Sunday, December 31, 2017

There's a flag pole rag and the wind won't stop.......

On Sunday, January 1, 2017, I conducted the first live broadcast of the year on AM 1280 The Patriot. With today being December 31, I will conclude the year of live broadcasts on this Salem Media Group-Twin Cities affiliate. Today's edition of The Closer gets started at 2:00 PM Central Time.

I plan on doing a year in review for 2017, specifically how President Donald Trump has impacted the American landscape in not only politics but also sports and pop culture. 


So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing. You can also text comments/questions to (651) 243-0390.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area, you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link, or check us out via iheart radio. If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

Even though I have a face for radio, there is a UStream channel where you can watch the broadcast if you so desire. Check it out here.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #narn or "Like" our Facebook page.

Until then.....

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Saturday, December 30, 2017

Iranian uprising

It's borderline journalistic malpractice that the uprising taking place in Iran is not receiving more media coverage.

Here's some great insights from Stefan Molyneux on how the current revolution came to fruition.





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Friday, December 29, 2017

Just an FYI.....

.....to the female American citizens who declare themselves part of the "resistance" against President Donald Trump.

While you may believe that wearing a crocheted vagina atop your head, screaming towards the sky in agony, exposing your boobs in protest of tax reform and/or declaring you're proud of killing a baby in utero is exuding the utmost bravery and courage, y'all are participating in amateur hour compared to this:




And this:





That is all.

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Thursday, December 28, 2017

Time to think rationally here

Some disturbing allegations have emerged regarding a 2-year old incident between Minnesota Twins third baseman Miguel Sano and a former photographer with the team.

In a tweet posted Thursday, photographer Betsy Bissen said Sano grabbed her wrist and tried to pull her inside a bathroom at a store in a mall after an autograph session and that the 6-foot-4, 260-pound Sano tried to kiss her several times. ESPN does not typically identify people who make accusations of sexual assault unless they have chosen to go public with their names.

In her post, Bissen described how Sano flirted with her without reciprocation during the autograph signing. She said Sano's agent and her former boss were also at the event. She said Sano later grabbed her wrist and made her accompany him to an Apple store in the mall before trying to pull her into a restroom against her will.

"Every time he did, I said no and kept pulling back," Bissen said in her Twitter post. "... I was in a squatted position with my wrist throbbing. I screamed, no one came to help me. He finally gave up after a solid ten mins of fighting to pull me thru that door.

"... Every time I have to hear how great people think Miguel Sano is, I'm reminded of how awful he actually is and how he hurt me."

Sano issued a statement Thursday denying the allegations.

"I unequivocally deny the allegation made against me today -- it never happened," Sano said in the statement. "I have the utmost respect for women, especially those working in professional sports, and I deeply sympathize with anyone who has experienced sexual harassment. There is no place for it in our society."

Because sports fans are such a passionate lot, some will forgo reason by verbally savaging the accuser of someone they love to watch play a game. Sano has a chance to be a premier power hitter for the Twins, possibly another Harmon Killebrew. No doubt that has Twins fans excited. But before you let the baseball fan in you just instinctively lash out towards Ms. Bissen, try looking at this objectively for a moment. What incentive does she have to lie? Ms. Bissen has already had to put her Twitter account on "protected" mode due to the invective spewed towards her. And from what I can gather, she isn't seeking any monetary settlement from Sano and Twins. There seems to be literally zero upside for Bissen to fabricate this story.

In the end, the appropriate MLB officials will put forth their due diligence and thus make a decision on Sano accordingly. But if you're more concerned by the possibility that losing Sano puts the Twins further behind when trying to match the prowess of A.L heavyweights like the Astros, Yankees, Indians, et al, lemme just point out that your moral code is completely out of whack.

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Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Made it to L.A.

Good news: I made it to Los Angeles safe and sound for my work trip. No travel issues whatsoever. I'm staying in Hermosa Beach at a hotel about 3 blocks from the Pacific Ocean. It was 70 degrees and sunny upon the 3:00 PM check in time.

Bad news: I've got some sort of bug which necessitates that I be no further than 5 feet away from the nearest restroom.

Blah!

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Monday, December 25, 2017

Jesus is the reason for the season

Luke 2:8-14 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Glory in the Highest

8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.

10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.

11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

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Sunday, December 24, 2017

The Christmas lights up and down the street are such a sight to see....

Why yes, there will be original programming on the Northern Alliance Radio Network today! It's a special Christmas Eve edition of The Closer, which will get started at the usual 2:00 PM Central Time.

Despite a bevy of political news, I'm choosing to go with strictly a Christmas theme for the hour. For instance, how is it that a character named Santa Claus became the symbol for the season?

I also plan on taking a couple of segments to list my top 5 favorite Christmas TV specials from back in the prehistoric days when there was no DVR and no NetFlix. Yeah, when I was growing up, annual Christmas shows were by appointment only.

To wrap things up, I'll of course talk about Jesus being the reason for the season.


You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area, you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link, or check us out via iheart radio. If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

If you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #narn or "Like" our Facebook page.

Until then.....

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Saturday, December 23, 2017

Role reversal

On Saturday of Week 16 in the 2016 NFL season, the Minnesota Vikings traveled to Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers. After a nice start to the '16 season (5-0 in their first five games), the Vikings limped into this matchup having lost 7 of their previous 9 games and thus were reduced to playing little more than spoiler to the Pack's playoff aspirations. Alas, Green Bay won handily.

Fast forward 364 days where the Vikings once again find themselves playing the Packers on Saturday of Week 16 in Lambeau. After a nice start to the 2017 season (4-1 in their first five games), the Pack limps into this matchup having lost 6 of their previous 9 games (due in large part to QB Aaron Rodgers missing eight of those contests) and are reduced to playing little more than spoiler to the Vikings' aspirations of having a first round bye in the NFC playoffs. And with Rodgers again being placed on the I-R list (this time for the remainder of the season), the task is that much more formidable for Green Bay.

One aspect of this game which has me genuinely curious is how many Vikings fans will be in the Lambeau Field stands. With the Packers missing the playoffs for the first time since 2008 and the prospects of watching Brett Hundley play QB with the temperature in the single digits, will the home fans just call it a season and make their tickets available to the highest bidder? I have a hard time believing that the opportunity for Packers' faithful to spew more invective towards Anthony Barr is going to provide extra motivation, particularly when it isn't coming from a keyboard within the comforts of one's home.

Anyhow, I believe the Vikes' defense will be the difference in this game. I'm going with the Vikings prevailing 21-10.

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Friday, December 22, 2017

#RockTheRedKettle

Since 2012, I have been participating in Salvation Army North's "Celebrity Bell Ringing." While I eschew the "celebrity" status, I am honored to donate an hour to this event every Christmas season.



IMG_9346 copy
Photo courtesy of Salvation Army North


The event takes place today at the Mall of America rotunda from 9:00 AM until 8:00 PM (I'll be there 2-3 PM), culminating with a concert at 8:30 with singer Kat Perkins.

If you're so inclined, stop on by and drop a few bucks in the kettle. Not only is it for a great cause but all donations collected today are tripled! Be sure to check out the hashtag phrase #RockTheRedKettle on all social media sites.

Hope to see you!

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Thursday, December 21, 2017

A taxing process

Given the bungling of the Obamacare repeal over the summer, I was not 100% sold that Congressional Republicans could put forth substantive legislation regarding tax reform. President Donald Trump carrying on feuds with such Senate GOP members as Bob Corker, Jeff Flake and John McCain only served to fuel my skepticism.

Yet somehow someway, it got done

The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives gave final approval on Wednesday to the biggest overhaul of the U.S. tax code in 30 years, sending a sweeping $1.5 trillion tax bill to President Donald Trump for his signature.

In sealing Trump’s first major legislative victory since he took office in January, Republicans steamrolled opposition from Democrats to pass a bill that slashes taxes for corporations and the wealthy while giving mixed, temporary tax relief to middle-class Americans.

The House approved the measure by 224-201, passing it for the second time in two days after a procedural foul-up forced another vote on Wednesday. The Republican-led Senate had passed it 51-48 in the early hours of Wednesday.

“We are making America great again,” Trump said, echoing his campaign slogan at a White House celebration with Republican lawmakers. “Ultimately what does it mean? It means jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs.”

Some have described this as "the GOP's Obamacare" in that the bill needed to be passed in order to find out what was in it and that not one member of the opposition party cast a vote in favor. The Democrats ended up paying a heavy price via big losses in 3 of the following 4 elections after the ACA was passed. If this tax reform legislation doesn't consistently provide in excess of 3% growth in GDP and Americans don't notice a tangible difference in their take home pay, Republicans may well suffer the same fate.

As it stands today, the tax reform legislation is underwater in terms of its popularity (though that's due in large part to leftists and media pushing false chanting points) and Dems have an 18-point advantage in the Generic Congressional Ballot for 2018. But, again, Republicans were willing to stake their reelection prospects on this bill, which is actually a refreshing change. Typically the GOP is too weak-kneed when it comes to tackling substantive fiscal issues, so they end up "going along to get along." But since that passive mindset has lead to well-deserved defeats at the ballot box, it's best to enact legislation that has a chance to positively impact the country even if it also means risking reelection prospects.

Some undeniable positives of this bill passing? On the very day the bill was passed by Congress, major companies like Boeing, Wells Fargo, AT&T, Comcast et al announced substantial investments in their employees and business expansions. Without knowing the intimate details of the final bill, I take that as a good sign. Also, despite the aforementioned ill-fated attempts to rid the country of Obamacare, this bill actually eliminates the individual mandate, which may well expedite the ending of the ACA. Is it any mystery why Barack Obama bristled whenever the mandate was referred to as a tax? I'm sure he realized that any tax overhaul in the future could eliminate that provision. Ironically, the only thing that saved the ACA was the U.S. Supreme Court's 2012 ruling that the law was Constitutional only if said mandate was considered a tax.

The Democrats' reaction to this bill passing was, as expected, utterly cynical and disingenuous. Check out this gem from the shrill and unaccomplished Betty McCollum, who "represents" Minnesota's 4th Congressional District.




Yeah, spare me the faux outrage, Betty. While the initial analysis of this bill is projected to add $1.4 trillion in deficits over ten years (though that can easily be offset if increased economic growth occurs as expected), there were multiple one-year periods during the Obama administration where at least $1 trillion in deficits were accumulated. Funny, but leftists like Betty were conspicuously silent whenever that occurred. But as my radio show's political wonk Matt Mackowiak stated last month, Dems aren't so much concerned about the negative impact they claim this bill will bring, rather they're scared to death it will succeed.

Finally, President Trump was effusive in his praise of Congressional leaders upon this bill passing. The one congratulatory tweet which stood out to me was his sentiments towards Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.




Steve Bannon hardest hit.

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Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Karin Housley for U.S. Senate

A little more than a week ago I hosted my friend and MN state senator Karin Housley on my radio show. During her time on the broadcast I asked her directly if she was considering running in the 2018 special election for Al Franken's U.S. Senate seat. Her response was along the lines of "I'm taking a look at it."

On Tuesday, Karin made it official. She's in!




Over the past 6-1/2 years I've hosted my weekly radio show, my position has been to not endorse political candidates because a) no one really cares what I think and b) I want all candidates on the GOP side (and Dems if they were ever willing) to appear as guests on a broadcast. But since I made a public declaration on the airwaves December 10 that I would support my friend Karin if she chose to run in this race, I am enthusiastically sticking by my word.

Thanks for stepping forward, Karin!

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Monday, December 18, 2017

Great moments

As has been tradition for more than a decade, kickoff at a Minnesota Vikings home game is preceded by someone (typically a celebrity) blowing on the Gjallarhorn.

Prior to the yesterday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals, it was former Navy SEAL Robert J. O'Neill (the guy who fired the kill shot on Osama bin Laden) who had the honor of sounding the gigantic horn. O'Neill promoted his appearance via Twitter a few hours before game time.




One Twitter user had a suggestion for O'Neill if any members of the either team knelt during the Star Spangled Banner.




O'Neill's response?




That and QB Teddy Bridgewater seeing his first live on-field action since his gruesome knee injury 15-1/2 months ago were my two favorite moments on a day the Vikings clinched the NFC North Division title with a 34-7 win!




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Sunday, December 17, 2017

Help yourself to some but obey the law.....

We're nearing the end of 2017 but this year's news cycle never ceases to amaze. This week's edition of my radio program The Closer will, as usual, get started at 2:00 PM Central Time.

I'll look back at the results of the Alabama special election for U.S. Senate and how this short term loss for Republicans is actually beneficial for their intermediate future. Speaking of the Senate, a replacement for Al Franken (D-MN) was selected.

At 2:30 I'll be joined in studio by Doug Wardlow, who is seeking to be the GOP candidate for MN Attorney General in 2018.


So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing. You can also text comments/questions to (651) 243-0390.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area, you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link, or check us out via iheart radio. If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

Even though I have a face for radio, there is a UStream channel where you can watch the broadcast if you so desire. Check it out here.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #narn or "Like" our Facebook page.

Until then.....

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Friday, December 15, 2017

You can't rationalize with the utterly irrational

Given whatever agenda item the Trump administration or Congressional Republicans put forth these days, the left will react with utter hysterics. Today's leftists are so irrational and deranged that there's no use in even trying to engage in an intellectual discussion.

The latest move which has "progressives" in a downright freakout is the Federal Communications Commission's decision to repeal the Obama era "net neutrality" regulations. Yes, proggies are utterly convinced that the decision to overturn a 2-year old reg will lead to outrageous costs for the privilege of utilizing something which has been a regular part of most Americans' lives for the past decade-plus. 

Since there's no rationalizing with people who have their collective heads so buried in the proverbial sand, we might as well have some fun at their expense. 












Despite he and his family being threatened with physical violence over this impending ruling, FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai joined in on the fun by basically laughing in the face of his loony detractors.





To repeat an oft used phrase over the past two years: What a time to be alive.

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Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Meanwhile, back in Minnesota......

Mercy's sake, this has been a new-sy week in the political cycle. On Wednesday morning my home state of Minnesota got in on the act.

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton appointed fellow Democrat Lt. Gov. Tina Smith on Wednesday to replace Sen. Al Franken until a special election in November, setting up his long-time and trusted adviser for a potentially bruising 2018 election.

Smith was widely seen as Dayton’s top choice from the moment Franken announced his resignation last week, and she said she would run in the November special election to complete Franken’s term through 2020.

“I will run in that election and I will do my best to earn Minnesotans’ support,” she said at the news conference where Dayton announced her appointment.

Smith had previously declined to run for governor, raising questions about whether she would launch a Senate campaign that would be in the national spotlight.

She said she decided to take the position as more than a mere caretaker after some reflection.

“This is an extraordinary moment,” she said, apparently referring not only to Franken’s resignation amid allegations of sexually inappropriate behavior, but also to the tenor of politics today. “I had to ask myself what is the best way to serve.” She said her decision to stand for election shows a “commitment” to the job.

There have been rumblings that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) was encouraging Dayton to select a replacement who will be a viable candidate in the 2018 special election for this seat. The Dems desperately wanted someone who could be a worry-free candidate in a solidly blue state since they have 25 other seats (as opposed to only 8 for the GOP) to defend next year. Depending upon who the Republicans select as their candidate, this particular race could have an impact on the Senate's balance of power. If Dems have to divert valuable resources towards a race for what is normally a safe seat, that means there would be less funds available for such vulnerable candidates as Heidi Heitkamp (ND), Jon Tester (MT), Joe Donnelly (IN), Claire McCaskill (MO) and Joe Manchin (WV).

Like they've done with Sen. Amy Klobuchar, the left is downplaying Smith's far left progressive chops, specifically her affiliation with Planned Parenthood of MN, SD and ND, where she was their Vice President at one point in her career. Smith also served as Chief of Staff for Minneapolis mayor R.T. Rybak during his second term. While experience in those posts may play well among the DFL's metrocrats, it's going to be a tougher sell for outstate Dem voters.

All that said, Smith does have experience in being part of a winning statewide campaign when she was Dayton's running mate during the 2014 cycle. And campaigning in tandem with the popular Klobuchar (who's also up in 2018) certainly will not be a detriment.

Now we await the names of those who will vie for the GOP nomination for this seat. Choose wisely, Republicans.

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No more Moore

Let's face it: the Alabama GOP, Steve Bannon et al got exactly what they deserved on Tuesday.

Doug Jones, a Democratic former prosecutor who mounted a seemingly quixotic Senate campaign in the face of Republican dominance here, defeated his scandal-scarred opponent, Roy S. Moore, after a brutal campaign marked by accusations of sexual abuse and child molestation against the Republican, according to The Associated Press.

The upset delivered an unimagined victory for Democrats and shaved Republicans’ unstable Senate majority to a single seat.

Mr. Jones’s victory could have drastic consequences on the national level, snarling Republicans’ legislative agenda in Washington and opening, for the first time, a realistic but still difficult path for Democrats to capture the Senate next year. It amounted to a stinging snub of President Trump, who broke with much of his party and fully embraced Mr. Moore’s candidacy, seeking to rally support for him in the closing days of the campaign.

In the 25+ years since I made my conversion to the right side of the political aisle, I've never once rejoiced over a Democrat prevailing in an election. While I'm not going to say that I am thrilled that a pro abortion, open borders candidate emerged victorious on Tuesday, I am not the least bit devastated that the wholly unfit Moore was sent packing. And for the record, I deemed him unfit long before the allegations of sexual abuse were levied against him.

While Dems have a legitimate reason to rejoice, I'm sure their satisfaction over flipping a Senate seat in a reliably red state is tempered somewhat. The reason being is the Democrat party's standard of "zero tolerance" when it comes to allegations of sexual misconduct against candidates/elected officials is one which can no longer be used as a cudgel against the GOP. There's no doubt that was something which they were going to hit Republicans with in the 2018 midterms if Roy Moore was a sitting U.S. senator. While I still believe the Democrats have a fighting chance to seize the Senate next year (despite having to defend 25 of the 33 seats up for election), the task is now that much more difficult without the "We expel our perverts; The GOP elects theirs" chanting point.

Say, did anyone hear that noise? Yep, it's the door slamming on the prospects of Al Franken remaining in the Senate. I guess Tuesday wasn't a total loss for Republicans after all.

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Tuesday, December 12, 2017

The obligatory Trump-rips-Gillibrand-via-Twitter post

Ah yes, at the center of a lot of the buffoonery in Washington, D.C. is usually a Trump tweet.




Now when I initially read that, I just rolled my eyes at what I viewed as the usual juvenile insults thrown out by our Commander in Chief. Ah, but Fauxcahontas Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) saw it differently.




Uhhh...."slut shame?" It appears that Sen. Warren has no idea of the context of that phrase. Quite simply, "slut shaming" someone is to criticize one for exhibiting slutty behavior. So is Warren insinuating here that her Senate colleague is in fact a slut??? When this inquiry was posed by several people in response to Sen. Warren's tweet, the retort was something along the lines of "Well then what, pray tell, did Trump mean when he said Sen. Gillibrand 'would do anything' for campaign contributions?" I have no earthly idea. But it's rather telling that it was mostly "progressives" who gleaned that Trump was referring to sexual favors.

The fact of the matter is if you read Trump's tweets regularly, he has a few patterns. Random capitalization of words. Ending many posts with the word "Sad!" Even the occasional grammatical errors.

Oh, but you know what else has been a part of multiple Trump tweets? Saying someone "will do anything" to/for _____.




Like Press Secretary Sarah Sanders indicated on Tuesday, to construe that as something sexual likely means your mind "is in the gutter."

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Monday, December 11, 2017

Sunday night build-up

Given the perpetually bizarre news cycle we live in, we are now getting "heads up" on Sunday evenings regarding big news stories to drop early in the week.





The impending revelation of Trump accusers was entirely predictable, especially in light of Democrats being so hot-to-trot to push out Rep. John Conyers and Sen. Al Franken over allegations their own sexual misconduct. Since Conyers is now gone and Franken's departure is imminent, the Dems can claim the moral high ground and thus demand the GOP put pressure on the accused within their own party.

Hey, if nothing else, a President Mike Pence would cause collective leftist heads to spin more violently than Regan MacNeil's in The Exorcist






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Sunday, December 10, 2017

Hey, come on try a little; Nothing is forever....

Only 15 shopping days until Christmas, but the Northern Alliance Radio Network rolls on. Today's edition of The Closer will get started at 2:00 PM Central Time.

Right at 2:00 I will welcome to the Patriot bunker longtime friend of the broadcast Sen. Karin Housley (R-St. Mary's Point). As chair of the Aging and Long-Term Care Policy committee, Sen. Housley will discuss disturbing trends of elder abuse taking place in some Minnesota care facilities.

In other segments, we'll definitely weigh in on Minnesota senator Al Franken resigning his U.S. Senate seat and speculation as to who will be appointed for the next year as well as candidates for the special 2018 election.


So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing. You can also text comments/questions to (651) 243-0390.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area, you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link, or check us out via iheart radio. If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

Even though I have a face for radio, there is a UStream channel where you can watch the broadcast if you so desire. Check it out here.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #narn or "Like" our Facebook page.

Until then.....

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Friday, December 08, 2017

Good riddance

Al Franken entered the U.S. Senate with a reputation as a crude, insufferable putz. His speech from the Senate floor on Thursday, where he announced his intention to resign his senate seat "in the coming weeks," indicated he is leaving as a delusional and defiant egomaniac.

While he indicated in his address that "all women deserve to be heard and their experiences taken seriously," he didn't take responsibility for the eight women (and I know for a fact there are more) who accused him of inappropriate conduct nor did he apologize. Instead of doing the right thing by offering a mea culpa, Franken engaged in classic "whataboutism" by pointing out "a man who has bragged on tape about his history of the sexual assault sits in the Oval Office and a man who has repeatedly preyed on young girls campaigns for the Senate with the full support of his party." While I certainly won't defend the inexcusable actions of President Trump or Alabama senate candidate Roy Moore, I definitely take issue with Franken's declaration that Moore has the full support of Republicans. To borrow part of a title of a book written by a self-anointed satirist, that's a lie told by a lying liar. Moore has been endorsed by Trump and given cash by the Republican National Committee, but that hardly comprises the entire GOP. Any Republican senator who was gone on record has said they desire for Moore to drop out of the race or withdrew any previous endorsement of him.

Once Franken officially moves on, Minnesota governor Mark Dayton will appoint an interim senator, with a special election taking place next year. Many will say that Franken being gone means little given that his replacement will likely be of the same far left "progressive" ilk. While it's true that ideologically it will be a lateral move, anyone not named Jesse Ventura will be an upgrade in demeanor over the despicable Franken. Good riddance, loser.

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Wednesday, December 06, 2017

The solution in their midst

Over the past year, "progressives" have declared that hundreds of thousands of people will die due to the following: 




Yet in the same breath, some of these same proggies declare it's immoral to continue having kids due to it being "bad for Earth."

Hmmm. Seems to me these progs have unwittingly discovered a solution for what they believe ails this planet. Connect the dots, people.

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Tuesday, December 05, 2017

None of the above

In the Republican primary for the Alabama special election to replace Senator Jeff Sessions (now the U.S. Attorney General), President Trump endorsed Luther Strange over Roy Moore. But as we now know, Moore eventually emerged victorious and thus is the GOP candidate opposing Democrat Doug Jones in next week's special election.

I often wondered why Trump didn't take the opportunity to engage in a proverbial victory lap when decades old accusations of sexual misconduct against Moore began to surface. After all, Trump's never been shy about patting himself on the back, regardless if it's warranted. But had the Alabama GOP nominated Strange, as Trump preferred, it would've prevented a lot of the headaches we're experiencing now.

As it turns out, there's a reason President Trump was restrained in shouting "I TOLD YOU SO."




Welp....there you have it. Despite credible allegations of a then 30-something Moore propositioning teen aged girls back in the 1970s, there's an agenda that needs tending to. Apparently that supersedes common decency.

Back in the 1980s, Henry Kissinger once said of the Iran-Iraq conflict that "it's a pity they can't both lose." Given the Alabama senate race pits a former pedophile (allegedly) against a radical pro-abortion candidate, ol' Hank's sentiment is definitely applicable here.

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Monday, December 04, 2017

Favorite part of Sunday's Vikings victory?

Submitted without comment:




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Sunday, December 03, 2017

Go now, don't look back, we've drawn the line.....

Well it may be December but the Minnesota weather feels like late October. Nevertheless, we've got a lot to cover on today's edition of The Closer. The one-hour extravaganza gets started at 2:00 PM Central Time.

Right at 2:00, political wonk Matt Mackowiak will join the broadcast to draw distinctions between hyperbole and facts regarding the Senate's newly passed tax reform bill. We'll also discuss President Trump's former NSA head Gen. Michael Flynn pleading guilty to charges he lied to the FBI.

Then at 2:30 I will be joined via phone by Republican candidate for Minnesota governor Matt Dean. Fresh off winning the gubernatorial straw poll at yesterday's meeting of MNGOP State Central delegates, Mr. Dean will check in to update us on his candidacy.


So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing. You can also text comments/questions to (651) 243-0390.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area, you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link, or check us out via iheart radio. If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

Even though I have a face for radio, there is a UStream channel where you can watch the broadcast if you so desire. Check it out here.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #narn or "Like" our Facebook page.

Until then.....

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Friday, December 01, 2017

Genuine fake news

It was inevitable that the media would be unable to refrain from jumping around like poo-flinging monkeys contain its enthusiasm in reporting a potentially explosive story about the Trump administration. But as is often the case, the mostly anti-Trump media ends up stepping on a proverbial rake when becoming so overly enthusiastic.

We'll come back to that.

In the ongoing investigation into Russia meddling in the 2016 U.S. election, things are definitely on the move.

Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn pleaded guilty Friday to making false statements to the FBI – as part of a deal that involves his full cooperation with investigators in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe.

Court documents show Flynn has acknowledged to investigators that at least two Trump transition members were involved in his outreach to Russian officials – though he initially gave false statements about those discussions.

The documents say that in late December 2016, Flynn called a senior transition official (identified as the "PTT official") to ask what to communicate to the Russian ambassador about sanctions. That official and Flynn discussed how they didn’t want Russia to "escalate the situation," something Flynn immediately told the ambassador in a phone call.

What I don't understand is why Flynn felt compelled to lie to the FBI. As a member of a presidential transition team, it's perfectly logical to reach out to foreign governments with whom you'll be interacting in the near future. I guess we'll know soon enough why Flynn was not forthright since he's now cut a deal that will allow him to avoid serious prison time.

On the surface, Flynn's communications with Russian officials prove virtually nothing, especially within the context of a president-elect Donald Trump instructing him to do so. Now if it were candidate Trump who gave such a directive? Well, then you're talking about the serious possibility of collusion. Ah, but certainly any major news network such as ABC News breaking the story of Flynn's guilty plea would be sure to draw such an important distinction, correct?

CNN reported late on Friday that an "ABC News spokesperson" said that "'World News' will clarify that this should be president-elect Trump, not candidate Trump."

ABC's mistake is a significant one. That it was president-elect Trump that allegedly instructed Flynn to contact the Russian ambassador and not candidate Trump changes the entire timeline of events and once again throws water on the idea that the Trump campaign colluded with Russian officials to sway the 2016 presidential election. There is nothing illegal about the Trump transition team contacting foreign officials to prepare the way for taking office.

Now it's being reported by multiple sources that a senior Trump administration official (Jared Kushner) was the person to give Flynn the directive. So it appears ABC's Brian Ross quite literally had an "exclusive" story.

Quite often Trump chides reports as "fake news" when it contains something unflattering to his administration. It's downright petulant when he does so, particularly when stories being reported contain easily verifiable facts. But in the case of Ross's report, certain facts surrounding the Flynn story were either omitted or misconstrued in an effort to reflect poorly on a presidential administration which the media at large loathes. And this isn't the first time Ross has been overzealous in his reporting. Remember the horrific mass shooting at an Aurora, CO movie theater 5+ years ago? Upon shooter James Holmes being identified, Ross did little more than a Google search to determine that someone named James Holmes was a member of a Colorado Tea Party group. Because guns and right-wing activist groups are two things which much of the media abhors, it was too good to not at least broach the possibility it was the same guy. Of course, the James Holmes of the Colorado Tea Party was not the shooter, so ABC News had to walk that back as well.

As of now, it's too early to determine how damning these recent developments are to the Trump administration. Unfortunately, the mainstream media is once again demonstrating that most reports on the Russia probe should be held to a standard of (to borrow a phrase from my pal Mitch Berg) Distrust but verify.....then distrust some more.

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