little to stem the costly tide of state-run health care.

In his editorial, Lewis lays out a litany of issues and legislation that would, given the right framing, make a progressive Democrat proud –  generic drug imports, minimum wage supports, renewable energy mandates — but does so with the same vigorous disdain he applies to such boondoggles as Pawlenty’s infamous “health impact fee” and the new Twins stadium.  It might be worth noting that those same projects weren’t too popular with most Democrats in Minnesota either, moderate, conservative, or liberal.

Is it possible, given bipartisan distaste for his policies and a newly empowered legislature willing to override his vetoes, that Pawlenty is now a lame duck without a leg to stand on in the national political game?

Lots of game left to play before the Republican National Convention later this year in St. Paul, I suppose.