Month: February 2014

A Great Living American, one of the few in D.C. immune to Potomac Fever, forced to leave the Senate because of his health.  I’ve done what I could to encourage our fine OK sponsor, Rep. Gary Banz, to convince him to testify for our Resolution.  And Gary has pulled it off.  The good Senator will be in Oklahoma City on Monday to speak to the Republican caucus.  We fully expect him to come out strong for our cause.  Gary will try to get something in writing.  This will no doubt get a good deal of press in OK.  Too bad we don’t have a press agent, because this should be a national story, at least on Fox.

It’s a national story because Coburn is recognized by friend and foe as a man of integrity, who sincerely believes in the good fight.  And in the final months of his political career in Washington, that started in the 90’s, he’s coming home to push Article V as our last best hope.  In a fair world, this would be a big deal.

I was on KSOO in Sioux Falls yesterday, and I think I came on  a little too strong, a frequent problem for me.  The interview, with Rick Knobe, former Mayor, was going pretty well, when he decided to bring me down a peg.  He told of a conversation he’d had with a former high ranking federal politician.  He explained to his listeners that this guy had won a lot higher office than I ever have (or, to be fair, that he himself had achieved).  This guy says a Federal BBA won’t work because the federal budget, and federal spending, are so en twined with the economy that the BBA would screw everything up.  This kind of appeal to authority always pisses me off.  I was already in a bad mood at some news out of VA.  So I said that it sounded as though this guy was pretty knowledgeable, so what was his solution?  Except I said it a little too strong, came at it too hard.  We went to a break, and then wrapped up the interview after a total of 20 minutes.  We could have gone a lot longer, as it was going pretty good.  But I had “topped” the host, a big no-no.  I think I could tell he didn’t like it.  Oh well.  Lesson learned.  Again.

I got a big mouth.

Based on the fact that my appearance on Fred Forman’s show in Yankton did in fact result in a number of calls to the SD legislature, I’m going to push to get on in other states.  I had a lengthy and productive talk with Rep. Powell today in Utah, and he has agreed to try and get me on the “Rush Limbaugh of Utah”, Rod Arquette.  Rep. Harrison in LA is going to try and get me on Robinette’s show in New Orleans, and Sen. Hagedorn is arranging for me to get on a couple of stations in Boise.  Based on my experience in SD, these should all go well.  Having been a host, I know how to guest.  This should build on itself, success breeding more opportunity.  I’ll be on KSOO in Sioux Falls tomorrow, and will really try to get people to call in to Pierre.   Hal’s Reso is heard in State Affairs on Friday, so the timing should be good.  I’m going to try to parlay that in to convincing Rep. Banz in OK and Rep. Thorpe in AZ to make a real effort to get me on in their states.  If, as I expect, all my appearances produce results, this may mean I go into TN as well.  Maybe SC too.  And I’ll definitely be using all these appearances to our advantage in MT, ND, and WY this summer.  Also, I’d like to be on in WA, OR, MN, and KY.  I really think this will be helpful, and I’m anxious to get it really rolling.  And I’ll get better with practice.

Troubling email from Hagedorn in ID about a “brutal” committee hearing.  I really don’t know what this is about, but we may have a real fight on our hands there.  We’ll do all we can .  I’m going to talk to Lew about sending our “letter” that was designed for candidates and tweaking it so we can send it to sitting legislators in ID an d UT.  Idaho is Birch country, I guess, and it could be tough.

Rep. Powell in Utah seems very committed an d intelligent.  He wants to work closely with me.  I agreed to go to Salt Lake to testify.  We’ll try to get Sens. Hatch and Lee.  Powell is going to talk to the Gov., as well as the Senate President.

No one said this would be easy.

Things are looking up in Utah, one of our problem states.  Rep. Kraig Powell is introducing our Resolution.  Sponsor Rep. Ivory will handle the Delegate Limitation  Act.  Powell is a three termer, who sports a Ph. D. as well as a J.D.  I’ll be on a conference call with him and his aide, Tony Castagno, tomorrow.  If we can get U.S. Sen. Lee to come out for us, it would be a huge help.  He’s got the cred with the hard right caucus goers who put him in the Senate.  Lew Uhler is going to see if Sen. Hatch can get him on board.  The I Am American crew is planning a Utah event.  And I’ll do all I can to get on Utah talk radio.  Stay tuned.

In Kentucky Rep. Jim DeCesare has put in a Reso.  I emailed him and hope to hear back.  I know I don’t have the political savvy of someone like Mitch McConnell, but for God’s sake, how in the hell can he NOT want to dive in and help us.  He’s got a serious Tea Party primary challenger.  What better way to inculcate yourself with the budget hawks and hard right folks?  It’s so obvious.  Lew has talked of going back to Kentucky to give McConnell some sort of deficit fighter award from Lew’s NTLC.  I called Lew and asked him to see if he’s following through, and at the presser have Rep. DeCesare there, and have McConnell come out full bore for the BBA.  It would be big news in KY, and probably make Fox News as well. 

For the life of me I can’t see the down  side for McConnell.  And if he’s an old acquaintance of Lew, why not do him a favor as well. 

We’re not going to pass the KY House this year.  We all know that.  Speaker Stumbo won’t allow it.  But if we get traction on the issue, it could be a big part of a lot of KY House campaigns.

We want KY.  We only need to flip four House seats to get it.  I know McConnell wants to flip the House.  According to Barone’s Almanac, he set up the big party switch that gave us the KY Senate.

Come on, Mitch.  THINK!