A meeting of the minds... two nights only!

Well, blogging buddies... this might be a first. Two bloggers from the Lake Herman Accords will team up... to broadcast a basketball game!

My blogging compatriot Todd Epp from South Dakota Watch has graciously accepted my offer to provide color commentary for the Madison-Harrisburg boys and girls basketball games this Tuesday and Thursday. So some of my friends and fans (actually one fan... thanks, Mom!) are probably wondering "What the heck are you thinking?"

When I know myself, you'll be the first to know! :P

Actually, I'm always looking for something unusual. I've actually had non-broadcasters do color before in the booth, namely coaches and the like. And the fact that Todd is a former broadcaster will make for an interesting dynamic. We both are sports nuts and we're both passionate about our towns...

And the fact that he's liberal and I'm libertarian? Here's my two word reply... Big Deal!

While we're both political folks (no matter how hard I try NOT to be), the fact is there are things greater than politics... things like... Basketball. And if I can have Senator John Thune in the broadcast booth and not discuss politics for one iota, then I can certainly have a good couple of broadcasts with a fellow blogger and have a good time doing them. Besides, the only time I get nasty about sports is when I'm watching an SDSU football game... ex-siggy can attest to that! ;)

So Cory, Detroit, Sibby, Pat, write this down... Tuesday and Thursday... 7:10 pre-game, 7:30 tip-off... 1390 AM. Copies of the games will be made available for a nominal fee! LOL

Get A Life!

I've been doing some thinking on our political state of mind...

The folks who think Bush should be tried for war crimes should get a life.

The folks who think Obama is the anti-Christ should get a life too.

And if you don't agree with me, you can kiss my ass... and then get a life.

We can make it better than before... better... stronger... faster!!

And cue the funky 70's theme music for the "Six Million Dollar Man!"

My friend Cory out on Lake Herman must have had this brewing. In one of his latest posts, he figures that the Republicans losing this Presidential election may just be a good thing. Without going into too much detail, he figures that who ever is going to be elected, faces about a 50-percent chance of reelection. So that might mean we'll only get four years of Obama "Change".

But a lot of what he talks about, I had posted in a previous posting (By the way, you're welcome for the idea, Cory! LOL). In the posting, I had talked about how the Republican Party had drifted away from its belief of limited government. With such things as the Patriot Act, and now the Wall Street Get Out of Jail Free Bailout that Bush and Pelosi forced down our throats, we are now facing more government interference in our lives than ever before! Add to that fact, you have the so-called "moral majority" looking to impose their will on the populace of the U.S. via the Republican party, and it's no wonder that the party is in chaos.

I think what needs to happen in order for the Republican Party to be of any validity in 2012, is to dump the big government ideas... to dump the "moral majority" leadership that has been so divisive and get back to the idea of LIMITED GOVERNMENT. Make the party a clear alternative to the big-government-loving, tax-and-spend Democrats. Renew the "Contract with America" that called for a balanced budget amendment and congressional term limits. Get back to your Libertarian Roots, for crying out loud! Ronald Reagan and William F. Buckley are probably spinning in their graves!

Until you do that, you'll just be a cheap carbon-copy of the Democrats, and not a very good one at that.

IT'S ALL OUR FAULT!!!

For those of you numbed with all the wonderful business news as of late, this'll come as a nice little wake-up call.

IT'S ALL OUR FAULT!

The Housing crisis? The Business bail-outs? The general gloom and doom that seems to be hitting Wall Street? Our fault! High Taxes? Lower standards of living? Our fault, too!

Health Care Crisis? Credit Card Debt? Look in the mirror and you'll find the problem.

I'm serious! We are rocketing away from being the independent, self-reliant pioneers of our forefathers and becoming co-dependent crybabies. We've abandoned our sense of accountability for feel-good politics and talking heads promising "Change".

Want proof? Okay.

Housing Crisis... Sub-prime mortages. People borrowing more than they can afford because the rates were so low. What they forgot to do was look at the fact those interest rates were VARIABLE, meaning they change. So when rates changed upwards, people had to pay more, and they got in debt deeper and deeper til the banks started to foreclose.

Debt... Two words, credit cards. I used to work at Citi, so I know all about interest rates, penalties, and the like. When I got a credit card eariler this summer, you best believe I made DAMN SURE I read the fine print.

Some people figure it's free money and charge like the Light Brigade in the Crimean War. And with about the same results, too! The average American has $6000 of credit card debt. And you can forget making the Minimum Payments. That only pays for the interest and a miniscule part of the actual debt. So if you're making minimum payments, you're paying through quite a few orifices for years! But hey, it's free money!

Priorities... It's funny... When times are good, money is secondary to our desires and impulses. It is only when we find ourselves in financial straits that we really take a look at our finiancial priorities. Hell, it happened to me and it was a damn good wake-up call. But some others are oblivious to this fact and continue to spend, and charge, and blow their money on wants and not on needs (like health insurance, mortgage payments, retirement, etc.).

Then when the crap hits the fan, they cry poor and ask the taxpayers for a handout!

I realize there are some people with real problems, and this is not geared toward them. But when you are making millions of dollars a year and you're crying poor, perhaps you best re-think the need for 15 houses and 200 cars! It's called living on a budget, people. Try it sometime. You just might surprise yourself. I sure as hell did!

Health Care... People complain that our health care system is in the tubes. Despite the fact we are among the world's leaders in medical innovation. Granted, not every job provides health care. But if that's the case, shouldn't you include at least some major medical coverage in your budget or better yet, find a different job? Or perhaps you can get medical coverage, only to turn it down because you can't swing that and your Jet Ski payments. Hello? Priorities, anyone?

And speaking of which, one of the biggest health issues today is obesity. Now granted, I wasn't always the picture of health, but I'm getting in much better shape and nipping this thing in the bud before I develop real problems. How many times a week do you eat fast food? When's the last time you turned off the TV and took a walk around the block? We're due for a major health care crisis and it's our own making. Dumb! Dumb! Dumb!

These are but a few of the issues. I could go about more but the simple fact is there is no politician, government program, or politcal party that is going to solve all this crap. The solution lies within us and our resolve to improve our finances, our lives, our way of life.

THAT'S when we'll have REAL change in this country... change for the BETTER!

Things to do today...

Treadmill workout... check

Lift... will do tonight

Interview coaches... 2 down, 2 to go.

Convince Cory Heidelberger and Todd Epp to join the Libertarian Party... um.. ah... Bridget, hold my calls. This might take a while!

Infiltrate and Conquer!

Some political thoughts as I was doing my morning run...

With the struggles that the Libertarian Party has in getting its name out and getting funding, I'm thinking it's about time that the party members look at other tactics.

By this, I mean infiltrating and conquering the Republican Party.

In the late 1970s-early 80s, the Republican Party was hijacked by the so-called "Moral Majority", who wanted government to pretty much enforce their religious views onto laws and government. Kinda like Iran, without the terrorism.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't like prohibiting religion out of public discussion. But to force-feed it down our throats is just as asinine.

But what the Moral Majority did is split away from the idea that Government should stay out of people's lives. And they've been firmly entrenched in power for the past 20+ years.

Frankly, I think they've worn out their welcome.

The nice thing about the Libertarian Party is that it says government needs to stay out of people's lives as well as their pocketbooks. Heck, even Ronald Regan said the Republican Party was established in Libertarian roots.

But sadly the party has lost its way. The party of individual freedom and limited government has continued to grow during Dubya's reign. And it's driven a lot of people away.

I think the true Republicans would welcome a return to more Libertarian ideas. I doubt the Democrats would be so key on goverment getting out of our checkbooks.

But hey, a Libertarian can dream, can't he?

So my Libertarian brothers and sisters, lets raid the Republicans, inflitrate the party and TAKE IT OVER!!! The Dems and the "Moral" Majority don't stand a chance!

Political thoughts...

Short post today.

I consider politics and politicians like diapers... Always on your ass and full of shit!

Happy Electioneering, kiddies! Vote Libertarian!

What do we deserve?

Being that I've been busy with the State Amateur Baseball Tournament, working my second job, and helping Mom get settled into her new place, I haven't had the time this weekend to keep tabs on politics.

However, whilst checking messages last night, I came across this little nugget... Tim Johnson, senior U.S. Senator, has decided not to debate his Republican challenger Joel Dykstra in this year's election. Instead, it seems the esteemed politician is going to do his debating in 30-second ads instead.

Brother!

First, Johnson's operatives start spying on non-candidate Steve Kirby and starts throwing about a bunch of crap about him... AND HE NEVER MADE THE DECISION TO RUN!!! Now "King Tim's" goons say that Dykstra, a legitimately-nominated major party candidate hasn't earned the right to debate Johnson. Don't believe me? Here's an exceprt from this Sunday's Argus Leader.

In light of the fact he did not post an overwhelming primary victory and has not yet raised a notable amount of money, “a lot of people in South Dakota are saying Dykstra hasn’t earned it,” [Steve] Jarding says of debates.

Johnson staffer: Senator decided not to debate; Dykstra 'hasn't earned it'.Sioux Falls Argus Leader, August 10,2008.

What ARROGANCE!!!

Tell me Steve, what about the South Dakota voters? Don't we deserve a debate between these two candidates? Don't we deserve to find out what the candidates believe in and what their philosophies are? Don't we deserve to get some answers, and not in a slickly-produced 30-second sound bite?

Makes me wonder... Does Steve also believe we don't deserve such things as a public discourse between political candidates? Is Johnson's name so sacred and holy, he's above the nasty discourse that is debate?

Hell, maybe we don't deserve to vote... just move along with "King Tim's" coronation and to Hell with the opposition!

Hey Steve, maybe we don't deserve the Constitution, either!

I'm a Libertarian, but I've thought Johnson has been a pretty decent person. He's a Democrat, yes, but I think if he were from California, he'd be considered a Republican... at least from the MoveOn.org nutjobs! This is disturbing. Granted, he's had health issues, but one of the requirements for the job is that he needs to face his opposition and stand up for his beliefs. If he doesn't, how can we be sure that he won't do the same when it comes to debating in the Senate?

His campaign staff also seems to have closed ranks... no interviews with the local media, but a national interview exclusive instead. No debates, and insulting the oppononent where no criticism is warranted. Not to mention the intimidation tactics of a non-candidate. Frankly, Johnson's staff seems less like a support staff, and more like the "Blackshirts" of the Nazi SS.

I doubt Tim Johnson reads this little blog, but some of his "thugs" might. Let me tell you this. NO ONE is above accountability in South Dakota politics. If you don't believe me, just ask George McGovern (defeated in 1980), Larry Pressler (defeated in 1996), and Tom Daschle (defeated in 2004)!

And for those of you "Political Consultants" (i.e. Political Hit Men) that might want to attack me, I'll tell you right now... the only thing on my criminal record in the past six years is a speeding ticket I got in Arlington. And a warning just a few months ago north of Dell Rapids. Good luck with my character assassination on that one, morons!