Former Legislator weighs in on Schwiesow/Adelstein Race

From Saturday's Rapid City Journal:
Best track record

As a right to life supporter and also knowing both Elli Schwiesow and Stan Adelstein, I find them both to be very fine people. However, when we send people to the state Senate, where the system is both complicated and serious, send the one who has and will be more than a one or two issue senator with a personal agenda.

With hundreds of bills presented each year, Pennington County needs people who can build relationships with others in the legislative body to get things done.

Stan has run several large businesses successfully and is fiscally conservative. Stan has served in the House of Representatives and is past chairman of the Rapid City Chamber of Commerce, plus numerous other committees and organizations in our state.

When you send someone to Pierre, doesn't it make sense to send someone with the best track record and the most experience? I would encourage voters of District 32 to vote for Stan Adelstein and send him back to Pierre.

BOB HASKELL
Rapid City
Do I consider this endorsement to be a plus in the Adelstein column. Nope. Why do I hold that opinion about former State Senator Bob Haskell, who was defeated by Sharon Green after about one term of office? It's not that Bob is a bad person, it's just that he managed to burn his bridges with me a long time ago.

It was about the time we had just gotten past the elections in 1992 when I was Pennington County GOP Executive Director, and I was looking at options for health insurance for my family. Bob had heard about this, and noted to me "I think I have a solution for you on your health insurance," and he invited myself and my wife to lunch to discuss it.

Fast forward to lunch, and my wife and I sat down with Bob and another elected official from Pennington County. And this session on helping my then small family with health insurance actually revealed itself for what it was to be. An Amway pitch.

Yup. I was trying to look for a raise to help cover my health insurance, and I got a pitch to come join the multi-level marketing splendor that Amway was. It was like a punch in the gut.

I worked for the candidates, so I had to sit there and suffer it. To my wife's eternal credit, she refrained from opening up and letting loose with the verbal assault that he deserved. But that incident is permanently etched in my mind. And I can assume it's etched in my wife's as well.

Does it mean Bob is a bad person? No. Not at all. His daughter and son-in-law here in Pierre are two of the nicest and most decent people I can think of. Absolutely top notch.

But does it mean I'd ever take his political advice? I can't think of anyone who's advice I'd trust less. When he interprets a young professional seeking health insurance as someone calling out for participation in multi-level marketing, I'd consider the advice filter as somewhat faulty.

Comments

Anonymous said…
I understand that you're looking for employment in the Brookings area, PP. I have a wonderful job opportunity with awesome benefits, such as the ability to set your own schedule and control your own income.
Would you like to meet Friday night at 7, or Saturday at 1 to discuss this wonderful opportunity for you to be employed and with you family?

Oh... and you can finally afford health insurance too.

~Happy Trails!
Anonymous said…
"and I was looking at options for health insurance for my family"

I bet this problem is still out there for some 60,000 South Dakotans who don't have health insurance. Since the GOP has been in charge in South Dakota for over 30 years, you'd think they'd have proposed a real solution to this.

It doesn't surprise me that a major option is the Amway option. Republicans haven't solved any of South Dakotas real problems.
Bob Newland said…
I doubt that even Stan thinks an endorsement from Bob Haskell is anything of value.
PP said…
Anon #2, I had health insurance. I was trolling for a raise to pay for it.
Anonymous said…
Stan, proven track record ?
Stan "sponsored" 20 bills in 2006,using the word "sponsored" loosely since most were actually written by others. Only 5 passed, thats 25%, maybe thats good I dont know, doesnt sound good to me.
Anonymous said…
I didn't know Amway was one of those "large businesses" Stan has run successfully. How about planned parenthood? He's just a dynamo.
Anonymous said…
Stan has not built relationships in Pierre and has not gotten things done to any great degree. Most of the time he, partially due to his poor hearing, has no idea what is even going on. He's like a carnival sideshow. This letter is a joke to anyone who has worked along side him in Pierre.
Anonymous said…
I got a hoot out of the Amway story! I've had relatives who got caught up in the Amway dream and lost their shirts in it before finally realizing it for the scam it is.
Anonymous said…
Bob Haskell also endorsed Tom Hennies in the Rapid City council race. Shows how incredibly lost Bob Haskell is.
Anonymous said…
How did Hennies do. I never heard. Thanks for any info.
Anonymous said…
Hennies is going to get clobbered.

And speaking of the Adelstein race, he's probably going to get beat too. People are offended that he is threatening his tenants with eviction if they don't vote for him.
Anonymous said…
As a tenant of Stan Adelstein , I am shocked that someone would say that "Stan" threatens to evict his tenants if they do not vote for him. Stan has his faults but evicting people for not voting for him isn't one of them! That is outrageous!Think about it, Stan is a business man first & foremost he is not going to evict part or all of his tenants and have hundreds of empty properties!That comment is not based on facts,it is based on a uneducated opinion.As a tenant I find that comment offensive!!!!!!!!
Tena Vanloan
Ristorante Marsala

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