Gov. Tim Pawlenty says he has no set plans for the future, but it is becoming pretty clear what he wants. He wants to be president.

The last four years of his tenure as governor has been a cold-hearted calculation about positioning himself for the big show. And, he has been mildly successful at it — at least in perception.

At the Young Republicans convention, Pawlenty called for the party to reach out:

"Ever hear that the Republicans are not for the working person?" Pawlenty asked. "Ever hear that? Well you will. If you want to reconnect with friends and neighbors ... we have to be able to speak to the bread-and-butter issues."

The right words, but ...
Pawlenty knows the right words to say. He gets credit for giving voice to the so-called "Sam's Club Republicans."  The trouble with the words is that there is no substance to back them up.

Pawlenty's full phrasing on his sloganeering is, "We need to be the party of Sam's Club, not just the country club."

Pawlenty assumes the country-club crowd will stay. And why not? The Sam's Club Governor continues to promote policies that benefit them with little help for the rest of us.

The real Pawlenty message is: Come on you Sam's Club people. Join us. Aspire to make it to the country club. See what we can do for you if you do?

Nothing was made more clear in that regard than the 2008 Legislative Session. Pawlenty's policies have certainly affected those Sam's Club people. He put them out of work, took away their health care, forced them to pay more for care for relatives, raised the taxes on their homes, and then, on top of all that, tried to force their kids to pay for it all.

Obstacles to overcome
Now, if they persevere and can overcome all of the obstacles that Pawlenty has burdened them with so he could protect his country-club crowd, if their perseverance pays off and they manage to get that membership upgraded to country-club status, then they will find a Republican Party that can keep them happy and secure in their new lifestyle.

Of course, while the Sam's Club crowd is working their way against the grain, they need to vote for those GOP candidates who are protecting their "future" way of life. They may not make it, and probably won't. It may take them years — or more probably, the rest of their life. But the end goal, the dream, must be kept alive.

And Pawlenty has a proven record of protecting that country-club aspiration.
 
David Mindeman is Apple Valley activist and blogger for mnpACT!.