Ohmigosh!!! A Picture of Ben Stein, Straight Talk and Me!?!

After reading through some terrific and very relevant observations on the political scene given by economist, Presidential speech writer and advisor, film star, and world renowned game show host posted by Straight Talk, scroll down even further and you will see a picture of me.

No, no, not Miss Piggy silly! I am talking about the one just above it with Mr. Straight Talk and Mr. Stein.

Mr. Stein asserts that that Republicans are inherently optimistic, inclusive, kind, and confident. A position I find hard to disagree with and a gentle reminder for those (from within and outside our party) who see the GOP as an exclusionary organization for only those who agree to a very narrow and limited set of beliefs.

Rock on with your bad self Mr. Stein!

Public Servant Warren Lotsberg Announces Early Retirement

Warren Lotsberg of NorthWestern Public Service announces his plan to retire early according to Roger Kasa at the Huron Daily Plainsman. Lotsberg, Government Affairs Director for the utility company is quoted as saying he has no immediate plans except that he "believes he still has one more part-time job left in his life."

I certainly hope so.

I deliberately and respectfully choose the words "Public Servant" to describe Mr. Lotsberg. He is one of hundreds of people who take up part-time residence in Pierre during the legislative session to represent their interests before lawmakers.

Being a lobbyist is an important job. No one expects legislators to be an expert on every subject (although after reading some of the statements from some of our current legislators, being somewhat knowledgable on ANY subject would be nice). Legislators must rely on lobbyists to provide accurate information to help them make decisions.

Credibility is key to being a successful lobbyist. Mislead or lie to a legislator and your career as a lobbyist vanishes - faster than a true South Dakota Conservative at a local chapter meeting of the Americans for Democratic Action (ADA).

And credibility may be the best adjective to describe Mr. Lotsberg and his career: Kasa reports Lotsberg has been working with legislators on issues important to NWPS for 25 years. That translates into Mr. Lotsberg providing honest and reliable information to all legislators, even to those who may have eventually opposed his company's position or voted to kill one of his proposed amendments or bills, for a quarter of a century. Quite an accomplishment and standard for public service.

Mr. Lotsberg has a warm personality and demeanor with almost as many jokes as he has smiles. In no time he can have you laughing so hard that your sides start to hurt.

Mr. Lotsberg definitely is one of the good guys and I am glad he plans to stick around.

A Must Read: This is Bad Math!

Click on this link to “Straight Talk” for a great perspective on how Lincoln’s argument “a house divided against itself can not stand,” is applicable here in South Dakota Republican politics today.

This blogger offers interesting insight. I urge all to check back on this site frequently for discussion that is guaranteed to provoke thought and further discussion.

Someone Actually Reads This Stuff !?! Response to a Comment

Anonymous writes:

“Just one comment on your response to some conservatives wanting more gov't intervention in their lives. In regard to the Ten Commandments issue type things, the only reason some of us feel the need for the gov't to intervene is that it ALREADY has intervened and threatens to intervene even more in preventing God/Christianity from being referred to etc. I would just as soon the gov't got its nose out of our business to, but it's too late, it's already in too far, and some of us are fighting back.”

I think I can understand your perspective in feeling that the government has been steadily encroaching upon the religious rights guaranteed under the constitution. Perhaps I am as sensitive as anyone to being told what I can and can not do (check with my wife for confirmation.)

What I am still confused about is what has caused some to feel it is necessary to go so far in the other direction to correct the situation. In doing so they further disillusion and distant themselves from those who disagree with them as well alienate those who could be somewhat sympathetic.

Politics is a gradual process and to me (pardon the poor analogy with baseball) politics has always been about advancing the runner, a single and a double at a time. I am concerned about the folks swinging wildly for the fences, and when they are called out on a play, seem to be going after the other team, umpires, even the spectators, not to mention their own team members with a baseball bat.

In other words, I see the “Moralists” (my term - see my Mis-diagnosis essay below) are over reaching. They appear to want it all and beware if you don’t agree with them. I encourage them to reassess, identify their priorities, work to correct what is wrong, and then move onto other challenges. If not, they risk losing what they have gained because the pendulum will eventually swing back. It always does.

As the good book says, “You reap what you sow,” and for my secular friends, as the Beatles were heard to sing on the last track of their last recorded album Abbey Road, “The love you take is equal to the love you make.”

Ace Art Kranz

Today Ed Harwood and I were witnesses to one of the most exciting spectacles for a golfer – a hole in one! The single stroke was hit by our brother on the links and my neighbor, Art Kranz. Pulling a six-iron from his bag and striking right at the pin 154 yards away the ball appeared to hit the edge of the green while we stood speechless and counted 1…2…3…and then the ball suddenly disappeared. WOW!!! A hole in one. Awesome.

It couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy!

Coming Out of the Closet

I found myself feeling somewhat empathetic when reading that TE at SD Watch has, "a love affair with moderate Republicans." In the spirit of honest self-disclosure, I guess its time I came out of the closet and admit I have a platonic love for several liberal Democrats (probably no surprise to many of my friends who call themselves “Conservative.")

Actually, my high regard some of those who have chosen the donkey as their party’s symbol isn't difficult for me to admit. Even though I agree very little with their positions or proposed policies, I admire the passion they had for the beliefs, their determination and conviction to convince the rest of us to agree with them, and their fortitude for saying what they believed without regard to how it might effect their chances for re-election (unlike the modern politician—there are several examples from BOTH political parities who align their position as closely as they can to popular opinion.) The Democrats I admire most include George McGovern, Hubert Humphrey, Howard Metzenbaum, and Jim Abourezk. These men were among several who relished an honest and vigorous debate about how we ought to proceed.

I miss the debate and believe we need more of it.

Today more of our attention ought to be on the issues and possible solutions and less on individual political personality. Today's politics has degenerated into focusing too much on how any elected official, candidate, or nominee is either virtuous or sinister, the best sound bite, or the best (or worst) campaign ad, etc. We need to have more of a discussion on philosophy and less strategizing on how we can capture the "swing voters."

Both political parities are guilty of such practices and it is time to move beyond it before future generations become even more disillusioned. We want something better, and I think we deserve it.

PS And thanks TE for mentioning PR as one of the blogs you enjoy reading. I have to also admit that your blog is on my short list of things to read each day. (A mutual admiration socieity?) When can we have a lunch summit when we can gaze into each other eyes and debate the role government should or should not play on any of today’s more pressing topics? Good luck with the soccer team!

Congratulations Brookings Blaze!

My daughter's 13 and under softball team, Brookings Blaze, competed in the State Softball Tourney this weekend in Aberdeen. They proudly brought home the fourth place trophy after courageously gutting it out under the blazing 100 plus temperatures and stifling humidity against 28 other teams.

I am proud of all the young women, especially my daughter. She is good player and an important member of her team. This weekend she played the right field and catcher positions. We all watched in amazement as she stood poised behind home plate two different times when runners were barreling toward her and as the ball was being thrown to her from somewhere on the field. She never flinched, held her ground, and concentrated solely on catching the ball and making the play. The first the runner was called safe. The second time she tagged the runner out. I swelled with pride as we cheered for my daughter, just as we did all weekend for each of the girls when they to did something incredible. Things we will talk about for years to come.

The tournament, her team, and my daughter reminded me what life is really all about. You work hard, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose, and despite everything you still have a community of people who you care about as much as they care about you, and together, we do some amazing things.

Mis-Diagnosis?

Ambivalence exists in my profession of mental health (doctor heal thy self) about the use of diagnosis. On one hand (to recycle a phrase used by PP at the SDWC), rendering a diagnosis allows everyone on a treatment team to have the same reference point for a client's symptomatology (avoiding jokes about government profiling to a patient whose chart reads: paranoid schizophrenic with psychotic features can be important information, trust me.)

On the other hand there are concerns that the person eventually evolves into the diagnosis given to them, in terms of how others see them and how they come to see themselves. One treats someone who is said to be depressed as if they were depressed, and the person who is told they are depressed begins to act that way. This can be a serious problem and is one that I believe is analogous to some of my friends who have been "diagnosed" or who have been given and taken on the label of "Conservative."

Conservatives traditionally have believed in our infinite ability to do great things when unencumbered by any form of government. Conservatives have held that one's creativity, ingenuity, and hard work should be fairly rewarded in the greatest contest of them all, the marketplace. And Conservatives believe that people at their very essence are good and will do the right thing without being required to do so. These positions I learned in my high school civics class (thanks Mr. Nelson), and have been positively reaffirmed after carefully watching some of the people who I admire most (yeah, that would be you Joel, Troy, Steve, Judy, Terry, Mark, Tom, Julie, Nelson, Jim, Scott, George, Jan, etc.)

In recent years, though, a vocal minority of those who believe that government must intervene to protect us from ourselves, dictate to us what is morally right and wrong, and stipulate what and how one ought to believe, have been told that they are and have come to believe they are Conservatives.

In the process they have been temporarily successful in displacing traditional Conservative principles with their own. Specifically, these self-proclaimed Conservatives have attempted to convince us that the most pressing challenges facing our country, communities, and families include: denying a marriage license to couples of the same gender, insisting on a constitutional amendment to ban the burning of the flag, ensuring, if not insisting, that our children pray in school, and guaranteeing that the ten commandments be permanently displayed in an Alabama courthouse.

I am encouraged though. I am more convinced than ever that people recognize that the label “Conservative” doesn't fit those who are demanding that government prescribe and proscribe more in our lives. There are several who are been speaking up and offering a "second opinion" to the original diagnosis. (As perhaps is best evidenced in several different blogs.) And at the risk of getting dramatic (I would like to thank the members of the academy, my parents, family, agent...), I am proud to stand with those trying to clarify what is and isn't a Conservative.

I will also continue to work with anyone (Conservative and Liberal, Republican and Democrat) who is working to advance the agenda of better educational opportunities for our children, promoting economic growth to enhance opportunities for everyone, and limiting the involvement of government in our lives and the amount they take out of our paychecks. (I mean, can’t we all just get along?)

PS Might I offer a suggestion to my friends who passionately believe in what I see as contradictory to traditional Conservative principles? Respectfully, they might consider referring to themselves as “Moralists,” which I believe would be a more accurate description. (It is just an idea.) Is there anything worse than getting the wrong diagnosis or label? Get a focus group together, see how they react, and then meet us all in the marketplace of ideas.

Discovered

Thanks to CKC and SDWC for finding me amongest all the sound and fury. Someday one of you is going to show me how you found me so quick. It's is nice to know I'm not just shouting out into the void.

CKC's response to the loss of jobs overseas made me chuckle as I have to wonder why we would want to save jobs making T-shirts when there isn't anyone who would want them. And the Dean of the WC and I did work together back in the day. I enjoyed it then and I anticipate I am going to enjoy throwing ideas back and forth again now.

60 degrees, bright sunny morning without any humidity in Brookings, does it get any better than this? Well...a Bagel Works marble rye bagel with mozerella cheese, green pepper, with salt and pepper, that's how! And all for a $1.50. A must stop when in the Campanile City. Tell ‘em Gabey Good Guy sent ya! They love me there.

And now for something completely different...

Republican Declares Jihad Against (gasp) Republican Party!?!

Senator Bill Napoli (R-Rapid City) explodes that the state Republican Party and its elected leaders have lost their way and are morphing themselves into RINOs (Republicans In Name Only). Citing a lack of loyalty to the Republican Platform (rats, I missed the pledge ceremony) added to the fact that many RINOS are "quite wealthy (I keep forgetting that it is wrong to work hard to enhance one's own financial position) and have contributed buckets of dollars to Rounds and other so-called 'moderate candidates'." (So my contribution to John Thune doesn't count because I didn't put it in a bucket?).

The distinguished gentleman from Rapid City sees impending doom by suggesting that our elected RINO leadership believes" in abortion, same-sex marriage, gun control, less rights, bigger government control and more government programs." (the irony in this duplicitous argument of more AND less government intrusion in our daily lives as defining a conservative is not lost on anyone.) He goes on to uncover the secret RINO plan "to change a decades old conservative party into a fence-walking, liberal, squishy, feel-good, no-guts, no-core values, no-real beliefs, no-morals and no-integrity party, somewhat along their current agenda." Oh, the humanity! Seek shelter immediately! Grab the children and contact your deaf neighbor!

One painfully frustrated hombre, yet I am puzzled and don't understand the angry tone. It's like we are being warned we had better stop it, and if we don't, we are just going to have to go to someone's else's house to play.

What the good man from the Blacks Hills may have forgotten is that we discuss, question, examine our alternatives, weigh the different options, and decide which direction to take every election year. And in the marketplace of ideas and political system like ours, one side eventually wins and others lose, which maybe what is upsetting the legislator from way out there so much.

I have read the Republican Platform and have paid close attention to the actions of our Republican leadership. I agree with most, certainly not all, of their positions. I also feel reasonably satisfied our party's manifesto and elected officials are reasonably congruent with each other and am generally satisfied with how things are going.

Wait though! The west river crusader is offering to step in to save us from ourselves and in the process possibly revealing what he finds most frustrating, "I will be the first to lead a conservative movement, if need be, to save and protect a decades old, conservative Republican Party." Now I think I understand.

Umm, thanks Senator, but, uh, I think we are doing okay for now. And thanks for giving us a better idea of what you maybe most upset about. Look forward to seeing you on the election stump and good luck in the next election!

Welcome and Introduction

Today I join the increasing number of people who share their views on the Internet. I do this with some reservation as it is my inclination to spend more time listening and less time talking. It is not that I do not have any of my own opinions. To the contrary, I have several ideas of how things ought to work. Yet, the occasional success I have had in influencing people or events themselves has come from working backstage or prompting and encouraging the actors rather than standing before the audience under the spotlight myself. It is from behind the curtain I am most comfortable and so it will require some effort on my part to step out onto the stage.

So this forum offers a personal challenge and opportunity. Here is a place where from time to time I will express my perspective on the happenings around us to provoke and invite lively conversation at this virtual round-table. I also look forward to introducing some of the more interesting local policy-makers to a broader audience.

I welcome all comments with only two qualifications: 1) We can agree to disagree in a respectful manner in order to learn more about ourselves and each other; and 2) that the ability to laugh at oneself is encouraged. I believe laughter is essential to well-being and that one can never laugh enough.

Notes on omissions, mis-spellings or poor usage are invited and appreciated. I have never been able to successfully proof my own writing although I am getting better.