Don’t mind me, just reading my legals
l3wis 
Drinking Liberally (August 2, 2024)
In Politics: Nationally: Kamala Harris is exciting Democrats and invigorating the Obama/Biden coalition. She has overtaken “The Donald” Trump in polling averages and Republicans have been caught off-foot for a change. It may be a bit of a honeymoon phase but there is substance in the shifting political winds and, with hard work, Democrat may celebrate a victory this fall.
The word against “The Donald” these days is that he and MAGA Republicans are “weird” . “The Donald” has provided us with numerous examples during the last eight years, none weirder, more telling, and more uncomfortable than his interview with the Black Journalist Association. Here is a link to the full interview. Draw your own conclusion;
Mine? Weird!!! And he is the Republican Presidential candidate.
The scary thing is that the election is very close and many of our fellow citizens take solace in “The Donald’s” candidacy.
I play in a poker league of 30 to 40 mainly white males, 25 to 65 years old on Tuesday nights and this week, after Biden stepped down and it became apparent that Vice-President Harris would replace him as the Democratic Presidential nominee, I was taken aback by the aggressive political talk (there usually isn’t any) against Vice-President Harris from many of the people at the tables. It was as mean as anything you have heard publicly and it was expressed aggressively with certitude. I finally asked if they would choose a man convicted as a felon 34 times by a jury of his peers. This didn’t seem to have much effect. It is scary. There was even speculation of civil war if Trump loses.
The New York Times has an article that tries to explain Trump’s appeal. I link it here for everyone’s edification: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/07/25/us/race-wealth-gap-economy.html?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20240725&instance_id=129691&nl=the-morning®i_id=15266483&segment_id=173089&te=1&user_id=bf7f68c027dbeeacc1307445a35ef609
The point here (IMHO) is that, as James Carvelle said, “It is the economy, stupid”. Trump doesn’t present a solution to solve the economic angst of the working middle class but he does offer them scapegoats to excuse their economic frustration. His appeal is racist, misogynist, homophobic, and autocratic but it has been effective. Democrats need to call it what it is by appealing to our fellow citizens better natures but we also need to present an economic program that appeals to them and provides them hope for the future and their ability to partake in the “American Dream”.
From what I have observed so far, Kamala Harris “gets it”.
In Politics: In South Dakota: I keep waiting for visible signs of campaigning by South Dakota Democratic candidates and The South Dakota Democratic Party (SDDP) without much success. The SDDP has a Communication person on staff but the SDDP has only produced five press releases in July. Maybe I am blind to the normally frantic activity of campaign season because I am not a big user of Social Media.
Reviewing the SDDP’s voter registration efforts and its overall success we find that they made absolute progress, increasing their Statewide registration by 90 voters since the beginning of July. Unfortunately, for statewide, GOP voter registration increased by 1568 voters during the same period. `The SDDP received $70,000.00 several months ago to work on voter registration. Thankfully that money is showing some results though it is a work in progress at best.
Busy Summer!
Wish I was blogging more, but I have to be honest, the weather has been incredible and I have been riding like a madman! A friend called me the other day and asked what my total mileage on my bike was and I found it on the computer. This is 3.5 years of riding, all year long! I will admit, about 30% of that is total assist, so I don’t want to sound like Lance Armstrong.
And while I haven’t been putting pen to paper I have been researching and tracking down some interesting stories, here is a brief;
• A big rumor about a city hall coverup is about to poke it’s head, or at least the tip.
• Some peeps are privately pursuing former city councilor Marshall Selberg for ethics violations and him living out of his district.
• The school district is scrambling to try to figure out how to squash their mishandling of perjured election forms.
• I am pretty sure most if not ALL of the city councilors knew Matthew Paulson was investing in the Dakota Scout. More on that later.
• Got word today that MP, that we just mentioned above, got a fat grant from the state to educate immigrant refugees in, in-home daycare. Problem is, no loans were given out to actually start the businesses that are so desperately needed.
• Lastly, and this is a biggin’ (that’s an old blues term) I had a wonderful 3 hour convo with a city councilor this past weekend. We had never chatted over malt beverages before so it was nice. We talked about a lot of reform, and it was refreshing.
I will tell you, I don’t take much from these convos, because I have had so many, but I encourage regular folks to reach out, you never know, your relationship with a councilor or councilors may change your life, your neighborhood or even better this city!
Lots of fun initiatives this fall on the ballot, VOTE YES ON ALL!
So I had a change of heart, I almost voted against the food tax repeal, but realized that taxing food is wrong. Of course, our moronic state legislature will just raise taxes on all other retail goods to make up for it essentially hurting the poor even more. These clowns will never figure it out. As for the mayor and his income tax dog and pony show, never gonna happen. This state is ran by Republicans who want to keep their income, they would never in a million years vote for an income tax, and Poops the Apologizer knows it.
So what is on the ballot? Don’t ask me what all the letters and numbers mean, I just know what the proposals are;
Repeal Food Tax: YES! (see above)
Rec MJ: YES! (I have never cared much for Noem, think she is possibly the dumbest person on earth, but when she got the SD Supreme Court to overturn the first time this was passed, all I could think was ‘worthless’ and several other colorful words that mostly started with ‘C’ (you know, for Cannabis). How can you overturn the will of the people? So worthless.
Open Primaries: YES! (I had to do my research on this. While both parties may not like it, f’ck them. 51% of registered voters in America are Indies and we are tired of sitting on the sidelines while the parties play their f’ckery all day long. Alaska recently went with this (they are a rural red state like us) and it has had positive returns in the legislature. The extremists in both parties are gone and the moderates and indies rule the day, and guess what? They are passing positive legislation instead arguing all day!
Legal Abortion: YES! (This is a no-brainer. A majority of Americans support this. I have to admit, I am not a fan of abortion for any reason, especially for birth control. But families and especially women have the right to make these decisions. While aborting a viable fetus can be confusing to those of us on the outside, we don’t know what is going on in the inside. And really, it is none of our business.
While I think some of the clowns running these campaigns are really just grifters making a buck from their endeavors* (whether they win or lose) I do support the initiatives or measures, etc., etc.
*Just look at all the government subsidies this dude got during Covid for his ‘businesses’. Bars and restaurants? Historical theaters? Give me a break! While I support what they are trying to do, don’t be fooled, like the whackos on the other side who are blatantly profiting from the anti-campaign these guys are also making a living.
Say what you will about Theresa Stehly, she has NEVER profited from her initiatives and has used her own personal wealth, several times. It would be wise for these guys to spend a little time with someone who knows how to run these campaigns modestly, you know, where you are not taking ‘consulting’ fees. What a bunch of weasels.
Could Downtown Sioux Falls residents sue the railroads to create quiet zones?
Several municipalities have sued the railroads and have successfully won cases forcing them to install quiet zones in their communities.
So why couldn’t citizens do the same? I have discussed this with politicos and attorneys and they all say it is doable, just need to find a law firm to take it on.
I look at it as basic quality of life. While I knew what I was getting into when I bought my home DTSF, it has gotten progressively worse noise wise, and as a local and federal taxpayer I think the government (judicial system) has a duty to protect our quality of life.
People talk about ice ribbons and indoor pools, how about a nice quiet night’s sleep?
Just look at this video below I took at 12:12 PM today on 8th street.
The train was very long and the traffic was backed up all the way past Phillips. While the quiet zones can’t effect traffic, I ask people, maybe it is time to just boot them out of downtown all together?
Oh, that’s right, Sioux Falls most corrupt mayor next to current Dutch mobster screwed the pooch on that opportunity. What an idiot!
I think if myself or any other citizen was considering litigation I would go for the gold and push to move them completely out of downtown.
Until we fix up the donut around the donut hole called DTSF no progress will happen downtown, including a convention center (let me fill you in, that ain’t never happening.)
We need to make DTSF beautiful and QUIET for EVERYONE! Even the peeps who buy their hamburger at Slumshine or Franklin Food Stuff.