Taxpayers League or Tax Avoiders League

To: NEMP Members
Re: Taxpayers League Hubris
Today (4/14/08) I was at the State Capitol acting as an unpaid lobbyist for the Green Party. As our group left the north door of the state office building, which houses the offices for our representatives, I noticed a large sign in a first floor window. It said in bold print that "Liberals Raise Taxes". The Taxpayer's League web address was across the bottom of the sign. This represented a gross violation of proper decorum and fairness, and no doubt capitol building rules and regulations. The Taxpayers League is funded by wealthy contributors and may be better described as the tax avoiders league. It does not represent the working class who pay a higher percentage of income in taxes than those in the upper income brackets. It is a prominent conservative lobbying group. What would our capitol look like if every lobbying group found a window in the state office buildings in which to post their various signs? Paid lobbyist over-run our capitol now and this sign was yet anoth
er example of the arrogance displayed by some of them. At my suggestion, we re-entered the building and went into the office area where this sign was located. We made our disgust known to the person at the reception desk, and promised to be back if that sign were not removed. A gentleman in a fancy suite emerged from a back room to see what was going on as we were departing. We will be back there in a few days and if that sign is not gone, we will take the issue to someone who can make something happen.

I was shocked and angered by this blatant arrogance, which reinforced my motivation to keep returning to the capitol to advocate for fairness in our legislative process. The self-righteousness of this group allows it to do almost anything in the name of their cause, and I believe we must challenge their hubris every step of the way. To quote Alice Walker, "The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any." I hope that enpowerment wiil become a by-product of NEMP. Perhaps we need a sign as suggested by Lee Salisbury, "Conservatives Borrow From Their Grandchildren."

Bob Schmitz