Whatever happened to Minnesota's most vulnerable citizens?

From the Strib’s predicable endorsement of Mike Hatch for Governor –

Pawlenty says he has made mistakes and learned a lot. But he's given Minnesotans little reason to believe that he will charge hard at what Hatch correctly sees as state government's biggest challenge: retaining a large and secure middle class.

Aside from the misstatement that Pawlenty won’t charge hard at pumping benefits to the middle class (that’s his gravy constituency) is the shocking change in direction of the Democratic Party – whatever happened to the voice of the voiceless and concern with the most vulnerable members of our society?

“Middle class” is a family income hovering around $100K per year. That may be a two-income figure, but it’s not exactly homeless and hungry. What we have is another example of the DFL abandoning its base in pursuit of power – quick examples: abandoning the gay community by simply opposing DOMA amendments but remaining mute on DOMA laws; abandoning low-income families that want parental school choice in favor of supporting teachers’ unions (middle-class folks) that oppose it; abandoning low-income families by locking them into social security without even investigating investment options that middle-class families routinely make with discretionary income.

I’ve been critical of Republicans for assuming that just because Democrats have dumb ideas about how to solve social problems that those problems don't exist. Well, now it seems the Democrats are moving in the direction of, there aren’t any problems – at least not ones to be concerned about at election time. Sad commentary on the party of Hubert Humphrey and Eugene McCarthy.

Note: The Pioneer Press made a bold endorsement of Peter Hutchinson for Governor. As noted elsewhere, I’ve participated in editorial board meetings on the endorsements (I am not an official member of the board), and don’t feel it’s my place to comment extensively other than to say those endorsements of Hutchinson (and Amy Klobuchar) speak well for themselves. I did comment on the Pioneer Press Wetterling endorsement, here, only because I have been an outspoken Bachmann supporter.

Update: I corrected a typo in the spelling of Patty Wetterling's last name, which was not intentional.