Sibby for Senate! 2010 is the year SD bloggers run for office

Madville Times was the first today to publicly announce Steve "Sibby" Sibson is running for Senate in District 20 (though I knew about it a few weeks ago as Steve told me himself). I wish him the best! He is raising the right questions and giving the right answers especially on issues relating to education.

And, what's up with all these South Dakota bloggers running for office this election cycle? There's me. There's my antithesis. And now there is Sibby. Who am I missing? Blogs have become a pretty good place to find articulate and passionate people who are informed and up to speed on the issues.

Sibby, Ellis and I were once referred to as the three horsemen of the blogcopalyse. It wasn't meant to be flattering. However, just imagine if the three horsemen were sent to Pierre, or some of the others. It's only a matter of time before Pat jumps back in and Cory jumps in and Ehrisman too. I heard Ehrisman say once he thinks he can never run because of what he's got out there on his blog. I disagree. If Al Franken can win, Scott Ehrisman can. I disagree with Scott on all the social issues but I would vote for him if he ran for city council in Kermit's stead.

People wondered if I'd scrub my blog of things I've said (or pull down the hundreds of podcasts of my messages) when I jumped into the race… nope. I stand by what I write/say even though I'm aware it wouldn't be hard to find a quote that could easily be used against me - and, you wouldn't even have to take it out of context! What's interesting to me is that most politicians ARE blogging right now, through Facebook. Sarah Palin has this mastered - she entirely bypasses the media and connects with millions of people directly. (Updated: Ha! Just today George W. Bush joined the conversation on Facebook… "though I'm out of politics, I'm not out of policy.")

I see it's not just South Dakota where the Dems are having trouble fielding good candidates. Ha! Time for Cory to step up.

Last summer I came home from Europe with a book on the role of churches and writers in bringing down the Berlin Wall. It's called Voices in Times of Change: The Role of Writers, Opposition Movements and Churches in the Transformation of East Germany. I believe bloggers today are these "writers" who are now doing what traditional journalists used to do before they died becoming pawns of the Obama regime. And, it's perhaps only a matter of time before Obama takes these internet freedoms away so he can fully control the message.

In my Memorial Day post I quoted a Sarah Palin tweet where she commented how VETERANS, not reporters, give freedom of the press. My beloved liberal, on-Oprah-famous, uber-prolific author and former NYC editor cousin now living in Milwaukee chimed in as a member of the ASJA about the importance and value of the fourth estate in preserving freedom. I do concede Nancy, those who wield the pen do possess the power for social and cultural change.

Go Sibby Go!