Eager reader Jessie gets aches and pains when I go religious. She'd rather I stick with politics.
I would, Jessie, if all the politicians would. But comes now Gordon Howie to tell us that God told him to run for Senate and fight for theocracy. Here are the first words from his Independent candidacy announcement:
Our country's Founding Fathers envisioned a God-fearing nation, one led by public servants who would put their duties to God, country, and their fellow citizens ahead of their own desires for personal glory, fame and power [Gordon Howie, e-mail, 2014.04.03].
Here's God's call to Gordon:
I believe that God calls us to serve Him in a variety ways, many of which are not always comfortable. Running for public office is not an easy choice to make given the negativity that can surround the campaigns that are a part of the process. Secular interests associated with Democrats and even Republicans will attack someone of faith on every step of his or her path [Howie, 2014.04.03].
In this announcement, Howie mentions "God" seven times. Her says "faith" twice. He mentions the Constitution zero times. That shows me priorities out of whack for any statesman seeking office in our pluralistic democracy, because it is the Constitution and our shared commitment to it, not any one man's God whispering in his ear, that keeps our nation whole.
I revile the theocracy Howie would impose upon us. Yet I welcome Howie's candidacy. He is the only candidate who would tell general election voters that he is God's candidate. Thinking that act will get them into heaven, 5% of general election voters will believe him and vote for him. And that's five percent that will come straight from the saner Republican nominee and boost Rick Weiland's chances of winning. Pair Howie's rank conservatism with the nostalgic moderation of that other Independent, Larry Pressler, and you see the Republican margin shrink amd the Democrats keep the Senate seat with a Clintonian 43%.
You can download a copy of Howie's nominating petition, instructions on how to circulate it, and instructions on how to get that petition back to Howie in time to file (3,171 signatures due in Secretary Gant's office by Tuesday, April 29. Put Howie on the ballot—God says so!
God called on him to resist paying the taxes of man. And God called that pregnant trapped mountain lion home using Gordo as His instrument.
Nah-I guess not. Wingnuts forget they take an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America,if and when they get elected. They do not HAVE to place their hand on a bible to be sworn in. Constitution clearly states there are no religious tests involved. That was done to keep religion out of politics and bears repeating since so many christian polit6icians apparently can't read and comprehend.
George Carlin on God and Politics: http://youtu.be/rSS5oTM_YGQ
Yup that's the way I see it.
The Blindman
I bet Lederman is pissed. LOL
What ever helps Rick Weiland I'm for. Go Gordon Go!
As they were sitting in the car waiting for the convoy to move, a unit commander named Naqibullah walked up to the car, yelled "Allahu Akbar" - God is Great - and opened fire on them in the back seat with his AK-47. He then surrendered to the other police and was arrested.
16 Photos
The women of Afghanistan's parliament
Medical officials in Khost confirmed that Niedringhaus died. (Click on the slideshow at left to see some of Niedringhaus' recent work in Afghanistan.)
Gannon, 60, is a Canadian journalist based in Islamabad for AP. She has covered war and unrest in Afghanistan and Pakistan for three decades.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/afghanistan-police-officer-shoots-veteran-ap-journalists-kathy-gannon-and-anja-niedringhaus/
Howie's Independent candidacy just gives the true Tea Party Republicans a reason to vote in the fall Senate race, else, most of them would have just stayed home. I think it hurts Pressler more than Rounds, which in turn hurts Weiland's chances; to the degree that Tea Party Republicans were going to show-up next fall to vote in the absence of Howie and might have found refuge with a protest vote for Pressler prior to Howie's Senate announcement.
Rounds cannot be beat unless the EB5 story gets bigger than it currently is. If it does, Weiland wins this not by competing with Pressler and Howie for the populist mantra, rather he wins it with a 38% plurality of true liberals inspired by his liberal message and not a populist message. For Weiland it is all about GOTV with the liberal constituency and the hope that EB5 in the fall is more than it currently is….. It will be more like a Lincoln 40% victory than a Clinton 43% victory for Weiland if he is going to win this. You may think I am splitting hairs here, but I am not, the road to 38 or 40% is much easiler than the populist road to 43% with Pressler and Howie in the way, but like I have already said, it all depends upon the EB5 variable….
Comments:
1) I think any sincere Christian should endeavor with a belief God has called them to service. Whether or not they have correctly heard God or whether it is God's plan they win is another matter.
2) I'm a bit taken back though when a Christian gives such detail in a broad based announcement appeal with regard to their "calling" as it at least makes Cory's inference reasonable.
3) The focus on one's faith with no mention of the social contract (Constitution/Rule of Law) gives the impression the candidate isn't bringing their faith to the public square for the benefit of all but only for those who believe as they do.
Maybe God wants Rick Weiland to be South Dakota's next Senator? (Pretty sure Gordo knows it ain't gonna be him.) I tried to ask Him [Big G, not little G], but he was kind of busy playing dice with Albert Einstein. :-)
Bill, reminds me of the old line, "God works in mysterious ways."
Indeed, Nick. Mysterious indeed.
Oh come one now CAH, we know Annette Bosworth isn't an Independent, but, she already claimed the God card! God wants HER to win not Howie!!
Why, collecting all of those signatures will be as easy as shooting...a mountain lion caught in a trap.
Mr. Fleming, can I catch another ride down to Hermosa next time you go?
Great strategic move for Nelson and Howie. It's hard to beat the machine going it alone. Now the Christian Conservatives have 2 shots at winning the Senate. Nelson gets a mulligan if he get's beat in the primary. Get out the double-barrel.
double-barreled pea-shooter firing orzo, Mrs. Volesky.
Don't get me wrong. I approve of that Overgodding Money Stealing Lying Bossturd Mr. Howie getting in the race, as it gives me a reason to get up in the mornings and laugh and laugh and laugh.
Apparently some bit of SD trivia slid by me. What's this about the mountain lion? Please inform this ignorant one.
BTW, Howie and Pat Robertson must be God's very favorite boys!
Mr. Howie got himself a kitty license this year, Ms. Geelsdottir/, and then he proceeded to tromp around the woods looking to rightly eliminate some of those beasts. I cannot fault him for that, the overgodder.
But then he stumbled upon a kitty that was caught in a bobcat trap, malnurished, and sickly like a Howite.
He raised his rifle and he fired, close range, and slew the beastie, and turned it in at the local fish and game lodging as required under the laws. The wardens immediately were suspicious because it was after all Mr. Howie they were dealing with and they knew of his overgodding and lying and tax evasions. They looked closely at the kitty. It's paw showed signs of being caught in a trap, and it had Howie-like bags under its eyes.
They ticketed the righteous bossturd for illegal hunting of kitties and such. He's a criminal over and over again.
I do not make this up. It was in the news.
Denny Doogard should pardon Bob Newland so he can run against flaming earth hater Lance Russell.
My good friend Bob and Mr. Russell should do one of those cage match things down at the Redneck Rally this year. No hats.
Grudz, only if you change your socks and brush your teeth.
Hey, thanks Grudz. Really, Howie is shameless.
I don't need a pardon to run against Russell. I would run against Russell if anyone showed any interest in having anybody but Russell in the legislature. Of course, "anybody but Russell OR Newland" is a possibility for a campaign motto for possible opposition candidates.
About 10 years ago, I organized a letter campaign to Rapid City area legislators, urging them to support a medical exemption to SoDak's pot laws. Sentor Gordon Howie called me, offended that people would threaten to vote him out if he didn't support medical cannabis. He said, "I'll tell you what. If I had a condition that I could treat with marijuana, I'd just use it, and if I got caught, I'd deal with it then."
I didn't get to ask him if he thought that we should take that as support for medical cannabis.
At your service, my lord.
Republicans running for Senate is looking like a police lineup.
First, there's Mike Rounds and his GOED/Benda/Bollen/EB-5 scandal. Next is Annette Bosworth and her flimflam auctions and phony petitions. Now we've got poachin', tax dodgin' Gordon Howie.
Yep! Lookin' reeeeeeeal good there, South Dakota Republicans. Maybe God is trying to get a message across.
Gettin down to the Marlboro Man, the Warrior and the Dems idea of Reality. Could have had Sen Herseth.
I'm going to support Gordon Howie for US Senate.
There that should fix it.
The Blindman
Wow, unbelievable! Democrats, WAKE UP! Don't you know, you are feeding into the Rounds/Daugaard machine. They love the fact the Madville Times is going after Gordon Howie, Stace Nelson and Annette Bosworth....that takes the attention off the real culprits, Mike Rounds and Dennis Daugaard. No wonder why the Democrat party is on life support. Come on Democrats, be the party for the people and do the right thing. Don't drink Rounds and Daugaard's Kool-Aid, you are falling into their trap. Stand up and fight!
I do agree with points made by Tara and Winston. With where Rounds are Daugaard are sitting it's their race to lose. They are the clear frontrunners. Bosworth and Howie are distractions. I feel the Bosworth charade's days are numbered and will most likely by prosecuted. Howie is well just Howie. Both would be toast in a general election. Lets have our main focus on Rounds, Daugaard and Noem.
OK, Democrats. game on. Focus, focus. focus. Lynn is right, it's Rounds and Daugaard's race to lose, so FOCUS on beating Rounds and Daugaard and quit worrying about Gordon and Annette. EB-5 scandal, corporate cronyism, NBP, Manpower scandal, Obama Care that will be run by Daugaard cronies is what we need to focus on. Hubbel and Myers is on the people's side and you don't even know it. Check out Lora's speech at the Brookings Lincoln Day dinner. They shut her down after 2 minutes because she was exposing the good ol' boys club. The Democrats are on the side of Daugaard and big insurance and health care. Sad, there is no difference in belief between Daugaard and the Democrat party when it comes to health care. The republican establishment got you right where they want you. Corporate health care rules in SD., and both parties are being ruled by the health care puppet masters of SD in disguise of helping the uninsured. It's all about the money, and you fell for their talking points. Let's help the poor.......no, let's help pad out pockets in the name of the poor............hood-winked.