State and Local Issues Matter

 

Often we voters overlook state and local issues being more intrigued by Presidential campaigns. As a practical matter, state and local issues impact us more, and sooner.

Colorado is unique in passing the Taxpayers Bill of Rights (TABOR) in 1992 (before the great unwashed immigrants from CA, MA, NY, NJ,etc became a power) and, to date, is the only state. For those interested, here is more information. Full disclosure; from 1970-1993 I lived in Utah and Washington. Does that make part of the unwashed herd?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxpayer_Bill_of_Rights

Very biased, IMO, so read it with skepticism.

The  (P)regressives hate it and try in all kinds of ways to weaken or work around it so as to fund their pet causes. Perhaps this is why are roads are so shitty; a comprehensive Transportation appropriation hasn’t passed in years. While they weasel ways to spend more than the state takes in, we are far from the worst off. The last figures I’ve seen says every citizen’s share of the debt is $2,600. A pittance compared to the national debt.

It is a hot button again. Here is a mailing piece I recently received.

Close to half the state’s tax revenue comes from the energy sector and energy sector services. The (P)regressive loons  are well on the way to killing off that sector, starting with a 2,000’ set back on any new wells now required. Coal fired generating plants are being closed down. Coal mines pay taxes, a lot of taxes.

Inflation is the hidden tool politicians everywhere use to pay off government debt. That and pushing the debt down the road to future generations.

Cliché, but very true, elections have consequences.

Road Tripping

 

Back from an 800 mile business mile trip in the wilds of the Nebraska Panhandle and Northeast Colorado. While not a Texas trip, there are a lot of miles to be covered. Sorry, no pictures.

Saw exactly three Biden signs. Scads of Trump/Pence signs and flags.

I did see something that reminded me of the values flyover America retains. A more disliked Supreme Court Justice than Ginsberg would be hard to find in the area, yet flags everywhere were at half mast out of respect, and not just government buildings.

What Sisty calls over thinking and what I call thoughtful analysis,  is something I do while driving. Better, for my alertness, than listening to “tunes” or talking mouths (since we can’t see their heads) on the radio.

One random idea I kept mulling over is the number of “educated” university graduates with staggering student debt and degrees for which there are no real jobs. At their core, they know they have been gamed. Their salvation is make work government funded “social sector” jobs. The same party that created the mechanism for their dilemma is the party they expect to save them.

Another random idea is the impact all these wildfires will have on water supplies. My city has some of the finest drinking water in the country but draws water from five reservoirs that collect runoff from areas now burning. How much of a problem will that be for California?

Still another thought was the number of dying towns I drove through and the number of small, but seemly prosperous, towns just down the road in the heavily agriculture areas I traveled. Most, but not all, prosperous towns are in areas with ample water supplies. Most, but certainly not all dying towns are in areas where dry land farming is practiced.

Back in the day I worried this particular bone in trying to decide places to hold our offsite sales. I never developed a template and instead asked questions here and there. At the Chamber of Commerce; are you getting more new members than you are losing? At the town clerk (permits, permit, permits up the wazzo) are you delinquent  taxes higher this year? What I wanted to determine was the prevailing attitudes, positive or negative. Was the local newspaper eager to accept my advertising?  Local radio station willing to run my adds and do a live remote?  As to advertising, we had a direct mail guy that put something into every address in a zip code.

One more thought on water. Most of the Nebraska Panhandle is pumping from the Ogallala Aquifer. It isn’t being replenished as fast as it is being depleted. A portion of that replenishment is from the Rocky Mountains runoff, where the fires are currently burning, ie the North and South Platte Rivers and tributaries.

Retirement means I don’t need to make these trips. The company I work for as an agent is hurting and I don’t mind helping. Plus, I do get paid. We are seeing the end of some of the Chinese Flu short term programs. Unless some or most of the programs are renewed, I think I may be very busy this fall contacting delinquent mortgagees.

Amy Coney Barrett

 

Bravo, Mr. President, for nominating someone who didn't graduate from Yale or Harvard! Or, as LL puts it, Satan's Vatican. 

Now to see how vile the (P)regressives will be. Surely, they will try to outdo each other in loathsomeness. 

Custer Colt

 Of interest to old firearm fans, and Colt fans, is this item in the Craig, CO Museum. From their Facebook post.

Museum of Northwest Colorado

21m

  · 

MUSEUM MARVELS!! #32

A Very Significant Firearm

The museum has had what is known as a Custer Colt in our collection for years. While it was already a significant firearm in our collection, new information has made it possibly one of the more historically significant Colt’s in any collection anywhere.

A “Custer Colt” is a well-known term for historians and collectors. It’s a Colt revolver within a serial number range that gives it an increased possibility of having been issued to Custer’s Seventh Cavalry and possibly used on the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876. However, while there are roughly 8,000 Colts that fit within the Custer serial number range, there were only about 700 Seventh Cavalrymen engaged in Little Bighorn. So the chances of a Custer Colt having any relation to one of Custer’s men is pretty low. Also take into account that about 250 of the Seventh Cavalry died during the battle. Most of their firearms would have ultimately been acquired by the victorious Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne and Arapahos. So, just 700 Colts that have 142 years’ worth of mostly unknown fates.

The museum recently decided to revisit our Custer Colt to see if any new information had surfaced over the years to help tell its story. Imagine our excitement when it had!

An auction back in 2014 saw the sale of a Custer Colt with serial #4815 which had an interesting story attached. The auction provenance mentioned a document found in the walls of Ft. Abraham Lincoln during its demolition. The document outlined the proceedings of an inquiry held on April 24, 1876, just two months before Little Bighorn, against Lt. William Van Wyck Reily of the Seventh Cavalry. At issue was Reily allowing his service issued Colt revolver to be stolen - possibly by one of the other cavalrymen. Lt. Reily was required to repay the U.S. for the loss and was issued revolver serial #4815 as a replacement. Reily’s stolen revolver, the document stated, was none other than the museum’s #5126!

Though we are still authenticating this document, this new information possibly gives our firearm not only a direct link to Custer’s Seventh Calvary, but to an exact individual. We can’t fully express how EXTREMELY RARE this is. The news of this discovery has already attracted visits from a few of the most knowledgeable firearm experts in the field. They have all stated that the gun appears to be an absolutely authentic Custer Colt. We will keep our audience posted with any updates to this story.

Lt. Reily died on Little Bighorn just two months after losing his Colt #5126. It is currently on display here at the museum.

I've seen it. The museum has many interesting items along with an elevator to take you to the second floor. It may be the smallest elevator you will ever see but beggars, etc.

What is Going on Here?

 

The Biden/Harris ticket is a loser. Why is it continuing? My suspicious (and paranoid) imagination sees two possible scenarios; all based on the Democrat Party insiders and power brokers manipulations.

First, Biden’s health decline allows him to be replaced by someone they want or can control. Moosehelle? This invigorates the Democrats going into the election. Clearly, there isn’t much enthusiasm for the ticket; not enough to fire up the rank and file Democrats.

Or

Second, the insiders know the ticket is a loser and President Trump will win by a landslide. That gives them four years to take the party back from the lunatic leftists in much the way the Republican insiders got control back from the evangelicals after Reagan left office. Of course, they didn’t see the Trump train rolling over them.

The swamp dwellers can co-exist with each other. If one side is eating steak while the other is eating hamburger, they are still eating meat. It is in their best interests to support each other. Public perception? Just something to be manipulated.

Just Because You Can, Should You?

 

Just because you can, should you? Note the receiver hitch. U-Haul rents trailers, cheap. That roof load might not weigh much but will be a sail in a crosswind.

Weekend politics as reported by our local rag included one short report on a President Trump rally and two long reports on Democrat events. If you want the gory details, this is the newspaper.

https://www.greeleytribune.com/

The first Democrat event took place in a local park. All very proper, social distancing and everyone wearing masks. The second was the candidate for US Senate seat meeting in the backyard with a dozen or so people. Again, social distancing and masks.

In contrast, the President Trump supporters were clearly scofflaws.

Amusing, outside, sun shining, and an 85° temperature. Perfect conditions for spreading the Chinese Flu.

I did bother reading the articles in their entirety. The usual Dem talking points, bless their hearts.

One comment was, in my mind, something of a reach. President Trump is responsible for the eight deaths and others disabled by COVID among the workforce at our local packing plant. Reason? He declared those employed in the industry as essential workers.

I can’t think of a tougher way to make a living than working for JBS in one of the largest operations in the country. JBS isn’t known for being a kind and caring employer. They are the largest employer in Weld County.

In Morgan County it is Cargill, JBS’ largest competitor, who have their own COVID problems to go along with their imported Somalia workers “issues”.

The Cameron Peak fire is back and stronger. Areas around Red Feather Lake and Crystal Lake are under evacuation orders.

Wonder what the week ahead will bring? Certainly the vacant Supreme Court seat will be in the forefront. That will give the Senate a good excuse to not address any other issues until the election.

As always, YMMV.

Birthdays

My middle son is 47 today. Being charitable, he is a strange ranger. That is fine with me; I raised my sons to be their own men. He is deep into a genre of music I don’t understand, black metal, death metal, etc. He has several “zines” or blogs. One is on my sidebar. He receives music from all over the world to review. Outside his circle of friends, he is non social. A hard worker, he is well into his fourth year of sobriety. I’m glad; his last DUI arrest (7 years ago) required six Denver policeman to place him in the back of a squad car. One marriage. May be the father of a son. That is now in the courts as he fights to establish paternity.

Big contrast with my first born who will be 50 next month. I’ve written before about his autism and those complications.

I’ve written before about my youngest, the Medic, who died at age 41 last St. Patrick’s Day from complications from his Army service.

They were a handful to raise and still need to vent about life with their father from time to time.