Ladies Logic

Whiplash II

2008-07-04T15:29:00.003-05:00

Ed Morrissey has more fall out for Senator Obama today.

The New York Times editorial board went to bed with a virgin and woke up with a … well, a pro, in milder terms, or so they seem to imply in today’s unhappy missive. The editorial castigates Obama for his replacement of just about everything he has professed from January 2007 to May 2008 with his all-new, 50%-more-”centery” agenda that rejects everything that made him attractive to the Left in the first place. And they wonder where it will all stop:

To say that the NY Times is disillusioned with their candidate is a bit of an understatement.

On top of these perplexing shifts in position, we find ourselves disagreeing powerfully with Mr. Obama on two other issues: the death penalty and gun control.
Mr. Obama endorsed the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the District of Columbia’s gun-control law. We knew he ascribed to the anti-gun-control groups’ misreading of the Constitution as implying an individual right to bear arms. But it was distressing to see him declare that the court provided a guide to “reasonable regulations enacted by local communities to keep their streets safe.”
What could be more reasonable than a city restricting handguns, or requiring that firearms be stored in ways that do not present a mortal threat to children?
We were equally distressed by Mr. Obama’s criticism of the Supreme Court’s barring the death penalty for crimes that do not involve murder.
We are not shocked when a candidate moves to the center for the general election. But Mr. Obama’s shifts are striking because he was the candidate who proposed to change the face of politics, the man of passionate convictions who did not play old political games.

At first blush, it appears that the Times is taking the Senator to task here however the Logical Husband pointed out the following...

We knew he ascribed to the anti-gun-control groups’ misreading of the Constitution as implying an individual right to bear arms.

...and commented on the nice way that the Times used this as a tacit "he's not as socialist as you think he is" or "see he's more conservative than we are!" centrist endorsement. Now the Logical Husband grew up in New York and with the NY Times. He knows their style of doing things. He also has a New Yorkers tendency to be just a little cynically pragmatic.

It could very well be that the NY Times is mirroring the far lefts disillusionment with Senator Obama's campaign. It could really be that straight forward. However, it does give one pause....a reason to stop and think about what is really going on in the minds of the editorial board at the New York Times.

Whiplash!

2008-07-03T15:23:00.004-05:00

One of the hallmark issues of every Democrat running for office this year has been the issue of Iraq. All have campaigned on bringing the troops home immediately regardless of conditions on the ground and the desires of the generals in theater. During every primary debate, the collective candidates were rushing to see who could court the Code Pink, Daily Kos, get us out of Iraq NOW wing of the Democratic Party fastest. Senator Barack Obama was just as guilty as Rep. Dennis Kucinich was in doing so. In debate after debate, Senator Obama stated that he would pull troops out of Iraq by the end of 2009, that Iraq was a "distraction" from a host of other global threats and that it took our eye off of al Qaeda and Afghanistan.

Well today, at a campaign appearance at the Children's Museum in Fargo, ND Senator Obama changed his tune. The NY Times, I think, said it best in their headline "Obama Might 'Refine' Iraq Timeline".

Senator Barack Obama said Thursday the United States cannot sustain a long-term military presence in Iraq, but added that he would be open to “refine my policies” about a timeline for withdrawing troops after meeting with American military commanders during a trip to Iraq later this month.

Fox News has more and MPR actually covered the speech on their "Midday" program. Needless to say, this is not sitting well with the vocal members of the left-roots. What got to me was this comment.

graz (1000+ posts)

Thu Jul-03-08 04:08 PM
Response to Reply #4

12. It's a political CLUSTER F. Are you kidding me?

He's going to be painted as a flip-flopper on the CORE ISSUE of his campaign. What. The. F?

Edited for language. To the rabid left, Iraq is STILL the core issue of the campaign. However, what these folks do not understand is that the average Joe and Jane Voter has gotten beyond Iraq. They see $4.00 a gallon gas and the cost of goods and food and services that have gone up as a result of $4.50 a gallon diesel fuel and they see how it is hitting their pocketbook and it is a simple thing for them. To quote the 42nd President....."IT'S THE ECONOMY STUPID!" As the cost of feeding and caring for their families go up, as they are faced with falling housing values and the very real possibility that they could lose their homes, the voters are looking for candidates that are discussing this very important issue. That is where Senator McCain has stepped into the gap. His "Lexington Project" was the type of bold step forward that the people of America are looking for. The House Republican Caucus followed with their own plan to expand domestic oil production, in part led by Rep. Lynn Westmoreland.

Senator Obama is changing his position fast and furious on a number of issues. Sometimes so fast that his senior advisers can't keep up with him. It has gotten so bad that even his supporters in the NY Times are commenting on it. This is not going to be good for the Obama campaign because he is stuck between a rock and a hard place. If he placates the far left, he loses the center and the more he tacks to the center, the more he is losing his base on the far left. He can not win with only one of the two and therein lies his trouble...the two are (for now) mutually exclusive. A drift either way is costly to him.

What was once called the "Dog Days" of summer(going into the convention) could become a political junkies paradise. It will be entertaining to see what happens in the next few days as news of this "refined" policy stance spreads.....

Pass the popcorn.

UPDATE: Whiplash indeed. In 5 short hours Sen. Obama started to backtrack. Even more fun was this quote.

In a second, quickly-scheduled press availability, the Senator insists his position on Iraq has not changed.

“I intend to end this war… That position has not changed. I have not equivocated on that position. I am not searching for maneuvering room with respect to that position.”

Though he also says:

“I have always reserved the right to do what’s best for America’s national interest… I would be a poor commander-in-chief if I didn’t take facts on the ground into account.”

You have to love two distinct policy positions in one presser.

UPDATE #2: Apparently I am not the only one who thinks that "Whiplash" is the appropriate term for Obama's changes. When it's that obvious....

Updates

2008-07-03T11:00:00.002-05:00

My regular Minnesota readers no doubt know that I have finally completed my move to Utah and I am starting to pick up Utah readers - especially as I write more and more about politics here in my new home. So just to explain to everyone, I will be (at least for this election cycle) be writing about politics in BOTH states. I still have my sources in Minnesota who I am in constant contact with and I will be starting to make contacts here in Utah in the coming months.

So to my conservative friends in Minnesota - you will get a taste of what life in a red state is like and to my new soon to be friends in Utah - you will get a taste of blue state life as a reminder of why you don't EVER want to go down that road.

I hope you all keep stopping by to get your daily fix of political insight from a Lady's point of view.

Why He Lost

2008-07-02T20:32:00.004-05:00

I have been meaning to post on this since Monday, but with all of the breaking news in the MN AG story, it just got put on the back burner.

Ever since Chris Cannon's primary loss last Tuesday, the local media has been wracking their brains trying to figure out the answer to a simple one word question...WHY? Why did Chris Cannon lose? Sunday's Salt Lake Tribune attempts (but falls short) to answer that question.

In the aftermath of Rep. Chris Cannon's primary defeat, many pundits, activists and news stories have declared that Cannon's moderate immigration stance cost him a seventh term in Congress.
A vocal crew clamored to label it an anti-undocumented immigration victory.
"Cannon's pro-amnesty crown finally became an albatross," NumbersUSA Executive Director Roy Beck wrote supporters. "No amount of advertising claiming that blue is red and that amnesties are not amnesties apparently could fool the voters this time."
The election "was, without a doubt, the greatest electoral victory of the immigration-control movement," proclaimed a story in the conservative newsletter Human Events.
And Rep. Tom Tancredo, a Colorado Republican who has made a crusade of opposing undocumented immigration, said Cannon's loss "sends a very clear message."
Not so fast.

The article then goes on to talk about all of the different people who voted for Chaffetz as opposed to voting for Cannon. Pro and anti amnesty voters voted for Chaffetz so contrary to more well read voices, Cannon's amnesty stance was NOT the reason for his defeat.

I think that the reason for Cannon's defeat is a much simpler one. Rather than accept the will of the people, Cannon is making excuse after excuse for his loss.

"The people who voted wouldn't have filled Edwards Stadium" — the football stadium at Brigham Young University — said Cannon. He added that now that he is free from elective politics he will be talking more candidly about what is going on in Utah and America.
"Clearly there are some out there who hate me. And every stinking one of them voted" on Tuesday, Cannon joked. Many who supported him "went to the lake" on vacation. Cannon said he had the best voter ID program of all his campaigns this year. "But for whatever reason, people didn't vote."

This may be part of the reason. It is a known fact here in Utah that Chaffetz worked hard to get his people to the polls. Obviously Rep. Cannon didn't. Another excuse that he offered up I find to be the most offensive.

While not anticipating he will run for office again, Cannon said he will keep his campaign account going, if only to try to bring "more reasonable people" into Utah GOP politics.
"I'm going to make a serious effort to use the Internet" and other means to get grass-roots Republicans more involved in GOP mass meetings — "to stand against the bulwark" of the "harsh, boorish people" who are now being elected delegates and other party leaders.

Emphasis mine. Now while I will grant you that many of the neophytes that came to the caucuses this year may not have known all of the "proper" and "politically correct" ways that things are done in the local sorority, but this is not high school or college Mr. Cannon, this is politics.

Mr. Cannon's remarks about the "people" are the real tell about why he lost. Mr. Cannon is afflicted with the same "disease" that people like MN State Rep. Ron Erhardt are...the impression that the legislative seat that they are blessed to hold is somehow theirs by right of ownership. We, the people, do NOT work for you, Mr. Cannon (and Mr. Erhardt)...you work for the people and if the people of your district do not approve of the job you are doing, they have every right under the sun to replace you.

Those people also include the members of your party...the grassroots. You remember us right? The ones that work to get you elected?????

UPDATE: Welcome Utah readers. Please read this post and come back often for more insight into Minnesota politics and opinions (from a new resident) on Utah politics.

He Said - He Said

2008-07-02T17:30:00.000-05:00

Eric Black and MinnPost have been the source of most of the coverage into the various scandals in the MN Attorney General's office. Black's coverage has been quite fair, factual and devoid of any personal preference toward either side in the story. In todays story, Black can't help letting a little snark in - and honestly I don't blame him.

As a matter of written policy, Mr. Hatch doesn't speak to me and he extended the same courtesy to my esteemed MinnPost colleague G.R. Anderson who covered the Monday meeting at which Legislative Auditor James Nobles presented the results of his recent review of the attorney general's office and some of the alleged improprieties.

As you may recall, former AG Hatch does not deign to talk to mere bloggers - even those with a career as storied as Mr. Black. After all, we all know bloggers have an agenda....unlike former AG Hatch.....

But Mr. Hatch's media relations policies do allow him to publicly impugn the motives of those who question his conduct and possibly to do so without necessarily limiting himself to the facts of the matter.

To be precise: Rep. Simon did ask some questions of Nobles at the Monday meeting about whether everything under Mr. Hatch was always done strictly according to Hoyle.

And Mr. Hatch, in explaining things to MPR's excellent Tim Pugmire, did say that Rep. Simon was motivated by revenge because he "lost his job in the attorney general's office."

I may not agree with Rep. Simon's stands on most issues however I have it on very good authority (from someone who works with him) that this is not Rep. Simon's MO. If anything, he is in a better position as a legislator than a mere assistant AG. That is not to say that this kind of "hit" isn't former AG Hatch's MO. As my dear friend Gary pointed out earlier today, not only is former AG Hatch very adept at playing political hardball - he thrives on it. This was a pre-emptive strike on a legislator who is just trying to do his job....looking out for the citizens of Minnesota. It is something that maybe the current and former AG's should have kept in mind in their day to day office dealings.

It's just a thought.

More Bad News for AG Swanson

2008-07-01T10:01:00.001-05:00

The Legislative Audit Commission met yesterday to discuss Legislative Auditor Jim Noble's look into the Attorney Generals office. What started as a look into employer/employee relations has turned into something deeper and potentially more serious for both AG Swanson and former AG Mike Hatch. While the initial reporting on the audit was quick to claim vindication for AG Swanson (which the report really didn't do) because the employer/employee relations weren't in the LA's perview, the report did uncover financial misdealings which ARE under the LA's perview.

Attorney General Lori Swanson and her predecessor, Mike Hatch, have come under question for their role in a court settlement that diverted money to a nonprofit whose political wing endorsed Hatch's bid for governor.

The Minnesota Independent reports on even larger allegations raised.

Workers in the Minnesota Attorney General’s office have alleged under oath that current AG Lori Swanson and her predecessor, Mike Hatch, may have illegally diverted federal monies meant to investigate Medicaid fraud, and that a legal settlement negotiated by Swanson and Hatch financially benefited a nonprofit organization that later endorsed Hatch’s campaign for governor.

Diversion of funds to private political entities by the office that is supposed to protect the state from that...lovely. What is even more lovely is that settlement in question was specifically negotiated to keep the money out of state coffers and routed to an organization that was friendly to then AG Hatch!

The $1 apparently knocked off the Capital One Bank settlement to allow then-Attorney General Mike Hatch to direct the proceeds speaks volumes.

For anyone who missed it, the AG's Office settled a lawsuit against the well-known credit card issuer in 2006 for an oddly precise $749,999. Had the case settled for a dollar more, the money would have gone into the general fund for the Legislature to distribute. Because it fell a hair's breadth beneath the $750,000 threshold, Hatch was able to direct the distribution of two-third of the proceeds to two nonprofits -- $250,000 to the Legal Aid Society (a good cause, but also a politically popular one) and $249,999 to the community action group ACORN (which reportedly later endorsed Hatch in his gubernatorial bid). The other third of the settlement went to the state to cover the costs of investigation.

Emphasis mine. The AG's office - led by then AG Hatch and his chief lieutenant Swanson - used the power of his office to reward political cronies. It confirms what many had suspected about the former AG.

Further investigations into the misuse of federal funds and the Capital One settlement will be part of the next normal annual review of the AG's office, scheduled for early next year. In the meantime, LA Nobles suggested that the legislature provide civil service protection to the AG office employees in lieu of the unionization. This seems like a common sense compromise to a very sticky situation.

Phoning It In

2008-06-30T17:26:00.002-05:00

Q Comp is Governor Pawlenty's plan for merit based teachers pay. Because the plan rewards excellence in the workplace and (as a result) no bonuses to employees that do not meet the criteria of doing your job well, the teachers union has been dead set against Q Comp.

Well the state of Utah has implemented a plan similar to Q Comp. The reaction, from media and teachers alike, has been anything BUT similar to the reaction to Q Comp.

Deseret Morning News:
. . . the current 'one size fits all' approach doesn't offer enough incentive. It's time teachers who are worth their weight in gold get paid that gold. Just as it's time for teachers who simply 'phone it in' to be bucked from the horse so true professionals can run the show.
Salt Lake Tribune:
For the first time, Utah school districts are seriously considering how they can distribute bonuses or pay raises to teachers based on how well they do their jobs.

. . . That would benefit not only dedicated, talented teachers but also their students, as mediocre teachers would sharpen their skills in order to earn more money.

The Salt Lake Trib takes it one step further.

. . . [But] there are two myths that must be dispelled before merit systems can be effective. The first is that there are no mediocre or poor teachers in our schools. The second is that, even if there were, there is no way to differentiate between them and the excellent teachers. Both these myths have been used by teacher association leaders to undermine past efforts to adopt effective merit-pay plans.

These are the myths that Education Minnesota and their related teachers unions have long perpetuated. The Salt Lake Trib is right - merit pay for teachers will IMPROVE the system. It would make schools better for all children - regardless of what district they are in. The time has come to quit protecting the teachers that are just "phoning it in". Our children deserve better than this.

No We Can't

2008-06-30T16:21:00.004-05:00

Democrats up and down the ticket have all echoed the talking point (taken directly from the TOP of the ticket) "We can't drill our way out of this oil crisis". With that comment in mind I would like to ask a question. If we can't fix the current situation with oil, how are we supposed to fix global warming?

As I said before, IF we take a well rounded approach to the problem (as has been proposed by Republicans like Rep. Michelle Bachmann) we can solve it. That means we need to look at alternative energy sources AND nuclear energy AND clean coal AND domestic oil production. That is the only way that we will ever be truly energy independent. Yes there is going to be a lot of innovation from the market, but the innovation is already there in some places.

Sadly for America, the Democrats don't think that the innovation will happen and therefore they echo the top of their ticket in saying "NO WE CAN'T!"

Trouble In Paradise

2008-06-29T17:12:00.003-05:00

In a really lame attempt to bail out their guy, Democrats across the country are trying to paint Senator John McCain with the same (or is it McSame?) tax dodging brush that candidate Al Franken was tarred with.

Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) criticized his DFL opponent Al Franken when Al admitted to paying his taxes in MN and NY when they should have been spread over MN, NY and 17 other states. Al then corrected the problem. But now it comes to light that the Republican Presidential candidate Grandpa McSame owes back taxes on a California condo:
Newsweek is set to publish a highly embarrassing report on Sen. John McCain, revealing that the McCains have failed to pay taxes on their beach-front condo in La Jolla, California, for the last four years and are currently in default, The Huffington Post has learned.
Under California law, once a residential property is in default for five years, it can be sold at a tax sale to recover the unpaid taxes for the taxpayers.
(Huffington Post)

Will Norm condemn Grandpa McSame as he did Al?

There is one teeny, tiny problem with that theory E......Senator McCain has NO CONTROL over Mrs. McCain's property, thanks to a nice little pre-nuptial agreement that he signed. Contrary to Senator McCain, Al Franken was CEO and COO of his company....AL WAS the Company where Sen. McCain has no say in the matter.

Meanwhile, MPR (of all places) just released a poll that shows that Angry Al, LOOSES many of the "moderate" voters that intend to vote for Senator Obama. Things are must be really bad for Al back in Minnesota if that is the case.

Seriously - if this is all the left can come up with (on Senator McCain) they are in real trouble. Maybe things are not going to be as bad for the Republic as some think it will be. Time will tell I suppose.

Unreal

2008-06-29T16:58:00.002-05:00

On one hand, I really expected this editorial to come out of the Star Tribune. On the other, I can't say that I am all that surprised that it came out of the Chicago Tribune.

Repeal the 2nd Amendment

No, we don't suppose that's going to happen any time soon. But it should.

The 2nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is evidence that, while the founding fathers were brilliant men, they could have used an editor.

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

If the founders had limited themselves to the final 14 words, the amendment would have been an unambiguous declaration of the right to possess firearms. But they didn't, and it isn't. The amendment was intended to protect the authority of the states to organize militias.

Emphasis mine......So according to the Tribune editors, the 2nd Amendment was designed to do this (HT Capt Ed)?????

Leaked minutes of the Joint Operations Command (JOC), which has orchestrated the violence since Mugabe lost a first round of voting in March, revealed that it is willing to wipe out opposition supporters.

A 10,000-strong youth militia loyal to the Zanu-PF has been created to enforce its wishes in case regular army units refuse, according to Zimbabwean human rights agencies.

No, the Founding Fathers understood the abuses that dictatorial government could impose on the people....many of them lived it. They also understood the need for personal and community defense - thus the "well regulated militia" preface. My Chicago area public school taught me that....

Maybe the Tribune editors need to go back to high school and take a basic American History class. They just might learn something...

Truthful Dialog?

2008-06-25T23:04:00.001-05:00

Rep. Sandy Wollschlager (DFL-Cannon Falls) had a letter in the Red Wing Republican Eagle this week in response to a previous letter to the editor.

I would like to comment on John Adams recent letter to the editor (R-E, June 20) regarding my work on tax relief in the Minnesota Legislature.

While I appreciate Mr. Adams participation in the opinion section of the newspaper, he does a disservice to readers when he uses this forum to confuse and mislead.

Rep. Wollschlager then goes on to completely mislead the Republican Eagle readers on the tax bill that she "worked" so hard for.

She goes on to talk about the $23m in tax "relief" to homeowners. Yet she doesn't talk about the increase in taxes to anyone who buys a can of paint in Minnesota or whose sales taxes were going up due to the Transit Funding Bill or the thousands of teen-agers who will not get summer jobs this year because of additional taxes (including an increase in the minimum wage) on those that employ them or the increased taxes on military wages and social security income or the increases in our utility rates...the list goes on and on. Most of these tax increases I covered in my multiple live blog posts on the goings on in the Minnesota legislature this past session.

I agree with Rep. Wollschlager that a truthful debate is necessary. It's just a pity that the DFL can't engage in a truthful debate. Because if they did, they would be forced to admit that their "revenue neutral" tax bill was anything but...

There Are No Winners Here

2008-06-25T21:25:00.003-05:00

This is one of those stories where no one comes out looking "good".

LONG PRAIRIE, Minn. – The legal question in the battle between Adam Race and the Church of St. Joseph is not about the rights of an autistic child, church authority or freedom of religion.
The issue, according to Todd County District Court Judge Sally Ireland Robertson, is whether the noises and behaviors 13-year-old Adam Race displayed in church meet the legal definition of harassment.

For those of you who are not aware of the story, 13 year old Adam is autistic. According to parish officials at the Church of St. Joseph, Adam is a threat to fellow parishioners....so much so that the church filed for (and received) a restraining order to keep Adam out of church. According to church officials, Adam struck a child during Mass and bolted from Mass many times - including one time where he got into and managed to start another parishioners car!

Parenting a child like Adam is difficult to say the least. My brother in law is Down Syndrome and Autistic. We love him dearly but at 6 foot tall and 200+ pounds (like Adam) he can not only be a danger to himself, he is a danger to others. He does not mean to be, but when you have such childish impulses trapped in an adults body, it happens. My mother and father in law had their hands full raising him, but they did. However, the day came when (due to advanced age) my mother and father in law could no longer keep control of this dear young man and they made the hard decision to put him in a situation where he would not be a danger to himself and others.

Which leads us back to Adam's story. As much as I know it is going to break Mrs. Race's heart, if she can not control Adam, then she either needs to get assistance or she needs to make the hard decision to put Adam in a situation where he is not a threat to others.

Mrs. Race has a point in that Adam's actions probably do not meet up to the legal definition of "harassment" but he is a disruption to others and Mrs. Race is not doing herself, Adam or her fellow parishioners any favors by continuing to allow Adam's ill behavior to continue unchecked. At some point, the priest needs to step in (as this one did) and take control of a situation that Mrs. Race refused to do. While it is not his place to "discipline" Adam, it was his place to take control of the safety of the people in his "care". Since Mrs. Race refused to step up, the Priest did what he was forced to do. For everyone's sake - especially Adam - I hope that Mrs. Race drops this Quixotic quest and spends her time working with Adam to help him get the self control that is needed to sit in church.

Challengers CAN Win

2008-06-25T18:41:00.002-05:00

The biggest story in Utah today has to be the story of Rep. Chris Cannon's primary defeat by a first time challenger.

Jason Chaffetz's promise to change Washington, starting with Rep. Chris Cannon, resonated with Republican voters, who ousted the six-term incumbent in a GOP primary Tuesday.
"We rocked the vote here in Utah and we rocked the Republican Party," Chaffetz told about 175 supporters gathered to celebrate the victory. "I think we've been given a mandate to return the Republican Party to its core conservative principles."
With 99 percent of the votes counted, Chaffetz led Cannon by about 20 points. Chaffetz now advances to face Democrat Bennion Spencer in November. The seat strongly favors Republicans.

Emphasis mine. Twenty points is a serious drubbing for any race - especially when the one getting drubbed is the incumbent. It also flies in the face of the conventional wisdom that you just can't challenge an incumbent legislator, even if you feel that he or she is no longer representing the district - as the voters of Utah's 3rd Congressional District resoundingly said yesterday.

The Cannon/Chaffetz race featured many of the same frustrations that voters (especially Republican voters) across the country have felt. Frustrations over illegal immigration, out of control federal spending, energy policy and a broken Republican Party were the hallmarks of the Chaffetz campaign. It must be stressed that Jason Chaffetz is a political newbie (at least when it comes to running for office himself). He was Chief of Staff for Utah Governor Huntsman so he had the policy formation experience but this was his first ever run for office. This is important. The voters of the 3rd district sent the Republican Party a very loud message. Chaffetz' victory yesterday is a victory for every Republican who is dis-satisfied with the direction the Party is going. He over came big name endorsements (President Bush and Utah Sens. Orrin Hatch and Bob Bennett all endorsed incumbent Cannon) and a 7-1 spending deficit to win. He beat the Party establishment resoundingly.

Chaffetz's victory yesterday should send shock waves through the Republican Party establishment - not only in DC but in all the state parties (big hint to my friends back in Minnesota). The base is NOT HAPPY with you and the way you are doing business. You are not representing the people and the time has come to either get back on track (representing the Party's core principles) or go home.

145 Who Get It

2008-06-25T15:15:00.000-05:00

Earlier today, I wrote a rather long post on Energy policy and how a 4 pronged approach to energy cost relief is an absolute necessity. It seems like every politician out there (with the exception of Senators Coleman and McCain) gets one part of the prong. One of the more important prongs is that we absolutely must increase domestic oil production. Well today, Rep. Lynn Westmoreland challenged all 435 of his colleagues to sign a pledge to increase domestic oil production. Almost immediately 145 of his colleagues signed the pledge. This bi-partisan list (some Democrats DO GET the need) includes Minnesota's own Rep. John Kline and Michelle Bachmann!

If you look at the body of the petition, you see that Rep. Westmoreland (as well as Reps. Bachmann and Kline) gets the fact that a multiple pronged approach is necessary.

“Hundreds of thousands of Americans have signed petitions calling on Congress to increase U.S. oil supply to bring down prices. When constituents started calling me to say they had signed, I wanted a way for all Americans to know where their member of Congress stands on this issue. I created a ‘no-wiggle-room pledge’ that reads ‘I will vote to increase to U.S. oil production to lower gas prices for Americans.’ It’s simple and it gets to the heart of the real solution. Yes, we need to conserve; yes, we need to develop alternative energy sources. But right now, we still need traditional energy and I want to put members of the House on record: Are you for helping American businesses and American families with their energy costs or not?

“More than 65 percent of Americans support more traditional energy exploration in this country. I’m saying: Explore offshore, open up U.S. lands and build more refineries. I encourage people all over this country will call their member of the House and encourage them to sign the Westmoreland petition to increase oil production. The petition is on the floor of the House during votes. Every congressional district is listed and we update our web site, www.house.gov/westmoreland regularly with everyone who has signed it.”

So to those of you in the remaining Minnesota districts - call your representatives and ask them to sign the Westmoreland petition. While you are at it, if you have not already signed a petition to add more domestic production, I would suggest that you sign here to let Congress and the President know how you feel about the energy issue.

UPDATE AND BUMP: Welcome all of you new readers who got here via Google searching the petition. Poke around and come back as often as you can! There are now 183 Congresspeople who are listening to We The People on energy.

UPDATE #2 - Attention voters in Minnesota's 3rd Congressional District. Congressman Jim Ramsted (RINO - retiring) has refused to sign the petition. You should call his office and express your displeasure with his actions. Then take a few minutes to donate your time and money to his replacement, Erik Paulsen.

Help Wanted

2008-06-24T13:06:00.000-05:00

Just before I left Minnesota for Utah, I got an email from the Minneapolis St. Paul Host Committee asking for help. Apparently (as you have seen in the local news lately), the host committee is still in need of volunteers for the convention. If you are interested at all in helping with the convention, please go here to let them know you are interested. The Host Committee needs to get 10,000 volunteers by the end of June so the odds are good that you will be put to work.

Promises Broken

2008-06-24T11:42:00.002-05:00

Well it appears that the bloom is off of the "Hope and Change" rose...

MoveOn.org is taking a firm stand on a campaign promise that Barack Obama made to filibuster any wiretapping bill that had retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies that let the feds listen in.
In a letter that is posted on the MoveOn website the progressive organization said that:
"On Friday, House Democrats caved to the Bush administration and passed a bill giving a get-out-of-jail-free card to phone companies that helped Bush illegally spy on innocent Americans.
"This Monday, the fight moves to the Senate. Senator Russ Feingold says the 'deal is not a compromise; it is a capitulation.' Barack Obama announced his partial support for the bill, but said, 'It does, however, grant retroactive immunity, and I will work in the Senate to remove this provision so that we can seek full accountability for past offenses.'
"Last year, after phone calls from MoveOn members and others, Obama vowed to 'support a filibuster of any bill that includes retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies.'"
MoveOn also said in the letter "We need him to honor that promise."

The Democrats base is starting to see Senator Obama as he is....another Chicago politician who is steeped in the tradition of say what ever is necessary to get elected.

The More Things Change, The More They REALLY Stay The Same

2008-06-23T18:00:00.004-05:00

Back in November the Minnesota DFL won 85 seats, giving them a clear majority. A couple of days later, the House DFL leadership released their updated committee and sub committee list. King posted on it here and linked back to a HRCC spreadsheet that showed the committee set up.

Well today I get, in the inbox, a Session Update (I thought they adjourned Sine Dei last month?) relating information on House Committee testimony that they received today in the House Governmental Operations, Reform, Technology and Elections Committee.

A cumbersome committee structure is a barrier to public participation and process transparency.

It’s a situation that concerns Geoff Barsch, president of the Minnesota Governmental Relations Council, who offered recommendations for change to the House Governmental Operations, Reform, Technology and Elections Committee. The committee is looking at ways to improve the legislative process.

Too many committees lead to overlap and bills not being fully vetted, Barsch said.

He said it is hard for an experienced lobbyist, like himself, to follow the process, but nearly impossible for the general public. “More and more bills are being sent from one committee to the next with work left to be done, and we keep hearing this phrase, ‘This bill has a lot of stops to make before it gets to the floor.’”

Now I don't know if this is new information to the House or not, but if it is new to them it is yet one more example of just how out of touch with the public the DFL leadership structure is. If this is not new to them, it shows voters the lengths that they (the DFL leadership) will go to in order to keep the involvement of the governed out of the business of governance. It shows how important it is to them to keep us like mushrooms....always in the dark.

I would like to give them the benefit of the doubt and say that this is not "new" to them but when I do that it still does not paint the House leadership in a good light. Actually - neither option portrays the House DFL leadership well, which in and of itself is a condemnation on their leadership.

Interactive

2008-06-23T16:24:00.003-05:00

As we await the SCOTUS decision on the Heller case, I thought I would posit a question for all of you.

As you know, marriage licenses are honored as sacrosanct from state to state. A marriage license issued in Illinois is honored in every state of the Union - no questions asked. However, a firearms license issued in Utah is not honored in every state in the Union. Only 32 states will honor a legally issued firearms license issued by the state of Utah. This in spite of the 2nd Amendment that guarantees the right so the citizens in this country to keep and bear arms.

So I ask you, dear readers, why do you suppose this is? Why is a license for an activty that is not even mentioned in the Constitution given higher value than a Constitutionally guaranteed right?

Which Came First....

2008-06-23T13:25:00.003-05:00

Michelle Malkin has a report from Senator McCain's private meeting with Chicago area Hispanics. What caught my eye in her correspondents report was this particular quote.

He said ” My state has been enriched by the Hispanic culture in Arizona.”
Then John McCain asked a question “Did you know this? I bet some of you did not know that Spanish was spoken in Arizona before English” …Loud cheers from the audience.

I'm wondering if the Senator (and his audience) really want to go down that particular road. Because if they WERE to go down that particular road, then we need to talk to the Mexican people about who was really there "first".

I am an American of Mexican decent. As best as I know from the genealogical research that has been done this far, my Mexican ancestors were actually Mayan or of a similar native tribe. Spain (where the Spanish language comes from) were the first oppressors of the Native Mexican people....especially "my" people. So, Senator McCain, if we are to go down that particular road, then you need to talk about the Hopi Indians and the Hopi language - they were in Arizona "first"....as were the Cocopa tribe and the Halchidhoma and the Halyikwamai and the Havasupai and the Kohuana and the Maricopa and the Mohave tribes (there are many more). They were all there LONG before the Spaniards gathered that territory FOR SPAIN (not Mexico BTW). All of these tribes (if there are any of their decedents left) have more of a historical claim on the land that the Spaniards and THEIR Mexican decedents do!

Look - a refresher course in history is obviously needed here. The territories that became the states of New Mexico, Arizona, California, Colorado Nevada and Utah were PURCHASED by the United States of America for $15MILLION ($313million in 2006 dollars) under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo that was signed in 1848 to end the Mexican American War....a war that was started when MEXICO invaded the sovereign territory of Texas (in response to their declaration of independence and subsequent annexation into the United States). Nothing was "stolen" from Mexico...as a matter of fact, numerous attempts were made by the French, British AND American governments to avoid conflict and to resolve the dispute between the US and Mexico. The Mexican Government had stated that the annexation of Texas would be considered an "act of war" but the citizens of Texas had made it quite clear that they wanted to be part of the United States....not part of Mexico (remember the Alamo?) .

If we are going to use history (Spanish was spoken in Arizona before English was) Senator McCain, let's give a complete telling of that history. Yes, the Mexican influence in the Western United States was an important influence. However, this is not Mexico....it has not been part of Mexico for 160 years. It is NOW a part of the United States of America. English is now spoken here and while it is vitally important to remember where we came from (the Yucatan Peninsula in my case) it is just as important to remember where we are and where we are going. We are never going to move forward AS A WHOLE COUNTRY if we are continuing to divide ourselves up (that is yet another post for the day). The Great Seal of the United States has a phrase on it that we need to remember - E Pluribus Unum.....our of many ONE. This nation must become one again - with common laws, goals and a common language - if we are ever going to move forward as a nation.

If you really want to lead a great American resurgence Senator McCain...quit dividing us!

Milestones

2008-06-23T09:33:00.004-05:00

WOW - 1000 posts! Who would have thought that I would have had this much to say or such wonderful readers who read it.

Thanks to all of you who have made this journey entertaining, enlightening and just plain fun. And here is to the Logical Husband and the Junior Logician who put up with so much of my time and energy being wrapped up in this endeavor. I owe you both so much.

Here is to 1000 more posts!

Energy Follies

2008-06-23T08:09:00.003-05:00

I thought I would start this post off on a lighter note (HT America's Small City Mayor) since it is a very important issue for a lot of people. The high cost of fuel and what it adds to our everyday goods and services has become issue number 1 for most voters. While the average citizen is making daily sacrifices in order to be able to afford to eat, the prelate of "Green" is hoarding enough energy to heat and cool 232 average households a month....and that does not include the fossil fuels that he burns to jet off to exotic locations to preach the gospel of global warming either.

Of course our current legislators are not much better. While they are jetting all over the country telling us that the drilling for domestic oil is not the answer and there really isn't that much domestic oil to be had in the first place, the average Joe is taking a second and third job just so they have the money to pay the mortgage AND the fuel bill. Meanwhile, the people that these politicians work for - the American people - are overwhelmingly in favor of domestic drilling.

Here are a few fuel facts to ponder as we enter this election cycle.

First - technology has made nuclear and coal power cleaner and safer than it has been in the past. Countries like Japan and France have made nuclear power a priority. Earthquake prone Japan is currently getting 30% of it's annual energy requirements from nuclear power and plan to increase it to 40% by 2017. France, meanwhile, gets 75% of it's power requirements from nuclear plants - and has become the worlds largest exporter of electrical power thanks to nuclear reactors. They are world leaders in the treatment of nuclear waste and nuclear safety. Speaking of safety, did you know that since 1950 there have been less than 1 1/2 dozen nuclear accidents IN THE WORLD? And that counts Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. That should be food for thought right there!

Clean coal technology is another option that deserves our support. The World Nuclear Association has all the info you will ever need on clean coal technologies....many of which (like electrostatic precipitators and lo-NOx burners) are in proven technologies TODAY! Several countries (including the US) are working on "zero-emissions" technologies that are close to being science "fact".

Outer Continental Shelf drilling - While there is much discussion over just how much oil was spilled after Hurricane Katrina (offical sources say there was none, but there are others who say that there was oil spilled) the bottom line is that the ecological damage done was much less than the damage done by the Exxon Valdez. There have been and are continuing safety improvements being made so that the ecological damage is lessened with each passing year. This is again an option whose time has come.

Shale oil - there is much debate on how accessible shale oil is. Here in Utah, shale oil is a huge issue because there is so much here. The Deseret News did an in-depth piece on shale oil that is a must read if you want to quickly learn about the subject and the local pros and cons. The bottom line is that the technology to extract shale oil appears to be there and with oil selling for around $140 a barrel, it is an affordable technology.

Lastly is the Bakken Oil Formation and ANWR. The Bakken Formation has (by USGS estimates) 3-4 BILLION barrels of recoverable oil in it. While that is less than half of what is available in ANWR, the logistics of getting that oil to market are better than what it would take to get ANWR's oil to market. IF as some say, Bakken holds up to 271 Billion barrels, (which is much, much more oil than ANWR) we are looking at a significant amount of oil that can get us off of imported oil altogether. True energy independence! What a novel thought.

We should not abandon all research in to alternative fuels - just to be clear. We will need alternatives as world wide demand for oil continues to grow. We can be a leader in alternative fuel technologies IF the state and federal governments would get out of deciding which alternative is the "preferred" one. This means (Governor Pawlenty) that we need to stop subsidizing corn ethanol and let the market decide if that is the best alternative fuel source or if sugar ethanol (cane or sugar beets Governor Pawlenty) would be a better bet. We need a national and a state legislature that is LESS in the pockets of environmental lobbying groups (like the Sierra Club) and more in the pockets of the poor beleaguered voters who are struggling to make ends meet today. We need a state and a national legislature that will do the RIGHT THING for the people. Is that too much to ask?

Quick Hits for A Friday

2008-06-20T15:05:00.002-05:00

I had a lot of really good material hit the in box while I was in transit and unpacking. So rather than put up a dozen individual posts, I figured I would just throw a few into quick hits in one post.

St. Olaf College sold it's radio station (WCAL) to Minnesota Public Radio in a rather controversial manner. A group called SaveWCAL is pushing for AG Lori Swanson to get void the sale on the grounds that the large cash donations to the station were considered "charitable trust". On one hand, the college should be allowed to sell off assets as they see fit, on the other....well is there another hand?

The EU has decided that illegal immigration IS a problem that needs to be addressed. Hugo Chavez apparently does not appreciate the EU's decision and is making threats. Apparently he seems to think that he can dictate policy in Europe. Does that mean we can dictate policy in Venezuela?

Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) says that paying income taxes is voluntary? I had no idea.....

Neil Cavuto took on Congress on his show Wednesday and he pulled no punches! The money line was the close.....

You're just petty politicians, who'd sooner sign onto the wisdom of a tyrant in another country, than the demands of ticked off voters in your own.

This was in response to yet another Dem coming out and saying that the government needs to take over the oil industry...

Minnesota's jobless rate is at a 17 year high and all Mayor Ryback can think about is pushing a ban on bottled water. What will this do to bring NON-GOVERNMENT JOBS into Minneapolis RT? Heaven knows that there are no murders, robberies and other crimes to be dealt with.

Two members of the "Religion of Peace" (patent pending) were arrested on conspiracy to commit murder charges in Denmark. Apparently they were out to kill a cartoonist who had the audacity to mock Allah. Yet Christians routinely put up with so-called artists mocking them.

The New York Times recognized the latest policy shift from the Obamassiah but that is about it...

Gas prices have gone up and the American public is driving less. The market at work. Now all we need to do is increase supply......

Last and by no means least - MoveOn.Org is closing it's 527 operations in deference to the Obama Campaign. While I agree (in principle) with the Obama campaign that 527's are the bane of political campaigns, I find it odd that as long as the majority of the 527's out there supported Democratic candidates they were ok, but as soon as the Swift Boat Vets came along to fight back they were suddenly a bad thing. They will still operate their PAC, but PAC's are limited to the amount a donor can give - unlike 527's where billionaires like George Soros could funnel millions in the hopes of dictating US policy.

Let us not forget who we can thank for the emergence of 527's......Senators Russ Feingold and JOHN MCCAIN. BTW Sen. McCain....how's that pledge to take public financing working out for you?

Denial of Health Care Comes To The US

2008-06-20T09:20:00.002-05:00

Contrary to the protestations of the supporters of government run health care, rationing of services is a very real prospect. Just ask Barbara Wagner of Oregon.

EUGENE, Ore. — After weeks of bad news, things turned Barbara Wagner’s way this week.

Last month her lung cancer, in remission for about two years, was back. After her oncologist prescribed a cancer drug that could slow the cancer growth and extend her life, Wagner was notified that the Oregon Health Plan wouldn’t cover it.

It would cover comfort and care, including, if she chose, doctor-assisted suicide.

According to administrators of the state run plan, treatment of advanced cancer that is meant to prolong life or change the course of the disease is not covered. Excuse me....isn't that why we WANT health care....to prolong our lives and change the course of diseases? No???? Silly me - what was I thinking???? What is worse is that this is a change in policy, contrary to what the plan administrators claim.

Officials of LIPA and the state policy-making Health Services Commission say they’ve not changed how they cover treatment of recurrent cancer.

But local oncologists say they’ve seen a change and that their Oregon Health Plan patients with advanced cancer no longer get coverage for chemotherapy if it is considered comfort care.

It doesn’t adhere to the standards of care set out in the oncology community, said Dr. John Caton, an oncologist at Willamette Valley Cancer Center.

Well DUH - of course it does not adhere to the "standards of care" set by the oncology community. The doctors in the oncology community want to CURE their patients...not kill them. Remember the Hippocratic Oath - first do no harm?????? Apparently that does not apply to state bureaucrats!

Thankfully for Ms. Wagner, the "evil" pharmaceutical company that manufactures the drug has offered the treatment for free.

This is the kind of "care" that all Americans (not just Minnesotans and Utahns) can expect should government run health care become a reality. Is this really the kind of care we want for our aging parents or our children or even ourselves? Somehow I think the answer is a resounding no!

Friday Funnies

2008-06-20T08:38:00.002-05:00

A quick poster to start your day. There will be more later.

Out In The Open

2008-06-19T11:17:00.003-05:00

It is so nice that the Democrats are finally coming out and admitting that what they want for America IS socialism. First it was Rep. Maxine Waters, admitting in a recorded House Committee meeting that a government take over of the oil industry was necessary. Now Rep. Maurice Hinchley (D-NY) is calling for the government to take over an industry that "never should have been private in the first place.” (HT Allahpundit and Rick Moran). Rick asks the same questions on this government take over that I have been asking during the whole health care debate....name ONE thing that the federal government does now that it is good at? Health care? Look at the mess the Veterans Administration system is in. Running wars? Look at the mistakes made in Iraq. The IRS......puhlease! There is nothing that government bureaucrats do well or efficiently - what makes us think that a nationalized oil industry would be ANY different.

Rick asks another set of very pertinent questions as well.....

But to our Democratic Socialist friends (Can we start calling them that now? Can we?), the point is not supplying the American people with gasoline or heating oil but rather control – control of the industry so that it functions for “the benefit of the people.”

How often have we heard that battle cry in history? And oh how miserably those who have uttered it have failed to deliver promised benefits. From Lenin to Castro to Mugabe, the nationalization of industry to benefit “the people” has been a spectacular economic disaster. In the end, production in nationalized industry always declines. In the end, the industry has always fallen into ruins.

Rick is right - ALL of this talk of government taking over industries...whether it is health care OR petroleum production smacks of socialism and communism and maybe it is time to start calling this exactly what it is.....

Jazz Shaw and I will be discussing this with Rick Moran and possibly Ed Morrisey on Mid Stream Radio today over at Blog Talk Radio. Join us please.