There's a little more to the Blue Cross Story here...

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Wednesday September 09, 2009 · 7:36 AM PDT

2009/09/09 · 07:36

There is a diary currently on the rec list regarding a report done by ND's Insurance Commissioner regarding Blue Cross Blue Shield of ND. There is definitely a story here, but its bigger than just an insurance company with near-monopoly control of the ND insurance market paying out exorbitant bonuses. It's about politics, corruption, and a total unwillingness to regulate on behalf of the insured.

Follow me over the flip.

Ab2kgj

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Saturday August 08, 2009 · 7:23 AM PDT

2009/08/08 · 07:23

I'd like to thank the Academy...

Yup. That's me. Column one, row three.

I do want to thank my new wife(who might need to be named "Mrskgj" now) for letting me go literally two days after we return from our honeymoon. Its sweet of her to do that and I'm grateful for the opportunity.

Ab2kgj

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Monday May 18, 2009 · 11:54 AM PDT

2009/05/18 · 11:54

Uh, oh

Ab2kgj

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Thursday May 14, 2009 · 12:03 PM PDT

2009/05/14 · 12:03

I think we all need a little review to get us all back to the basics on the debate on torture. I hear a lot of people on the cable news networks defending torture saying, "if you knew that a bomb was going to go off in a major U.S. city, wouldn't you do everything you could to stop it?"

I find this probably the most compelling argument that the other side has come up with, but the fact is, its not a valid one in court.

Follow me on the flip.

Ab2kgj

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Wednesday May 06, 2009 · 6:34 PM PDT

2009/05/06 · 18:34

As I sit and think on the diary written by CapitolDragoon, I begin to wonder if we can't use Specter's "Moderate, Principled stances" to our advantage. It would be quite an interesting idea. Follow me below the fold for my strategic thinking...

Ab2kgj

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Tuesday April 28, 2009 · 10:06 PM PDT

2009/04/28 · 22:06

Since everyone else opined I figured I have license to pile on as well, but here's my two cents:

I like Arlen Specter. I really like Arlen Specter.

I'm an unashamed liberal, but I like Senator Specter, and I'm glad he's under our tent.

Yes, he flip-flopped on EFCA, he's going to be blocking spending, and he won't be a "reliable vote" on some issues(although if he hangs around the Democrats I have a feeling he'll come around on some of them).

But I like Arlen Specter. Here's why I like him:

Ab2kgj

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Monday April 20, 2009 · 8:48 AM PDT

2009/04/20 · 08:48

Last week was a rough week for the State of North Dakota. Here's the Bismarck Tribune report:

Dave Weiler entered the guilty plea via a written plea agreement on Tuesday. Bismarck Municipal Judge William Severin approved the agreement on Wednesday, which deferred imposition of sentence for one year on the conditions that Weiler obtain a psychological evaluation by June 15, get any recommended treatment by Oct. 15 and complete domestic violence offender treatment by April 15, 2010.

“The defendant admits that on March 27, 2009 ... he willfully caused injury to his wife, Nicole Weiler, by pushing her and causing her to fall to the ground at the Loaf & Jug at Century Avenue and North Washington Street,” the plea agreement said.

Weiler had pleaded not guilty during a brief court appearance on April 9. He did not appear in court to plead guilty on Tuesday but instead entered a written plea as is allowed for defendants in misdemeanor cases under the North Dakota Rules of Criminal Procedure.

Ab2kgj

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Monday February 23, 2009 · 6:51 AM PST

2009/02/23 · 06:51

Well North Dakota might just beat you to it...

The North Dakota House of Representatives passed a bill this week that will ban more than just abortion. Read HB 1572.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF NORTH DAKOTA:
SECTION 1. References to individual, person, or human being - Legislative intent. For purposes of interpretation of the constitution and laws of North Dakota, it is the intent of the legislative assembly that an individual, a person, when the context indicates that a reference to an individual is intended, or a human being includes any organism with the genome of homo sapiens.
SECTION 2. STATE TO DEFEND CHALLENGE. The legislative assembly, by concurrent resolution, may appoint one or more of its members, as a matter of right and in the legislative member's official capacity, to intervene to defend this Act in any case in which this Act's constitutionality is challenged.

Wow. Follow me over the fold for an explanation of just how crazy this is.

Ab2kgj

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Thursday December 18, 2008 · 9:41 AM PST

2008/12/18 · 09:41

See, I asked nicely.

I recognize that many are hurt about Barack Obama's choice of Rick Warren to pray over his inauguration, and I understand that given recent events, I do. I frankly am a little confused myself about his support of Proposition 8. It would appear that he(along with many Californians) was a little confused about what Prop 8 meant. There seems to be this fear that churches would be forced to perform marriages that would violate their values.

This is wrong on two levels of course:

Ab2kgj

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Thursday December 11, 2008 · 12:39 PM PST

2008/12/11 · 12:39

So I found two interesting pieces coming out of the papers today. First, we'll be breaking out the champagne bottles tonight.

IN YOUR FACE, Louisiana!

On a per-capita basis, however, Illinois ranks 18th for the number of public corruption convictions the federal government has won from 1998 through 2007, according to a USA TODAY analysis of Department of Justice statistics.

Louisiana, Alaska and North Dakota all fared worse than the Land of Lincoln in that analysis.

Follow over the flip.

Ab2kgj

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Monday December 01, 2008 · 12:36 PM PST

2008/12/01 · 12:36

Short Diary, I know.

There are two things in the constitution that have been abused that need to be corrected by constitutional amendment: Pardon power and recess appointment. I think most of the other abuses of power would not be benefited by an amendment. The one exception might be quashing the unitary executive theory, but I have no idea how you would go about drafting an amendment that destroys that idea.

My first attempt at drafting legislation is below the fold:

Ab2kgj

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Tuesday November 04, 2008 · 5:02 PM PST

2008/11/04 · 17:02

All right...Here we are. I know you all want to know about the big one, the Presidential race, but some important stuff for ND is here as well.

We have an Insurance Commissioner's race that is very heavily contested that is very important.

Our State Treasurer's seat if up for grabs in a hot contest.

Duane Sand would need nothing short of a miracle to unseat Pomeroy.

Only in a massive wave would we retake the Governor's mansion. Crossing my fingers, but not betting any farms on it.

I'm getting pretty busy at the party here(i'm also running the results on the jumbotron). The SOS's site is here.

Presidential results as well, all below the fold...

UPDATE:
I would not call ND yet. Cass County and Grand Forks County haven't reported any results yet.

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There's a little more to the Blue Cross Story here...

I'm a Netroots Nation Scholar

Start The Limbaugh Apology Countdown Clock Again

I'm Getting Tired of This "Saving a City" Crap...

Arlen Specter May be More Helpful than we Realize...

My Thoughts on Specter

State Rep Dave Weiler(R-ND) Pleads Guilty

And you thought South Dakota was going to ban abortion first...

Please Calm Down about Rick Warren

ND is the most corrupt state in the Union...and we should keep our US Attorney!

The Bush Amendment

Liveblogging the ND Results