South DaCola

You scratch my back I’ll scratch yours

l3wis July 10, 2008 1Comments

As I suspected the owner of the company that has the servicing contract for the school laptop program made individual contributions to Rounds’ governor campaigns in 2000 and twice in 2006:

 

SDSOS.org Finance reports

 

The owner of this company also sat on the advisory committee that helped organize the program:

 

SD Dept. of Education press release

 

Is there anything illegal about this. NO, not at all. But it does make one suspicious why Rounds has been pushing to save this program? Doesn’t it? But when has he ever been concerned about ethics? His secretary of education says it is about the kids. Is it really about the kids?

 

I’m wondering how long it will take for our supposed 4^th Estate to connect the dots?

Title V on it’s way to President’s desk

l3wis July 10, 2008 0Comments

The Medicare bill containing a one year extension of Title V has just cleared the Senate.

The President had threatened to veto the bill (because of concerns about changes to the Medicare program, unrelated to Title V), but the bill garnered veto proof margins in both the House and the Senate.  It is not clear at this point what President Bush will do with the bill, but we should know more soon.

7-9-08. The day the senate shredded the 4th Amendment

l3wis July 10, 2008 4Comments

My blogger buddy Ken thinks wiping your butt with the 4th amendment is just fine. Those who would sacrifice freedom for a little security deserve neither. The terrorists succeeded on 9-11 because the airline industry failed, and the intelligence agencies didn’t have enough smarts to warn the president about terrorists who were taking lessons on how to take-off but not to land. It had nothing to do with cellphones and the internets.

Laptop anyone?

l3wis July 9, 2008 2Comments

I have found evidence of a connection between the laptop program and a campaign contributor. Huge link! Once I verify one last source I will post the info.

Did we know this all along?

Did Father Cathal Gallagher’s employer turn their back on him?

l3wis July 9, 2008 12Comments

As you know many media outlets and blogs have been covering Father’s story and how the church relieved him from his duties. I don’t know Cathal personally, as you know I’m a secularist (deist), so I have no stake in the outcome of his immigration proceedings. But it has got me thinking about how political churches have become over the past few years, especially the Catholic church in South Dakota. They seem to be telling people what and who to vote for from the pulpit. I even had one Catholic friend tell me that when Thune was running against Daschle there was a flyer handed out to parishioners during Mass that promoted Thune because he was pro-life. I personally disagree with churches being political. I think churches should strengthen people’s faith, not tell them what to do. One reason I don’t attend church is because of the money and political dealings and I find it to be very hypocritical of Christian doctrine.

Don’t get me wrong. Churches do great charitable work and should be commended for it. Especially the Catholic Church. That is what I find so bizarre about Father’s story. Why would the Catholic church provide help (in the form of food, housing, nationalization, etc.) to immigrants who are members of the congregation, but not to one of their own employees? Is it because one takes from the plate and the other puts into the plate?
 
You be the judge.