Sibby Online

The Bird sparks debate

The article on Tony Dean I wrote for the Bird sparked an email that copied Tony Dean, so he has posted it on his web site. Here is my emailed response:

Tom,

Thanks for your comments. It’s nice to see that “the Bird” is already sparking debate on issues important to South Dakota.

I am sorry you believe that I do not know what the Harding County issue is about. Your interpretation only presented one side…the public interest in the wildlife resource. You failed to bring in the other side…property rights of the individual. That right is a core principle of the 5th Amendment to the Bill of Rights. Just because you ignore such principles doesn’t’ mean that we all do (so much for your negative attack toward my editorials in the Argus).

Another principle you have ignored is the 2nd Amendment. That is why you would let Tony Dean speak for you on this issue. He and you only care about your hunting guns. You could care less about others who depend on firearms as individuals for the defense of themselves, their families, their communities, and yes their nation. You don’t have to be in the military to accept that responsibility.

Although, you should be proud of your defense of our freedoms and I honor that. John Kerry also should be proud of his service to our country as an America soldier and I honor that. But Kerry came back from Vietnam and became a “New Soldier”. The cover of that so-named book had an upside down American flag…the “New Soldier” became an anti-American one. Too many come back and are willing to give up what they fought for.

Oh yes, I do appreciative those who care about conservation. It’s just that I believe it’s a moral issue and not a legal one. I have faith in the landowners to care for the land, and do not expect the government to step on their rights in order to please a bunch of far-left elitists who think their way should be shoved down everybody else’s throats.

I also believe that sportsmen should not become dependent on government for places to hunt, but believe those who have respect for the rights of others will find plenty of places to hunt.

A limited government is the principle for which I argue. That’s why we must dump Daschle. Many people who read my stuff understand that. Just because you don’t isn’t my fault…it’s your own fault.

Steve Sibson
Mitchell, SD

PS: I see Tony Dean has posted your email on his web site. He has disavowed my emails a long time ago. He also does not have much respect for others First Amendment rights and acts high and mighty with his web site. I now have a web site at sibbyonline.blogs.com, which I am sure he doesn’t want sportsmen to find. He also doesn’t want sportsmen to find the web site www.sdlockout.com. God forbid if sportsmen can see both sides of the issues. Tony Dean only cares about his far-left liberal agenda…not South Dakota sportsmen.

Michael Moore & voter fraud?

Ryne McClaren has a post where Michael Moore tries to argue he is not a Democrat. Ryne provides a link to this report that says he is registered as a Democrat:

New York City Board of Elections records show that Moore, 50, registered to vote in Gotham in 1992, checking off "Democratic" as his party affiliation (below you'll find a copy of his original registration form). He listed his address as the swanky Upper West Side building where he owns a multimillion dollar condominium (Moore's office is on West 57th Street). The filmmaker's New York registration remains active, though he has not voted since an October 2001 Democratic runoff election.

WorldNetDaily also has a link to that same report that they titled, “Michael Moore 'double-registered' to vote”:

Now here's the good part: Moore is simultaneously registered to vote in Michigan, where registrants aren't even given the option of party affiliation (so he's not an Independent there either). According to Antrim County records, Moore registered last April from his lakefront spread in northern Michigan, where he reportedly splits his time, but has yet to vote in Michigan. He transferred his drivers license to Michigan from New York around the same time, though Moore has a Volkswagen Beetle registered from his Manhattan home.

Not only is Michael Moore a registered Democrat, but he is in two different states. So should we be concerned? Maybe we should be:

On his web site, Moore asks visitors to take his "Pledge of Democratic Allegiance," which calls for them to register ten new voters this summer and spend one October weekend in a swing state. "The important thing is, if you live in a place like New York or Texas, you gotta head over to Pennsylvania or New Mexico," writes Moore, who provides a list of 18 states, ranked in order of importance, that could go either blue or red. He places Michigan thirteenth on that list.

Hewitt on Moore's premiere

Hugh Hewitt also calls on Tom Daschle to denounce Michael Moore's fraud:

Michael Medved advised me this morning that I could not possibly grasp how lousy a film is Fahrenheit 9/11 unless I had seen it. So I went today, and Michael was right. The movie gives propagandists a bad name. At least it could have been well-made anti-American tripe. Instead it is a crudely made and insufferably dull march through the fever swamps of the unhinged left. It is pulling in big bucks, which is a testament to the disposable income of the swamp residents, but put me down as one in favor of even broader distribution and bigger box offices for the picture. It is an anchor around John Kerry's neck as ordinary Americans not filled with self-loathing will despise Moore for his transparent lies and not trust a political party that does not reject them. I am more certain than I was last week that attending the premier and the standing ovation that followed it was a mistake for Tom Daschle. The folks in South Dakota should hear repeatedly of Daschle's sympathy for Moore's project and point-of-view. The John Kerry-Michael Moore Democrats do in fact represent a low point for that party, and unless and until the Kerrys and Daschles denounce the fraud for what he is, they are stuck with him Some on the left are proclaiming Moore to be their Limbaugh. He's not. Moore is the Democrats' David Duke, but they are putting their arm around him.

Dan Pfeiffer responds

Dan Pfeiffer of the Daschle campaign responds to the Thune press release (the one the Argus Leader refuses to acknowledge) on their campaign’s blog:

Today, the Thune campaign attacked Tom Daschle for attending the movie Fahrenheit 911 earlier this week. Somehow, the Thune campaign incorrectly inferred that Daschle’s attendance at the film equated an endorsement of director Michael Moore’s political views.

OK…then lets hear something besides "Michael Moore obviously intends to spark debate". Pfeiffer then says:

The movie and music choices of the candidates for United States Senate rank near the bottom of the list of issues that voters in South Dakota care about, but this latest attack from John Thune compels us to point out his absurdity.

This is not just a movie, it is a negative attack at the President. The Democrats routinely whine about negative attacks. I believe this movie is nothing more than a 2 hour campaign ad that negatively attacks a Republican Presidential candidate in an election year. Since Daschle has made negative attacks an issue in South Dakota, then South Dakota should hear him denounce a film that compares the President with Osama bin Laden. South Dakotans think that only the Taliban wing of the Republican Party would use those tactics. Then Pfeiffer tries to compare this highly political film to the Dixie Chicks:

Last July, Thune took a break from lobbying for the special interests in Washington, D.C. to attend a concert featuring George Bush’s least favorite band: The Dixie Chicks. You’ll recall that in March of 2003, lead singer Natalie Maines claimed to be "ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas."

Thune was not taking a break from lobbying, he attended the event because his lobbying duties took him there. Pfeiffer then ends with:

If John Thune wants the people of South Dakota to take the dramatic step of replacing the Senate Leader with a freshman Senator, he is going to need to come up with a better reason than he doesn’t like the movies Senator Daschle goes to.

As DVT has pointed out, Daschle interrupted a Senate vote in order to allow Democrats to attend a red carpet premiere of the film. This was not simply Daschle going to the movies. Again…does Tom Daschle believe that the partisan event that celebrated an anti-American attacking the President of the United States by comparing him to Osama bin Laden was an example of meanness in politics?

The Bird

I just added a link to "the Bird" in my blog section. This is a new bi-weekly pulbication covering South Dakota issues, politics and the people. I have a column covering the west river hunter lockout which is in response to the anti-property rights policies of various agencies of the government. I also provided Tony Dean's positon which clearly shows his phoniness when he claims he is a Republican or a sportsman.

Argus Leader attacks Thune’s campaign manager

The link to this Argus Leader report will be replaced by another report within a week, so I am posting the entire report:

'Fahrenheit 9/11' a hit with critics of Iraq war Denise D. Tucker [email protected] published: 6/26/2004 Some call it a movie masterpiece. Others say it's a dangerous distortion.

But Sen. Tom Daschle said people have to decide for themselves on Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11," which opened in Sioux Falls and nationwide Friday.

Daschle and several other Democrats in Congress attended a private screening earlier in the week.

In a statement issued Friday, Daschle said he arrived late because he was giving a speech at a charity event and left early to return to the Senate to vote.

"Michael Moore obviously intends to spark debate," Daschle said. And based on what he saw, he said the filmmaker succeeded.

John Thune, Daschle's Republican challenger, was unavailable for comment Friday.

Daschle said people need to make up their own minds about the film, which suggests that President Bush was oblivious to warnings in 2001 that al-Qaida was ready to strike the United States.

At Century Theatres in Sioux Falls, many audience members clearly had made up their minds. After at least one showing Friday, moviegoers applauded.

"Nothing in the film is conjured up," said Mychael Davis, 41, of Sioux Falls. "It all came from the horse's mouth."

But Republicans take issue with the film's implication that Bush fanned terrorism fears to gain support for the war in Iraq.

Matthew Baumgartner, 20, of Sioux Falls knew the film would present a biased view, but the Army veteran wanted to hear the other side of the war story.

"We've been fed a one-sided story by the media for the last couple of years," he said.

Mary Ann Garrigan, 62, of Sioux Falls called the movie "absolutely fabulous ... even better than I thought it would be."

David Kranz and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Reach Denise D. Tucker at 331-2335.

Note this excerpt:

John Thune, Daschle's Republican challenger, was unavailable for comment Friday.

Remember DVT’s wondering what happened to Thune’s press release? Now read this statement Randell Beck made yesterday:

Finally, let me admit we've learned some lessons since the last major election, in 2002, and will try even harder to provide thoughtful, balanced journalism that you (and the L.L.M.B.) can use in voting wisely.

One way we're doing that is by forcing the candidates, rather than their staffs, to talk about what they believe and why.

The tone and substance of major political campaigns increasingly is driven by the paid political strategists and managers, rather than the candidates themselves. Too often, some hack who wouldn't know Winner from Watertown is speaking - or, more likely, screaming - on behalf of the candidate, who is conveniently nowhere to be found.

The press release that was ignored by the Argus Leader on Saturday established Dick Wadhams, John Thune’s campaign manager, as the contact person. Sunday, Randell Beck explains why the press release was ignored…Dick Wadhams is “some hack who wouldn't know Winner from Watertown”. I wonder if Wadhams was also considered by Tim Johnson to be part of the Taliban wing of the Republican Party. Now who is comparing President Bush to Osama bin Laden…Michael Moore. So again…does Tom Daschle consider all of this mean?

The other side of the story

Jon Lauck of DVT introduced to the South Dakota Republicans during its convention in Mitchell, SD the new journalism. The Dakota Alliance of Bloggers is, for the first time, providing a more comprehensive view of South Dakota politics.

Today’s Argus Leader is a perfect example of the need for more comprehensive political coverage in South Dakota. Today’s Randell Beck column reminded me of the 2002 campaign season. As Beck promised a fair and balanced approach regarding the Argus Leader’s coverage, I witnessed first hand the advantage the Argus Leader was giving Tim Johnson on the gun issue by promoting the misleading position of Tony Dean. I have a Tony Dean index you can research if you have doubts about what I have just said.

What I learned from that experience is that the Argus Leader and the Democrats will whine about how negative the conservatives are as they brag about how high and mighty they are. Today’s Randell Beck column is a perfect example of this.

For example he said this about us bloggers:

She [regarding his wife who he portrayed as a common South Dakotan] does not, to the best of my knowledge, maintain one of those Internet blogs from which she hurls venomous attacks on those who dare disagree with her view of the world.

Then he made this comment:

Finally, let me admit we've learned some lessons since the last major election, in 2002, and will try even harder to provide thoughtful, balanced journalism that you (and the L.L.M.B.)[Beck’s wife who he uses to portray the average voting South Dakotan] can use in voting wisely.

One way we're doing that is by forcing the candidates, rather than their staffs, to talk about what they believe and why.

The tone and substance of major political campaigns increasingly is driven by the paid political strategists and managers, rather than the candidates themselves. Too often, some hack who wouldn't know Winner from Watertown is speaking - or, more likely, screaming - on behalf of the candidate, who is conveniently nowhere to be found.

We're going to try to fix that.

This was a venomous attack at Dick Wadhams, John Thune’s campaign manager, who the Argus Leader obviously does not agree with. See the hypocrisy? Beck falsely attack bloggers for performing venomous attacks as Beck himself venomously attacks those who he disagrees with…but in a way that is secret from his readers.

Also note that the Thune press release was not reported on in Saturday’s Argus Leader regarding Tom Daschle’s response to the negative and venomous attack Michael Moore perpetrated on the President of the United States with his latest movie. Thune’s campaign manager issued a press release that the Argus Leader ignored...all due to this latest policy of the high and mighty Argus Leader. How convenient!

Because the issue of Daschle supporting Michael Moore’s negative attack on President Bush was out of the way, David Kranz’s column was open to attack John Thune for being negative by stating Tom Daschle is an embarrassment to South Dakota (also note my post on David Kranz and now we know his actual purpose for being in Mitchell). Supporting the negative attacks of Michael Moore should be an embarrassment to South Dakotans, if we were allowed to hear the truth. And that is just the tip to the iceberg. Since Bill Clinton just issued his book, should we talk about Daschle's support of Clinton's perjury and lies? Yes, us bloggers will, but the Argus Leader will pass.

Republican’s rising star

As SDP noted, Friday was John Thune and Jim Abdnor day at the South Dakota Republican convention in Mitchell, SD. DVT has a photo as he points out the generational aspect.

Saturday was Dusty Johnson’s day. As reported by the AP, he was nominated to run for a six-year seat on the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission. Dusty has quickly caught the eye of many Republicans for his energetic, articulate, and witty campaign style. He also has a very good grasp of the issues pertinent to the office of the PUC.
UPDATE: Dusty Johnson's web site