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Keep an eye on Franken
Published Thursday, May 1, 2008
Al Franken is an engaging and personable in person. The former “Saturday Night Live” performer and writer has a gift of quick wit and funny-man charm.
But as a U.S. Senate candidate he is quickly becoming a bust for the Minnesota DFL Party, even though he has piled up voluminous endorsements .
Franken’s sharp, often crass even vulgar tongue while delivering his strident comic barbs at the opposition party and some of its leaders, including Minnesota Republican U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman, strikes just the right tone that many DFL Party activists love. Thus the rock star-like adoration that Franken has generated in those circles. But even though Minnesota is a state that leans more Democratic, it is also a state with a proud sense of fairness and one that does not often relish such personal harshness toward opposing candidates.
All those Franken video clips from “Saturday Night Live” and sound bites from his “Air America” stint on that radio station with a liberal political commentary bent will be easy Coleman ad material. They show him more of a clown than a serious U.S. Senate candidate.
And now the senator’s ad man has fresh new material — Franken’s failure to pay about $70,000 in back taxes since 2003 in 17 states.
Democratic activists, unions and state lawmakers would be wise to give Nelson-Pallmeyer much more healthy consideration before they fully commit the nomination to Franken.
Comments
The Daily Journal is happy to host community conversations about news and life in Fergus Falls and the surrounding area. As hosts, we expect guests will show respect for each other. That means we don't threaten or defame each other, and we keep conversations free of personal attacks. Witty is great. Abusive is not. If you think a post violates these standards, don't escalate the situation. Instead, flag the comment to alert us. We'll take action if necessary. It's not hard. This should be a place where people want to read and contribute -- a place for spirited exchanges of opinion. So those who persist with racist, defamatory or abusive postings risk losing the privilege to post at all.Posted by BobWilliams (Bob Williams) on May 1, 2008 at 12:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
There needs to be more "personal harshness toward opposing candidates." In fact, the electorate could use a good tongue lashing as well.
Franken can tell a joke when he sees one and Mr. Coleman is it.
Posted by holymoly (anonymous) on May 1, 2008 at 12:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Crass? Vulgar? Tax cheat? Sounds like a democrat to me.
Posted by TomTom (anonymous) on May 1, 2008 at 12:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My understanding of this "failure" to pay taxes in these 17 states is that he simply reported all of his income in one state each of those years. As a result he paid way too much income tax to the state he reported in while not paying any to the other 17 states. I commend him for going back and fixing his errors. How many politicians would openly admit a mistake wsa made and take the steps to fix it instead of trying to cover it up and hope nobody ever notices. In my opinion we need more politicians with that moral character.
Posted by pilsnerurquel (anonymous) on May 1, 2008 at 9:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Too late. Franken will be the nominee and the joke will be on the comedian Norm Coleman when Al sends him packing back to St. Paul.
Posted by pilsnerurquel (anonymous) on May 1, 2008 at 9:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
In fact, TomTom you are correct. The so-called "back taxes" were actually taxes that he over paid in his home state that should have been paid to the state (s) where he actually worked. For example, when he gave a speech in Illinois, his accountant should have paid taxes in the State of Illinois, instead he filed the all of his taxes in his home state of Minnesota. Franken's accountant found the error and corrected it. No one was asking for the money, Al and his wife Franni knew they had messed up and had their accountant of 20 years fix it. Hardly the big "tax evasion" scandal the Republicans are trying to make it.
Posted by 89Heritage (anonymous) on May 2, 2008 at 8:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Anyone who has ever worked out of state , knows you have to file for each state you worked in. It took Him & his accountant 5 years to figure that out? And you want him to do what here ? Put a Extremely liberal Dem. in the capital. The gas tax hike the dems wanted was'nt enough for you? This guy has no idea what the average American wants or needs & is endorsed by alot of rich out of state liberals with there own agenda for us. B.S. We have to stop putting rich people from the big cities in office. They are destroying this country. Example= Our government.
Liberals & lawyers, The cancer of America
Posted by Elizabeth (anonymous) on May 2, 2008 at 11:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
89Heritage-
Please, educate yourself on Al Franken's policies before you spew that stuff and disparage an entire profession and political persuasion. Disagree with his policies - fine. But please, if you're going to dislike a candidate (any candidate), do so for issue-based reasons. I think you'll find Al Franken knows far more what the average American wants than most people in politics.
Posted by thethinker (anonymous) on May 2, 2008 at 2:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The only good thing about Franken is that he said he will pay back the taxes along w/penalties. Good for him - oh yeah, that is what every other tax payer in the nation would do. Or be forced to do by the IRS (whether state or federal). He blamed his accountant - and it seems the accountant did make some mistakes. It is impossible to believe he did not know he should be paying taxes in those 17 states where monies are owed so blaming the accountant only goes so far (I read thru my tax forms after the accountant is finished, but I also know about paying taxes in all states where you earn a wage-a concept that is not new).
The unfortunate truth is that the MN DFL has one of the poorest candidates in history. Al Franken is the best choice? Sad. Very sad. I am on the fence regarding Coleman - he has done good things and bad things like every other politician. However, this election will be a shoo-in for Coleman as his only competition is a fool. The joke would be on the entire state of MN if, by some chance, if the moon is in the 7th house and Jupiter aligns with Mars, we elect Franken to the Senate. Wow....what a horrid mistake that would be.
Posted by bucksteel (anonymous) on May 2, 2008 at 4 p.m. (Suggest removal)
MN already did it once with Jesse Ventura.
Posted by Commycrat (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 11:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Here is another example of change every Minnesotan can laugh at. Let’s put a liberal comedian in Washington D.C. and then see who the joke is on!!! As far as all you people that want to make excuses for Democrats and the way they behave. Shame on you!!! Every loser and convict has an excuse; I would hope we can get back to the day where our politicians don’t need one too!!!!!
Posted by TomTom (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 12:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Franken looked back on his taxes and noticed the mistake. The IRS never came after him. He found the mistake and is fixing it, sure he should've realized the mistake before it happened but at least he's being honorable about it now by fixing it.
Posted by minnesota_banker (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 7:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It is expected when people that follow the republican, Rush Limbaugh,right wing nut, "no spin" truth, tell a lie enough times and its the truth, But, for a newspaper to run this distorted story is a sad day. To run a story saying he did not pay his taxes, knowing full well he paid them, just to the wrong states, is misleading to your readers. Your "article" made no mention that his accountant paid the taxes, only to the wrong states. This is just another example of how low the right wing will go. They have lied about eveything for the last 8 years and people need to wake up and elect people like Al Franken who will stand up for the lost, middle income people. DOnt let the republicans fool you again with the fear of those "dems taking away your guns" and "we are the party stopping abortion" the agenda has always been the same for them, raise "fees" on the middle and lower class and give tax breaks to the rich. If you do not think there is a class war going on, you are walking around with blinders on. John McCain and the Norm Colemans will keep us in this Trillion dollar war until they cant make any more money off it for the defense and military machine.
Posted by rschwedes (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 8:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If you want to know the kind of senator Al Franken will be for Minnesota, you should read his book, The Truth with Jokes. It’s a serious analysis of the 2004 election, a process filled with lies and swift-boating. Al’s earlier book, Lies and the lying Liars who Tell Them, is more pointed but his target in that book is a pack of viral right-wing talkers, Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O’Reilly and the like.
On his Air America show, I thought Al was what he promised to be: fair but not balanced. He always backed up his criticisms; he never made things up about people or events.
Al is a terrific analyst, speaker, and writer. He has the issues figured out and he'll work for us to get the best solutions.
I know that Al Franken’s tax fiasco looks bad but given the reported facts, it’s hard to believe that it stems from anything more than a mistake. I used to be an independent contractor myself. If my work had taken me to Wisconsin or Iowa, I would not have known the tax consequences of my multi-state income. If a hired professional accountant told me that he had completed appropriate tax forms, and that I should sign and pay as he directed, I would surely have done so. And I have an MBA (definitely not in tax accounting.)
Posted by John_Porter (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 9:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Your editorial omitted several important details, such as that a licensed accountant made the mistake, that no income was hidden, that Franken didn't profit from the error and that he actually OVERPAID in Minnesota.
But I guess facts are more important to some people than others.
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