Now that we’ve endured over a year of this great social experiment known as “hope” and “change,” suffice to say that Americans are experiencing buyers’ remorse of the highest order. And barring some momentous shift in leadership on behalf of the White House (which is doubtful), the sluggish days of Obamaeconomics will ultimately reach a welcome end, November 2, 2012. It’s now up to the Republicans to step forward and select his successor. Hi friends, I’m Scott Hennen, Chairman of the Common Sense Club sounding off. In a minute, who should that candidate be? It’s coming up, in today’s Common Sense Commentary!

Tired of Obama talk? Me too. Seriously! Now that folks who voted for him have had an 18 month exposure of amateur hour governance on the economy, the oil spill, health care legislation and the private sector (just to name a few) let’s take a moment to visualize who his Republican candidate will be when this regime is thankfully retired. Let’s talk about Jan 20, 2013: who do we hope ascends those Capitol steps? Who do we, the people, want to represent us? Who will we trust to remember what the founding fathers envisioned for governing this awesome country?

The roster of Republican candidates continue to grow, each one of them appealing to new emerging constituencies within the conservative cause. Who’s on the short list? Let’s take a peek:

• Former Speaker of the House Newt Ginrich: the intellectual giant who lead the Republican Revolution back in the mid-90s.
• The much-maligned media phenom Sarah Palin: a leading figure in the Tea Party movement.

• Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindahl…one of the few elected officials reacting responsibly to the BP Oil disaster.

• Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, who, in spite of enacting some questionable policies during his tenure as governor (especially pertaining to healthcare) continues to espouse the virtues of limited government.
• And let’s not forget the Midwest’s own native son, Governor Tim Pawlenty. His apt leadership in a state riddled by deficits and liberal politicians mirrors the problems facing our nation as a whole.

So who’s your guy (or girl)? Or are you still waiting for someone new to emerge from the pack? Time will tell, but I think we can all agree on something: November 2, 2012 can’t come soon enough. In the meantime, don’t tell Obama what comes after a trillion.

THAT’S MY OPINION, NOW I WELCOME YOURS. WRITE TO ME AT BOX 23, MEDORA, NORTH DAKOTA 58645 OR SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS ONLINE AT SCOTTHENNEN.COM, AND THANKS FOR LISTENING!

So in a country languishing from record deficits, soaring unemployment, inner city crime and woeful standards of educational achievement, where would you turn to to find a place to raise your kids? If you’re within the sound of my voice, the good news is you wouldn’t have to travel far. Hi friends, I’m Scott Hennen, Chairman of the Common Sense Club sounding off. In a minute, guess who made Money Magazine’s Top 100 Cities to live in? I’ll tell you who, in today’s Common Sense Commentary!

This doesn’t come as a big surprise, but it’s still nice to get some recognition. According to Money Magazine, a monthly publication that covers the gamut of personal finance topics, Fargo, Bismarck, and Grand Forks, North Dakota are among the top 100 cities considered in America to live in. Factoring their selection based on housing values, median family incomes and the overall quality of life, Bismarck ranks number 74, Fargo comes in at 86 and Grand Forks rounds it out at 97. That’s the top three largest cities in North Dakota, all deemed as premiere cities to in the country to reside in. Can you say…go Bison state?
But wait, aren’t we missing some here? Where is Medora? Where’s Dickinson, Columbus, or Lisbon? Naturally your Chairman is a bit biased, but couldn’t you take 90% of the growing communities in North Dakota and add them to this list? Especially considering the selection of some of our Minnesota neighbors, who’re actually ranked higher than us?

And there are a couple of them: Apple Valley, Minnesota: number 20. Eagan, Minnesota: number 15. Plymouth, Minnesota: number 11. And Eden Prairie, Minnesota: number one. Number one! Can you believe that? All of these cookie-cutter suburbs, placed higher than our beloved hometowns? What, do they not get snow in the winter in Eden Prairie? Well I say, “Who needs ‘em.” Who needs the urban sprawl, and the long-distance commutes? Who needs the inflated cost of living, or the yuppie escapism from Twin Cities crime? Not to knock the metro ‘burbs (well, it maybe too late for that), but keeping up with the Jones’s shouldn’t be a barometer for a city’s worth.

I’ll take a Tioga over a Plymouth any day of the week.

THAT’S MY OPINION, NOW I WELCOME YOURS. WRITE TO ME AT BOX 23, MEDORA, NORTH DAKOTA 58645 OR SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS ONLINE AT SCOTTHENNEN.COM, AND THANKS FOR LISTENING!

“We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion… Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” Our second President John Adams wrote those words back in 1789. And isn’t it peculiar—when we deny the wisdom of our Founding Fathers and the religious philosophies that inspired their vision—we awake in a culture apathetic of our basic rights to express our faith. Hi friends, I’m Scott Hennen, Chairman of the Common Sense Club sounding off. In a minute, protecting the assault on our religious liberties with the North Dakota Family Alliance. It’s coming up, in today’s Common Sense Commentary!

Close your eyes and imagine a place where religious liberties are sacrificed on the altar of political correctness. Where do the real-world implications begin? Here’s a few:

• A law requiring all medical students to receive training in abortion.
• A state’s attorney’s practice of excluding from a jury any person who wears religious objects or jewelry.
• A school policy that prohibits “make-up” or “cosmetics” that would burden a student’s wearing of ashes on Ash Wednesday.

Now open your eyes. This place you’re imagining isn’t some fictitious totalitarian state; it’s the land we call home. Each one of these impossibly unjust dictums are actual or proposed laws, right here in America. The bottom line is this: the burden has fallen to the people to protect themselves from the government infringing upon their religious liberties, instead of the burden being placed on the government as it seeks to infringe on those freedoms. The Constitution provided a system of justice whereby the burden is on the government, not the people.

In order to stem this erosion of our basic religious freedoms, the good folks of the North Dakota Family Alliance have come together to organize the 2010 Religious Liberty Restoration Amendment—an effort to gather almost 26,000 signatures to allow the people of North Dakota a vote to restore religious liberties removed by a nine-member non-elected court. Sound like a good cause? Go to their website at www.ndfa.org to learn what you can do to restore and preserve our religious liberties for generations to come.

THAT’S MY OPINION, NOW I WELCOME YOURS. WRITE TO ME AT BOX 23, MEDORA, NORTH DAKOTA 58645 OR SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS ONLINE AT SCOTTHENNEN.COM, AND THANKS FOR LISTENING!

Nothing like a little Chicago politics right here in North Dakota. The controversial nomination of Tim Purdon, the died-in-the-wool democrat party man tapped to be our next US Attorney, continues unabated by North Dakota Republicans, and I want all common sense faithful to ask yourselves a question: if President Bush had nominated a party fund-raiser…someone who was a close confidant of a disgraced politician… oh, let’s say Mark Foley…do you think the Democrats would stand idly by? I don’t think so. Hi friends, I’m Scott Hennen, Chairman of the Common Sense Club sounding off. In a minute, a common sense appeal to ND Republicans to stand up to this statewide scandal. That’s coming up, in today’s Common Sense Commentary!

Well after months of successfully sticking their heads in the sand and ignoring what amounts to be a truly shocking pick for North Dakota’s US Attorney, timid Republicans will be glad to know that soon it will all be over. Tim Purdon will most likely make it out of committee on a voice vote. Why Governor John Hoeven, Rick Berg and other conservative state party voices have sat this one out smacks of a weak-kneed approach and a missed opportunity to draw attention on a legitimate political battle front.

What qualifies Purdon to serve as our state’s highest enforcement officer? Political connections. It’s rare to see this level of cronyism and political manipulation, especially in a state like North Dakota. When nominated, Purdon was a member of the Democratic National Committee. He has never prosecuted a single case. His courtroom experience is limited to a successful career as a trial lawyer, and a high-profile lobbyist for Vote Hemp Inc (so much for the President’s pledge to eliminate special interests from the levers of power). Oh and he’s a personal confidant to John Edwards, another straight-laced public servant. It’s a poke in the eye to our state’s law enforcement. But if ND republicans won’t step up and make the case against him, why should out state republicans fight the battle?

Bottom line: the game of politics is much better suited for ND Democrats. This is a national story, and the silence from GOP party leaders in ND is unforgivable. What if this leads to a lifetime judgeship? A party boss fundraiser with US Attorney on his resume is the perfect candidate for the Democrats to fast track this party shill to a federal court post.

THAT’S MY OPINION, NOW I WELCOME YOURS. WRITE TO ME AT BOX 23, MEDORA, NORTH DAKOTA 58645 OR SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS ONLINE AT SCOTTHENNEN.COM, AND THANKS FOR LISTENING!

Changing lives one “sole” at a time: introducing “Freedom Feet”—a unique concept from Wendy Gerlach and her team at Lemongrass Spa Products, to honor our female soldiers overseas. Hi friends, I’m Scott Hennen, Chairman of the Common Sense Club sounding off. In a minute, a shameless plug for a great patriotic product. I’ll explain, in today’s Common Sense Commentary!

The sun is shining, the kids are running through sprinklers…looks like it’s going to be another beautiful day here in God’s country. But miles away in Afghanistan and Iraq, the atmosphere isn’t so carefree. Imagine, patrolling hostile territories in temperatures ranging between 100 and 120 degrees. After a long, hot day in combat boots, wouldn’t you agree that a cool, cucumber foot soak would feel fantastic? The folks at Freedom Feet think so. That’s why they’re offering foot care kits to our female soldiers, so that they can indulge in a dearly-deserved reprise from the male-dominated business of defense, and treat themselves to a little pampering.
Here’s how it works: For only $24, you can purchase a Freedom Feet Foot Kit and they will send it (on your behalf) to one of the amazing women serving our country in Iraq or Afghanistan. What’s in a Freedom Feet Foot Kit? It’s a smaller version of our popular Cucumber Foot Kit, complete with a 4 oz. Cucumber Foot Soak, 4 oz. Cucumber Scrub and refreshing 4 oz.Cucumber Foot Creme.

It’s gifts like this that remind our soldiers that they’re still in our thoughts and prayers. Robin, an area National Guard member, expressed her appreciation with this letter, straight from Camp Stryker, Iraq:

“I’m glad that there are still people out there who, even if they don’t agree with the reason why we are here, will still stand behind each soldier and give them support for what they do! You guys are truly the heroes, without people like you it would be a lot harder to do what we do.”

Their company goal for this summer is to send 1,000 feet kits to female soldiers serving overseas…won’t you help them? Go to our scotthennen.com and check out their website. So go ahead, and give the simple gift that allows our brave fighting women a small luxury from home. Donate to Freedom Feet today!

THAT’S MY OPINION, NOW I WELCOME YOURS. WRITE TO ME AT BOX 23, MEDORA, NORTH DAKOTA 58645 OR SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS ONLINE AT SCOTTHENNEN.COM, AND THANKS FOR LISTENING!

In a political ploy to appease pro-life Democrats on March 24, 2010, President Obama signed an executive order banning federal funding for abortion as part of the massive overhaul of America’s healthcare system. The completely worthless, non-binding document was enough to convince Bart Stupak and other Pro-life Democrats (if such anomalies exist), to throw their support behind the President’s healthcare bill and provide the critical votes to pass it on a purely partisan basis. Yesterday, the President reneged on that promise, and the state of Pennsylvania will be the first in the union to receive federal funding for abortions, courtesy of Obamacare. Hi friends, I’m Scott Hennen, Chairman of the Common Sense Club sounding off. In a minute, I’ll explain, in today’s Common Sense Commentary!

As part of the truly disgraceful manner in which it was passed, I remember when pro-abortion feminists were going wild when they heard Speaker Pelosi was meeting with then-pro-life advocate Rep. Bart Stupak to negotiate an abortion “compromise”. Once the details of Obama’s executive order became known—reassuring Stupak that no federal dollars would be spent on elective abortions in his healthcare plan— they were silent. And there’s a reason for that; pro-abortion supporters realized that the pledge was completely meaningless, and no judge or lawyer could find any binding clause that would made it enforceable.

On Tuesday, John Boehner released a statement questioning the progress of that order. “Unfortunately,” the Republican leader said, “the President provided no information, and the American people are still waiting for answers.” Well yesterday in Pennsylvania, we got the answer. 160 million dollars from the Health and Human Services Department was allocated to set up a high-risk insurance pool that will cover any abortion legal in the state. According to the Family Research Council, it’s the first known instance of direct federal funding of abortions through the new high-risk insurance pools established through Obamacare, thus validating all the pro-life concerns that this momentous Presidential compromise amounts to nothing more than a glorified pinky-swear.

So how many more lies can the American people stomach? Not to diminish the significance, but it’s one thing for the President and his cronies to lie about the economy, his administrations’ response to an environmental disaster, or the success of his other pieces of failed legislation. This is a lie that will cost the lives of unborn children, and hopefully, democrat chances of reelection come November.

THAT’S MY OPINION, NOW I WELCOME YOURS. WRITE TO ME AT BOX 23, MEDORA, NORTH DAKOTA 58645 OR SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS ONLINE AT SCOTTHENNEN.COM, AND THANKS FOR LISTENING!

Well it’s been over a year, and the Tea Party movement keeps going strong. In spite of a coordinated bias by the mainstream media, patriotic Americans continue to assemble throughout the nation, in protest of big government policies threatening to undermine our basic liberties. Now, on the heels of new poll numbers showing a growing divide between independent voters and the White House, the far-left is rallying its base through identity politics, condemning the Tea Party as a racist movement. Hi friends, I’m Scott Hennen, Chairman of the Common Sense Club sounding off. In a minute, I’ll explain, in today’s Common Sense Commentary!

Maybe you’re one of the thousands of participants who showed up at one of the Tea Parties this summer. Take a look in the mirror…what do you see? A racist? Or do you see an average, hard-working American, concerned about the future of this republic? I’ve met enough of you at these events to virtually guarantee that it’s the latter.

Nonetheless, the far-left is taking bolder steps to malign you. The NAACP, the nation’s largest civil rights organization, has passed a resolution condemning the Tea Party protesters for engaging in “explicitly racist behavior” during its annual convention in Kansas City. The resolution says the “movement is not just about higher taxes and limited government but something that could evolve and become more dangerous,” but The Tea Party’s principles are simple and clear:

• Smaller federal government
• Lower taxes
• Fiscal responsibility
• National security
• Federalism
• The unending attacks on our values

Those are precisely the tools we need to lift all Americans out of poverty. They’ve worked every time they’ve been tried, but liberal activist organizations like the NAACP remain stalwart opponents of any agenda that will not advance socialism. And as far as their credibility goes? How can the NAACP label the Tea Party as “racists” when they refuse to condemn New Black Panther Party calls to murder police officers and babies? Why are they lamenting the state of education in this country, when they block every effort to educate the poor through school vouchers? Media giant Andrew Breitbart has offered a $100,000 reward for any tangible proof substantiating their claims. Yet not one person is able to provide evidence. It’s all sad testimony of a once great organization, whose failed mission to deliver social justice is now reducing them to pathetic racial demagoguery.

THAT’S MY OPINION, NOW I WELCOME YOURS. WRITE TO ME AT BOX 23, MEDORA, NORTH DAKOTA 58645 OR SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS ONLINE AT SCOTTHENNEN.COM, AND THANKS FOR LISTENING!

The latest Gallup numbers are in. Among independents, President Obama holds a 38 percent approval rating. That’s an 18-point difference from a year ago. The results aren’t surprising; high unemployment, bigger government, unpopular healthcare bill, reckless spending…the list goes on and on. After failing to solve these problems with their left-wing agenda, the administration has decided on another tack to remedy their dismal poll performance: change the narrative. Hi friends, I’m Scott Hennen, Chairman of the Common Sense Club sounding off. In a minute I’ll explain, in today’s Common Sense Commentary!

So Obama has a 38% approval rating among independents, so someone decides to commission some expert strategists to try to explain out why the drop. I think they’re studying the wrong people. We should figure out why 38% still approve of this President! And it’s only going to get worse. With 10 trillion set to be added to our national debt in the next decade, Democrats know that they’ll have to break their promise and beginning raising taxes on the middle class. That’s going to further stagnate the recovery, and facilitate the spiral of dismay and disapproval with this President’s performance.

With that in mind, the administration has returned to the strategy that got it elected: the false narrative. It sounds something like this: “Obama didn’t want to be a big-spending liberal, but he needed to borrow 780 billion dollars from future generations in order to prevent a depression.” His low approval numbers, according to folks like Senior adviser David Axelrod, are a result of the public’s fundamental misunderstanding of this. We just need to be reeducated on how Obama the Great saved us from another Great Depression. We need to realize 10% unemployment is a reality, and it would have been far worse without the astoundingly successful stimulus package. And if you can find something wrong with this nation now that Obama is our leader, there’s a narrative for that too: it’s Bush’s fault.
If you expect more from our President—or any other elected leader that’s failed to represent you or the values of North Dakota— I know just the place. Today, 6:30 pm, it’s the Wahpeton Tea Party. Come to Chahinkipa Park for a common-sense gathering of fellow patriots, eager to sound off and learn what can be done to take this country back. That’s 6:30 at Chahinkipa Park in Wahpeton—see you there!

THAT’S MY OPINION, NOW I WELCOME YOURS. WRITE TO ME AT BOX 23, MEDORA, NORTH DAKOTA 58645 OR SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS ONLINE AT SCOTTHENNEN.COM, AND THANKS FOR LISTENING!

Reinvention of the primary role of government continues unfettered, courtesy of the Obama administration…looks like they’re expanding their radical vision to all frontiers, including NASA. Where the prestigious organization once stood for exploration, science, and the pursuit of human achievement beyond our world, it’s now been deigned to have a less ambitious purpose: function as a p.c. outreach wing for disenchanted Muslims. Hi friends, I’m Scott Hennen, Chairman of the Common Sense Club sounding off. In a minute, a blast off to more baffling policy, coming up, in today’s Common Sense Commentary!

Star date, July 2010: investigating the expanse of the galaxy is shelved in favor of exploring the depths of political correctness. No wonder a growing number of people question whether the President of the United States has ulterior motives. I wouldn’t have believed it myself, but here’s Charles Bolden, head of NASA and a retired astronaut himself, telling the Aljazeera network about the priorities NASA will be tasked with, under the direction of President Obama:

LISTEN
“He wanted me to find a way to reach out to the Muslim world and engage much more with dominantly Muslim nations to help them feel good about their historic contribution to science, math, and engineering.”

So there you have it folks. We’ve gone from moon landings to promoting self esteem. But wait, it gets even more depressing. Piggybacking off Bolden’s anti-stellar comments, the President continued to anchor our space program to the ground, insisting that the US wasn’t capable of space exploration solo any longer; that we must depend on the international community to assist us. Are you kidding me? Where is the Kennedy-esque challenge? Where is the celebration of American exceptionalism? All as distant as the Milky Way, light years away from the White House and this President’s worldview. It’s a shame. Since its inception in 1958, NASA has been a source of inspiration and wonder for countless Americans, motivating generations of young people to study science and reach for the stars…dream the big dream. What will NASA stand for now? A gravity-defying monument to insane cultural sensitivity.

THAT’S MY OPINION, NOW I WELCOME YOURS. WRITE TO ME AT BOX 23, MEDORA, NORTH DAKOTA 58645 OR SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS ONLINE AT SCOTTHENNEN.COM, AND THANKS FOR LISTENING!

Disgrace and outrage erupts over the latest North Dakota political scandal. So what is it? Earl Pomeroy ethics investigation? Senator Conrad Countrywide sweetheart loan kickbacks? Far worse. A public employee on the 13th floor of the state’s Public Service Commission office caught with satirical posters mocking the administration. Hi friends, I’m Scott Hennen, Chairman of the Common Sense Club sounding off. In a minute, the latest desperate attempt by ND democrats to stop their political free fall: “Postergate”. I’ll explain, in today’s Common Sense Commentary!

This is one Hail Mary that will surely drop incomplete. On the very day a Washington Post story revealed the national Democratic playbook contained plans for “gotcha” moments, the sheep at state party headquarters quickly sprung into action by grossly overreacting to a few off-the-color posters hanging in a government employee’s private cubicle. So just image this: they send some poor lackey to the state capitol…he heads up to the 13th floor (a floor not on any tour, not even a public floor) sticks his hand into the private office cubicle of a young Public Service Commission staffer and snaps a cell phone photo of two posters the head of the ND Democrat party deems “obscene” and “outrageous”

One of the posters did contain an obscenity and a young girl extending her middle finger…but her point, that Obama was spending away her future was correct. It is America…does this staffer have a right to include a humorous political poster in his private office space? That’s debatable. But to suggest it’s on display for all to see, to lie and claim some youngster on a tour of the capitol happened upon this and then thought to whisk the photo over tor ND Dem headquarters so a press release could be issued blaming the entire Republican Party and the Public Service Commission is laughable. It’s also a blatant attempt to change the story from what really matters to ND: our future, and how Obama and the Democratic majority are ruining this country.

According to recent polling, North Dakotans have the highest percentage of folks who strongly favor repeal of Obama Care. I’m not surprised! The only real shocker here is how little the Democrat leadership in this state values your intelligence, trying to manufacture a scandal—straight out of a political playbook—instead of getting back in touch with North Dakotans, and try to regain our trust. We get it, they don’t! That’s what matters.

THAT’S MY OPINION, NOW I WELCOME YOURS. WRITE TO ME AT BOX 23, MEDORA, NORTH DAKOTA 58645 OR SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS ONLINE AT SCOTTHENNEN.COM, AND THANKS FOR LISTENING!