Since the Dakota Scout has launched I have had a subscription. I have also read hundreds of stories over the years of both of the journalists running the media organization. They are good reporters.

But the the resounding criticism I hear from readers (especially ones that are independents and left leaning) is they tend to lean a little right. I would argue they are more Libertarian then outright Republican Right, and if you have a conversation about their political leanings they will admit it.

What I did not expect was for them to play into the Republican Party rhetoric. As I was reading this story on District 15 candidates I noticed they called the Republican Candidates as members of the ‘Republican’ party and Democrats the members of the ‘Democrat’ party. This is the same rhetoric the Republican party members have been pushing for decades;

However, some Republican leaders have made a habit of referring to their opposition incorrectly and discourteously as the “Democrat Party.” The reason isn’t entirely clear; it may be meant to imply that the party isn’t sufficiently “democratic” in the general sense, or may just be meant as a petty insult. 

That is all it is, a petty insult, and I expected more from the team at the Dakota Scout.

I get it, it is hard to start a media organization without catering to the Republican leaning business acumen in our state. Yes, there are many fine companies in SD that are run by moderate indies and Democrats but I’m not sure the capital is out there to support a more left leaning or even moderate news organization in South Dakota. I have caught the media time and time again in this city who just blatantly ignores the bad deeds of Republican lawmakers. Just look at the city election. Not one single news organization even bothered to check the voting records of those running. Why?

When I went to Bret Swanson’s website and saw he had an introduction video. I was expecting the same old boring kids, family, Noem’s plane crap, instead Bret took the opportunity to be a little sarcastic about the BS state Repugs spread about progressives;

My name is Bret Swanson, I am the radical left, here to takeaway your freedoms, every one of them. Please leave them on the table on the way out. I am pro-death and I want your guns, please leave them on the table on your way out.

If I lived in District 30 (Rapid City) this independent progressive would vote for Swanson twice (because you know, that’s what us liberals do best 🙂

Two things that will get me out of the house, free food and 5 blocks away 🙂 The pasta salad was fantastic!

I had a chance to talk to several candidates. A word of advice, the younger candidates need to loosen up a bit, they are wound tighter than a $2 watch.

One of the things I heard the most was the nastiness of the SD GOP Chair, Dan Lederman. You know that non-Christian guy who has a business in Iowa and lobbies for the Theocrat Saudis and CO2 pipelines.

His comment about the ‘clown car’ struck a nerve, and they are on fire about it. Dan would surely know what a clown is since he practices the art everyday.

It was a great event and the Dems need to duplicate events like this in every county and town in the state.

The SD Dem Party will meet for its state convention in July. I have been asking who they will run as constitutional officers, especially for AG and SOS. One candidate that may run against Chris Nelson for PUC is Minnehaha County Commissioner, Jeff Barth who will end his term on the commission in 2023.

I hope the Dems can find people to run for all the constitutional slots.

When I first heard about the calls to impeach AG Rumblestrips, my first response was that Noem was behind it and she was using her goons to wash her hands of the bloody spot;

I don’t know. I was on the phone. I just gave him an update and the governor called. They’re going to call me back. The governor is actually involved in this so that is why it is more specific. But it is nice because this person is running for president, I don’t know if they’re running for Democrat or Republican, so they have a huge… budget for the Senate race, which is coming up in a couple months. So that is why we need to do a good job, okay? -Angel Kane, Grand Solutions Inc.

But what is more confusing is why doesn’t the Democratic Party in Sodak have a candidate for AG? The rumor going around is that it will be a throw down between Rumblestrips and Jackboots for the nomination at the convention. Yeah, a corrupt former AG vs. a killer. Shakes couldn’t write a better tragedy.

While the Dems have secured an independent Libertarian to run against Thune, they have yet to find an AG candidate, a congressional candidate or a governor candidate.

I heard today that they tried to recruit John Claussen to run against Dusty but he said he did not want to. John tried to become the Executive Director of the Party, gave great testimony on re-districting, and has been involved with Democratic politics for decades.

But the big rumor is that Billie Sutton and Dan Ahlers MAY announce next week they are running for Governor and Lt. Governor.

I am not holding my breath.