Who's Responsible for $4.00+ Gas?- I Am.

And now, introducing the Official Amendment X/Savage Republican Congressional "You Don't Need Cheap Gas, We Know Best, No Drilling, Not Now, Not Ever, Death to The Evil Oil Companies, Tax Them Into Oblivion, We're Going To Appoint Maxine Waters To Run Your Miserable Oil Companies, Ignore the Fact that We In Congress Have Brought You To This Place, But Vote For All of Us This November Because We Really Do Have a Plan for Cheap Gas, Just Like Nancy Pelosi Promised Two Years Ago But Evil Dick Cheney And Puppy and Kitten Killing Satanic Halliburton Have Prevented Us From Implementing It" theme song!


George Will was interviewed on the Colbert Report. His money maker line about exactly what the government should do-"Deliver the mail, protect the shores, get out of the way." I like it. In his recent column Will is direct about who brought this crisis upon us: we did. You and me. He refers to Sen. Chuck Schumer (who excellently represents the arrogance and hubris of all Congress) and his stand on oil, gas and Saudi Arabia:" Saudi Arabia, he said, "holds the key to reducing gasoline prices at home in the short term." Therefore arms sales to that kingdom should be blocked unless it "increases its oil production by one million barrels per day," which would cause the price of gasoline to fall "50 cents a gallon almost immediately."" Will is correct in that Schumer states the obvious and is therefore aware of the connection between supply/demand and price. He and 96 other Senators voted to stop putting oil into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve thereby putting a pittance of oil into the market. Will goes on to indict Schumer with his own words:" So Schumer, according to Schumer, is complicit in taking $10 away from every American who buys 20 gallons of gasoline." Therefore, will goes on to state that those who put Schumer, (Schumer also has voted against drilling in ANWR), in office have no reason to complain about high gas prices. These people are now experiencing the consequences of their vote.
Will also states-" Also disqualified from complaining are all voters who sent to Washington senators and representatives who have voted to keep ANWR's oil in the ground and who voted to put 85 percent of America's offshore territory off-limits to drilling."
In other words, I have no reason to complain. I voted for Norm Coleman even though in 2002, at the Scott County Republican Convention , he was very clear that he was against drilling in ANWR because he was in favor of bio-diesel. He voted for Warner/Leiberman Cap and Trade. And on and on.
So, kids, we are the ones responsible for high gas prices. We voted for these people who, over 35 years (from the first oil embargo in 1973) have voted consistently to stop American oil companies from drilling and using our own resources. Even though a vast majority of Americans NOW want drilling, Congress still is voting from arrogance.
I will be calling Sen. Norm Coleman's office. I will tell the receptionist that if the Senator doesn't vote to drill anywhere, everywhere there is oil, now and doesn't get out the way, I will vote for anyone else but him this fall. If he votes again for a "Windfall Profits Tax" on oil companies, I will not vote for Uncle Al, but I will also not vote for Norm Coleman.
My next post will talk about real world common sense solutions to the crisis that we have brought upon ourselves.
BTW- I just called Sen. Coleman's office and left a messgae, with my name and bona fides, that if he votes again for a Windfall Profits Tax, Lieberman/Warner, no ANWR, that I will not be voting for the Senator this fall. I said I would not be voting for Franken either. I told the receptionist I read the Senators web page on energy and saw nowhere where oil production was increased. The receptionist said that the Senator does support drilling off the coasts. I said good but the majority of his energy policy was in supporting alternative fuels and strategies that have been a three decade failure. She said she would give him my message.

There is hope when we have kids like this

Sometimes it not how you win or lose, but how you play the game.

In this era of steroids, me first and gotcha politics - sometime it takes a game of ball to reminds us of the good that is America.

Better to fight the good fight with honor, then to win not on your merit but by taking advantage of your opponents weakness.

This just in: Hugo Chavez's Lost Sister Found in America!

And she just keeps getting re-elected.
Do you think ratings for Congress can possibly get any lower? You bet they can.
Just watch.
Remember, what Congress has done for gas and food prices they'll do for health care.

I'm an American Kid

Needed to update.
Don't feel like being serious, so a fun song from one of my favorite groups.
If you have kids - you should have these guy's CDs.

Why is this woman crying?

Her name is Marie. She is 32. She is the mother of three boys. She is a member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints. She has not seen her children after they were taken by CPS (Child Protective Services) in Texas. The mothers and children were taken from the church's estate, by force, under the pretext of "protecting the children". The "probable cause" was a single phone call, from an as yet undiscovered female caller that said she was sixteen and had been abused. Again, the caller has never been identified nor has she come forward nor has she been located.
Now, let me be clear: I do not support polygamy. I do not support or adhere to LDS. That being said, this situation reeks of Waco, 1993.
CPS spokeswoman Marleigh Meisner said of the operation"It's a difficult process". Yah, for the children and mothers! What was difficult for you?
The mothers are clear that the CPS lied to them:"Brenda and others were critical of CPS, saying the agency misled them as to what was to happen Monday, weren't told why the children were removed from the compound and given inaccurate messages about opportunities to meet attorneys."We got to where we said, 'We cannot believe a word you say. We cannot trust you,'" she said." Wow. Can't trust the government! Who da thunk?
The Lew Rockwell site has an excellent analysis of the constitutional issues that this huge government intrusion exposes.
There is a quote from the article that links well with one from Prairie Pravda:"Hundreds of women from the sect voluntarily followed the children…" You mean the mothers didn’t have to be compelled to follow their own children into the tender jaws of the Beast?" And from PP:" Meisner said the situation was explained and, while there were tears, the operation went smoothly." Went smoothly. Anyone wonder why the women followed their children and Miesner thought the operation "went smoothly"? How about the clue in this picture:





















Now, I may be way off base here, but I bet the operation "went smoothly" and that the women followed their children because, oh, maybe there were big men with bullet proof vests and with guns on their hips herding them into buses? I don't know, but maybe.
And this screamer from Meisner on why the children were separated from their mothers:"the separation was made Monday after they( the omnipresent "experts" who provided the "advice" that "justified" this abuse of power) decided that children are more truthful in interviews about possible abuse if their parents are not around." Right. Of course. Anyone remember the horrendous McMartin Day Care Center case(in the link pay particular attention to the Country Walk , Florida case that was prosecuted by one Janet Reno. Yes, the same Janet Reno who also supervised the Branch Davidians fiasco where over eighty men, women and children were burned to death. Interestingly enough, there were also charges of child abuse within the Branch Davidians that have never been proven or even corroborated)?
Again, another case where the state knows best, the Constitution be damned. And as the government does it "for the children" they always end up "doing it to the children" and others. Always.

Update: The Daily Mail has an article where the mothers speak out

As tax day approaches

For your perusal, the original tax rates from 1913 and as compared to 2005 dollars
And these are tax rates that people today would fight and die for.

Figure 1:1913 Personal Income Tax System

Figure 2:1913 Personal Income Tax System in 2005 Dollars

Figure 1:
Tax Rate- Income Level
1%- up to $20,000
2%- $20,000 - $50,000
3%- $50,000 - $75,000
4%- $75,000 - $100,000
5%- $100,000 - $250,000
6%- $250,000 - $500,000
7%- over $500,000

Figure 2:
1913 Tax Rates Adjusted for 2005 Dollars

Tax Rate - Income Level
1%- up to $382,189
2%- $382,198 - $955,495
3%- $955,495 - $1,433,242
4%- $1,433,242 - $1,910,990
5%- $1,910,990 - $4,299,727
6%- $4,299,727 - $9,554,950
7%- over $9,554,950

(Figure 1:A $3,000 exemption for single filers
and $4,000 for a married couple.)
(Figure 2:A $44,776 exemption for single filers
and $59,701 for a married couple.)

The original marketing campaign for the 16th Amendment was that only the rich would pay taxes. Under the old rates, this would mean that today the first $382,000 would be free from taxes. But note that even in 1913 class envy and warfare was rampant. The rich still paid taxes. And only the rich. The more you made, the more you paid as a percentage and certainly as an amount. This is in direct opposition to what the founders wanted, and with good reason. The founders wrote that taxes were to be apportioned. An example of apportioned taxes: the entire budget of the United States is about $3,000,000,000,000. The population of Minnesota is 1.7% of the total U.S. population. That would mean that Minnesota is responsible for paying 1.7% of the budget or $51,000,000,000 (which means on average every Minnesotan [not every taxpayer] would owe about $10,000). Now, how Minnesota decides to collect that amount would be up to the state legislature. But, that would also mean that people could move to a state that collect that bill in way that they thought was fair. Welcome to federalism.
We're not quite where the Founding Fathers wanted us to be.
My idea: eliminate tax withholding. Move Tax Day from April 15th to the first Monday in November. Hey, wait a minute. That would mean that within twenty-four hours of having to write a large check people would vote in the General Election.
Hhhhmmm...do you think writing that check might impact the vote?
Happy Tax Day.

This just in!

For years I've tried to understand how left wingers came up with policies that have always failed. There was no reason, logic, sound economic or any Constitutional underpinnings that I could ever find in their judgments and resolutions. I have now discovered how all decisions are made by the left:

I should have known.

How civil are we here at Savage Republican

Reading Mitch Berg over at Shot in the Dark, he had a Cuss-O-Meter. The Cuss-O-Meter scans your blog and reports on, well, how "civil" your website is.
I took the plunge.
Here is the result for SavageRepublican.com:

Created by OnePlusYou

"Around 0.1% of the pages on your website contain cussing.This is 99% LESS than other websites who took this test."
Civility as we "Crush Liberals Left and Right".

Mr. Heston

We all read about the passing Charlton Heston this weekend. In October 2002 I had the opportunity to meet and talk to Mr. Heston. MN Conceal Carry Reform Now (MNCCRN/GOCRA) , the organization that got the MN Personal Protection Act passed (erroneously referred to as the conceal /carry act) put together a rally with the NRA for Duluth. We had the top of the Republican ticket there. We thought we'd have maybe 500 attendees there. We had at least 1,500. Wayne LaPierre was there and gave a stock speech that lasted twenty minutes, fifteen minutes too long. He completely forgot who his audience was: Duluth. Union guys. Reagan Democrats. Bowling and beer. LaPierre went on for twenty minutes about Chuck Schumer (silence), Charlie Wrangle (crickets), Barbara Boxer (snore), Hillary Clinton (roar and boos). Fifteen minutes too long. They had come to hear Charlton Heston defend their Second Amendment rights. Not to listen to Wayne LaPierre go on for twenty minutes about politicians they never heard of.
Mr. Heston took the stage to thunderous applause. It was apparent that he was in failing health. The body was frail. But his spirit was incredibly strong. He was committed.Just after his talk, I met and talked with him. Mr. Heston was the very definition of "gentleman": gracious, attentive, soft spoken.
I remember his comments about the upcoming election. He used a story from Ben Hur. He said that he really wanted to do a great chariot race. He knew that it would be the action highlight of the film. So, he was out working with the four horse team, eight hours a day. And a few, well, mishaps occured. Finally , the director took him to one side and said "Uh, Chuck. We appreciate your desire for authenticity in the chariot race. But, look- you're going to win the race. You really are. All you have to do is: stay in the chariot!" In the 2002 election, he told us that we were going to win. All we needed to do was stay in the chariot.
Seems that way too many Republicans have fallen out of the chariot.
Charlton Heston:Another giant from my youth who will be missed.

Make a difference!

Twila Brase at the Citizens Council on Health Care is doing yeoman's work in dealing with significant health care issues at the MN legislature. Right now, there is an issue that directly asks the question "Who owns you?" The state of MN has kept a blood and DNA sample on every child that has been born in Minnesota since July 1997. No law exists that gives the Minnesota Department of Health the authority to have done that. They just decided to do it! Why? Because they could. Or they thought they could. Or, probably more closer to the truth-"Why not? We're the state!" Not only that, but since 1986, the MDH has been providing DNA to genetic research with out the consent of the owners. In other words, the state of Minnesota believes it owns you and therefore doesn't need your permission to do research on your genetic material. Any questions slaves? The DFL seems to think not. And best you not ask any questions of your true owners.
The legislature is now deciding on an opt in clause that would give parents the power over who has their children's genetic material. Another vote would destroy all samples that were collected illegally without consent.
Go here and fill out the online petition that lets the governor know that privacy is important to you. That the state doesn't own you. That you own you.

Not a penny

As I'm wrapping up a business deal this morning, I opened Prairie Pravda to see this headline:"Senate committee authorizes Vikings stadium study". Seems the lefty controlled Senate has given 2,000,000 of your dollars to fund a study as to how much more of your money ($100,000,000's ) is going to be given to make another billionaire richer. Seems they don't have access to the polls that showed a vast majority of taxpayers did NOT want to fund the Twins stadium and make multi-billionaire Carl Pohlad richer. Anybody want to bet that those same people, and now even more people feel the same way about a Vikings stadium? Yah, the Democrats are for the common man. Right.
Hey, here's a real American capitalist idea: let the Vikings spend more of their money to study how they're going to raise their own money to make themselves richer.

A mea culpa

Seems that all the kerfuffle about Hillary's trip to Tuzla is definitely wrong. And I was wrong along with them.
A good friend of mine sent me a link to actual footage of Hillary's trip to Bosnia that shows that she did indeed land under sniper fire...and shows a side of Hillary I never would have imagined let alone believed without seeing this newly discovered and very impressive video:


And what does all this prove? Well, I'll let Hillary speak for me:"It proves I'm human."

Late night news

Frequently at night I put on the radio either the Glenn Beck Show on KTLK 100.3 or Rusty Humphries on AM1280 The Patriot. AM1280 at night is a sketchy listen sometimes down here in Savage. Last night, it was worth the static and background bounce.
I met Rusty at the Minnetonka Marriott for one of the Republican Presidential Debates when the Repubs still had 47 candidates in the running. Well spoken and a real conservative,Rusty is not a "I'm a conservative too. Watch me change" that I run into far too often in Republican circles. Anyhow, last night, he had on Colonel William "Goose" Changose (Air Force,ret.). Seems that Colonel Changose is one of the military "go to" guys that Rusty uses when he needs to flesh out a story or rumor concerning the military. The reason he called the Colonel was to find out what he knew about the about the, well, discrepancies between Hillary's recounting of her landing in Tuzla versus what the video keeps showing. Rusty recounted that the Colonel's reply was "Who told you to call me?" Rusty was a bit taken aback as the Colonel again is a go to. So Rusty asked "Well, why do you ask?" The Colonel's response "Because I was the pilot for Hillary on that C-17 that flew into Tuzla." Oh.
So, Rusty took the Colonel through Hillary's rendition of the Tuzla event.
The background: The reason a C-17 was used is because the other planes in the inventory that transport high level Administration officials (such as Air Force One, the usual 747, and others) are not capable of landing on the short runway at Tuzla. The C-17 has defensive capabilities that the other planes do not. The Secret Service was in charge of all aspects of the flight.
So, off we go.
The Colonel had flown into Tuzla at least twice before: Once with President Clinton and once with Secretary of Defense Perry (I believe is who he said. Reception, as I said was sketchy at times).
Yes, there was armor on the plane. Reason: the Secret Service.
Hillary was instructed to go to the cockpit as it heavily armored. Colonel Changose : The cockpit is armored as that's where the aircrew is. The cargo area isn't armored as, well, it's cargo. Hillary was in the cockpit to talk. Not for protection. Colonel Changose found her to pleasant and conversant. Colonel Changose also found President Clinton very personable.
Hillary said that the passengers were ordered to sit on their flak jackets. Colonel Changose replied that they were not. Colonel Changose was clear that he had never seen anyone sit on their flak jackets. He went on to say that whenever flak jackets are present, people are told to put them on, not sit on them. A comment was proffered that only in Apocalypse Now did people sat on flak jackets.
Hillary said there were evasive measures taken (corkscrewed in to Tuzla is the usual phrase). Colonel Changose replied that as there are very high hills around the Tuzla airbase, he had to come in high and drop. But that was not evasive maneuvering, it was standard landing procedure.
Hillary said that she and the passengers were told to duck and run to the cars as there was active sniper fire. Colonel Changose said there was nothing of the kind. He also had a pointed comment that reflected a thought I first had when I heard this story: if there were any sniper fire, the Secret Service would have redirected the flight away from Tuzla, immediately! No questions. Colonel Changose offered that no pilot wants to be flying the plane on which the First Lady is killed or wounded. No Secret Service agent would ever allow a landing into a hot zone. Even if Hillary screamed "We've got to get Sheryl Crowe and Sinbad to that USO performance-NOW!" the Secret Service would never have allowed it.
Hillary, wanting to showcase her deep international and diplomatic experience, commented that she was the first high level American official to visit the area after the Dayton Peace Accords. Colonel Changose said that that was correct. That after President Clinton and SecDef Perry, Hillary was the first high level official to visit Bosnia after the Dayton Peace Accords.
Rusty laughed as I smiled at Colonel Changose's dry sense of humor.
To be clear, Colonel Changose was direct. He didn't editorialize. He was an officer and gentleman in how he answered Rusty's questions. He didn't take any swipes at Hillary, though she was not his first choice for President.

CBS

CBS (Columbia Broadcasting System) used to be called the "Clinton Broadcast System".
Well, today, or at least for now, it became the"Clinton Bludgeoning System".
Go to this link that Ed Morrisey has at Hot Air and watch all three clips.
As I watch The Hillary, I remember a quote from a Vietnam vet friend of mine:"Twist and turn, crash and burn."

Tears for Sara Jane-no Part II

And now, for your review, regurgitation and revulsion, the further pleadings , sorry, pitiful whining from the repulsive radical left wing apologists for the mother killing Kathleen Soliah:
"Olson was literally snatched by the board in the dark of night and imprisoned without notice, without a hearing and without an explanation. "
My reply:"Myrna Opsahl's innocent life was literally snatched from her and she was imprisoned in a grave, without a hearing and without an explanation."
"The board's action took a huge emotional toll on Olson and her family. "
My reply:"Cold blooded Kathleen Soliah and her fellow murders action took a huge toll on Mrs. Opsahl and took and continues to take a huge emotional toll on Mrs. Opsahl's family."
"Once an inmate is released on parole, the board can only suspend or revoke her parole"
My reply:"Once these lawless, self-congratulating, unremorseful pukes took Mrs. Opsahl's life and imposed their evil will on Mrs. Opsahl' and her family, they can't revoke or suspend the death sentence they forcibly imposed on her and her family."
Let's be real clear here kids, Kathleen Soliah could and should have been indicted for first degree murder. A fourteen year sentence with seven years served is a gift. A gift. They gave Myrna Opsahl an eternal death sentence. No parole, no time off for good behavior.
So, SHUT UP!!!
Wow, sounds like I'm angry. And repulsed.
I am.

Do the right thing

In response to the cowardly stance the Forest Lake H.S. took in canceling the Vets for Freedom Tour , the 4,000th American military death and the disgraceful Huffo post, I present this from a link at Hugh Hewitt , I present this from Freedom Never Cries :

Things to Remember during the next School Referendum and School Board election

Your Tax dollars at work --

This is who the School officials think is appropriate to inform the students about war and peace.

(This is a picture of the protester the Prior Lake School District uses for guidance for their assembly)











(Weekly War Protest.
Notice the UN flag raised, US flag lowered.
He mission is to make the UN a world Parliament)



According to school officials, This is who is a bad influence on our children (Forest Lake)

Tears for Sara Jane-no

Former parolee and convicted murderer Sara Jane Olson (scratch that. SJO is an alias. Her legal name is Mrs. Kathleen Soiah) got yanked back to prison.
And the wails of anger from her friends:
Apologist Wendy Know said about convicted murderer Olson's (sorry Soliah) return to prison-"To put her and her family through that is one more unconscionable act. I just think this kind of treatment is cruel. It's unconscionable to put her through one more thing like this. It's unbelievable!"
Dear Wendy, you insensitive, ignorant, left wing s**t.
Look at this picture:


























This a picture of Myrna Opsahl. She was the woman murdered when Cookbook Queen Sara Jane (then known as Katherine Soliah) robbed the Crocker Bank that day in 1975.
She was making a deposit from her church. She was cut down by a shotgun blast because she didn't move fast enough. She was a mother of four. Her husband was a doctor at the hospital she was rushed to.
One of Soliah/Olson's fellow murderers, Emily Harris, said about the killing of Mrs. Opsahl:"Oh, she's dead, but it really doesn't matter. She was a bourgeois pig anyway. Her husband is a doctor. He was at the hospital where they brought her ".
One of the four pukes who robbed that bank that day kicked a pregnant teller in the stomach that caused her to go into premature labor.

And to add grossness to this radical left-wing insensitive vomit fest, Murderer Soliah's lawyer screamed this vileness:"This is like the Gestapo picking up somebody off the street," Nickerson said."
Yah. The Gestapo. (I mentioned this to friend in Florida-his comment was if this were like the Gestapo, Aspiring Lead Actress in the Vagina Monologues Soliah would never be seen again.)
Outrage that Murderer Soliah has to go back to prison.
Spare me now please!!!

"Trust me, I never____ with_____ and I would not____"

With all the flap over Pastor/Reverend/Mentor/Uncle Jeremiah Wright and Barack Obama denying that he ever heard any such sermon, Senator Obama is asking me to "suspend my disbelief" (Sorry Hillary. It was just to great a quote not to use).
I've been a member of a large suburban church for nineteen years. We've had three pastors in that time. One is my spiritual mentor. For me, within a year, I knew how each one of them viewed the world.
Senator Obama wants be to believe that he never heard any of Pastor/Reverend/Mentor/Uncle Jeremiah Wright's inflammatory, hate filled sermons. He wants me to believe that after he never heard any of these sermons, that he never heard another parishoner/church member mention to Barack "Wow! Did you hear, what did you think of Pastor Wright's sermon on _________?" And Sen. Obama expects me to believe that never happened. He wants me to believe that he never knew his mentor harbored and expanded and elaborated on these "black liberation theology" concepts? And did so in a very public way? In the church Senator Obama was a member of for twenty years?
Well, it appears that Senator Obama now needs to "man-up" with the consequences of his choice.

This just in :Bush reports "Economy in trouble"

Bush reports "Economy in trouble". Ya think?
Last night on the Glenn Beck show (how does he stay on CNN?) Glenn mentioned the oil price increases. He had on a trucker who shipped eggs from Ohio to Pennsylvania. He owns nine trucks. His daily fuel costs have gone from $3,000/day to around $7,000/day. He is a small businessman (as am I). His customer has worked with him on added fuel costs (he charges a fuel surcharge). But, his customer is also feeling a fuel pinch of a separate kind:ethanol. The wholly stupid and outrageous fraud of "ethanol" has put the cost of animal feed to the point where the cost for a dozen eggs has risen 40% in a few months. Milk prices are up. Chicken is up. Food prices are up all across the board, except for beef. Why beef? Because cattle ranchers can not feed their herds so they are selling them right now, flooding the market. In other words, they're dumping their herds before they broke trying to feed the herd. And when those herds are sold and no new herds being raised to bring to market the price of beef will skyrocket. Add in transportation costs and I have a question for GWB: When the hell are you blithering idiots in D.C going to get the hell OUT-OF-THE-WAY? Why on earth are you putzes in D.C. forcing us to put our food into our cars? And why aren't we drilling in ANWR, the coastal shelf and the Gulf of Mexico?
And the credit crisis? Made up completely from D.C. and the Fed Res playing with the market. And market forces will will out. They always do. Always.
GWB said at the Renewable Fuels Conference " If you're a hog-raiser in the United States, you're beginning to worry about the cost of corn to feed your animals. I'm beginning to hear complaints from our cattlemen about the high price of corn. The high price of corn is beginning to affect the price of food. " Crimeny George, you're JUST discovering this ? And you're only hearing from cattle ranchers. Ya got a filter on your email client that stops any and all emails from all but cattle ranchers? But, not to be deterred from a failed policy, he soldiers on like Napoleon going to Moscow. In his very next statement he proclaims " And so we got to do something about it, and the best thing to do is not to retreat from our commitment to alternative fuels, but to spend research and development money on alternatives to ethanol made from other materials -- for example, cellulosic ethanol holds a lot of promise. I'm sure there are people in the industry here that will tell you how far the industry has come in a very quick period of time." ARRRRrrrrrgggghhhhhh!!!!!! The only reason that "the industry" has come so far in a very quick period of time is because of government subsidies and mandates. You people have forced this crap on us. How many days before this type of insanity ends? Bad news on the ethanol front: not for at least for another 58 months. Hillary, Obama and McCain are all ethanol/biofuels/climate change acolytes. And there are way too many of their disciples in Congress. And Archer Daniels Midland puts too much money into Washington. As do so many other lobbyists (including AARP, NEA. etc.).
So, a few simple solutions for these problems here (that will some time to work their way through the market):
Four real simple solutions (this only a start):

1. Stop and end all ethanol subsidies and mandates and any and all related mandates and subsidies. Immediately. Permanently. Forever. Got it?
   
2. Start drilling in ANWR, the coastal shelf and the Gulf of Mexico. This morning. No later than after lunch.
3. Dump the CAFE standards. Repeal the horrible new energy bill. And encourage Detroit to tell D.C. to drop dead as they have no Constitutional authority to impose any CAFE standards. Remember, CAFE standards kill people.
   
4. Stop interfering in the credit markets. NOW! 85 years ago the tinkering of D.C. and the Fed Res set up all the conditions for the 1929 Crash. And the efforts of Washington to correct their own problem gave us The Great Depression.(Yah, I linked it twice. It's that important to read what happens when the government helps to find solutions to the problems it creates).

Again, simple. But not easy. It involves a whole bunch of super egos to admit they were wrong. Have been for decades. We conservatives have known it for decades. Yet for some mysterious reason, voters keep electing these people. I don't get it. I never have.
The only thing that will stop this is when your pain becomes so intolerable that Americans will finally vote the truth,not the empty promises.

Cheap entertainment

Last week after Super Tuesday II, I was in the chat room for Ed Morrisey's Blog Talk Radio Show. As Hillary made a comeback of sorts the topic was how this changed the race for the Democratic nomination and what the Repubs should do. Well my feeling and input is the same: You put two badgers into a tightly sealed metal garbage can and then beat on the sides. Then take the cover off in early September and watch what crawls out.
And for cut rate yuks, throw in a superdelegate NY Governor, a former 1984 female Democratic V.P. candidate and for spice add a racist hate mongering pastor, then slam down the lid...then just listen for a bit.
The gift that keeps on giving.
It so reminds me of the quote "Every revolution eats its children" and the Biblical principle of sowing and reaping.

Yah couldn't write this stuff

Allahpundit at Hot Air has a great clip from The Daily Show with a report on Code Pink and the Berkley City Council resolution against the Marine Recruiters. I have had run ins with what I call Code Pinky Winky. They spout and continue to spout any and all lack-of-logic-looney-left-language that we've come to expect from people who lack any reasoning ability. Listen to this. It is priceless. And it reminds me of every single occurence I've ever had in talking to Code Pinky Winky:


(I had problems with the embed from Hot Air and now YouTube so I used the embed from The Daily Show

John Dewey and the NEA

A California appeals court has found that California parents are idiots and dangerous to the future of their children. The appeals court has found that parents do not have a right to home school their own children. well, that is unless of course they are "credentialed" by the state. And of course, the NEA (National Education Association) heavily influences what passes as credentials. Well, The Eagle Forum has a great article on our good buddies at the NEA and what a bunch of screaming lefties they are. Pat Buchanan in his book "The Death of the West" also has a chapter on how the socialist influences of late 19th and early 20th century took root in our education system via the Frankfurt School and "cultural marxism".
Any guesses as to which party the NEA overwhelmingly contributes to? Read it here.
Wonder why lefties and lefty reps in the State Legislature and Congress hate home schooling? $$$'s.

And now, more adventures of Our Little Amy

Today, as we peek in on Our Little Amy, we observe her excellent and awe inspiring adventures and insight as a bio-pharmacologist and business mogul (here):
Seems that about 3,000 children a year are born with a heart condition called PDA (patent ductus arteriosis). It's a heart defect that can be cured with either a drug ( that's manufactured by a company called Ovation Pharmaceuticals ) or with surgery. Pretty neat. But,oh no- not for Our Little Amy!
The drug, called Indocin I.V. was researched and developed by Merck. Merck sold the drug to Ovation. Ovation now manufactures and distributes the drug. When Merck sold Indocin, the therapy cost $108. Ovation charges $1500. And Our Little Amy sees that the vile, repugnant and evil Ovation is reaping huge, unconscionable windfall profits on poor defenseless little babies (the same babies that Our Little Amy is more than happy to have killed via abortion). And Our Little Amy is NOT going to let this injustice go unpunished, I tell you! "We need to highlight how messed up the system is when a pharmaceutical company can rip off premature infants with bad hearts," she said Friday." You go girl!! Now, vile repugnant Ovation throws up a paltry and easily laughable defense-"It's a complex process when you're moving manufacturing from one facility to another, let alone one company to another," said Sally Benjamin Young, a spokeswoman. " Ha! We all know that Our Little Amy is an expert in bio-pharmacology.We also know that Our Little Amy, being an expert in all the thick books of all the FDA regulations that both Merck and Ovation had to know, meet and comply with to even begin the process of selling Indocin, well she saw right through that little charade of an excuse that Ovation laughably offered. Also, that Our Little Amy, with her vast background in business, drug manufacturing, margin and recovery costs (just to name a very few of her areas of expertise) knows that Ovation is just heartless. She, of course, knows that Merck is huge and makes billions of dollars (most earned unethically, of course) and that Merck may have buried the cost of this orphan drug (any drug with a prospective treatment audience of 200,000 or less) in and amongst all it profits on other pharmaceuticals. Naturally Our Little Amy then immediately recognized that Ovation's price was WAY beyond what perhaps the actual manufacturing , recovery, acquisition and compliance costs may be in that the treatment audience is only 3,000. And Our Little Amy was willing to severely punish Ovation for taking a business risk-"She's calling on the Federal Trade Commission to investigate and wants the Food and Drug Administration to move faster to approve generic versions of the drug, which would cost far less" . OK, that should serve as a warning to any and all bloodsucking pharmaceutical companies that Our Little Amy isn't going to stand for companies profiting from innovation and risk taking! How dare they meet and comply with FDA regulations, EEOC, OSHA, IRS to find miracle drugs for us. Why, there might even be people out there who would say "Ya' mean there's a drug that for only $1500 can cure a heart condition in a little baby? WOW. Don't we live in the greatest nation on earth?" They need to be shown the error of their ways! And Our Little Amy has the vast and deep knowledge to do just that! Never mind that Ovation is the only company that makes a drug for PDA. But ah, Our Little Amy knows that there are 100's of companies chomping at the bit to make a generic version of a drug with just 3,000 possible customers. Does the wonderment and amazement of her knowledge, insight, wisdom and acute business acumen ever end? And we are so blessed to have Our Little Amy as, well, Our Little Amy out there working for us as a bastion against all those innovative pharmaceutical companies that could come up with, well, who knows what overpriced miracle drug .
Be sure to tune in again for the further adventures of Our Little Amy!
And be sure to visit Our Little Amy's sponsors :The Joseph Stalin School of Business and Management and the Hugo Chavez Academy for Advanced Political Thought.

When non-experts speak

As I was doing my morning news review, I went to the Drudge Report and saw this screamer headline:"Introducing the world's smallest gun that fires deadly 300 mph bullets! " complete with exclamation point! Many people know me as a certified firearms instructor. And a member of the leadership group ( a late joining member) that was responsible for passing the Minnesota Personal Protection Act (misnamed Conceal/Carry). So, I immediately knew that this was an idiot headline.
300 mph as a deadly speed is relative. A glacier moving at 300 mph would be miraculously stunning. A jet flying at 300 mph is creeping along. A comet speeding at 300 mph is not speeding. A train that goes 300 mph is noteworthy. A bullet at 300 mph is a weak sister. Real weak. 300 mph equates to 440 fps (feet per second). Ballistically that is termed as sub-sonic (sonic or the speed of sound is generally considered to be 1,100 fps). My 45 shoots at a muzzle velocity of around 830 fps. That is considered a slow round. With a heavy bullet. The reason speed is important is because it figures into muzzle energy. Speed and the weight of the round are put into a formula that tells us what the "work" of that round will be. So, taking 300 mph (440 fps and reading the article, the headline is also wrong as the speed is 270 mph and therefore muzzle speed is 330 fps) and that this is a very small round (light weight) and doing the conversion (from the Swiss Mini-Gun website ) equates to less than a foot pound of energy. The Swiss Mini-Gun website also says that the round has less energy than a BB gun. Now, don't get me wrong. I would have no desire to put the muzzle up against any part of my body. Or anything else for that matter as I observe the safety maxim "Don't ever point the muzzle of a firearm at anything that you're not willing to destroy".
But as you read the article, the writer found someone who he described as a "consultant forensics consultant" and "firearms expert " and who spoke in dire terms: puncturing skin and bones, threshold, lethal etc. However, all his warnings of lethality, when put into analysis of the facts as presented, put the specter of serious doubt as to his expertise. And the real agenda of the writer.
And this is same screaming lack of logic, we found an "expert who agrees with our agenda" that you hear from the left-on nearly every issue.

A change of pace

With all the politics we write about, I thought I'd find something that would take a different direction:



Also, what ever you, do NOT click on any of the follow-up videos that reference the Ford SportKa and a cat!

"Because they can..."

The SD35 Republican convention was this weekend. In even numbered years the convention business is to endorse candidates and vote on resolutions. Every two years we endorse for the House of Representatives and every four years we endorse for the Senate also. Senator Claire Robling (R-SD35) gave her report on the Senate. She talked about the Senate vote not to confirm Lt. Gov. Carol Molnau head of MNDOT. Sen. Robling was very upset. She said that Carol Molnau was her representative and was also the one who encouraged her to run for Senate. And Sen. Robling was very clear that the only reason that the Senate DFL majority fired Carol Molnau was because "They could." The DFL has a long memory and no patience. Or grace. Or humility. Or logic. Or economic sense. They are a vindictive lot. And with a veto proof majority they are drunk with power. Sen. Robling also talked about the DFL victory in Tom Neuville's district (SD25) that gave the DFL the ability to override a gubernatorial veto-which they have.
The House of representatives is in a parallel strait. With an overwhelming majority in the House, the DFL is again very emboldened. And the Republicans have no one else but themselves to blame. As Savage Republican has pointed out the problem isn't that aren't enough Republicans in the House. The problem is that aren't enough conservatives (as witnessed by the 6 RINOs that voted with the radical left to override the governor's veto of the largest tax increase in Minnesota history-just when we're looking at an economic slowdown). And why is there now the largest tax increase in Minnesota history that goes NOT for roads and bridges but buildings and bike paths?
"Because they can..." It's what they do. And it's what they do to you.
Ron Carey , Executive Chair of the MN GOP showed up to address the SD35 Convention. I talked to him briefly before his address. I was clear that a perfect confluence of events, given to us by the DFL, has transpired . And that if the MN Repubs can not take back the House this election cycle, the Repubs need to close up shop and clip coupons for a living.
Unfortunately, his address was boiler plate, off the shelf stuff. Here was a golden opportunity to get the troops ready for the upcoming battle. And it was,rather unfortunately, missed.

It's not too late for Sanity in Scott County

Courtesy Minnesota Majority -
Tell Your Metro County Commissioners to Reject the Tax Increase

There may still be an opportunity to block a portion of the massive $6.6 billion transit bill passed by the Minnesota state legislature. The transit bill included over $1.1 billion of funding for mass transit boondoggle programs, funded by an increase in the metro-county sales tax and an increase in the vehicle excise tax.

According to our sources, these tax increases must be ratified by a resolution passed by the Board of County Commissioners within each of the seven metro counties in which these tax increases are to go into effect.

If a County Board rejects the tax increase, it cannot be imposed upon the citizens of that county. If enough constituents take the time to contact their County Commissioners, there’s a chance that we may be able to block these tax increases in some counties.

We have heard that some County Commissioners are telling constituents that they can't stop the sales tax and the vehicle excise tax. Have them read this section of the bill passed by the state legislature. It clearly states that the County Boards must pass a resolution for these taxes to go into effect.


Scott County Commissioners

District Name Phone Alt Phone Email
Dist 1 Joseph Wagner 952-445-7750 612-270-2660 jwagner@co.scott.mn.us
Dist 2 Bob Vogel 952-445-7750 952-461-2384 bvogel@co.scott.mn.us
Dist 3 Jerry Hennen 952-445-7750 952-445-1013 jhennen@co.scott.mn.us
Dist 4 Barbara Marschall 952-445-7750 952-477-5748 bmarschall@co.scott.mn.us
Dist 5 Jon Ulrich 952-445-7750 952-447-2286 julrich@co.scott.mn.us

Taxes and property rights

Yesterday I came across this article on tax cuts in communist controlled Hong Kong. Seems that there is a budget surplus in Hong Kong. Now, here in America the Congress spends the surplus, as does the Minnesota Legislature and then that spending becomes the new budget low level spending limit. Go below that line and the lefty pukes warn that senior citizens will eat dog food while living in a snow bank, babies will starve while they have no diapers and puppies will burst into flames. But, in Communist Hong Kong they cut taxes when they have a surplus. Get this: personal salary taxes (income taxes) were only cut 1%- from 16% to 15%. A 15% income tax! In a communist area. And corporate income taxes were also cut 1%: 17.5% to 16.5%. Most of us here in America would kill to have tax rates like that.
Today,to further point out how far behind we truly are here in America, the IPRI (International Property Rights Index) was posted. It is an exhaustive survey of how property rights are ensured and protected worldwide.
The good news: the United States is in the top 20% of countries worldwide that protect property rights. The bad news: we rank at number 19. Behind Finland, Ireland,even Canada! And of course, Hong Kong.
I remember a scene with Russel Crowe in "Gladiator". As he is going to appear in the Colosseum to fight , he hears the roar of the crowd. Thinking of Marcus Aurelius' command to re-establish the republic, Maximus turns to Proximo and says "Marcus Aurelius had a dream that was Rome, Proximo . This is not it. This is not it! "
And so it would be if our Founding Fathers came back to see what we've done to their dream.

Representative Erhardt

I just heard an interview on KTLK The Chris Baker Show with Rep. Ron Erhardt regarding his proposal to tax clothing (where Erhardt "reaches across the aisle" to a DFL'er Hortman. Not much of a reach. More of a hug.) . What an arrogant tripe! I've requested that Chris put the interview on a separate podcast. Rep. Erhardt says that his proposal to tax clothing is an attempt to start a debate on how to help people that are negatively impacted by the largest tax increase in state history. Chris suggested to Erhardt that all services be denied to all illegals. However, Rep. Erhardt then invited Chris to come to the state capitol. And then went on to say "What do you want to do? Deny rights to illegals?" Erhardt went into full deny/swerve/discombobulate mode after that. Again,here is the link at KTLK.
Also remember that no tax ever stays at a low level-ever. And once the clothing exemption is breached, the food exemption is next (we're already taxed on snack foods). Then prescription drugs. We started out at at 3% sales tax rate in Minnesota. We are now over 100% over that. Do not accept the spurious argument "Well, we have inflation!" The tax rate takes inflated dollars. Tax proponents always lie. Always.

The new Sales Tax - How to save Money

Since others have highlighted the legislators who stuck with this tax for pork bill -
I decided to focus on one of the other groups responsible and benefiting from the pork.

The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce -
A list of the members is available, but like most large organizations (AARP for instance) most people join not for the politics but for other benefits.
So if you are a member, I would suggest you cancel your membership and use the money you save to pay those taxes.

But that is not to say that there is no one to hold accountable - Namely the board of directors. Here is a list of the companies who have representative on the board.
Kindly let them know why you will no longer be supporting their establishment - You need to save the money to pay for all the new taxes and fees.

Officers:
SJE-Rhombus Controls
Detroit Lakes

Hubbard Radio
Minneapolis

General Mills, Inc.
Minneapolis

Northern State Bank
Thief River Falls

Board Members:

Boise Cascade Corporation
International Falls

Thern, Inc.
Winona

Bennett Office Technologies, Inc.
Willmar

The Bernick Companies
St. Cloud

Ruttger's Sugar Lake Lodge
Grand Rapids

Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
Minneapolis


Padilla Speer Beardsley, Inc.
Minneapolis

Medtronic, Inc.
Fridley

Northwest Airlines
Eagan

Cambria
Le Sueur

TPS Insurance
Owatonna

L & M Radiator, Inc.
Hibbing

Cargill
Wayzata

Otter Tail Corporation
Fergus Falls

Stanton Group
Plymouth

Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America
Minneapolis

Par Aide Products Company
Lino Lakes

Target Corporation
Minneapolis

Coughlan Companies
Mankato

HGA Architects & Engineers
Rochester

Shaw-Lundquist Associates
St. Paul

Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Grand Casino
Hinckley

GCI Systems
St. Paul

Xcel Energy, Minnesota, North & South Dakota
Minneapolis

LDI Fibres
New Hope

UPM-Kymmene Blandin Paper Company
Grand Rapids

The Schwan Food Company
Marshall

Linsk Flowers
St. Louis Park

Best Oil Company
Cloquet

Minnesota Power
Duluth

Taylor Corporation
Eagan

Nelson, Tietz & Hoye
Minneapolis

US Bank
Minneapolis

State Farm Companies
Mendota Heights

Best Buy Co., Inc.
Richfield

3M
St. Paul

Custom Products of Litchfield
Litchfield

Grand View Lodge
Nisswa

Rosen's Diversified, Inc.
Fairmont

Alexandria Extrusion
Alexandria

UPS
Minneapolis

Hormel Foods Corporation

Burnsville Chamber of Commerce
Burnsville

HealthPartners
Minneapolis

Ecolab
St. Paul

Morrie’s Automotive Group
Minnetonka

non sequitur

I'm watching "Triple Cross" on National Geographic. It's a special on AQ in America. One character with which I had no familiarity is named Ali Mohamed. He was s sergeant at Ft. Bragg, stole training manuals and was a spy for OBL. Wanting more information I googled Mohhamed's name with the qualifier sergeant and 9-11. I came across this article from our favorite paper, the NYT. All the dates I'm seeing in "Triple Cross" are all 1990's. The article excoriates GWB for not capturing OBL. Yet with all that was happening on Clinton's watch, the NYT article never mentions all the incredible opportunities the Clinton FBI, CIA, NSA and Justice Department had to indentify and hold Mohamed. And it appears that the FBI had incredible evidence on him.
What impresses me is the NYT never even refers to the Clinton failures over eight years. Just that OBL is still loose. Big deal. One man, a symbol. Thousands dead because Clinton failed.
Again, I wonder what Sandy Berger really destroyed. And how harsh that nasty letter to him from the Bush Justice was.
It must have been stinging.

The irony and the stench

I just heard Governor Tim Pawlenty rail on the radical exteme lefty controlled MN Legislature and the largest tax increase in Minnesota history. The Governor says the radical DFL took a bucket full of taxes and dumped it on the taxpaying citizens. And I agree. He then went on to say that Minnesotans are struggling to pay for food, gas and health care. And I immediately saw what Tim didn't. And I asked myself the following question: and why are Minnesotans struggling to pay for these essentials?
1. Food: ethanol subsidies have gone to increase corn prices and therefore any and all foodstuffs rise in price. Culprit: the government.
2. Gas prices: refusal to drill in ANWR, coastal shelf and Gulf of Mexico. Heavy taxes on oil company profits. Bio-fuels and the waste of mandates. No new oil refineries in America in three decades. We now import a significant amount of gasoline. Gasoline. Culprit: the government.
3. Health care: mandates aplenty. Alcohol/drug treatment is mandated even if you don't want it. Psychological counseling services mandated even if you don't want it. Medicare. Heavy insurance regulations. Culprit: the government.
So, when Tim says Minnesotans are struggling to pay for these needed items, he also fails to mention why these items are as expensive as they are.

Canary time

In my four decades in business I've made many contacts. A few have been employed by Cargill, the Minnesota grain and commodities giant. Someone once said that if you wanted to know how much Cargill made, you took the total world sales of corn, wheat, salt and soybeans, subtract what the the other four top grain sellers did and the remainder is what Cargill sold. In the late 80's I was working to put together a few grain deals going to Russia. Someone at the Minneapolis Grain exchange told me that for decades when the U.S. Government wanted to know what the wheat harvest would be in the old Soviet Union, the Feds went and asked Cargill. They knew and knew fairly accurately. They had their own satellite it was said. Cargill employs the best and expects the best. And now Cargill is making a statement that every single ethanol supporter needs to hear: Cargill has suspended indefinitely the construction of a new ethanol plant outside Topeka, KS . According to the Cargill spokesman Bill Brady "The economics are not at a point where we see fit to move forward.The economics are not where they were a year and a half ago ". Two factors contribute to the decision: the cost to build a plant has doubled in five years coupled with the price of corn is now hovering around $5.00/bu. And nothing here should surprise anyone who has even a passing familiarity with basic economics. You always get more of what you subsidize, less of what you tax. Ethanol on its own is not profitable. Its profit comes only from its subsidies. And now even that's not enough to ensure profitability:"Jay O'Neil, senior agricultural economist with the International Grains Program at Kansas State University, said the $5 per bushel corn is putting a squeeze on ethanol plant profit margins.

If the high corn prices continue, he said, margins will be negative."The ethanol industry has fallen on more competitive and difficult times," O'Neil said. "They are going to struggle. You will see a consolidation in this process. Some will go out of business." " Lands! Even with massive government subsidies for the plants, ethanol, farm price supports and then having heavy mandates forcing you and me to put this crap in our cars and trucks these plants STILL can't make money! And anyone hear any lefty, anywhere say "Time to admit this ain't working!"? Nope. The house will burn down before they admit there's a fire. Oh, and here is an excellent article that that old "unintended consequences" of "bio-fuels" heavily contributes to "global warming/climate change" or whatever they're calling it now. Plus the study shows that bio-fuels really do create Man Made Global Warming. And will heavily contribute to global hunger and increased prices all the way around. The solution: drill. ANWR, the coastal shelf . Get government out of the way. End CAFE standards that kill us and do nothing except let politicians feel they "doing something". End all ethanol subsidies-now!

Save us, Oh Lord, from politicians and their good intentions!

As it should be

Prairie Pravda reports that Raul Castro is now Cuba's President with the headline "Raul Castro succeeds older brother Fidel as Cuba's president". In the first paragraph is this little gem:"...leaving the islands communist system unshaken."
The headline Prairie Pravda really wanted to run:
"Raul Castro succeeds older brother Fidel as Cuba's president; Communist system unshaken. Star Tribune Editorial Board celebrates, raises fist in solidarity".

Coalitions, alliances and a leap

I am what most people call a conservative. A real conservative. A radical conservative. Or as Joseph Farah would remind lovers a liberty, a rebel. I prefer the latter. It's truly much more accurate.
There seems to be quite a number of stories on the New York Times piece, more accurately the sorry but not unexpected piece that the Old Gray Whore wrote on John McCain.
Many on the right are heralding the support for John McCain that this story has produced. They believe that this story has provided the catalyst that at last has pulled conservatives to McCain's side. Steve Chapman writes for many at Real Clear Politics on this "coming together" for McCain. I'm not quite there.
All these stories and pronouncements would seem to intone the old Arab saying "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" amongst the right. For me, I have come to expect nothing less from the Old Gray Whore. Personally, I think the GWB Administration has been derelict in not prosecuting the staff on the OGW for treason after the exposed critical operations in the GWOT. But, this is also the same Administration that refused to prosecute Sandy Berger with anything worse than a strongly worded letter in his personnel file. Oh well.
In the chat room at BTR I asked who would this story discourage or disaffect? The Repubs loathe the OGW, the left reveres it as holy writ. So who does this loose? Duane Patterson suggested the independents. Perhaps. My read on this it that it provides a huge weapon for McCain: any story that raises its head above the ridge of "just irritating" can easily be marginalized as "just another New York Times hit piece". Viola'! Instant marginalization.
But still, I'd warn that this rising up regarding the OGW story is not automatically an arrow vote for McCain from the conservative quiver. That will more than likely come from serious consideration regarding the GWOT and Supreme Court appointments.

Time to watch like a hawk II

Not being to get to a computer didn't allow me to follow up on the Cottonwood Bus tragedy.
Nearly all that I suspected and alluded to has now become known. Some of what I suspect about the woman known as Morales is yet to come out. But I suspect that officials knew early, certainly by Wednesday, that Morales was all we now know she is. When Prairie Pravda reports on the maintenance record of the bus but little on the van driver, well...
Yesterday I was watching the MN House of Representatives debate HF2800 and its amendments. One was HF2800A46 requiring that all drivers licenses tests be given in English. And lands you should have heard the hew and cry from the DFLers! You'd have thought Kristallnacht and Night Riders were upon us again! There was a St. Paul DFL hack with a Hispanic last name that went on about "code", "shame", "sadness", "brown people" etc... And he was one of many DFLers with the exact same message. Had I been Minority Leader Siefert, I would have hoped that I could have a recording from the inside of that Cottonwood bus and said nothing in reply to each of these spineless DFLers. All I would have done is played that recording.
And Mayors Rybak and Coleman have declared Minneapolis and St. Paul to be sanctuary cities. Wonder what they have to say now? Did "Morales" ever come through these cities? ever stopped by the police? Do you people remember when Governor Pawlenty suggested that drivers licenses held by legal aliens have and visa expiration date stamped on them? You'd have thought he suggested summary execution from the bellowing lefties.

Much more is going to come oozing out about this.

P.S. This just in: sit down for this- she doesn't speak English. The criminal complaint.

I care about Rural MN

I care about rural MN, and that is why I will help them get representation.
I am looking to find who will run against the RINO named Bud Heidgerken.

After his display on during the transportation debate, in addition to calling for his censure at State Convention (and if he is endorsed, that entire HD), I will also donate to anyone who plans to run against him.

He is bad for MN and must go.


Compare this to Rep. Buesgens -
Who outed this "compromise bill"
In this definition of compromise, a robber sticks you up takes all your money.
He then gives you back half and calls that a compromise.

Time to watch like a hawk

Four dead children in SW Minnesota. Details at first were sketchy. Today, there are more.
One of the victims tells of what he saw: " I saw the maroon van run a stop sign, it blew over the railroad tracks and hit the bus, sending it sliding into me,” Hancock, 47, said from his hospital bed in Sioux Falls, S.D. “The next thing I knew, they were hauling kids out and it was chaos.” And the driver of that maroon van? " Authorities have identified the van driver as Alianiss Morales, 23, who neighbors say works as a turkey processor at the Jenny-O plant in Montevideo, Minn. She pleaded guilty in 2006 to driving without a valid license and paid a $182 fine. State records show Morales has no valid driver’s license, but was issued a Minnesota state identification card." Now, the Star Tribune could get a statement from Hancock, but nothing from Morales? They had to talk to her neighbors and all they could find out was that she worked as a turkey processor? Nothing more? And no drivers license, but a MN state ID card? A prior conviction for driving without a valid drivers license. There are way too many red flags popping up here.
This is a story I'm going to stay on top of.

The machine and the reality

Now, after scewering Savage Republican, let's get back to agreement. SR has stated a number of times that he never counts the Clinton Machine out. Ever. I agree. But it's not the machine anymore that should concern us. It's what the machine is programmed to do.
I caught the last few minutes of "Terminator II: Judgment Day". Ahhnahld, the Terminator took the steel rod through the processor after being hammered and dismembered. But, power was re-routed and the automatic reboot took over. And the Terminator Machine was off and operating to do as programmed. Period.
So, even with Prairie Pravda saying Hillary is on the ropes, that with the machine being broken, the software that runs the machine is still there. The Clintons want the Presidency. They feel they are deserving of the Presidency. What the Democrats want is of little or no importance. The Clinton Machine is programmed to obtain the nomination.
As Jim Geraghty said on BTR today that Hillary's exit in Denver, should that be the case, will not be a sound of adieu, but of fingernails screeching across the floor as she is dragged away from the podium screaming "That nomination is MINE. Do you hear me, MINE!?!"
Programmed for one thing and one thing only.

Yes, you told us...and you KEEP telling us ad nauseum

Recovering from the gifts of Mr. Flu, I blogged yesterday after opening my computer for the first time in four days. After I posted I saw Savage Republican's post on, well, I'm not quite sure what the post was on. He has been direct in supporting Mike Huckabee. Well, it appears that he thinks he's supporting Mike Huckabee. But, you'd never know it from the screeds he's posted regarding Mitt Romney. And especially this last one. I've told Savage Republican that he's been arguing policy, desperately arguing policy while completely ignoring the politics. I've talked to many other conservatives who have the distinct feeling and have stated as such that they see Mike Huckabee using the Baptist Church like John Kerry used his Vietnam experience-shamefully.
Now, Savage Republican and I have always been closely aligned politically, ideologically. We have had one large and dynamic split- Huckabee for him, Romney for me (after Thompson backed out).
This is hopefully as close as you'll get to seeing internecine warfare here on the pages of SavageRepublican.com.
That being said, I have no idea why Savage Republican continues to rant on about Mitt Romney even three weeks after Governor Romney DROPPED OUT.
And Mike Huckabee seems absolutely dead set on his desire to become the the 21st century Harold Stassen.
Knock yourself out guys!
Ain't America great?

Representative John Shadegg-a great friend to liberty and to Amendment X

This morning I read at Captain's Quarters that John Shadegg (R-3D Arizona) is not going to seek re-election. Rep. Shadegg first came to my attention when he proposed (many times it's turned out) a very simple bill that stated that every bill's author must specifically cite where in the Constitution the authority for that bill exists:" The Enumerated Powers Act would require Members of Congress to include an explicit statement of Constitutional authority into each bill that is introduced. It would hold Congress accountable for its actions," said Shadegg " This is merely telling Congress that they need to tell the citizens of the United States how they are honoring their oath of office. The Enumerated Powers Act has gone down to overwheming defeat each time it's been proposed. Overwhelming defeat.If this doesn't tell you everything you need to know about Congress I don't what does or will.
" The Tenth Amendment (aka Amendment X - X being the Roman numeral for 10) states, "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

"According to the Tenth Amendment, the national government cannot expand its legislative authority into areas reserved to the States or the people," said Shadegg. "It is a well-known fact that the size and scope of the federal government has exploded since the New Deal. Congress continues to operate without Constitutional restraint, creating costly and ineffective programs and blatantly ignoring the principles of federalism."
All that being said, Captain Ed and many others of note have sigend a letter encouraging Congressman Shadegg to remain in the Congress. He is exactly, exactly the type of Congressman we all need to represent us.
Please send him an encouraging email at: http://www.house.gov/formshadegg/emailtemplate.htm or call at 202-224-3121.

SOSO

Last week before Mr. Flu gave me an early birthday present, I came across A Prairie Pravda "Letter of the Day". It was about the author's outrage at the shootings at NIU. She was mentally and emotionally exfoliating. What I usually do is drop to the end of the letter to see if the author confesses to being a member of any group. She did not.
Her first statement was "How many have to die like this, in our civilized democracy, before we decide we have had enough?" A rather peculiar question, but I read on. Then came the money quote: " I am tired of the arguments, neatly and tightly worded and provided by the National Rifle Association. You know, "Guns don't kill -- people do" or "We have the right to bear arms" or "It was our forefathers' plan for our citizens to be able to arm themselves." Blah, blah, blah." And all her irrationality was suddenly laid naked. She went to blame all parties:"It is an election year. Why doesn't either side ever want to bring the issue of guns in our society to the table? I mean, really bring it to the table, not just package it up, shrug our shoulders and turn to other issues. Gun "control" as we have now means there is no control at all. Our country is out of control, and I am afraid we are all becoming numb to it."
Well, Ms. Kim Van Zant-Aune of St. Louis Park, now that you stated stated your perspective, what do you suggest? Your rather lame "gun control as we have it now means there is no control at all" is inaccurate at best. There is certainly control. All law abiding citizens obey gun control laws. Every one of those dead students was obeying the law. The shooter was not under control. What law would you propose that he would have observed? What statute would you have had on the books that would have stopped him dead in his tracks? Only one I know of: having an armed student in that classroom.
We tried it your way: NIU is a gun free zone. How'd that work for you?
Now, I'm going to tell you a real dirty little secret that we firearms owners know that you flamers on the left either don't know or refuse to acknowledge: if you wanted to, you could go and buy, illegally of course, a firearm within 10 miles of your comfortable house out there in that cushy western suburb.
So, if you read this, please tell me in comments 1. What statute you'd propose so this will never happen again 2. Exactly how that statute will work-not how you wish it would work, but the day-to-day mechanics of that law on the streets.
Oh, and a by the way, what would you have done had you been in Cole Hall that day? Stood up and told Mr. Kazmierczak, in absolutely NO UNCERTAIN TERMS that was violating a gun free zone law? I'm sure that he would have, at that point, dropped all his weapons and signed up for a lifetime membership at the VPC (Violence Policy Center).
I'm quite certain.
If only you had been there.
So, to answer Ms. Van Zant-Aune's first question: it seems like a lot more will have to die, thanks to people like you. Hugh Hewitt has on his radio show a quote from Samuel L. Jackson from Die Hard III "I don't like you because you're going to get me killed!"
You're going to get a lot more people killed Ms. Van Zant-Aune.