YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK

"The State of Minnesota tax-funded abortion figures are in for the calendar year 2006. Though Regions Hospital claimed 11% of all tax-funded abortions, it received more that 34% of our tax dollars to pay for the killing of unborn babies ($576,061.73 of the $1,652,977.83 state total for 2006)." *

*Source: Pro-Life Action Ministries

And guess where your state senator and state representative stand on abortion funding today. But really, do you have to guess? Don't guess -KNOW!!

War Never Accomplishes Anything

This sentiment is expressed on bumper stickers and heard all too frequently. Of course this sentiment does not comport with history, but those touting it generally do not know or respect history.

On Memorial Day we remember our US veterans who died in war. Any view that claims war is pointless discredits veterans and their service.

The US is young, recent in time and an extension of European history. Consider that we would not have Memorial Day to celebrate if world events had gone a different way than they have.

Look at this animated map to see the spread of the world’s 5 major religions. It takes only 90 seconds to view it. World history must never be divorced from an understanding of religion.

Roman Europe was influenced by Christianity as it gradually spread across Europe from the Middle East in the first six centuries A.D.

Islamic statism, beginning in the Middle East after 570 A.D. when Mohammad was born, had invaded the Iberian Peninsula (Spain), gaining a foothold in Europe. Islam was turned back at the Battle of Tours in 732 by Charles Martel of the Franks. This battle stopped the march of Islamic statism and Sharia law into Europe from the west and preserved Europe for Christianity.

If the Franks had not defeated the Islamists then, Europe may have been much different than it became. This battle alone destroys the idea that war never accomplishes anything. Europe and its American descendant may have become Islamic.

Another watershed battle occurred in 1588 when Protestant England defeated the Catholic statist Spanish Armada. After the Reformation of 1517, England was in the early stages of breaking with old Roman Catholic Europe. England became a firmly Protestant, Anglican statist nation and spawned the American Colonies. The Reformation, begun in Europe, came to fruition in America, bringing religious freedom unknown anywhere in the world prior to the formation of the US Constitution.

The American Colonists declared themselves free from Anglican statist England and fought the War of Rebellion to back up their declaration. Then we went back to Europe to free them from anti-God Nazi statism in World War II and then under President Reagan brought about the collapse of atheistic Communist statism in Eastern Europe. It cannot be denied that the Revolutionary War accomplished great things.

Ideas alone did not set people free. Those ideas lead to war to throw off the shackles of tyrannies which did not want to relinquish control of their masses or lead to war to turn back foreigners who desired to shackle them with unwanted bondage.

If we are of European descent, our very ancestors were living the Reformation a mere 20 generations ago. About 8 generations ago, our ancestors declared their independence from Anglican statism. Our fathers and grandfathers took back Europe from Nazi statism. These are not distant battles of ideas, words and swords. They are as close to us as our ancestors who shaped the world in which their descendants could live in freedom. In many cases, our very ancestors were on the opposite sides of the heated battles, not yet having learned the principles of individual freedom. We have it because some of our ancestors would accept nothing less than freedom. War indeed can be worthy. Let us be grateful. Now it’s our turn to propagate freedom.

Freedom

My personal freedom originates either from within me or outside of me.

If it is from within me, then it is from within all. If that is so, who is the arbiter of my freedom among the freedoms of all others? How can I grant freedom to myself? What power do I have to bestow upon myself such a right? And when all of us exercise such a self-bestowed right, then our individual definitions of that freedom will certainly vary and even contradict each other.

If my freedom originates outside of me, then that is true for all. If so, who gives me, and everyone else, that freedom? Do we grant freedom to each other? Do those who know us grant freedom to us? Perhaps a social club, a school or a church grants freedom to me. Does government grant it to me? Local government? County or state? Federal government? Do I receive my freedom from world government?

If so, then I do not have lasting, enduring, inalienable freedom, for it can then be suspended or removed. This granted freedom is not inherent freedom, for granted freedom can be removed at any time, depending on the beneficence of the grantee.

As a being, I desire freedom from birth to death. I want freedom when I am strong and when I am weak. I want freedom as a defenseless, developing child in the womb to a defenseless, dying one ready to be laid in a tomb. I want freedom to think and act. I want freedom to not act. I want freedom to choose without coercion. I want to act without intimidation.

A studied look around, a mere glance around, convinces me that everyone else has the same desire. I am not unique, for it is in the heart of everyone to be free. How did we all come to have this passion in all our hearts? Why do we all like independence and self-government? Damage or cut off my leg—I want freedom to be mobile. Paralyze me completely and I still desire independence, perhaps more so precisely because my freedom has been impaired. And there I find my freedom in thought. Freedom courses through my brain.

Why do we all have freedom coursing through our minds? Is it because we all consist of the same chemical makeup? If so, how do those chemicals, mere molecules, impart freedom to us as well as the desire to exercise that freedom? How does the physical impart a desire, a passion so hard to quell that life itself may be risked to gain liberty? How do chemicals impart a passion for freedom so strong that it may include risking the destruction of those very molecules?

Freedom is indeed within each of us, but it originates not from us, but from our Creator. In granting life to each of us, our Creator bestowed freedom upon us and the desire to exercise that freedom. It is a right given and unalienable. Those who risked all to gain liberty declared:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

When our founding fathers declared their intent to throw off the yoke of the British Crown, they grounded their intent, not in political philosophy of the day, but in the Hebrew thought of the Bible that was at least 4,000 years old. The Judaeo-Christian God created and endowed each person with freedom. Further they asserted, "We hold these truths to be self-evident. . ."

We all are created equal and each of us is endowed, an act performed by our Creator, who must of necessity be free. This endowment consists of bestowing rights upon each created one that are granted by God and no one else. These rights are unalienable. They are intrinsic to our being. These rights cannot be stripped from our being because they are indelibly imprinted on each created person by the Creator. These rights include, but are not limited to, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Our freedom is a derived liberty, bestowed by the Creator. This Christian view of liberty stands in stark contrast to any view that declares government bestows liberty upon individuals. Any government that is so arrogant to conceive it grants freedom can also retract it. Any government that is so arrogant to conceive it grants rights can also retract them.

Any government that recognizes each individual has certain intrinsic, God-bestowed rights which that government should not violate, will tend to be good government. Any government that believes it grants rights will tend toward bad government because it will manufacture rights that are not inalienable and/or it will retract rights that are inalienable or even those manufactured by that government.

Our founding fathers gave us a form of government that was grounded upon individual freedom that is inalienable because it is bestowed by God. Government cannot make freedom inalienable in truth, but in practice. Can we keep it?

Murmur Versus Uproar - An Important Difference

Senator RICK OLSEEN, host for a DFL party at Olseen's rural Harris house earlier this year celebrating the presence of U. S. senate candidate AL FRANKEN, is quoted by ECM Capitol reporter T. W. Budig on May 01, 2008 as declaring that OLSEEN "reports not hearing many murmurs in his (Olseen's) District over Franken's taxes."

OLSEEN is probably right on both counts in that quote: First, Franken's problem is not over Franken's taxes but over Franken's failure to pay his taxes and second, that failure didn't result in murmurs it resulted in a public uproar that has not subsided.

This attempted parsing of words by Olseen in this matter is reminiscent of deated former DFL Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson's famous comment that he "shaved the truth!"

The Arrogance of State Politicians

The state legislature raised the Minnesota budget 9.8% for the biennium, a significant increase. Year after year, the legislature consumes more and more of our incomes, forcing taxpayers to live on less and less. (When does the average wage earner receive this kind of raise?) And then they have the audacity to restrict local government officials to increasing their budgets by a maximum of 3.9%! That is a truck load of chutzpah!

The state budget would not be as low as a 9.8% increase if it were not for the Republicans and Governor Pawlenty. The Dems had proposed $5 billion more spending that was not approved into law. State Dems know no fiscal limits, but demand that board members of local government units be fiscally restrained. Talk about royalty and divine right of kings and queens! Talk about arrogance!

Senator Rick Olseen (D-17) and Rep. Jeremy Kalin (D-17B) are right there with their fellows in this chutzpah.

Minneapolis Star Editorial Tells the Truth!

Read the "Strib" lead editorial for May 23, 2008 and you will find that the DFL legislature did not even come close to solving the current or future education funding problem in spite of their majority status.

Sen. Olseen and Rep. Kalin, powerhouses of education influence, experience, interest and promises came away essentially empty-handed. And forget about the DFL bragging about the $51 per pupil added funding - according to the Star that is a one-time deal and then we are back in the same financial troubled waters as we look to the future.

Obama is right! We need a change.

On the Importance of Prepositions!

We elected Senator Olseen and Representative Kalin to do a job FOR us.

We find, instead, that they did a job ON us in the recently concluded legislative session.

Look Out OPEC!

The US Congress aims to sue OPEC.

The failed energy policy of US lawmakers is coming home to haunt them. Blocking the ability to drill for oil in ANWR and large areas off-shore, plus restrictions so tough that no oil refineries have been built for thirty years (we import 20% of refined gasoline), has put US lawmakers in a bind. Gasoline and diesel fuel prices have skyrocketed and are adding costs to every other area of life.

Rather than create the opportunity to increase domestic supply, just sue foreigners. They are the problem, not our lawmakers.

What else can a bunch of lawyers do? No wonder there are so many lawyer jokes. OPEC will now be coming up with more than a few.

Lawyer politicians must do something to show they are helping and are not themselves the problem. How nice of them! If this legislation passes, these lawyers will be spending our money to try to get OPEC to reduce their income. In the end, these lawyers will have spent more of our money than if they left it alone. So gas will cost us more. Brilliant! Just brilliant!

Smiling All the Way to Socialist Enslavement

Obama, the darling of the Leftist/Socialist media, has said that it is "time for a change." But that same Obama is careful never to divulge or define or explain what that change will consist of if he should become President.

Like Castro in the 50's, Obama presents himself to the American people as an amiable fellow who hides behind a broad smile and a glad hand. And, of course, the socialist media hype him to the hilt but reality will be of an entirely different kind if he should be elected.

Obama has all the qualities of a dictator and that toothsome smile can change in an instant and the other side of who he really is will be discovered only after it is too late.

Already Obama is "dictating" the terms of discussion centering about him. You can't talk about his wife, his family, his preacher, his most liberal record of all time in the Senate, you can't talk about his trafficking with extremely questionable characters over the years, you can't discuss his extremely limited qualifying experience and on and on one could go.

Any other candidate for the presidency is always subject to fine-tooth-comb examination But not Obama - close examination of him and his history is forbidden territory.

In short, Obama has nothing to offer by way of experience that would qualify him for the high office of President of the United States and to elect him would be a national disaster.

One can only hope that the American people will have sense enough to not elect this smiling socialist cum ?? If the people don't have that sense then, like the people of Cuba and other socialist countries, they will have to remember with sadness that they were warned.

Political Bluster

Helpful politician, Jeremy Kalin (D-17B), declared that he was writing to Congress to ask them to stop pumping oil into the Strategic Oil Reserve in order to reduce the price of gasoline.

Well, Kalin got his wish even if he did not influence it. Congress has passed legislation to stop buying oil to pump into the reserve. The current contract will expire in July.

The oil reserve currently holds 701,000,000 barrels. At the rate of adding 76,000 barrels/day, it has taken 9,224 days (25 years, starting in the 1970s) to fill the reserve to 97% capacity.

The oil consumption in the US is about 21,000,000 barrels per day (here and here: somewhat dated figures). That gives about 33 day’s supply of oil if the US could not buy foreign oil or pump any domestic oil. That is a small reserve. It is called the Strategic Oil Reserve for a reason.

Diverting 76,000 barrels per day from the strategic oil reserve to consumption is supposed to reduce the cost of gasoline by a few cents per gallon according to Kalin. One article above says it ". . . might help lower the price of gasoline."

President Bush has argued ". . . that such a relatively small amount of oil would not influence prices." Indeed, the President is correct because the oil that has been stockpiled per day is only 0.36% of the total oil consumed in the US per day.

Let’s assume the extra fuel actually helps reduce the cost of gasoline. Let’s assume each $3.75 gallon of gasoline is lowered by the 0.36% extra fuel. That would save 1.3 cents per gallon ($3.75 x 0.36%, best case scenario).

That’s not going to help much. But politicians, whether in the US Congress or a Minnesota Representative like Kalin, just have to "do something." After all, it all depends on them. They will help us. Neither the news media nor Kalin will do the math to show the above to present to their readers or constituents. If Kalin would, his declaration of help would be viewed as absolutely insignificant and meaningless. Leaving all the hard numbers out of view, he can come off as the helping, beneficent hand. His view and letter did no more to drop the cost of gasoline than the disinterest of my ninety year old aunt. But gullible people will think he has done a great service.

The Omniphobia Epidemic

By James Lewis

Let us now take counsel of our fears.

We're afraid of ozone and CO2. We're afraid of smog and cigarette smoke. We're afraid of Republicans because they are warmongers, and of Democrats because they are in utter denial of the real world. We're afraid the earth is warming -- or freezing. Our bee populations are now collapsing. A new kind of voracious ant is invading. Only 20,000 polar bears are left in Alaska, way down, from, oh, about 20,000 previously. Flesh-eating bacteria are attacking people in Africa, again. According to the Daily Telegraph of London, we should be afraid of fat people because they pollute more than skinny ones -- don't ask why -- but we're also worried about millions of skinny people who are finally getting their chance to eat better.

We're afraid of drilling for too much oil. But we're also afraid of pumping too little oil. We could switch to nuclear-powered electric energy, like the French have done, but that word "nuclear" just turns people off. Nuclear plants might just go up in a mushroom cloud some day, or so the naïve believe. We could exploit our huge coal reserves, but coal looks dirty.

See the pattern? It sounds like omniphobia to me, the fear of everything. Omniphobia was never seen before in the annals of medicine, at least not before the most media-maddened society in history. (That's us.) But you can't miss it today. Omniphobia is all around us, and it'll get us in the end.

Once upon a time, liberals listened to a man who famously said, "We have nothing to fear but fear itself." How times change!

Let me add a new phobia for your personal delectation. Remember, CO2 is what you breathe out. Oxygen is what you breathe in. We know that CO2 will destroy the earth through fire and ice, according to the celebrated scientist Al Gore and the Nobel Peace Prize Committee. But did you know that long before we burn, a hundred years from now, innocent little oxygen will kill you? It's a fact.

Now this is frightening, because oxygen is practically the only good chemical left, in the public's mind. Just look at all the laundry detergents that come with "cleansing oxygen!" That's a big selling point, because oxygen sounds like it's good for you. It's in the air you breathe! In mountain resorts like Aspen the stores sell "oxygen bottles" for twenty dollars apiece to help tourists breathe at the high altitude. Unfortunately those bottles only contain pressurized air, which is about 21% oxygen, exactly what you get by taking a breath that's free of charge. Some capitalist swine is taking an air pump, probably in his local garage, and pumping air into spray cans, marking it up $19.95, and getting rich because "oxygen" sounds so good.

But it's all a myth peddled by Big Air. Oxygen will kill you, because all the molecules in your body get oxidized. All the good tofu you're eating, all the vitamins, the healthy fish oil, all the cells in your body eventually get oxidized. True.

That oxygen you breathe in falls apart into nasty killer molecules called "free radicals" (no known relation to Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn, but it's the same basic idea). Free radicals latch onto the nearest good molecule and stop it from working. That's why antioxidants like Vitamin C and E are important. They hunt down the free oxygen radicals like tiny Elliot Nesses, and cart them to jail.

Unfortunately, with every breath you take you get more oxygen, and make more free radicals. If you have wrinkly skin, you can blame free radicals. If you're getting arthritis, it's those radicals again. If your skin is peeling after a day at the beach, guess what? Yup.

Oxygen isn't the safest molecule in the world. It's practically the scariest.

So what can we do? We are not supposed to breathe out because we're polluting the planet with CO2. We're not supposed to breathe in, because we're putting killer oxygen into our bodies. We can't pass gas, because methane is a greenhouse gas. We can't eat meat because animal protein is destroying the earth. And we can't plant and eat veggies, because trillions of plants around the globe just keep on putting out ... more oxygen.

Well, excuse me for breathing, as they used to say in Brooklyn. They thought that was a big joke. But that was before the age of ecological enlightenment.

We're doomed.

Before I forget, will the last guy outta here please turn off the lights?

We do have a Planet to save, you know.

___________________________________________

A couple of days ago, my friend said she was heading home to plant more trees to increase her carbon offset credits in case Al Gore got vicious. Now I will have to tell her she is adding to the oxygen problem. She will be oxidizing everything! Boy that sounds bad!

A Random Thought from Thomas Sowell

At one time, to call someone "green" was to disparage them as inexperienced or immature. Today, to call someone green is to exalt them as one of the environmentalist saviors of the planet. But it is amazing how many people are green in both senses. Some people who think it is wrong to tell children to believe in Santa Claus nevertheless think it is all right to tell adults to believe that the government can give the whole population things that we cannot afford ourselves. Believing in Santa Claus is apparently bad for children but OK for adults.

Source

The Left's Racist Groupthink

By Michael Reagan
FrontPageMagazine.com Friday, May 16, 2008

The big difference between Republicans and liberal Democrats is the way each party views people. Republicans see us as individuals and respect our God-given human dignity. To left-wing Democrats, we're not individuals; we're members of a herd with all the dignity of a cow or pig, dependent on its owner for daily rations of hay or slop.Democrats see us as being white or as blacks or as straights or as gays, or as lesbians or as heterosexuals, or as rich or poor, or as Christians or as Jews or as Muslims, or as young or as old, as working or as retired, or as housewives or as career women.

They submerge us into pools that define us as members of groups instead of as what we are as God sees us -- as any father sees his children -- each being different from one another, and each child being a separate and distinct individual with his or her own specific talents and abilities, and all deserving of his love.

Republicans see us all as Americans, all united in our desire to see this nation grow and prosper, and be safe and secure, and to provide opportunities to everyone no matter our group membership.

Democrats see us as members of groups, each with specific goals often at odds or competing with the goals other groups. To them you have no existence except as being a small part of a bloc or several blocs. Instead of seeking to treat you as a person, they aim not to satisfy your individual needs and desires but only those of your group.

This Marxist view of human nature embraces group-think, despises individuality, and seeks to eliminate all vestiges of the dignity to which every human being created in the image and likeness of God is entitled. Only the hopes and aspirations of the groups matter, and they matter solely because they create dependency on the state -- which seeks to supplant God as the source of all that is good and necessary for survival.

Grouping Americans allows the Democrats to gather the herd and drive it into their pen. Since each group needs a shepherd, the liberals are only too happy to name one to guide it. The anointed shepherd, of course, is one who can be relied upon to toe the Democrats’ party line.

And so the black group finds itself led and defined by a Jesse Jackson or an Al Sharpton. The fact that the members of the black American groups are given no say in determining who speaks for them or is their leader makes no difference. If you are black, you are not Jackie Robinson or Tiger Woods. You are a member of the black herd-group, and Jesse Jackson is your shepherd. And Jesse Jackson, who gives new meaning to the term "shepherd's crook," is led around by the Democrats if he wants to continue as a shepherd.

If you are a member of the female group your spokespersons are the likes of Hillary Clinton, Barbra Streisand, Nancy Pelosi, or whatever shrew is the head of NOW or NARAL or EMILY's List. All are loyal Democrats. Republicans need not apply for the job of shepherding the human ewes.

If you have Hispanic background, step in line and follow Gov. Bill Richardson into the Democratic sheep pen. And if you are a laborer or pipe fitter or an employee of federal, state or local government your shepherds are all loyal Democratic labor bosses.

This division of people into groups, and groups into political blocs, is necessary because the powers that be want to negotiate with groups rather than with individual Americans, and with group leaders they choose rather than with leaders chosen by the members of the groups. And when federal dollars are doled out, they pass through the sticky hands of the groups' leaders.

And this is a party that allegedly celebrates diversity among individuals.

Mike Reagan is the eldest son of President Ronald Reagan.

2008 Legislative Accomplishments

Governor Pawlenty has released his list of accomplishments from the 2008 legislative session. Click here for the list or download it in pdf format.

The Governor highlights:

Budget Balanced

The $935 million projected state budget deficit is erased and the budget is balanced for FY 08-09 without raising taxes.

Overall state government spending is reduced.

Progress is made toward resolving the projected budget deficit for FY 10-11.

Global Warming Intimidation

Many thanks to Patrick Tepoorten who pointed to an article on global cooling—that’s right, global cooling. Look at the last portion of the article which I believe is the most significant part of the piece—even more significant than the noted dropping temperature.

The author tells of a behind-the-scenes effort to intimidate a writer to change his article which gave too much encouragement to global warming skeptics. Jo Abbess, global warming activist, attempted to get Roger Harrabin to tone down his piece.

She bragged to her fellows:

Climate Changers,

Remember to challenge any piece of media that seems like it's been subject to spin or scepticism.

Here's my go for today. The BBC actually changed an article I requested a correction for, but I'm not really sure if the result is that much better.

Judge for yourselves...

Read the above declaration to her fellow global warming activists here and then some comments about Jo’s action.

The main article mentioned above points out that Jo Abbess did not like this article written by Roger Harrabin which reported a dropping of the world wide temperature. Jo didn’t like its message so attempted to get it changed. The editor and author explain the controversy here.

When Abbess threatened to discredit and expose Harrabin as someone who has been influenced by the global warming skeptics, she is avoiding data and evidence and making a personal attack to stifle that evidence. Evidence of cooling in the face of the ardently held view of warming unhinges these people. Refutation of fact cannot be accomplished so they resort to public embarrassment of the one propounding the evidence. This is a form of blackmail in which the activist threatened to deprive the reporter and/or commentator of his reputation.

Global warming has been sold to us without evidence and even contrary to evidence. It is popularly held among the elite to the point that politicians such as President George Bush cave to it to some degree and Senator John McCain talks the line, thinking he needs to in order to be elected.

Americans like to perceive themselves to be devoutly scientifically oriented. In reality, a large number of Americans are scientific dolts. They have no clue how to think within the guidelines of the scientific method and postulate a theory based on testable, repeatable evidence. Rather, they buy into a philosophy without any evidence. They believe in global warming on blind faith.

These same people condemn the religious for doing that. By their own practice, they are the new religionists, clinging to blind faith. Watch out for religionists because anything can be justified in the name of religion. Data and hard core evidence will not stand in their way to protect their goddess, Gaia. Ultimately, their ardently held religious view is dangerous to scientific investigation into true cause and effect because it also tends to forms of blackmail.

Sanitized Death

In the May 8, 2008 edition of the Chisago County Press, publisher Matt Silver expressed his view regarding the tragedy that occurred just after the Kentucky Derby finished. His commentary is not online, so I will produce portions of it here.

The horse broke an ankle. . . . they proceeded to euthanize the horse right there on the track in front of all the spectators and the millions watching on television. . . . why couldn’t they have moved the horse to the stables before they put it down? Yes, I know the horse was in unbelievable pain, but there has to be a better way than on national television. Do you have any idea how many children were watching the race with their parents? Now their parents are forced to have a very uncomfortable talk with their kids that they shouldn’t have to. Once again the television moguls think they know what is best for you and I [sic].

In the May 15th edition, there are two good response letters, answering Silver. Neither are available online, but I will not reproduce them here. Both argue correctly that the occasion needed to have parents talk, however difficult, with their children because death is a part of life.

Matt Silver lives in a sanitized world and wants to raise children in a sanitized world. The more one avoids the realities of life, the more problems one will have. Sheltered children will not be armed to handle death. Children need pets—fish, a turtle, a bird, a kitty, a puppy, a horse—to learn to care for life that is not their own. Kids are rewarded by learning that these creatures depend on them for shelter, have hunger, feel pain, get sick and make the child happy.

At any time death can cut short that interdependence and children need to be taught that even while their pet is still living. Teaching a young child about death will create a respect for life and the teaching must continue as the child matures. How else will a child handle the inevitable death that invades one’s life? Far too many have a cavalier attitude about life precisely because they have not watched a creature die. Life is precious and there is nothing like death to stamp that on our minds.

With Silver’s approach, how could a hunter bring home a duck, goose or deer and clean them at home? That is an especially good opportunity to teach a child who is not psychologically attached to the game that he may eat. Living in a world in which the roast or the chicken legs are brought home from the grocery store denies the rough edges in life that many must endure to produce the sanitized product. I lived in a world where I learned as a kid to chop the head off a chicken, clean it and then thoroughly enjoy the chicken dinner. And then I went out to feed and care for the other chickens with respect for their life.

In contrast to this, kids are playing video games and watching movies that are extremely violent. Becoming an accomplished and violent killer is the aim. Exposure to real death might very well diminish this thirst for surreal death.

I am very thankful I experienced the death of my childhood dog, my pal. We raised beef calves that became our pets and then we ate their steaks. Crass? No. That’s life. And when I bowed my head in thanks to God, I knew that a living animal gave its flesh so my life could continue. Death, properly understood, creates gratitude. All life survives on other life.

I was also privileged to watch my aunt, grandma and mother die at home. Their suffering and difficult living gradually taught me to let them go out of the land of the living. It taught me that I too shall follow, that death always follows life. Death, properly understood, creates preparedness for the life to come.

It is a tragedy to shut death out of our lives and the lives of children. Perhaps we would take life more seriously if we took death seriously and not sanitize it.

A Message from the Young

DFL HAVE COME UP WITH YET ANOTHER TAX!

The Liberal legislators have come up with yet another way to hit you, Mr. and Mrs. Taxpayer, right smack dab in the middle of your pocketbook. And of course our spendy local legislative twins - DFL Senator Olseen and DFL Representative Kalin - who always put people above politics - are right in there with all the other far-out Liberals supporting this added tax burden.

But their added tax burden has such a nice sounding ring to it how can anyone be opposed to it! What is their added tax called? It is called an INCREASE IN THE MINIMUM WAGE. Well now how can an increase in the minimum wage be an added tax? If I make more per hour how can that be other than a real good thing?

Here is an illustration and an answer. Wages are not based on an employer's charity but upon a worker's productivity of a saleable product. A sale occurs only when a willing seller meets a willing buyer. That is the classic definition of a sale. Sales and purchases are not a function of charity but rather of the exchange of goods and labor. If I try to charge you too much you don't buy and I don't make a sale!

Examples abound all over the place. But let's just use this one. For instance, if I want my lawn mowed but your minimum wage is fifty bucks an hour, I look into my available money and I find that I can't afford that. So I turn the sheep loose on the lawn and they eat it clean. Or I let the grass grow! In this case you didn't get your wages and I didn't get your service. So, in a sense, we both lose.

The reason government (that's Olseen and Kalin in our illustration) can be generous is that government (that's Olseen and Kalin again) doesn't have to be concerned with cost because they (government) don't pay the added cost, employers have to raise the prices you and other people pay while Olseen and Kalin turn around and say to you "look how good and charitable we are!"

Obviously, the "minimum wage scheme" is just a scheme! If they can mandate, say ten dollars per hour increase for you, then why in the world in the name of charity don't Olseen and Kalin mandate that the minimum wage be twenty or even thirty dollars an hour for you. If ten is good then twenty is better and thirty is best!

If somebody has to pay the worker more per hour that somebody will have to charge the customer that much more per hour because wages are never a function of charity but are an integral part of the cost of production and that additional cost always gets added on to a selling price and that is where the minimum wage scheme falls apart as a scheme and, in effect, your taxes get raised. It may be disappointing to have this pointed out and to have to acknowledge it but it is a fact. It is nothing but a scheme.

Facts and Emotions

Thomas Sowell contends that people are not interested in factual arguments. So politicians provide them with emotive statements regarding high gas prices, for example.

A factual presentation like the following means little to people:

If corporate "greed" is the explanation for high gasoline prices, why are the government's taxes not an even bigger sign of "greed" on the part of politicians— since taxes add more to the price of gasoline than oil company profits do?

People understand the emotive message in the following:

It is clear that many people prefer to blame President Bush. Others prefer to blame the oil companies, who have long been the favorite villains of the left.

Politicians understand that. Numerous times they have summoned the heads of oil companies before Congressional committees to be denounced on nationwide television for "greed," with the politicians calling for a federal investigation to "get to the bottom of this!"

Now that is emotionally satisfying, which is the whole point. By the time yet another federal investigation is completed— and turns up nothing to substantiate the villainy that is supposed to be the reason for high gasoline prices— most people's attention will have turned to something else.

Read his commentary. How will we ever have good government when people act on emotion and not fact?

___________________________________________

Update

Sowell has more in the series:
Too ‘Complex’?, Part II
Too ‘Complex’?, Part III

Forgotten Little People

Source

Thanks Governor

Governor Pawlenty has vetoed HF3391, the health care bill. His reasons are stated here.

Senator Rick Olseen (D-17) voted to pass the bill (Senate Journal, page 8597). The bill passed the Senate 40-22.

The bill passed the House 83-50. Jeremy Kalin (D-17B) voted for the bill (House Journal, page 12065).

Statement from Governor Pawlenty

The Governor issued a statement after the House and Senate passed the education bill, SF3001. Governor Pawlenty has vetoed SF3001. His reasons are stated here.

Senator Rick Olseen (D-17) voted to pass the bill (Senate Journal, page 9770). The bill passed the Senate 45-20.

The bill passed the House 82-49. Jeremy Kalin (D-17B) voted for the bill (House Journal, page 11776).

Brits like Global Warming

The British have kept records of the temperature since 1772, pre-Revolutionary War. A new record of 81.5º F was set recently. They flocked to the beach to enjoy the sun and warmth briefly because a cool spell was returning all too quickly.

Imagine being disappointed once again after waiting since the Revolutionary War for the weather to stay in the low 80s for a few days. Ah, the Brits like global warming, even if it lasted a few hours.

The Al[mighty] Goracle can let it break into the 70s here any day now. That would be an enjoyable improvement.

Food for Thought

You can’t eat ethanol is an editorial at Mankato Free Press.

The Major Document of Freedom

One of the original copies of the Declaration of Independence is available for viewing at the Minnesota History Center. The pertinent information can be found here. This is a rare opportunity to tie ourselves visually and experientially to our roots in history. You can give your children and/or grandchildren a grand lesson in freedom.

Make a day of it. The Minnesota History Center is an impressive building with great architecture. A museum of Minnesota history is located on third floor. There is a gift shop and book store on the first floor. The History Center has a great library on Minnesota and US history. You can get a great view of the Capitol from the lobby of the library. Stop and dine at the eatery on first floor.

You and your family will remember the day with great enjoyment.

Kalin Responds: Part 2

Back on April 23, Rep. Mark Buesgens (Jordan) reminded us at the Post Review that Rep. Jeremy Kalin (D-17B) voted for a 42% increase in the gas tax.

While local writers have not be able to get Kalin to respond, his fellow Representative did. Thank you Mr. Buesgens. Kalin’s writes:

Because of partisan politics in previous years, the only major impediment to building a new bridge in North Branch was lack of state funds. The bipartisan 2008 Transportation Bill changed all that. Design on the new North Branch bridge should begin this year, with construction likely in 2009.

On February 22, 2008, Kalin provided a press release, but did not state any thing about a new I-35 bridge in North Branch as a result of the T bill passage.

In March, Kalin said Mn/DOT had penciled in the bridge replacement for 2012 although he didn't give any documentation for that. He also said the City of North Branch had secured funding from Congress for it.

On April 11, 2008, Kalin stated "Passage of this [HF 2800] bill likely will allow the North Branch Bridge design to begin in 2008 with construction to follow soon after" (my emphasis).

And now, Rep. James Oberstar has announced there is federal money to the tune of "$7,120,745 for the design and construction of a new bridge on Highway 95 in North Branch."

Oberstar has potentially bailed out his buddy, Kalin. These dollars come out of money left over from projects in the 2005 federal transportation bill. Oberstar has pulled the right strings, but the bill still must be signed by President Bush.

So it is stretching the truth to say as Kalin did above, "the only major impediment to building a new bridge in North Branch was lack of state funds." Kalin is just plain lucky that there were left over federal funds and that a Minnesotan is head of the federal Transportation Committee. Without those two factors, the bridge would still not be built before 2012.

So now the question becomes, if the $7 million of federal money actually comes through, how will the state have enough money to pay for the whole project earlier than scheduled? Won’t some other bridge in Minnesota have to wait? Will a local, safe, but functionally inadequate, bridge be bumped ahead of bridges ranked lower in safety?

It’s one thing to pass a bill and authorize the money to build roads and bridges. It’s another thing for the state to collect the money and allocate each year’s resources to all the needs in priority. Projects like the highway 23 bridge in St. Cloud have a way of upsetting well-intentioned schedules. Kalin just might be out of office before anything happens on the North Branch bridge.

Kalin Responds: Part 1

Back on April 23, Rep. Mark Buesgens (Jordan) reminded us at the Post Review that Rep. Jeremy Kalin (D-17B) voted for a 42% increase in the gas tax.

While local writers have not be able to get Kalin to respond, his fellow Representative did. Thank you Mr. Buesgens. Read Kalin’s response.

As is typical, Kalin admits to only a 2¢ gas tax increase, ignoring the increase coming in October and the several cent increase in years to come. It just seems to be impossible for a Dem to tell the whole truth.

Then he proposes a 3 point plan to get the US Congress to reduce gas prices. By the time his proposal might be adopted, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve could be 100% full anyway so it would take care of itself. In the end, even he admits it might not drop the price per gallon any more than he raised our gas tax.

Second, buying directly from Iraqi oil fields may reduce our cost slightly, but then why should the Iraqis absorb the loss which is our gain? Is that fair? How long can we buy on the closed market? Closed markets are not open and free markets. Closed markets disrupt the economy.

Third, I too would like to see the US get out of the subsidy business. But if Kalin gets the feds to eliminate the $51 billion in subsidies to the oil companies, what do you suppose will happen? Gas prices will rise! It’s as simple as that.

So we can have $3.50 per gallon gasoline plus the hidden cost per gallon that we pay out of the other pocket to cover the $51 billion in subsidies. Or we can have $3.50 per gallon gasoline plus the recognizable cost per gallon that the oil companies will charge to cover the $51 billion in subsidies that they formerly got out of our other pocket.

If we should get rid of subsidies for BIG OIL then let’s get rid of the subsidies for BIG ETHANOL and BIG WIND.

Here in Minnesota, Kalin supports subsidized alternative energies (corn and cellulosic ethanol, wind) to help cut our dependence on foreign oil. With his 3 point plan, we are still as dependent on the foreign market as before and just as costly.

It would be far more effective if Kalin asks the feds to allow drilling in ANWR and off-shore and to create the environment in which new oil refineries can be built. Prices comes down when supply goes up. That is a basic concept in the OPEN market which he would understand if he were a true fiscal conservative.

So far, Kalin’s efforts are to pinch the oil hose to restrict the flow.

Kalin has the audacity to take BIG OIL to the woodshed for making a profit per gallon that is far less than state and federal gas taxes per gallon. He loves BIG GOVERNMENT and hates BIG OIL. His 42% tax increase is fine. BIG OIL's much smaller profit percentage is abhorrent. That’s chutzpah.

See this post.

Kalin’s Shoes

According to Rep. Jeremy Kalin’s website, he "knocked on 10,023 doors in 2006!" And he wore out 5 pair of shoes in that effort. He even has a picture of a pair of shoes he wore out. That looks like a pair of shoes a conservative might hang on to for more wear and tear! Maybe his are subsidized by the working class so he can trade them in whenever.

Our poll had asked if Kalin knocked on your door. Thirteen said yes and 17 respondents said no.

Of course those people may not have been home when he visited their abode. Ten thousand doors sound impressive, but how many people were home?

If our poll (which has a margin of error of + or - 3%!) is representative, Kalin spoke with less than 5,000 householders. My suspicion is a candidate will find a mere 30% of people at home. Even repeated visits will be unsuccessful. I don’t imagine the Representative will divulge that information.

Since Kalin said he told us he would vote for the transportation bill (funded in part by a gas tax increase), we posed the next poll question. Of those who actually talked to Kalin, only 50% said he told them he would vote for a gas tax increase. If that is any indicator, the topic was not all that important to the people or the Representative.

Those I know who have had a visit from Kalin indicate a visit goes like this. Kalin does not identify himself as a Democrat. He is friendly and asks for their vote. Political issues are avoided if possible in order to present a friendly face and an impression to remember his name at the voting booth. It’s more important to make friendly comments about the family dog, the yard flowers or their kids than to talk about political issues.

Franken Update

Speaking of his delinquent taxes, Al Franken asserted, "Our accountant made a mistake, and Franni and I relied on our accountant and he made a mistake. And I am fixing it and making it right."

How did the experienced Franken ever think that explanation would fly when even the "dumb jocks" have to pay taxes in most every state in which they play ball? Even the most inexperienced, tax unaware rookie will pay taxes in most every state in which he plays. They have accountants for that. This accountant at American Thinker explains why it is very likely Franken directed his accountant to file his taxes the way they were as we alluded may be the case. The accountant likely did not make any mistake; it was most likely at Franken’s direction.

Franken’s woes may have only begun. The accountant explains,

Since Franken's [sic] has become a high profile case, some of the nonresident states involved may well look back further than 2003. It is a given among Directors of Revenue that nothing encourages compliance more than a news story about a famous non filer having to pay back taxes, interest and penalties.

Franken may have moved to Minnesota for nothing. That would be great!

Internet Lore...Or Fact? HMMMM

I'm reminded of the time that little Catherine, the daughter of friends, told me that she wanted to be President one day.

Both of her parents, liberal democrats, were standing there with us and I asked Catherine, "If you were President what would be the first thing you would do?"

Catherine replied "I would give houses to all the homeless people."

"Wow - what a worthy goal you have there, Catherine." I told her, "You don't have to wait until you're President to do that. You can come over to my house and clean up all the dog poop in the back yard and I will pay you $5 dollars. Then we can go over to the grocery store where the homeless man hangs out, and you can give him the $5 dollars to use for a new house."

Catherine (who was about 4) thought that over for a second, while her mom looked at me seething, and Catherine replied, "Why doesn't the homeless guy come over and clean up the dog poop and you can pay him the $5 dollars?"

Welcome to the Republican Party, Catherine.

No Need for an Explanation

Source

Olseen—Franken’s Justifier

Al Franken, the Democrat immigrant who wants to be Minnesota’s Senator, has avoided paying workers comp premiums in New York and taxes in 17 states.

T. W. Budig’s article at the HometownSource reports the reactions of many DFL lawmakers to Franken’s fix. Here in Chisago County we are especially interested in Senator Rick Olseen’s comments about Franken’s failure to pay his tax debt. In January, the local DFL hosted the delinquent Franken at Senator Olseen’s house.

Budig writes:

Sen. Rick Olseen, DFL-Harris, reports not hearing many murmurs in his district over Franken’s taxes. "I think people aren’t geared up yet for an election — maybe that’s a plus for him (Franken)," said Olseen. "It’s not really on the radar screens yet," he said.

What a brilliant declaration! Olseen is presumptive, assuming his constituents aren’t in tune to the upcoming election. Where has he been for the last year plus? How could any average working stiff not be aware that something is going down in November? What do you suppose triggered Minnesota’s record attendance at caucus? Free food?

And does he think Franken’s tax delinquency is not on our minds if he does not hear about it? What self-centeredness! If these dumb answers are indicative, we can’t get rid of Olseen soon enough.

Olseen ". . . found it "disappointing" to learn about a $25,000 unpaid workers comp fine Franken faced in New York. . ." Disappointing! Just disappointing? How about wrong? This is a moral issue that speaks about the lack of integrity of a man who wants to represent us. Such a man must be exemplary and above reproach. This is an employer who stiffed his own employees by not paying what he owed on their behalf. I thought the Dems are for the little guy!

For Olseen, it’s just disappointing and a mistake, neither of which bother him for a minute because any Democrat will do in office.

"I just see it as a mistake, and he’s admitted he’s made a mistake," he said of Franken. "I don’t hold that against him," said Olseen.

Olseen excused Franken because, "This stuff is pretty high level, complicated tax stuff." Who cares if it’s complicated. Most of us would expect him to utilize an accountant precisely because it is "complicated tax stuff." Franken’s problem is he selected an incompetent or manipulated accountant and that speaks to his own judgment about his inability to fill an elected position.

At least now we know how Olseen will justify the next Republican who disappoints us by making a mistake because the issue is too complicated! We won't forget.

FACTS OF DFL TAX IMPACTS

"Poor Al Franken" - No, not poor fiscally of course for Al Franken is a rich man who can afford it, but "poor Al" in the sense that one could be brought to feel compassion for him for the hefty taxes and penalties he has had to cough up to pay the government(s) in his most recent "dust up" with the revenue agencies of government that he has experienced with the so-called "mistakes" of his accountant.

That it was a simple accounting error is of course a bit of a stretch, yes, quite a bit of a stretch, for if he wants to be a U. S. Senator the current problems that have arisen do not speak well for his supervisory abilities. On the other hand, just think of the purchases he could have made with the $70,000 dollars taxes and penalties he has had to pay so far and that those purchases would have gone to pay some worker's wages. Instead the greedy government gobbled up the money.

That's the way it is with taxes. Government gobbles up the money!

So, there's an urgent message here that needs to be learned by Al's local friends, Representative Kalin and Senator Olseen who seem not able or free or willing to resist the temptation to tax whatever they can and for as much as they can as in the case of Kalin's and Olseen's votes for the onerous and so-called "transportation bill" and its multiples of taxes.

These taxes, no matter how you dress them up, are horrendous burdens on the backs of the taxpayers of this District most of whom do not have the resources of the Al Frankens of this world. Clearly, even rich Al Franken or his "accountant" must have thought Franken's taxes were too high! Olseen and Kalin are you listening?

FRIENDS FOR THE TOUGH TIMES TOO?

Our State Representative Jeremy Kalen and our State Senator Rick Olseen were joyed by the presence of Al Franken at the DFL party at the Olseens just a few weeks back. Will this dynamic DFL leadership duo now reciprocate for AL FRANKEN by giving him the kindly advice to fire his accountant who "made a mistake" - a mistake that stretches from New York to California and apparently 17 or so places in between? A mistake that involves thousands of dollars of money that was owed to the government!

Or will Olseen and Kalen just lay low now for the time being hoping that it will all blow over? We're waiting! Impatiently - because it affects them and says something about them too!

Illegal Immigration, or How to get more Democrats elected

You have to wonder if some of our bleeding heart supporters of the sanctuary cities, illegal immigration and over all watering down of our once strong and vibrant society have had to use any public services lately. Kalin and Olseen should be at an age where they should begin to need some medical care, or take a parent (unless they have "people" to do that) to a doctor visit. As a member of the sandwich generation, I have had both sides, kids and elderly parents needing care in emergency situations from Mpls. to the northern tier hospitals. Would that either of these men could sit through the ordeal, listen to the Dr. and pharmacists venting when you finally get through the immigrants in front of you with no insurance.

Our medical and peace officers are being strained and stressed to pick up the slack that these politicians create. Just in one afternoon spent in the ER, the attending physician lost it, began swearing and slamming things around, as he got the call that another Somali cab driver was coming in for FREE MEDICAL care. He was furious, and asked anyone who would listen why they, and the politicians who support them, thought his services were so cheap. The officer who brought him in was angry, as he commisserated with the Dr. that immigrants do not need to learn the traffic rules, cannot read the signs, and are totally arrogant about their demands for immediate care, arguing that the other driver was at fault when witnesses provided plenty of testimony to the contrary. Insurance? talk to the cab company.

While Kalin and Olseen share the trait of arrogance with these people, let them experience just a month of taking care of a sick family member through our declining medical systems. Wait in line at an in-house pharmacy for three hours for one .75 cent pain killer, while the mass in front of you gets their hundreds of dollars of prescriptions for free. Have the pharmicist apologize and vent on you how they can't handle it anymore, they are soo sorry your loved one had to wait in line, obviously sick, while the party went on in line with the laughter, cell phone conversations and rude behaviours created by democratic largesse. Would an acknowledgement of how incredible America is with this treatment of the poor (Palm cell phones, SUV waiting outside), a tiny show of gratitude instead of arrogance, change my perception? I am naive enough to think maybe, but I won't hold my breath. My ancestors came here, worked the farms as indentured servants, rose through education, and gave my generation a future on their backs. This new wave wants it all now.

The immigrant of the past came with humble expectation, dreams and a burning desire to work to become American. The immigrant of today comes with arrogance, expectations of immediate gratification and the nod and a wink that they do not need to become American, just reap the benefits of the system. You do not need to learn the language, assimilate in the schools, learn our culture, or adopt our civility. A generalization, yes. But one the past months has impressed on me over and over. The strident cry of give me, give me, give me, and get out of my way while I take it. This is not what my great grandparents gave up everything for, and I am angry that Kalin and Olseen can be selfish enough to glibly give it all away. People like them will never see the truth of the situation they are creating.

A STATEMENT FROM THE GOVERNOR -- May 1, 2008

~ Governor Pawlenty statement regarding the failure of DFLers in the Minnesota legislature to consider proposals to combat illegal immigration ~

Saint Paul – According to news reports, thousands of immigrants and activists are holding rallies and protests across the country today, including in Saint Paul, demanding immigration reform.

In January, Governor Pawlenty announced executive actions and legislative proposals to counter illegal immigration. Actions taken by the Governor included executive orders to enhance cooperation regarding immigration enforcement between state and federal officials and to require that state employees, contractors doing business with the state and recipients of state grants electronically verify employment eligibility.

The Governor also proposed legislative measures to prohibit city “sanctuary” ordinances that prevent police from inquiring about immigration status, strengthened human trafficking laws, increased penalties for identify theft, enhanced penalties for employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants, and establishing the crime of aggravated forgery regarding underlying documents used to obtain identity documents.

Nearly four months into the 2008 session, the DFL-controlled legislature has refused to even hold a hearing regarding the Governor’s immigration reform proposals. The following is a statement from Governor Pawlenty regarding the failure of DFLers in the Minnesota legislature to consider proposals to combat illegal immigration.

“This week’s revelation that police in Lakeville, Minnesota recently stopped a vehicle carrying 15 illegal immigrants who had been traveling for a week highlights the fact that illegal immigration is a real problem and it’s here in our state. It’s time for DFLers to admit that and address this real concern. At a minimum they should hold hearings to debate the common sense immigration reform measures I’ve proposed. It is inconceivable that anyone would oppose measures to combat human trafficking and fight identity theft. I’m hopeful these important issues can be considered before the end of this session.”

Here is one of Senator Olseen's statements on illegal immigration.

Here is a statement from Rep. Kalin on illegal immigration. And Kalin voted to keep some sanctuary cities.