It’s hard to imagine that TEA Party Republican Derek Skees (R-Whitefish Kalispell) could get reelected in House District 4, a moderate democratic district–especially with Tom Muri in the race (Muri doesn’t appear to have a website yet). The 2010 voter electorate was a very conservative one that created one-time anomalies that swept tea party candidates into office. There are rumors that Bill Beck will be running for Ryan Zinke’s, now that Zinke is running for Lte. Governor. That will leave a more conservative seat in Kalispell that Skees could potentially run in.
Recently, though, several sources tipped off this blog that Derek Skees may be running for State Auditor.
(Derek, as you read the blog you’re welcome to weigh in should you care to comment on this.)
The Montana State Auditor is in charge of regulating all insurance and securities activities in the state to protect consumers and crack down on fraud and abuse. Auditor Monica Lindeen has said in a Lee Newspaper story she will seek a second term.
That would be an interesting race. On the one hand Lindeen would probably relish a super-right opponent as the TEA party has a bad name nowadays.
On the other hand it would be an entirely federalized race that will probably be all about federal health care reform, which is not necessarily the type of race a Democrat wants to run.
Overall, however, nobody would be surprised to hear that Skees is contemplating a statewide run. He’s been trying to make himself into a national figure in the ultra-right wing crowd.
Right now, tribal flags fly at the capitol on a regular basis. Perhaps we will see a confederate flag flying over the auditor’s office in the future.
Among the 2008 Democratic candidates (all successful) for Secretary of State, Attorney General, Auditor, and Superintendent of Public Instruction, Lindeen received the most votes and had the highest winning percentage, 53.5 percent. Linda McCulloch won the Secretary of State contest with only 49.3 percent of the vote. A case can be made that McCulloch would be easier to defeat than Lindeen.
I would say that McCulloch received the fewest votes because she was running against an incumbent, Brad Johnson, and the other statewide races were open seats except the Governor.
The candidate that would be the most easy to defeat, by the numbers, is Juneau, who has the least name recognition because she is new, raised the least money and only won because a third party candidate took 3% of the vote. She won by less than 1%. Lindeen is also a very strong candidate and campaigner.
That being said, who wouldn’t welcome Skees as an opponent.
Skees is not an attorney, so he can’t qualify for the position. And I believe that Juneau’s job requires a teaching certificate (someone please confirm that). That means Skees has three choices: gov, sec state, or auditor.
If he does run, Tea Party money could flow into the state like the Mississippi River at high flood.
…can’t qualify for the AG position.
Most interesting, in that a potential ‘gray auditor’ would be ‘beholdin’ to ‘King Corporate’ and the insurance minions (remember Raciot?) who ALWAYS deny all claims first. We can only wonder ‘who’ will be audited, the corporations or we citizens?
Hope this continues http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/views-congress-tea-party-reach-low-poll-135728798.html
First off Monica Lindeen would mop the floor with the neo nazi, I mean she would not even have to sweat to get re-elected. Frankly with this guys antics up at the legislature this last year I’d be suprised if he could run a lemonade stand.
Check ‘YouTube’ on his ‘performances’ which didn’t even impress the GOP chair of the judicial committee in particular. I believe the Tea (Koch)Party legislators even tried to remove the teaching certificate requirement mentioned for that position. By the way, I great admire historical re-enactors as they recreate both sides, but NOT when ‘anti-federal/goverment’ beliefs permeate our legislative body.
To a certain extent, the health care reform issue will spill into other races. If Jesse Laslovich wins the primary for AG, the repubs will paint him as the chielf lobbyist for health care reform in the Montana Legislature-his job during the session for Lindeen. There is thankfully no evidence that the Rs are smart enough to think of that yet.
Progressives tread on thin ice when they take issue with the intellect and campaigning skills of candidates with whom they disagree on the issues. I disagree with Derek Skees on most things, and think he is misinformed on others, but I think he has formidable political skills and the ability to raise a bushel of money from the teabaggers.
Democrats have never, as far as I can see, shied away from name-calling. Even so, name-calling is always a mistake unless it’s Kralj, but reality is this: Democrats, by and large, are played, are suckers, and fall for the same scams time and again. That is the definition of stupidity – inability to learn from experience.
Reality leaves a lot to the imagination…John Lennon
Reality is a balloon popper, for sure. I carry a needle with me. most people here are packing air.
And you’re packin’ what, Mark?
Doglap has pretty much captured the positives for this site. You are skating dangerously close to capturing the negatives.
On the other hand you have not invoked any largely imaginary association to terrify troglodytes.
Governing the U.S. in this day and age is as difficult as it has ever been; but I think–generally–our representatives are doing as well as representatives ever have.
Obama probably figured he had cut a fat hog in the ass by waiting until the 21st century to try to integrate the executive; but I’m betting he’s jumped the gun by fifty years–and in the process has set this nation back a century or two.
I fear he may have also opened our Achilles’ heel to those very same troglodytes and their leftist allies.
I wasn’t overly concerned when the Arab spring began to mushroom across the middle-east; but the unemployment level of people of color in Europe seems on the verge of igniting in the U.K., now. How long before the rest of Europe and the western hemisphere begin to agree that this may, in fact, be their hour?
Amazing that the question and article was about Skees, but the conservatives on this page have changed the subject! If the Bozo from Whitefish cannot write a proposed law without the constitutionalism of it… questioned and lastly being trashed…. He couldn’t be an Auditor! The guy has no Bonafides anymore, he has been found out as the sham artist he is!
Money might pay for his campaign, but it wont buy him the votes! He has enough dopey crap on the internet. and pranks he has pulled off in the halls of the Legislature to prove he is a fraud! Oh and Outside Money goes both ways folks. You all seem to forget that Denny Rehberg and his shagginess will put this state in the national spotlight! I guarantee there will be national money for Democrats as well, this coming election because Montana is gonna be a highlighted for the senate fight alone!
Can you hear Dopey Reeburp cheering too?
http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/tea-partiers-cheer-downgrade-americas-cred
New to me. Looks like a good site.
http://montana.watchdog.org/
Ooopsie. Looks like this site might be part of the Kochtopus. My bad.
Can we have a show of hands of people who’ve been talked out of voting in 2012 by Tokarski? Are his efforts to suppress the Democratic vote so Republicans can win actually working?
Voting for Democrats like wulfgar and his crowd is probably worse than voting for Republicans. They have no bases outside their rhetorical splendor.
Jed, I don’t mind your trolling half as much as I do that your comment makes no sense whatsoever. “WHO” has no bases outside their rhetorical splendor? Is this a good thing or bad thing, or is it party specific? What do “bases” have to do with reactions or results anyway?
Pull your head out of your ass and write something coherent for once, would you?
“When the age is in, the wit is out.” You must excuse Jedi and I our eccentricities. It’s what passes for logic and argument at our advanced age. We become more like Constable Dogberry by the day.
You first.
I suspect you have pulled the wool over a lot of eyes, wulf; but that will not be the subject of any posts of mine…
Voting for Republicans Like Jed’s bunch would leave the state without any money at all, but plenty of Pollution from all the corps they would bring in to rape the last true wilderness state in the Lower 48! I’ll stick to the Democrats in 2012,2014 and so on!
Me too.
The “fool me once …” warning is no longer operative then? Let’s get it out in the open – how many time do you need to be fooled before you stop trusting? I’m guessing at least 11 times, but I’m an optimist.
Why do we vote Dem? Well, HERE is the “loyal opposition”, mark. Vote for Nader types all you want to, but I THINK I’ll stick with Dems until you folks can come up with sumthin’ better.
http://theantiliberalzone.blogspot.com/2011/08/we-have-been-betrayed.html
Again Kralj, and you are wearing me out. When Demovrats arue in power, you hit thei snooze button. Because of that Democrats are able to get away with more shit than Republicans. Look now, foUor new wars, still Gitmo, president now issues kill orders without due porcess, and this weekend they signaled that they are going to cut SS to fund more war spending.
Bush gets away with none of this. Democrats, and I am looking squarely at you, Kralj, are the problem.
Plesase don’t make MW repeat this again, reinforcing my woe rat suspicions about you
bush gets away with….???
obamy has done all the damage he can day to day…
but bush???
in addition to being the biggest idiot to hold any amelikan office he is a war criminal, increased u s debt by over 6 tril, and on and on.
so you know…
i hate themocraps equally…
but bush???
I must set you straight, woodie. I have voted for only one Republican since 1964. His name was Anderson; and that took place probably before you were born.
Ill stand corrected then sir! I Guess I din’t see the snark in all of it!
Saying that Skees would fly a confederate flag is disgusting and disingenuous. I know you think you’re sharp-witted and funny, but you’re really nothing more than a partisan hack.
Um, he WORE them in a parade, dufus. He proudly WALKED the parade route displaying a Confederidiot Flag patch on his jacket! Did you not see the pics? His wife wore one too. Must I REALLY point out to you that ONLY a complete a**h*le wears the Confederidiot flag? Skees is an a**h*le from Florida. That’s all. BTW,what does rawr stand for? Sounds really weird.
You aren’t one of the RaHoWa dudes, are you?
p.s. And rawr, READ the link about the tribal flags. THAT is what Montana is all about, NOT the vile, hateful Confederidiot Flag that little Skeester proudly wears. That might be a hit down south where the Skeester is from. But it’s simply vile, hateful, and inappropriate to display it here where diversity reigns, and proudly so.
We Montanans HONOR our diversity and our Native peoples, for it was their land for ten thousand years. And now we all share it. Listen some time to the Native drummers. If THAT music doesn’t take you back ten thousand years and move you, then nothing will!
And dude, I was AT the inaugaration, and it was an incredible experience to FINALLY see the Native peoples of Montana assume their rightful place as full-fledged members in its governance! Schweitzer did this. And for this, he is to be commended. He welcomed them into his administration as equals, something NO Pubbie could ever bring themselves to do.
And I’ll tell you a little secret. Even the PUBBIES in attendance were impressed. I saw oily roy brown smiling from ear to ear during the drumming and grand entry. I thought for a brief moment that he actually might have some qualities of humanity, but alas, I was wrong.
why would anyone in their right mind wear a confederate flag anyway! A flag of losers who lost the war…. Oh wait I answered my own question…. skeeter is not of right Mind! LOL!
General Robert E. Skees believes in the same fundamentals as the leaders of the Confederate states using the code word “states rights”. He explained himself pretty clearly on that facebook page, not too surprising that he would wear a Confederate flag if he did.
It was reported in the Whitefish Pilot that Skees war the confederate flag in the parade. Here is the story: http://www.flatheadnewsgroup.com/whitefishpilot/article_daaa837e-dc6a-11df-b089-001cc4c002e0.html
Should be “that Skees wore” the confederate flag. I must have Civil War on the brain. Please excuse the typo.
I’m surprised he has not posted 7 paragraphs trying to defend himself. I think he spends all day posting super long responses on the informed whitefish facebook page.
That Informed Whitefish facebook page has some funny, funny stuff from Skees. If you want a good laugh, check it out today seriously.
If you really really want a laugh, post on there and ask him questions.
Haha, that’s a great idea. My favorite Skees think on there right now is a long explanation of how poorly he understands the constitution. Did you see that letter to the editor about his constitutional “lecture” about him? Here’s the link, it’s written by a well known Bigfork Republican:
http://missoulian.com/news/opinion/mailbag/article_e35c8ba4-bf89-11e0-afaa-001cc4c03286.html
Here’s Skees on the Constitution from Informed Whitefish. SO FUNNY:
“It is incredibly sad the level of general knowledge vast parts of this country have lost relative to what we were. The Principles of 1798 were developed by Thomas Jefferson (author of the Declaration of Independence and our 3rd President) and James Madison (the Father of the Constitution and the 4th President). The Doctrine was simple; the states, since they formed the Union by signing into existence the Constitution, had the final right to arbitrate constitutionality of Federal Laws. It was a constitutional process they detailed as “the rightful remedy” against an out of control Federal Government (sound familiar?).
“This power can only be used against laws that can be demonstrated to be in direct violation of the Constitution, and therefore the States were not doing anything except labeling the obvious unconstitutionality of it. If the Federal Government allowed a law to come into existence that was not derived from the delegated powers given to them, it was unconstitutional. They all knew the incredible limitations placed on the general government, they fought over its definitions in the debates of the Con. Con. and during ratification. It was void when the Feds passed it without authority to do so, and the States were just pointing it out. That is why it does not go to the Supreme Court; it is above the power of the Federal Government to control.
“Now I know this starts heart palpitations in your State is supreme crowd, and I am sorry for the discomfort, but a well documented History is the Judge of what our Founders created. Don’t blame me for what you have forgotten, nor try to use your ignorance it to marginalize what we were given. Mark M. you couldn’t be more misinformed, yet I am not surprised if you think this is an Informative page. You do not have the constitutional authority to nullify anything. Only the state, as a signatory to the compact does.
“I have just done a lecture on this very topic, and will be posting it in its entirety on my webpage very soon. I will link it here when it’s done for all to learn how our Founding Fathers yet again gave us a tool to insure our freedoms. I will finish out this post with a few quotes to prove my point.”
I doubt the insurance industry will want much to do with this wack job. Imagine how difficult it would be to conduct business with Skees as regulator. Could be an interesting contest if they came in against him and the TEA party. Would be interesting to see which slimeballs had more power.
Derek, come on back and play. You KNOW you want to. And I KNOW you read this site. Hell, if politics can’t be fun, what FUN is it? Join the fray. We can take it. Give us your best shot and let the chips fall where they may. Call me a commie. Call me a red. Call me whatever, I don’t really care. Hell, we ALL know that green is the new red anyway! Right? I can take it. But do play. This site is a great place to hone your debating skills. No need to get personal. Just enlighten us. As Hammerquist said during your debate, we probaly share many of the same values. But we’ll never know if you don’t try. And maybe some day I’ll even buy you a beer. You ARE a drinking man, aren’t you???
Gen. Robert E. Skees trying to talk about the Constitution sounds a lot like that mentally ill Spreadbury guy in the Bitteroot. Rambling circular arguments that make no sense.
Off subject- response to earlier post.
re: “kochtopus” & Watchdog. I actually knows some of the MTWatchdog guys, they’re not half bad. I may not agree w/ all of the politics of their parent organization, but I’ve always cheered on transparency whether my people (the left) or the baggers were in power. http://www.schoolsopenmt.org/Default.aspx?scrw=1680&scrh=1050 , an affiliated organization, has been helpful for me as well.
[...] By Cowgirl, on September 15, 2011, 7:38 am | Discuss Confirming a story that was first reported here at the Cowgirl blog, TEA Party Republican Derek Skees, confederate sympathizer who has tried to set up his own Little [...]
[...] Sep15 by D Gregory Smith Cowgirl: Confirming a story that was first reported here at the Cowgirl blog, TEA Party Republican Derek Skees, confederate sympathizer who has tried to set up his own Little [...]