Double Vision in authorship

Todd Epp has an interesting story starting to take form over at SD Watch, regarding former Democratic Gubernatorial candidate Dennis Wiese.

According to Todd, Dennis recently penned an article for the Argus Leader where he expressed some concerns about immigration policy.
Immigration is a defining feature of America's history and of America's future. Unfortunately, America's current immigration system is broken. Instead of legal channels, legal immigration and orderly, screened entry, the immigration system has fostered a black market characterized by a ballooning undocumented immigrant population, widespread use of fake documents, increasingly violent smuggling cartels and widespread exploitation of undocumented workers.

The American people are frustrated with their leaders on this issue and hunger for a solution that will work. They want neither open borders nor closed borders - they want smart borders. The time has come for the president and Congress to work together to enact comprehensive legislation that rewards work, reunites families, restores the rule of law, reinforces our nation's security, respects the rights of U.S.-born and immigrant workers and redeems the American dream.
Fair enough, he's not alone in that. But then, according to Todd, there was a another twist to it. Did I say he wasn't alone in those thoughts?
Immigration is a defining feature of America’s history and of America’s future.Unfortunately, America’s current immigration system is broken. Instead of legal channels, legal immigration, and orderly, screened entry, the immigration system has fostered a black market characterized by a ballooning undocumented immigrant population, widespread use of fake documents, increasingly violent smuggling cartels, and widespread exploitation of undocumented workers.

The American people are frustrated with their leaders on this issue and hunger for a solution that will work. They want neither open borders, nor closed borders, they want smart borders.

The time has come for the President and Congress to work together to enact comprehensive legislation that rewards work, reunites families, restores the rule of law, reinforces our nation’s security, respects the rights of U.S.-born and immigrant workers, and redeems the American Dream.
Read that all here at the Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action.

Go over to SD Watch and keep tabs on this case of great minds thinking alike. Really alike.

Comments

Anonymous said…
So let me get this straight: the Argus calls D.W. out for not writing his own article, but reporter Ben Shouse gives NO CREDIT to Todd Epp for discovering the connection.

They can't have it both ways. They have to cite their sources, too.

This is B.S.
Anonymous said…
Dennis Wiese is an untruthful man when is everyone going to figure that out??? He NEVER even said that it was not his work when the Argus Leader followed up with a phone call, he wanted to appear smarter than he is. He is UNBELIEVABLE and I think most of South Dakota is sick of his shenannigans!! GROW UP DENNIS and PLEASE start telling the truth for everyone's sake.
Anonymous said…
Here we go.
O the power of the internet!

Do we have a couple of ob-1-konobies (sp) in blog land. You know what I'm trying to say.

At least in Blog land two different postings are putting people on alert! So are these a "heard it here first".

HT: Epp & PP
eg: lessons to be learned
1. creative writing what not to do
2. spaming and full content.
That is todays lessons
Anonymous said…
ya, ya we READ the article Dennis, but it's a little late to be back peddling after the fact, it should have been disclosed immediately that it was not written by Wiese, we all went to school and learned about plagerism, guess he missed that day!
Anonymous said…
The Argus' indignation strikes me as some CYA on their part. I read the first couple lines in Wiese's piece and it was immediately obvious that it heavily used canned position pieces for its content. Yet, somehow, the omniscient gods of all knowledge at the Argus didn't catch on.

Who are they kidding acting superior now?
Anonymous said…
Wiese's non-apology is a bunch of BS. No, it's not unethical to use something you have permission to use. But it is unethical to pass it off as your own work product - which is what he did. He knew better.
Anonymous said…
I do not know what is the big deal??? Dennis had permission to use that article. So all you people are doing is following Frank K and Todd Epp. Those two are idiots and will do anything to screw over Dennis.
Anonymous said…
2:07 wrong!!!!!!!!!!

He should have sited his sources as people do in college, business and yes even lobbist give source!

OPPS
Anonymous said…
I would say that when a former or presen lawmaker has stopped by this blog if it is truly the said people.
Yes, they do resite the law and as they state it you KOW they are stating what is on the books.
If i remember correctly such terms used have included
in policy is states
Or a bill number
etc. etc. etc.

So to me it has always been clear.
But if someone knows different by all means let's speak now.

I would also like to say do not try and spin or turn the conversation off of what is at hand.
enfu said.
Anonymous said…
Wiese submitted that article as a "My Voice" column. I guess he doesn't have a voice of his own.
Anonymous said…
blaming todd epp. what a joke. blame yourself, but as we have learned, that is not wiese's way.
Anonymous said…
Is there anyone who does NOT think that Epp & Klocheck aren't loose cannons? I doubt it.

They have a personal vendetta out against Wiese and will do whatever they can to 'attempt' to destroy him.

What if the tide turns the other way? Will Epp & Klocheck go running and hide under papa Billion's shadow?

Give me a break!
Anonymous said…
What Wiese did was not quite the way it should have been done but I understand that he feels too he should have sighted the Coalition for Comprehensive immigration Reform as its origination. This group includes many reputable organizations including the Jews, Catholics and other religios folks.
I'm sure Dennis has authored a few other pieces of Farmers Union policy and Dem policy under his name just like the rest of the cronies he hangs around.

I hope no one else authors such a piece without the disclaimer. Otherwise the friends of Epp at the
Argus will extract more blood.

It is interesting that because a high profile person like Wiese got challenged and although Wiese talked to the Argus, a simple apology wasn't enough and they had to help Kloucek....I mean Epp continue to harass Wiese and his family. Wiese has thicker skin than anyone I have seen. I don't think the congressionals have ever endured the personal attacks that Wiese and his family have had.

I guess anything goes with the Dems and the legislators as they are as quiet as church mice.
Anonymous said…
8:29

I think you're stretching just a little bit to call Dennis Wiese a "high profile" person.

A self righteous over inflated regard for one's own self does not a high profile person make.
Anonymous said…
I did not say he had a good or a bad profile but with the Sutton problem and the failed bid for governor there are a lot of people who know who he is thus elevating his profile in the state.

He certainly is a resilient person though. And he has a lot of supporters as well. Even his issue of immigration that he was addessing made a lot sense and seems to be where the majority of Congress and the Bush administration is going. Wiese is not afraid to tackle difficult issues.
Anonymous said…
Wiese, Wiese, Wiese, all I hear about is Wiese. Where are all the other Democrats these days????

I'll bet their figuring out how to square their ethics issues about now.
Anonymous said…
9:18 -

I'd have to agree with you. While other local political figures sit back and fight quietly amoungst themselves about nothing, Wiese actually stood up and put his foot down on an issue. Be it not his own words - but his feelings.

You can't say that for many other politicians in this state. They are all 'playing it safe' when it comes to controversial issues.

Let's see Thune, Johnson, Herseth Sandlin or any other candidate come out in favor or against an issue that is controversial - publically.

90% of the time it's a 'safe' bet that they're just playing the cards the way that they're dealt...politically.

If you don't agree with his politics or his 'writing' ethic - you can a least, quietly, give him a little respeact for sticking his foot out.
Anonymous said…
Very enlightening.
Anonymous said…
PP

The comments on this blog about plagarizing are wrong and actionable.

Wiese was given full authority to reprint the policy in entirety as an op ed piece.

You should take down any comments regarding plagarizism or any other comments that Wiese might have done something without permission.

Seems that the only issue is the Argus' expectations that clearly are not being met by many so called
'writers'.

It is coming from Epp or his friends as it is stated on his website as well.
Anonymous said…
9:18 Only if your sock was also willing to spend thousands of its own money in the primary.
PP said…
Okay, so someone has groused about the use of the word "plagiarism." But how is it defined?

Plagiarism (from Latin plagiare "to kidnap") is the practice of claiming, or implying, original authorship or incorporating material from someone else's written or creative work, in whole or in part, into ones own without adequate acknowledgment.

So, as everyone dances around the word, without using it, did Dennis give adequate acknowledgment?
Anonymous said…
Anon 6:46
Plagiarism is not about permission to use a work. It deals with not attributing the work to the author.

From Webster online:
Main Entry: pla•gia•rize
Pronunciation: 'plA-j&-"rIz also -jE-&-
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): -rized; -riz•ing
Etymology: plagiary
transitive verb : to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own : use (another's production) without crediting the source

It doesn’t matter if the author gave Weise permission or not. What matters is that the source of the information is properly credited. He attempted to pass off the article as his own work. Any high school or college student who did the same would be either failed or expelled. He gave no credit...therefore, he plagiaized the work. Period.
Anonymous said…
Hey PP
Shouldn't you give credit to Wikipedia for using their definition?

I kid because I love :)
Anonymous said…
Quote from article: "The time has come for the President and Congress to work together to enact comprehensive legislation that rewards work, reunites families, restores the rule of law, reinforces our nation’s security, respects the rights of U.S.-born and immigrant workers, and redeems the American Dream."

The only thing this should apply to is LEGAL immigrant workers, not illegal. Am I missing something, or do Wiese and Epp actually agree on the issue of illegal immigratoin and are just at odds over who wrote this article?

I take it too then that they both support the immigration bill currently in the Senate. Have they read any of the 1,000 pages of this thing and the fine print, and have they thought about what will happen to our country, Social Security, taxes, etc if this is allowed to be enacted? Off hand, I would say no. Who knows what is buried in those 1,000 pages and will come back to haunt us, let alone the added burden to and quicker destruction of the SS and society safety nets now in place when millions of current illegals are allowed to draw from them without contributing. Of course, the Dems just plan on taxing the rest of us to death to pay for it, but I can't figure out why Bush and the Reps would support this.

Both sides are pandering to voters IMO, even though the majority of voters are sending a resounding NO to Capitol Hill. Just another example of the disconnect between the people and their so-called representatives in Washington.
PP said…
8:01 - my bad. you are correct.

But then again, it's the comment section, not the argus.
Anonymous said…
Of course, PP will try to excuse it (and already has)...

But the irony is that in a post about plagiarism ... PP himself plagiarized.
Anonymous said…
Dennis Wiese is old news. What political future he had is toast. time to move on. I wonder why the argus printed the piece in the first place. Who cares what wiese thinks, or what he wants people to think he thinks.
Anonymous said…
Everyone should care about what Dennis Wiese thinks. He is the smartest man in South Dakota and a visionary who will be remembered as the "Ben Franklin" of South Dakota politics.
Anonymous said…
The only one who thinks Wiese is Ben Franklin is Weise. Please do not expose your true colors any more Denny. We have seen way to much.
Anonymous said…
10:05 please excuse me while I find a barf bag. You have to be kidding. The only vision Dennis Wiese has is Dennis Wiese. As someone else just posted, his political career is toast. And thank goodness.

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