The secret is out that the DFL is attempting to (and probably has for some time), use the Strib letters to the editor section as its own institutional megaphone. Their talking point du jour is the overall evil that is the Taxpayer's League (and don't worry Mr. Strom; Our House Blog will soon be on the blogroll. I wouldn't want to anger the Prince of Darkness himself):
It comes with ill grace that state Sen. Julianne Ortman, one of the rising stars of the Taxpayers League, would speak with such eloquence and passion for the need for more investment in good training for law enforcement.
Ironically, her Feb. 7 Commentary page article ("Train the officers we send into harm's way") appeared in the Star Tribune the same day as a Metro section article describing a new wave of local aid cuts Minneapolis is facing in the proposed Republican budget.
Ortman, R-Chanhassen, cannot advocate gutting local government aid and collegiate funding for the peace officer training programs and call herself an advocate for the safety and training of our peace officers.
Unfortunately, the Taxpayers League still controls the agenda of the governor and the House. That means that instead of more and better training we will be spending what limited resources remain on medical bills and survivors benefits of our women and men in blue.
Ortman says she wants to spend more on training, but I would like to know where she intends to get the money. Maybe we can all sell a little more wrapping paper during the holiday season. That seems to be the Taxpayers League's preferred method of funding public education -- why not pay for law enforcement in the same way?
Joel Bergstrom, Minneapolis.
Who is this vomitous mass who calls himself "Joel Bergstrom" you might ask (and note: you can't spell "Bergstrom" without "strom")? Why, he's the DFL chair for senate district 60. Interesting side note: if you follow that link, you may also discover another familiar name from the Minnesota blogosphere.
Here's a gravitas-laden question: shouldn't letter writers be required by the editor to disclose their political affiliations if the writer serves in some official role for a party? Those that submit commentary articles are required to do so. It strikes me as rather sleazy that letter writers can be clothed in a mantle of seeming uber-mensch objectivity - "hey, it's just my opinion" - when really all these people are doing is fulfilling their duties as DFL talking-point shills.
But then again, we are talking about Democrats. They are at ease with sleaze.
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