Pawlenty pulls the plug on big-screen TVs for sex offenders

Gov. Tim Pawlenty on Tuesday ordered the removal of two dozen 50-inch flat-screen TVs from a Moose Lake sex offender treatment program, criticizing the decision to buy them in the first place.

[Richard]

Security and socialization benifets? How about a very big guard with a whip? I believe that would teach them how to be social with one another.

[myea]

What a bunch of crap. $1500/pc plus $700/brkt. That's $55,000 of tax payer money not including installation. Now they will have to pay to remove them and then sell them at a discount. Someone needs to be held accountable for this.

[Nota Sheep]

Way to go, Tim!!! Some heads should roll over this nonsense. These mouth breathing idiots spend taxpayer money left and right without thinking.

Here's a good test-- if it was YOUR money, would you spend it the same way? I travel for company business for a living, and you can be sure that I ask myself this every single time I'm traveling on the company's dime.

That's a good rule to live by.

[Diogenes Searching]

I'm sure the inmates will miss the Disney Channel.

What a creepy thought.

Just plain stupidity on the administrators part

[Tired of it all]

Unbelievable. You see this kind of spending. Then when the Guv tried to cut a budget...CUT. More like reduce the increase in their budget. They call that a cut these days I guess. Then we seen the likes of Tarryl Clark telling us that they will be pushing old ladies in their wheelchairs out in the streets from the nursing homes.

Meanwhile the state is buying 50" plasma TV's for inmates. Let them read a fricken book for entertainment.

We can't afford to cut a penny from the budget, it is cut to the bone already I see.

[Al Frankenstein]

You are a total 'tard! Lets look at that idiot "representative" Larry Pogostick, Jeremy Kalin and those clowns from the democrap party that voted to spend that kind of money on the plasmas in the first place! Is that all you can do is blaim T-Paw? Ok, pick something else that he could cut money from, like the COMPLETE AND FAILED EDUCATION SYSTEM! What a joke! Those teacher union schticks make me wanna puke my guts out. HALF OF THE STATE BUDGET goes to this joke of an education system. Can you say Tawanna Peebles? We need more money for gang members and obama baby momma drama biches!

Jeebers wrote:

Pawlenty cut off GA medical care? Which is for the very poorest Minnesotans... That's LOW! These people are surviving day to day, working their butts off in temp jobs just to scrape together enough money for rent and food.
Way to screw over the most defenseless portion of the state population, Pawlenty. These people can't afford to get lobbyists or make campaign contributions, so I guess they are just plain out of luck, eh?
****. That was really dishonorable, Tim Pawlenty. I ain't gonna vote for your butt, no matter what office you run for.

[Timmys Madness]

Dear Tim, Have fun today with the cameras swirling your mullet trying to catch another glimpse of your over inflated ego and that new goofy smirk you've developed. You know, the one that made Bush so popular? Don't spend to much time though, you wouldn't want to leave the impression that your not doing the Governors work and running for the Presidency at the same time. Maybe tomorrow you could initiate concern about the quality of food served at treatment centers and replace it with dog kibble. That would get your base to stand and cheer.

[Beaver Cleaver]

This one really brought out the nutjobs. Pawlenty continues to be the most popular Governor in the last 30+ years (job approval ratings) and the libs can't figure it out.

He understands government's role--not as a babysitter. "Timmy Madness" is literally nuts--it shows in his writing. You can't figure it out, so "tirade". "Jeebers" forgets that "the poorest Minnesotans" have government funded cell phones, satellite TV, homes/apartments and cars that my working 22 and 25 year old have to pay for on their own.

You are both crazy and typical libs--you want your life paid for and guaranteed by the gov't. Get a real job and get a life...join the real world.

[Deng]

Now, no more movies. What were they watching on their Chinese-built TV, your now number 3 export product from the United States?

[Northern Pike]

Funny how people are whining about the cost of TV's When we are talking about people that have served their court mandated sentence and are ILLEAGALY being held by the state at about 40k per inmate per year. I'm not saying these convicts are nice people, but once the sentence is served a person has the right to attempt to rebuild their life. If rehabilitationis not a part of the equation then lets make all are prisons like Devils Island.

[oxboro]

for once i agree with Tpaw..

[no clue]

Jeebers wrote:

Pawlenty cut off GA medical care? Which is for the very poorest Minnesotans... That's LOW! These people are surviving day to day, working their butts off in temp jobs just to scrape together enough money for rent and food.
Way to screw over the most defenseless portion of the state population, Pawlenty. These people can't afford to get lobbyists or make campaign contributions, so I guess they are just plain out of luck, eh?
****. That was really dishonorable, Tim Pawlenty. I ain't gonna vote for your butt, no matter what office you run for.

Do us a favor and don't vote period!

[Da Crusher_RIP]

I can understand the need for a couple of 50" size screen TV's for viewing in a large room with an assemblage of people. But two dozen? Another example of a public employee who has no idea what is to work in the real world and thinks there is an endless supply of funds to draw from (our taxes).
And another thing. Why was Pawlenty skating around the name or position of those who approved this waste of taxpayer's money? And did any of the reporters bother to ask Pawlenty who approved the purchase?

Just wondering.

[ws mama]

they need to revamp all prison facilities, NO MORE LUXURY LIVING FOR PRISONERS

[Lewis Sinclair]

I'm just glad that Tim was able to take time out of his busy schedule and climb on top of this issue. Good mount.

[Smartone]

Pawlenty himself is at fault. The moment he stole the Summit Ave hang out he was suppose to set the rules. Blame him and only him for this.
Now we have a bigger problem, once you have given a spoiled child a nice toy try to take it away. Maybe within two weeks the kid moves on but in the meantime there is a rough time. That rough time could cost us more than the junk tv sets made in china.
If one employee is hurt over this issue it too is pawlenty's fault. This is his watch.

[Rockin John]

Northern Pike wrote:

Funny how people are whining about the cost of TV's When we are talking about people that have served their court mandated sentence and are ILLEAGALY being held by the state at about 40k per inmate per year. I'm not saying these convicts are nice people, but once the sentence is served a person has the right to attempt to rebuild their life. If rehabilitationis not a part of the equation then lets make all are prisons like Devils Island.

Maybe you should step up and "mentor" one of these perverts!

[The Big Bopper]

Diogenes Searching wrote:

I'm sure the inmates will miss the Disney Channel.
What a creepy thought.
Just plain stupidity on the administrators part

Poor sex offenders! Now they'll have to rent "SEX IN THE CITY" DVD's!

[oldmanemil]

Jeebers wrote:

Pawlenty cut off GA medical care? Which is for the very poorest Minnesotans... That's LOW! These people are surviving day to day, working their butts off in temp jobs just to scrape together enough money for rent and food.
Way to screw over the most defenseless portion of the state population, Pawlenty. These people can't afford to get lobbyists or make campaign contributions, so I guess they are just plain out of luck, eh?
****. That was really dishonorable, Tim Pawlenty. I ain't gonna vote for your butt, no matter what office you run for.

Hey no problem the hospitals cant refuse you so I guess the hospital gets stuck with the bill that minnesota is going to pay anyway.

[oldmanemil]

Rockin John wrote:

<quoted text>
Maybe you should step up and "mentor" one of these perverts!

I would be happy to work for the state of minnesota. that is a gravey job with all of the state bennys