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Thursday, June 17, 2010

Rules Need Not Apply (Local Boy Makes Bad)

I think I've figured out why the Cult hates the government so much. To put it simply, they don't like laws. In fact, I think their entire collective would be happy if there weren't any laws and they could all be ass hats about whatever they wanted.

In other words, they don't like people like me because I stand in the way of them getting to be a dick whenever they want.

With this sentiment in mind, starting today we are going to see a new regular feature here on NFTF similar to the vein of Grab Bag and Liberal Media Watch. It's called "Rules Need Not Apply" and it will showcase examples of this disdain for law. I have a few nauseating examples that I'd like to get out over the next few days so let's start with a local one.

Meet Mayor Phil Young of Eden Prairie. Phil was a Tea Bagger before the name was even invented. He ran for mayor on the idea that government should be extremely limited and private funding could take on many of the city's needs. Sound familiar? It should because it's one of the central creeds of the Cult.

Problem is, though, that Phil used taxpayer money to reimburse himself for meetings he never went to and that were canceled. He received almost $1,000 in tax payer funds for his per diem.

City Hall records show that for 2008, 2009 and the first three months of this year, Young claimed $35 per diem amounting to $980 for 28 meetings of the Minnesota Regional Council of Mayors, which meets under the auspices of the Urban Land Institute in downtown Minneapolis.


But he attended just two of the 28 meetings, according to attendance records kept by the Land Institute.

So what exactly does this mean?

Plymouth police investigated the claims and submitted evidence to the county attorney's office. Last week Freeman said his office considered a charge of felony theft of public funds but declined to prosecute. After Freeman declined to file charges, Plymouth Police Chief Mike Goldstein said he planned to ask the Plymouth city prosecutor to review the matter for possible prosecution as a misdemeanor. Proper procedure, however, requires the Eden Prairie prosecutor to review the case and decide whether to pursue it further, Goldstein said.

So, basically the city of Plymouth (acting as an impartial investigator) has declined to prosecute a felony theft and may not even charge Young with a misdemeanor. Why?

Young committed a crime and he is skating away free. He's also a complete fucking hypocrite. He won office due to his "belief" that the government shouldn't waste taxpayer money and he did just that. Basically, Phil believes, as many in the Cult do, that the rules don't apply to them.

Not surprisingly, Cult members showed up at a recent city council meeting and demonstrated support for Phil.

Many of those who spoke described Young as a committed, caring community leader who has the city's best interests at heart and is the victim of a political witch hunt."I grant you that Phil's bookkeeping is lacking a bit, but he didn't collect; he was busy doing the people's work for the city," said Don Opheim, a city resident since 1968. "Phil Young is the best mayor I have had the good fortune to know in my 42 years in Eden Prairie. I hope you run again. I hope Phil stays on."

Ah, I get it. So we can rip the "race mongers" when they play the victim card all the time but not Cult members who are "great community leaders." Pardon me while I barf all over my fucking keyboard. In other words, "It's Not ______ when we do it!!!"

And the rules need not apply.


24 comments:

Haplo9 said...

Mark, we're still waiting for you to tell us how references to a "black hole" are racist. Or are you just going to run away from that one, as is your wont?

As to your latest meme, good luck pushing that one. I think you'll have a tough time convincing even your ideological allies that conservative pols have some sort of lock on ignoring laws to their benefit. (Umm.. Geithner, and however many other people Obama tried to nominate that had tax problems?)

Anonymous said...

Two words: Pay-Go.

Anonymous said...

Nice Rove, Mark.

Anonymous said...

Christ, with everything else in the world going on, this is the best you got? Pathetic.

Yeah Mark. You win. Every 'Conservative' really wants anarchy. You are sooo smart to figure that out, when it is not what anyone here is saying.

I look at this as a positive actually. I choose to believe that this is the blowoff bottom for you, where you can post one last time as such a simpleton. Next, you finally realize that all the things that you've been told repeatedly by your conservative acquaintances are really true.

I kinda envy that crystal moment in your future where your new opinion will fit the facts.

I never had a big conversion like you should soon be having, because I try to base my opinion on facts. After you held out so long in the face of overwhelming evidence, I predict you will have what an alcoholic would refer to as 'a moment of clarity'.

Risk management and perception!

Too rich,

dw

Anonymous said...

What's the big deal? He's from the Midwest, and is therefore a shitkicking hillbilly! Certainly you don't blame a shitkicking hillbilly for getting a little kickback on the side. I don't blame that shitkicking hillbilly from Illinois for his Rezko land kickback.

Have some tolerance!

dw

Mark Ward said...

Haplo9, I responded in the way I wanted to in that thread. If you choose to have the perception that I "ran away," oh well. It doesn't bother me at all. But do take notice that I'm not up everyone's ass with a tweezer if they don't answer questions in an unbelievably rigid and strict manner.

dw, I started with Phil because he was local. It's part of a pattern which will become apparent over the next few days.

Anonymous said...

Oh. Super. I get it. You are going to continue by saying voters can get rid of this dude easily because the power base of a hillbilly shitkicking city is so little that he can't buy enough votes to get his ass out of this sling. Good call.

Now, how do we get rid of the politicians that have a huge power base backed with lobbyist money at the state/national level? What if both the D and the R are such scumbags that you wouldn't vote for either one of them?

What if so much power was concentrated in the hands of an "elected" few, that is impossible to get rid of them in a timely manner. If only we had a tenth amendment! Alas and alack!

But go on, I don't want to steal your ending.

dw

Anonymous said...

And:

Your comment counter doesn't work for shit all the sudden.

Anonymous said...

Ah, Now I Get It.....

You personally are okay with Barack Obama breaking bankruptcy laws.

You personally are okay with Tim geithner breaking tax laws.

You personally are okay with Sonia Sotomayer disregarding equal opportunity hiring standards.

You personally are okay with Charlie Rangel and Chris Dodd breaking RICO laws.

You personally are okay with ACORN breaking RICO laws, immigration laws, child prostitution laws, or for that matter any laws at all.

You personally are okay with the New Black Panther Party breaking voter intimidation laws.

You personally are okay with Eric Holder refusing to enforce any laws against anyone who supports his boss's party.

You personally are okay with the Federal government suing the State of Arizona for daring to insist that state and local law enforcement officers enforce Federal immigration laws.

But because you were able to dig up an example of a Republican mayor in some small town no one has ever heard of, and the reporters were able to find 3 people who still supported him even though he was sloppy with his expense accounts (perhaps even as sloppy as Tim Geithner was with tens of thousands of dollars of owed taxes), suddenly not only are he and those 3 supporters "Cult" members, and not only do they think "Rules Need Not Apply" even though the evidence isn't all in yet... that's not enough for you. Now suddenly all conservatives don't think they should have to obey the law.

If that's true, why don't you support them? They sound just like Democrats to me.

Anonymous said...

Too far, too fast Mr. Anonymous. Why wipe out his whole train of thought when he's just getting started.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jun/17/obamas-endless-summer-of-spending/

RACIST NAZI HOMOPHOBES!

Why steal $980, when you can swindle the public for trillions? This mayor of Shitkicker, MN should've run for US Congress.

dw

Haplo9 said...

>Haplo9, I responded in the way I wanted to in that thread.

Rofl. You actually seem to think that's an answer. Translation: I got asked an uncomfortable question, and chose not to answer it. When later asked about it, I blustered about how I totally showed those guys by doing exactly "what I wanted to do". Which was avoid the question they asked.

Wow Mark. You go. I'm going to have to try that - when someone asks me a simple question, I'll ignore it, then say I was doing exactly what I wanted to do. Then, I'll act superior and righteous when they call me out for not answering the question. Sounds like a great plan!

Uheardherefirst said...

Just got the transcript of David Cameron's speech in the UK:



I have recently spoken to Mr Tony Hayward, Chief Executive of British Petroleum. Mr Hayward indicated to me that his company had agreed to give the United States' Government over 13 billion pounds as a "fund" against future claims resulting from the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

I have expressly forbidden Mr Hayward to do so, under the order of Her Majesty's Government.

This request for a one billion pound "extortion fee" is contrary to both US law, and the applicable provisions of World Trade Order regulations.

There is an old saying, "An honest politician is one that stays bought". British Petroleum has "donated" over 18 million US dollars to President Obama and his party, just in the last year. Now, British Petroleum finds themselves subjected to the threat of Ex Post Facto laws, specifically outlawed by the US Constitution. A constitution waved in the world's face at any criticism of the moral superiority of the Only Remaining Superpower.

British Petroleum's damages in this admittedly unfortunate tragedy will be limited to 75 million US dollars, as written into the laws of a self-described "Nation of Laws".

Extra-legal "shake-downs" of a corporation of the United Kingdom will not be tolerated any longer. It is unfortunate that the special relationship of our two countries need be suspended by the obvious petty slights to our shared heritage, and this latest attempt to create disharmony between us with Mafia-like tactics.

Uheardherefirst said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHg5SJYRHA0

juris imprudent said...

Hick mayor in Minnesota swindles a few hundred bucks.

Secretary of the Treasury under Obamessiah fails to pay TENS of THOUSANDS of dollars in taxes. Then gets a pass to make good with no penalty or interest. Not to mention the bailouts of his Wall Street buddies.

And you get all worked up about which?

"Sqweek, urk, blurp" indeed.

BTW - your definition of the cult changes more frequently than your underwear. Perhaps if you listened to real people instead of just the voices in your head.

Anonymous said...

It is unfortunate that the special relationship of our two countries need be suspended by the obvious petty slights to our shared heritage, and this latest attempt to create disharmony between us with Mafia-like tactics.

Smart power.

blk said...

From what I've heard about this mayor he's really not interested in being mayor at all. He's a lawyer who's actually interested in becoming a judge, and this was just a stepping stone.

The local newspaper, which conservatives have historically called a liberal rag, ran a cloying, flattering story about this guy.

His side of the story is that he attended many meetings that he didn't charge the city for, so they actually owe him more.

I guess he's the victim here.

dick nixon said...

What the hell is going on with comments? I'm emailing you, Mark.

dick nixon said...

Wait, now it works...anon, what child prostitution laws did ACORN break? None. All that happened was the GOP decimated an organization that helped minorities vote. What a shock.

Mark Ward said...

I don't know what's going on with comments, folks. It's blogger, not me. It appears to be working again. Email me if you feel uncomfortable posting and I will put up your comments. And be accused of secretly being last in line again:)

"You personally are okay with ACORN breaking RICO laws, immigration laws, child prostitution laws, or for that matter any laws at all."

"Too far, too fast Mr. Anonymous."

And now you know what I am talking about when I say "The Cult," dw. This is NOT too far nor too fast but one of their core beliefs shared by millions. Compare the GOP outrage to ACORN, cutting their funds etc...to the decidedly non cutting of funds to BP who has done far more damage to our country than ACORN and now support for BP from the GOP. We give BP billions of dollars...much more than the measily few million to ACORN...and yet these same GOPers are apologizing to BP for its treatment by the Obama administration.

So, where's your outrage, Anon?

Anonymous said...

Whoa there pilgrim,

No, I don't know what you are talking about when you say "The Cult". In fact, I openly ridicule you for saying "The Cult". I think your "The Cult" repetition is now at the point of self-sustaining ludicrousness.

dw

Anonymous said...

I am outraged. And I agree that the Republicans shouldn't be apologizing to BP for anything, much less for the shakedown by the Obama Administration. It's the Obama Administration that should be apologizing to the American people, specifically those living on the Gulf Coast.

Even you aren't stupid enough to think that money is going to go to help those whose lives have been destroyed by the spill. No, a big slice of it is going to vanish in administrative costs, and the rest is going to go to pay off various support factions. You know, just like they did with GM. Just like they did with Porkulus. Why the fuck do you think they put the guy who administered the Porkulus blowjob in charge of it?

So instead of helping the little people screwed by this disaster, Obama is going to fuck them over even harder by skimming all he can off the top, before any of the people actually affected have any say in the matter. Had he intended to actually give any relief he'd have appointed a third party mediator to administer it, instead of a political hack.

...to the decidedly non cutting of funds to BP...

And who is the majority party, the ones who have control over whether or not that happens? I'll give you a hint, the person BP has donated most to is of that party, and currently occupies the White House.

You were saying?

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure how this plays into your "it's all the Republicans fault that the Democrats are for sale to the highest bidder" meme, but for what it's worth:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deepwater_Horizon

"In February 2010, Deepwater Horizon commenced drilling an exploratory well at the Macondo Prospect (Mississippi Canyon Block 252), about 41 miles (66 km) off the southeast coast of Louisiana, at a water depth of approximately 5,000 feet (1,500 m).[23] The Macondo prospect exploration rights were acquired by BP in 2009..."

The drilling was begun during the Obama Administration. The prospect exploration rights were acquired during the Obama Administration.

I'm not sure how this is a result of "Bush is a moron", since the well wasn't even begun until after he was out of office, but I'm sure you'll figure out something.

Anonymous said...

Wait, now it works...anon, what child prostitution laws did ACORN break? None.

You're absolutely right, Dick. They were merely on video, several acknowledged ACORN employees in several locations at several times, giving advice on how you could do it. And get the government to pay you for it, no less.

That makes it all better, does it? There is nothing I could possibly say that illustrates your principles (or lack thereof) better than that.

jane said...

I stopped reading after someone up above called midwesterners hillbillies. Get your facts straight, you goofball.
1. There are no hills in this part of the Midwest.
2. Hillbillies are more southern, appalachian, maybe Idahoan, southern Indiana, maybe. (And for you hillbillies out there, I mean no offense, yours is a fine, valid, culture).
3. Midwesterners, at least us northern midwesterners, aren't even rednecks, as the sun doesn't shine enough to get our necks red.
4. Midwesterners are cold, impassive farmer types, or liberal university city types. But still cold and emit no emotion except anger or sports mania.
5. Wisconsin, don't even get me started. They are too weird to be factored in.

That is all.