No April fools around here

The governor of Hoosierhome, the state that keeps Lincolnland from bumping into Ohio, really tried to put a prank over on us in this morning's news by saying that the Religious Freedom Act he recently signed into law wasn't about discrimination.  Wonder if he fooled anyone? As an April 1st prank it was too obvious. After all the language of this law was carefully changed from versions passed in other states to clearly allow individuals to engage in discrimination by simply saying their sincerely held religious beliefs to be a bigot were being infringed upon. And as governor he surely read and understood the language in the bill prior to signing it surrounded by some of Hoosierhome's up standing religious freedom advocates who he didn't want to identify to the press.  No sir, around here everyone knows that religious freedom is a euphemism for bigotry Hoosier style (and AK style too). So try harder next time because there are no fools around here, well, actually there are, just not as many as live next door, maybe.

Iowan proclaimation calls for prayer and humble repentance

Dear Pastor Grandstand (Branstad or something like that),

Thank you for your invitation to join in thoughtful prayer and humble repentance, but for what exactly?  Yes, your proclamation was for Iowa, but surely it would still count just across the river, or is the God you mention a small one?  Is repentance necessary because Iowa has been wicked? But no, you say our nation has “fallen from her intended purpose”?  Hmm, TPP didn’t even know our nation was female let alone that it had an intended purpose?  What a revelation! And where did this information about our nation come from, pray tell.  Granted, TPP is not a great historical scholar, especially concerning our nation, but somehow there was this idea that our nation’s founding had a great deal to do with religious freedom.  Now this means everyone has the freedom to believe, as long as that belief doesn’t infringe upon the freedoms of others (a concept that gets frequently over looked, and this is only mentioned because, Pastor Grandstand, you seem unaware of this).  You quote some Corinthians thing to support your declaration, but what is this?  Didn't it involve sacrifice of a lot of animals?  It sounds very Biblical, but since many of us are not of the Biblical persuasion, you cannot possibly be proclaiming in direct opposition to one of the basic tenets of our nation.  You must be  concerned that Christians who have no understanding of religious freedoms are trying to stomp all over the religious freedoms of others, a noble cause, but you sure have a daffy way of expressing it, especially as a political leader sworn to uphold our constitution.  So is that the problem?  Our nation’s intended purpose is to follow our constitution, but you call for prayer and Christian repentance because Christians are not giving others their constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of religion?  This is very confusing, but no more confusing than having a governor act as though he were the high priest of Iowa.  So, no thanks your Immanence, and we give thanks for the governor we have on this side of the river, who is not a great savior, but at least he understands that part of the constitution.  Next time read it, not 2nd Corinthians.  Sincerely, TPP

Primary season blues

Nothing can be more depressing than election season here in Lincolnland. The state presently has a governor who ascended to office when the feds locked up his predecessor in a special prison kept just for disgraced politicians. This fellow is not a crook, not ethically challenged, but not particularly effective either. Yawn. The opposition sees the governorship as a vulnerable position, so lots of wannabees have emerged and in another week we citizens get to choose among them for a worthy candidate.  It's a grim choice.  The front runner is a self-proclaimed 1%er of the 1% (i.e., a 0.1 percenter). In simple terms a filthy rich businessman who has already spent 5 or 6 million of his own money on his campaign. In and of itself that doesn't bother TPP, but where is it written that guys who've made a lot of money would be any good at running a state?  A state isn't a business and isn't run like one either. This guy is full of rhetoric and clueless otherwise.  So he comes across as arrogant do-it-my-way-or-else type of tyrant who think of themselves as "leaders".  Another local candidate also touts his business experience ignoring the fact that his business as skated along the thresh hold of bankruptcy and questionable decisions with regard to what a conflict of interest is in politics. OK, if something you are voting on stands to enrich you Mother, whose investment is being managed by yourself, sort of as a shill because you couldn't get the loan otherwise, it's a conflict of interest to vote on it.  Then there's the treasurer who shows all the signs of having reached the pinnacle of the peter principle, and now is over reaching for higher office as rumors and a law suit emerge suggesting a questionable relationship with a principle assistant that generally would be found unacceptable to conservative voters. It does little to inspire. Nonetheless, the Phactors shall try to vote for the least objectionable, least harmful of the bunch if indeed that can be determined. Anyone want to trade? 

Politics in Lincolnland - Fall 2010

The Phactor does not blog about politics very often because it is so depressing, and as an educational elite, i.e., someone who can think for himself and recognize rhetorical BS for what it is, there is very little to say except this country seems to be reaching ever lower toward a least common denominator representative government, and as a result we will get what we deserve. Lincolnland has a wonderful choice for governor, a bumbling incumbent, well, he is governor, but only because Bag-of-chips got impeached, and his not-ready-for-prime-time GnOpeP challenger. The latter has been our representative in the state government for the past 2 decades during which time he has never displayed an ounce of leadership and whose key legislation all involves conservative social agenda items. This will be one of those times when you hold your nose and vote for the incumbent, who however hapless, will perform better than his opponent whose economic agenda reflects his utter cluelessness. Too bad there isn't a really viable 3d party candidate.