Posted on 06/26/2006 8:11:58 PM PDT by rhema
10. Mitch DanielsIndiana
While the former Bush Office of Management and Budget chief upset Indiana conservatives with his call for a temporary tax increase on those earning more than $100,000-per-year (the legislature rejected this), he nonetheless overcame a $645-million deficit with spending cuts. He has also attracted more private-sector business to the state and signed a voter identification measure that infuriated liberals.
9. Mike RoundsSouth Dakota
Has made nationwide headlines by pushing a measure to ban all abortions in his statea move almost certain to lead to the Supreme Courts revisiting Roe v. Wade. Rounds did sign phone tax and cigarette tax increases to deal with a deficit he inherited, but backs his states no-income tax stand and calls for property-tax relief when the state has more money.
8. Tim PawlentyMinnesota
Unchanged on pro-life and other social stands from his days in the legislature, Pawlenty cut more than $171 million from the budget to cover a deficit in 03 and has called for a constitutional limit on the growth of spending.
7. Haley BarbourMississippi
The former GOP national chairman never veered from his no-new tax, no government-expansion policies and was a take-charge leader during Hurricane Katrina. But he has disappointed some fans by becoming a visible lobbyist for more federal tax-funded post-Katrina relief.
6. David HeinemanNebraska
Since succeeding Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns as governor in 05, Heineman has won high marks for vetoing a bill to provide in-state tuition for children of illegal immigrants. His stand was key to his winning the GOP primary this year for a full term over Rep. Tom Osborne, revered former college football coach.
5. Rick PerryTexas
After serving as George W. Bushs lieutenant governor and then succeeding him as governor in 01, Perry put through a zero-based budget to deal with a $10-billion deficit in 04-05 and has maintained his states no-income-tax policy. He has proposed a $6-billion property tax cut. Perry is far tougher on border security and illegal immigration than his predecessor.
4. Jon HuntsmanUtah
After less than two years in office, this philanthropist and former Reagan and Bush Administration official has denounced the No Child Left Behind federal education scheme, signed a measure to void illegal immigrants drivers licenses and replace them with a special driving privilege card, and supports school vouchers and phasing out the state sales tax on food.
3. Matt BluntMissouri
Backed by Republican majorities in both houses of the state legislature, Americas youngest (36) governor has successfully pushed for tax cuts as well as slashing the size of government.
2. Bill OwensColorado
A sterling record of fiscal accomplishment is how the Cato Institute characterized GOPer Owens six years in office. He backed a state tax and expenditure limit, cut income, capital gains and dividends taxes, and resisted raising taxes when his state had a $850-million deficit in 03. Owens remains strongly pro-life and backed a statewide marriage initiative.
1. Jeb BushFlorida
Winding up his second term as governor, Bush has signed a tax cut of some kind almost every year he has been in officefrom slashing property to intangibles taxesand not trimmed his pro-life, pro-voucher sails, although his refusal to permit natural gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico has upset many conservatives. He would be an obvious Republican presidential possibility in 08 were he not following his father and brother.
Do you still agree with this list?
Ok, did you?
No.
Which parts? Why?
If you want to discuss Gizzi's 2006 article with someone who's interested, either repost it on FR or email him directly:
John Gizzi
Human Events Political Editor
| E-mail: jgizzi@humanevents.com
You mean they became evil elite RINOs?
His first official act was de-certifying the UAW as representative of state employees in a state with a lot of union membership. To me that shows political guts.
Wow, a Lazarus thread.
Mine was a rhetorical question.
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