GOP rallies against taxes

Posted at 3:21 PM on May 7, 2011 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Michele Bachmann, U.S. House, U.S. Senate

Several hundred people gathered on the lawn of the State Capitol today to rally against tax increases. Several Republicans spoke at the gathering including Rep. Michele Bachmann, Rep. John Kline, Rep. Erik Paulsen, Rep. Chip Cravaack, Minnesota House Speaker Kurt Zellers and Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch.

Bachmann told the audience that she favors abolishing the tax code and instituting a flat tax. She also told the crowd to urge lawmakers to oppose raising the federal debt ceiling.

"We can have the federal reserve stop printing money and financing the debt," Bachmann said. "We can have them stop having them buying our t-bills from the united states treasury. we can have them stop spending money that we don't have."

The rally comes as Republican lawmakers are at odds with Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton on the best approach to balance the state's budget. Dayton wants to increase income taxes on Minnesota's top earners. Republicans say they can balance the budget without tax increases.

Here's a few of the speeches.

Bachmann: Listen
Kline: Listen
Paulsen: Listen
Cravaack: Listen
Koch: Listen
Zellers: Listen

Thanks to MPR's Rupa Shenoy for supplying the audio.

Comments (4)

Wow! Talking puppets!

Posted by John Farrell | May 7, 2011 3:55 PM

"Several hundred" attendees listening to 4 members of Congress and 2 top legislators works out to an audience of ~50 per speaker. Dare we hope the Cult of Never Tax the Rich is slowly dwindling?

Posted by Ralph Crammedin | May 7, 2011 5:17 PM

"Several hundred" is how the Strib USED to characterise the turnout at the annual Tax Cut Rally - even they finally conceeded that attendance was in the thousands today. Just look at the pictures - Not the ones that were taken at 9:00 AM, but the noonish ones, when it was in full swing. Easily 3,000. Shame, MPR.

Posted by Dan McGrath | May 7, 2011 9:24 PM

Cheers to MPR for reporting the number accurately. Fox 9 also reports that hundreds attended it, maybe 1000 at most.

http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/news/politics/hundreds-attend-anti-tax-hike-rally-at-capitol-may-8-2011

I don't think Minnesota Majority could ask for a more "fair and balanced" accounting of how many people attended the event.

Posted by Peter Wagstrom | May 9, 2011 10:28 AM

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