Sibby Online

Tony Dean in the Argus Leader

As many of you know, I witnessed first hand how the Argus Leader promoted Tony Dean’s false premise that Tim Johnson was a strong defender of the Second Amendment. Today the Argus Leader is pushing the environmental extremist’s global warming propaganda and again they feature Tony Dean:

"No water, no ducks, no hunting," said Land Tawney of the National Wildlife Federation, by way of connecting the dots. The Montana-based conservation group released a report this week called "The Waterfowler's Guide to Global Warming."

The guide, and the issue of warming in general, poses a dilemma for conservationists of all political stripes: A coalition of hunters and environmentalists could prove a decisive voice on the issue, but the controversy surrounding it also could jeopardize their unity.

The fate of North American waterfowl and its habitat lately has served as common ground for hunters and environmentalists. In 2003, for example, duck hunters prodded the Bush administration to conserve more wetlands. And in April, about 5,000 hunters and conservationists came together on the Minnesota capitol mall for the Ducks, Wetlands and Clean Water rally.

Tony Dean is one prominent member of what might be called this green-orange coalition. The outdoor TV host from Pierre wrote the forward to the NWF report, taking a stand against some of his fellow Republicans' views on global warming.

"Carried to the worst potential scenario, it could surpass even agricultural drainage, and essentially end waterfowl hunting," he wrote.

"What we're trying to do here is create a middle ground between the Chicken Little crowd on the extreme left and the 'never react to something unless it hits you on the head' of the right," he said Friday. But he said he does not know how readily hunters will embrace the issue.

"Sportsmen are notoriously slow to react, and they really have to lose something before they tend to react."

But there are those who call global warming a myth:

The global-warming hypothesis, however, is no longer tenable. Scientists have been able to test it carefully, and it does not hold up. During the past 50 years, as atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have risen, scientists have made precise measurements of atmospheric temperature. These measurements have definitively shown that major atmospheric greenhouse warming of the atmosphere is not occurring and is unlikely ever to occur.

The temperature of the atmosphere fluctuates over a wide range, the result of solar activity and other influences. During the past 3,000 years, there have been five extended periods when it was distinctly warmer than today. One of the two coldest periods, known as the Little Ice Age, occurred 300 years ago. Atmospheric temperatures have been rising from that low for the past 300 years, but remain below the 3,000-year average.

Besides, what kind of gas mileage does Tony Dean get when hauling his boat to the fishing holes?

There are also books out regarding the myth.

Todd Epp’s credibility near zero

Todd Epp questions whether CAFTA was a big enough priority for President Bush, so that voting against it could not be considered evidence that John Thune is not a Bush loyalist to the point that Thune would sacrifice what is best for South Dakota.

Come on Epp, your fellow far-left extremists know how much of a priority the President put on CAFTA’s passage. For example here is the far-left of the far-left blogs Daily Kos, that Epp has used to support his anti-war position:

The Bush Administration is about to go on a big push in support of CAFTA, the Central American Free Trade Agreement.

And the AFL-CIO:

President Bush’s efforts to strong arm elected leaders into supporting yet another failed trade deal are reprehensible.

And the Sierra Club:

Statement by Carl Pope, Executive Director, Sierra Club

"In his Rose Garden speech today, President Bush offered up the same polluting trade and energy policies that he has been pushing since the beginning of his administration. Instead of moving America towards a cleaner and safer future, the Bush administration is again failing to offer us real solutions to create jobs, lower prices, and protect the health of our families and communities.

"We should not enter into trade agreements that put our communities at risk by limiting our government's authority to protect public health and the environment. CAFTA threatens the health of our families and communities by allowing foreign corporations the right to challenge environmental and public health protections in secret trade tribunals.

So when John Thune moves to the left and votes against a Bush administration priority, Todd Epp refuses to see that John Thune cares about the merits of the issue more than just being a Republican. Something happened to Todd Epp after the Daschle defeat. His motive of revenge has hampered his ability to provide reasoned analysis regarding John Thune. And it looks like he is getting worse and not better.

The Clear Cut Kidder

I just left the following comment at Chad Schuldt’s web site in response to comments being left there regarding the Dan Nelson bankruptcy:

"The decision to loan Nelson this amount of money was not a small one made by Meta. But it also needs to be made crystal clear that MetaBank did nothing wrong in making these loans."

Erin,

Alan Dershowitz" presumption of innocence should also apply to board members of the bank. The above quote is in Schuldt’s post. So if is "crystal clear that MetaBank did nothing wrong in making these loans", how could it’s board members be at fault? The [SIC] can’t. So why is John Thune being smeared? Because Schuldt is a former (?) paid Daschle staffer and is seeking revenge.

Schuldt has the right to delete this comment, but I have the right to post it on my web site where I have the same property rights that Schuldt has. That means I don’t have to allow anonymous chickens’ comments if I don’t want to.

Comment by Steve Sibson — July 2, 2005 @

2:15 pm

Note the 2:15 pm time. I left the comment just a few minutes ago at 9:15 am. A blogger who has enough technical ability to keep a post at the top of his web site while newer posts end up under it, should have enough ability to have the time of the comment posted correct. Just goes to show how little the truth matters to the Clear Cut Kidder.

The biggest impact of Thune’s victory

Today the biggest impact of John Thune’s victory over Tom Daschle comes to the forefront. Stopping the judicial tyranny that has been tearing away at the fabric of the Constitution can now take a step forward with the retirement of Sandra Day O-Connor. But we must not listen to what the far-left wants:

"She was a careful and thoughtful and highly respected member of the court, a wise judge who served the nation and the constitution well," Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., said. "I hope the president will select someone who meets the high standards that she set, and that can bring the nation together as she did."

And that also includes Todd Epp:

Now, let the nomination battle begin for her replacement. President Bush would do well to put someone just like her back on the high court.

No, we need someone who will stand up and defend the Constitutional principles of equal protection and due process when the issue of the unborn’s Constitutional right to life is at stake.

Now is the time to upgrade the Supreme Court. Now it is Tim Johnson who is on the hot seat. Will he side with the likes of Todd Epp and the far-left, or will he side with the conservative South Dakotan who want to decide on what abortion laws should be passed in the South Dakota legislature without the threat imposed by Planned Parenthood’s lawsuits.

The founders of freedom

As we begin our celebration of freedom, we should understand that there are those who do not appreciate what our Founding Fathers provided us…freedom. Here is what those in the far-left MSM think…that the Founding Fathers were no better than today’s terrorists:

In his newscast tonight, "NBC Nightly News" anchor Brian Williams compared America's first presidents to the president-elect of Iran, alleged hostage-taker Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, saying they were "certainly revolutionaries and might have been called terrorists by the British crown."

At least six of the Americans held at the U.S. embassy in Tehran as hostages for 444 days claim Ahmadinejad was one of the leaders of the captors, having recognized him on television reports.

Williams' comment came in a question to reporter Andrea Mitchell.

At the end of Mitchell's report, Williams asked, "What would it all matter if proven true? Someone brought up today the first several U.S. presidents were certainly revolutionaries and might have been called 'terrorists' by the British crown, after all."

The former students who carried out the seizure and held the Americans in Tehran said Ahmadinejad had no role in taking the embassy or guarding the hostages, but that he preferred to target the Soviet Embassy, the Associated Press reported.

"He was not part of us. He played no role in the seizure,'' Abbas Abdi, one of six leaders of the group, told AP.

Members of Ahmadinejad's office refused to look at the photos or comment on the allegations.

A look at the Daschle hate machine

Here is some insight on how the Daschle hate machine operates. On June 28, Chad Schuldt announced this:

Jer Bear and Thunewatch.com reporting a controversy involving John Thune is about to surface.

Developing……………………………………………………………………

Then on June 29^th Schuldt provided an update:

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.

Please keep checking our site, ThuneWatch.com, Don’t Worry About the Government, and superstar newcomer Politics in a Dangerous World …

… the story is still developing.

At 9:39PM on June 29^th Schuldt was the one who broke the conspiracy theory. But note that the day before, it was Schuldt reporting on what the other two guys were reporting in regards to the so-called controversy. I also noted another anonymous anti-Thune blogger provided details that would have taken many hours, on a June 30th early morning post (at 8:56 AM). Excerpt:

After hearing that Thune might somehow be involved, I decided to take a trip to the Registrar of Deeds’ Office. Lets look at what I found.

When Schuldt posted the info Wednesday night, the Registrar of Deed’s Office had to be closed. And by 8:56 the next morning, this anonymous chicken took a trip, obtained a bunch of documents, analyzed them, prepared a lengthy post, and all by 8:56AM. Wow!!

So it is obvious that Schuldt was working in concert with the other three bloggers and would have to know the identity of the two anonymous chickens. I still remember how much interest Schuldt took with the anonymous AVT blogger. Here is a Chad Schuldt quote from March:

"One thing I do know is there is a blog out there called Argus v. Thune that has been drawing a lot of attention to itself; despite the author of the site doing so anonymously. I say go ahead and post anonymously, but eventually if you are to have any credibility you are going to have to let everyone know who you are."

Come on Schuldt, tell us more about the two anonymous bloggers. What does using them as sources say about your credibility? What do they have to hide? How they earn their money? Are they worried about being called names by SDBWM? Are they just a bunch of thin-skinned chickens?

And Todd Epp…remember what you said about Charley House and AVT? Remember what you said about full disclosure? What is happening to your credibility?

And the conspiracy theory is all a lot to do about nothing. Per a comment left at Schuldt’s post:

just for clarification, the audit committee, while incredibly important, has nothing to do with loan decisions or even any operating details of the company. the audit committee, principally, selects the company’s auditor and is responsible for monitoring their work auditing the company.

so the fact that thune was on the audit committee doesn’t heighten the potential scandal at all. if he had been on the compensation committee (where he could have pressured the ceo/cfo/chief loan officer to extend credit to his friend by offering positive votes on bonuses), that would be something. if he was chairman of the board where he would likely have a more involved role with the company, that would also raise questions. but the audit committee is meaningless in this context.

Schuldt already knows this a little to do about nothing:

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

But that won’t stop Todd Epp from shopping this nothing story to his SD MSM friends. Just like he did with the fabricated Gannon/Thune connection.

But the SD MSM did little to no reporting on the conflict of interest regarding Tom Daschle and his wife’s lobbying. I have put back links to those Linda Daschle stories at my sidebar. How much of that stuff did you see reported in the Argus Leader or heard covered on KELO-TV?

Where is the Argus Leader?

I did not see this in today’s Argus Leader. But I did see it in the Mithcell Daily Republic. Of course this exposes another one of the Delusional Dumped Daschle Disciples whines as a lie:

South Dakota Republican Sen. John Thune opposed President Bush on another major administration priority Thursday when he voted against approval of the Central American Free Trade Agreement.

Instead John Thune voted in support of South Daktoa agriculture interests:

"Our people are lobbying him very intensely," Rick Hauffe, of the CAFTA-opposed South Dakota Farmers Union, said before the vote. "We are watching with fingers crossed."

Along with the Farmers Union, the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association also opposed the pact. That group sent out an e-mail alert Wednesday asking members to call Thune's office.

"It is up to us to make sure Thune votes NO on CAFTA!" the alert read. "Call Thune's office today or tomorrow (Friday will be too late) and tell him that you are a rancher, and that the U.S. cattle industry would suffer serious consequences if CAFTA were to be implemented."

Opponents say the agreement would set a dangerous precedent for larger trade pacts with South America, opening the border to increased imports of cattle, sugar and corn, among other crops.

"It would be a matter of a little time before they shove an agreement with South America down our throats and that would doom American agriculture," said Hauffe.

"There have been a lot of calls into the office," Thune said. "The intensity is with the groups that are opposed to it."

Democrats not popular

From Power Line:

We've often asked whether the Democrats are paying a political price for their obstructionism, or for the outrageous and hateful face they so often present to the voters. This poll, which we missed when it was reported on yesterday, suggests that it may be starting to happen:

A poll on the political mood in the United States conducted by the Democratic Party has alarmed the party at its own loss of popularity. Conducted by the party-affiliated Democracy Corps, the poll indicated 43 percent of voters favored the Republican Party, while 38 percent had positive feelings about Democrats.

"Republicans weakened in this poll ... but it shows Democrats weakening more," said Stanley Greenberg, who served as President Clinton's pollster.

It is noteworthy that this was a "likely voter" poll.

Hat tip: Michelle Malkin.

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.