Stick with your wife.

With the latest rumors swirling around Tiger Woods regarding his marital problems, one solution comes to mind - stick with your wife.

If we could learn anything from former Senator John Edwards, Governor Mark Sanford, former Governor Elliot Spitzer and former President Bill Clinton is that marriage vows prevent heartache and broken trust. The temptation will always be there but you have to have the courage to not put yourself in the position of being led astray.

It will always end badly, very badly. Honor your wife and stick with her.

Union benefits.

I belong to a union, CWA Local 7505. The cost for union membership is $800 a year. Yesterday I received a credit card offer that was specially negotiated for union members.

1. Interest rates between 13 - 17 % depending on my creditworthiness.
2. Cash advance at 20% interest.
3. If we have a strike and wish to skip a payment, interest continues to accrue and I still must meet eligibility requirements.

They used to call this usury but now it is a negotiated advantage.

Economic dysfunction.

This is how far we have fallen from prosperity and economic freedom. President Obama returns from his Asian trip and reports to the American citizens that China may be interested in trade. The Chinese only hold 8% of our debt but act as if they are our master. Our leaders hope that as their incomes grow they will have enough power to buy American products. Currently we import 30 billion dollars worth of goods from China alone. The U.S. Department of Commerce estimates that 1 billion worth of foreign trade equals 115,000 American jobs. This much imbalance in trade equals millions of jobs lost.

Lost in all the doom and gloom is that the American taxpayer has half their income taken away by our government. Releasing our tax burden will benefit us more than waiting for the Asians to increase their purchasing power.

What do we cut? Tighten up and stop waste and fraud. Cut military spending. Open up trade with nations that we have U.N. embargoes against. Raise the federal funds rate so our dollar will not become worthless.

Afternoon delight.

One of the great things about living near the National Forest is having access to world-class hiking trails. Sunday afternoon our family went out and spent a couple of hours enjoying the Lord's earth. This hike was near the Piedmont/Blackhawk closure area.

We started the hike with Henry being carried and Hannah holding the walking stick. Vivien held her own for awhile but soon wanted up on my neck.

Hannah hanging on.

Waterfall about two miles in. This also serves as a wonderful backdrop for family pictures.

Vivien and I climbing. Michelle thought it would be wise not to take our two year old daughter any higher.

Why trade with Iran is important.

The U.S.A. is the only one abiding by the United Nations embargo on Iran. China, Russia and Germany have been some of the biggest traders with the Iranian regime. The nation of Iran is rich in oil and natural gas, and they have been trading those commodities, not in dollars but in euros and the Japanese yen. Iran is the sixth largest supplier energy products for the European Union.

The reason trade with Iran is important is to keep the value of the American dollar strong. Giving Iran a chance and a reason to dump the dollar and replace it with the euro or yen is a gamble we cannot take.

Pickup shopping.

I have been visiting car lots and pricing vehicles since my truck broke down. The choice came down to this - part with thousands of dollars or trade in the family Toyota. My wife and I went with option #3, rebuild the engine in the 82 Chevy. This will be my first experience with a rebuilt engine. The mechanic who is going to do the work is ready to get at. Let's hope its worth it.

America first.

Since I ask others to stand and be responsible for themselves, I am going to ask the rest of the world to do it also. Our nation spends about 200 billion more on military spending than the rest of the world combined, so I am calling on our world community to police themselves. There is no reason for us to still be in Kosovo, Italy, Japan and Korea.

I also believe that we can solve our problems with North Korea and Iran by engaging in agricultural trading. My opinion is, these countries see us and believe vast military power is the way to power. By staying involved with these countries, we are able to define America. The USA is about freedom and with freedom comes great wealth. If we share these ideals, we can shape these countries.

We can still have a lean and mean military by spending half what we do now on our Department of Defense.

Trip to the big city.

Tuesday our family arrived in Sioux Falls, as I was invited to participate in two media events. A radio interview with KSOO AM 1140 and a Q and A with the other U.S. House candidates. The kids loved the indoor water park and the pull - out couch bed.

I felt the Q and A went well, except my attempt at a joke fell harder than a frat boy for Taylor Swift. There was talk of our Congresswoman being a blue dog fiscal conservative. I stood at the podium and said 'I wouldn't trust a blue dog to balance a checkbook!' Silence. I composed myself and kept on script.

This is how we succeed in Afghanistan.

Remember our war for Independence against the British? How we needed the help of the French? Did we want the Frenchmen to stick around and be an occupying army? No, we wanted to be left alone.

Our current plan of nation building is the worst path to take. We are not going to find Bin Laden, we are not going to hunt and kill those that support him and his ideology, and we are not getting support from the locals for a central government in Afghanistan. Our goal of eradicating the poppy fields is also foolish, we are only making it more valuable to grow and also taking a source of income away from the local farmers.

We leave 15,000 troops in Kabul, handle only the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, and the rest of the country will take care of itself.

Me and my Chevy.

On the way to drop Hannah at school and to continue on to my work Thursday morning, my '82 Chevy pickup blew its engine. This happened 3 miles North of exit 55 in Rapid. I received the bad news Friday that it has served its duty and the engine is to be laid to rest.

This truck had only 90,000 miles on it and was a great pickup to throw hay in, drink a beer in, and over the 4th of July, watch fireworks in. I do not know what to do, its almost like losing the family dog.

Grandpa Wasson owned a bar, Grandpa Johnson worked the soil.

Both of my Grandfathers lived in a little town called Ainsworth, Nebraska. My dad's dad owned a bar 'The Longhorn' which was fascinating for a kid growing up. When I was able to spend time in Ainsworth, my siblings and cousins would walk down and have Grandpa make us a drink. The drink was called a suicide, a fountain soda mixed with ice and water served in a tall glass. Then he would break out quarters and we would play pool.

My mother's dad grew crops and drove truck during the winter. He would always give me advice when we were alone 'never buy anything on credit' and 'always pray for rain' were his favorites.
When he was a young man he loved to play baseball. During the late 30's and early 40's the U.S. Army had an airfield in Johnstown, Nebraska. The servicemen would get a team and the local farmers had theirs. We would always drive out to the old ball field and airstrip and I would listen to him reminisce.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Marine Corps!

Tme for a misdirection play on Iran.

Since economic sanctions have shown little fruit for the labor, its time to do what works. We need to abandon our love affair with U.N. sanctions and be the best friend Iran has ever seen.

America is getting blamed for all the woes in Iran when the Mullahs can't even keep the natural gas flowing. Lets not lose this Nation to our 'friends' Russia and China. If we offer expertise on natural gas exploration and agricultural commodities, we can win over the 66 million Iranians.

...the son does what the father does...

These guys are good.

In 2008 the boys from Goldman Sachs put the fear of God into our members of Congress. The result was a 10 billion dollar loan and a 12 billion dollar payoff in GS's AIG investment, compliments of the congressional approved 800 billion dollar tarp plan.

The bankers have put their skills to use once again, securing 200 H1N1 vaccines from the federal government. They even got their shots before the prisoners at Gitmo.

ID Please!

Recently, Pat Powers from dakotawarcollege.com questioned my 'street cred' on being a Republican. Specifically, my issues with increasing immigration and also our tribes. I believe we need more immigrants, heck, my ancestors came from Germany. We need them to buy houses, start businesses and join our rich history of melting together. Of course they need to check in at the border but the Republicans are supposed to be the party of new and innovative ideas to improve this great Nation. As for our tribes, the point I was trying to make was that as Republicans we want to reduce the size of the federal government and gave all people the chance to succeed. If having the National Forest deeded to the tribes would help them achieve a level above poverty, then I am for it. I did not say give away west river or Rapid City.

Maybe I am the real Republican.

Surge or Study?

President Obama is back to the drawing board with Afghanistan. While the troops and Generals wait for the word, no talk exists as to the reason for this war. Religion, or the lack of it in America. Specifically, Islam.

You can tell this is a religious war because our enemies do not hold land. They are nomadic and use Islam to encourage young recruits to take up arms against us. The terrorists are in Kashmir, Somalia, Iran, Syria, and Iraq. They have planned attacks from Spain, America, and Great Britain.

To win, we must reduce our footprint and not be the occupying army in Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan. We must be able to change our military doctrine to adapt and know our enemy.

November is National Adoption Month.

Michelle and I have been blessed with the joy of adoption. I believe that all praise should go to the Lord for this wonderful blessing, but I have love for the birth parents that allowed our child to come into this world. Without the strength and tears of birth parents the greatness of that personal sacrifice would not be possible.

The love and bonding we have does not change, nor is it different, from our other children. It is my desire to share this joy and to have our government promote life. This country is to great, our national story to rich, not be shared with more and more children.

My challenge to South Dakota

I am a fiscal and social conservative running for public office in the great land of South Dakota. I am promising to cut programs and spending, but I will need your support. South Dakota receives much in stimulus money, farm programs, military spending and tribal payments from Uncle Sam. I wish to bring lower taxes and more individual freedom and some money will not get here because of that stance. I am asking for our people to stand on our own and sacrifice now so we aren't spending our children's future incomes.

Universal Health Scarce

The Pentagon reported on Tuesday, November 3 2009 that the detainees held in Gitmo would receive the H1N1 flu virus shot by the end of the month. This is a shot that we are short of in America and we have millions of high risk citizens that need this vaccine.

My wife is a P.A. for the Rapid City Regional Hospital and cannot get this shot for her diabetic patients that are in need of this preventive medicine.

This is what happens when the federal government is in total control of health. Rationing and prioritizing has begun.

Cap and Trade

In a nutshell, cap and trade works this way. The federal government will place a limit on carbon emissions. If your business goes over you will pay a fine, you can offset your carbon limit by buying allowances from other people or nations. This will probably cause a shutdown of the economy and roll back investment in our nation. Most manufactures will leave to do business in countries that do not abide by our standards but still ship their finished products to the great U.S.A.

Why place carbon on the open market? Isn't having corn, wheat, natural gas, cotton, gold, silver, copper, stocks, bonds, currencies, oil, ethanol, soybeans, t-bills, heating oil and sugar on the open market good for trade and for interest in America?

My opinion is, lets comb this bill and look for benefits for South Dakota and America. If we tied all nations to this bill and said no access to the American market if you fail to abide. Our market is the one all nations look to do business with, lets us our buying power to our advantage.

Made in China

So what is the problem with doing business with a communist country that pegs their currency to ours and steals our copyrights? Its not like they have human rights violations that we would detach our standards from, right?

The conventional wisdom say China looks years down the road and the U.S. looks quarter to fiscal quarter. China also aborts millions of their own every year and prefers to keep boys. Well, who are these little boys going to marry in 20 years?

Ethics for Thad Wasson

This afternoon I made a comment on the decorumforum.blogspot.com and I should have been more specific. It was a post by Mike Sanborn about Mayor Hanks of Rapid City and an employee memo than has not been made public. Councilman Sam Kooiker would like said memo made public. My comment was "he must be upset about the 2007 mayoral race." I meant Mayor Hanks must be upset, since it was a close election between Sam and Alan.

I will be more specific in the future.

Ethics in government.

I believe it is unethical to use a position in government, whether it is local, state or federal to gather information about taxpayers that have to do business with you to get their work done and add them to your personal campaign roster.

Who have I met?

Since this campaign began in July for myself and my family, I have met many interesting people, and they all have had a variety of opinions. One of the best has been Bob Newland, a resident of Hermosa and also a convicted felon. I had never heard of Mr. Newland until he called me in July and asked if he could send some e-mail questions my way. I was thrilled that I was getting some press so of course I said yes. We have had a couple face to face meetings and I also asked if he would be my campaign manager. It is not much of an offer since I wasn't able to offer a salary or even a future bonus. I told him I felt he still had the fire in the belly for freedom and I am looking for fighters to carry that message. He was under the impression that I was foolish to ask a convicted felon for any public help and that it would probably sink my campaign before it even began.

Ethan Schmidt, a Pennington County Commissioner, has also been a new found friend for me. We met for lunch, along with our wives and my two small children. I am impressed that he pushes for open meetings, even for something mundane like septic ordinances.

Gordon Howie has also been very welcoming. He is a state senator and also chairs the Citizens for Liberty.

The Sioux Falls Republican Women have invited me to a Q and A at the Westword Ho Country Club November 17, 2009 at 7 p.m. It means alot to have the opportunity to present myself to the voters of the Sioux Empire.