First_Things

THE MOUNTAIN OBSERVER ON-LINE

Park County, Colorado; the local political scene, on occasion.

(Not often; only when my trigger really gets tripped.) JES Return to the main editorial page.

Some notes about Park County. This county is almost exactly in the center of Colorado. It is just a whisker larger than the State of Delaware. Depending on whose numbers you want to believe, it has a population of about 15000 people, 2 traffic signals, no shopping malls (yet), and lots of cows, horses, wildlife and fish. (The small corner of the County north of Kenosha Pass, and towards Denver, hosts about 3/4's of this population, not entirely assimilated) While, to the best of my knowledge, no one has actually made a head count for a number of years, the population of Jefferson, as defined by ancient maps, may be as large as 19. My place is a mile outside, and I feel rather crowded on 40 acres. We are at approximately 9500 feet (high tide), and Fairplay, the County Seat (population about 1000), 16 miles away, is at about 10000 feet, with both locations in the great South Park (a valley for those of you flat landers). By registration, most are Republicans, but there is some reason for concern. But enough of this. JES

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11/12/09 Jim - I hate to see you leave [the Park County GOP Central Committee], but I can understand the time constraint. Please keep in touch. I'll make sure your web site is linked on ours. Keep the conservative message going, there is more than one way to start moving the GOP. We can try to pull from the inside, or push from the outside. Sometimes I think pushing from the outside is a better way to go. The reason I asked John to work on the Principles/Platform was because I know he is a reliable conservative voice who would be able to put in writing what we all believe, and make sure it has more substance than the standard platitudes that we hear. Dick

Jim Sohmer wrote: Richard,
It is with great regret that I find it necessary to tender a resignation notice regarding my Committeeman position in the 3rd precinct. I have gotten heavily involved in too many community priorities about which I think I can be more effectively useful in behalf of the conservative message; and my time is spread too thin for everything. As I am able to do so, I will remain involved in GOP activities; I remain especially interested in John Lang's project. I am greatly concerned about the Party's future, as I think at all levels it is short on substance and long on rhetoric. Party hacks will not win next Fall; Conservatives will. Jim Sohmer
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11/04/09 The 3a bond measure passes by a wide measure; 1458 to 934. A huge victory, under very difficult general economic circumstances, for the RE2 (South Park) public school system. Congratulations go to many in the community, and the teachers, more than ably led by General Bud Jankiewicz.

The School Board races reflect a general public dissatisfaction with the old Board, and changes in direction are likely.

District A- Alma Beth Burke 990 over Lee Phillips 766

(Phillips wife the incumbent)

District B- Fairplay Mike Iozzo 909 over incumbent Al Stoinski 799

District C- FP/Como Steve Rzepka 907 over incumbent Gail Koverman 797

District D- Jefferson Sue Linton 865 over incumbent Kathy Jankiewicz 850

(A close race against a controversial incumbent whom many credit for “taking the heat” in vigorous dissent with many of the old Board’s policies and actions.)

District E- Hartsel Mike Smith, Board President, unopposed.

District F- Lake George Larry Falk, unopposed

District G- Guffey Amy Mason, unopposed, new (filling a vacancy). Unknown, however some say a bit of a maverick.

People appear to be looking for some new direction. JES

10/21/09 Sad to say, the RE-2 School District is in the midst of needless political turmoil. This comes in the midst of an attempt to gain voter support for a bond issue for new school construction and renovation work that both sides to the dispute claim to support, and this public dust-up is not helpful. Further comment here will be, accordingly, circumscribed, at least until post election 11/03/09. Meanwhile, I will reference you to a document (Jankiewicz) on this website to be found under Ideas and referred to in Letter 09 05 which is pertinent to those who will vote. I respect this woman. JES
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09/03/09 Having recently complained in GOP meetings that the local party was too busy trying to raise money in the absence of any articulated message as to why anybody should donate (actually a national problem), I was asked to contribute 3 ideas of principle. For the record, my response to this request is as follows:

Three primary principles:
1). The principle of SUBSIDIARITY. Which is to say that government activities at all levels are to be minimal, however, more specifically that the responsibility for each particular activity should be pushed down to the lowest level of government consistent with an effective discharge of the responsibility as determined by the affronted citizenry. The corollary is that lower levels of government do not "reach up" for tax or regulatory support, but rather "reach down" to the citizenry of their respective jurisdictions for approval and tax support. No tickee no washee.

2). Free market capitalism, including bankruptcy.

3). At the County level an ongoing, and continuing review, of all local taxes and regulations so as to seek relief from the burdensome and unnecessary, in support of small business and entrepreneurship. The burden of proof for the need of any taxes and/or regulations should lay with the government.

I hope this helps. Jim Sohmer Precinct 3, Park County Jim@FirstThings.us www.FirstThings.us

05/02/09 To again quote Margaret Thatcher, "The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money". Can't see how this is relevant to Park County? Stick around, and cry not when the 4 x 4 lands hard on your left ear. JES
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04/28/09 Attention donkeys dressed up in elephant suits. When you personally write a check to the IRS, it is gone, never to return, in any guise what-so-ever. By any accounting standard, what-so-ever, the federal government is bankrupt, and has been for decades, and beyond any doubt since 2008. Beyond actual tax receipts, every check that the Feds write, for whatever purpose, is a draw, plus interest, on the tax liability ledgers of our children and grandchildren. This is not a theory; it is a fact. There are some demands on the Federal treasury that are contractually obligated either by constitutional mandate and/or past political malfeasance. Then, in addition, there is currently created raw pork, fiscal reality notwithstanding. All the defenses of the bailout schemes are made by those who have personally found certain of their appendages caught in a wringer. All of this is a distinction without a difference; Fed checks written beyond actual tax receipts are bogus “money”, printing presses humming in the background. Money from tax receipts has already been spent, and the Fed is short of covering incurred obligations long before you get to the window. So, you see, you really cannot get “your money” back; you can only steal it from my grandchildren, already bankrupted before they are born by this; meanwhile further trading away our freedoms to DC politicians and bureaucrats who have bought you in your own steadfast efforts to buy local votes. You can check today with any auto or bank company executive on how this works. It is time for local politicians to get beyond handing out “free” beer. As folks finally figure this all out, by starvation or otherwise, perhaps the votes will go to those who know how to say NO. Yes, I know the example of Venezuela is not encouraging. Greed comes in many shapes and sizes. JES

04/27/09 I would urge that the next time the County GOP goes about the business of selecting candidates to run for office that we ensure that such folks are, in fact, Republicans, and not donkeys dressed up in elephant suits. Enough is enough. Republicans know, or should know, how to say NO. Donkeys grovel in the pigpen, most especially that big one back East preferring bucks that don't exist now, at the expense of our grandchildren later, as we hand our freedoms over to the monster. This country, indeed, is in a great deal of trouble. JES

04/09/09 http://taxdayteaparty.com/teaparty/colorado/ . Remember 04/15/09. Oh that this day should really be October 15th, every year. JES

04/09/09 Run the smell of public funds, even if they don't exist, under the nose of any politician, national or local, and very rarely can they say NO. However, it is through the complicity of intellectually and morally corrupt voters that such people are elected to office in the first place. Today, that is the American dilemma. The public square has been over-run by thieves who are inside the Treasury gates, and excuses in an era of moral relativism are abundant. The country cannot survive it. JES

04/06/09 What has really tripped me off here is the recent designation of South Park as a National Heritage Area by the US Congress and Baraka Hussein Obama. What has really lit my lamp is the local support for this project by the County government, alleged Republicans, in an effort to promote tourism and to become eligible for up to ten million federal dollars over a 15 year period. Wake up neighbors! What is actually going on here is a power grab with federal money that does not exist! HOW IN THE WORLD CAN YOU BE SO BLIND? A LIFETIME JOB GUARANTEE FOR THE COUNTY TOURISM DIRECTOR AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR GRANDCHILDREN. AND YOU HAVE SOLD OUT WHAT LITTLE IS LEFT OF LOCAL CONTROL OF OUR LIVES TO THE FEDS. WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING? JES

Jim

American Nationalist Conservative

Jefferson, Colorado Jim@FirstThings.us