I Should be Allowed to Think

The state central meeting just happened for the MN republicans to pick some new leadership for their party. During this meeting somebody brought in some Marty Seifert buttons with his picture with the words “Miss Me Yet” on them. I only know this because a person I know put a pic of if on their facebook account and seeing it I hit “like” almost giggled and thought nothing much of it. Would I make that button? No. Then again maybe I would because my sense of humor can go that way.

Now I’m a twitter fiend these days and some of the people I follow start mentioning the meeting and just how disrespectful those buttons are. Then I hear crying about it on something called the “Late Debate.” Really? Welcome to America: you don’t have a right to not be offended! More than that though…what’s so bad about it? Folks admitting they were Seifert supporters then getting congratulated for saying how low class that was…Fall In Line! If both men lost their respective races isn’t that the time to ask some…oh by the way, questions? Not to make the comparison (of the men) but did Reagan supporters kind of just conveniently go away when he lost endorsement? Why demand silence and contrition for one point of view?

All this disrespectful button talk conjured up an old memory I had forgotten till now. I went to that convention and I was a Seifert supporter. Before the big vote I and several other supporters decided to visit the Emmer room too see what was going on. The hot rumor was they had ice cream in that room! The guys I were with were known by people in that room, since this was my first time going to an endorsement convention I wasn’t. As I wondered around and got separated. I met an Emmer supporter who was very jovial and kind with a lot of: “what are you doing here?” I also met one who assured me there would be a problem (4 times) if I continued to stay in the room. Wearing my Marty buttons and all. Now I know if I’m wearing my “guys” button I’m a de facto ambassador for that person. This Emmer guy I guess was telling me he wanted to kick my ass for being that guy. I don’t see a diplomats future for nameless stranger. I don’t remember that guy but I remember being so upset I asked who he was from others and he’ll never remember me. And that’s the thing, let’s save talk of “disrespect” for physical intimidation versus a comical button. Let’s not be the group of people who demand the poster, the idea, a persons principle and conviction be silenced.

PS.  I did volunteer work for Emmer and I love this They Might Be Giants song.  Really sums up what I think about this “issue”

I would say that so far I haven’t completely decided who to support from the GOP field for president, but this new ad from Romney has certainly showed me who I’m not going to pick…Romney.

Rick Perry isn’t perfect, but this kind of slimy ad by one Republican candidate attacking another Republican candidate just doesn’t sit well with me. Politics isn’t always polite and you have to be able to take a punch…but come on man, we’re fighting Obama here, not conservatism. Romney is a RINO…he’s another McCain. We’re being setup to choose between another Giant Douche and Turd-Sandwich.

I remember when I was in Charlottesville, VA during the 2008 election running a campaign office. The most difficult part about my job was convincing people to come in and campaign for John McCain. Mitt Romney is our John McCain and John Kerry combined…we have the chance to make Obama a private citizen once again. Let’s not screw this up.

Let’s take a look at Ramsey County and consider it’s citizens voting record. Obama carried it with 66%. Norm Coleman who on his worst day would be more fiscally responsible than Franken any day, couldn’t achieve 34% of the vote there. During the 2010 Republican landslide it returned the Obama spending clone McCollum with 61% of the vote having received 70% the previous election. Governor Dayton carried the county with 55%.

Looking at those numbers I could rightly conclude that Ramsey county as a whole will generally vote for any liberal/democrat promising to raise their taxes for a myriad of reasons which may not help or impact the county itself. Yet when they have a chance at deciding the fate of their own tax dollar..It’s all class warfare garbage. They have a chance to build a tangible asset for the county and themselves and their Pavolian conditioning only sees….stick it to the rich guy!

The majority of quotes I’m seeing out of the Ramsey county hearing on the stadium issue consist of a lot of liberal pablum. The target is clear. Zygi Wilf is the rich guy du jour. This is our chance to hold hands, pass the bong and let a guy like that know we won’t pay for his “playground.” Forget that these same folks gladly acquiesce the authority over their tax dollars to some of the most reckless spenders in world history.

I have conceived a new p.r. strategy that will work. Immediately stop talking about and offering: a national spotlight, an NFL franchise, a year round state of the art facility, construction jobs, improved roads, facility and maintenance jobs, tourism dollars, the removal of a freaking Superfund site, these real things don’t register to the liberal mind.

Zygi and the Vikings organization need to court Ramsey county voters with the same empty promises they willing swallow hook, line, and sinker. From here on out they should promise: a homeless shelter with a soup kitchen featuring Dome Dogs, free day care, multi-cultural outreach programs, offer to change the team name from Vikings to Typical Violent Conquering White Men. These things will make sense to them. They will gladly vote to give you what you need to build the new stadium. Then after its complete you won’t have to do any of these things. but you must say you tried to accomplish them. I know it’s odd for most sane people to believe, I have only their voting records to prove my theory is sound.

The Christie Plan – Energy as Industry

I have no problem with green energy as long as it can produce a profit on it’s own. The bottom line is with solar panels and wind power they barely can. The evidence is that people in government or getting into it start to promise: wild tax breaks, health care credits and manipulating the designation/use of land which ends up attracting the Solyndra type charlatans. When govt. makes these promises it must manipulate as the profits are not realized.  Campaign holes in the foundation can be pasted over with the wallpaper of tax payer money and guaranteed loans, either state or federal.

If conservatives had a YouTube Idol Chris Christie might just win.  He’s and his people have been very wise in using youtube to their advantage to advance his “conservative” bona fides.  There’s a lot to him as I poke around that is antithetical to conservatism and what we usually think republicans should be.   Issues like Gun Control, The Ground Zero Mosque debate, Illegal Immigration, appointing a judge who admitted he was a member of Hamas (after it being found out), etc.

My quick prediction is that if Christie enters the race the conservative veneer which he’s ridden to national prominence will be quickly torn away.  If it isn’t…and these issues don’t matter, I’ll really start to wonder about the beating Romney and Perry are taking daily while Governor Chrisitie releases more youtube redmeat for conservatives.

If you have not seen it yet make sure you check out the new sizzle reel for Blue Diamond Strategies a new private security company based in the Twin Cities. The company is owned by David Carlson and its executive director is Abdul Magba Kamara, two guys you’ve probably heard of if you’re tied into the Minnesota political scene.

Check it out, it’s good stuff.

American PSD

There is a huge race in Wisconsin next Tuesday. State Supreme Court Justice David Prosser is up for re-election against ultra-liberal JoAnne Kloppenburg in a race to keep the seat he currently holds on the court.

Essentially, this race holds the fate of Governor Walker’s union bill in its hands. The unions and left are going scorched earth on this one, because they know it’s one of their last chances to stop Walker’s bill. If you’re a resident of Wisconsin get your ass to the polls and get as many folks as you can to come with you.

We can not let the left yet again use the courts to stop perfectly legitimate legislation that will help the state of Wisconsin. This is huge. You can check to see if you’re registered to vote in the state here. If you are, find your polling location for Tuesday and get there.

Remember. THIS…is what who we’re fighting against.

Social networks have been running wild these past few days with endorsements for the two candidates running for MN College Republican chair.  Candidate Bobby Benson just sent me an exclusive look at a list of people he has locked in for support…and here they are.  drum roll please…

Zombie Reagan:  This is a huge deal…I’m speechless

Newt Gingrich: In a book signing he said to Bobby Benson “good job!”

Mark Zuckerberg:  Zuck said innovation is necessary and he supports Bobby Benson’s willingness to expand his mind. He is also amazed and happy that Benson uses Facebook. He is currently working on a Bobby Benson facebook app that will allow you to put beards on all your photos.

Kate Middleton: While searching for wedding dresses online she stumbled across the “Team Benson” facebook page and “liked it”

1980 US Hockey Team:  The group responsible for the Miracle on Ice were enthusiastic about Mr. Benson’s willingness to take on known leaders.

With the Union problems across the country. It is a very simple philosophy: Unions Hurt Growth. This is a brief introductory post about Unions:

There was a day when labor unions were necessary for the safety and livelyhood of workers, but in 2011 I’m proud to say we live in different times. Gone are the days of working the mines for 5 cents an hour under disasterous condidtions. Now, labor unions have become a symbol for protecting failure and a representation of what is lacking in the country: individual responsibility.  The idea of a union is hypothetically great, but labor unions’ stranglehold on the work environment stalls change and reform that is needed to become more efficient.  As new technology and safety standards are created in America, unions are becoming more irrelevant. In 2009 12.3% of the workforce were in unions, this is down from 20% in 1983. (link) It comes down to one thing: Unions hurt growth.

Education: Even President Obama has challenged unions when he voiced support for a Rhode Island school board vote to fire all the teachers at a struggling high school.  I shockingly sense that Obama privately understands the idea of education failing if teachers aren’t held personally responsible.  Children are at school more than they are with their parents for a reason: to educate them (not discipline them).  Teachers hold the future of each generation in their hands and many don’t even realize it.  Unions protect failure and make it impossible to even dream of a school with effective teachers in every classroom.  We can only advance in education as fast as our biggest weight.  Why do we have so many popular movies and stories about lone teachers who fought and succeeded in under-performing schools? A teacher that actually cares about their job should not be a rare thing. There is no incentive to perform individually as a teacher if you know you are safe whether you sleep or teach in the classroom. This is why there is push back from teachers unions against programs like Teach for America (which sends young college graduates to teach in struggling areas).  Organizations like Teach for America understand where the focus needs to be: success and inovation.  This is why I strongly support funding based upon reform and performance.  Funding based on schools willing to reform to become more efficient or based on increased performance and stability within the school (not comparing schools).

Mining: I have personal experience with the steelworkers unions.  You’d be hard pressed to find union leadership that are more aggressive and pushy. In most jobs you would get fired for bringing your girlfriend out on a company truck, eating pizza, smoking weed, and doing who knows what else.  However, the unions protect these people from being fired. Instead of hiring a new hard-working employee, the company has to suffer with employees who waste money and time while offering nothing substantial to the success of the company.  Unions are no longer needed to fight for a safe work environment (plenty of safety regulations are in place). Unions are currently in place to to squeeze any drop of money they can get from ownership without earning it. The idea of getting a promotion and raise without even earning it is nice, but it hurts the countries productivity and innovation. UNIONS HURT GROWTH!

Remember when Representative Giffords got shot? I do. I also remember the orgy of hypocrisy from the news media and the left that conservatives and Sarah Palin were somehow to blame. “We all need to be more civil,” they said.

So much for that:

District Republicans often feel like they’re metaphorically under fire in a city that’s 70 percent Democratic. But what happened last night appears to be unprecedented.

Paul Craney, executive director of the D.C. Republican Committee, says that a shooter took out the windows at the GOP’s storefront office, near 13th and K streets NW, with a small-caliber projectile, possibly from an air gun.

Craney said he got a call from an alarm company early Wednesday morning but didn’t pick up the call. And when he showed up to work this morning the alarm was on. But he didn’t notice the fenestration damage until later in the day. “I was getting lunch, and noticed: Oh my god, our windows are all shot up.”

While on the phone with a reporter, Craney discovered an approximately BB-sized piece of shot on the ground outside the window.

Craney said the D.C. GOP office appeared to be specifically targeted. “We’re right by a hair salon, and the hair salon was fine. But we weren’t,” he said. “There were multiple shots. Whoever did it took some time to take out our windows.”

As for who is responsible, Craney said he suspects “people who don’t like glass, or people who don’t like the Republican Party.”

His landlord, he said, has contacted police.

Lump this in with the disgusting display of childish behavior by leftists and union thugs in Wisconsin over the last month or so and you’ve got quite the perfect storm of liberal hypocrisy. But really, is this anything new?