My friends on the far Right have a thing for threat-maximization rhetoric. When they want to criticize a problem, they don't just say, "Hey, here's a problem." They say, "Great God! This problem is the greatest threat to American Freedom!"
Bob Ellis this weekend declares that "the greatest and most pressing threat to the American republic" is RINOs, Republicans In Name Only.
That greatest and most pressing threat evolves quickly. In the past, Ellis and other authors he piles onto his blogs have applied that superlative threat status to...
- Islam (October 8, 2007)
- Barack Obama playing God (August 25, 2009);
- "not pass[ing] on what it means to be American to this generation" (June 9, 2010);
- electromagnetic pulse (December 2, 2010);
- "Main Stream Secular Media" (September 27, 2012);
- homofascism (November 1, 2012);
- "runaway, out-of-control, unconstitutional government" (December 19, 2013);
But Bob Ellis has fish to fry, so it's time to turn that superlative heat on Mike Rounds and other ascendant Republicans who, says Ellis, turned their back on the Gingrich Contract with America, plunged America into debt in the Bush II years, and opened the door for Barack Obama's Leftist takeover:
In 1994, America gave Republicans control of both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives for the first time in 40 years. The American people did this because Congressman Newt Gingrich and other Republicans offered the people a “Contract With America,” a bold and unabashedly conservative agenda to turn back forty years of largely unrestrained liberalism.
Unfortunately, Republicans in congress lost their guts/backbone/anatomy-of-your-choice in a few short years, and paved the way for spending during the George W. Bush years that frankly made drunken sailors look frugal.
This, coupled with forcing “It’s My Turn Now” RINO John McCain on the Republican electorate, paved the way for a Democrat Congress and the most liberal president available–arguably the most liberal president in history.
Thanks to the dereliction of RINOs, we got ObamaCare (not that the RINOs minded that much), an IRS to target conservative groups, an all-out war on marriage, a war on energy and the livelihood of the American people,executive amnesty and more.
Now we have elected a fresh crop of worthless RINOs who can’t wait to surrender to the liberal agenda.
The “Republican” leadership and a some freshly elected “Republicans” are falling all over themselves to surrender to the Leftist agenda…even as America reaches the point of no return, and salvation from the abyss of this irresponsible behavior may quickly become impossible.
Is it becoming clear why I said RINOs are the greatest and most pressing threat to the American republic right now? [emphasis and links in original; Bob Ellis, "Watch for the RINO Watch," American Clarion, 2014.12.28]
Ellis steeps his critique of his quisling party in language and pictures of war. The big war is still the war The Left is fighting to destroy "our economy, our energy infrastructure, the prosperity of our people, our families, our independence, our freedom" (yes, because real people like me who have families and enjoy freedom want to destroy all that). But the RINOs are enemies within Ellis's own camp, wearing Ellis's uniform and attacking from within.
I thus offer Ellis and his RINO fighters a strategic question. Suppose I put up a white flag, set down my rifle (the one with the big yellow flower in the barrel), march across no man's land to Ellis's bunker in my Che t-shirt (oh, wait, that shirt belongs to the RINO candidate who is still fleecing Bob's Tea Party friends nationwide ), and ask to parley. Suppose I tell Bob that my Leftist compatriots and I agree that RINOs like South Dakota's entire Congressional delegation are a threat to our nation. We won't say "greatest" threat, but we will say "greater" threat than Bob Ellis and Gordon Howie and their Christian jihadi tendencies (because we know that Ellis and Howie will never win... but shhh! pipe down, we're parleying here!).
We thus propose a cease fire and a temporary alliance. We Leftists will focus our fire on Rounds, Thune, and Noem. We ask that Ellis and his friends back off on their attacks on us as godless, un-American traitors and instead support and promote our critiques of RINO policies in Pierre and Washington. We ask Ellis et al. convince their preferred legislators in Pierre (folks like Rep. Lance Russell, Rep. Mike Verchio, Senator Phil Jensen, Senator Betty Olson) to declare cease fire on the culture war and instead caucus with Democrats in Pierre to block the portions of the RINO agenda that we both find objectionable. We offer to support viable primary candidates whom they can put up to challenge Noem and Thune in 2016. And if their primary candidates cannot prevail, they promise to support our Democratic challengers for House and Senate.
Bob, we're both fighting what you call "the greatest and most pressing threat to the American republic." I'm willing to help. Will you take that help?
I REALLY hope Bob engages in something besides demeaning rhetoric toward your invite, Cory. But, I won't be holding my breath because that ilk seems to want only to bastardize the opposition by blowing smoke that the choir wants to inhale. When the choir starts thinking for themselves and not following,,, things have a better chance of changing.
Good idea Cory but it'll never happen.
Question. What issues could we both agree on in Pierre? I'm guessing there are a few but for different reasons.
These right wingers hero's are people like Ted Cruz. Need I say more?
These Tea Party people think RINOS like Daugaard and Rounds are Democrats. They aren't-they're Republicans-period. Maybe not openly to the right but Republicans all the same.
I have always known that folks like Mr. Ellis are the most anti-American threat the we have ever known. They refuse to be a part of the military and they do whatever it is necessary to disrupt services to the veterans that fight there ceaseless unending wars. They will support the police until the police demand more wages for their work and retirement pensions. Actual pensions and not the fake 401's that people think give them security. Ellis, Howie and the rest are a clear and present danger to our society.
Cory, what in the world have you been ingesting? Did you do Christmas in Colorado? I have never seen or read any comment by Mr. Ellis, bless his heart, that might evidence an ability to think rationally on issues. From his many comments I have read, and from frequent efforts to engage him in meaningful dialog, it seems pretty clear that his public persona evidences his solid adherence to a particular religious dogma that appears to darkly color his view of other human beings.
In Bob's apparent world, if a RINO like myself is bad, then an even more left leaning Democrat necessarily is a tool of Satan that he would never be able to work with, even if it meant ending a woman's right to decide whether to carry a pregnancy to term.
Ellis has more military proof than I've seen from anyone here, Jerry. Cory, your gangsters have run more moderate than Ellis off in droves. Not you or anyone of your blew regulars here have given or will give opportunity to build. Not a bad idea though.
Why then Les, are they so against veterans?
I take that back, you did give Charlie Hoffman time and space, until Kurse or one of your other fav's ate him one too many times, Cory. 5 4 3 2 1..............
Ask McCain for a Nam experience outlook on that, Jerry.
Funny that the numbers on this blog do not show anyone being run off Les, on the contrary, they show the opposite. You and I are both able to speak, what could be better. Are you still angry over that piece of coal in your stocking?
You guys let Thune beat up Daschle on military BS without a word when Tom was the serviceman in Nam. Crap like that should be a crime regardless of what they allow in PAC advertising.
I will give McCain his due Les in that he beat up your cabal of republicans regarding torture. I thought that admirable. While I am sure that you condone such behavior from watching to much "24". Would you agree that your boy Cheney and Bush, Rumsfeld and Rice along with their henchmen, should be tried for war crimes regarding torture?
Good for the numbers, Jerry. Are you not able to speak without petty personal attack?
I would love nothing more than to see anyone involved in taking us lower than the enemy, criminally charged. What else do you want to hear about that you think you know about my personal beliefs and votes today, Jerry?
I did not allow Thune to do anything Les, I do not care for him or what he says. Your propaganda boys Cheney and Bush beat the war drums so hard even ole Tim allowed his son to get in the act. The smoking gun would be a mushroom cloud, beat Tom Daschle and you allowed Thune to bleat that. Shame on you.
Jerry I'm not a big fan of Ellis but I believe he served in the Air Force as a military policeman and was stationed at Ellsworth at one point in his military hitch/career.
Not sure if this was one of his duties in peacetime but being a stationary object guarding B-52's up at Grand Forks AFB at below zero temps with those Dakota winds does not sound fun to me. lol
I just keep wondering Les, how you can continue to be such a huge supporter of the republican party given all you know about its corruption here. How can that be?
Good for him and his service. Now why do they hate veterans with such a passion? Why is it the mark of being a tea party republican to throw veterans along with the rest of the working poor, under the bus?
Les claims to want a two party system here in South Dakota but continues to be a supporter of the one party system here. That is kind of double speak to me.
Today, you're not responsible for Dem losses of the past, Jerry, only the future. On that I agree. I await the angry roar in 16 if 14 is any indicator at all.
Jerry some of these self serving slimeballs would rather slip things like this into the latest Cromnibus budget than take care of vets. http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2014/12/congress_gives_itself_a_new_1000month_car_allowance.php
You eat your own, Jerry. Why would anyone want that companionship?
There will be no angry roar Les, at least from me. I only call them the way I see them. The angry roar will come from people like yourself who will finally come to terms with the reality of your party and the great wave they have given us once again. Dynamic Scoring will give way to a Depression that will be familiar to your party, the party that brought on the first one. The party that brought on the Great Recession, you party Les. Be the mouse that roared.
Now you're chasing penny's while the dollars fly away, Lynn. Our Senators and Congress folks had the insider trading taken away from them but took it back at 3AM eastern standard time when you and I were sleeping. Hardly a grand a month reward in that.
People on my left have largely abandoned the Democratic Party regardless of nominee but none of them embrace anything the nut wing of the GOP is doing. If Bernie Sanders runs as an unaffiliated candidate and Rand Paul or some other dip shit runs in the LP 2016 could be fun.
Cory and I have been talking on twitter about tops of tickets: a Clinton/ Warren team would crush anything in its path if just the two main parties nominate presidential contenders but Biden/Franken or Biden/Warren would do well, too.
Your memory is obviously less than 2 months long Jerry. You are not the vote whisperer and twisting my ear won't make me come running on your beck and call. Party on Jerry, even if alone at that party.
Warren is the one word for crossover voters in 16.
Les I know. It's just a tiny portion like a stream among many that leads to a raging river of crap that goes on as you mentioned. Unbelievable what they got away with on this latest Cromnibus budget. I'm angry at both the Dems and Republicans that voted for this.
With his sleazy past Thune can only stay in the Senate and raise money. Unless someone can tie a live boy or a dead girl to him he'll be a DC fixture for life.
As for Bob Ellis rallying the christian nationalists in the legislature to join with the Dems? Pierre is already frozen over: scorpions and frogs sleeping together would not be impossible.
Les, go take a flying cluck.
The current Democratic party of South Dakota needs you Les, you would fit right in. As it now stands, it is still much better than the corrupted, bloated dead republican party you rub against here. Prepare your self for the angry roar you will start seeing in a couple of weeks Les. The Dynamic Scoring will not be at the basketball tournaments either. Hope you like it because you will see a lot more of it in 16.
I can never figure out what the Bob Ellises of the world want out of either their government or their fellow human beings, Cory, other than perhaps an array of scapegoats upon which to blame their existential angst, reinforce their grandiose delusional narcissism, and find targets for their not-so-closeted set of bigotries and various humanophobias. But if you can figure out a way to leverage that politically, more power to you.
Les would like Madville to be more like MTP where you don't ask any kind of questions that will make you a meanie. We all have known for some time that the media is in cahoots with the politicos to get their messaging out. Ellis is just as corrupt as the rest of the gang Les wants us all to be. This is funny in a bad way of how we allow ourselves to be led. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vZ3mWuBAbY
Les, I understand that some of the comments you hear here can certainly rub potential allies the wrong way. But if you'll indulge me, I'd like you to talk about me. Tell me some specific things I have said (positions I've taken, policies I've supported, ribald ripostes, unnecessarily brutal or personal rebuttals) that I have offered that would drive conscientious, open-minded conservative neighbors away from reading, commenting on the blog, or (better yet—think big!) working with me in a governing coalition in the South Dakota Legislature.
Bill F., good question. What do Bob Ellis, Gordon Howie, and their followers really want? Are they just putting on a good show for the Second Coming? Or are they traveling with Bobby Jindal, who appears to be calling for theocracy?
Along that line, I just picked up David Goldfield's America Aflame, a central thesis of which appears to be that the Civil War was an avoidable conflict driven by the evangelical fervor of an uncompromising minority that drove debate and decisions in a decade marked by the erosion of centrism. Uh oh.
Les keep in mind that it's a two way street. With one had you try to seek allies yet on the other hand during the SDGOP primary you were demeaning posters by questioning how they could post on the blog during various hours of the day by somehow cheating at work, or scamming the system. How would you expect us to react?
Mr. H, the Howites want money, power, and attention.
Mr. H: the Howites want what Stan Adelstein and Doyle Estes pay the help.
You are right Lynn. I know better than to lower myself to Jenny's, Jerry's etc flaming. I responded to their attack on multiple occasions and should have ignored. I've also watched you jump on the bandwagon of personal attack, not something you did from the start. But, contagion. This is not about me, Lynn, though I did ask D's to make a GOP primary vote so maybe there is an ally effort to change a power structure in my own party. I want a balance of power in all areas of governance. Take responsibility, make a party work and quit hitting all the possible crossover voters in the chops because you don't agree 100% with them. I will guarantee, that cost Weiland votes.
I don't know what Bob Ellis wants. What I do know is that he is just as rigid as those in your liberal pack.
You allowing your regulars to throw useful or otherwise personal attacks paints you with the same brush, Cory. How many legislators do you have dialoguing at Maddville on a regular basis? Other than that Cory, you know exactly when I disagree with you. This blog has been my gateway to the legislature and without this blog, my voice would have to take a different path to Pierre which wouldn't necessarily be ineffective. But, my leaving here might break Kurtz' heart along with a variety of other emotions from your staff I won't indulge. Happy New Year.
PP loves guys like you, Les: wear a plug.
Les, you claimed that you were not wanted here and by whom you meant did not want you, you were never clear. Ya big lug, I send you a virtual big hug and glass of non-alcoholic eggnog for your enjoyment. Come on off the pity pot and indulge your inner cravings for some liberal bashing, we expect nothing more from you.
So just to be clear, Les: it's not the things I say, but the things I "allow" others to say that would make folks like you unwilling to converse or work with me?
And if I did "disallow" others to say things (like Larry's unnecessary and unhelpful comment immediately above) that drive you away, are you saying I'd have more legislators here engaging us in civil dialogue instead of just quietly reading and shaking their heads in disgust?
I, for one, appreciate some of Mr. kurtz's comments like the plug one above. It keeps things running consistent on the blogs. You may continue, Lar.
""" (like Larry's unnecessary and unhelpful comment immediately above)""'
Ask Powers how alienating Stan worked out for him. Stan has donated more money across party lines than probably any utility that votes with both hands. Run a great Dem and he amongst many others will support you against a lesser GOP. Charlie Hoffman hasn't been present since a caustic remark by Kurtz. Two of a great many examples from those last 7 years I've been a commenter here.
Mr. Stan is indeed a generous fellow to all. Les is right.
It isn't about me or I'd have been long gone, Cory. Like Mercer said years ago, "Kurtz shocked me. I had to wipe those words from my site, but, I decided people should see exactly who this person is." This was not Bob's exact quote I'm sure. IP's post had to do with Kurtz sitting on his hand for orgasmic pleasure. As Grud states above, those posts really help keep consistency(regularity) to your blog.
CH,
I get your satire, I think. But, if I am missing, I wouldn't mind you joining up with Bob. Nobody can kill a candidacy with more surety than Bob. :)
Stan helped Rounds win the governorship Les, we should be so grateful to him for that. Now look where Rounds is, legislating for Israel. The fun never ends.
Les, didn't Pat alienate Stan with his own words? If the analogy applies, it applies to Larry, not me, doesn't it? If I have said nothing directly to alienate you, am I to be roasted for what Larry says?
If so, Larry, your ball: do you agree with Les that your comments here undermine the effort to promote cross-partisan dialogue?
Larry, don't let anybody tell you that you are undermining things. If anything, the blogs need more kurtz.
Troy, my words may end up as nothing but satire, if Bob Ellis, Gordon Howie, et al. aren't really interested in or capable of effective political action. They haven't unseated any big RINOs yet. They haven't organized any ongoing, effective political action groups. They don't appear to have won any major defections from the mainstream party. And they appear to alienate more people with their extreme rhetoric than I do with mine (hey, when do I use extreme rhetoric? ;-) ). And of course, my words are only academic until/unless I graduate from happy bloggerdom to serious elected official status.
But strike the names, and the question stands for anyone in power who may be of the Ellis/Howie persuasion: if you really believe that RINOs are a grave threat to the Republic, are you willing to work with Democrats to unseat RINOs and block those elements of the RINO agenda (like corporate welfare?) where you may find agreement with your formal ideological enemies?
Cross-partisan is what happens when the pump fails. She me the diesel fuel.
Show me why I should plow the road.
Howie/Ellis are 3 percenters at the last election. Are they worth having on board? If you're the SD Dem party, you could use any 3% you can find, but I'd bet more than a months wages you won't get them, Cory. Better stay with the satire, you're pretty good at that.
It's your blog, Cory. Go to Pierre and bring the news we need home. If you think casual voters are low info confused now, wait until they have to sort through Madville to get educated and then there's Kurtz. The new blood you look for will never stay long enough to figure anything past his pejoratives.
Your blog is no different than that new party you wish to conceive, revive or recreate. My opinion, progressive can work and iron fisted "liberal" control, not so much. Short term, I don't see much happening short of a catastrophe flipping it for you.
Democrats should boycott the session: it's just that simple. The Lesites would rather just plow up the whole state.
http://www.argusleader.com/story/opinion/readers/2014/12/26/letter-time-replace-political-representatives/20930841/
Larry, the LTE is a letter in the wind.
Politics is like football, everyone involved with the game of football, including the audience can be removed and replaced, but it is still the same game.
To really change the football game, or the political game, there has to be a change in the rules, someone(s) to make the change, and people to implement it. Who and how that would be done, IDK.
"if you really believe that RINOs are a grave threat to the Republic, are you willing to work with Democrats to unseat RINOs and block those elements of the RINO agenda (like corporate welfare?) where you may find agreement with your formal ideological enemies?"
I believe the Neo-fascist RINOs are tied with the Neo-Marxist Democrats for the biggest thread to America. The RINOs need big government in order to further there agenda. So they need Neo-Marxist leftists. So the only way to defeat the crony capitalists is to restore the limited government Constitutional Republic. So Cory, the solution is not us joining you. It is you joining us. And that will never happen, because you guys are just as deceived as the wannabe conservative Republicans.
The voters will always vote out the extreme as they did in 14, believing the GOP to be the less extreme. Are you the less extreme here, Lar? Save your energy for the revolution.
Talk to the hand, Les.
The revolution will have one less of America's greatest fighting platform, the grunts best friend in Iraq and Afghanistan, the A-10. Cheap and easy to maintain, so off it goes. In the meantime, RINO's and DINO's will drool over the F-35 that is like them both, frilly and incompetent.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/air-force-brass-vetoes-lower-ranks-retiring-workhorse-10-plane/
Our military is not being faithful to itself nor to its patrons, the taxpayers. Time for a change in its direction. 14 years of basic training for Haji is more than enough for what we have spent trillions on.
I'm not really sure how the demacratic party wants to reinvent itself in South Dakota, but I think I can find more people to vote D instead of R in 16.
It seems like the majority of South Dakotans continue to vote one way. Its not that they dont care, its that their interest hasnt been peaked for whatever reason.
For some it might be as simple as "Mom and Dad voted this way for 60 years and it worked for them." That might be simplistic, but you get my point. Lets call these people IRs "Inherited Republicans."
For others, its all about what spin their particular religion puts on display each sunday that determines how they vote. Lets call these people SRs, Sunday Republicans.
Then we have those at the top of the pecking order, the movers and shakers in South Dakota Republican politics. Lets call them ERs for Elite Republicans.
On the other side there seems to be a bunch of people who feel disinfranchised from the demacratic party. They dont feel comfortable as an independent for whatever reason, and they do have some conservative leanings. Lets call these people DFVs, for Demacratic Floater Voters.
Along for the political hey ride would be those that could've been counted on in the past to vote in mass on demacratic platforms, but now feel complacent about, the value of their votes!" Reservations come to mind, as do unions, universities, and the all encompassing, "Eccogeeks," conservation, environment, wildlife and you get the picture. I'm going to call these people EDs, Everyday Democrats.
There are no movers and shakers in the Democratic party in South Dakota, the last election proved that. But there are people learning how to lead and that is the hope of the party. Lets call these people DLs, Democratic Leaders.
All of these people represent different shades of blue and red, many times with completely oposing phylosofys, that all have one thing in common, the need for money to live their everyday lives.
Yes, money is the common denominator when it comes to people. If you can show that by voting a certain way it can increase the size of your paycheck, you will get the votes in South Dakota.
What I'm going to say here will not leave you breathless with antisapation, but I hope it makes you think. Lets talk about hemp.
I'm telling you that within the next ten years if you arent at the front of the hemp trough, you'll be eating what comes out the other end of the critter.
If you want to start rebuilding the party start showing people how hemp production in SD can not only increase the taxes collected in the state, but also wildly increase state exports. Lets give those with "marginal" ground, in terms of growing value, and that would be all of western South Dakota, at least the oppertunity for upward growth.
For those workers that want to work, processing and manufacturing of hemp products should put a big dent in the unemployment line. Oil for plastics, oil for fuel, oil for cooking, and oil for medicines. Fiber for food, fiber for cloth, fiber for animal food, and fiber for cellullistic alcahol.
Although SD isnt ready for pot, either medical or recreational, it is ready for industrial hemp if given a good enough reason. As always that common denominator "money," could be the driving force that brings the people together one vote at a time.
I believe that if the demacrats work hard enough to get hemp legalized in 16, they will see fruit maturing from increased numbers voting. Maybe not as demacrats mind you, but for the party that finally moved South Dakota out of the bottom of the fish tank and onto the bird pirch. You have to build equity in the brand if you want to sell the product. This would be one way to do it.
Follow Colorados example for hemp introduction, tax the acres in hemp production. Pass on some tax advantages to those building processing and manufacturing, and give our universities a chance to do real research. Melecular, and structural engineering, and all things medical. Farming practices relating to hemp for the ag school, and enough high end jobs learning to produce and use hemp building products to keep at least one more votech school on the drawing board.
If you make your presentation in a clear and concise way, if you can put people with the knowledge about this subject that are both interesting and non confrontational in the right place at the right time, you will get votes. You have to convince people that they personally will benefit from hemp, either through the jobs, the money coming back to the state from exports, or increased taxes for education and enfrastructur.
Again its all about how much money you can put in "everyones" pockets, and people dont get to hear how that works every day so make damn sure you do it right the first time
Is this a new idea for getting out votes that turn from red to blue? No, telling people that by voting one way they could have more money is used all the time. However the last time there was a new idea in SD was in 1973 when the state reorganized.
From that time on the ERs got richer and stronger, the SRs have taken over the three levels of state government, and the IRses seem oblivious to the fact that they are still voting R, but living comfortably because of demacratic principles. I know of a lot of Rs that are on assistance of some kind but still vote against their best interest, USE IT!
Do some research, get informed, learn whats fact and whats fiction. Take the time to plant the seeds of knowledge that grows future voters. You might as well face it from the start, people wont be interested in anything unless someone wants to take money out of their pocket or put money in. Wouldnt it be nice to show them there is a way for every person to find more change in their jeans if they vote to legalize hemp.
IRs would like more money
SRs would like more money
ERs never get tired of more money
DFVs would not only like more money but would like a party to call their own
EDs would like more money to help their causes
And DLs would finally have a party to lead again for the first time. Sorry about that, it's kind of like "Twin Brothers From Different Mothers" a Dan Fogelberg - Tim Weisberg thing from the 70s.
The power of the demacratic party in South Dakota will come from outside the party. Unless you arent ready to face reality. In that case go back to sleep.
The Blindman
Mr. Dithmer, you are saying the power of the demacratic (sic) party in South Dakota will come from me or my ilk, or it will come not at all. You are wise, sir. Wise indeed.
Came through the Ridge Last Saturday and asked the gals how the Feds legalizing MJ was going to work.. They just smiled.
Blue + Red = Purple
SD as a purple state?
Les, I appreciate the notion that a compromiser who builds a party of bomb-throwers probably won't achieve much but destruction. I still disagree with this arbitrary assignation of "progressive" and "liberal" as distinct terms to describe possible winners and doomed losers.
Boycotting the session is useless. Categorically rejecting the possibility of conversation and cooperation with radicals on the other side who enrage and disgust us is short-sighted. If Steve Hildebrand can work with Steve Hickey on an issue of common interest without degrading his market value on other issues. Now granted, if Steve Hickey were to take this cooperation with Hildebrand as an invitation to come stand on a table at Hildebrand's coffee shop every morning and shout, "Gays are a public health threat! Stop anal sex!" Hildebrand would probably lose business and be forced to throw Hickey out.
Jerry, would you say that decommissioning the A-10 is the greatest threat to the American republic? ;-)
Grudz, if you've got power to expend on behalf of the Democratic Party, hurry up and use it! (And Les, tell me what's worse: reaching out to wingnuts like Bob Ellis, or reaching out to provocateur comedians like Grudznick. ;-) )
Bill Dithmer, you know we'll get pilloried by the GOP if we advocate industrial hemp, because they'll lie and say we're legalizing pot, and pot is the greatest threat to the American Republic!!!
Actually, I take the point. Legalizing industrial hemp is the sort of coalition-building issue we need. Bill D identifies a variety of disparate groups and shows us how some if not all of those groups could be rallied around a single motivating factor (in this case, economic development for the state).
I'm curious, Bill: would we lose any participants in that coalition if I campaigned saying, "All I want is industrial hemp for making rope, paper, plywood, and other useful products; you can't smoke this stuff, and smoking marijuana is for dopes, anyway"?
"At the state level, Attorney General Marty Jackley noted the possession, use and distribution of marijuana in South Dakota is not permitted by either federal or state law. “As attorney general, I have opposed the general legalization of marijuana based upon public safety and health concerns,” he told the Press & Dakotan."
http://www.yankton.net/community/article_7548a07a-909c-11e4-89ad-e77d40754cf2.html
Of course you would loose some voters that way. I dont know of anyone that wouldnt git tired of seeing his neighbors pony shake hands if he's forced to do so every time he sees the damn horse. Not many like a one trick pony.
You dont run the campaign completely leaving your platform and its ideals, on the contrary. You just dont push them as hard to make the hemp seem more palitable to all those people I mentioned before.
Think of it like this Cory. You are trying to trap a bunny in one of those boxes baited with a caret and held up with a stick tied on a string. The bunny represents the voters, the box is the campaign, the orange thing is the the campains objective. Holding the string is the demacratic party.
If that rabbit can see the treat under the box, but there are other things around the box, like a dog running, he wont fall for the trap.
Now if you tie the dog far enough away so the darn thing isnt distracted, that bunny just might give you a chance to pull the string and catch supper. I've heard rabbit is excellent.
Wow, getting back to the one trick pony. It makes a difference if your being paid to watch. Its about the money.
The Blindman
Lib, progressive. Neo con, conservative. United we stand, divided we fall, Cory.
We even need Grud in the mix, Cory. I'll give Grud credit, he plays that part as predictably as the sun rising.
Cory, yes, indeed I would say that as it is what is wrong with how we view the military and what it is supposed to be doing. We have been lead blindly along spending untold billions of dollars to feed this insatiable defense program that is failing us. This weapons platform is what is needed to combat the simple guerrilla fighters that we are engaged with and have been engage with for over a decade now. We had "Mission Accomplished" 10 years ago and yet, we are still engaged there with no end in sight. Congress wants to spend a billion dollars apiece for a failed aircraft like the F-35 that is so sophisticated it won't fly safely. We have other weapons systems that are so flawed even Cheney wanted to get rid of them, but they will outlive his sorry ass because they are in some congressman's district. Now we have more American boots on the ground in Iraq to retrain, how in the hell did that happen? How many more billions will we spend so Haji will not wet himself when he sees a black flag? We may as well declare Iraq the 51st state and move on. Syria, number 52 so we have even representation in the Senate.
Yes, the A-10 Warthog is the greatest threat to the American Republic...by loosing it.