May 26, 2011 10:50AM 

# Thursday Links 

By George Scoville 

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- Former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty [received an “A” grade from Cato in 2010](https://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/PA668.pdf) (PDF) for his fiscal record in Minnesota, but in terms of national fiscal policy, [he hasn’t gone far enough](http://dailycaller.com/2011/05/25/pawlenty-hasnt-gone-far-enough-on-ethanol/) on ethanol subsidies.
- Regarding North Korea, “the United States should indicate its willingness to [rethink its commitment to nonproliferation](http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-skeptics/china%E2%80%99s-reactionary-korean-policy-5367) if the North continues its nuclear program. Maybe it would be better if South Korea and Japan were able to defend themselves than keeping them forever reliant on the United States and keeping America forever entangled.”
- [Why is the federal government involved](https://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=13139) in state and local transportation issues?
- “Regulating, restricting, or eliminating \[oil futures markets\] [would not bring prices down](http://www.forbes.com/2011/05/24/oil-speculators-are-your-friends.html) or make them more predictable.”
- Tim Pawlenty also [sides with law enforcement on the medical marijuana issue](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4wbVyHSR5Q). It’s too bad he doesn’t seem to [side with taxpayers](https://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=12169).

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