Post #450 - On behalf of the GOP, Thank you Representative Gassman.
One of my favorite newspaper supplments has now arrived. The 2006 Capitol Journal Legislative Edition supplement.
For some reason, every year some legislator makes a comment that just blasts through the ether of survey blandness and stands out. They stand out either through being brutally honest, or they were just having an off day when they filled out the survey and end up saying something they didn't intend to.
So far, this year's great comment belongs to Representative David Gassman.
In response to the question "What have you done as a legislator that has directly improved the lives of your constituents and the other residents of South Dakota?" He had a great response:
Okay, I understand that several of the commentors and I are miles apart on the income tax thing. But guys you must also realize it's been voted down time and again. Gerry Lange wasn't exactly wowed with the level of support for his constitutional measure.
We can assume this means most South Dakotans are against it. So, in the big scheme of things, I would not view pushing it as the end-all-be-all as a positive in a re-election effort.
But getting back to the first statement. "I don't believe I have greatly improved the lives of my constituents." It might be the most candid statement of the year, but I don't think it's what your voters want to hear. They want to hear things like Dan Sutton said....
(And as I go to look, I see the CJ left him out.) But anyway, voters want to hear the positive. Brutally honest might just turn them off. If he would have just said "I believe I have represented them in a fair and bi-partisan matter" That would have been good.
But starting off and basically saying that he hasn't improved anything? I'd label that bad.
For some reason, every year some legislator makes a comment that just blasts through the ether of survey blandness and stands out. They stand out either through being brutally honest, or they were just having an off day when they filled out the survey and end up saying something they didn't intend to.
So far, this year's great comment belongs to Representative David Gassman.
In response to the question "What have you done as a legislator that has directly improved the lives of your constituents and the other residents of South Dakota?" He had a great response:
"After three years, to be honest, I don't believe I have greatly improved the lives of my constituents..."That, and that his solution to South Dakota's ills would be an income tax. Ouch. Those are going to come back on you.
Okay, I understand that several of the commentors and I are miles apart on the income tax thing. But guys you must also realize it's been voted down time and again. Gerry Lange wasn't exactly wowed with the level of support for his constitutional measure.
We can assume this means most South Dakotans are against it. So, in the big scheme of things, I would not view pushing it as the end-all-be-all as a positive in a re-election effort.
But getting back to the first statement. "I don't believe I have greatly improved the lives of my constituents." It might be the most candid statement of the year, but I don't think it's what your voters want to hear. They want to hear things like Dan Sutton said....
(And as I go to look, I see the CJ left him out.) But anyway, voters want to hear the positive. Brutally honest might just turn them off. If he would have just said "I believe I have represented them in a fair and bi-partisan matter" That would have been good.
But starting off and basically saying that he hasn't improved anything? I'd label that bad.
Comments
Being a maverick means taking 'unpopular' (ie liberal) issues sometimes in Pierre.
By the way, Rhode Island recently enacted medical marijuana legislation by overwhelmingly voting to override the Republican governor's veto. www.mpp.org.
The revolution is coming. To bad South Dakota is likely be far, far behind...
That's a new one on me. I hadn't heard that. If he really did say it, that's horrendous.