My how time flies.

One year ago, I was licking my political wounds after a sound trouncing at the ballot box. Oh, the things I would do differently. And the same. A friend stopped me in the parking awhile back and asked me if I'd learned my lesson. I asked him what lesson that would be. He said from his experience in the state and national congresses, nobody really wants to cut taxes and spending but everybody says they want to. Everybody secretly wants theirs, their baillouts, their handouts, their freebies. And telling anybody you're going to take it away will not get you votes. I said that wasn't the lesson I had in mind but that's a good one. And I sort-of believe that, maybe 90%. For many, its not about grabbing someone else's tax dollar for themselves but for all the worthwhile causes they believe in; their mental health organization or their youth mentoring organization or their library support organization or their city betterment group or their save the homeless program or, or, or,,, the list goes on ad infinitem. I continue to believe that we're basically good, deep inside, although one has to look pretty deep for some, a kernal is there. At least that's the hope. But I also believe that we don't learn from our mistakes or the mistakes of others, until its too late. We don't save for a rainy day, we have too many credit cards, we don't pay attention to elected official activities and we don't know enough about the way the world works. Perhaps the God who protects motherless puppies and little birds will continue to look out for us but I don't think He will continue to support our legislated theft of present and future tax payers for too much longer. Too many of us have figured out how to crack the state and federal piggy bank for our own purposes and once the greed genie is out of the bottle, it will be very tough to stuff him back in. Too many public employee and teacher unions are demanding more cushy raises and benefits while too many of us wander around looking for work and watching our tax bill rise.
And too many of us are still voting for someone because we heard or saw his or her name six or seven times on a news broadcast but don't know diddly-squat about how he or she will pull us back from this economic abyss. All we want to know is will he or she give me mine.
For now, let us think good thoughts, love our neighbors, prepare for precinct caucuses next month and cross our fingers that someone, somewhere develops the whit of common sense they were born with and somehow we all catch the same wonderful condition. We're in for a bumpy ride without it.

A Spending Problem

Most who testified at last Friday’s state legislative listening session in Brainerd urged lawmakers to spend more or at least the same amount of your future tax money. And every single project, service and support system was important, valid and justified. More money for district courts; yes! Money for a vet’s nursing home; of course! More money for education; absolutely! Support for those who find it tough to fend for themselves; definitely! We’ve never had a problem finding ways to spend more tax dollars.

Minnesota has had at least three financial meltdowns in the last ten years; doom and gloom events that include days, weeks and months of legislative ranting, raving, and hair-pulling histrionics mostly to prove how much elected officials care. What absolute nonsense! If you have $100 until the rest of the month and you’ve already spent $98, or $110, its time to tighten the belt, not look around for handouts. The next financial meltdown – yes, there will be more – will make this one a walk in the park.

Last week’s session was more about preparing for re-election than balancing a budget or building a stronger, more prosperous, more exceptional Minnesota. Watch your mailboxes and newspapers for calm, reasoned, researched pleas for more of your tax money, suggesting Minnesotans aren’t taxed enough! Last year’s increases weren’t enough! We need more!

Perhaps there should be an organization called Big-Spenders Anonymous. We could have meetings, serve lots of coffee and tell other members how we’ve stopped spending beyond our means. Other members would applaud and congratulate us for our vision and self-control.

Too many of our elected officials have a problem saying no. Or finding other ways to solve problems. We don’t have a state budget problem. We have a spending problem. And going on another binge won’t help.

Returning to Normal Life

Wow! What happened! The last I remember, Obama had won Ohio and I said it would be a good night to pop in a video. And then there was a blur of time and now Christmas is three days away. Whoah.
I was sick for awhile and tired out for awhile and looking for work and feeling kind of dazed and confused. At one point, my wife and I went to St. Paul for a wrap-up banquet and there were big smiles on some faces and sober looks on others. And everybody said thank you and good luck and see you next time and then we drove back to Baxter. Surreal at the least. And now what?
Running for office was a worthwhile and educational experience and something everyone should do at least once. I feel like I've gained the kind of knowledge that can't be picked up in a library or a short course. At other times, I'm not sure what I've learned. Life has changed. I envy the candidate who had to run on lunch breaks and after work and then had that structure to slip back into after election night. And I keep wondering what comes next.
I'm in a play. My health is back. I'm working out at the YMCA again. Carol continues to be a trooper and the rock on which my life rests, if only I would relax and allow it. C stands for Control as well as Christmas which is around the corner.
Merry Christmas everyone. And have a Happy New Year.

I guess the paper hasn't been paying attention.

This morning's Dispatch Opinion tells us about the 'Bad News' coming and then tell us the candidates for the Legislature aren't talking about the state budget shortfall. At the bottom, Dispatch editorialists say the "topic isn't one our candidates are featuring in their literature". I suppose that's true if they're only watching the incumbent's material. All of mine includes the words Lower Taxes and Less Government and that's posted prominently on all the buttons, doorknocking cards, buttons, billboards and the web site.

What does Lower Taxes and Less Government mean to these people?

One more Norm visit!

US Senator Norm Coleman will be in Brainerd one more time early on election day, November 4th. He'll be doing a 48-hour marathon of cities in the final two days of this election cycle. Wow! 1:30am at Perkins on Washington. Your choice; the finish to a fun night or the beginning of an exciting day. No other invitation is necessary. See you there.

Three days left!

And a sprint to the finish line!

What a fantastic journey this has been! And fairly clean! My opponent has planted a few words in my mouth and some weird and totally untrue rumors have found their way back to me, but other than that, an absolute dearth of negative campaigning. As far as I know. We talked about it last spring, this seeming need for those running for public office to dish the dirt. I was told that the dividing line between above-board campaign challenges had to be based on the opponent's record and that's what I've tried to concentrate on. I know both of us have spent most of our time on portraying ourselves as the better choice, as opposed to how bad the other guy's character seems to be. That seems like a good first step away from the gutter politics all of us are tired of.

Don't forget to vote on Tuesday. The only poll that counts is the one that's taken on November 4th.

Gloom and Doom?

Looks bad, doesn't it? Just about every story you hear or read says the economy is in the dumper and we're headed for lots of change in the White House. I even heard about a Dems landslide and a repeat of 2006.

Don't believe it. I've spent 30 years in media and never, never I say, have polls predicted Republicans to win by lopsided numbers. Conservative media is a very recent phenomenon but even in the days of a complete liberal media monopoly, Republicans have won the overwhelming majority of Presidential races in the recent past. Few if any were predicted.

I knocked on doors in District 12A today. The people I talked to were positive, friendly, upbeat and conservative. The battle on the ground won't be over for another two weeks. Take heart. Be strong. We will prevail. Even the economy will turn around someday, perhaps sooner than we think.