[Vision2020] Imagine That, Butch - Politics Is a Rough 'Sport'

Fri Mar 5 23:59:07 PST 2010

Hi Roger,

With respect to Tea Baggers, you wrote:
"They may support a third alternative only if nether of the main parties have a candidate that is for limited government, individual rights and sticks to the Constitution."

I wish that were true.  Unfortunately, the initial Tea Bagger movement has been co-opted, and a great many of the tea baggers I've spoken with -- including those who attended the "rally" in Asotin County -- are simply wingnuts who believe all kinds of crazy conspiracy theories with palpable racist overtones and absolutely no understanding of what the Constitution *really* says.  It's quite sad, actually  :-(

I got a call from the DNC recently trying to raise money for our state DINO Walt Minnick, and they got an earful from me  :-)  I probably most identify with the libertarian notion, but in Idaho, that doesn't mean anything at all with respect to parties, and certainly not the GOP.  In Idaho, we can't blame the pathetic state of affairs -- including HCR 44 & SB 1353 as well as the gutting of education-- on any party BUT the GOP.

So, how do you, Roger, reconcile your continued support?

Saundra Lund
Moscow, ID

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.
~ Edmund Burke

***** Original material contained herein is Copyright 2010 through life plus 70 years, Saundra Lund.  Do not copy, forward, excerpt, or reproduce outside the Vision 2020 forum without the express written permission of the author.*****

-----Original Message-----
From: lfalen [mailto:lfalen at turbonet.com] 
Sent: Friday, March 05, 2010 10:38 AM
To: Ted Moffett; Saundra Lund
Cc: vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Imagine That, Butch - Politics Is a Rough 'Sport'

Don't count on the Tea Party supporting a third party. they will support individual candidates regardless of which party they belong to. They may support a third alternative only if nether of the main parties have a candidate that is for limited government, individual rights and sticks to the Constitution.
Roger
-----Original message-----
From: Ted Moffett starbliss at gmail.com
Date: Thu, 04 Mar 2010 23:45:36 -0800
To: Saundra Lund v2020 at ssl.fastmail.fm
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Imagine That, Butch - Politics Is a Rough 'Sport'

> Otter will likely be re-elected.  Current political Madison Avenue
> advertising/propaganda trends indicate Democrats are successfully being
> blamed for the economic problems the US faces, which of course are to a
> great extent the result of past public and private sector decisions, not
> current Democratic economic policy.  And if the US economy does not
> substantially lower the unemployment rate by 2012, Obama may find he will
> serve only one term, assuming he will run again, regardless of whether the
> economic problems are due to his failures or not.  Of course, the Tea Party
> independents may split the Republican vote, if they succeed in promoting a
> third candidate, so Obama may still have a chance, even if the economy does
> not rebound by 2012.  But Otter can attract both Tea Party independents and
> more traditional Republicans... In a political cultural landscape where
> Sarah Palin receives a huge amount of media attention as a potential
> political candidate, we can assume that rational decision making in the body
> politic is in serious jeopardy.  I suppose this has always been the case...
> -----------------------------------------
> Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett
> 
> 
> On 3/4/10, Saundra Lund <v2020 at ssl.fastmail.fm> wrote:
> >
> > Ken wrote:
> > "Otter may find he will share with Governor Samuelson another
> > characteristic
> > -- serving only one term in office."
> >
> > >From your fingertips to the will of the voters  :-)
> >
> >
> > Saundra Lund
> > Moscow, ID
> >
> > The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do
> > nothing.
> > ~ Edmund Burke
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]
> > On Behalf Of Kenneth Marcy
> > Sent: Thursday, March 04, 2010 8:38 AM
> > To: vision2020 at moscow.com
> > Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Imagine That, Butch - Politics Is a Rough 'Sport'
> >
> > On Tuesday 02 March 2010 06:06:14 Tom Hansen relayed to V2020:
> >
> > > Imagine that, Butch - politics is a rough 'sport'
> > > Sandra Kelly, for the [MPDN] editorial board [2 March 2010]
> > >
> > > Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter isn't having fun in Boise. He's been
> > > bombarded by newspapers throughout the state for some of his
> > > budgetary decisions, and it's been hard on him.
> > <[snip]>
> > > Otter has said repeatedly that he won't raise taxes. That's a great
> > > sound bite, and almost a sure-fire way to get re-elected, but it
> > > may not be in the best interest of Idaho.
> > >
> > > No one wants to pay more taxes, but it's certainly something that
> > > should be looked at. It's not popular, and the Legislature will
> > > take some heat for it, but at least looking into it is the right
> > > thing to do.
> > <[snip]>
> >
> > It used to be said that it took a hard-line anti-Communist Republican
> > such as Richard Nixon to open foreign relations with Communist Red
> > China. Analogously, it was said that it took a tax-and-spend liberal
> > Democrat such as Bill Clinton to reform the welfare system. Both of
> > these Presidents enjoyed some relative success for these efforts.
> >
> > Butch Otter does not, thus far, at least, seem to have an analogous
> > combination of domestic acuity and political maneuverability to
> > recognize the extant condition of his constituency and to act with
> > appropriate governance in the better interests of the electorate.
> >
> > To date Otter's insistent resistance even to considering reasonable
> > measures to steer Idaho's budget boat toward some semblance of the
> > status quo, rather than meekly and weakly allowing the craft to be
> > washed down the economic stream, rudderless, controlled by the
> > vagaries of the current rather than experienced helmsmanship, does
> > not suggest any historical greatness for his governorship.
> >
> > One is reminded, instead, of an earlier Idaho governor who had
> > difficulty expressing leadership vision -- Donald Samuelson. Governor
> > Otter may find he will share with Governor Samuelson another
> > characteristic -- serving only one term in office.
> >
> >
> > Ken
> >
> > =======================================================
> > List services made available by First Step Internet,
> > serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
> >               http://www.fsr.net
> >          mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
> > =======================================================
> >
> > =======================================================
> > List services made available by First Step Internet,
> > serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
> >               http://www.fsr.net
> >          mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
> > =======================================================
> >
> 
> 