. . .

I am also closely related to the Rubber Duck. The links above are for real. I encourage everyone to use PayPal to contribute to Free Republic. Payments may be made directly to JimRob@psnw.com by PayPal.

If you don't have a PayPal account, click on my link above. Then Freepmail me as soon as your account is verified and accurate. I will send $3 to FreeRepublic and $1 back to you for every $5 I get. The $1 administrative fee has to be used to show the IRS a gross income, otherwise my research business is in danger of being declared a hobby.

About me: Don't gag, but I am still a registered Democrat. I walked out of the Republican party in 1976 when our state's RINO leadership refused to give Ronald Reagan the 18 delegates he needed for the nomination. They also used up their political capital and credibility by being the last state to railroad the so-called Equal Rights Amendment through the ratification process despite the wishes of the party rank and file. My brother ran a write-in campaign for the state legislature that year and nearly cost one of the RINOs their seat. Our governor then, Art Link, was a Democrat with far more morals and principles than the average Republican. He was pro-life, pro-religion, anti-gambling and against secularizing everything from teenage drinking to Sunday closing laws. In addition, he managed to balance the budget without shortchanging education during one of the state's worst economies. My hapiness at Reagan's landslide in 1980 was more than tempered by regret that Governor Link was swept out of office as well.

Allen Olson, the RINO who replaced him, made more than a few North Dakotans regret their decision as well. To compensate, they proceeded to do something stupid-- elect Democrats without Governor Link's character or integrity, a legacy we are stuck with through this day as the state continues to decline economically and ship their educated workforce out to benefit someplace else.

While the state has returned to genuine Republicans on the state and local level, it is unlikely they will elect one to represent them in Washington. In fact, no Republican has been elected to serve North Dakota in Washington since the Reagan landslide in 1980. The RINOs who screwed over the state's conservatives in 1976 can be real proud of that legacy. </sarcasm>

I thought about changing my party registration when I moved to California in 1981 and even did for one election, but then figured why be formally affiliated with the stupid party when I could vote for worthy candidates? Having had the experience of blue collar work with a white collar education, experienced the snootiness of Country Club Republicans and seen the misuse of power, I could actually identify more with old-fashioned Democrats more on a few issues. I actually liked and admired some on the national level like Henry Jackson of Washington and James Allen of Alabama who clearly put country before party.