Saturday, December 28, 2019

See ya next decade

My day job will be taking me out of town thru New Years Eve, so blogging will likely be non-existent until 2020. 

In checking my numbers, the total number of posts here in 2019 is the lowest number I've put forth since 2011. A lot of factors contributed to that, not the least of which being that I traveled more for my job this past year than at any point in my 25+ year career in my vocation. Also, continuing to point out the sh*t show that is American politics can be quite draining. As such, I have been devoting more time to other activities (particularly in my faith) in an effort to provide a diversion. 

So what will 2020 bring? Given it's a presidential election year, we can say with certainty that the nuttiness won't die down. 

Until then..................

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Tuesday, December 24, 2019

Quick Hits: Volume CCVI (MN sports edition)

- With their loss at home to the Green Bay Packers Monday night, the Minnesota Vikings playoff position is locked in. They will be the #6 seed in the NFC. That means if the season ended today, the Vikes would travel to New Orleans the first weekend in January to take on the Saints.

Sure it's a buzzkill the Vikings didn't win the NFC North division and thus will have to be on the road every postseason game they play. But the silver lining is they don't have to go all out on Sunday in their final regular season game against Chicago, which means banged up guys (i.e. RBs Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison) get an extra week of rest. And since the Vikes have been one of the more healthier teams in the NFL this season in terms of avoiding catastrophic, season-ending injuries, they should be in great shape for that presumptive matchup against the New Orleans Saints on wildcard weekend.

I'm certainly not ready to proclaim the Vikings D.O.A. come playoff time.


- After a decent start to this NBA season, the Minnesota Timberwolves have reverted back to being hot garbage after losing to a pathetic Golden State Warriors team Monday evening. The Wolves have now lost eleven consecutive games.

But hey, at least they like their head coach.


- Speaking of hot garbage, have you read any of "Twins Twitter" of late? There have been literally hundreds of "fans" lamenting how the club has yet to land the impact starting pitcher which front office brass Derek Falvey and Thad Levine had prioritized going into this offseason. Yes, the usual vapid chanting points are being put forth, whether it's "CHEAP POHLADS" or "This team will never trade prospects to get better, they're content being one-and-done every postseason." The thing I find most amusing is when I convey on social media what is perceived as even a tacit defense of the Twins hierarchy, the angst-riddled "fans" attempt to ridicule my perspective.

Here's the thing. If we arrive at Spring Training in February and the Twins have not made significant improvements on a 101-win team which still has a solid young nucleus, then Falvey and Levine will deserve the wrath which fans will undoubtedly heap upon them. Even though the Twins either lost out on or passed on realistic pitching options via free agency (i.e. Zack Wheeler, Madison Bumgarer and Hyun-Jin Ryu), that doesn't mean they are "punting" on acquiring another starter. Apparently some of these thumb-sucking "fans" don't realize that trades can be made as well.

Bottom line is Levine was in the front office of the Texas Rangers when they went to consecutive World Series in 2010 and 2011. Falvey was part of the Cleveland Indians brass when they were in the Series in 2016. The duo took over a 103-loss team and within three years were at the helm of a club who won 101 games. In my mind, they've earned the trust to make moves necessary to upgrade the club on the field. World Series aren't won in December, folks. Get a grip.

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Sunday, December 22, 2019

It's the hap-happiest season of all......

It's my final broadcast of 2019, so here's hoping we finish the year strong. Today's edition of The Closer gets started at 1:00 PM Central Time.

Would you believe I have more stories of ineptitude within the MN Dept. of Human Services? Welp...believe it!

I will also weigh in on the Trump impeachment saga. In the motif of "If a tree fell in woods and no one was there to hear it, did it make a sound?," if the U.S. Senate doesn't receive the House-passed articles of impeachment, was Trump even impeached?

At 1:15, friend of the show Sen. Karin Housley (R-St. Mary's Point) will call in to discuss her efforts to modernize Minnesota's liquor laws as well as her looking to thwart government's intrusiveness into small businesses.


So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 or, if you're near downtown Minneapolis/West Metro area, 107.5 FM 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 as well as Amazon Alexa (just say "Alexa, play The Patriot Minneapolis")If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

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

Until then.....

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Thursday, December 19, 2019

As predicted

The Democrat-controlled House passed both articles of impeachment against President Trump.

The first vote, 230-197, was to impeach him for abuse of power and was almost entirely on party lines; it was followed quickly by a second 229-198 vote that the president obstructed Congress.

The problem for Dems now is support for impeachment is under water whereas Trump's approval rating has actually gone up since hearings began. With that in mind, the Democrats know they can't allow the articles to founder in the GOP-controlled Senate, so it would appear they're now in panic mode.

Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) said he's approached every member of House leadership about (delaying sending the articles to the Senate) and received responses ranging from interest to outright support. He said Pelosi, in particular, "indicated she was interested and considering it."

"As long as we have the articles of impeachment under our control, we have an opportunity to prevent a travesty," Blumenauer said.

Blumenauer argued that the House could use the delay to continue to build on its evidence for impeachment, and possibly to score additional legal victories that could unlock troves of new evidence and witness testimony that the Trump administration has withheld from Congress. Some of those court cases could be decided within weeks.

"You can continue to build the record, you can get information and you argue for fairness and don't surrender until it's clear that this is in the best interest of the process," Blumenauer said.

I read that as a tacit admission that House Democrats really haven't built a strong case and that they know it. I'm sure last month they felt as though they could use what they gathered as a cudgel to undermine Trump's reelection efforts. However, it now appears to have had the opposite affect.

This is what happens when you let the kook fringe of your party basically bully you into these proceedings. Enjoy 2020, Dems.

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Wednesday, December 18, 2019

#RockTheRedKettle

For the seventh time in the past eight years I have been asked to participate in Celebrity Bell Ringing on behalf of the Salvation Army!


BC7A8946 copy
From the 2018 event. Definitely the most generous use of the word "celebrity."



The event will take place this Friday in the East Rotunda of the Mall of America, with a variety of personalities taking on a 1-hour shift from 9:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.

So why do I support an organization such as this and encourage you to do so? Well.....


What your donations buy
• $10 buys three hot meals and hygiene supplies for one person
• $30 provides a night of shelter, a hot shower and a meal for one person
• $150 feeds a four-person family for a week


Where your money goes
• Four hot meal programs and eight food shelves
• After-school programs for children of all ages
• Rent and utility assistance for families in crisis
• Drug and alcohol rehabilitation
• Counseling, family mentoring, spiritual outreach
• Disaster relief
• Seasonal programs that provide coats, school supplies, Christmas gifts, and more


So if you'd be so kind, please drop some spare change in a SalArmy red kettle as you're out and about this holiday season.

God bless y'all!

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Divine guidance all around

Not much to add to this story. Just press "play."






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Monday, December 16, 2019

We love the '80s!!!

If I had to rank my favorite appearances on the Northern Alliance Radio Network, this past Saturday's appearance on Mitch Berg's broadcast is definitely in my personal top 5. Along with NARN alum Ed Morrisey and charter member King Banaian, we each conveyed our submissions for the three worst TV sitcoms of the 1980s.

We got started halfway through hour one and continued all the way through hour two.

Definitely check 'em out if you're so inclined.







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Sunday, December 15, 2019

What did you expect? Fools often sometimes forget.....

Heckuva Sunday lineup today with the Northern Alliance Radio Network from 1:00 until 3:00 PM Central Time and then Vikings-Chargers at 3:05. As always, a lot to get to on today's edition of The Closer. 

In the first hour we'll discuss some local issues, including more ineptitude at the MN Dept. of Human Services. Also, the city of Minneapolis is so bad for business that Burger King restaurants aren't even allowed.

At 2:00 pm CT, political wonk Matt Mackowiak will join the broadcast to give his perspective on impeachment as well as the IG report on FISA abuses.


So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 or, if you're near downtown Minneapolis/West Metro area, 107.5 FM 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 as well as Amazon Alexa (just say "Alexa, play The Patriot Minneapolis")If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

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

Until then.....

---------------------------------------

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Seriously?

Lemme just say that I'm not a big fan of engaging in ad hominem form of argument, regardless of which side of the political aisle is partaking. It says to me that one is unable to adequately dissent in a debate so one engages in character attacks in an effort to discredit the opposition.

President Trump is often guilty of this, but one of his latest tweets offered up one of his most egregious affronts (and that's saying a lot).




This was in response to 16-year old Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg being named Time magazine's Person of the Year.

First off, personally attacking anyone instead of their ideas, as stated earlier, is bad form. But to take shots at someone who is not even an adult (one with documented mental health issues to boot) is both inappropriate and non-productive. And for the leader of the free world to demonstrate such behavior??? Beyond the pale.

If anyone should be subject to criticism, it's the adults in Greta's life who are using her as a veritable human shield. We're told that we're supposed to heed Ms. Thunberg's warnings of an upcoming apocalypse due to lack of action on climate change but don't you dare subject her viewpoint to critical analysis because "OMG SHE'S ONLY 16!!!" These would have been fine insights for Trump to convey but, unfortunately, he has never been one to indulge in nuance.

Yet another is a series of daily reminders how we live in very stupid times.

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Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Was it worth it?

Wait, so there was no bribery or treason? Huh.

House Democrats on Tuesday introduced two articles of impeachment against President Trump alleging abuse of power and obstruction of Congress regarding his interactions with Ukraine, touching off a rapid-fire sequence that could result in a momentous floor vote in a matter of days.

“The framers of the Constitution prescribed a clear remedy for presidents who so violate their oath of office,” said House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y. "No one, not even the president, is above the law.”

His office later posted text of the articles, which declare Trump's actions warrant impeachment, trial and removal from office.

Since the Dems have the majority in the House, these articles will likely pass and Trump will become the third POTUS in history to be impeached. However, the trial in the Senate will fall far short of the 67-vote threshold for removal from office, to which we'll pivot exclusively to the 2020 election cycle.

Sure, these hearings seemed to have backfired on Dems since the needle has moved from a slight plurality favoring impeachment to now a plurality opposing. That said, I'm skeptical it will have a significant impact either way on Trump's reelection efforts given we move so seamlessly from outrage-to-outrage. As far as how it will affect Congressional elections? I don't believe either chamber (Dem majority in House; GOP majority in Senate) will change hands as a result.

But hey, a lotta book deals to be had I'm sure, so this whole saga will be deemed "worth it" to some people.

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Monday, December 09, 2019

How do those bus wheels feel, Barack?

Is this all because Obama didn't endorse Uncle Joe or even reciprocate his overture to be best pals?




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Sunday, December 08, 2019

We'll try to stay blind to the hope and fear outside....

I will be back in the Patriot bunker today for my radio show The Closer. The 2-hour broadcast gets started at 1:00 PM Central Time.

In the first hour I will weigh in on the Trump impeachment and how the mainstream media is looking to influence underwhelmed Americans. Also, there's been a few newsworthy items from current and former Democrat presidential candidate this past week. 

On the local scene, the MN Dept of Human Services is still utterly dysfunctional. 

At 2:15, friend of the show D. Greg Scott will stop by. Greg will be talking about over-eager prosecuting attorneys and internet hysteria, particularly as it pertains to an incident involving his 11-year old grandson. FYI, there was a write-up in the Star Tribune regarding his grandson's saga. 


So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 or, if you're near downtown Minneapolis/West Metro area, 107.5 FM 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 as well as Amazon Alexa (just say "Alexa, play The Patriot Minneapolis")If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

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

Until then.....

---------------------------------------

Thursday, December 05, 2019

Pining for the days of yore

Dave Durenberger, who represented Minnesota in the U.S. Senate from late 1978 thru early 1995, has, for as long as I can remember, lamented the rightward lurch of the Republican party. In fact, during his time in the Senate in the '80s, Durenberger was a frequent critic of then President Ronald Reagan's conservative agenda. In 2010 he endorsed Independent Tom Horner for Minnesota Governor.

Last year Durenberger authored a book entitled (what else?) When Republicans Were Progressive, which I am going to guess is little more than a tireless exercise lamenting how the GOP is no longer of his ilk, which are Democrats in nicer suits. I'm not sure how I didn't discover this project until now, but whatever.

Oh, by the way? Durenberger had a co-author on this particular publication, a person who also happens to be a local journalist. Given Durenberger's background and content of the book, would you care to guess the identity of said co-author? If you follow Minnesota politics at all, this should be the proverbial layup.

Once you've ventured a guess, you can learn the co-author's name here ===> (link).

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Wednesday, December 04, 2019

Quick Hits: Volume CCV

- As I've mentioned many times in this space, the political left loves its identity politics. As such, a small town young mayor like Pete Buttigieg (who is openly gay) can be a formidable candidate for the Democrat presidential nomination. But while progressives love the identity politics angle with Mayor Pete, there's now a growing concern he may not be "WOKE" enough.

A headline from an article in Out, which is a publication aimed at an LGBT audience:

Pete Buttigieg Volunteered for the Homophobic Salvation Army.

Leftists love to proclaim they are morally superior when it comes to compassion for those in need. The Salvation Army has been feeding the hungry as well as providing clothing and shelter for those in need for literally more than a century. Yet because the organization subscribes to a biblical worldview of marriage (one the flies in the face of Buttigieg's relationship, a notion that doesn't seem to bother him), it's better for needy people to seek assistance elsewhere or something.

Oh, and good luck proggies with the "Mayor Pete enables homophobia" chanting point.


- Death. Taxes. Ineptitude within the MN Dept. of Human Services.





In between his time of concocting Executive Orders for a "Climate Emergency" and advocating for a state lawsuit against e-cig manufacturers, Gov. Tim Walz I'm sure is ON THIS!


- If there are a list of "nevers" in the political world (which these days seems to be no-holds barred), at the very top of the list is never invoke a Hitler/Nazi analogy or comparison. Somewhere not too far down said list would be never publicly speak the names of elected officials' pre-adult kids.

One of the Dems' lapdogs key witnesses at Wednesday's impeachment hearing didn't heed the latter.




You can just tell by listening to that person that she isn't the type who should even attempt levity.

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Tuesday, December 03, 2019

She gone!

As the year 2020 draws nearer, many of the 20+ Democrat presidential candidates will fall by the wayside. In case you doubted that there were too many folks vying for the Dem nomination, the fact that so few hardcore politicos knew the likes of Steve Bullock and Joe Sestak were even in the race (before both dropped out Monday) should be a cue.

Anyhow, it's gettin' real now as a once perceived A-list candidate has moved on.

Kamala Harris is dropping out of the presidential race, she told staff on a call Tuesday.


This is another cautionary tale for leftists who desire to go all in on identity politics. So enamored were proggies with the prospects of electing the first female POTUS (and one of color to boot) that Harris, for a time, was among the top 3 in polling among Dems. However, the identity dynamic justifiably starts to fade when the campaign is inept.

Perhaps the most delicious parts of this development?

One is Tulsi Gabbard, the candidate whom Dems loathe the most due to her epic takedown of Harris in one the debates, remains in the race.



via GIPHY


And second?






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Sunday, December 01, 2019

Ski U BLAH!

Gopher nation was beyond delirious in anticipation of the most consequential Badgers-Gophers football game perhaps in the history of the rivalry. And within the first couple minutes of Saturday's game, we were given instant gratification when QB Tanner Morgan found WR Rashod Bateman for a 51-yard touchdown bomb on their first possession. Alas, it would be the only exhilarating moment for Gopher faithful in a 38-17 Wisconsin rout.

From a talent standpoint, the two teams were pretty evenly matched. But when it came to in-game coaching, Badgers' coach Paul Chryst (whom the Gophs seriously considered hiring in 2011 before choosing Jerry Kill) completely outclassed Gophers head man P.J. Fleck.

Well, it sure was nice having Paul Bunyan's Axe for one year. 

After the game, coach Fleck spoke very passionately and eloquently about the program's future. 




There's no question that Fleck has brought credibility to a program that has rarely had it in more than a half century. As such, I am optimistic he will be able to attract solid players to Minnesota which will give them a chance to compete for Big 10 West titles. But I am hesitant to get too excited due to Fleck's head-scratching decisions he makes in game, particularly in the two Gophers losses this season. Given he's been a head coach in Division I college football for seven years now, these types of blunders shouldn't be occurring with such regularity. It's nice that he takes the burden on his shoulders when they've lost, but after a while the words become hollow when you're kicking away winnable games.

But perhaps the worst part of this loss? Having to listen to certain self-loathing "fans" who lament having their hopes built up for a Rose Bowl berth only to have them shattered, then expressing regret in becoming too emotionally invested. I would be willing to bet that a good number of those thumb suckers hadn't even watched a Gophers game in full before this season. If that indeed is the case, then they have no concept how being hopeful yet disappointed is far superior to hopelessness. Get a grip, people.

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Saturday, November 30, 2019

Couldn't see a thing but open skies.....

This weekend on the Northern Alliance Radio Network, The Closer will be broadcasting on The Headliner edition as I'll be in for Mitch Berg today. The 2-hour blitz gets started at 1:00 PM Central Time. 

This is one of those rare weeks where I wasn't as heavily engaged in the news as normal (understandable given it's Thanksgiving week), so I'll weigh on an op-ed about how some Americans lost focus on thankfulness and instead are fueled by social media memes during the holidays. 

Also, I'll weigh in on nanny stater Michael Bloomberg entering the presidential race. 


So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 or, if you're near downtown Minneapolis/West Metro area, 107.5 FM 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 as well as Amazon Alexa (just say "Alexa, play The Patriot Minneapolis")If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

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

Until then.....

---------------------------------------

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Holiday suggestion

I'm game!



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Monday, November 25, 2019

Quick Hits: CCIV

- Hide yo guns, hide yo Big Gulps, hide yo fatty foods. The most prolific nanny state advocate is entering the presidential race.

Michael Bloomberg announced Sunday he is running for president, bringing a narrow following but boundless bank account to the crowded Democratic primary.

The 77-year-old former New York City mayor, positioning himself as a centrist alternative to Joe Biden, launched his candidacy in an online video that is part personal story, part attack on President Donald Trump.

“I’m running for president to defeat Donald Trump and rebuild America. We cannot afford four more years of President Trump’s reckless and unethical actions. He represents an existential threat to our country and our values,” Bloomberg declared in a statement Sunday. “If he wins another term in office, we may never recover from the damage.”

It's also been announced that Bloomberg's media empire, Bloomberg News, will not investigate he or his Democrat rivals. Only Trump will be subject to such scrutiny.

If Bloomberg does indeed secure the Democrat nomination, he'll perfectly personify every criticism Trump has lobbed towards the media establishment. And to make the debates even more of a show, Trump should take sips from a 2-liter bottle of Coca-Cola every time Bloomberg speaks.


- On Monday, President Trump welcomed to the White House a German Shepherd named Conan, the dog who was instrumental in the killing of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdad.

Y'know, I'm certain there were heroic canines during the Obama years. Why didn't any of those animals receive the courtesy of a White House visit?

Oh, right.


- This Saturday's Wisconsin Badgers-Minnesota Gophers tilt is likely the most consequential Gophers football game in my lifetime, maybe even in the history of the rivalry (one in which both teams are sporting a 60-60-8 all-time record in this matchup). Not only is Paul Bunyan's Axe (currently in the Gophs' possession) at stake but so too is the Big Ten West championship and possibly a berth in the Rose Bowl. As such, the highly popular ESPN college football pregame show College GameDay will broadcast live on the U of M campus.

Despite the fact Minnesota is at home and ranked slightly higher in the AP Top 25 poll (#9 to Bucky's #13), Wisconsin opened up as a 2-1/2 point favorite. I can certainly understand the rationale given the Badgers have endured a tougher strength of schedule as well as the field at TCF Bank Stadium being subject to potentially sloppy weather conditions. With a good chance of snow this Saturday afternoon, Bucky will put to good use it's potent running attack, which is 7th best in the country in terms of yards per attempt (5.6). Meanwhile, the Gophs' potent passing offense could face significant challenges in inclement weather.

There's no question that the National Football League is more popular in this country in terms of TV ratings and attendance at games. But for my money there's nothing better than the pageantry of college football, particularly in rivalry week. Let's do this!

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Sunday, November 24, 2019

Fab Five Freddy told me everybody's fly.....

It's the Vikings' bye week, so I'm expecting (OK, hoping) for a larger live audience than normal tuning in to today's edition of my radio program The Closer. The 2-hour blitz gets started at 1:00 PM Central Time.

I'll give the obligatory mention of the Trump impeachment proceedings, specifically how Independents (for now) aren't buying what Adam Schiff et al are selling. Also, the national media unwittingly proves they were in an 8-year slumber from 2008 thru 2016.

At 2:00 pm, Sen. Jim Abeler (R-Anoka) will join the broadcast to discuss news of even more ineptitude within the MN Dept. of Human Services.


So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 or, if you're near downtown Minneapolis/West Metro area, 107.5 FM 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 as well as Amazon Alexa (just say "Alexa, play The Patriot Minneapolis")If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

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

Until then.....

---------------------------------------

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Quick update

Two months later, I have yet to receive an answer to this inquiry: 




That's all.

----------------------------------------------------

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Upon further review.....

"CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT DESPICABLE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION?!?! THE U.N. SAYS THERE ARE 100,000 CHILDREN IN MIGRANT-RELATED U.S. DETENTION!! THAT IS IMMORAL, EVIL AND WRONG!!!!"



(whispers) **Ummm....that was from a 2015 U.N. study. Barack Obama was President at that time.**


via GIPHY


Oh. Never mind.

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Monday, November 18, 2019

Quick Hits: Volume CCIII

- I could give or take Chick-fil-A's food but I've always admired their business model. And standing firm in the face of social justice mobs in the aftermath of CEO Dan Cathy declaring strong support for traditional marriage was, in my eyes, a mark in their favor.

Unfortunately, this latest news makes it seem as if they're bending the proverbial knee to the SJW mob.

U.S. fast-food chain Chick-fil-A said on Monday it had stopped funding two Christian organizations including The Salvation Army, having come under fire in recent weeks from LGBT+ campaigners.

The fast-food chain’s charitable arm, Chick-fil-A Foundation, has donated millions of dollars to The Salvation Army and to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which opposes same-sex marriage.

If indeed this is Chick-fil-A's idea of a "compromise," I got news for 'em: This won't be enough to placate the "mob." Anything less than total acquiescence is unacceptable to those kooks. Don't say you weren't warned.



- The accompanying tweet to a recent Politico story was a bit....odd:




You mean there's a possibility we may have proper constitutional order on this issue???? Perish the thought!



- Since last season when my Minnesota Vikings club missed the playoffs, I've been skeptical that quarterback Kirk Cousins could ever be the franchise signal caller he's being paid handsomely to be. And after a disastrous performance seven weeks ago at Chicago, I seriously considered that Cousins was a flat out bust.

But since that game?

Cousins has been a completely different quarterback since Week 4's loss to Chicago, completing at least 70 percent of his passes in six of seven games and boasting a TD:INT of 18:1 all while Minnesota has gone on a 6-1 run.


He has also come up big in nationally televised prime time games, going 2-0 this season, including a first ever win over an above .500 team in such contests (Week 10 at Dallas).

But this past Sunday's win over the Denver Broncos may have been Cousins' signature game as Vikings QB. With stud RB Dalvin Cook being rendered ineffective and a defense being shredded by a Broncos offense lead by backup quarterback Brandon Allen, Cousins took the team on his back the second half in rallying from a 20-0 halftime deficit to a 27-23 win. In that half alone, he went 18-23 for 261 yards and 3 TDs.

With an 8-3 record and a Week 12 bye, the Vikings are in prime position for a postseason berth with an NFC North division title still within the realm of possibility. Definitely no time for Cousins to rest on his most recent stellar play.

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Saturday, November 16, 2019

Going down the old mine with a transistor radio....

With my friend and Northern Alliance Radio Network colleague Mitch Berg on assignment, I will be assuming the big chair which comes with being The Headliner edition of the NARN. The broadcast gets started at 1:00 PM Central Time.

A lot of national news to weigh in on, including the Trump impeachment hearings, University of Northwestern's school newspaper expressing regret for performing journalism, the Santa Clarita, CA school shooting, etc.

At 2:00 PM I will welcome to the show longtime friend of the broadcast Julia Coleman. With the MN Senate up for election in 2020, Julia is vying for the GOP nomination in Senate District 47, located mostly in Carver County.


So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 or, if you're near downtown Minneapolis/West Metro area, 107.5 FM 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 as well as Amazon Alexa (just say "Alexa, play The Patriot Minneapolis")If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

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

Until then.....

---------------------------------------

Friday, November 15, 2019

Myles away

An ugly scene near the end of last evening's edition of Thursday Night Football, featuring AFC North rivals Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns.





I didn't see this live, but I was alerted via social media how Cleveland DE Myles Garrett used the helmet of Steelers' QB Mason Rudolph to smack him atop the head with it. Thank God Rudolph wasn't seriously injured given the concussion he suffered just last month after a brutal hit in a game against the Baltimore Ravens.

Not surprisingly, the NFL has come down with some swift and harsh punishment in the aftermath of last night's fracas.

Myles Garrett will not play again this season, and maybe longer.

The NFL announced Friday that the Cleveland Browns defensive end has been suspended for the rest of this season, including the playoffs should the Browns make it
(Browns, playoffs?!?!? BWAHAHAHA!! - ed.), and will have to meet with the commissioner's office before being reinstated in 2020.

Garrett ripped the helmet off Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph and clubbed him in the head with it in the final seconds of Thursday night's game.

Garrett's suspension, which is at least six games, is the longest in NFL history for a single on-field incident.

In a statement, the NFL said, "Garrett violated unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct rules, as well as fighting, removing the helmet of an opponent and using the helmet as a weapon."

The NFL also suspended Browns defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi one game for shoving Rudolph in the back, to the ground, shortly after Garrett had slugged the Steelers quarterback in the head with the helmet. Pittsburgh center Maurkice Pouncey, who jumped into Garrett, kicking and punching him after Rudolph had been struck, was suspended three games.

All three players -- who were ejected from Thursday's game -- are suspended without pay and will be fined. In addition, the NFL has fined the Browns and Steelers organizations $250,000 each for the incident.

Given all we've learned about head trauma and CTE which have adversely affected active/retired NFL players, the league was left with no alternative to slapping Garrett with such a severe penalty. And kudos to Browns ownership, coaches and players (particularly QB Baker Mayfield) for not attempting to spin this by not unequivocally condemning Garrett. While it would seem to be an odd sentiment to praise such actions, the instinct of those affiliated with pro sports teams is to "have their guy's back." However, Garrett's actions were in no way excusable regardless of what Rudolph may have said or done, and Browns personnel was keenly aware of that.

While Garrett is slated to suffer some serious consequences handed down by the NFL, there is still an open possibility of Rudolph choosing to take legal action. This certainly has to be considered given if one man wielded a sizable weapon and clubbed another over the head with it while in a public place, it's at minimum assault and battery. I have to imagine the same standard would apply to what took place on the football field last evening since it was outside the realm of play.

I have a feeling this isn't the last we're hearing of this.

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Thursday, November 14, 2019

Kap back?

Like a lot of NFL fans, I was surprised when I heard the news about a certain former quarterback who many feel has been blackballed by the league and team owners.




Because none of the NFL teams were informed of the workout before Tuesday and Kap's camp is not even being told which teams will have a representative there, this whole thing seems hastily cobbled together. Plus, literally every NFL team has had the opportunity to bring in Kaepernick for a private workout at any point over the past 2-1/2 years but very few (if any) have done so. So why is it taking an NFL orchestrated event to get teams to show up?

My friend and former radio colleague Ed Morrissey has an interesting theory.

One possible explanation exists for this, including the strange scheduling, the demand for a combine in the middle of the season, and the unprovoked outreach — which is that the NFL needs someone to hire Kaepernick ASAP, for whatever reason. It might not be a lawsuit, but it could have to do with its player relations. Kaepernick had a lot of friends in this league and supporters who have mainly quieted down and stopped embarrassing the league, and they may be making it clear that they expect some payback now for their cooperation. Plus, the league and the NFL Players Association will shortly begin working on a new collective bargaining agreement, and an unemployed Kaepernick might make that a lot more difficult.

Consider this perhaps-coincidental report that emerged the day before the league announced the Kaepernick event:

Cowboys defensive end Michael Bennett reportedly said Monday that his new teammates in Dallas, not team owner Jerry Jones, convinced him to start standing on the sidelines during pregame renditions of the national anthem.

Bennett, one of the league’s most outspoken players on social issues, as well as a prominent advocate for Colin Kaepernick’s return to the NFL, had been staging forms of protest during the anthem since the 2017 season. When he was acquired last month from the New England Patriots, he reportedly reached an understanding with Dallas, and Jones said at the time, “I’m satisfied that, in Michael, we’ve got a player who knows how we do it here with the Cowboys.”

Sure enough, in his first two games with his new team, Bennett was seen standing on the sidelines as the anthem was being performed. With the Patriots earlier in the season and with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018, he stayed in the locker room, and he sat on the sidelines while with the Seattle Seahawks in 2017.

Did Bennett just suddenly throw his friend under the bus, or was he the last piece to fall into place for Kaepernick’s return?

I think it's more a situation of the NFL trying to absolve itself of this issue once and for all. If indeed Kaepernick remains unsigned after this workout, the league can say they made a concerted effort to showcase him but, at the end of they day, cannot legally compel teams to make a contract offer. But, again, since the planning of this event seems so disjointed, you certainly can't blame some current and former players for dismissing this as little more than a public relations stunt.

At the end of the day, it's difficult for me to believe that not a single one of the 32 NFL clubs has a need for a QB like Kaepernick. Given the caliber of talent which has been trotted out on the field since Kap's last NFL start at the end of 2016, I'm quite confident that Kaepernick, at the very least, can exceed what some QBs have put forth in that time frame.

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Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Quick Hits: Volume CCII

- So a college newspaper engaging in its sole purpose of journalism can now be "triggering?" Wut?!?!

Editors at the Northwestern University student paper The Daily Northwestern on Sunday issued an apology for what it called "mistakes" in its coverage of a campus event last week featuring former Trump Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Sessions, who served a tumultuous term as attorney general under President Trump from 2017 to 2018, announced a bid to win back his Alabama Senate seat last week. He spoke at Northwestern on Nov. 5 amid heavy protests.

The editors at the paper from the well-known journalism school specifically noted the photos taken at the event in their apology, noting that some students had found them to be “retraumatizing and invasive” and adding that those photos had been taken down.

"The Daily sent a reporter to cover that talk and another to cover the students protesting his invitation to campus, along with a photographer. We recognize that we contributed to the harm students experienced, and we wanted to apologize for and address the mistakes that we made that night — along with how we plan to move forward," reads part of the apology.

"One area of our reporting that harmed many students was our photo coverage of the event. Some protesters found photos posted to reporters’ Twitter accounts retraumatizing and invasive. Those photos have since been taken down," it adds.

Townhall Political Editor (and Northwestern alum) Guy Benson, as you can imagine, was none too pleased with this action.

(I)f elite institutions abandon support for the First Amendment (here's another recent example from Harvard), dark times lie ahead. And the notion that this sort of madness is merely confined to the academy is obviously not true anymore. Woke, stifling political correctness, in subordination of the truth, is infecting increasing swaths of society writ large, with real and distressing consequences. That the Daily Northwestern actively elected to undermine the credibility of its work with this egregious sop to the outrage mob is a tragedy. Its current leadership might as well have taken out a full-page advertisement announcing that their newspaper is no longer in the news business, and cannot be counted upon to relay accurate, factual information without fear or favor.


Constitutional rights die in wokeness.



- So an octogenarian Canadian hockey commentator opines that immigrants to the country aren't appreciative of soldiers who perished in fighting for Canada. Said commentator is unceremoniously dumped.

Meanwhile, the young, progressive boy Prime Minister of Canada donned blackface on multiple occasions as a young adult, yet is reelected.

Huh. Maybe our neighbors to north have decided to glom on to some modern day American values after all.


- I've been an admirer of the late John McCain for his honor and courage while serving America in the Vietnam War. However, a good number of his policy stances as a U.S. Senator and his indignant attitude over being a "maverick," one not afraid to thumb his nose at his own party, were traits of his which I didn't much care for.

As such, I'm really not concerned what McCain would think of today's Republican party. Honestly, how often is the news media going to recycle the same narrative where his widow Cindy proclaims her husband would be ashamed of what the party has become?

What's really disgusting is many of the same people who besmirched McCain because he had the audacity to oppose Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential race are the ones consistently giving his family a platform to do their dirty work. Conservative commentator Steve Deace noticed this, too.

I’m not saying virtually everything in politics is fake...but watching a bunch of folks who smeared John McCain as the 2008 GOP nominee now claim him as their perpetual posthumous weapon to wield against those who actually voted for him....okay, I am.

Say, how many networks gave more than even a cursory mention of Democrat Zell Miller upon his passing 20 months ago? Certainly his family could've conveyed how disgusted Mr. Miller likely was with his party making a quantum leap leftward. Yeah, intellectual consistency is hard.

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Monday, November 11, 2019

Football euphoria

Both the major college football program (University of Minnesota Golden Gophers) and the NFL squad (Minnesota Vikings) in the Twin Cities had critical games on their schedule this past weekend. Going in, it was difficult for me to be optimistic that just one of these teams would win, much less both. Inexplicably, both emerged victorious!

It has been well documented that Vikes QB Kirk Cousins has rarely delivered his teams (including the Washington Redskins, for whom he was the starter 2015-2017) to victory against above .500 opponents in prime time. While I always thought that stat was overblown given Cousins' numbers in such scenarios suggested he wasn't solely responsible for his clubs losing, the fact of the matter is that the lack-of-clutch-performances narrative would dog him until he was at the helm of such a win. A 28-24 victory over the first place Dallas Cowboys (a game which Cousins was good, not great) is a huge first step. It also put the Vikings at 7-3, which means they're in solid position for a postseason berth.

But let's be honest here. This past football weekend belonged to the Gophs! Ranked #13 in the Associated Press poll, the Gophers would be prime to leap into the Top 10 for the first time in 57 years with a win over #4 Penn St. It got a little to close for comfort, but the U of M hung on for an exhilarating 31-26 win at home, resulting in thousands of fans storming the TCF Bank Stadium field. And sure enough, the Golden Gophers surged into the Top 10 with a # 7 ranking!

In a conversation Sunday with Jason, fellow MN football enthusiast and 25-year old board op of my radio show, he declared that this was definitely the first time in his lifetime that the Gophs usurped the Vikes in terms of football enthusiasm in Minnesota. He then asked if I could say the same given I am literally twice his age. In thinking about it, I'd have to say the only other year that could come close is 1984, which saw the Gophers have an edge by default. That was first year the Vikings would be without the legendary Bud Grant as their head coach. It was apparent early on that the Vikes weren't competitive as new coach Les Steckel guided them to an awful 3-13 season, one in which it appeared the players had quit over the final six weeks. Meanwhile, there was renewed optimism at the U of M as the loquacious and entertaining Lou Holtz assumed the helm of a Gophers program that hit rock bottom after an 84-13 loss at home to Nebraska the season before. Sure, the Gophs only finished 4-7 in '84, but it was very apparent they were on an upswing. Their wins over both Wisconsin and Iowa was the first sweep of their two border rivals since 1975.

Bottom line is that the Vikings, from an enthusiasm standpoint, have ruled not only football but all sports in this state for more than two decades. The fact that the 2019 Vikes are legit playoff contenders but suddenly second fiddle to the Division I squad which has finished in the AP Top 20 only twice since 1962 is unfathomable to me. Truth be told, I didn't really think about Sunday evening's Vikings game until about 3 PM Sunday. This is literally uncharted territory for me.

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Sunday, November 10, 2019

I got no friends 'cause they read the papers......

No Vikings game until this evening, so I expect a lot more of my regular listeners to be tuning in LIVE to this afternoon's edition of my radio show The Closer. The 2-hour blitz gets rolling at 1:00 PM Central Time.

In the first hour I will look back at the media's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week.

Then at 2:00 I welcome to the Patriot bunker MN state Senator Michelle Benson (R-Ham Lake). As chair of the Health and Human Services Finance and Policy committee, Sen. Benson is heavily engaged in the continuing debacle within the MN Dept. of Human Services. As such, she'll weigh in on the Office of the Legislative Auditor's scathing report citing irregularities within the DHS.


So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 or, if you're near downtown Minneapolis/West Metro area, 107.5 FM 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 as well as Amazon Alexa (just say "Alexa, play The Patriot Minneapolis")If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

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

Until then.....

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Saturday, November 09, 2019

Row. The. Dang. Boat

I've been a fan of the University of Minnesota Gophers football program since the days of coach Smokey Joe Salem, who was at the helm starting in 1979. If you're at all familiar with the Gopher program, you know there has been very little to cheer about these past 40 years.

To say that their latest win was uncharted territory is an understatement.

Minnesota's Jordan Howden picked off Sean Clifford in the end zone with 1:01 left, the third interception thrown by Penn State's quarterback, and the 17th-ranked Gophers held on for a 31-26 victory Saturday afternoon over the fourth-ranked Nittany Lions for their first win over a top-five team in 20 years.

Tanner Morgan passed for 339 yards and three touchdowns to direct a dismantling of Penn State's staunch defense, as Minnesota (9-0, 6-0, No. 13 AP) not only remained undefeated but also stayed on track for its first trip to the Big Ten Championship Game.

The first sellout crowd for the Gophers at home in four years swarmed the field after the clock ran out, reveling in the biggest step forward yet under coach P.J. Fleck in his third season. The Gophers scrambled the College Football Playoff picture too, after Penn State (8-1, 5-1, No. 5 AP) emerged with a top-four spot in the first edition of the rankings.

With this win, the Gophs should vault into the top 10 for the first time since 1962. To put that in perspective for me, that was the year my old man graduated high school. Dang!

On a side note, the Gophers have not lost a single game since coach Fleck spoke at my home church earlier this year.







I'm just sayin'.........

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Thursday, November 07, 2019

Quick Hits: Volume CCI

- When it comes to being infected with Trump Derangement Syndrome, "progressives" (and in some cases "Never Trump" Republicans) will occasionally find themselves unwittingly aligned with race hustlers and terrorists, while opposing drug-free, physically fit kids.

The latest "resistance" to President Trump finds a group who gave off the impression that they weren't keen on kindness towards certain unhealthy newborns.




 Let's hope these medical professionals were off the clock. Seriously, can you imagine if an emergency involving one of the patients cropped up and there wasn't sufficient staff to provide support? And for what, petulant virtue signaling? Disgusting.


- Has anyone else noticed that whenever there are damning stories about anti-Semitic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN) that it's, more often than not, the Daily Mail out of the United Kingdom reporting them? Aren't there still two major newspapers right within the Twin Cities? Huh.


- Remember how indignant certain members of the mainstream media became when there was a possibility that the "whistle blower" in the Trump-Ukraine saga would be revealed? Many of their chanting points consisted of "whistle blowers need protection, otherwise our leaders' corrupt behavior will remain unchecked!" or "we will cease to exist as a civilized society if people can't anonymously point out wrongdoing by the elites! TRUTH TO POWER!!!"

Well......

CBS News has fired a female staffer believed to have had access to the tape of Amy Robach raging against ABC News, Page Six understands.

We reported on Wednesday that ABC News chiefs discovered a former employee could be behind the leak of the damning footage of Robach slamming the network for shelving her interview with Jeffrey Epstein’s “sex slave” Virginia Roberts Giuffre. Sources told Page Six that a former staffer had access to the footage of Robach as she aired her frustrations over a hot mike — and that employee was now believed to be working at CBS.

A TV source told us later on Wednesday that the woman was let go from CBS, after ABC execs alerted the rival network.

ABC sources confirmed to us that they’d informed counterparts at CBS about the staffer “as a courtesy.”

Yeah, can't have conscientious employees within a news organization who would be willing to call out systemic bias now, can we?

I know this may sound hyperbolic but the firing of the staffer is flat out old school mafioso tactics. Anyone who dares shine a light on obvious irregularities is immediately "whacked" (metaphorically speaking of course). No introspection necessary when utilizing those kinds of methods.

For a media collective who was so offended that a sitting President of the United States would chide them as being corrupt, they sure work overtime to prove him correct.

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Wednesday, November 06, 2019

You're on your own, media

Like many political righties, I'm often disgusted by the stunning left-wing bias put forth by mainstream media figures. However, I was never comfortable with President Trump's characterization that they were the "ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE."

From this point forward, I can no longer in good conscience refute that notion in light of the latest Project Veritas bombshell.





Sadly, this is an overall trend within major media outlets.









The election of Trump seemed to have broken a lot of U.S. citizens given their behavior on social media, protests in the streets, etc. Unfortunately that derangement has spread to what is supposed to be trusted institutions.

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Tuesday, November 05, 2019

Our clownish media

When it comes to reporting on President Donald Trump, many American media outlets do their darnedest to make mountains out of molehills. It almost seems as if getting a few pesky facts incorrect is secondary to ensuring that Trump is in no way humanized. This trait is most apparent when it comes to championship sports teams making (or declining) their obligatory visit to the White House.

Many proggies and media outlets (pardon the redundancy) reacted like poo-flinging monkeys when the likes of the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles or NBA champ Golden State Warriors dissed Trump by playing up their "resistance" chops. Or when a team like the New England Patriots visited in 2017, the media tried to diminish their appearance by using out of context photography to show how sparsely attended the gathering was in comparison to the Pats visiting President Obama in 2015.

So when the 2019 World Series champion Washington Nationals accepted Trump's invite to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., the media was already looking for an angle to undermine the President. Sure enough they found it in the team's closer Sean Doolittle, who stated he would not join the festivities due to his opposition to Trump.

By the time the Nats arrived at the White House on Monday, the Doolittle story line was pretty well drowned out, so the media had to find alternative ways to "own" the POTUS. Oh, and they thought they were on to something when World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg looked to have left Trump hanging when he attempted to shake the pitcher's hand. Some guy named Rudy Gersten (who apparently writes for the Washington Post) played a video that appeared to show Strasburg turn away from Trump and proceed to hug Nats manager Dave Martinez. Ah, but if Rudy (who has since locked down his Twitter account) had played the video in its entirety, here's what we all would have seen:




Strasburg himself, who had posted all of five tweets in the past four years, took to Twitter to refute Mr. Gersten's flat out fabrication.





As if the day couldn't get much worse for the media and leftists (PTR), many of the players actually seemed to enjoy their time at the White House.

Ryan Zimmerman, who was the Nats' first ever draft pick and made his MLB debut in their inaugural season of 2005, presented the President with a jersey inscribed with Trump's name and the number 45. He also thanked Trump for "keeping everyone here safe in our country and continuing to make America the greatest country to live in the world." Not to be outdone, veteran catcher Kurt Suzuki took to the podium and promptly donned the ever-familiar red "Make American Great Again" cap. What ensued was perhaps the most hilariously awkward photo ops in presidential history.




The only thing that would have made this visit absolute perfection was if Daniel Murphy, who played for the Nationals from 2016 thru August 2018, was still on the roster. That would have for sure set off a certain little pipsqueak writing at Slate. Alas.

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