We're going to be like South America in 70's? Does that mean our government will be overthrown by a big country in North America?

South America in the 70's --- I think of military dictators overthrowing democratic governments and conducting dirty wars to kill dissidents. Since we just got rid of our authoritarian government, I don't think so.

Is it a rule on Fox that you have to put on your idiot hat before going on the air?

The GOP really does believe that he intends to hang on to GM and Chrysler forever and that talk of selling the government's stake back into the private equity markets as quickly as possible is just a lie to conceal his his evil plot to impose fascist communism.

The really, really sad thing is that Timmey is one of the more reasonable republicans around (relatively). He generally doesn't spout racist stuff, and doesn't advocate secession.

It's a low bar, being considered a respectable republican these days.

I never thought I'd agree with Pawlenty but he's right on target there! We're becoming a typical South American oligarchy as we shovel tax money to the kleptocracy. I think the Financial Times suggested we might be becoming Russia. Timmy just isn't giving credit where credit is due, perfect timing as we honor Ronald Reagan and his legacy.

Perhaps he's referring to Chile...

"This is not the United States of America that we know and love and remember."

Well, I'm reserving judgment on the America Obama will bring in, since up till now he's only been responding to crises he was left with, and we don't yet know what America under Obama will look like.

The America I remember (not love) is one led by an ignorant, nasty little man who that went clearing brush instead of putting the nation on high alert in the face of the worst attack on American soil in our history; in response, his America chose to murder hundreds of thousands of Middle Eastern innocents, torture thousands more, and eviscerate our civil liberties here at home, all based on fearmongering and lies to cover up his historic blunder.

He also stood passively by while the greatest economic collapse in three quarters of a century unfolded under his watch. The gap between rich and poor reached its greatest heights since the Gilded Age, and over half-a-million working Americans lose their jobs every week due to his refusal to restrict the profiteering of the monied few.

If this is the America Pawlenty wants us to long for, then, as Obama is fond of saying, I'm happy to have that debate.

A transcontinental railroad would be nice.

...this is gonna be a very different country 12 or 24 months from now.

Dear Timmy: Please explain, in 500 words or less, why this would be a bad thing.

Anyone who thinks that coming to the rescue of the banks to avoid a depression & saving 2 car companies (which were all started by a Republican president) is nationalizing complete industries:

a. Should not have his/her own show on a "news" network.
b. Does not deserve to be taken seriously on a national political stage.

Come back and talk the REST of America, Mr. Pawlenty when you are serious about debating real issues.

Well, Timmy, under your regime, Minnesota doesn't look anything like the Minnesota we'd all come to know and love. You've been working your butt off to mold it into another Mississippi. The roads are turning to rubble. Law enforcement is strapped. Libraries and parks are closing up. I hope all of your tax-hating, government-hating, megachurch-going buddies out in the exurbs are enjoying the wealth that was redistributed to them. They'd better have invested it well, because we're about to turn this bus around.