From Catharsis to Traction
February 28, 2010 at 7:01 am | Posted in Political | 2 CommentsTags: convention, gop, katherine dettman, mngop, norann dillon, republican, sarah anderson, sd43, state house, state senate, tom emmer
by Walter Scott Hudson
Yesterday was “Super Saturday” in Minnesota. 44 GOP endorsing conventions took place. Precinct delegates selected their candidates for the 2010 state legislative races.
At Wayzata Central Middle School, a theme emerged from candidate remarks in Senate District 43. Gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer spoke of an “emotional wave” which is raising from the electorate to sweep aside out of control government. State Senate candidate Norann Dillon passionately encouraged delegates to transmute their enthusiasm into action on behalf of campaigns. State House candidate Kathrine Dettman engendered the civic duty to move beyond discontent to corrective action. Representative Sarah Anderson relayed an account of the current legislative session and the enthusiasm of Democrats to continue spending beyond the state’s means. Anderson stressed the necessity to wrest control of the gavels in St. Paul before meaningful reform can take place.
Tea Party Needs New Morality, Claims Objectivist
February 25, 2010 at 9:18 am | Posted in Political, Religous, Society and Culture | 20 CommentsTags: ayn rand, morality, objectivism, tea party
by Walter Scott Hudson, contributing to the New Patriot Journal
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – The Tea Party must embrace egoism and reject the “false morality” of Judeo-Christian altruism if it hopes to effectively advocate for a capitalistic society, says a leading advocate of objectivist philosophy. Craig Biddle, editor of The Objective Standard and author of “Loving Life: The Morality of Self-Interest and the Facts that Support It,” spoke Tuesday at an event hosted by the University of Minnesota’s Ayn Rand Study Group. His presentation was entitled “Capitalism: The Only Moral Social System,” and covered the fundamentals of objectivist philosophy applied to politics.
During a question and answer session, Biddle was asked about the Tea Party movement and how it might effectively advocate for capitalism. The answer delved into territory Biddle described as controversial. Biddle stated the Tea Party movement had reignited interest in Rand, citing increased sales of her book Atlas Shrugged. Biddle claimed the novel is commonly misread. “It is not fundamentally a political novel,” he told those assembled. “It is fundamentally a philosophical novel challenging Judeo-Christian ethics by advocating a morality of selfishness, and showing that morality [to be] what freedom depends on.”
Continue Reading Tea Party Needs New Morality, Claims Objectivist…
Beck Misread By Colleagues
February 24, 2010 at 7:21 am | Posted in Political | 3 Commentsby Walter Scott Hudson, contributing to the New Patriot Journal
Glenn Beck delivered the keynote address at CPAC Saturday, receiving roughly a dozen standing ovations as he utilized his trademark chalkboard to present what he called the progressive “cancer… eating our Constitution.” Beck did not constrain his criticism to the Obama administration or the Democratic party. He called out Republicans as well:
I’m so sick of hearing people say, oh, well the Republicans are going to solve it all. Really? [They are] just progressive-lite. That’s like somebody sticking a screwdriver in your eye and [you] saying, “Stop! Stop!” And somebody else pulls it out and then puts a pin in your eye. I don’t want stuff in my eyes! Stop stabbing in the eyes!
“Brown’s Betrayal” Highlights Principle Battle
February 23, 2010 at 4:48 pm | Posted in Political | 12 Commentsby Walter Scott Hudson
This writer first became aware of Scott Brown crossing party lines to vote for Obama’s “jobs” bill when invited to join a Facebook group called “STOP Scott Brown!” The consensus of comments on the page concluded Brown had betrayed his declared principles by voting for what is widely regarded as another stimulus bill.
AllahPundit of HotAir offers an alternative perspective:
Well, look. Obviously he needs to signal the left-leaning indies back home who voted for him that he’ll break their way sometimes. Even armed with a huge war chest for 2012, he ain’t getting reelected as a party-line Republican.
Continue Reading “Brown’s Betrayal” Highlights Principle Battle…
Spending Tomorrow’s Cash Today
February 22, 2010 at 7:01 am | Posted in Podcast | Leave a commentWhile many rightfully criticize the federal government for reckless spending, state and local governments can be just as irresponsible. As an example, consider Minnesota’s current legislative battle over a bonding bill which will increase debt by $1.2 billion for, among other things, zoo upgrades and walking trails.
Also, US Representative Ron Paul wins the CPAC presidential straw poll. What may this indicate regarding the state of federal politics?
How Legislative Sausage Is Made
February 21, 2010 at 9:22 am | Posted in Political | 3 CommentsA glance inside the St. Paul “sausage factory” came from two disparate sources this weekend. The first was State Senator Terri Bonoff (DFL - Minnetonka) responding to criticism from a constituent (this writer) regarding her vote on the 2010 bonding bill.
In the week since the initial correspondence, the Minnesota House has passed its own version of the bill. Unless vetoed, the consensus emerging from bicameral conference will increase Minnesota’s debt by over $1 billion. Bonoff paints a picture of a legislature unwilling to deliberate and quick to spend.
Bonoff’s assessment is generally echoed by State Senator David Hann (GOP – Eden Prairie) , who wrote the following to constituents in an e-mail newsletter:
While the plan contains some vital projects and would create jobs, many lawmakers are decrying the majority’s tactics of picking winners and losers, pushing through the bill with little committee consideration, and refusing common-sense amendments, including one request for a report on jobs actually created by the spending.
Bonoff Responds to Bonding Bill Criticism
February 21, 2010 at 12:42 am | Posted in Political | 2 CommentsLast week, I wrote State Senator Terri Bonoff and State Representative John Benson to expresses my displeasure regarding the 2010 bonding bill making its way through the state legislature. I received the following response from Bonoff on Saturday.
Walter,
Thank you for your email. Welcome to Senate District 43 and congratulations on the birth of your child!
This is tough. I share your concern for fiscal discipline. I think the rhetoric around the bonding bill reminds us of the deficit spending happening in Washington. I am doing my best to separate these two issues.
Minneapolis Plays Politics With Core Services
February 18, 2010 at 6:30 am | Posted in Political | 2 Commentsby Walter Scott Hudson
Employees of the City of Minneapolis were advised Tuesday of the “extremely damaging” effect Governor Tim Pawlenty’s proposal to solve a $1.2-billion budget deficit could have on “core services.” Pawlenty’s plan would “take another $29 million out of Minneapolis’ 2010 budget,” an e-mail from Mayor R.T. Rybak and City Council President Barbara Johnson stated. On top of $21 million in previous aid cuts, the governor’s proposal would “represent a 56% cut in the Local Government Aid that Minneapolis was supposed to receive from the State in 2010.”
The text of the e-mail seems intent to incite the passions of city employees, and direct those passions toward St. Paul. This came as members of the public employee union AFSCME, a member organization of the AFL-CIO, gathered at the capitol to rally for a budget which “promotes job growth and preserves funds for local governments and state welfare programs.” Pressure is on state legislators to reject the governor’s proposal and keep cities and counties on the dole.
Earlier this month, Minnesota gubernatorial candidates gathered at the first bipartisan debate of the season. Local government aid was the subject of a heated exchange between Rybak and GOP rival Tom Emmer. (Note: this writer has served as a volunteer for Emmer for Governor.) Emmer cited the City of Minneapolis, and thus Rybak, as an example of government setting skewed priorities. The city laid off police officers while giving itself a raise, Emmer said. Rybak blamed Emmer and the state legislature for cutting local government aid and endangering essential services.
Continue Reading Minneapolis Plays Politics With Core Services…
Minneapolis Warns Employees of Possible Cuts
February 18, 2010 at 4:56 am | Posted in Uncategorized | 1 CommentThe following is the text of an e-mail sent out to employees of the City of Minneapolis by Mayor R.T. Rybak and City Council President Barbara Johnson on Tuesday, February 16, 2010:
To all City of Minneapolis Employees,
As you have probably heard, yesterday Governor Tim Pawlenty released his proposal to close a $1.2-billion deficit in the state’s budget. His proposal includes about $250 million in cuts to communities throughout the state.
Governor Pawlenty’s proposal would take another $29 million out of Minneapolis’ 2010 budget. As you may recall, last year Governor Pawlenty already cut funding to Minneapolis’ 2010 budget by $21 million, but the $29-million cut that he proposed yesterday comes on top of that. Combined, those $50 million in cuts represent a 56% cut in the Local Government Aid that Minneapolis was supposed to receive from the State in 2010.
Continue Reading Minneapolis Warns Employees of Possible Cuts…
The Policing of Class
February 17, 2010 at 6:12 am | Posted in Society and Culture | 4 CommentsFolks don’t like nobody being too proud or too free.
So observes Celie, a character played by Whoopi Goldberg in her 1985 film debut, The Color Purple. The film is two hours of blacks holding other blacks down, with whites playing a supporting role. It demonstrates the curious phenomenon of lower classes policing their members to assure they remain lower class. This is done alternately by “taking them down a peg or two” with physical abuse or, more commonly, verbal berating. “Who do they think they are?” is a common refrain.
This is a real life phenomenon which is not confined to blacks, but common to virtually any social class. It is with ample irony, in this land of the free and home of the brave, where liberty and justice are ostensibly for all, that many who attempt to break from the shackles of social expectation are derided by their peers as sell outs. Such blacks are commonly labelled “Uncle Toms” or “house negros.”
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