"When is Gov. Tim Pawlenty going to put the needs of Minnesota ahead of his national ambitions?" writes Minneapolis resident Adam Duininck in this morning’s Star Tribune.

Earlier this month, the Grand Forks Herald editorial section nailed Gov. Tim Pawlenty for his unwillingness to put everything on the table to fix Minnesota’s budget problems, and they also get to the reason behind it all, political ambition.

Why bother to have a Legislature if the governor can write and pass the budget himself? Especially when that governor’s party is in the minority, not the majority, in both the Senate and House.

Which is exactly what the Governor has decided to do.

The rest of Adam’s letter below:

His budget borrows and spends, and places the debt on my generation. It’s complete dishonesty and mismanagement — all because he wants to cozy up to national Republican insiders instead of fixing our state.

Despite watching the Republican Party suffer huge losses in Minnesota and across the country, the governor is more rigid in his ideology and proposals than ever. The time for leadership, compromise and putting Minnesota values ahead of your own personal agenda is now, governor.

If he is not compelled to lead, I hope DFLers and Republicans in the Legislature will.