Sibby Online

Chad Schuldt

SDP is reporting on some new funding that is being provided to Americans United to Protect Social Security. SDP also took note of Chad Schuldt's deletion of questions I left him on his web site regarding his consulting activities and wonders if Schuldt has something to do with AUPSS. Here is some background I put together on June 3rd, and note Schuldt's interest in South Dakota's affilate of AUPSS protest at Thune's office:

SDP has the FEC filing that shows the Daschle campaign paid $2,000 to Hildebrand Tewes Consulting, Inc of Sioux Falls during the month of March. Steve Hildebrand is the campaign manager of Tom Daschle and in February Roll Call reported that he is now also heading up the Democrat’s opposition to the President’s Social Security reform:

Hildebrand and Tewes, both of whom specialize in field work, recently formed a new political consulting firm that will serve as the nerve center of Americans United to Protect Social Security. The firm will be known as Hildebrand Tewes.

On an anti-Thune web site whose author is not identified, a post contained an April 11, 2005 press release from South Dakotans United to Protect Social Security that stated this:

With the first hearings on the future of Social Security planned for the U.S. Senate Finance Committee later this month, concerned South Dakota citizens have formed a new statewide coalition called South Dakotans United to Protect Social Security with the sole objective of defeating President George W. Bush’s expensive and risky scheme to privatize Social Security.

The release tells us more about Hildebrand’s role:

Steve Hildebrand, a South Dakota native, who is serving as co-manager of the national campaign for Americans United, will also head up the South Dakota effort.

"It’s unfortunate that Senator Thune has agreed to be the President’s ‘point man’ in promoting a risky investment scheme that would slash our guaranteed benefit by 45 percent and explode the national debt by $5 trillion. That’s just not a ‘South Dakota value’ we share with the Senator. Instead of carrying the President’s water on this terrible plan, John Thune should tell the Senate Finance Committee what the people of South Dakota certainly believe – privatization is a bad deal for South Dakotans," said Hildebrand.

On another anti-Thune web site you will find a post by Chad Schuldt, paid Daschle campaign staffer, with pictures of an April 26, 2005 protest at Thune’s Sioux Falls office that the SDUPSS group organized. The media coverage did not point out Hildebrand’s ties to a group that used lies, such as the benefits being guaranteed (Supreme Court ruled otherwise in 1960) and the posters whined "Hands Off My Social Security" (the private accounts are to be voluntary). Here is an excerpt from the Aberdeen News who published the Carson Walker AP report:

As Congress took up President Bush's request to draft Social Security legislation Tuesday, people against the proposed changes protested in front of Sen. John Thune's downtown Sioux Falls office.

They carried yellow printed signs that said, "Hands Off My Social Security," and handmade signs such as, "Don't Piratize Social Security."

The group wants Thune, a Republican freshman, to sign a pledge opposing any plan that allows young people to invest retirement money in private accounts.

The most recent government forecast predicts that in 12 years, Social Security trust funds will begin paying out more in benefits than it takes in. In 2041, the trust funds will be empty, and benefits will have to be cut.

The protesters said it's not that bad.

Instead of disclosing who was behind the protest, the report went on to quote people who are in their seventies. The plan is not to impact the benefits of those older than 55. But to the Democrats and their allies in the MSM, facts should not get into the way of a good pro-Democrat story. And today, a good pro-Democrat story is one that is full of lies and hatred that are directed at John Thune.

Conflicts of Interest and Banks

From a 2002 WorldNetDaily report titled, "Mrs. Daschle's lucrative lobbying, Is Washington activity of senator's wife conflict of interest?":

Mrs. Daschle's lobbying activities as senior public policy director of the law firm Baker, Donelson, Bearman and Caldwell have received only a small amount of press scrutiny, save for an account in the Washington Monthly earlier this year. Her lobbying activities surfaced again recently because of a controversial proposal before the Senate to lease military aircraft from Boeing – a client of Mrs. Daschle since 1998, according to federal records.

Dan Crippen, director of the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, has estimated that the Boeing lease plan would cost the government $37 billion for the use of 100 Boeing 767s over a 10-year period. The deal is controversial because, according to CBO estimates, the outright purchase of the same airplanes would cost only $25 billion, and they could remain useful for 20 to 30 years.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., the leading critic of the leasing deal, has called it "war profiteering," and charges that the deal "has nothing to do with national defense and everything to do with taking care of Boeing."

Sen. Daschle has not made any public statements on the Boeing lease plan, but must, as Senate majority leader, decide whether and when to schedule a vote on the matter, since McCain pushed an amendment through the Armed Services Committee that may doom the deal.

But regardless of the merits of buying or leasing Boeing aircraft, the fact remains that Sen. Daschle, in his official capacity, cannot help but make decisions by which his wife's clients may gain or lose millions, or even billions, of dollars. In the case of some of the major government contractors Mrs. Daschle represents, Sen. Daschle's official acts could ensure or undermine their future economic viability. In the case of Boeing, for example, the Senate will consider the re-authorization of the Federal Export-Import Bank by the end of May. Boeing perennially receives more than 40 percent of the bank's funds.

And here is more:

In a written response to questions posed by Human Events, however, Daschle did not answer a question about his own ties to major aviation interests and government contractors for whom his wife – Linda Hall Daschle – lobbies, and from whom he thereby benefits financially.

In previous interviews, Daschle has defended this arrangement. In May, he told Human Events he saw no conflict of interest in scheduling and taking Senate votes that bring revenue to his wife's clients.

"My wife doesn't lobby in the Senate at all," he said. "She has limited her activities to the House, and I think that's appropriate."

Daschle also defended his involvement in one particular Senate vote last month – to reauthorize the federal Export-Import Bank – from which Mrs. Daschle's client Boeing stood to gain millions of dollars in federal loans and loan guarantees for its overseas business.

Eminent domain ruling supports socialists

From Walter E Williams:

Last week's U.S. Supreme Court 5-4 ruling in Kelo v. New London helps explain the socialist attack on President Bush's nominees to the federal bench. First, let's look at the case.

The city government of New London, Conn., has run upon hard times, with residents leaving and its tax base eroding. Private developers offered to build a riverfront hotel, private offices and a health club in the Fort Trumbull neighborhood. But there was a bit of a problem. Owners of 15 homes in the stable middle-class Fort Trumbull neighborhood refused the city's offer to buy their homes, but no sweat.

The Court's decision helps explain the vicious attacks on any judicial nominees who might use framer-intent to interpret the U.S. Constitution. America's socialists want more control over our lives, property and our pocketbooks. They cannot always get their way in the legislature, and the courts represent their only chance.

There is nothing complex about those 12 words the framers wrote to protect us from governmental property confiscation. You need a magician to reach the conclusion reached by the Court's majority. I think the socialist attack on judicial nominees who'd use framer-intent in their interpretation of the Constitution might also explain their attack on our Second Amendment "right of the people to keep and bear Arms." Why? Because when they come to take our property, they don't want to risk buckshot in their butts.

The lying left

Rush Limbaugh provides support to my lying left index:

This other comment about Kerry's, "Weeeeell, we've turned Iraaaaaq into a maaaaagnet for all these teeeeeeeeeeeeerrorists." You know, before Iraq was the magnet, senator, it was the World Trade Center that was the magnet for terrorists, and it's innocent Americans that worked there.

It was the Pentagon that was a magnet for terrorists, and it was a field in Pennsylvania that was a magnet for terrorists. In 1993 the World Trade Center was a magnet for terrorists. Innocent Americans are the magnet for terrorists. So now the terrorists are not in Iraq specifically because we're there. The terrorists are in Iraq because of what is happening in Iraq: a duly elected government by free people threatens the whole existence of terror networks in that region, if it grows and expands. You talk about misrepresentation of the policy, you talk about lying to the American people, you talk about misleading the American people? I'm telling you, folks: that honor today goes to the American left and the Democratic Party. They're the ones who won't level with the American people. They are the ones who will not get straight and admit to the rest of this country that they understand the peril that we face. They want to pretend it didn't happen. The reason they get so angry when 9/11 is brought up is because they know that they haven't acted in a way to make people comfortable that if it happened again, the Democrats could deal with it, or if they were in power, that the Democrats could do everything to keep it from happening again. They know people have no confidence in them when it comes to national security, because they're a bunch of pacifists, and so they don't want people to remember 9/11.

Schuldt deletes comment

Chad Schuldt, former (?) paid Daschle campagin staffer, has been walking the streets:

We announced yesterday that a controversy was brewing involving South Dakota Senator John Thune. While we regret we have been unable to post on it as of yet, the word on the street is that facts are being checked and sources vetted before the story becomes public.

So I left these questions on that post:

So on which street did you hear that? Would it be the one that Steve Hildebrand's consulting business is on? And Chad, how is your consulting business doing?

It was quickly deleted. Again, it is Chad’s web site and he can delete anything he likes. But it is interesting that he will not come clean. The Democrats whined and are still whining about full disclosure, but they refuse to disclose their positions. Chickens.

As Todd Epp and his fellow delusional Dumped Daschle Disciples whine about anonymous bloggers (AVT), create conspiracy theories (Gannon/Thune and now Nelson/Thune), and whine about Republican money (paid-bloggers, SDCG, and now Meta bank)…they refuse to identify who they are, disclose their money transactions, and Todd Epp whines about Sibby’s conspiracy theories (except he is now too chicken to identify me by name).

Todd Epp, note what the Clear Cut Kidder said:

And maybe there is nothing here at all. But as stated earlier, something just doesn’t look right.

As I have said before, the Democrats have two sets of rules, one for Republicans and none for Democrats.

UPDATE: Schuldt just deleted this comment:

Chad, so who is paying you for your consulting work?

Thune questions military strategy regarding China

From Reuters:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Defense Department is struggling to determine the right mix of bombers and other warplanes to fight China if it ever became necessary, President Bush's choice to become the next Air Force chief of staff said on Wednesday.

Lining up such firepower would top his list of priorities if confirmed as the Air Force's top military officer, Gen. Michael Moseley said at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Moseley said the right mix of long-range strike capabilities was "certainly one of the things that we are struggling with" as part of a sweeping U.S. defense review carried out once every four years and currently under way.

"The enhancements that we see in the Chinese military (do) cause concern," he added in reply to a question from Sen. John Thune, a South Dakota Republican.

Todd Epp deletes comment

In response to one of my posts, Epp said this:

Meanwhile, the blogger whose name we shall never again print on this blog, smells a Lefty conspiracy featuring, of course, SD Blog Watch Man. I suppose SDBWM's family is just a cover too.

I left a comment at Epp’s post in response to the above. It was later deleted. I support Epp’s right to delete comments. It is his web site and he can do what he wants with it. I just want to point this out to all those who give me crap for not allowing comments on Sibby Online. If you want to comment, do like I did...start a web site of your own and fire away.

SD bloggers on Fox News

Fox News has a report on the FEC hearings on regulated bloggers. There is a video of the coverage that shows the web sited of both DVT and SDP. Here is what the report said about the South Dakota bloggers:

Web sites as political actors became an issue in Republican Sen. John Thune's (search) upset victory over then-Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle. Thune disclosed after the election that he paid two bloggers $35,000 to support Thune and attack coverage of the race by South Dakota's largest newspaper, the Sioux Falls Argus Leader.

"I do think the other thing that the Thune-bloggers-for-pay, blogolla let's call it, scandal probably did was make people much more weary," Cox said.

Note that the far-left Kos is standing up against FEC regulation of bloggers. I do not see Todd Epp or any of the other anti-Thune web sites doing the same, even though Epp supports Kos when the issue is attacking America with their anti-war propaganda.

As I mentioned last night, the anti-Thune web site Thunewatch is attacking Lauck and Van Beek for not having disclaimers. But who is writing for Thunewatch? Who knows? It could even be Steve Hildebrand himself, and there are still FEC reports coming out that show him receiving money from the Daschle Campaign. How about that point MR. Epp? Is it not worthy of civil discourse?

Another point…where is the proof that Lauck and Van Beek were paid to blog. I also blogged, and I did not receive a dime. Perhaps there were other tasks performed by the trained lawyers that were the reason for the compensation.

But for the anti-Thune bloggers, the freedom to blog is not as important as their hatred for Thune. Or maybe they think they can get around the regulations by remaining anonymous.

Learn more about Epp’s anti-war friends

From an Accuracy in Media press release:

WASHINGTON --

As President Bush prepares to address the nation tonight on the stakes in the Iraq War, Accuracy in Media (AIM) charged today that key organizers of the "anti-war" movement are experienced far-left operatives who sympathize with sworn enemies of the U.S. and oppose any military action to defend the American people against terrorism.

"Basically, two groups, International ANSWER and United for Peace and Justice, are organizing the protests," said AIM editor Cliff Kincaid. "And both are associated with radical Islamic groups and communist regimes, including North Korea and Cuba."

"People are free to oppose the Iraq war," said Kincaid, "but the media should give the public the facts about how Marxist agitators are manipulating the protests in order to produce an American defeat in Iraq and embolden America’s enemies. It’s time for Watergate-style investigative reporting into the not-so-hidden agenda of the ‘anti-war’ movement. Some people may want to avoid serving as ‘useful idiots’ for an anti-American cause."

While a national anti-Iraq war protest is being planned for September 24 in Washington, D.C., Kincaid noted that some demonstrators will be in Fayetteville, North Carolina, tonight when President Bush delivers his speech at Ft. Bragg. "This local protest is being sponsored by the Quakers, a pacifist religious group that opposed U.S. involvement in the war against Nazism and Fascism in World War II," he said.

Accuracy In Media (AIM) is a non-profit, grassroots citizens watchdog of the news media that critiques botched and bungled news stories and sets the record straight on important issues that have received slanted coverage. For more information, please go to

www.aim.org.

Now this is interesting

In my previous post I noted that BWM thought on 5/13/2005 that Thunewatch.com might know who he was. But who is the editor of Thunewatch.com. I don’t see any such disclosure at that site. But there is this at a sidebar called "Newsflash":

Thunewatch.com is following a MAJOR Thune financing scandal. We will bring you more details as they come available.

I just checked google news and find nothing involving a major John Thune financing scandal. Jer Bear and Chad Schuldt are also posting something is in the air, but no links. And BWM just happens to be on vacation. Looks like one big happy anti-Thune family to me. Looks like some have an insider's look at what is going on.

While at the Thunewatch site I noted this excerpt regarding paid blogging:

Call it research or what ever else you like. The bottom line is that Lauck and Van Beek were paid to blog and there was not a disclaimer up front because they knew that it would bring their credibility into question. These bloggers were paid to get the campaign message out and Thune admits it. The important part is that there was no FEC disclaimer saying "Paid for By the John Thune for Senate Campaign." You can read our past posts on the issue here.

We highly doubt there will be any regulation forthcoming from the FEC because this issue is tightly intermingled with free speech and the first amendment. None-the-less, this past activity on part of the Thune staff blackens their credibility.

When it comes to disclosure, Lauck and Van Beek are light-years ahead of two of the Dumped Daschle Disciples who are running anonymous blogs. They don’t even give us their names. Don’t you think that maybe, just maybe, their financial backing might be interesting? What do you say Todd Epp…the man of civil discourse. You seemed pretty jacked up about financial backing of bloggers not long ago. So how are we going to know if we don't even know their names? Or would the disclosure of these insiders be too embarrassing to the Democrats?

Also note that when asked, Jon Lauck was up front about his financial relationship with the Thune campaign way back in August 2004. And when Chad Schuldt is asked…no response.

When is comes to credibility Lauck and Van Beek are head and shoulders above the Delusional Dumped Daschle Disciples.

Todd Epp, isn’t it about time to go hmmmm.