Why does the media always run to the Tax Evader's League for a quote?

[Dickie Flatt]

In a Star Tribune story about the budget shortfall, there's this interesting paragraph:

Resistance is sure to come from groups such as the Minnesota Taxpayers League, which has said the state's projected deficit is a warning to reform spending, not raise taxes. The group's president, David Strom, could not be reached Wednesday.

So the Tax Evader's League didn't release a statement, and their President couldn't even be reached. Yet the story's author, Larry Oakes, still finds it necessary to speculate as to the League's likely response to the news. Why did Oakes contact the League at all? Is Strom's gang of rich thugs now the go-to group for throwaway comments on budget proposals?

[applegrove]

1. Because a tax evador (Gannon) is no longer available to write the story

[Krupskaya]

2. I've always hated that about the Star Tribune.

They ALWAYS go to the Not-Our-Fair-Share League. I complained to Lou Gelfand last year when the Strib wrote a story about Cornerstone renaming its building after Sheila Wellstone.

The reporter went to David Strom asking for a comment about renaming buildings, with the leadin: "But some people have wondered whether public buildings should be used to honor a politician whose ideology did not resonate with everyone."

I wrote that, duh, it wasn't a public building (and, duh, that Sheila wasn't the politican), so why the hell are we talking to David Strom? It was an error by the reporter, but of course we got a whole 'nother quote from that angry hateful man.

It chaps my ass that they've turned themselves into the go-to quote machine on all things tax. Why the hell can't we get an organization like that?

[dodger501]

6. Same thing with veterans matters

They go to Joe Repya, ol' Colonel Joe, for a quote. MN chair of Bush 04, always a predictable response just like that asshole Strom.

He is one of 3 types of veterans - the kind that has been to combat and liked it too much.

[Eric J in MN]

3. One of us should found an organization with an equally

broad name and try to get quoted.

[hermetic]

4. The Tax Fairness League?

Taxation WITH Representation?

[no name no slogan]

5. Because David Strom doesn't have a real job?

...unless you count being the kept boy of MN's biggest corporations a "job".

Hey, Strom, get your sorry @$$ over here! My sidewalk ain't gonna shovel itself!

:D

[SupormomFreeAtLast]

8. You need your sidewalk shoveled?

We haven't had that much snow in almost a month.
;)

[no name no slogan]

10. Well, actually it's my backyard, to be honest

We've got a slight drainage problem with the defrosting/refreezing. Most of the ground is still frozen, so the water has been pooling up instead of going into the ground.

Plus, the fact that was built on top of an old dump (which was a swamp before that) and an old creek used to flow through our back alley a hundred years back does not help the matter much.

Hmmm....Strom looks like he's got a strong back....think he'd take $10 to clear up the pond in my yard? :dunce:

[jean]

7. Tax Evaders' homepage offers free 'Star Tribune Bias' stickers

to anyone who asks. I won't post the image here, but it looks like a Mr. Yuck poison sticker.

http://www.taxpayersleague.org/main/index.php

Order your Mr. Yuck Star Tribune Bias bumper sticker today!

'Of course it’s nice to write letters to the editor complaining about bias in the Star Tribune. But haven’t you always wanted to take your anger one step further? Well thanks to the Taxpayers League, now you can. Order your Star Tribune Bias bumper sticker right now and in no time at all you’ll be standing-up straighter, walking taller and smiling just a bit more. As with all of our materials they come completely free of charge, but if you listen closely you just might hear David ringing a bell and standing next to a little red pot asking for a little piece of your kindness (if your hearing is bad, there’s a large red donate button at the top of the page). Be sure to include your name and mailing address in the email.'

[Dickie Flatt]

9. What a bunch of losers

Don't they have better things to do than whine about this?

Yeah, I didn't think so.

[CatholicEdHead]

11. Being quoted is not enough I guess

talk about whiney little wimps. Whine, whine, whine, victim, victim, victim.

I have written to Strom a couple of times before they removed his email from the site (they don't like to be challanged). No response.

It says alot right there when the remove his email, that he is now some "elite" who can talk in the media but the common folk (who they claim to represent) cannot directly contact them and go through roundabout ways in the orginzation.

[Spike from MN]

12. Hey, they're free!

Let's each order about 10,000 of them for starters. Let the Tax Evaders shell out for them.