Did you miss "Become a Citizen Journalist" on July 21, 2007? Click above to see Eric Black's speech to mnpACT!
Garrison Keillor
Minnesota Network for Progressive Action
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The mission of mnpACT! is to build a progressive community based upon the core values of respect, dignity and opportunity, by educating people about progressive ideas, advocating for progressive issues, and electing progressive candidates to local, state and federal offices.
I got my latest Taxpayer's League e-mail. Of course, they trashed the just ended legislative session. However, I guess this must be a social welfare benefit for Minnesota, because the Taxpayer's League is classified as one of those IRS targets - the 501(c)4.
But here is something I did not know - the following came with contribution request (pay attention to the last line) ....
P.S Don't forget that as a 501(c)4 Non-Profit, the Taxpayer's League is able to accept corporate donations and we are not obligated to file disclosure statements . . .
(Note: The following is my own opinion based on observations regarding this legislative session.)
If you want a good read regarding the last minute negotiations between the House and Senate in the final day, then check out Brianna Biersbach's article in Politics in Minnesota (may be firewalled).
This article talks about the conflicts that occurred, but quite frankly, the whole problem centers around 1 person - Majority Leader Tom Bakk. This session should have been a chance for a lot of DFL priorities to get a full hearing....and in the . . .
It was an extraordinarily busy session. The DFL majorities had enormous pressure from within and without. On the whole, they did pretty well. Let's talk about it....
It was interesting how the Governor, the Senate, and the House had parallel but very different paths for the end product. This lack of coordination was probably a bigger obstacle this time than Republican opposition.
The High Points
Balanced Budget - Governor Dayton's original budget plan was real reform. You can tell real reform by the amount of opposition. This . . .
Republicans can't seem to say enough about the IRS scandal. It is that perfect conflagration of martyrdom and government persecution. But the more they talk the dumber this gets....
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal will use a Saturday speech to Virginia Republicans to suggest the IRS officials who targeted conservative political organizations for scrutiny be sent to prison.
"You cannot take the freedom of law-abiding Americans, whether you disagree with them or not, and keep your own freedom,? Jindal, a Republican, will tell delegates at the Virginia . . .
Sausage may make a fine meal, but don't watch it being made.
And so it is with budget legislation. The DFL Legislature has agreed to a tax bill and it is a good one - but getting there was an adventure.
What's In
Governor Dayton campaigned on taxing the wealthy and to no one's surprise, this is the foundation of the new revenue package. We now have the 4th highest state income tax rate in the nation, but we have always been near the top. A major jump in the . . .
