As one who signed the Growth & Justice ad calling for increased taxes to invest in our state's future, I just love the spin that has emerged.

Signers who are "doing well financially" are now Minnesota's most wealthy and, of course, we're all "limousine liberals." And the governor invites us to bring our checks for a photo op. I must have missed something along the way.

How did it become "liberal" to want our state to invest in education, health care and transportation? When did it become "liberal" to want to invest in our children's future? What is "liberal" about proposing a fair shared way to invest an additional $2 billion per year in our state's future? Ironically, Growth & Justice is a bipartisan organization, not a leftist cabal, though you would never know it from the reaction.

As the midterm elections approach, people really need to look past all the spin to see the impact of public policy on the lives of real people. We are disinvesting, and our competitive position in the world is suffering. Is that what constitutes a "conservative" policy? If so, we live in strange times indeed.

JOHN F. HETTERICK, PLYMOUTH