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.

See, I Told you so.

Mitt Romney was just in the race to get McCain nominated.

Besides the statistical proof I provided earlier,

Now this: Romney Endorses McCain


Hopefully this will end all the, just wait until 2012 when we can endorse a real conservative like Mitt Romney.

We need a real conservative - Mitt wasn't it.

Hanging with liberty

Captain Ed has issued a challenge of sorts regarding the Danish cartoonists that drew a cartoon of Mohamed. Yesterday the Danes announced that they had rounded conspirators that were planning to murder the Danish cartoonists responsible for the drawings. And Danish newspapers reprinted the image. Captain Ed has asked the blogosphere to respond.
So, here is the "offending" cartoon:

Glad to help in my/our own small way.

Thanks Normie, Diane, Hillary, George, Chuck, et al

I'm still waiting to see one report showing that biofuel, biodiesel, or whatever is worth a damn-except to corn farmers. As an aside, I have a friend who has a number of pork growers as clients who are plenty steamed at ethanol because of the huge increase in feed costs because of the extreme market dislocation due to ethanol subsidies. Do you think the feds and states will bail out the pork farmers too along with keeping any and all other price supports and subsidies? Bet on it. And no squawks from the pig farmers. Oops, a correction: the Feds and states won't bail the pork farmers out: you will. By force. Now, on to the reason for the blog.
Hugo Chavez has stopped oil sales to Exxon-Mobil. Venezuela is our fourth largest oil supplier.
So, Senators Coleman, Feinstein, Boxer, Schumer , McCain and President Bush: why aren't we drilling in ANWR, the Gulf of Mexico, the coastal shelves off Florida and California? We have an oil economy. Period. The government only destroys markets. So it can not create one. We need oil. It's a wonderful source of energy. Ethanol, biodiesel, wind does not and has not and will not work. Oil does.
Hey Norm: you are all flummoxed about Northwest Airlines merging with Delta and 2,000 jobs going away. Well, you weren't concerned enough. When Northwest was restructuring under bankruptcy, the modeled cost per barrel was $65. And Northwest management was thought to be quite prudent. Well, $65 bbl was some time ago. And where would oil prices be if we had ANWR online now? If we were bringing in oil from the Gulf? And all the prices linked to oil? And it's OUR oil, produced close to our shores and/or inside our borders. Secure, safe, and ours. Dependable, efficient, effective and now.
No debate. Just get out of the way.

Too slothful, too ignorant, too complacent to be inconvenienced to vote

The caucuses are over in MN. The whining started before the straw poll votes on all the Post-It Notes were even tallied.
Calls for a Presidential Primary were rampant, especially from the DFL . And why these rising voices against being "disenfranchised"? Because people were "inconvenienced".
Here are some comments from the Prairie Pravda story linked above with my thoughts:
"Unfortunately, my voice could not be heard in the caucus last night. I showed up at the precinct to find that I had to sit through an hour meeting and THEN vote. Well, this just didn't suit my schedule (due to a prior commitment) and I had to leave. -mollymay" "Just didn't fit my schedule". A splendid reason to abolish a grassroots system of political involvement from people in your very neighborhood. Maybe you could let your local party leaders know your schedule in advance so the whole state could be run for your convenience. Please get back to us when your schedule permits.
"The Republican caucus system is ALREADY not for everyone ... an evening caucus at a set time already favors (a) those who aren't going to have to hire a babysitter in order to go (b) those with no other obligations in the evening. A primary that is open all day enables everyone to find a time to go and vote.-spmerrill" Let me see if I have this straight- here is a date certain at a time certain that is set months ahead. And there are some people who "aren't going to hire a babysitter" seems like a choice to me. These people chose not to hire a babysitter. Good for them. A choice. And if they chose to bring their children, I didn't see, I didn't post, I wasn't asked to post and I wouldn't post a "No Children Allowed" sign. What's the problem here? I saw plenty of children at our caucuses. And "those with no other obligations in the evening"? Again, how important is it for you to get to your caucus? Seems like spmerrill made a choice. And the caucus was number three in importance. Also seems that spmerrill was looking for the wrong caucus. Spmerrill is right about the fact that the Republican caucus system is ALREADY not for everyone- Whiny snivelers like spmerrill: the DFL caucuses are for you. Go there and whine.
"I was denied the right to partiapate(sic) because I work nights and am unable to attend the caucuses without getting a blemish on my work record-busyboybill" Dear victim busyboybill you whiney sniveler or sniveling whiner (we believe in diversity, pick a title you like)- don't know how to break this to you, but you do not a right to caucus. Plus you are exactly what we've come to expect from a public education. You did have a right to choose which was more important to you: attend a caucus or get a blemish on your work record. You chose what worked for you. You chose that job. That night job. With no blemishes (according to you). If night work proves a disadvantage to you, get another job. But quit sniveling while you whine. Go to the little whiney girls caucus: the DFL. Meanwhile, shaddup!
"Primaries are a much more democratic way to select. Many people are either intimidated by caucuses, or unable to attend.-Biddie" Ah Biddie, you sniveling whiner. So, you prefer something other than YOUR neighbors getting together and discussing what's important to YOUR neighbors. It's better to have a primary with a slick run media campaign with sound bites that don't really and never did inform voters? What on earth is more democratic that the people that live on each side of you meet to discuss and vote on issues important to them? True grassroots politics going ground-up is less democratic? The reason someone is "unable to attend" is because they are in a coma, trying to extricate themselves from a flaming car wreck, in prison, dead (not an excuse not to vote for a Democrat however) or they choose not to attend. And what do you mean they're "intimidated"? Intimidated by sitting on their butts and listening and putting a mark on a small paper ballot? That intimidates them? Yikes! These people must be miserable with the thought of drowning in a shower or in a hard rainstorm. Ah, but wait: when we finally have a Universal Health Care system with all the panache' and success of the Canadian health care system, delivered by the candidates at your DFL caucus, all those phobias can finally be addressed. In the meantime, they still need to stop sniveling while they whine. And you: stop whining while you snivel. Get over to your next intimidating DFL caucus. Hope you "feel" like you're able to attend. And I hope that you don't "feel" intimidated.
Reading these snivelings from these whiners (or whining from these snivelers) goes to prove that we need "reasonable" controls on voting and caucus attending.
I will not be shocked when these little whiney girls want to have a law passed where they can get decaf soy milk lattes after 6:00 p.m if they attend their non-intimidating, mandated provided child care at their conveniently scheduled , fragrance free, affirmative action cleared, empowering, non-judgmental, bio-diverse, non-speciism, PETA, AFSCME,NEA approved, non-peanut snack provided caucuses that has a reduced carbon footprint.
In the meantime, let the adults attend to the business of caucuses.

The Dangers of having Software and Time

So the theory floated that week and today is that Romney is losing because of some great conspiracy between McCain and Huckabee to use Huckabee to split the conservative vote.

A look at super Tuesday victories should put that to rest, Huckabee won conservative states, Romney did not.
But lets put the theory to a test - I looked at all the 2004 red states.
Throwing out Arkansas and Arizona because of home field advantage for Huckabee and McCain (didn't have to throw out any Romney because his home field is blue).

So I took a look at the rest:
In every red state that Huckabee won, Romney came in third.
How about red McCain states? Nope same result Romney in third.
In the few red states that Romney won, Huckabee came in second in each.

So who is hurting who?

It appears that the longer Romney stays in - the more he insure a McCain victory.
Add that to Fred work in S.C. and it looks like one group is doing there best to get McCain elected.

McCain has the Main Stream Media - Romney has money and the alternative media and yet Huckabee keeps beating them both. Maybe this grassroots thing really works.

Precinct caucuses

Here in Scott County, MN (the fastest growing county in MN) we caucused . We caucus below the county level by state Senate Districts (ours being Senate District 35). In my city, savage, we have seven caucus districts. We had well over 300 attendees, many first time.
The big thing was the Presidential Preference Poll. I had to explain a few times that the preferential poll is non-binding and is only a snapshot. Here is the breakdown:
Huckabee 62
Keyes 1
McCain 64
Paul 44
Thompson 1
Uncommitted 1
Romney 181
Romney out polled all other candidates combined 181-173.
I was quite pleasantly surprised.
That being said, I had the opportunity to talk to my Republican "Mom" as she was leaving. I told her that basically I/we were facing the same dilemma as Republicans that Republicans will face in November. I support Romney because he's not McCain. He's certainly a decent man, but not near the conservative I'd want. But, he's the lesser of two evils.
And in November I'll have that same bad choice again: speed toward the cliff at a Barack Obama/Paul Wellstone 192 mph or slow down to a Norm Coleman/Tim Pawlenty 137 mph.
P.S. Just heard NARN say that someone is a recovering Fred Head. Same here. My only excitement is stopping McCain.
And I don't ever want to hear again "Vote For Me. It Will Be Worse With The Other Guy" as a campaign slogan. Sounds like 2006 redux again for me as a conservative.
But, I promise I will vote on November 4th.
Go listen to Bill Bennett tomorrow morning on AM1280 The Patriot. He'll give cogent analysis.

Another reflection

Chad the elder has a very interesting post.

http://www.fraterslibertas.com/2008/02/between-lose-and-hard-case.html

While I don't agree completely with his over premise (that McCain is the only one who can win), I think he has a point with this:

- Romney is a good man with many fine qualities. But if I'm going to sign up for a sacrificial defeat of Goldwater-like proportions, I want it to be with a man of Goldwater-like convictions. With the prospects of a McCain nomination looming ever closer, a number of pundits are suddenly touting Romney as some kind of conservative standard bearer. Yet most of them kept their distance from Romney for all these months hoping for a real conservative to support. Why? Because they doubt if this latest incarnation of Romney is the real deal. There can be a certain nobility and honor in defeat, but not by going down with The Mitt.

That is one of the reason I am supporting Huckabee - He has a proven track record on key issue to me: Life, 2nd Amendment, States Rights and he has not changed his story.

You can disagree with his vision, but a least it is a consistent vision.

I will take pride that I stood for life and honor.

A reflective question

I'd like to posit a question to those who support John McCain.
I'm fairly certain that in the mix of positions of McCain that you have thoughtfully considered perhaps one of them is "He is electable" as President.
My question goes back to a comment by Richard Nixon "You can't win with the conservative vote only. But, you also can't win without them."
So, as you consider voting or supporting for John McCain this Tuesday, be acutely aware that I have never heard so many conservatives so opposed to any Republican as they are to John McCain. Should McCain go on to win the nomination (though if able when I see Mitt Romney tomorrow evening, I'll remind him that the nomination is in St. Paul in September, not this Tuesday in February). A John McCain nomination seriously risks alienating the conservatives to point of voting for someone else, anyone else. Be aware that there is a high likelyhood that McCain will lose a general election bid.
Should Hillary win, I believe, in the military, there will be a repeat of what happened in 1992/1993. I know a high ranking officer who was an Airborne Ranger who retired in 1993 rather than serve under Bill Clinton. His experience and talent was such that the Army bribed him by offering to promote him immediately to general officer status. He turned them down. He told me that a number of officers with his experience also resigned. Just when we need them most, that experienced officer corps may very well resign rather than endure serving under another military hating Clinton. One was quite more than enough.
And how long do you think the left wing lovefest with McCain will last? Do you believe that there are not Keating Five editorials are already written and waiting to be published in the NYT, the LA Times and Prairie Pravda just as soon the gavel comes down on the McCain nomination? The left wing is giddy at the prospect of having John McCain as the Republican nominee.
Actions have consequences.
The Law of Unintended Consequences is in full force with the support of John McCain.

This just in-

Drudge is reporting that McCain seriously considered leaving the Republican Party. Leaving? Wouldn't that be the same as considering whether or not Tip O'Neill is dead? A more truthful version would be that Senator McCain was seriously considering whether he would join the Republican Party. As I'm writing, Laura Ingraham is reporting that McCain and his people were in deep discussions with John Kerry about running with him. Deep discussions.
Former Senator Ric Santorum has just endorsed Mitt Romney on Laura's show.
And he gave an excoriating review and critique of John McCain as Senator Santorum tried to work with McCain in the Senate.

McCain, CPAC and Dr. Schoenleben

Dr. Schoenleben was my dentist when I was a boy. The day before an appointment with him, I brushed my teeth until my gums bled. Yup, I was gonna brush away all the effects of Slo Pokes, Jolly Ranchers and a toothbrush gathering dust. Just watch.Brush, brush, brush, brush...
And so John McCain is walking into the lions den by agreeing to go to CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference), the conservative epicenter that he snubbed last year. And I believe there's a bit of the old dread of Dr. Schoenleben in the Senator. How he thinks he's going to walk in make nice with the people (and their love of liberty) that he's poked in the eye consistently for years and walk out feeling good is beyond me. This makes as much sense as the abusive husband telling his wife "I've changed. Really. Not like those other times I said I changed and didn't. This time for real!"
I brush and floss regularly now.

Remembering what made Regan great.

From reading blogs across the spectrum - this seems to be the item that everyone agrees was the best answer last night.



By the way, my wife has been asking, who is the blond next to the Govinator?

And from the archives

After I read the NOW-NY screed on Uncle Teddy's betrayal by endorsing Obama, rather than Monica Lewinski's ex-boyfriend's co-habitant, my brother reminded me why I ignore whatever falls out teddy's mouth:

(Click then click again on the image for a larger view).

Gyno politics and rich irony

Uncle Teddy endorses Obama. And watch the feminists scream!!! This is just too much fun.
Here is the official response from the NY chapter of NOW (from the Times Union blog):

“Women have just experienced the ultimate betrayal. Senator Kennedy’s endorsement of Hillary Clinton’s opponent in the Democratic presidential primary campaign has really hit women hard. Women have forgiven Kennedy, stuck up for him, stood by him, hushed the fact that he was late in his support of Title IX, the ERA, the Family Leave and Medical Act to name a few. Women have buried their anger that his support for the compromises in No Child Left Behind and the Medicare bogus drug benefit brought us the passage of these flawed bills. We have thanked him for his ardent support of many civil rights bills, BUT women are always waiting in the wings.

“And now the greatest betrayal! We are repaid with his abandonment! He’s picked the new guy over us. He’s joined the list of progressive white men who can’t or won’t handle the prospect of a woman president who is Hillary Clinton (they will of course say they support a woman president, just not “this” one). ‘They’ are Howard Dean and Jim Dean (Yup! That’s Howard’s brother) who run DFA (that’s the group and list from the Dean campaign that we women helped start and grow). They are Alternet, Progressive Democrats of America, democrats.com, Kucinich lovers and all the other groups that take women’s money, say they’ll do feminist and women’s rights issues one of these days, and conveniently forget to mention women and children when they talk about poverty or human needs or America’s future or whatever.

“This latest move by Kennedy, is so telling about the status of and respect for women’s rights, women’s voices, women’s equality, women’s authority and our ability – indeed, our obligation - to promote and earn and deserve and elect, unabashedly, a President that is the first woman after centuries of men who ‘know what’s best for us.’”

I've also linked to the comments that are well worth the read. The one that impressed me was the one that took the first sentence of NOW's press release "The ultimate betrayal". The commenter wrote : "Uncle Ted leaving Mary Jo Kopechne in the car was the ultimate betrayal."
Go read the comments. It will be well worth your time.