Politico Playback 4.29.09

Hilarious Headline

I saw this headline, and couldn't help but laugh:




"Trimming the budget???" If by trim the budget you mean quadruple it first, then promise to cut it in half, then sure...

*From the Huron Daily Plainsman

Objective Media

Take a look at this video of a reporter "reporting" the tax day tea parties across the nation. She goes in to interview this guy with an incredibly vindictive attitude and literally fights with the protester, rather than asking questions and finding out what his point of view is.



Now watch another video, where we see how people really feel. This is the same reporter talking to people after that same interview, where it was insinuated that the tea party idea was only promoted by Fox. Let me just say that people wouldn't go if they didn't agree with it anyway. A network can't force people to go. I went to one and never actually watched any coverage of it on Fox or elsewhere. I heard about it through online social networking and email.



I think the worst part is when the reporter asked the guy, who was talking about freedom "what that has to do with taxation." Seriously? Our revolutionary cries for freedom from the British king had everything to do with just that: freedom. Specifically, economic freedom to do as we please with the fruits of our labor. Our EARNED money.

Legalizing Drugs...According to Collegehumor.com

Here's a public service announcement dealing with drug legalization and a call for Change to President Obama. (FYI, I don't necessarily agree with drug legalization, but this is just for giggles). Brought to you by the creators of Collegehumor.com:

Why I Voted Democrat

I voted Democrat because I love the fact that I can now marry whatever want. I've decided to marry my Dog...

I voted Democrat because I believe oil companies' profits of 4% on a gallon of gas are obscene but the
government taxing the same gallon of gas at 15% isn't...

I voted Democrat because I believe the government will do a better job of spending the money I earn than I would.

I voted Democrat because freedom of speech is fine as long as nobody is offended by it....

I voted Democrat because when we pull out of Iraq I trust that the bad guys will stop what they're doing because they now think we're good people.

I voted Democrat because I'm way too irresponsible to own a gun, and I know that my local police are all I need to protect me from murderers and thieves.

I voted Democrat because I believe that people who can't tell us if it will rain on Friday can tell us that the polar ice caps will melt away in ten years if I don't start driving a Prius...

I voted Democrat because I'm not concerned about the slaughter of million of babies so long as we keep
all death row inmates alive...

I voted Democrat because I believe that businesses should not be allowed to make profits for themselves. They need to break even and give the rest away to the government for redistribution as
they see fit.

I voted Democrat because I believe liberal judges need to rewrite the Constitution every few days to suit some fringe kooks who would never get their agendas past the voters...

I voted Democrat because my head is so firmly planted up my ass that it is unlikely that I'll ever have another point of view.



"A Liberal is a person who will give away everything they don't own."

"The problem with Socialism is that you eventually run out of other
people's money." -- Margaret Thatcher

Politico Playback 4.21.09

A great segment Politico does...and Jimmy Falon? Your days are numbered. I miss Conan...

That's Some Scalpal, Mr. President

Politico.com reports that President Obama is ordering some whopping spending cuts within the national government. The article states that he has ordered $100 million worth of spending cuts.
Remember during the campaign he criticized McCain for wanting to "use an ax, when what we really need is a scalpel" when it comes to the size of government? I think a tweezers would be a more accurate description.

To put it in perspective, economist Greg Mankiw did some basic math in a recent article. With a $3.5 TRILLION proposed budget for 2010, a teeny-tiny cut of $100 million represents just .003 of the proposed budget. And the proposed deficit is projected to be $1.2 TRILLION. The proposed cut represents only .008 percent of the DEFICIT. We've got a ways to go to eliminate that deficit completely!

This is just a drop in the bucket if we're going to balance our national budget, but I do applaud any spending cuts a big spending liberal will give me.

But I sure could go with John McCain's big ax right now.

Are You Serious Mamn?

Here's more Sioux Falls Tea Party coverage from KSFY.



By the way, Sandy Jerstad? You're a complete nutjob. Saying that we need to quadruple the national debt to get the country on stable economic ground in order to pay off the national debt accumulated over the past 8 years is like saying we need to eat a trillion Big Macs before we can go on a diet to lose 14 pounds. Why don't you go yell at a store clerk and tell them how important you are. Oh wait, you already did that...

She represents District 12, for all you South Dakota voters that live in that district! ;-)

Tea Time!

I was totally at the Sioux Falls tea party today, which was a ton of fun!

April 15th: The Democrats' Most Favorite Day of the Year

Today's tax day is unlike any in previous years past. This year, a citizen uprising over our current government's spending practices is happening all over the country, coming in the form of American Revolution-era Tea Parties.

Some out there are simply dismissing the nation-wide protest, saying that this is a far-right-wing political stunt motivated by Republican politicians trying to stir up trouble. No.... In fact, according to that Wall Street Journal article I linked to, the Chicago Tea Party declined a speaking opportunity offered by Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele. The tea parties are simply individual citizens organized through social networking that are fed up with our government.

In my mind, there is no reason this should be partisan. Democrats and Republicans alike criticized President Bush for his big government spending practices, and now President Obama is hosting Deficit Spending: Extreme Makeover.

The bottom line is this: deficit spending removes government accountability to the people. If a government is allowed to spend whatever it wants without paying for it with taxes, the people no longer have to supply the financial resources needed to fund government growth. When government no longer requires money from us to pay for its actions, less people care what the government does because it does not affect them financially. Thus, government is free to do whatever it pleases without limits and nobody cares.

And when that happens, as it is right now, the "limited government" that our founders believed so strongly in will be gone. That is why we're protesting. And you should be too.

Liberal Media Bias 101

Here's a great example of how some in the media can spin things, with a final result being the pathetic excuse for news that everyone comes to rely upon for "facts and objective reporting."



For those reading this on Facebook, watch the video here.

Where Our President Gets His Info...

Courtesy of Politico.com:

A Storm Is Brewing

A great video, discussing the growing anger among those of us that want to see our country succeed and continue to be the beacon of light for the world:

What a Great Guy

I just want to make a comment about great guy who is a personal friend of my dad's. Former North Dakota Governor Ed Schafer is probably one of the more upstanding people out there. Not five months ago, he was Agriculture Secretary for the United States of America. He left that prestigious position once the new administration took over, yet here's a picture of him helping out with the flood relief efforts in North Dakota this spring. This is a man who held one of the higher positions in our nation, yet he does not feel he's above the task of being a simple truck driver delivering sand and dirt:


He also gives a great message for conservatism, which he detailed in a speech at a recent Republican Lincoln Day Dinner gathering:

My fellow Republicans. Legislators, state wide officials, party officers, fund raisers, volunteers, workers and cheerleaders all, we gather here to recognize the man--- Abraham Lincoln--- who envisioned our Republican party.

"Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty" he said. And he pursued a political organization that was committed to maintaining the principles of freedom.


* The freedom to create a life from individual endeavor and the reaping of its rewards.
* The freedom from government restraint.
* Freedom of the press.
* Freedom from oppressive taxes and government intrusion.
* Freedom to shape and nurture our government and the freedom to control it.
* The freedom of personal liberty.
* Freedom of speech, the freedom of religion, freedom of expression and opposition.


We are indeed blessed to live and work in a nation conceived in liberty.

That is why I champion so much our great state of North Dakota where the freedoms we are assured have generated hard working people -- honest, courageous, moral and just. We lend a helping hand to those in need and take pride in families and communities. We love God.

These are the principles of the Republican Party --- principles we must, must preserve and protect! These are the principles that made America great and allow the pursuit of what we call the American dream. The dream of individual responsibility, individual performance and individual reward.

I have lived that American dream. I started in the mail room and worked my way up to the President of a multinational consumer products company. Of course, having my dad own the company helped a bit!

But when I thought I could use my experience and background in business to help make our government better, I had the freedom to pursue that too. When I first ran for office, most people didn't think I had a chance. But we were able to convince the Republican Party that I stood for their principles---that was one of the toughest challenges! And then we were able to convince the voters to turn out those who had controlled the Capitol for over 30 years and accept new Republican leadership.

Our party was in a pretty sad state back then. I became the third statewide elected official. We enjoyed just a slim majority in the House, and the Dems owned the majority in the Senate.

But you all remained enthused, worked hard and gradually the citizens embraced our Republican principles. When I left office eight years later, our party had super majorities in both houses of the legislature and the opposition only held three statewide offices. A complete turnaround.

Now they only have one! And in the words of Howard Dean---Yee Haw!

How did this happen? It happened because Republicans gave the people a government they wanted. A government that was less intrusive, more efficient and less costly! We removed regulations, lowered taxes, encouraged investment and stood strong on our principles.

We delivered responsible and prudent budgets that held steady with economic growth.

We resisted the desire to spend money on budgets we could not sustain knowing that the cyclical nature of our economy will come to bear someday. We lowered the cost of government by cutting budgets even in times of prosperity and yet we increased spending for the principles Republicans stand for: the education, health and safety of our citizens!

I have to tell you, and legislators in the audience already know this, it was hard work. When public opinion polls and the media and special interest groups -- most of which depend on government--- drive the process, it is easy to veer off course, to bow to the pressures, to abandon what you believe in order to remain popular. But we were able to stand firm on our Republican principles.

I know this is a Lincoln Day dinner, but I just have to quote Theodore Roosevelt here.

He said of his Presidency, "I am not here to represent public opinion, I am here to represent the public, and there is a wide difference between the two."

During my time in office we were able to walk that fine line of balancing the wants with the needs of the population.

But you know, there is nothing so quiet as yesterday's applause.

President Lincoln put it best when he said, "The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew."

He also said, "Our important principles may, and must, be inflexible."

So now is the time, my fellow Republicans, for us to craft once again the government that people want -- one that meets the needs of today but remains steadfast in our principles of limited government and individual liberty.

When I left the Governor's office the party gave me a pair of running shoes. Drew Wrigley, then the Executive Director, encouraged me to keep running. Not running for office, I had already made that decision, but running to advance the Republican Party and its principles. And I have tried to do that.

Here they are. The heels are worn out, the cushioning is gone and the flex is stiff. And the smell? Well, we won't go there. But I brought them tonight because they tell a story.

Most of you know I use to run a lot. And when you log 70, 80 and sometimes 90 miles a week, shoes are very important. And they wear out pretty fast. After trying many different brands and models I found a great pair of running shoes. They fit my foot, enhanced my foot-strike and gave me good stability. These were the things I was looking for in a shoe.

After 12 or so pairs of this model, I saw an ad that piqued my interest and I tried a different one. I was surprised how much better I thought they were than my previous model, the ones I was "used to!" But something just wasn't quite right with the new fit.

And then I remembered that the principles of what I was looking for in a shoe hadn't changed, but over time, the quality of my favorite model had deteriorated. The manufacturer had looked internally and changed materials and procedures and the original design was changed. I hobbled along somewhat satisfied with the new model, but it wasn't until the original shoe was reinvented, that I went ahh, this is right! And I was comfortable again.

The moral of this story is that the principles of what I was seeking in a shoe hadn't changed, but over time, Nike had compromised their product. But somewhere along the line, they realized their customers weren't entirely satisfied---probably because sales were slipping! They needed to go back to the original-update the shoe to the original quality and design to satisfy me as a customer!

I share this story because I believe it illustrates where we are today as a political party and with delivery of government in this state and nation. We are content with what we have even though principles have gone a little soft. We have strayed from what made this party and its candidates attractive to voters. People are comfortable with what they are getting but are inherently uncomfortable with the direction in which our government is going. And I'm worried that an alternative is being developed that might be more attractive to the voters!

As we see people reject Republicans over and over today, don't you think it is time we turned back to our tried and true principles and craft a government that people are asking for?

Abraham Lincoln said, "This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it, or exercise their revolutionary right to overthrow it." But he also told us the way to proceed. "What is conservatism?" he said; "Is it not adherence to the old and tried, against the new and untried?"

We have only to look at the last election to see what happens to Republicans when we abandon what we are supposed to stand for!

Which party now controls the White House? Which party is directing Congress? We lost election after election all across this country---we lost our position of comfort with the electorate.

It pains me to hear Republicans champion confiscatory tax measures directed at people who are successful! And my heart sinks when I see Republicans project the theory that we can take our hard working men and women's taxes and spend our way into prosperity!

So I ask you all tonight to recommit to the tried and true principles of the Republican Party: limited government and individual liberty.

Liberty brings us freedom and freedom gives rise to prosperity.

Prosperity improves the lives of our people and when we improve the lives of our citizens, we strengthen our state and our nation.

Nancy and I had the opportunity to have a private, behind the scenes tour of the Lincoln Memorial in the District while we were there. As we stood in front of, underneath and beside this grand statutory, we were able to absorb the magnitude of the man Abraham Lincoln.How he believed in freedom and how he stood fast for what he believed.

He endured the tears and heartbreak of torn families, split communities and a divided nation. When others waivered, divided and separated, he remained true to our nation, true to our people. People hated him, spat on him and eventually took his life.

But he saved our nation and even today he stands as a rock for the principles of a limited government and individual freedom. We must remain steadfast in our efforts to continue President Abraham Lincoln's commitment to a better government. For as he said a "Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth."

I want to thank God for leading me here tonight and as we go, let us reflect on Lincoln's words once again. "Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right."

Not a Bow? Psht....

Any honest person with eyes can tell that this is clearly a bow. I'm not even saying it was appropriate or not (which I don't think it was), but the fact that the administration is now trying to say that Obama did not bow to the Saudi Arabian King is ridiculous. Oh, and by the way...State Department protocol is that the president does not bow.

Politico Montage...Very Entertaining

What Exactly ARE The Democrats For???

I was thinking about our energy situation the other day, and how Republicans seem to be the only ones that are for any solution at all. Let's review what the Democrats have been against as far as energy solutions, even though they claim to be the party of alternative energy.

1) Wind. Granted there are definitely some Democrats in favor of wind power, there are many environmentalists (beholden to the Democrat party) that oppose expansion of wind energy. Most cite interference with bird migration patterns and bird deaths. Robert Kennedy Jr. and John Kerry both killed a proposal to build a wind farm off the coast in Nantucket Sound. Windmills must be too unsightly for them when they're cruising around on their yachts. Here's some more details...

2) Hydroelectric. Dams are one of the better and more reliable sources of renewable energy. Not only that, they create reservoirs which can help the local economy with fishing and recreational activities. Democrats also block these opportunities, such as this example from California. Democrats cited that there are other ways to meet California's water and electricity needs...such as conservation. In a state with that many people, I hardly think that shutting the water off when Californians brush their teeth and keeping plasma TV watching time to one hour each day will solve their energy/water needs.

3) Solar. This is probably my favorite example. We have the massive desert region known as the Mojave desert, which consists of vast expanses of land in California, Utah, Nevada, and Arizona. Several solar energy companies have been working to turn a 500,000 acre expanse of the desert into a huge solar farm that would supply millions with clean, renewable energy. Senator Diane Feinstein of California opposes this and has proposed legislation to make the whole desert a national monument, rendering it untouchable by solar energy companies. They cite concerns over tortoise populations. If we can't build a solar farm in the desert, where else is it even possible to do so?

4) Nuclear. Many people get nervous when it comes to nuclear energy, and visions like the Chernobyl incident in the Ukraine flash into peoples' minds. The reality is that nuclear technology has progressed a lot since that time, and we use much safer methods. Chernobyl enriched their uranium to a more explosive and dangerous level (around 14%, if I remember correctly from chemistry). Nuclear plants now enrich to a much safer level, around 3-5%, according to the United States Regulatory Commission. Democrats have even opposed the project in droves, as well as opposed creation of new nuclear power plants.

5) Clean Coal. Democrats themselves can't agree on clean coal, mainly because it stems from a fossil fuel. Clean coal technology drastically reduces the so-called "greenhouse gases" emitted by coal plants that produce electricity, which should alleviate some environmental concerns Democrats have...yet they still can't fully support use of any source of energy that involves fossil fuels.

All this opposition, when coupled with opposition to increased oil drilling, carbon taxes on citizens (the cap-and-trade program), and opposition to increased domestic refining capacity leads me to this one question: what are Democrats suggesting we use for energy???? There are not many other options left once we take all those options off the table, and other solutions are not very feasible everywhere in the country.

So unless we're all going to ride our unicorns to work under the rainbows and butterflies approach to energy the Democrats have, perhaps we need to look at some of the solutions Republicans have been proposing and take all the environmental alarmist talk with a few grains of salt.

And the towing capacity of unicorns sucks...or so I've heard.

Glen Beck: On Ceding Our Feedoms to Unelected International Bureaucrats

For Facebook readers, click here

Midwestern Niceness

But I thought we were all intolerant, racist, sexist, redneck, ignorant, bigoted, inbred, fat, lazy, fascist, Nazi homophobes that hate everybody? Here's a couple letters to the Sioux Falls Argus Leader where out-of-state individuals took the time to express how good of impression they got from their time in South Dakota:

Apparently we're not pompus, deluded jerks after all. Maybe the rest of the country could take a note out of our book and try to be truly interested in the well being of our fellow men and women, rather than going through life with a contented disconnect. There's a pattern of thought around the country, where if you don't know a person personally, they don't matter as much and someone else will take care of them. Here, we truly care for others and genuinely care about what is going on with them. Once you leave the midwest, in my expericence that attitude disappears, and as these articles show, people are impressed when they come here to visit.

Don't Like It? Don't Vote For Bailouts Then!