Lileks, Cub Reporter

The Star Tribune killed James Lileks' column and put him on to reporting local news stories. Personally, if they were going to reduce the number of local columnists, would it not be better to RIF Nick Coleman or Doug Grow instead of their most talented guy? Surely the Strib could survive the loss of one of its DFL hacks, couldn't it?

When Spinning...

The Strib should really read their own editorials:

Republicans in and out of the statehouse are doing their level best to gin up sticker shock over the Senate DFLers' proposed new fourth bracket in the state income tax -- with a 9.7 percent rate, the highest in the nation! The spinmeisters want every wage-earning Minnesotan to panic about an imminent raid on his or her paycheck. Minnesotans shouldn't ingest too much of such hyperbole.

Here's a hint for the spinmeisters at the Strib: If it's true, it's not hyperbole!

Oh, and one other thing. What compelling reason is there for Minnesotans to be the most highly taxed people in the nation?

I'm Tired of Jason Lewis

There, I said it. I've really had it with his attitude since he returned to the Great White North. In fact, I think he has become a right-wing version of the shrill, obnoxious busybody that I've come to dislike on the left. Why? Let's see...

First, his insistence on ideological purity annoys the hell out of me. Deviate from the Jason Lewis approved view on what's conservative, and you're a RINO or even worse, a liberal. Take the case of Governor Pawlenty. The guy manages to hold the line on taxes during a budget crisis despite DFL attempts at extortion via government shutdown, but is that good enough for Jason? Nope, the Guv is just another liberal because he won't get an income tax cut out of the DFL-majority legislature this session.

Speaking about taxation, there is his insistence that the poor don't pay any taxes in Minnesota. How does Jason come to this ridiculous notion? By ignoring any taxes that aren't the income tax. Earth to Jason: Sales taxes count. FICA taxes count. Gas taxes count, etc. All of them suck. In addition, since poorer people aren't able to save and invest as much, sales taxes and payroll taxes hit them harder since money spent on necessities other than food and clothing is taxed and they can't not choose to spend the money.

I've had enough.