South Dakota War College

Came across this in the October 7-14 Lakota Journal (click to enlarge) – Just a couple of quick excerpts: To: Rebecca Rederth Villada AKA Rebecca Red Earth AKA Maka Duta You are granted a hearing before the Executive Committee of the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe. If you fail to attend you will miss your opportunity to be heard. The hearing will be held in the court room at the Tribal Court Building. The hearing shall commence at 9:00 AM on October 7, 2005. And… You are granted one hour to provide information relevant to your banishment to the hearing body. You may provide information in writing and/or by way of oral presentation. It goes on at length, but basically it looks like a lot of alleged disorderly conduct type stuff got Maka Duta in dutch with the Flandreau Sioux Tribe. Basically, they’re pretty mad at her, since I don’t recall I’ve ever heard much about banishments in South Dakota, period. Why does that name ring a bell, you might ask? Well, a couple of years ago, she was p...

In an e-mail from State Senator Bill Napoli regarding the S.T.O.P. group tonight, I noted that he announced with glee: Our signature count is currently standing at 34,496 and these are the petitions that have been sent in, and are in our possession. So please keep getting signatures, we are on the down hill run. When Dave Phelps and Bob Grimm get back from Sioux Falls this weekend, we are hoping for some good numbers. Janette McIntyre is going to work the tennis tournament in Sioux Falls this weekend. Sylvia Conrad has reported she has 1,000 signatures and will be turning them in on Monday. So keep up the good work, we are working on our cushion. Peggy is going to Pierre on Friday October 14th to check some signatures, especially those 14 cities that we can not use a PO Box for the address. If everyone gets their petitions in, I think it is safe to assume that we can consider this measure on the ballot. That makes 2, if you count the Constitutional Amendm...

The Anti-MAINstream Moderate Republican T-Shirt: I'm kind-of-sort-of in the t-shirt business. (and Yes, BK, I know I need to get you a war college shirt) E-mail me if you want one of these for $10. And, okay, so it's a little bit of a poke. But what do you expect? If you need a small run custom job, that's my specialty. Just drop me a note, and I can inexpensively handle your "official blog" shirt. Perfect for the family.

Thirty Years ago today, State Senator and Right to Life Executive Director Brock Greenfield was born. Feel free to drop him an e-mail and console him on the loss of his youth.

Electoral news courtesy of Roger Kasa at the Huron Daily Plainsman today. Ron Volesky announced he’s going to make his formal entrance into the Gubernatorial race on November 4th at the Oakes Hotel in Sioux Falls. (This news is more like a party popper than a bomb.) And then, during the State Fair Commission meeting in Huron on Tuesday (also from Roger Kasa): With those two resignations (Cindy Frederick and Jeff Smith) approved, commission chairman Lance Carson of Mitchell dropped another bomb on the group. He told the commission that he was planning to run for the state House of Representatives on the Republican Ticket from District 20. He didn’t think he could serve on the commission and run for the state Legislature at the same time. On that basis, he told the other commissioners he had mailed a letter to Rounds, Gabriel and Hayward before leaving Mitchell on Tuesday stating his desire to resign. (technically, I think he could stay until he took office, but why quibble with s...

I didn't realize that Anne Lewis of Watershed: the Blog fame was a fellow Pierre resident for some reason. I need to get out of my cave and away from the world's messiest desk more. It's probably not going to get much play after a while, but I'll add her other blog Pierre Governor Football to the blogfeeds just for fun. Ever since I went to High School in Pierre 20+ years ago, I've wondered about this. Why would you nickname your team "the Governors?" It kind of kills the mascot ideas. What? Is the mascot a guy in a suit and power tie? What did the Washington Senators use as a mascot? It would be about the same, wouldn't it? Any Pierre readers care to enlighten me as to the origin of the name? I also notice that Brock over at Right-to-life has been pretty prolific with his blogging efforts since he got started a couple weeks back. Abortion is usually too hot of a topic for many of us to touch on more than occasionally, and the pro-life/pro-choice d...

I had a nice note from Senator Gant the other day. Once again, I'm humbled and flattered that one of our elected officials is a reader. If you haven't noticed, I've been pretty light on posting and will continue to be for a bit. Too much going on - I'm trying to get things ready for an auction sale on the homefront, etc. and so on. I might take the day off (or at least go over on my lunch hour) to the special session next week and do some blogging on that. Mainly, I've been tweaking my big web project for work which has consumed much of my work and free time. Teaching myself how to do a javascript menu when I'd never done one before has sucked. But I got it figured out. I'm still working out the bugs and kinks, but it's fired up and running. Other than that, I've been a pretty boring guy. On a fun project note, I've come up with a t-shirt taking a lighhearted poke at the MAINstream Moderates for some of my conservative friends. I'm going t...

Here's an interesting chain of comments that has arisen after my response on NVC . David Newquist had noted his concern on whether or not NSU was becoming too Republican: During the NSU homecoming this weekend, astute alumni kept asking if the Republican Party is exercising a proprietorship over the univeristy. The occasion this time is that the NSU Gypsy Days were listed on the South Dakota Republican Party website's calendar of events--as if Gypsy Days is a party function. Read the whole thing here . To which I replied in defense of the SDGOP, that it was only listed for interested parties to show up and be politicians. Yes, I do defend the SDGOP when I'm not giving them hell over bad ideas. (And that battle isn't over yet.) Anyway, following my defense of the SDGOP, David replied: I don't think "sinister" is the word my comments suggest. And I certainly would not discourage political candidates and officers from coming to homecomings as a place to me...

SD War College responds to NVC's recent post on NSU being a Party School. I had to rebut David Newquist's assertion about there being something sinister to the GOP listing Gypsy days on their website. Aside from the fact Hobo days, courtesy of the State's on'y D1 school, is way cooler. Read it here.

Dave Kranz was reporting this week that there are going to be several legislative incumbents term limited out after this coming legislative session: Senate Majority Leader Eric Bogue, R-Faith, Senate Minority Leader Garry Moore, D-Yankton, and House Speaker Matt Michels, R-Yankton, are term-limited after completing their fourth consecutive term and cannot run for re-election. Others in that situation are Reps. Art Fryslie, R-Willow Lake; Cooper Garnos, R- Presho; Tom Hennies, R-Rapid City; Ted Klaudt, R-Walker; Alice McCoy, R-Rapid City; and Lou Sebert, R-Mitchell. Read it all here . I'm not sure I ever liked the idea of term limits, because I'm one of those who liked the stability and decorum of the prior system. I always thought that legislators should be voted out if they aren't doing their job, not removed by government mandate. But that's not my point in writing this. The Senate dynamic is going to change drastically after this next regular session, with Senate ...

It's ironic that just a couple of days after Don Adams (Tennessee Tuxedo, Maxwell Smart, etc) passes away, that a catchphrase of his came to mind. Where he would opine "Missed it by *that* much," holding us his fingers to indicate a narrow gap. Well, that's what came to mind when I got the results of the Brookings Lowe's vote. Aside from the fact that media coverage the evening of this vote was terrible, I found out from my wife the next day that the vote passed by 94 votes . That's the kind of margin that smarts. For the pro-forces, it sure as heck is not a mandate from the people. For the anti-forces, it's going to be anguish , regret and self abuse. "What could we have done differently" is going to haunt their thoughts. And sorry guys, I'm not going to offer you comfort on this one. I thought the anti-forces might have had this one. But their mistakes did them in. What comprised 90 votes worth of mistakes from my vantage point in Pierre?...

First, SD Watch noted that Christmas displays are going up at Lewis and K-Mart in Sioux Falls. Then, I see this little item on the AP wire on Yahoo News: Danish Air Force Compensates Santa The Danish Air Force said Thursday it paid 31,175 kroner ($5,032) in compensation to a part-time Santa Claus whose reindeer died of heart failure when two fighter jets roared over his farm. The animal, named Rudolf, was grazing peacefully at the central Denmark farm of Olavi Nikkanoff, when the screaming F-16 jets passed overhead at low altitude in February. The reindeer collapsed and died, leaving Nikkanoff with the prospect of only one animal pulling his sleigh next Christmas. He complained to the air force, which agreed to compensate him for the cost of the reindeer and veterinary expenses. "We got a letter from Santa complaining about his reindeer's death and looked into it seriously," said air force spokesman, Capt. Morten Jensen. Read the whole thing here (but don't tell the ...

Check out the article in the Rapid City Journal today: Napoli seeks more petition signatures A petition drive to get a property-tax assessment measure on the 2006 ballot has surpassed the minimum number of required signatures, but thousands more are still needed, state Sen. Bill Napoli, R-Rapid City, said Monday. Napoli's group, Stabilize Taxes on Property in South Dakota, or STOP, is circulating petitions to get a constitutional amendment on the 2006 ballot which, if approved by the voters, would cap property-tax assessments. Petitions must be submitted to the South Dakota secretary of state's office a year in advance of the 2006 elections. The deadline is 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 7. Napoli said about 36,000 signatures have been collected. The minimum number required to place a proposed constitutional amendment on the 2006 ballot is 33,456. "I know we are going to get challenges, so we need to get at least 45,000 as a cushion," Napoli said. "Once we walk in the door...

I had a note from SD Straight Talk clarifying and updating what former State GOP ED Bill Protexter is doing now: Pro (Bill Protexter) is no longer with Hagel. He left about Labor Day and has started his own political consulting and public affairs biz. He is in high demand! And yes, that's 100% correct, according to the Lincoln Journal Star .

As I'm hanging around the SD War College's Eastern Branch in Brookings this weekend, just down the street from Congresswoman Herseth's new house, I noticed something that brought up some advice from my past. Next door to me, I have a neighbor who has a yardsign promoting the "vote Yes" campaign for Tuesday's Municipal Election over giving Lowe's major financial concessions to move here, even though I prefer Menards. (Not that anyone asked me). Anyway, regarding that yardsign in my neighbor's front yard - damn , is that a lonely little sign. My street is straight as an arrow, and very flat. You can look all the way up the street to the new Herseth residence, and all the way down the street to where it ends. And you don't see another "vote Yes" sign anywhere. In fact, you see about 7 or 8 coroplast "slow down, children playing" signs. And only one lonely "Yes" sign. If a person was taking a gut check on support for the m...

In the prior post regarding the Grassroot Dems's, there was an excellent comment challenging my view of the GOP. I believe in limited government, and Anon#4 pointed out that I might be a little too much of an idealist: Anonymous said... Your Republican values are not in line with the party you continue to support. Your party once was a good and decent party that did more than just masturbate over limited governance. It followed it, at one time. But not any more. Republicans are all about big government. Only they skirt the issue by outsourcing everything to high priced people like KBR and Halliburton. They spend more money on stuff and somehow nobody calls them on it. I would be a Republican too if the party was as you describe in your post. It doesn't. I've quit lying to myself. Are you doing to do the same? Admittedly, it gives one pause to think. My response? Well, it was kinda harsh. But Anon #4, be encouraged, there are some of us true believers still left in the party...

I’ve been following this election since it started, simply because it’s an election, and I’m nosey and opinionated. In my newly adopted hometown, the place of my hazy and questionable collegiate career, there’s a big thing to do over the City Commission offering major incentives – as in millions – to entice their new girlfriend to come over to their dorm room… er, town. This measure has been fought mainly in the daily newspaper but otherwise, I haven’t noted much evidence of it. One of my neighbors who wrote a letter on it has one of the two yard signs I’ve seen in town in his yard. Otherwise, as outsiders who are new to town, let’s pick apart the election a little on the basis of what the various parties have been able to communicate to this uninformed voter over the course of the election. The “I need to take a course in graphic arts award” colloquially known as the “Fugly” goes to: The Citizens Against Retail Subsidies . They’ve been opposing it strongly, but ‘damn’. They have had...

Bryce Healy makes his recruitment pitch for Democrats in this weeks' Blue Note message. In an excerpt: Public service is truly a rewarding experience. Yes, our numbers in Pierre are small. However, I assure you, that it is possible to elect more Democrats in our state. I know the South Dakota Democratic Party has plenty of talent and many rising stars. We just haven’t discovered them yet. Who could have imagined 27 years ago that Tom Daschle would be the country’s most powerful Democrat? Would anyone who saw George McGovern wresting with a donkey at the South Dakota State Fair think that someday he would be the Democratic nominee for President of the United States? Both of these men have gone on to do many great things for South Dakota. Now is the time to honor their dedication to South Dakota by electing Democrats who will carry on their legacy of public service at all levels of government. We must start at the grassroots level. You must begin talking to Democratic f...

In the Mitchell Daily Republic today, there’s a huge article by reporter Kimberly Kolden on the Grassroot Democrats putting up a billboard to say how they are just like Jesus. You know, the “Jesus cares for the poor-So Do We” billboards. Actually, they are a pretty good attention getter – as evidenced by the big article. I thought they (the GD’s) did a pretty good job explaining their position. And they also noted that they’ve got 8 of those things around South Dakota, mostly in Sioux Falls. This is not new news. What caused me to stop and write about it was a quote in the article from Roger Berggren, the Grassroot Democrat Executive Director. His quote? “Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Change the policies of our government and maybe Americans will never have to go hungry” he said. “We believe that taxes are a dividend, or investment in our country. The government (when) spending our dollars should be focused on our values. By spending some money and changing people’s views ...

From today's Argus Leader Dave Kranz Column : Timpany board member The Rev. Kathryn Timpany of First Congregational Church in Sioux Falls is a board member of Mainstream Coalition. Her name was omitted in Sunday's column. What, is that two board members with Reverend as their title? I thought they were against religion in their politics. Okay, with that in mind.... Here's a question for the MAINstream coalition governing board: Where do you stand on churches paying use tax in items purchased out of state, and where does the coalition stand on the church exemptions for property taxes?