Bill Moyers had a program on last night with two voter rights activists. The Supreme Courts unprecedented (well in recent years anyway) attack on voter rights and the ALEC influenced legislators push for strict voter ID laws are a recent onslaught against the last affordable right to withstand the excesses in advertising consequent to Citizens v. United money is speech decision.
One of the points made by the voter rights advocates was that everybody is equal when it comes to the right to vote. And, this should remain an inviolable right as it is one of the very few tools left for the unrich and the minorities and the women to make their voice known with equal power. Even if you don't have the Koch brother's money, you can vote and your vote in that election will be worth as much as any other vote.
The attacks on free voting through the tactic of requiring stringent ID requirements were driven by the Republican thugs who if they can't win a fair election try to design election requirements to make it harder or impossible for their opponents to vote. They look at voting demographics and try to make it harder for the poor, the female, the young, and the otherwise disadvantaged to use their right to vote. Their voter ID requirements have little to do with concern for honest elections and instead have everything to do with maintaining control over power and the economy...and you.
Think about that and realize that the harder they make it for you to vote, the much more important it is that you stay informed and keep exercising your right to vote. Those trying to prevent your voting are giving tacit admission of how important it really is for you to vote. I have little patience with those who whine they can't get to a voting place, or it is just too inconvenient, or it doesn't matter anyway. If you vote no matter what are the roadblocks, you send a message loud and clear to both your friends and enemies that you and your perspectives are worth considering. Sit on your ass and bitch at the TV screen or the internet and you will get no respect and no consideration from the political system.
Know your friends and enemies in the political system and get out and vote.
***Stay tuned for more pictures and more damn politics--- Doug Wiken
A few days ago, the sunset had some very beautiful colors. A blue green, perhaps azure for all I know, florescent oranges and reds. I got my camera and walked to get a clear view. By then the colors had changed. The photos below may give an idea of the rapid color changes that evening. The photos were taken over a relatively short period of time.
I used the above image above as the "wallpaper" image on my laptop
I did not notice the power lines until a got the image on a computer screen, but they were part of the scene.
I will try to get a few photos of the flowers that are still around Winner because we have not yet had a really tough freeze. Some people put a LOT of work into making their yards into a floral wonderland...well sort of anyway.
*** Stay tuned--All the news is not political..imagine that--- Doug Wiken
The Rapid City Journal had a story in the Sunday October 19, 2014 issue. It was followed a front-page headline, "Firm develops Ebola treatment". You can read the story online (don't know for how long however). Click on RC JOURNAL ImmutriX Therapeutics.
If you read the link I posted here a few days ago, you are already aware that the way Ebola kills has recently been determined. The products from Ebola virus cause human resistance system to go into wild reaction. This is mentioned in the RC Journal story too. Here is the link again on how your immune system and Ebola can destroy your body. The Rapid City firm thinks it may have developed a blood filter which can aid victims of Ebola by removing the destructive blood contaminants resulting from systemic inflamation response syndrome.
The Rapid City Journal story is based on information from Jeff Barnes, VP of development for ImmutriX. and Immutrix founder, president, and CEO Carol A. Rae. They say the firm has spent years researching ways to remove pro-infamatory mediators from blood. This research was not done because of stimulus from Ebola, but other diseases that also cause a flood of enzymes and proteins that overwhelm the body and its organs.
Rae says the company has patents, but their blood cleansing system has not yet been tested in humans. It has however already worked in animals. The company has submitted its technology to The Grand Ebola Challenge and is hoping for cooperation from other government agencies. This may be a gift the company can give to victims of Ebola, but others will have to administer it and provide the training and hardware.
I hope this isn't literally a (blood) pipe dream and the company is on to something. This may be good for South Dakota and the world for that matter. I haven't yet found links to the company however. Immutrix did get a grant from Proof of Concept. This link appears to be from Immutrix--- More Scientific Explanation--Immutrix Absorbents in Ebola Treatment.
***Stay tuned...I may find more on this in the following days-- Doug Wiken
Robin Page is running as a Democrat in Pennington County House District 33 in Rapid City. It is a gerrymandered district designed to make getting elected really tough for a Native American like Robin (or any other Democrat) . Robin however is working hard and using social media, good signs, taking time to talk to local media, etc. She warrants support. You can check her Facebook page. She can communicate. Too many of us have contributed money to other candidates who never got off their butts and worked. Robin is working. Help her buy more signs, help her get out the vote.
[[[ Note of October 26, 2014: Robin Page commented and left her address in the comment. It is--- Robin Page for SD Senate, 835 LeBlanc Drive, Rapid City, SD 57701 ----.]]]
I watched the KELO-TV US Representative "debate" this evening. Corrina Robinson showed some spark and a bit of piss and vinegar that has seemed to be missing in some of her other appearances. I am not a bit unbiased, but I think Corrina demonstrated superior intellect and knowledge of management, military, economics and other issues. Anyway, my rough summary follows. I missed a few early minutes of it.
Like a lot of nonsense talking points from other Republicans, Noem compared government spending to that of an irresponsible teenager with a credit card. Of course, the comparison is absurd. Teenagers cannot mint money. Teenagers cannot levy taxes, etc. etc. Income is from other sources. The comparison is irrelevant and misleading.
Corrina hammered Noem on the $millions of subsidies she and family have received which of course does not fit well with Noem wanting big government slashed for nearly everybody else not quite as fortunate as she.
Noem spend some time about the terrible budget deficits, federal debt etc. Within seconds or a minute or two, she was advocating increasing funding for the military, increasing spending for veteran's care, etc. Noem also wants more military spending specifically to fight ISIS or ISL? / But while Congress should not meddle in military strategy, she conditions her support of more spending with desire to review Obama proposals. Noem in another standard GOP empty talking point is terribly concerned about Obama saying what he won't do and telegraphing what he will or won't do. I am sure that can be a mistake, but after the Bush administration, I think nearly every rational voter wants to know the limit of US military adventures.
Corrina Robinson noted that the Bush wars never budgeted for the consequent care needed for miltary veterans and their families. Noem hammered on lives lost in Phoenix. I am not sure but I think that number actually ended up being very close to zero.
On Affordable Care Act, Robinson said that it was nonsense to have any more votes to abolish it. It is the law of the land. South Dakota is silly and irresponsible for not accepting federal funds to add about 62, 000 more South Dakotans to Medicare coverage.
Noem said she have voted against ACA (actually over 34 times). She claimed it hasn't lowered costs.. which I think is an outright lie. Noem thinks some kind of risk pool like SD had would be good. All that would do would be to make insurance again unaffordable for those with pre-existing conditions. Noem finally admitted that ACA would not likely be repealed while Obama is President.
Corrina Robinson said she supported ACA, but there was always room for improvement in government programs of any kind. Noem said cost of living should be more realistically adjusted for SS benefits. The recent 1.2 % increase or coming increase just isn't enough. Corrina said the cap on income subject to SS tax should be increased to $200,000. Noem of course opposes that and says the solution is to get more people working and paying the tax. I don't think the GOP support of programs that would add jobs has been sterling and I am sure Noem has not disagreed with GOP opposition.
On school shootings and gun control, the both more or less waffled as might be expected in South Dakota. Noem wants more funding for mental health care. That sounds like a good idea, but my guess is that most Republicans in federal and state legislatures have all opposed increasing such funding and research.
Noem is not a friend of any kind of minimum wage. Corrina Robinson said she had helped circulate petitions for an increase. Noem claimed a minimum wage increase would cost something like 40,000 jobs (I missed the exact number she claimed). That claim is called humbug by most economists who instead claim it would increase sales and jobs.
On Keystone XL, Noem favors it making the absurd claims for jobs and economic benefit and indepence from Mideast saying it is better to buy oil from allies like Canada. Of course she neglects mentioning all that tar sands oil is headed for China and the pipeline threatens water resources all along it. Noem mentioned the $9 million claimed for property tax increases. Compare that with the costs of the North Dakota cleanup and the nearly million gallon spill costs and damage that would do to the potable water supply in South Dakota.
Noem conclude with attack on national debt as a threat to our grandchildren, etc. etc. Same old same old inconsitent crap that comes from such airheads who support increasing funds for every program popular or needed in South Dakota, but opposes any tax increases necessary to fund such programs.
Corrina Robinson supported funding for eduction which she claims is necessary for future social and economic improvement coupled with heavier taxes on the very rich tax dodgers.
My conclusion on this of course is that Corrina Robinson helped herself tonight and Noem did not hurt herself. Her parrotting of GOP economic and tax nonsense contradictions will not be noticed by those who vote for any yellow dog in a pink tutu if it has (R) after the name.
Robinson concluded by saying she wanted to give back to the people by working for them in congress. Robinson was logically consistent and rational.
Noem was the usual contradictory nonsense of raising funding for all the big government programs that benefit her politically and opposing all the necessary tax increases needed to make her nonsense possible. Noem is a walking contradiction who's disconnected blather looks silly if everything is put into rational context and continuity.
***Stay tuned, the election will come out in the end...like a rotten meal---Doug Wiken
William Srstka found an interesting link on failures and likely more failures in trying to turn money grubbing ideologue religionists into armies favorable to the US.
A commenter or two over at Madville Times discovered a Nation Magazine story on Mike Rounds titled "Revealed: A New Ethics Scandal Involving the GOP'S South Dakota Senate Candidate." Rancid Rounds Reeks in the article. His cohorts don't smell all that good either.
South Dakota Plutocrats and Kleptocrats do not serve average South Dakotans well. Rounds certainly will not be a good representative of real South Dakota values if he sneaks into Washington under a dark cloud of allegations and facts.
***Stay tuned for more when I am just a bit more awake--- Doug Wiken
Mike Rounds latest round of TV deception ads states something like, "Mike Rounds would vote like you would vote." Really?
1. Would YOU really vote to slash taxes on those making $millions per year?
2. Would YOU really vote to put insurance companies in charge of Medicare and Medicaid and increase Insurance Company profits by $billions.
3. Would YOU really vote to maintain multi-national corporations to set wages so low their employess are on welfare and further their ability to stifle employee speech and spend unlimited amounts buying elections?
4. Would YOU really vote to destroy the federal agency that aids education and students from k-12 through post graduate work?
5. Would YOU really vote to force college students to pay higher loan rates and give shysters free range to exploit them?
6. Would YOU really vote to balance the budget on the backs of the poor and the lower middle class?
7. Would YOU really vote to support a foreign pipeline designed to increase your gasoline, diesel, and fuel oil prices by 10 to 20 cents per gallon?
So, do you really think Mike Rounds would vote like you with his superiority values?
*** Stay tuned... election day is close. Your decision can make or break you.-- Doug Wiken
The Constant Commoner blog by John Tsitrian often has very good posts. I finally got around to adding a link in the "Read SD Blogs" list to the left. Recently he has added the gutting of Mike Rounds by Katie Zerr, and others displaying the duplicity that makes up much of the Mike Rounds sleazy campaign.
Take a regular look at the other blogs in the list as well. Right now Stan Adelstein however is in the Solid Republican for Rounds category. I obviously think he is grossly mistaken in his support of Rounds. His reasons omit too many salient facts to be taken seriously. Adelstein does have a good post going back to the Eisenhower days and a SD Republican National committee woman. That is interesting and says much about both Eisenhower and Sen. Karl Mundt.
And of course, look at Madville Times for the best summary of what is EB-5 and why it makes diced hash of GOP "Values" campaigns.
***Stay tuned to Dakota Today of course..always more to come--- Doug Wiken
The link to the editorial by Katie Zerr of the Mobridge Tribune has been posted in many blogs and Farebook pages already, but if you missed it elsewhere, the link is below:
That is darn near heresy out here in the boondocks. Mobridge is in the middle of some mighty strong Republican counties.
I hope it is a sign that other newspapers will start to see the light that illuminates the political fraud that is Mike Rounds and seriously consider if he is fit to be a US Senator. Rounds lies about his own lies and lies about what Rick Weiland and Larry Pressler really support or oppose. The Rounds campaign is ripe with the corruption that oozes out of campaigns drowning in their own slime.
*** Stay tuned only 14 or 15 days until the election...decision day is coming soon-- Doug Wiken
Residents of South Dakota. Check your broadband speed with the SD Speedtest. Your test will both let you know how speedy is your ISP and also help get us better service in South Dakota.
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