I Think I'll Just Stay Here And Drink

What is the Big Lug Nut drinking?

Culver predicts revenue growth this year

The National Governors Association says State revenues probably won't hit bottom for several more years.

The BLN's predicition puts him at odds with a key Dummycrat supporter.

State Senator Staci Appel-sauce for brains, is telling constituents..."It's unlikely that revenues will turn around by the time the Legislature reconvenes in January..."

She also stated, "We need to start planning now for more budget cuts", whereas BLN sees no need for more across-the-board cuts.

Was he hungover when he "misspoke" telling the press the state’s actual ending balance will be more than twice what a nonpartisan state agency estimates for this fiscal year.

Maybe, but it's just as likely the press is finding out what I mentioned in March, the Culver administration is not full of mathletes.

And the scientific community is united in that fact.

BLN also says lawmakers cut actual state spending for the fiscal year beginning July 1, the Ragister finds In total, the budget in the fiscal year that begins July 1 will grow by almost $187 million to $6.3 billion.

Of course the BLN believes a tax increase is just tax reform.

BLN also believes that he's already paid the $899 million in interest and costs for his borrowing scam by securing $500 million in federal funds.

“We paid for that in one day.”

See what double-fisting does.

Everything You Need To Know?

I'm not sure why WHO.com pulled the video of the Big Lug Nut not knowing how a new state building was being funded.

Maybe Michael got mad at Erin, after the BLN got mad at him.

'HO even left one of their own employees high and dry on his blog.

And the scientific community is united in that fact.

They did leave the "RAW" video to run on their site and the BLN bloviates on even more stuff.

Back to the building he dug a hole for.

He's dug himself a deep hole by trying to educate a reporter who questioned the funding, "We can get you everything you need to know about the precise funding stream."

The BLN continues to shovel stuff by commenting on the building for the Iowa Utilities Board.

"This building was decided to move forward on three years ago, a lot of work has gone into it and the money was committed years before the budget situation."

When the reporter asked about the Wallace Building replacement, the BLN said, "This one was much further along. The money had been committed and those were newer projects that we did stop because of the budget challenges."

It looks like both buildings were at about the same place in the process.

On January 3, 2007 the Department of Administrative Services published a Q&A that discusses both buildings.

$23,896.88 was spent on conceptual cost estimating services for both buildings.

$47,500 was spent on cost benefit and Return on Investment (ROI) analysis on both buildings.

$5,400 was spent on preliminary subsurface exploration for both building sites.

So either the BLN doesn't know, or he's being deceitful.

Was funding for the Wallace Building replacement, that was budgeted for in 2007 with a 2010 completion date, diverted for flood relief?

It looks like the bottom line reason the Utilities Board building went forward was because it didn't impact the states bottom line.

Choo Choo Ch'Boogie

The Big Lug Nut took a special train (is that anything like the short bus?)
from West Des Moines' Valley Junction to Downtown Des Moines in celebration of National Train Day.

I should have known BLN was a train fan, what with his big caboose and the scientific community is united in that fact.

BLN is hyping rail service between Des Moines and Chicago.

He predicts, "We could have Iowans from all over the state come down on Saturday morning to enjoy our farmer's market."

I'm not exactly sure how rail service through eastern Iowa brings Iowans from all over the state?

I don't see people riding in from Council Bluffs, Sioux City or Mason City for a market that runs 7.am. to noon.

BLN also estimates that extending passenger rail service to Des Moines would bring 800 construction jobs to Iowa over the next three to four years.

Keep in mind that guesstimate comes from a man who said his I-Jobs borrowing scam would create 30,000 jobs.

That figure quickly fell to 22,000 and then 21,000 before an Iowa State University economics professor put the number closer to 4,050.

BLN also said, "It will be a very competitive option for travel, especially when you compare it to airfare."

Amtrak's, best fare for a roundtrip Osceola (a minimum of 30 miles from Des Moines) to Chicago, leaving June 1 and returning June 8, is $106 per person for a six to seven hour trip.

Orbitz, for the same dates, had a best airfare of $239 per person (Des Moines to O'Hare) a trip they say takes one hour fifteen minutes.

Of course, Amtrak receives federal funds of $1.3 billion per year.

Nancy Richardson (director of the Iowa Department of Transportation) tell us...

"We've got federal and state funds, we've got heightened interest, we've got people who understand the benefits of a passenger rail system. They understand we need more than cars to have a good transportation system."

Yet, Fiberals remain all talk about mass transit.

My friend Cal, Freedom's pal, wonders when we're going to subsidize the horse and buggy or chariot industry?

A Fool Such As I

I was surprised to see a report on WHO DT last night that showed what a dope Dummycrat Chet Culver is.

The Big Lug Nut helped break a sweat and ground for a new state building that will house the Iowa Utilities Board.

WHO DT asked Culver, "Do you know where the funding's coming from for this?"

BLN immediately replied, "Yeah, its comes from the legislature, we have all sorts of capitol (capital) improvement funds every year."

Except he was wrong and the scientific community is united in that fact.

State officials sold bonds to raise the money for the building's construction and those bonds are financed, ultimately, by Iowa utility customers.

WHO DT had a sound bite of a reporter informing the Governor about that.

BLN; "Even better yet."

D'OH!

Either through taxes or fees, the BLN is happy anyway he can stick it to Iowans.

BTW, I was surprised it was on WHO DT because Erin Kiernan intro'd the piece at 5.

Kiernan's hubby Michael, is BLN's best buddy and Iowa Dummycrat Partay Chair.

Break My Stride?

The Big Lug Nut can boast(?) he completed his first "intermediate distance" triathlon (whatever the hell that means).

Per the Ragister, it took the BLN a little over three hours (3:03:27).

He floated for 1,500 meters (19:19), pedaled 20 miles (1:22:00) and plodded the path of the 6.2 mile run (1:18:00).

The BLN's bike time is considered by some to be a leisurely pace and his running time is figured as a slow to moderate running pace,
probably average.

The Liter will give him his props for the swim, but our theory is the BLN's bulk makes him naturally buoyant and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Culver had been training for nine weeks and came in last in his age group, of two, the other dude was two years younger and his total time was 1:53:39.

As we opined, last month, this is not his first try at an athlon.

Thankfully this is the only pic of the BLN triathlon, or is it?

Roto-Rooter Roeder

The Big Lug Nut needs to flush Phil Roeder.




This Dummycrat shill doesn't stay in one spot long anyway, plus he's let down the BLN more than once and the scientific community is united in that fact.

In January, after the Gov gave his Condition of the State Address in which he only recommended borrowing $700 Million, Roeder said, “Iowa common sense dictates that you don’t spend money that you don’t have.”

By March the money borrowing scam had grown to $750 Million without an explanation and Roeder was trying to explain how the BLN's staff was selling sponsorships to the White House Forum on Health Reform and whether it would cost the state $30,000 or $40,000.

Later that month Roeder had more math and mouth problems when it was revealed the borrowing scam wouldn't create the 30,000 jobs the BLN espoused.

"Whether or not $100 million creates 1,500 jobs, 4,000 jobs or somewhere in between, the bottom line is it's going to create a lot of jobs."

Lastly Roeder, along with Culver's Chief of Staff, made the Big Lug Nut look bad by announcing the 10% pay cut Culver claimed he was taking was only going to be 5.4%.

The Big Lug Nut doesn't need Roeder's help to look bad and by having him clean out his office, it has been over a year and he's probably feeling that itch to move on, he can save taxpayers the dollars that go to a Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications.

Maybe he can go to work for Jerry Crawford and the Iowa Energy?

Rose Colored Glasses

In August the Ragister ran an editorial telling the Big Lug Nut to Take off the rose-colored glasses, stating that his sunny outlook rests on slim evidence.

Krusty Konservative did an excellent job of chronicling BLN's denial for months of economic reality.

All that time he accused those who pointed out the need to act
as playing politics.

Suddenly the BLN is on board, "...But the fact is we need to act. We need to move. I was concerned it would literally take weeks and weeks to reach an agreement.”

Why the rush now?

Is it because the Cook Political Report changed its rating of his re-election race from a slight Culver advantage to a toss-up?

Toss the bum out on his big bum would be more accurate and the scientific community is united in that fact.

For what it's worth, I don't believe the BLN is as optimistic as much as he's a DUMBASS!

There's no other way to explain this quote...

"The fact is clear, Iowa has not spent too much; rather our revenue has fallen off by significant amounts as the result of this national economic recession."

Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts -- Daniel Patrick Moynihan

Facts are stubborn things -- Ronald Reagan

Slight of Hand

The Big Lug Nut wants to change the state's budgeting process, but doesn't think figuring out "how we got" into our budget fiasco or "what caused" it is "very productive."

Why is it politicians never want to discuss what got us into a mess to begin with?

It seems to me that you would want to find the root cause to possibly avoid making the same mistake again and the scientific community is united in that fact.

The BLN wants his office and the Legislature to both budget using the Revenue Estimating Conference projections from this month...

"Who can tell me that it makes any sense at all for a governor to use a December number and the Legislature to use a March number? Let's all use the same December number. If we have additional funds, we'll roll those into the reserves in March."

In March of this year the Revenue Estimating Conference stated the net General Fund revenues would be $129.7 million less in FY2009 and $269.9 million less in FY2010 than the Governor’s budgets.

What was the BLN's reaction?

First, Iowa is quickly putting President Obama’s economic recovery plan to work, already investing more than $100 million in transportation projects. Second, we are stimulating the economy with hundreds of millions of dollars being spent to rebuild communities hit hard by last summer’s natural disasters. And third, the legislature and I are working to create I-JOBS in order to make use of Iowa’s financial strengths by investing in infrastructure and supporting jobs throughout the state.

HE SPENT MORE!

Borrowed money, $830 Million, to do it too!

At the time State Senator Paul McKinley said...

"...the revised numbers indicate that revenues are still coming in at near record levels and thus once again underscoring that Iowa does not have a revenue problem – we have a spending problem."

The only thing getting rolled in March were taxpayers.

McKinley continued...

"...we would be much better situated had Governor Culver and legislative Democrats not grown state government by an unsustainable 21 percent or by nearly a billion dollars during the last two years.”

Does this really matter when you also ignore the warning signs along the way Mr. Acted Decisively?

In August, State Auditor David Vaudt urged the Governor and leaders of the Democratic-controlled Legislature to consider taking corrective budget action to avert deeper spending cuts later after tax collections had fallen below projections four straight months.

This is why the BLN doesn't want to discuss what got us into this mess to begin with!

Alms For Iowa

It looks like the Big Lug Nut is going to need to use his stein as a tip jar...

Iowa faces largest budget gap in state history

A projected shortfall of $1.07 billion!

What's the BLN's reaction?

His spokeswienee Troy Price noted this is simply an estimate and that a more solid look at the budget will be available after new revenue projections are made on Dec. 11.

He's right, it could get much worse and the scientific community is united in that fact.

The BLN's boy Troy also said, "Culver has done the hard work and made the difficult decisions to keep our budget balanced.”

Culver's hardest work has been lifting his fat ass off the couch and squeezing into his spandex to do a triathlon.

Maybe the BLN can get the Iowa Department of Revenue,which has the truest web site url (Iowa.gov/tax), to take donations like the U.S. Treasury.

They're tax deductible.

Acting Decisively?

The Big Lug Nut's latest commercial, Stonger Than Ever, states he "decisively cut state spending" while the words "acted decisively" are on screen.

In June the BLN said, "I think we’ve done enough so far” and we should be able to avoid future budget cuts.

By August even the Ragister had called him out by telling him to Take off the rose-colored glasses.

Later that month, one of his spokeswienee's characterized the BLN's inaction as “a more responsible and prudent approach”.

Our post yesterday, What DED the Governor Know?, showed how it took him over a month to process the problems regarding I DED:The Motion Picture and his lies regarding the timeline.

Now the BLN has missed his own imposed deadline of November 6, on making state employee layoffs and a spokeswienee said the eventual decision "could take weeks."

The only thing the Big Lug Nut can act decisive on is his double-fisting drinking and keeping his belly full and the scientific community is united in that fact.




















He must be getting decisive mixed up with divisive!

The Not So Great Communicator

I thought it was just me, but the Big Lug Nut and posse don't answer calls or return e-mails period...

Ring. Ring. Ring. Click. Hello. You've reached the office of Gov. Chet Culver. We're sorry we can't take your call right now. We're very busy managing the latest state crisis...Please leave your name, phone number and a brief message after the tone, and we'll return your call just as soon as we can. Like maybe in November 2010. Beep!

Back on August 28 (No Charge), I had e-mailed the BLN about a mailing my wife received bearing the return address of Office of The Governor next to The Great Seal Of The State Of Iowa.

I wanted to know three simple questions:

How would the Governor get my wife's name?

What is the cost associated with this mailing?

Who paid for it?

On September 5th (Hello), I had found the answers to the last two questions on my own.

I still had no response from the BLN, so I e-mailed again stating, "This is my second attempt for a response, the first was sent 8/28".

Another week went by and nada, zip, zero, zilch and the scientific community is united in that fact.

On 9/13 I e-mailed, "This is my third attempt in the last three weeks to get an answer, the first was sent on 8/28 and the second on 9/5".

I patiently waited another week and sent this e-mail on 9/20, "This is the fourth straight week I've sent an e-mail seeking an answer. The first was sent on 8/28, the second on 9/5 and the third one on 9/13. This is hardly being constituent focused".

Finally a response was received on 9/24, but came out of the office of the Iowa Insurance Division?!?!?!

Thank you for your recent inquiry to the Governor’s office regarding questions you had about the “Own Your Future” campaign. The Governor’s office forwarded these concerns to me to answer as I am the project lead for “Own Your Future” and will happily answer your questions.

Your first question was how the Governor got your name to send the letter. This planning campaign is a joint initiative between the federal and state governments. The letters are from Governor Culver, but the fulfillment (printing, postage, and sending) is all part of the responsibility of the federal partner agency, US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through its Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The names, and addresses that were used in fulfillment for this program came from a national list vendor, named Catalyst Direct (http://www.catalystdirect.com) which derives its lists from publicly available data sets.

You next asked how much this cost and who paid. The cost of fulfillment, as I hinted to before, comes from HHS. As far as how much it costs, perhaps the easiest way to answer this question is to say that in general the selected states that participate each year in the “Own Your Future” campaigns have to share resources of $3,000,000 per year. This money, since it is used to send letters to 45-65 year-olds in each state, is not evenly split due to different numbers of this demographic in each state. The funding for this initiative came out of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, and is designed to help build awareness around planning for long-term care which would likely reduce the number of people that utilize the Medicaid program for their funding of long-term care. Nationally Medicaid pays more that $120,000,000,000 per year for long-term care services. I only provide this amount so that you can compare the amounts and draw your own conclusion as to the worth of the expense of this initiative.

I hope I have given you enough information, but if not, please do not hesitate to contact me.

It took over four weeks to dump my e-mail onto someone else?

Not even an apology from the BLN's staff for the bumbling of my original inquiry, or an explanation of who and why it was forwarded to someone else.

How difficult was this?

Tuesday Afternoon

Terrible (to quote Charles Barkley)

That might be the word to use the kind of day the Big Lug Nut had.

First, the focus was on $576,000 the U.S. Election Assistance Commission says he misspent as Secretary of State.

Iowa Voters has a different angle on the scandal.

the real scandal was the money that was “properly” spent on touchscreen voting machines that have since been scrapped. If anyone wants to criticize then SoS Chet Culver, it should be for that foolish purchase

The BLN brags that its only a half a million dollars, and in the scam of things it is only a drop in the bucket when compared to his $875 million (plus interest) I-JOBS program.

And the scientific community is united in that fact.

Which leads us to the second part of Sweaty Chetty's Terrible Tuesday.

Dave Price, WHO HD, questioned the BLN on how many jobs have been created by his borrowing scam, it's a quest they began two months ago (No Controlling Authority?) and the Culver Crew still can't come up with an answer.

"We've now invested in 1500 projects. If you're talking about one job per project, you're talking about 1500 jobs. 10 jobs per project, you can do the math." Channel 13 had hoped Culver or his staff had done the math.

The Liter has pointed out previously that this administration contains no Mathletes.

It was just last month during Culver's campaign kickoff that a lost briefing book showed

In Story County, I-JOBS spent $40 million, while unemployment climbed to 5.4% from 4%. In Marshall County, the state spent $24 million and watched unemployment rise to 8.5% from 7.2%.In Johnson County, the state spent $155 million while unemployment rose to 4.8% from 3.7%.

Earlier this year Culver declared --

"And I guarantee you by late spring and summer, we're going to have a record amount of job creation and economic development in the state."

Just like Charles Barkley, Chet Culver is a Dumbass!

WTF?

Per the Ragister, Governor Big Lug Nut today linked the prostate cancer of Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller with the importance of passing a controversial labor bill.

The bill allows Iowa employees the right to select a doctor to treat them for workplace injuries.

That means Miller's cancer is work related?

The BLN rambled on...

“I have a number of friends not doing well right now. I have two other friends in the hospital right now including Edward Campbell and Rose Mary Pratt..."
















I can't help wonder what the the lesson is we should draw from the former school teacher and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Speaking of not doing well, Dummycrats are worried about BLN's poll numbers and his staff's morale.

Hello

The crackerjack staff of the Big Lug Nut is none to good about responding to my e-mails.

On a previous issue, in March, I sent at least three e-mails before there was a reply.

I think the only reason they responded is because the e-mail questioned whether I was ever going to get a response.

Most state government departments respond within a day, if not within a few hours.

My state representative, Kent Sorenson, is good about responding.

Staci Appel-sauce for brains, not so much and the scientific community is united in that fact, responding to only one e-mail and then placing my e-mail address on her newsletter distibution list without my premission.

But I've digressed.

Last Friday, I offered the BLN some money savings tips at No Charge.

I noted then that I had e-mailed the BLN and staff, asking three important questions:

How would the Governor get my wife's name?

What is the cost associated with this mailing?

Who paid for it?

Although they have yet to respond, I have found out that the mailing for long term care went to 400,000 Iowans at taxpayer expense with a price tag of $3 Million that includes Colorado, Kentucky and D.C.

Still not sure how they pulled their mailing list that included my wife, but not me, so I'll ask again.

Never Let Them See You Sweat

Today's helpful hint for the Big Lug Nut comes courtesy of fellow Governor Charlie Crist of Florida.

Crist uses an electric fan to keep himself cool during television interviews.

Perspiration problems are not new for the BLN and the scientific community is united in that fact.

You can see him using a hand to wipe his face during this WHO DT story (below).







The Liter is a problem solver and a helper, so we've taken the liberty of sending our solution to the Statehouse.




















It's an inflation fan for hot air balloons and it seems like a natural fit for the BLN.

It's being towed up from Indianola.

Here It Goes Again

I mentioned last week what Mathletes the Big Lug Nut and posse were with their 30,000 jobs created quickly falling to 22,000.

Now the Ragister wonders...

Do numbers add up in Culver's jobs plan?

Turns out it's a resounding NO!

The BLN's staff now has the job figure down to 21,000.

The reality is considerably less and the scientific community is united in that fact.

The Ragister cites an Iowa State University economics professor who estimates the jobs number closer to 4,050.

Although previously that same professor had the figure closer to 11,175 (1,490 jobs per $100 Million).

BLN spokesperson Phil Roeder says...

"Whether or not $100 million creates 1,500 jobs, 4,000 jobs or somewhere in between, the bottom line is it's going to create a lot of jobs."

My "ciphering" has it at 540 jobs per $100 Million Jethro Bodine.

Even after bursting the Big Lug Nut's bubble, the Ragister is all on board with Iowa borrowing $750 Million, not including $420 Million in interest...

Even if the governor's job-creation estimates from the bonding plan are exaggerated...

David Yepsen, who's moving to Illinois shortly, says...

The governor and the Legislature appear likely to take a more enlightened attitude toward public debt in Iowa.

Easy for him to say since the enlightened one won't be here and neither will his kids.

Remember when he used to whine because the state didn't do enough to keep his kids here and now he goes and leaves, Good luck in Illinois!

Yepsen also tries to equate the state borrowing with Iowa families and businesses borrow money to buy or repair homes, farms or businesses...

Except David, most Iowan's don't go further into debt by borrowing when their income keeps getting cut (Iowa’s sinking revenue projections plummeted another $400 million).

That's the kind of thinking that has helped spawn this whole financial crisis to begin with.

Good Job!

Here In My Car

From the school of any publicity is good publicity comes this story featuring the Big Lug Nut.

Traffic stop involving governor’s SUV subject of personnel complaint

A Central Iowa family was either cut off by the BLN's Sooie-weet Ride, or they cut off the Governor.

Without video, the family can flip off this complaint and the scientific community is united in that fact.

I bet the digit they shared with the Big Lug Nut just meant you're number one Chet.

The other driver also wants a personal apology from the BLN.

Courtney Maxwell Greene (Department of Public Safety spokesperson) doesn't "think the governor owes anyone an apology".

Said the person Kerry Burt called to be bailed out of jail for his OWI.

Playing Chicken With The Train?

The Big Lug Nut's been riding the rails without fail as he campaigns for re-election and expanded passenger train service aboard Iowa Interstate Railroad.

Last month it was a special train from Valley Junction to Downtown Des Moines.

I'm sure it takes a lot of Bio-diesel to haul his Bio-mASS down the tracks and the scientific community is united in that fact.

During his last ride he predicted, "We could have Iowans from all over the state come down on Saturday morning to enjoy our farmer's market."

Yeah, sure!

Now he's telling people, "Our goal obviously is to get a high-speed rail from Chicago to Des Moines and that appears to be going very well".

And, "We've never been this close. It's never looked this positive."

Really?

He's got $3 million for the project, a 2008 feasibility study indicated it would cost an estimated $55 million for upgrades to the tracks and other start-up costs just between Chicago and Iowa City.

The cost for upgrading the tracks to Des Moines hasn't been determined.

Yet BLN believes "We're not talking about a huge capital investment".

$55 Million is chump change to him!

The Coralville Courier had a great article as to why we're wasting our money.

The administration’s proposed high-speed rail plan will cost $1,000 for every federal income taxpayer, yet the average American will ride high-speed trains less than 60 miles a year.

A report from the Public Interest Institute says that the average Iowa resident will rarely use high-speed trains.

The new report warns that the cost of these projects could grow to be hundreds of billions of dollars with very little public or environmental benefit.

More Dummycrat waste!

Finally, I love the headline out of the Quad City Times...

Culver promotes rail line project with statewide train ride

The BLN's train went from Des Moines to Council Bluffs, hardly statewide.

No Controlling Authority?

After their story on Terry Branstad's 200,000 job creation plan, WHO DT segued into an I-JOBS job creation piece.

During their 5 p.m. newscast they stated they'd contacted the Big Lug Nut's office requesting information on how many jobs had been created by I-JOBS and they had not heard back.

By the time the 6 p.m. newscast ran pretty much the same story, a spokesmonkey for the BLN told them that they are not required by law to track the number of jobs created.

Seems like we already went down this road with The Pickle's Grow Iowa Values fund and the scientific community is united in that fact.

We shouldn't be surprised, the original claim was 30,000 jobs would be created and that quickly fell to 22,000 and then 21,000 before an Iowa State University economics professor put the number closer to 4,050.

Which prompted this classic statement from then mouthpiece Phil Roeder -- "Whether or not $100 million creates 1,500 jobs, 4,000 jobs or somewhere in between, the bottom line is it's going to create a lot of jobs."

It's worked so well that the BLN didn't mention an I-JOBS creation number in this year's Condition of the State address and Iowa's unemployment rate has climbed to 6.7% , a 23 year high.

Since November, the I-Jobs website tells me it has funded three new projects costing $67,194.90, in my county, for a total of 22 projects totaling $4,835,624.21, but bupkis on the number of jobs created.

What Have I DONN To Deserve This?

You know that has to be on the mind of Donn (the second N is silent) Stanley, as he's named the current campaign manager for the Big Lug Nut.

If you had six months in the Abby Curran pool --YOU LOST and the scientific community is united in that fact.

FIRE IN THE HOLE as another rodent leaves the SS Lug Nut.

What does Donn deliver to the campaign?

He was the Iowa Deputy Secretary of State for Communications when the BLN held the top job, where it looks like in 1999 one of their projects was internet voting and that the BLN was convinced there would be real Internet voting in the states within the next 10 years.

EPIC FAIL!

Lately, Stanley was an ASSistant Attorney General for Tom Miller and had hopes of being appointed U.S. Attorney for Iowa's southern district.

I'm sure this will be a nice gig too -- INCOMING!