Sibby Online

Sibby’s mailbag

I got this email from a Sibby Online reader:

I really feel like I only have half the "right" to email you, whoever "Sibby Online" is, because I do not live in South Dakota. But if you don't mind, I would like to give my point of view on Senator Daschle. I, myself, am a middle aged American mother. I consider myself to be an independent, because I vote for the person not the party. This year I will vote for President Bush because I feel he will provide the best future for my children. I want my kids to believe in their country, in God, in treating people decent. I do not have a vote in South Dakota, but I have to tell you that I am hoping with all my heart that the people of South Dakota will not re-elect Tom Daschle to the Senate. You see I have seen Mr. Daschle on TV many times over these past years and I, and I am sure so are many other Americans, sick of all the fighting in Washington. It seems to me that Mr. Daschle aids in obstructing alot of legislation that our country needs to get through. This is my opinion ,but isn't it time we voted for people who at least tried to work with each other. I feel there are those like Mr. Daschle who just plain don't like the President ,and that it is more important to them than getting needed legislation passed. I honestly believe that President Bush is a GOOD man. I feel he is doing his best, and I know he sure is doing better that I could. This President has had to deal with more in his first term than any President I can remember. I RESPECT HIM. I hope when the people of South Dakota go to the polls they will vote with ,what it was called in my day their gutt feeling. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

I asked permission to post the above email and here is the response:

Steve,...You have my permission. I want to thank you again for the work you are doing. You see I once was a Democrat...I just couldn't take seeing the party being taken over by people who only cared about your vote then forgot about you. We as Americans have to do what is going to make a better place for our kids not out of hatred but of love. I hope the good people of South Dakota will elect Thune...THANKS!! Deborah Lopez

The Daschle Democrats may be against outside interests telling South Dakota how to vote, but I welcome out of staters. A big part of South Dakota’s economy is tourism and out of state hunters. Do we really want to tell them they are not welcome in South Dakota?

As I travel outside of South Dakota, I hear the concern about the Daschle Dead Zone that he has created with his obstruction. The Supreme Court affects all Americans, and Daschle’s obstruction of qualified nominees based primarily on a litmus on the abortion issue is important to many Americans. Deborah’s opinion is welcome on Sibby Online. If this race wasn’t of concern to the entire Nation, then there would not be a debate on Meet the Press this tomorrow.

With the eyes of the Nation on South Dakota, we have an opportunity to show who we really are. Do we want the Nation to think that we put up with Daschle’s crap because we don’t have confidence in ourselves? Do we want to say that we are weak and therefore dependent on big government?

I say it’s time we send a leader to the US Senate that has faith. Faith in the South Dakota people. A man who believes in the Constitution’s equal protection of life. A man who is willing to stand and fight for the Second Amendment of the Constitution. A man who has enough faith in the people, that he is willing to let us keep more of our earnings instead of letting the elitists in Washington DC decide on how to spend our money.

A new era that is positive and construction will not happen unless the good people of South Dakota step it up. We must realize that our vote is not just about us…but it is a vote to determine if freedom will prevail. Will personal responsibility override the temptation to become more and more dependent on big government.

This country was founded on rule by the people for the people. I will vote for the man who believes in the people. I will vote for John Thune.

South Dakota bloggers

SDP and DVT posted yesterday the featured Op-ed from the Wall Street Journal. WorldNetDaily has provided a link. Excerpt:

Even in South Dakota, bloggers and the Web have challenged the dominance that Tom Daschle's pals at the Argus Leader have long had on that state's political dialogue.

That came true again today. This morning I pointed out the hypocrisy of a partisan Democrat that David Kranz used to smear Republicans. SDP has made this point:

It's interesting to know that David Kranz and the editors at the Argus Leader think it's acceptable to hold a college kid accountable for what he writes, going so far as to try to drag federal candidates into the mix. Last year, when Kranz was under scrutiny for his connections to Senator Daschle, it came to light that Kranz and Daschle were friends while they attended South Dakota State University, and that Kranz wrote at least one report for the SDSU Collegian that lauded Tom Daschle. That began a 30-year trend in which Kranz has continuously been writing laudatory reports about Tom Daschle.

SDP then point out something Randell Beck said on Straight Talk regarding Kranz/Daschle college days:

The point is, that, you know, you do those things in colleges, and I – it doesn’t mean anything. It doesn’t mean anything.

SDP then brings out reports published in the SDSU Collegian regarding Tom Daschle. Read the whole thing.

Speaking of the SDSU Collegian, Jon Lauck has s column [via SDP] in that publication about bloggers. Excerpt:

The blog movement is essentially populist. Bloggers seek to circumvent the existing power structure dominated by media monopolies and provide information to news consumers directly. In this way, bloggers emulate the Populists of the 19th century who criticized railroad monopolies and formed their own newspapers to provide information to citizens.

Lauck then pointed out how Randell Beck has been acting rather Ra^ther like:

There are number of bloggers in South Dakota, including myself, and they have focused their fire on the Sioux Falls Argus Leader. They have uncovered a litany of problems that should be addressed and encountered arrogant resistance to reform. Recently, when a man from Brookings wrote to the editor of the Argus and asked why a story had not run in the paper, he was harshly dismissed for being an idiot, for reading blogs, and for not having his facts straight. The Argus editor insisted the story had run at least twice. In reality, the story had never appeared in the Argus. With blogs, people are now aware of this and other Argus inadequacies.

Democrats can dish it out

Democrats can dish it out but they can’t take it. The Argus Leader has this quote from Ben Hanten:

"Larry Diedrich needs to be responsible for the company he keeps. Calling an opponent a witch is ridiculous and sad. South Dakotans have said numerous times they don't like dirty politics. This is very dirty," said Ben Hanten, a pre-law student at USD and chairman of the Yankton County Democrats.

Hanten doesn’t think twice about passing this around:

On 9/11/2004 Hanten said this about our Founding Fathers:

Our founding fathers could be considered terrorists under the current definition. Basically any lesser power that doesn't use "smart bombs" will be considered terrorist.

What can we say about those who keep company with Ben Hanten?

Sorry

Sorry, not much blogging lately. Tonight is bowling night, plus...I have been working on a major project. Hope to have great 'news' in the near future. Stay tuned!

Daschle doesn't understand Econ 101 again

From Knight Ridder:

Following this logic, Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle argued in 2002 that the Bush tax cuts may have worsened the recession - even though there's almost no correlation between the deficit, the availability of capital and the level of interest rates.

He forgot that the U.S. economy is not a closed system. As long as our economy is a good place to invest, capital will flow in, interest rates will remain low and growth won't be choked off.

Certainly the deficit plays a role in shaping the investment climate, but tax rates - and the all-important return on risk - are far more important. Growth depends on risk-taking; reducing the returns from risk-taking reduces growth.

Latest on Rathergate

From WorldNetDaily:

Amid mounting accusations he trumpeted forged memos to bring down a sitting president, CBS' Dan Rather is finally acknowledging doubts over the documents' authenticity, while new revelations show they were faxed to CBS from a Kinko's in Abilene, Texas.

Bloggers are the “real “ journalists

Here is the opening to Hugh Hewitt’s WorldNetDaily column:

On May 6, 2004, Los Angeles Times editor John Carroll gave a hilariously self-serving speech

Hee is the conclusion:

How many are reading the blogs, sifting through them for leads and facts that must be accounted for, accounting for persuasive arguments from credentialed experts? These are the real "future journalists." And given the Los Angeles Times' coverage of the forged docs, and using Carroll's own standards, there are precious few "real" journalists at the Times these days and, thus far, the editors – speaking from their editorial page – are not among them.

Native American doesn’t trust Democrats

The following was a letter to the editor of today’s Mitchell Daily Republic:

To all non-voters, regardless of your reasoning, I ask you to think a moment. People are always grumbling about the leadership on both the national and state levels. But you are very much to blame if you do not exercise your duty to vote, based on an informed knowledge of where the candidates stand on the issues.

Take the last two elections for instance. Both the Democratic candidates won the extra votes they needed by appearing to care, spending time and money on the Native American vote. Having relatives on several reservations, I feel I’m very qualified to reveal what is actually happening there.

Sadly only during the election campaigns do these people spend any time at all with the Indian people. This is the height of hypocrisy. No one can help my people but they themselves and their own leadership. It would help immensely if they could stop the free flow of alcohol and drugs, which keep my people enslaved. My people need something to live for, hope for the future.

It’s because oif these products that my people are not even capable of truly understanding what or why they are voting. We don’t even bother to teach everyday society what the issues are and where the candidates stand relative to them. Therefore most of us have to search for these answers, which my people can’t do.

Paying attention to Native Americans only at election time is cruel and misleading and is same as buying their votes. Nothing good is gained by taking advantage of the situation by candidates who have only their own agenda in mind and who only will benefit. It’s just one more reason not to trust the white man.

Rather’s expert bails

The Washington Post is reporting CBS News’ expert on the fake documents only looked at the signatures:

The lead expert retained by CBS News to examine disputed memos from President Bush's former squadron commander in the National Guard said yesterday that he examined only the late officer's signature and made no attempt to authenticate the documents themselves.

"There's no way that I, as a document expert, can authenticate them," Marcel Matley said in a telephone interview from San Francisco. The main reason, he said, is that they are "copies" that are "far removed" from the originals.

Daschle ad on body armor

Last night I watched the Daschle ad regarding how he was the only guy to get body armor for the troops in Iraq. The Republicans had nothing to do with it? Right?

Remember June 23, 2004. Here is an excerpt from the Senate floor by Majority Leader Bill Frist:

It is vitally important that we consider the Defense appropriations bill this week, which will ensure our troops have the appropriate resources available to them. We need to begin this appropriations process, and I will be seeking an agreement on the Defense appropriations bill this week before the recess.

So what priority did Minority Leader Tom Daschle place on the funding for our troops? He shut down Senate proceedings to go watch a Michael Moore anti-war movie. Some commitment to our troops. Remember June 23, 2004 the next time you see Daschle’s ad.