As we return to the latest episode of Emo Senator, Southern Minnesota's most watched telenovela, fans of our hero, Mike Parry, the Belle of Waseca County, will be dismayed to observe the disrespectful tone that has dragged its rude self into the Republican primary in Minnesota's First Congressional District.
And we were all so looking forward to watching both Parry and Quist live up to their promises to amicably campaign for the hearts and minds of Republican voters as they attacked their mortal enemy, incumbent Tim Walz.
As we left the last episode, Emo Senator: Quist won't use negative ads unless Parry "becomes a serious challenger", our hero:
claimed that the increase Quist voted for would have made Minnesota the fourth highest gas tax in the country. Parry also boasted that he had never voted for a tax increase while in the Minnesota Legislature.
Taking a cue from a review of Parry's record published in the New Ulm Journal, the diabolical Quist shot back in a statement, Parry Authors Major Tax Increase:
Mike Parry wants you to believe that he would never raise taxes, but, in fact, he authored a bill this past year to dramatically increase taxes on new Casino gambling in order to fund a new Vikings Stadium. As usual, he is speaking out of both sides of his mouth, saying it’s not a new tax. The Taxpayers League, however, says it was a huge new tax and a tax increase, as well. They charged him with breaking his No New Taxes pledge.
So, who to believe: Mike Parry or the Minnesota Taxpayers League?
This is not just a difference of opinion between them. What the Taxpayers League is saying is obviously true. What Mike Parry is saying is obviously false. Misleading people is a habit for Mike Parry. There he goes again. You cannot trust anything he says.
Quist's chewing out of Parry is draw from such sources as Anti-tax group says lawmakers broke pledge, in which MPR's Tom Scheck reports:
The Taxpayers League of Minnesota called on its members to contact seven Republican lawmakers for violating their anti-tax pledge. The group includes former Taxpayers League President Linda Runbeck and Sen. Mike Parry, R-Waseca, who is running for Congress in Minnesota's 1st District.
The lawmakers sponsored legislation that would allow the state's horse tracks to install slot machines, said Taxpayers League President Phil Krinkie. He said the state would take a share of the money raised from the machines, which he argues is a tax hike. Krinkie said he is surprised that lawmakers who called for holding the line on spending are now backing an expansion of gambling in Minnesota.
"There was a call from some of these very same people of 'Not a penny more.' So how do you go with the math in a few months from 'Not a penny more' to a couple a hundred million more?"
After Quist ripped into Parry earlier today, this evening the Parry campaign savaged Quist in an email forwarded to Bluestem by a friend, "Fact Check on Quist Vote to Raise Gas Tax," saying in part
It is no surprise that the special-interest group that Quist references, the Taxpayers League of Minnesota, was critical of Mike's support of breaking up the monopoly for tribes. The Taxpayers League receives financial support from the deep-pocketed tribal interests in Minnesota.
And with that, Bluestem can forgive readers if they feel that we have left the melodramatic stylings of Emo Senator and wandered off on to the backlot of The Walking Dead, where everyone is either gnawing face or so infected with zombie cooties that they're just waiting for the chance.
For not only do they attack each other, but now Parry surrogate Ben Golnik has ripped the face off the Taxpayers League, the very group that brought Grover Norquist "No New Tax" pledge to Minnesota. Now they're just another special interest group.
Not the kinder, more Minnesota nice version of Norquist reported in the Morrision County Record last year in Krinkie eases league’s no new tax pledging:
Although no-new-tax pledge icon Grover Norquist speaks of a politician who betray the Americans for Tax Reform tax pledge as a rat’s head in a bottle of Coke — an affront to the Republican brand and subject to corrective action — such strident rhetoric is not voiced by Taxpayers League of Minnesota President Phil Krinkie.
Indeed, unlike Americans for Tax Reform, which considers a pledge signer pledged for as long as that individual holds a given elective office, beginning last election the Taxpayers League shifted its policy away from Norquist’s and now only expects its pledge signers to hold true to their pledge during their current term in office.
After that, the league hopes lawmakers “re-up” for another pledge if they run again.
Parry was one of only 12 state senators out of 67 to sign the Taxpayers League pledge, a voluntary action.The group could not have been an evil special interest or our hero simply would not have signed on the dotted line.
And so we leave this episode with Mike Parry, Emo Senator, suffering from another bout of amnesia, at a loss to explain what he signed a pledge to a special interest group. This latest spell comes at the very moment when he needs all his wits about him, or be eaten alive.
Tune in to our next exciting episode.
Photoshopped images: Mike Parry, by Tild.
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Oh my! What is happening to my hero? How can this epic battle be won? Founcett O'Parry (alias Fiddle Dee Dee) must trudge on alone. Knight "Broadcorp" has left him for another lass. That evil gas tax raising Professor Twist has his Julie. She provides him comfort and smart political organizing of right wing friends. How can Flouncett overcome the emotion of being spurned by another and prevail? Will the fat cat troopers arrive in time to save our lass? Please, please tell me there is a chance!
Posted by: T Pa or Coffee | Jul 11, 2012 at 08:04 AM