Residual Forces

…. the Democrats while using the adjective Republican to seem credible. 

Former Gov. Carlson urges Coleman to concede

No seriously, I don’t think there is a bigger text book example of pandering pundit willing to say anything to remain popular and in the media’s limelight than Arne Carlson. He’s simply a stooge for the Democrats. I dare him, yes dare him, to say anything that would be considered a negative about Democrats and their fringe left agenda.

Go check out KAR’s latest and make sure you pay close attention to the newest banner.

Here’s a worthy part of an email exchange/rant I am caught up in. This is part of one of my responses.

Feel free to continue your war with the 2 most prominent conservatives in the state, but it is foolish. Feel free to try to get people like me to sell our principles out for a few seats. I want nothing to do with that and would strongly urge you to look in the rearview of history.

You can still see the tow truck removing the carcass that is the conservative sell out strategy. And if you look forward, you see what a Republican selling out his free market sole looks like. It is called the economy of today as created by a couple years of ignoring principles and trying to be popular.

The person helps inspire this post.

In case you missed it, the State Legislature is throwing down the first gavel of the 2009 session today and it is going to be a very painful one for Minnesotans when it comes to personal financial wellness. (emphasis mine)

St. Paul, Minn. — Over the next five months, lawmakers will try to solve a projected $4.8 billion deficit in the next two-year budget cycle.

Democrats and Republicans say deep spending cuts are required, as well as changes in the way state government operates.

But DFL House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher says the hole can’t be filled by just cuts and reforms.

Despite objections from Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Kelliher says tax increases must also be considered as part of the the solution.

“This is really quite a mammoth hole that we have to fill. So I think a lot of credible thinkers on both sides of the aisle think that is a position of the governor’s that might have to change,” she said.

Do you think that any of the people responsible for creating the out of control state spending apparatus is thinking….

“This is really quite a mammoth hole that we created. Man do I wish we wouldn’t have blown that surplus last time and boy do all those program increases seem like a bad idea.

If we had to approve our own jobs, we’d surely fire ourselves. I mean if we held a hearing to investigate just how we could manage the people’s money this poorly, we’d surely hold ourselves accountable.”

Then the Democratic leadership would walk in and ask them if they are serious.

They’d respond.

“Nah, we’re just joking around mocking the taxpayers. We’re going to just tax their arses off.”

Grab your wallets my fellow Minnesotans, the greedy government is back in confiscatory mode. 

AAA Note:

I wish the Republican Party of Minnesota could walk and chew gum at the same time. I know the fact that Al Franken and Mark Ritchie stole the US Senate race is a big deal, but I can think of 6 Billion other really big deals that also concern Minnesota citizens. 

Mark Ritchie will be getting added to the White House Christmas Holiday Card list, that’s for sure. He managed to pull off the theft of an election, and nary a journalist in town is willing to admit it. 

I’m listening to radio and watching TV clips and am just amazed that are just going to ignore the sham that  this election has become. 

This was not a recount. Oh sure, Ritchie called it a recount, but they didn’t just recount the ballots from election night. And that’s the problem. Adding and subtracting votes means it wasn’t a recount. Sure some things were maybe needed to change, but the recount should have just simply verified the elction night returns and the rest left for a contest portion. 

This was by no way fair, it was in no way uniform. There was no uniform standard for verifying legitimate votes. In some precincts they counted the actual ballots, in others they just took the election night results. Meaning they had 2 or more sets of standards for how to add up the ballots. 

In some cases it was after verifying the physical ballots, in others it was just taking the machine’s word for it. That doesn’t work for me. 

Then we look at the final chapter of absentee ballots. In some areas they added ballots they say were wrongly rejected, in others they refused to do so. 

In other words, the votes were cherry picked and some people’s votes were thrown out, doubled up, or changed. yes changed. This election has shown us a few valuable things. 

1) Our election system in Minnesota is clearly broken. If we don’t have a system that is bullet proof and can be trusted when an election is this close, its worthless. This should begin the call for election reforms whether it be for run offs, voter ID, or God willing an end to same day registration. Any and all of those would prevent the theft of future elections. 

2) Mark Ritchie is as unfair and partisan as could be. Again, he decided to make up the results. He did so and it just happens his pal Al benefitted huge. 

I know talk radio and journalists are tired of the whole drama, I am too. But that is not a good enough reason to avoid the truth and fall into the Democrat’s trap. yes, they manufactured this thing at the end so that Franken was ahead. That way Al appears to be the winner eventhough he lost on election night and now the public just wants it over. The local media is now racing to legitimize the most illegitimate election this state has ever seen.  

That’s the whole key here. Al Franken was behind on election night, and it was only after a series of favorable decisions that the ballots were massaged to favor him. 

Was it a conspiracy where the Franken and Ritchie team knew exactly what they were doing in each and every precinct that was changed? No, Franken and Ritchie’s people just tried to change everything they could and it worked out for them. They got away with one. 

If we had either ethical people running our elections, for office, or just an election system that was not open for interpretation, none of this would be happening and Norm Coleman would be getting sworn in again.

No really, I am seeing a new push to blame conservatives for the election results and a shaming of them for thinking their principles are worth standing up for. Some are saying that conservatives stayed home and it is solely their fault for the loss of the scores of Republicans across the nation. 

No I am serious, some people who I thought were smarter than that are now going to try to shame principled conservatives and cast blame for election losses squarely on their shoulders. 

I think over the (almost) 4 years of this blog, I have done a pretty darn good job trying to expose how Republicans going left loses them votes, so I am not going to go into that again. 

Let’s use one simple and tragic example of what they want us to do. 

George W. Bush. Now I am not ready to say he was the worst President ever, and it wasn’t him who destroyed the country, no he was just acting like a Democrat. And that’s the point. 

Bush was a Republican, but he governed like a Democrat, sans the tax increases. He increased spending exponentially. He expanded the size and scope of Government. Deficit, don’t get me started. He made more and more Americans dependent on Government. Oh sure it was carrot and stick tactics on most parts, but if he was a Democrat, no one would be complaining about anything, except for conservatives. But he did prevent a second round of terror attacks in America, a feet no one thought possible on September 12th, 2001. 

Now let’s take a look back at how the GOP got tossed out of relevance, shall we. History is fun, sometimes. 

In 2000 it was all about how conservatives have to prevent the liberal AL Gore from keeping the White House in Democrat hands. It worked, Bush won. Then in 2002 we sent scores of Republicans to join Bush in Congress and gave him majorities in both lawmaking bodies. 

Then in 2004 we sent Bush back to the Oval Office with more Congressional Republicans, growing the majorities. 

And then what happened? 

That’s right, all liberal hell broke loose, and under the Republican’s watch. 

Conservatives did show up then, and they felt burned after they won. Whose fault is that? Is it conservative’s fault that Bush and Congressional Republican made drunk Democrat sailors look like penny pinchers? 

Are we supposed to simply assume if we sent more Republicans to Washington that maybe we would do away with the K-Street project and stop the Rove tactic of stealing the Democrat issues through pandering policies? 

I’m sorry, I know some people think they are doing the right thing by trying to deflect the blame for why Republicans have faced 2 straight ass whoopings at the polls, but they are exposing themselves for the (sorry to say) hacks that they are. I am not interested in remaining on the cocktail party circuit. I was on it for a tad, but then my darn principles got in the way and I became an enemy for speaking the truth or at least being honest and candid.

It is a candidate of a party’s responsibility to build up his coalition. After conservatives got fooled twice in thinking George W. Bush was closer on the issues to Reagan than his father and we learned different, we woke up. 

You cannot expect conservatives to dig their own grave. We’re limited government and personal liberty conservatives. When the Republican is as left on these issues as the Democrat, with just marginal differences, we do say “why bother?”. And that;s our fault? Franken and Coleman were indistinguishable on global warming. McCain and Obama the same. And the similarities from candidate to candidate go on.  

Now not everyone did stay home as some think, but if you look at how Norm Coleman choked against Franken, don’t ya maybe wonder if Coleman’s campaign team is kicking itself for not listening to me? 

yes, Coleman pissed off his base numerous times. Amnesty, SCHIPs, Bailout, spending, ethanol, global warming, etc. Is that conservative’s fault? No seriously, is it our fault Coleman tried to thread the political needle and cut his own base off at the knees? 

Look at John McCain. We couldn’t have had a worse candidate than him. God bless him for his service in uniform, but as a Republican Senator John McCain has done more to marginalize the conservatives than he has for us. Pork? Yeah, thanks, you would blow through that $25-50 billion in a heartbeat on Amnesty programs and global warming ponzi schemes there Johnny.

And do you remember the one time that McCain looked truly impressed with himself and proud of a campaign line? It was when he was smearing Romney in the California debate with lies. That smug smirk still is burned into my brain. The guy takes more pride in trashing a Republican than he does against teh most liberal Democrat every to run for President. 

Had we had a real conservative who not only believed in the free market and limited Government principles, but would take that debate to the electorate, Obama would not be enrolling his kids in DC school today and Franken wouldn’t be packing for Washington. 

It was the war against conservative values that caused the Republicans losses, the problem is, some people aren’t willing to shed light on who lit the fuse on the bomb that took the GOP down. 

Yes, Republicans like Bush and the RINOs tore down the house that Reagan built and Gingrich expanded. It was left leaning Republicans who destroyed the gains they made. It was Republicans who demoralized the base and soured the public on the notion that Republicans would actually provide freedom, liberty, and the opportuinty for personal responsibility. And the final nail was the corruption. 

So as we begin this new year, we are once again forced, as conservatives, to have fellow Republicans blame us for the Democrat majorities and electoral wins. 

Would you put a tent up in your back yard and offer free food and lodging to a crack dealer? Of course not, it would be detrimental to you. Sooner or later the car would be missing and so would all your irreplaceable mementos. 

Until the Republican party understands that - until it can win over the people with no other place to go politically, there is no way that they can draw those skeptical of our ideas. 

The MNGOP leadership race is the perfect example of how some people are more interested in keeping their job (and shifting the responsibility for their own jobs on anyone but who collected the paycheck) onto people who thought the party stood for what it says it does. Lipservice to the platform during legislative sessions and in office, but simple quota based liberal lite apologetic strategy in September and October are what has put the GOP in the skeleton minorities across the nation. 

Party leaders have been more concerned about what Governor, Senator, Representative So-and-so think about them then they are about moving the conservative ball down the field of public opinion. 

Ron Carey, Tony Sutton, and the rest of the MNGOP Executive Committee are proof they are tone deaf to the grassroots. Yeah, I named names. They are just the public faces on the MNGOP establishment that aims only to maintain their own power. The grass roots made up of truly principled conservatives are the unwashed and not to be trusted. There are a couple of good eggs in the lot, but look at the results of what the party did this last election and what they are doing this very day. 

What happens tomorrow in Minnesota? Clue: It has nothing to do with Al Franken. 

The Legislature convenes and begins the process of closing a $6 Billion deficit. And what is the party doing about it? Are they putting out research and proposals for public consumption so that Minnesotans can call their Legislators and urge them to cut the waste? Are they working on educating voters how we got into the deficit mess? (ahem out of control spending under a Republican Gov?…. I’d give you a pass if you went on to point out how Democrats own the House and Senate, but you’d have to make the sale to the public and have it stick)

Are they using this monumental issue that will impact every single Minnesotan, one that is a hanging curve for fiscal conservatives, and reaching out to Minnesotans to ID and educate them? 

No. They are trying to save Coleman and have an excuse for spending millions on the whole Angry Al ad campaign. 

You want conservatives to show up and help, I got an idea for you. If workers are really dwindling in numbers and our help in the GOTV process is the sole excuse for why Democrats won big across the nation and state, then why don’t you try listening to us instead of lying to us, shaming us, and ignoring us? 

You think that principled conservatives are to blame, well maybe some of you pointing fingers had better look in the mirror.

I’m sorry, but I am just really getting tired of hearing people on the right who claim to be fighting for conservatism laying down cover fire for those responsible for the demise of the party that Reagan and Gingrich built. 

Yeah, that clearly lost us a handful of US Senate seats. 

No wait, maybe this one. 

Give me a break. Put down the cocktail party invites and consult with your conscious. You might be surprised what you once believed. 

If the Republican party, its candidates, and its elected officials cannot fight for true conservative values, the party is over, turn out the lights. There’s nothing we have that voters will buy.

My server is back from its weeklong vacation now. For those of you (MNGOP establishment types) who had hoped I had been deported to Cuba and would no longer weigh in on the matters of Minnesota Republican politics, too bad I’m still here. My server apparently needed some exhaustive repairs and they figured New Years was as good (low traffic) time as any. 

Now that the holidays are over I am starting to get a little more passionate again. Posting should pick up for me as there are so many things to rant about. 

• How the Minnesota Vikings need to dump Childress for his complete and total ineptitude. I don’t think you could possibly design an NFL offense that is easier to defend against or make one more complicated than his system to the point that players have absolutely no clue what is going on. Fire him! Fire him yesterday! 
• How Al Franken stole the election and Norm Coleman choked. 
• How much I love my new gun. I finally got it  and had a chance to go shoot it on New Year’s eve and run 400 rounds through her. Here’s the first target.

Not exactly marksman of the year, but again it was the first time I shot the new gun and this was the first clip. Here’s a target from a little later when I got into a groove for a box of ammo.

Again, not exactly like I can shoot the spade on an ace out of the air, but this was my first trip to the range with this gun. I will be practicing at an unhealthy rate I am sure. It was fun, too much fun. 

• How badly the 2008 Election exposes how the leaders of the GOP in MN and nationally are incompetent boobs and any one who says different are simply trying to make sure they don’t get kicked of the cocktail circuit. I heard a pretty well respected radio personality and blogger spout off this weekend about some things I may have to rant on. I will relisten to the podcast before I open a can of rantarse on the duo. 

Anyways, RF is back. I also started a Twitter dealio, but truth be told I really don’t understand the whole thing, nor can I figure out how to really use it. But here it is http://twitter.com/AAARF #aaaRF

More later and in detail on things as I seem them from my political perspective. 

Oh and Happy belated New Year.

It is clear to me that what Minnesota needs is to have a duly elected US Senator. The 2008 Senate election is far from legitimate at this point. The candidate who won on election day has had his lead evaporate “under further review” from partisans. And a carpetbagging former satirical attack dog is being handed the race. 

Unfortunately, some Legislators are taking a different tactic to reform elections. 

In light of the current situation in Illinois and New York, two Minnesota lawmakers plan to introduce legislation in the next session that would give voters the right to replace vacant US Senate seats. Currently, the governor has sole authority to appoint someone to that position.

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich (D) is accused of trying to sell the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama to the highest bidder.

State Representative Ryan Winkler and Senator Ann Rest, both D FLers , plan to introduce a bill when the Legislature convenes Jan. 6 that would require a special election in Minnesota to fill a U.S. Senate vacancy.

“I think we see some of the problems that this kind of system can create. We’re trying to make sure that that doesn’t happen in Minnesota somewhere down the line,” said Winkler.

Winkler and Rest said the bill has nothing to do with current governor, Tim Pawlenty , who is a Republican.

Oh sure, after Democrats have successfully subverted Democracy to steal this election, why not create a process to ramp up their teacher’s union get out the vote machine. Let me guess, it would be a school holiday if we had to have a special election? 

“This proposal in no way reflects a lack of confidence in Governor Tim Pawlenty’s integrity in making a decision to fill a vacancy in the U.S. Senate,” said Winkler. “Regardless of who the governor may be, voters should get to decide who their senator will be. We’re introducing this legislation before we know who the voters chose as our next senator to show that this is a needed reform.”

Minnesota governors have appointed three people to the U.S. Senate in the past 32 years. Wendell Anderson resigned as governor to take the seat himself. Dean Barkley was the most recent, appointed by Jesse Ventura when Senator Paul Wellstone died.

Marty Seifert, the R epublican leader in the Minnesota House , is throwing his support behind the idea

“This transcends politics or friendship or parties. It’s what’s best for the people and I think giving the people the choice to elect their own U.S. Senator is probably the best way to go,” said Seifert.

Oh Marty. (shakes head)

Minnesotans held an election. Some of us are pretty sure we know who won. Some handpicked people are trying to undo that. 

Taking away the right of the Governor to appoint for vacancies is just the wrong approach. What happens if there is another unfortunate tragedy and someone dies in office? Are we supposed to go unrepresented until we can arrange an election where 30 some percent of Minnesotans may or may not show up? What if that vote is needed? Do we just let Washingtonians pick our Senator? 

I’d be all for voters reaffirming the appointments at the next General election. I can support that. No one should be given up to 6 years in high office with out voters having a say. (Got that Caroline?) If someone does not complete their term, for whatever reason, let’s have the Governor appoint someone, but have them face the voters in the very next General election. That’s fair. 

On the note of the aftermath that is the 2008 US Senate election, I think it is time for us to consider run off elections. Not instant runoffs, that sham is clearly a joke. That is as fair as the college football ranking system.

After a number of the last few major statewide elections have proven, we have a tendency to elect by a plurality. 

Wouldn’t it be a much better and fairer process if Coleman and Franken had to reface the voters the first week of December, rather than hope they have the best lawyers? 

If we’re going to let voters decide on vacancies, why not on unclear or contested elections? 

I think that would be a good first step in election reforms, but far from all we need to do to restore confidence that voters votes really counted.

Who’s a happy man tonight? Yep. Its me!

And off to the range I go!

Update:

FAIL

There was an hour and a half wait. Maybe tomorrow.

Not really confused, but I just finally got my gun. Hopefully the range doesn’t close on account of bad weather. More later.