I’d have to say I won the second day of the sixty day race for the Senate Primary. Fox News anchor Nick LaFave, the only current TV reporter with any serious bite, sunk his fangs into Roger about our Representative’s top priority – Minnesota’s fiscal crisis. I like my opponents to be on the defensive. Nick told me that when Roger first ran for the Jaros seat he asked him twice what his plans were to continue Mike’s fight to get a vote. The First time Roger pretty much tole Nick what he told me in his email that his top priority was helping to solve the state budget mess. When LaFave pressed him for something better than an evasion Roger told him that he’d stick with the first answer he’d given the reporter. I roared when I heard that. Its so Roger. Its so go along to get along. Its so that’s why we’re in the fix were in on any number of subjects from the Gulf Spill to the floundering economy to the resumed climb of the nation’s budget deficits.
There are simple solutions but they all cost money and as we know few politicians are willing to make their voters pay for the freight. Republicans preen (sorry for the blanket stereotype Vic) about keeping taxes low then borrow knowing our grandchildren will have to pay the taxes plus interest. Democrats simply do their best (Sorry again) to tax things no one will notice.
Walter Mondale told America in 1984 what it didn’t want to here that he was going to raise taxes. Reagan clobbered him. Reagan spent money like a bat out of hell (its claimed by the GOP that this is what had to be done to end the Cold War) and left it up to George Herbert Walker Bush and William Jefferson Clinton to pay off all his deficits.
I’ve spent thirty years mostly on the sidelines partly because I, unlike Roger, don’t think going along to get along is the best policy. It kept me a Republican in the DFL universe of northern Minnesota because I think there should be limits on the good things we tax ourselves for. It got me to spurn the GOP when Ross Perot came to the deficit rescue in 1992 and it cost me Ross Perot’s supporter shortly afterward when Ross proved to be a little too paranoid for the nation’s good. Even now, as a newly born Democrat, I feel like I was implanted in a surrogate mother’s womb.
Well this comment could cost me day three of the race. Not good to offend so many potential voters and besides this was supposed to be about banner day 2.
I spent another four or five hours in my garden yesterday as opposed to the three weeks clearing out my daughter’s yard. I also managed to put four hours into blogging which seems to be bringing back my visitors. I’ve had twice as many lately. I’m not quite up to the highpoint of last November but we’re in the Summer season when people are out doors not on the computer. My figures will probably trend higher over the course of the campaign. I have to keep posting to keep them coming. Some will no doubt be looking for ammunition to sink my candidacy. Good luck.
I picked up a map of the District from the City clerk and a precinct finder. I’ve got to figure out where the couple thousand pro Let Duluth Vote contributors live. The money I made on presales of last year’s book though modest will help me with a mailing or lawnsigns. I’ve just got to see who will want to volunteer for my campaign.
I did get one quick call last night from one of the LDV folks who I’m not all that excited about getting help from. I know his politics. He hates Obama. He probably has no clue that I find Obama a refreshing change.
My tentative supporter had just seen the Fox news segment about the Senate campaign. I didn’t see it until I checked online and found it posted to the FOX 21 website.
I was out on my patio enjoying some red wine after a busy day. I tossed some wood into our rarely used fire box (I’m concerned about soot) and burned some of the old wood from our basement rehab of two years ago. It was “Welty Red” and about the only positive thing I can attach to that color these days.
My daughter’s new house has extensive grapevines which were planted by the previous tennants who were both enviornmentalists and foresters. A good friend asked to harvest the copious grapes last year and vinted them to come up with the “2009 Welty Red.” I’m a little leary of home brew but I’d been noticing that the cork was protruding from the bottle. (not a good sign) Somehow having finally after three years to give our yard and gardens the attention they deserved it seemed like a good time to try out the bottle. It popped like a firecracker when I opened it and it effervesced and bubbled as I poured it into our faux riedels. It was not at all like a wine off the rack but it was not too sweet or too dry. It had as powerful a chocolate flavor as I’ve ever tasted in any wine. It was delightful. Our friend had, probably inadvertently, vinted a very pleasant “brut” – a red champagne.
PLEASE NOTE: I’m busy now. These “Harry’s Diary” entries are too long and time consuming to edit properly what with all I have to do to win a place in the Minnesota Senate. So, don’t expect great literature. I bet you can’t wait to see what I’ll start posting if I get elected to the State Senate. I can hardly wait myself.
