Of Taxes and 'Treason'

OpinionJournal wrote Never say we aren't willing to help an editorial subject in distress, and Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm clearly needs some friendly advice.

Last month the state legislature buried the Democratic Governor's top legislative priority, a grandiose proposal to raise taxes on insurance companies, banks and thousands of small businesses that private studies said would have cost up to 20,000 jobs. Ms. Granholm's plan was widely criticized, including in these columns in March and in an op-ed article on the opposite page last Thursday by state legislator Rick Baxter, a Republican, and Hillsdale College Professor Gary Wolfram.

Ms. Granholm was not pleased, going so far as to denounce the op-ed as "treasonous for the state of Michigan." The authors' high crime? Exposing Michigan as a high tax state and criticizing Ms. Granholm for wanting to raise taxes. Her choice of words was no inadvertent slip of the tongue, by the way--a Howard Dean-like temporary loss of sanity. The Governor has used the "t" word repeatedly and has even suggested that Mr. Baxter "should be removed from office."

Well, we recall that the first time an American was accused of "treason" for opposing high taxes was when New Englanders dressed as Indians and dumped tea in Boston Harbor. And it was America's most famous tax protester, Patrick Henry, who declared: "If this be treason, make the most of it." Ms. Granholm was born in Canada so maybe she missed this American history.... More troubling about Ms. Granholm's recent combustion is that she seems to believe that the problem is that the rest of the world will find out about Michigan's high taxes, not the high taxes themselves. But Michigan's inhospitable tax climate is hardly a state secret, especially to the state residents and businesses who have to endure it.

Why are Democrats so intent on raising taxes. Hillary blasted GWB for the effects of his tax cuts on the economy just a couple of days before the report came out that the result of those tax cuts was such a great increase in tax revenues that GWB

Steve Antler blogged Here's the latest commentary on unemployment and taxes in Michigan, and here's some background.

Ace blogged Hmmm... removed from office? For daring to express his opinion? Is she suggestign that a lawfully-elected state legislator be "removed from office" to chill his right to dissent? Let's recap:

• ....
• It's wrong to accuse those who actively root for our country's defeat in war, and who celebrate the deaths of American "mercenaries," and who serve as apologists for terrorist murderers of (constructive, if not legal) treason.
• On the other hand, if an economics professor analyzes your tax-and-spend plans and deems them imprudent, he can and should be called "treasonous."

Everyone clear on the rules?

Greg Piper blogged There's an easy way to avoid future utterings of "treason" for run-of-the-mill tax policy: Ignore your critics! Will a little op-ed in the Wall Street Journal from two no-name politicians really hurt your plans (and certain national political aspirations)? I'd hate to see a figure as potentially entertaining as Howard Dean and Teresa Kerry deprived from a national stage because too many kingmakers know about her mouthiness before she wins hearts, minds and caucus voters.