Got some intellectually light reading today
I got a copy of "Under the Dome: trying to do good in the People's Cathedral" today. Written by Former Representative and Senator Gerry Lange, it's a self-published book - 97 pages which are so self-indulgent it would make Onan uncomfortable.In the introduction, Former Rep. Lange notes that
"this book might be viewed as a "catharsis" pulling together all of the frustrations the "misery on the Missouri," the disillusionment inevitable when a liberal-minded optimist (with true conservative exceptions) runs into the buzz saw of political reality in an entrenched, "red," one-party state."Really? That sounds to me more like he's being a big crybaby because he's one of the few seats Republicans managed to capture in an election where we took it in the shorts in a lot of other places. Of course it had noting to do with comments like this (Listen for yourselves) where he illustrated how ridiculously he's out of touch with most other people in the state.
As I'm starting to read this, it looks more like a disjointed collection of articles, newspaper clippings, and "things he should have said when...." as opposed to something that contributes to South Dakota culture as a whole.
Actually, more than anything, at first blush, it reminds me of a blog. Except by printing it, he isn't affording anyone the opportunity for public discussion. Especially the opportunity to refute those things he offers forth that are absolute nonsense.
If I read anything in there that's worth discussing, I might make note of it. But I'm not hopeful.
Comments
His recent publication just demonstrates how bitter he is.
Gerry Lange is an interesting person. Granted some of his political views are left of center. Nevertheless, Gerry was always a gentleman and a thoughtful, intelligent person. I don't know what he said after he lost the recent election. Maybe he was bitter, just as I am sure some GOP incumbents who lost their seats were.
At the risk of judging a book by its cover, I'll bet there are some interesting observations in Gerry's book. I'll also bet I won't agree with some of them and might with others.
In the grander scheme of things, Gerry definitely spoke for some segment of the South Dakota population who share his ideas. In the end, a lot of those ideas were shot down by the legislators who tend to speak for those among us who DON'T share those same views. Just because Gerry fought quixotic battles doesn't mean those discussions and dialogues should be banned.
That's just hubris on his part.
They made a choice, and he lost. Bitching about what didn't get changed just seems bitter. I would think he'd just thank the people for the time they gave him.
"I would think he'd just thank the people for the time they gave him."
He does. I've heard him do so.
Are you SURE you're not the only voter in district 8 to vote for both Lange & Kucinich?
Seriously, I've wondered if it might not be the college voters, many of whom don't REALLY live in the district or have long term ties to it, that kept him in office.
Yep, 100% positive!
In the last election Lange won (2004), he had 2,388 votes from Lake County. I believe DSU has a student population of about 2,000 students. Obviously, there are a fair number of students who are originally from District 8 (sorry, I don’t have those #s) and, thus, do have long-term ties to the district. Then you would have to eliminate those students who vote in their home districts. Again, I don’t have the numbers, but experience tells me that a good number of students do this. I kind of doubt that the remaining non-District 8 and non-home-district-voting students were responsible for Lange’s past election successes. (In 2004, he had a total of 4,399 votes: 2,388 from Lake Co., 547 from Miner, 947 from Moody, and 517 from Sanborn.)
Other ideas?
Considering Russel's business ties and the fact that Lange wanted to tax them into the ground, I think it's no surprise the money that came to him. You tell me if it was a good strategy to spend the money he received on his campaign.
I served with Lange for 4 years and other than his endless quotes of Adam Smith, he was as ineffective as Frank Kloucek. He is an intellectual which I certainly don't begrudge him but his philosophy doesn't jive even with his fellow democrats. The longer he remained in Pierre the more bitter he was becoming and district 8 made a good choice replacing him.
Do you know how many votes Kucinich got?
Wm.