As I've been observing the back and forth debate following the Growth & Justice ad calling for higher taxes on the wealthy, I began to wonder why Gov. Tim Pawlenty, columnist Katherine Kersten, and other prominent Republicans were so personal and mocking in their response. Then it came to me: Maybe it is coming out of a sense of betrayal.

This is a group of over 200 wealthy Minnesotans, many of whom are multimillionaires, the very group that the Republican Party has been working tirelessly for. Pawlenty, Bush and the Republican Congress have greatly reduced their taxes, successfully shifting not only taxes, but a host of other responsibilities away from this wealthy group onto the middle class and the poor. This is the thanks they get? How could they be so ungrateful!

Then to add insult to injury the Growth & Justice group promotes the idea that personal responsibility includes caring for the community as a whole and for those not as fortunate as they have been. Don't they know that personal responsibility only applies to those at the bottom like welfare moms, immigrants and laid-off workers? It must be terribly frustrating for Pawlenty, Kersten and company. Where did they go wrong? They must bring these wayward souls back into the fold. They need to be reeducated in the mantra of modern Republicanism, so eloquently stated in Sen. John Hottinger's letter, "I've got mine. I want more. The hell with you."

JON MORRISON, MINNEAPOLIS