North Dakota GOP Posts Birther Joke On Homepage

And the lion shall lie down with the lamb...

Ihatethemall, on behalf of my family and me, I -- sincerely -- wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year...

Well I'll be damned (literally if the Lord decides to take certain youthful indiscretions more seriously than I think is really fair...but that is a story for another time). Ihatethemall and I have found common ground! There is a hell of an uplifting Christmas story in there somewhere...

But seriously, I could not agree more with his assessment of the general character of the people in the Dakotas and Montana (especially eastern Montana). There are exceptions, of course, but they just seem to make up a remarkably small percentage of the population.

An example: about ten years ago, I was speaking to the annual meeting of a telephone cooperative in Northeastern Montana in February. It was so cold that people would leave their cars running in the parking lot for hours rather than risk the possibility that they would not start after the meeting.

I was almost finished when a man burst in and shouted that one of the homes in the small town (population roughly 300) was on fire. In most of the cities I have lived or visited the reaction in the audience would have been, "Gosh, that's terrible. I hope the fire trucks arrive in time to save the home, and nobody was hurt." and then they would have turned their attention back to me for the remainder of my speech.

This group was typical eastern Montana. Everybody...and I mean EVERYBODY bailed out of that meeting hall and ran or drove up the street to the burning home in the middle of "Oh My God Below Zero" temperatures. The home had several sheds and what we call here "out buildings" -- structures that house farming equipment, beekeeping equipment, or whatever... The people managed to save all of them, though the house was a total loss by the time we all arrived.

But that family was completely set up with a place to stay, replacement clothes, commitments to help them rebuild and offers of pots, pans, dishes, spare vacuum cleaners...it was a wonder to behold. Ihatethemall put his finger directly on the attitude up there: "Nature is a bitch, and there ain't very many of us so we all gotta pull together."

And if that isn't enough...when you drive in town or even between towns in that area? People actually WAVE to each other as they pass on the highway -- whether they know you or not. It is almost like they are saying "Hope you're having a nice day...by the way if you see my truck off the side of the road, I hope you'll kindly stop and give me hand" Very, very cool.

I would have to agree with ihatethemall that North Dakota is one of the few states that seems to have its "poop in a group." I do a great deal of business there (I was born just across the border in Montana near the homestead my great-great grandfather claimed nearly 100 years ago...which has grown over the years to be a sizable farm and ranch operation...with the help of a half-dozen oil wells...) and have been impressed in my dealings with local businesses, institutions of higher education, state government agencies, and health care facilities.

In general, the people are friendly, the schools are good, and things like crime, pollution, traffic, etc are almost nonexistent. Every time I drive across the state I am struck by how neat, clean and orderly the farms and ranches are -- almost without exception -- compared to those I see in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and even Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Of course, there ARE Democrats and Independents in North Dakota in addition to the Republican...so I don't think it would be fair to say that Republicans alone are responsible for the state's good fortune (nor do I think ihatethemall is implying that Republicans alone are responsible), but clearly a significant majority of the people in that state -- regardless of party affiliation -- take great pride in the results of their hard work. If only they had a few more mountains (when I raise that complaint my best North Dakota friend gives me a stern look and tells me that it took them years of hard work to complete their Mountain Removal Program, and I should be more appreciative of that fact...)

Say what you want to about the Republicans in the great state of North Dakota, it wont change the fact that their unemployment is about the lowest in the country, 3.2%
http://www.jobsnd.com/jsnd/jobsnd/news/news.detail.html?newsId=15622

I just got my tax bill on the land I own there and it was 4 dollars and 50 cents FOR THE YEAR. They happen to be one of the states that actually has a budget SURPLUS. how many others can claim that and all the rest of the good ND has to offer, about the lowest crime rates you will find anywhere and the friendliest folks around.

The people in North Dakota have their shit together. Thats more that could be said about the majority of this country.

You have to find humor in every aspect of life. once you cant do that anymore your all in a world of shit.

Actually if this was posted by Democrats it would be a humorous bit of political sarcasm, but from Republicans it's just more of their political trash.