Badlands Blue - Recent Comments

Thanks for the report.

Lowell — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 17:12:38 GMT

If you liked Steve Jarding at the SD Democratic convention, here's some more...

Uh, huh.

Lowell — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:17:06 GMT

Our foreign aid budget is miniscule, one of the smallest relative to the overall budget (or to GDP) of any industrialized nation. Also, even if we cut our entire foreign aid budget, it wouldn't make a dent in the budget deficit. Here's the Bush Administration on the foreign aid budget:

Fiscal Year 2008 Foreign Assistance Budget Request: Investing in Global Stability and Prosperity
A basic premise of the President's FY08 Foreign Operations Budget is that the security of the American people depends on global stability and prosperity. Built under the umbrella of the Director for U.S. Foreign Assistance, this budget makes efficient, effective and strategic use of the American taxpayers' money toward that end. It is:
Integrated-built collaboratively across the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development, taking into account anticipated disbursements from the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
Focused on maximizing country progress-aimed at addressing specific, critical gaps to help countries move from a relationship defined by dependence to one defined by partnership.
Focused on states crucial to long-term stability and prosperity-those farthest from and those showing the most promise for full integration into the international system.
Focused on levers for progress-seeks to eliminate barriers to country progress by investing in interventions most essential to helping countries advance.
Highlights include:
* Africa-with this year's requested 54% increase, aid to Africa will have nearly quadrupled under this Administration, from $1.1 billion to $4.4 billion, focused on addressing the crippling effects of disease and poverty.
* Near East-a 6% increase for vital investments in winning the Global War on Terror and empowering the people of this key region.
* Western Hemisphere-with this request, aid to the region has doubled under this Administration, from $862 million to $1.6 billion, and is focused on continued economic growth and strengthening democratic institutions.
* Peace and Security-$6.88 billion for counterterrorism and counter-narcotics activities and programs to secure necessary conditions for further political, economic, and social progress.
* Governing Justly and Democratically-$1.45 billion to promote effective, accountable, democratic governance, a vital foundation for sustainable progress.
* Investing in People-$6.95 billionto support human capacity development and address poverty and disease, including, $4.5 billion to meet the treatment and prevention goals of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, $388 million for the President's Malaria Initiative, and $535 million to support equitable access and improved quality of basic education around the world-the largest request ever by this Administration.
* Economic Growth-$2.37 billionto support economic progress and poverty reduction as critical underpinnings of sustainable development.
* Humanitarian Assistance-$2.12 billion to maintain the United States' long-standing commitment to alleviate human suffering and respond to destabilizing humanitarian disasters.

Yeah, but

GOP Lurker — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 20:49:06 GMT

...we write more blank checks to more nations (plus the bogus UN) and give billions for AIDS in Africa (when we could be spending it here)...That's just the tip of the iceberg. We could do a lot with the famous federal deficit if we would quit with foreign aid to places that hate us anyway.

Barack Obama statement on job loss numbers

Lowell — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:07:18 GMT

As we head into the 4th of July weekend, today's report that our economy has lost another 62,000 jobs is a stark reminder that far too many Americans will spend this holiday out of work and struggling to provide for their families because of the failed policies of the last eight years.
Our economy has now shed 438,000 jobs over the past six months, while workers' wages fail to keep pace with the skyrocketing cost of gas, groceries and healthcare. The American people are paying the price for the failed economic policies of the past eight years, and we can't afford four more years of more of the same. That is the essential issue of this campaign because Senator McCain has fully embraced the Bush economic agenda. I believe it has to change.
But, as these numbers demonstrate, the American people can't wait another six months. We need action now.
That's why I'm calling on Congress and the President to enact real, immediate relief with energy rebates for working families this summer, a fund to help families avoid foreclosure, extended benefits for the long-term jobless, and assistance to states that have been hard-hit by the economic downturn.
As President, I'll move us in a new direction with policies to restore broad-based, bottom up growth that benefits all Americans. I will provide working families with a middle-class tax cut; fight for affordable health care and college tuition; work to help raise workers' wages, and invest in infrastructure, education and a clean energy future to create millions of new jobs. That's the change the American people need.

You go Kim!!!

rradical — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:36:28 GMT

Kim, consider yourself a Badlands Blue favorite!!

Everyone else, just so you know, you can VERY easily support Kim online here:
http://www.actblue.com/entity/...

Kim, send them your picture to info@actblue.com!

They truly are ridiculous straw men

Lowell — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:09:31 GMT

Drilling in ANWR or off the east and west coasts won't do more than put a tiny dent - 10 or 15 years from now, at that! - in our oil addiction. The bottom line that every energy expert knows is this: the United States is a mature oil province where production's been declining for decades for geological and economic reasons. Our only serious hope of getting off our "oil addiction" is by slashing our oil consumption. Period. End of story.

Drilling

TransplantedTexan — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:33:04 GMT

The offshore and ANWAR drilling issues are some absurd Republican straw men. It is pretty clear that drilling in either place won't lower gas prices, especially not in the next five years. Telling people there is a simple answer to a complex problem isn't leadership.

If you're going to call all Democrats "libs"

Lowell — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:45:32 GMT

can we call you guys "cons?"

But seriously, if you really think that Jim Webb and lots of other Democrats only started caring about the troops when it "became politically expedient" (when was that, exactly? I just thought it was the right thing to do), then you probably think George W. Bush is a great president. ;)

Hmmmm

GOP Lurker — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:55:57 GMT

Libs only started "caring" about this issue when it became politically expedient.

That said, both Webb and McCain have good points on this. I don't know what the answer is.

Except that libs are being disingenuous.

Couldn't agree more...

rradical — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:20:49 GMT

it was a great convention. From the collegial way differences were handled in committee and on the floor, there was a deep recognition that we must work together. But it wasn't mealy-mouthed, when people felt strongly we definitely hammered out the issue instead of "going along." For example, a platform plank tried to be even more inclusive on health decisions deferring to the individual and their health care provider. Someone tried to put "generally" in there and those that strongly believe government is reaching too far argued against it passionately, while still giving respect and a hearing to those that wanted to insert that change.

Ask Sam Kephardt how that kind of dissent gets recieved on the other side of the aisle.

Even in the post-convention meeting to select national delegates, which by its nature can be a pretty brutal process, those that were not selected (including me) are being pretty philosophical in the face of a quite (gasp) political process.

We're having a local meeting next Sunday to discuss the convention and how to do it better... it should be a great discussion...

Kinda...

rradical — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 23:06:35 GMT

except the poverty and jobless numbers have risen since then.

Passion from Jarding

Lowell — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 11:25:58 GMT

You mean like this?

More...

Lowell — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 19:49:53 GMT

I'd still have some cake first

Lowell — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 09:47:34 GMT

Mmmmmmmmmm....cake. :)

Stan ordered her out...

rradical — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 05:25:04 GMT

and I'd do it too, in his shoes.

There is serious conjecture that Elli is in the race as an Independent for one reason and one reason only: to prevent Stan from regaining his SD State Senate seat.

This is serious stuff in District 32 because we are taking nothing, that is NOTHING for granted.

Also, I'll be happy when we get beyond cake and cookies, and grudge-match political drama, and start talking about the utter failure of the Governor and Legislature to fund education or ease the health care crisis in South Dakota.

I happen to think Adelstein would lose that race to Tom Katus (our incumbent D) even if he did give $165,000 to the Rapid City Schools this year to keep elementary music alive.

(Hey, BTW, thanks, Stan... but your kind and generous gesture will not erase the fact that you were in the Legislature... and were a very influential state Senator there ... while the state gradually cut its share of support of schools... even while we were 51st in the nation back then!)