South DaCola

Editorial Cartoonist from South Dakota

South Dakotans

Democrats South Dakotans

Yeah! The South Dakota Democratic party gets it, now will the party of no follow suit?

l3wis 5Comments

6a00d834515c6d69e200e54f22f74d8834-640wi

This is great news, but I have a feeling this has more to do with swinging indies towards their candidates then anything;

South Dakota Democrats are opening their primary elections to independent voters, as the state’s minority party reaches out to a growing segment of voters with increasing ballot clout.

And how are those NEW Republican registrations coming?

The state Republican Party currently holds a registration edge of more than 35,000 over the Democrats. But the gap has been shrinking in recent years. Democrats gained more than 13,000 registered voters between general elections in 2006 and 2008, ending that election cycle with 204,413. Republicans gained about 1,400 during that period, ending up at 241,528.

Looks like people are flocking to the party of NO . . . BAHAHAHAHAHA!

Employee Free Choice Act South Dakotans State Legislature Unions

State Republican Legislators plan to waste more time on meaningless legislation. Like their failed attempt at criminalizing abortion they will fall flat on their faces again

l3wis 13Comments

UPDATE: Joel Dykstra is spreading lies right now on KCPO (Sunday 10:30 AM – Cable channel 2)

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Kind of sounds like someone is posturing for the Governor’s race;

Two powerful Republican state legislators say they will fight a bill now in Congress that would allow unions to organize without a secret ballot. State Senate Majority Leader Dave Knudson, who also is running for governor, and House Majority Leader Bob Faehn of Watertown will introduce a bill in the next Legislature that would put the issue before state voters. The measure would amend the state constitution to require secret ballots in all political and labor organizing elections.

Only in SD, where we rank 50th in hourly wages, would legislators try to limit union participation and thumb their noses at Federal Law. I’m glad they want to put it on the ballot, because it will fail, just like the stupid abortion ban.

If their effort is successful, the state almost certainly would end up in federal court to defend its authority to require secret ballots in labor votes, Knudson acknowledged.

What’s the point? Instead of trying to limit worker’s rights, why not introduce legislation that actually expands worker’s rights? Oh that’s right, I forget SD’s motto, “Big Business and Special Interests first, citizens second.”

South Dakotans

Why do both SD political parties suck dog doo-doo?

l3wis 4Comments

Seriously?

It seems anytime I hear bobbleheads from either party spew crap on local TV I find myself fashioning a noose before the end of a discussion. Are these people really that freaking stupid?

On Inside Smelloland today they had on politicos from both parties talk about 2010.

Let’s start with the RepubliKKKans. They drug rising GOP star Kristi Noem in front of the cameras to talk about her party’s future. I call Kristi South Dakota’s version of Sarah Palin, only 10 times hotter, but not sure who would win in a IQ test. Kristi kept parroting the same old SD GOP talking point that we are a conservative state. We are not.

Do conservatives and asslick neocons live here? Yes. Are they the majority? No. South Dakota is a centrist to right state. We continually send moderates to Washington and we turned down the abortion ban twice. The largest county in the state voted a majority for Barack Obama. You may be conservative in Castlewood Kristi, but that doesn’t make you the majority, but if it is any concellation, you are still the retired farmer turned rancher (whatever that means).

Now let’s move to the SD wuss party, the Demorats. They are poised to lose the Governor’s seat, again. They have picked an ex-Republican, wealthy Sioux Falls lawyer to be their leading candidate who thinks the best way to combat casinos is to build more of them.

I hope there is free tap beer at his concession speech party.

blog South Dakotans

WTF is wrong with the South Dakota Political Blogosphere?

l3wis 0Comments

parrot

Just for clarity, I am not talking about the blogosphere in general, just the political sites. My site, of course, wavers between serious topics such as Sioux Falls city politics, but also has a satirical and pop culture side. I find many other sites to be very fair and balanced. If I had to pick the best, it would be Madville Times. Though Cory is left leaning like myself, but he backs up his opinion with facts and figures, I just back mine up with silliness.

I  am finding with more hardcore political blogs, especially the right leaning ones, is that they are either very extreme in their views such as Sibby and Bob Ellis sites, or they are just a parrot for Thune and the GOP party line (which really negates you from being a true political opinion site). I especially find it funny that Pity Pat continues to berate Herseth on her policies, yet she hasn’t announced what seat she is running for. And if she does decide to run for Congress, the Republican’s haven’t even revealed a candidate yet. So if your side is so awesome, where are all the other Thune wannabes lining up to run against Stephanie? It is pretty obvious that the Republicans need to get a jumpstart in the Governor’s race, they know if Steffy runs, she will crush them.

But I digress.

I just wish the SD political blogs would go back to covering actual political news in the state, not just regurgitating press releases from John Thune’s office. If I wanted to read that crap, I would go to KELO’s site.

Herseth-Sandlin South Dakotans

Herseth holding back on announcement; Brilliant

l3wis 5Comments

Though the Republicans think this gives them the advantage, they couldn’t be more wrong;

As a Republican, admittedly you’ve got to love it.  Herseth Sandlin’s prognostication is going to make it all that much easier for whomever the Republican candidates is (and I have my own thoughts on that), because by the time she makes up her mind and chooses congress as I’d anticipate her to, Heidepreim won’t be able to build up more than a warm simmer, as opposed to anything approaching a head of steam.

And of course Pity Pat Powers who thinks smoking weed is worse for you then breathing second hand smoke in bars (oh the hypocrisy) is going to rip on the Democrats, he is Munsterman’s campaign manager. It’s kind of like a cigarette company executive telling you that cigarette’s don’t cause cancer.

Even the great Woster is stirring up controversy;

“Her taking so long is important to the extent that it keeps other candidates waiting, which shortens the time they could use for fund raising,” Schaff said. “It is true that early money is key for candidates, as it gives the impression that one is a credible candidate, making it easier to raise money down the line.”

I couldn’t disagree more. Even if Steffy decides not to run, I think it is a brilliant political move by the SD Democrats, I don’t often give them credit, but I think Steffy is purposedly dragging her feet. See, while four well known Republicans compete for donations, and beat each other up before the primaries the Democrats will probably just pick one candidate and avoiding the primaries all together. It will show that the Democrats are not only united but that when it comes to donations, they won’t be split up amongst a bunch of candidates. You have to realize, the election is over 16 months away. Patience grasshopper.

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