Letters of the day: Readers opine on Franken tax controversy

Last update: May 2, 2008 - 5:54 PM

Oh, please! The Republicans' blather about Al Franken's tax problem is just another attempt at Swift-boating a fine Democratic candidate. Most people I know have their taxes done and have no idea how their accountant gets them their refund or reduces their tax. The truth is they do not want to know. Anyone who says differently is a lying liar telling lies.

KRISTINE PERSSON, BUFFALO

•••

Although I've never been able to see it before, I must admit that I see it now -- Al Franken is indeed a comedian. He must be if he expects us to believe that, even though he didn't do such a bang-up job with his own money, he'd do a yeoman's job with ours. And like the rest of his "humor," this isn't funny, either.

BOB HUGE, EDINA

•••

Al Franken's latest missteps continue to underscore the fact that he's woefully unqualified to represent Minnesota in the U.S. Senate. There is nothing in his background that would indicate his ability to effectively represent our state. Had any other candidate committed similar blunders and offered such weak excuses, they would have summarily been drummed out of the race.

MIKE SIDDERS, WACONIA

•••

So I could vote for Al Franken who admits his tax mistake and promptly pays back every penny owed. Or I could vote for Dick Cheney's hand-picked candidate, Norm Coleman, who now denies being a Bush Republican but voted to stick my great-grandchildren with a $1 trillion bill for the war in Iraq. Hmmm, whom do I choose?

STEVE MARK, MINNETONKA

•••

As I understand it, Al Franken paid the taxes in question, but to the wrong state. He will now pay the taxes, and the fines, and get a rebate for the original payment. So I find Norm Coleman's feigned concern to be misplaced. Coleman, the poster boy for the Bush administration, stood by while it created a huge deficit and bungled the war in Iraq, costing us hundreds of billions of dollars and endangering our troops. Why wasn't he concerned then?

PATTY JANE MINEHART, WOODBURY

•••

Al Franken's excuse for not paying taxes in all the states in which he earned income is the lamest excuse I have ever heard. A first-year accountant knows what the rules are. Franken is just passing the buck.

RICHARD DANIELS, ROSEMOUNT

Recent Letters stories

Readers Write for Sunday, Jan. 31 - May 2, 2008

Readers Write for Sunday, Jan. 31 - As soon as President Obama finished his State of the Union address, U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann gave her one-sided view about health care. She said that the people have overwhelmingly stated that they don't want the government to control our health care. I think she misses the point or just doesn't listen. Seventy percent of all of the people want health care reform and want Congress to get off of its collective lazy butt and fix the system. More

Comment on this story | Be the first to comment | Hide reader comments

About Opinion Exchange

Opinion Exchange is produced by the Editorial Department, which is dedicated to hosting the discussion on a range of issues of interest to Star Tribune readers online and in print. In its new format, it's our hope that Opinion Exhange will create a more dynamic dialogue between Star Tribune readers and the Editorial Board. Many individual posts will be written and signed by members of the Editorial Board and will reflect their own opinions. Daily editorials will continue to represent the institutional voice of the newspaper and be researched and written by the Editorial Department, which is independent of the newsroom.

Subscribe to RSS|Learn more about RSS