South Dakotans

Do we really care what the SD GOP has to say anymore?

David Kranz from the Argus Leader wrote an article today about Obama’s approval ratings in South Dakota. As you will see the SD GOP is still bitter about the loss, and even go so far to make stuff up;

Lora Hubbel, a Sioux Falls Republican, says the best indicator she has on how Obama is doing is the national debt, which has dramatically increased under Obama’s short tenure.

Now it has like quadrupled the debt Bush had … and I was upset, too, with the debt in the Bush administration,” Hubbel said.

Really? Bush racked up $10 trillion, Obama has racked up about $1 trillion. Please explain your fuzzy math. There must me some mind controlling isotopes in the tea you are drinking.

And King Rounds adds his 2 cents worth of cynicism;

“The question is will the effort bring short-term relief but permanent pain to generations of Americans who will wind up paying the bill?

Nope. He will raise taxes on the rich and have this thing paid off in 5-10 years. That has been the plan all along. And that’s probably why many of Dave Knudson’s rich buddies at the lastest soiree he attended wer concerned;

“I think there is a lot of concern from people I talk to, particularly at Republicans’ Lincoln Day Dinners, a concern about the size of the deficit, a big concern that inflation is going to be coming back with a vengeance because of deficit spending,” Knudson said.

“Yeah Dave, I have been skirting my fair share taxes this past 8 years and now Obama wants to raise them. I’ll help you mislead the average Joe anyway we can. That’s what us Republicans are good at.”

Because Gawd knows they don’t want to face the reality that their BOY handed Obama a big shit sandwich;

As the administration moves forward, Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., says it’s important to remember that Obama inherited two wars, a massive debt and an economy facing the greatest economic downturn since the Great Depression.

And then Ironic Johnny chimes in with more of his bullshit;

“President Obama is facing a number of challenges across the board and an economic crisis of escalating proportions. I am very concerned with the amount of taxpayer dollars that have been spent since the first of this year to address these problems,” Thune said.

“This record spending is all being borrowed from countries like China, and this debt, with its record levels of interest, will need to be repaid by our children and grandchildren.”

Yeah, John, didn’t see you on KELO TV every other day crying about all the borrowing Bush was doing. Oh, that’s right, it was okay to borrow money as long as your rich buddies were getting tax cuts, but now that they have to pony up, it’s a travesty.

SD Republicans prove once again, their opinions don’t matter. The party of no.

Can I get a tax credit to?

I’m all about tax credits to employers, but why give tax credits to employers that are hiring low wage jobs?

Federal income tax credits are now available to South Dakota employers who hire unemployed military veterans or young adults who aren’t attending school or working.

I think the tax credits should come with some kind of guarantee the employer will pay above scale after a 90 day review. I see this as a way for employers to not only save money on taxes but save money on wages. Why are we rewarding employers who pay low wages? Only in South Dakota!

To qualify, veterans must have served on active duty and been discharged or released and received unemployment payments for at least four weeks.

The disconnected youth are people between 16 and 24 years old who lack basic skills. Employers can save up to $2,400 in tax credits by hiring people who qualify.

Other target groups include welfare recipients, veterans, ex-felons and food stamp recipients.

And we should be surprised that employers oppose the Employee Free Choice Act.

God I love it when I’m right

“Jodi, run and get me another box of tissues, the state doesn’t love us anymore.”

“We aren’t lacking road projects. We’re lacking dollars for those road projects and that’s what the stimulus bill could really do to help us,” Sioux Falls Mayor Dave Munson said. 

Gee, too bad you didn’t spend some of the record tax revenue over the past 6 years on those projects instead of building crap we didn’t need. And all of sudden Highway 100 is the project of the freaking century.

“That’s such an important roadway for us and this area. And we really need to get that road finished so we can develop on that east side,” said Mayor Munson. 

Develop the Eastside? How about filling some of these empty retail spaces we have now before building more. If Target wants a new road out there, have them pony up.

But Dave also cries to the Gargoyle Leader about not getting his dirty grubs on the money;

“I don’t think it’s going to create that many jobs,” Sioux Falls Mayor Dave Munson said of the state’s priority list. “To me, the stimulus program was to build infrastructure and create jobs.”

Over a month ago I addressed the council that we may not see much money in Sioux Falls from Mr. Stimulus Bill because of our low unemployment rates (don’t really need to create jobs in a place that doesn’t need any creation). At the time, I was talking out of my ass and figured I would be eating crow. Well guess what’s on the City Hall menu for lunch today.

I warned that borrowing money and paying for these projects up front gives the appearance in Washington that Sioux Falls is doing AOK and we don’t need Washington’s assistance. I also said that main purpose of the stimulus was to provide jobs where they are needed – that’s not in Sioux Falls.

“Quite honestly, we’re not sure what to make of all this,” he said. “If this is the whole plan,” Hanks added, “I’d be terribly disappointed. If you want to get people back to work, the best way is through the local level.”

Well guess what, Mayor Hanks, the rest of South Dakota is whole lot worse off economically then Rapid City or Sioux Falls. I commend Rounds for taking care of the entire state first before bowing to the two largest cities. Maybe Jodi can spare some of those tissues.