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SDGOP Will Impeach Obama But Won’t Fight Common Core; Pick Krebs for SOS

Pat Powers must have found the South Dakota Republican Convention really boring. After touting his supposedly riveting on-site coverage, Powers couldn't find much more interesting to post live from Rapid City than seemingly random dumps of unlabeled, uninformative photos (proving that Pat's blog doesn't seek to inform but rather stroke egos and curry favor among party insiders) and blather about beverages (though I did find interesting Pat's evidence that the SDGOP convention runs on Food for Votes). Ultimately, things were so slow, Powers decided to bug out early and leave it to the real journalists to report the real news from the convention...

...like the SDGOP's embarrassing resolution calling for the impeachment of the President of the United States. Anti-abortion crusader Allen Unruh proposed the divisive resolution, which passed 191 to 176.

This nonsense is too much even for Rep. Kristi Noem to take:

Noem, who addressed the Republican convention Saturday morning, hours before the resolutions was voted on, doesn't believe impeachment is the "best way" to deal with Obama.

"The congresswoman currently believes the best way for Congress to hold the president accountable is to continue aggressive committee oversight and investigations into the administration's actions like the ongoing VA scandal, the targeting of conservative groups by the IRS, Benghazi, and the recent Taliban prisoner exchange," said Brittany Comins, Noem's spokesperson [David Montgomery, "S.D. Republican Party Calls for Obama Impeachment," Political Smokeout, 2014.06.21].

Oddly, the Republican convention chose not to ride another big conservative hobbyhorse, Common Core paranoia. Offered an opportunity to debate the oft-bashed curriculum standards, the convention instead approved a resolution that doesn't mention Common Core but requires that any multi-state standards and tests be approved by the Legislature... because of course, Republicans like to involve big government in education, as long as it's a government that they control.

(Meanwhile, the only resolution Powers covers live from Rapid City is the resolution recognizing crony capitalist Craig Lawrence for his service as SDGOP chair. Again, stroke, curry.)

Oh yeah, and in the only contested nomination race, South Dakota Republicans picked Senator Shantel Krebs over Deputy Secretary of State Patricia Miller to run for Secretary of State, because even Republicans agree that a lady who sold shoes can run elections better than a lady who works for the current corrupt and incompetent Jason Gant.

p.s.: Bob Mercer thinks Krebs is such a strong pick that South Dakota Democrats won't bother to run someone against her. Dems, please prove Mercer wrong

135 Comments

  1. Tim 2014.06.22

    "The congresswoman currently believes the best way for Congress to hold the president accountable is to continue aggressive committee oversight and investigations into the administration's actions"

    Simple translation, continue to block everything and then blame the president when nothing gets done. I bow my head in shame and embarrassment anytime somebody asks me where I live.

  2. mike from iowa 2014.06.22

    Wingnut threshhold for high crimes and misdemeanors for Libs is adultery. For wingnuts there isn't a crime heinous enough to need impeachment. Has Obie cheated on Michelle?

  3. larry kurtz 2014.06.22

    It's common knowledge that Krebs, Joni Cutler and other legislators loathe Kristi Noem: curious that SDGOP has been using so much subterfuge in the US Senate race it drove Noem to decry the human trafficking exposed by Bendagate.

  4. owen reitzel 2014.06.22

    You're being nice Cory when you said "embarrassing." I agree with Tim that its tough to tell people I'm from South Dakota.
    I'd encourage the Democrats next weekend to arrest Bush and Cheney for war crimes but that would only lower the Democrats to the GOP's level

  5. Kal Lis 2014.06.22

    In the it could be worse category, Louisiana Republican Governor Bobby Jindal seems to support a civil war: "I can sense right now a rebellion brewing amongst these United States," Jindal said, "where people are ready for a hostile takeover of Washington, D.C., to preserve the American Dream for our children and grandchildren."

    http://www.cbsnews.com/news/bobby-jindal-anti-washington-rebellion-brewing-across-country/

    I wonder what the vote would have been for a resolution like that

  6. mike from iowa 2014.06.22

    Jindal is the one that suggested wingnuts need to stop being stoopid or lose more elections.

  7. Jerry 2014.06.22

    Actually I tend to put some credence in what Alfred E. Neuman, alias Jindal, has to say about a rebellion brewing. Not about what he is bloviating about, but our wage and life disparity. In fact, Justice Sonia Sotomayor spoke of the inequality recently and how it could lead to social unrest. http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/sonia-sotomayor-supreme-court-justice-going-backwards We are all growing tired of the asshats of the republican party like the ones gathered in Rapid City to announce an impeachment of a popular president, good luck with that republicans. Or as we should be saying, be our guest. Try it. Go ahead and try it. We all know you won't do anything but blather cause you don't have the balls to go through with it.

  8. larry kurtz 2014.06.22

    Yet another reason to oust Kristi.

    The impeachment dealio is likely a response to the drumbeat for President Obama to appoint special counsel to investigate the debauched Bush/Cheney years.

  9. Donald Pay 2014.06.22

    See, here's the deal. Opposition to Common Core has about run its course as a fundraising gimmick/wedge issue. The fools have given as much money and futile effort on that issue as they can be expected to give, and the tap is dry. Revival of the Benghazi and the IRS scandals probably isn't a lucrative as they once were at driving money out of the demented elderly religio-fascists and into the conservative political syndicate. The Cliven Bundy issue seems to have blown up in their face. But, if you wrap up all the whining into one big scam issue, like impeachment of the "Muslim Kenyan" president, then maybe the fools will part with money and people will get excited again.

  10. mike from iowa 2014.06.22

    Or just possibly Obama commited Vince Foster's suicide to co-incide with patracide to make it appear that dumbass dubya lied us into war with Iraq which undoubtedly led Ben Hur to be Bengay in Benghazi. You just know Darrell Issa's brother did it,doncha?

  11. owen reitzel 2014.06.22

    The key is that the people who are Republicans but tend to vote for the candidate and not the party will look at this resolution and come to the realization that the party that they belong to has fallen off the cliff. Hopefully they'll take a look at the democrats and say that even though they might disagree with some of the policies they see that the democrats haven't gone off the deep end.
    Maybe this'll open it up for Weiland, Robinson and Wismer to win, as well as propel Democrats running for the state legislature to win.
    Maybe not but at least it might be a possibility.

  12. Jim 2014.06.22

    Anyone who thinks krebs would run the SOS office in a non- partisan manner is either dishonest or misinformed.

  13. Tim 2014.06.22

    Yeah, what Mr. Pay said!

  14. Tim 2014.06.22

    Jim, SD rulers don't want the SOS office ran in a bi-partisan manner.

  15. Tim 2014.06.22

    Larry, it would be one of my wildest dreams come true if they would investigate the Bush/Cheney years. We could watch all right wings heads explode at one time.

  16. JeniW 2014.06.22

    Impeachment --- ain't gonna happen. By the time the Republicans would go through all the motions, it will be 2015 1/4, and their focus will be shifted on getting their favored candidate (whomever that might be,) into office.

    All of this, IMO is just a bunch of feel good chest pounding bravado.

  17. Dave 2014.06.22

    According to the big logo PP has had plastered all over dakota narcissist's college for the past week, the theme of the GOP convention was "Giant Visions." Lots of hallucinating, apparently.

  18. Les 2014.06.22

    Well, when the Dems of SD cannot field a team, the opposition will find a battle. That's what people do. A two party system could exist in SD if the Dems would do something besides deride anyone with whom they disagree. I see no leadership from your party. Whining and name calling, yes, much of that.
    .
    Bernie Bo Peep, your flock is waning.
    .
    I will add, as a GOP member, I will ask for resignation of any asshat convention delegate that thought of or voted for this ridiculous resolution. Where was the GOP when they had opportunity to help create the ACA monster?

  19. Roger Cornelius 2014.06.22

    Bobby Jindal was right on one score when called the Republicans the party of the stupids.

    On the point of his feeling there is a revolution in the making, didn't we see that last month?

    There were supposedly 10 million tea baggers sent to D.C. to arrest President Obama, V.P. Joe Biden, AG Eric Holder and anyone else they were displeased with. The news coverage showed between 50 to 100 baggers moping about.

    If there is to be a revolution or any acts of civil disobedience, it will come as a result of wingnuts, tea bags, and Republicans attempting to impeach President Obama.

  20. Tim 2014.06.22

    RC, mark my words, if repubs get control of the senate this fall, THE FIRST thing they will do is start impeachment proceedings, they have to have some long term BS way of keeping the base fired up for the last two years.

  21. Disgusted Dakotan 2014.06.22

    Billie Sutton, and Jason Frerichs both would make good state wide candidates.

  22. JeniW 2014.06.22

    From Les: " Whining and name calling, yes, much of that."

    That also applies to Republicans, and Tea party members.

  23. Jerry 2014.06.22

    Good for you Les on your notice to those in the asshat brigade. I am thinking you should allocate plenty time to do them all as you can tell by the vote that was had. The last thing republicans want to get rid of is the ACA Obamacare and of course, abortion. Without those tag lines, all is lost in the tea party republican caucus or cactus, cause it is all spiny and you know it will hurt you. The gays are a thing of the past now and will not garner any kind of belly jiggling for front the front row status of hate. Bengayzee is dead in the water, the IRS is now such bullshit that is even a tired event. Bergdahl is here and will probably be awarded some kind of medal like McCain got. The only thing on the horizon is impeachment. I hope like hell they try it man. Talk about a a can of whoop ass being opened, yowsa. That would be peachy with me.

  24. Jerry 2014.06.22

    From December of 2004, Republican leadership at its finest.
    "We’ve had troops in Iraq for coming up on three years and we’ve always staged here out of Kuwait. Now why do we soldiers have to dig through local landfills for pieces of scrap metal and compromise ballistic glass to up-armor our vehicles and why don’t we have those resources readily available to us? .... Our soldiers have been fighting in Iraq for coming up on three years. A lot of us are getting ready to move north relatively soon. Our vehicles are not armored. We’re digging pieces of rusted scrap metal and compromised ballistic glass that’s already been shot up, dropped, busted, picking the best out of this scrap to put on our vehicles to take into combat. We do not have proper armament vehicles to carry with us north." This is from Specialist Thomas Wilson of the Tennessee National Guard to asshat of the world, Donald Rumsfeld. Impeachment, my fanny.

  25. owen reitzel 2014.06.22

    "I will add, as a GOP member, I will ask for resignation of any asshat convention delegate that thought of or voted for this ridiculous resolution. Where was the GOP when they had opportunity to help create the ACA monster?"

    Good for you Les and thanks. Glad to see there a few reasonable GOPer's left.
    As far as the ACA the idea came from the Heritage Foundation.

  26. mike from iowa 2014.06.22

    iowa Sinator Grassley volunteered to work with Dems on the ACA and then sent a fundraising email to his constituents asking for donations to help him stop Obamacare in its tracks,which is what he planned all along.He was trying to kill it from the inside. I believe there were only 6 others of his stripe that made any attempt to shape a rethuglican health care idea.

  27. Tim 2014.06.22

    Wow Mike, Grassley should move to SD and take a gov job here, he would fit right in.

  28. mike from iowa 2014.06.22

    Grassley is a high ranking member of the judiciary committee and is very verbal about Obama's judicial picks. They are all too liberal to suit Grassley and he usually votes against confirmation. He also says he will not allow Obama to stack the DC circuit court with libs. It is shorthanded now with an equal number of left and right judges,but it leans to the right because of seniority and Grassley isn't gonna allow that to change.

  29. bearcreekbat 2014.06.22

    You guys and gals might just be missing the SD Republican plan - Could they want to use the impeachment to get Joe Biden into office so he has a few months to build his Presidential creds, and then he might have a chance against Hillary in the democrat primary in 2016?

    Of course this leaves the question open - why and what are the SD impeachment Republicans so afraid of a Hillary nomination in 2016? What do they think she will try to do - make it so SD only receives federal dollars equal to or less than what SD pays into the federal government? After all isn't that the path to the promises of a balanced federal budget? Perhaps SD Republicans voting for impeachment are totally offended that the feds distributes over $1.50 to SD for every $1.00 SD residents pay in federal taxes? And these impeachment Republicans surely believe it is better for the country to have a balanced budget even if it means our state must give up things the feds pay for like disaster relief, farm subsidies, Ellsworth, Mount Rushmore, National parks, and the myriad of other federal programs throughout SD.

  30. Jerry 2014.06.22

    Of course, we never thought of the Biden. Makes sense as he was the one with the three state plan for Iraq all those years ago. You are onto something there. I do think that Biden might consider the Buffalo Commons for South Dakota as a way of reigning in the "debt" that republicans trot out on occasions to suit themselves. Yes, the Biden plan for Iraq could be used for the Dakotas as well as Wyoming to make it one mass for the buffalo and the deer and the antelope (pronghorn) to play. Where seldom is heard.....

  31. owen reitzel 2014.06.22

    bearcreekbat you make great points but I don't think the South Dakota Republicans are that smart.
    They hate Obama so much they'll throw impeachment out there and they don't think anything will happen to their party. I hope they're wrong and the moderates in the party look for somebody to vote for. I think this is why Noem thinks this is a bad idea. She's afraid that the Republicans have become to extreme and she doesn't want to be part of it.
    I haven't seen how Rounds feels about this. If somebody has seen something put up a link.

  32. mike from iowa 2014.06.22

    Still need an impeachable offense. Maybe a photo of Obama actually talking to a white woman would do it.

  33. Roger Cornelius 2014.06.22

    The more I think about this, the less I think the GOP wants President Obama impeached. The tea party surely wants him impeached and will do anything toward that end.
    This saber rattling by the tea party is nothing more than an attempt to grab headlines and sound bites. It is good fodder for the mid-terms and get some of their goons elected and that is about all.
    The real leadership of the GOP, not the tea party, have likely looked at things liking timing, counted votes, and the consequences of such an action. If they haven't done so, they better get it done.
    In fact, is impeachment the one issue that will divide the GOP and the tea party? The love fest between these two groups has been strained for sometime now and if the GOP has any hope of being a national party again, they will need to shed themselves of the trash.
    If you put this in perspective, the GOP has more to lose than the Democrats.

  34. Jerry 2014.06.22

    Whenever these republicans want to impeach the president, they should watch this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILTiKeZZ6W4#t=39 and understand that under Darth's and Bush's watch, we lost 4,500 American troops and untold numbers of innocents in Iraq over a fool's errand for oil and profits. Cheney knew this was wrong and they rammed it down our throats and did it anyway.

  35. Les 2014.06.22

    Sorry, Jer. Both parties signed on to this mess and even if some in DC need to "just sign to find out what is in it," they are all to blame!

  36. larry kurtz 2014.06.22

    Flush the GOP, pass a carbon tax and rewild the West.

  37. mike from iowa 2014.06.22

    Dems were chided,cajoled,castigated,called anti-American and unpatriotic if they didn't vote for war. Rethugs threatened to beat Dems over the head at election time with anti-American charges if they didn't vote for it. Dems voted for it and still got beat over the head with it as an election issue. There isn't a trick too dirty for rethugs not use against Dems. Look at Max Cleland from Georgia-he was called un-patriotic and he lost three limbs in VietNam while his opponent Saxby Chambliss never served. The legless,female candidate from Illinois was called a cut and run Democrat-she lost both legs in Iraq piloting a helicopter. Her opponent never served.

  38. Jana 2014.06.22

    John over at Constant Commoner also notes the secrecy of the GOP convention and platform. The twitterverse mentions that they even looked at abolishing the IRS.

    They must, and should be embarrassed.

  39. Lynn 2014.06.22

    Les I agree both parties voted to go to war in Iraq but were they going off of falsified intel?

    I remember there were large protests in the streets in many cities in the US including the city I lived in down South against the war and to give the weapons inspectors more time. I was working nights then with a some New Englanders and we knew what was going on that the Bush administration wanted to go to war. They were pushing the momentum despite calls for restraint. We knew it was all BS!

    It angers me every time I think of it and feel Cheney the most among others should be tried as a war criminal. A few profited from that war and we will be paying for it for a long time in many ways from the lives lost and scarred, money spent added to our national debt and the ongoing mess Iraq is today. Nouri al-Maliki was vetted by those in the Bush Administration and he has been a disaster with corruption, basically being a dictator and by alienating Sunni's.

    The SDGOP wants to impeach Obama? Ok! Lets focus on who deceived us into going into war and make sure they are held responsible. The SDGOP talks about the federal debt? Lets talk about the financial costs of two wars and not only operational costs but the corruption and contactors doing substandard work, over charging and everything else with grossly wasting US taxpayer money while they profit from it.

  40. Rorschach 2014.06.22

    is there a list of delegates and how they voted on this?

  41. Donald Pay 2014.06.22

    The Party has voted. Are the leaders expected to fall in line? Will Rep. Noem introduce this silliness, or will she stand up to the nutcase base of the party?

  42. larry kurtz 2014.06.22

    bear, i rolled that around in my head for a few minutes, too: no amount of cannabis could make that be the case. you make a good point, tho: hard to imagine joe going quietly into night.

    having a clinton coronation discussion going elsewhere, brian schweitzer the random variable: the former governor might be exactly the practice both veep and former sec. of state need to bone up for the big game.

  43. Roger Cornelius 2014.06.22

    As Jana suggested, John Tristan over at Constant Commoner offers an excellent analysis of SDGOP convention.
    With the impeach talk, the real news from the convention is being sidelined.
    John lets it be known that the SDGOP platform did not address a single issue facing South Dakota. There were no resolutions on teacher pay, uranium mining, Keystone XL, minimum wage, etc., you name any issue that has been up for public discussion and the SDGOP did not take stand.
    The conference had pre-determined results on the slate of candidates and yield only newswothy result was the impeachment resolution

  44. larry kurtz 2014.06.22

    roger: tsitrian might be registered in the earth hater party but he's really a libertarian longing to live for free in a state without an income tax.

  45. Jerry 2014.06.22

    No Les, that is where you are incorrecto mundo. Judith Miller, Dick Cheney, Colin Powell and the rest of the lying liars told decent legislators that there were weapons of mass destruction there. Remember the Judas Powell at the UN? Or the secretary of state Condi Rice saying that the "proof may be a mushroom cloud", it worked, scared the hell out of them and they voted for it. Johnson even sent his kid there, that is how much they believed the story. This is the republican war and it always has been and now they want to have a rerun. If it were both parties, where are the others? Same crowd, same sheet music. You and your party own this Les, just like Powell said you would. Congratulations, now live with it.

  46. Les 2014.06.22

    Ya, Jer. Just about as believable as Iran and North Korea having WMD. You are writing lyrics for your own dream, hardly a reality in todays age of information. Own the cowardice or stupidity of your party if that is what you choose. I choose to believe both parties are playing to their handlers.

  47. larry kurtz 2014.06.22

    les is more on than ever before.

  48. lorahubbel 2014.06.22

    Craig Lawrence didn’t bail out the party…he gave them a donation which he later said was a loan and got his $50K back…Daugaard bailed out the party with his campaign money and Lawrence was re-imbursed for his “gift”. Mind you…this is the Craig Lawrence that gets the no-bid contracts from the state for tourism advertising…who hires the Governor’s daughter and who has a LAND HEALTH LLC which is a foreign corporation that has gotten several BBB complaints…health? what does Lawrence know about heath?

  49. Roger Cornelius 2014.06.22

    Jerry,
    Whenever Republicans are forced to accept responsibility for Iraq as you have proven, their standard answer is that both parties are responsible as if that absolves Cheney/Bush from their war crimes.

  50. Jerry 2014.06.22

    And once again a tea party kind of dude like Les, shows us the rabid knowledge of the vacuum. My drunk cousin used to tape the Orlando Wilson Fishing Show and I would ask him why in the hell he would do that as it is in reruns all the time. He told me that he did not want to miss anything about things like setting the hook and important stuff like that. He would then watch the tape over and over and then he would mark it and put it up and get another one ready for the next rerun. That pretty much summed up his life. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3RrIIwtjl4

    and it looks like Les does that with his Fox News channel.
    Les claims that he is a republican so I guess he then owns what the republican party has done to veterans and has done to the environment along with the economy that was tanked with his war of choice. The banks went nuts lending money to people who could not afford it and also to many who could. The bankers never went to jail, we bailed them out.

    Tell me Les, after hearing what your GOP just did in convention, what is your platform? What do you stand for? Sure as hell is not anything American.

  51. Jerry 2014.06.22

    In poll after poll (except the Fox news ones of course) we the American people, reject the Bush Doctrine and support the Obama Doctrine on foreign policy. http://america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2014/6/obama-doctrine-foreignpolicyiraq.html

    So you ain't gonna get him impeached with that one Les. Are you still thinking of what it is that your party stands for? Pretty hard isn't it? I should have given you an easier task like threading a needle, blindfolded in a blizzard with gloves on.

  52. Les 2014.06.22

    You're gushing over yourself Jer. Are your drunk or did you forget what I wrote several posts up about my thoughts on this impeachment ?
    .
    Somehow GOP Senate obstructionistas can hold Obama down but your flimsy excuse for Democrat congress people folding under Bush and Cheney is rock solid, proven as Corny says "by Jer". .
    .
    You Democrats are the reason we don't have a two party system in SD and by that very standard are denying any responsibility for your party's actions with regard to the two wars we are involved in.
    .
    Hoooooah. The fact that most of the noise on this blog speaks to the perfection of the Democratic party, plays well into the fact, this is after all "Maddville".

  53. caheidelberger Post author | 2014.06.23

    Donald, dang it! Here I thought opposition to Common Core might catch fire on the basis of principle. Now you tell me it's just another Bosworthian fundraising scheme. But I can see the point: nothing is going to raise money for Republicans as effectively as stirring fears of Barack Hussein Obama. What will they do for a buck after 2016?

  54. Jerry 2014.06.23

    Here is the deal Les, we were discussing the lead up to the Iraq quagmire and you said that both sides were equal and I said no that was not the case and laid out the case for you. Now, you think that I am drunk. Nope, I commended you on your asshat comment earlier, but this is something else Les. I know that it is getting late so I will close for now and do not want to see your blood pressure rising trying to figure out what your republican party stands for. Take your time, sleep on it, call a friend tomorrow for your help line.

  55. mike from iowa 2014.06.23

    Seriously John,what is it that your party actually and honestly stands for? The wealthy are off limits for taxes so any fiscal restraint comes at the expense of the least among us-decidedly against the teachings of one jesus christ.

  56. larry kurtz 2014.06.23

    This is actually pretty simple: the GOP believes god is coming to destroy the planet so why not just do it now?

  57. Steve Sibson 2014.06.23

    Are there grounds to impeach Obama:

    1) Recently outed top CIA officer in Afghanistan.
    2) Traded 5 terrorists for 1 cut and run American.
    3) Cut a deal with Iran, upsetting the Saudis, who might just work on removing the dollar as the world's medium of exchange. This would cause a huge drop in the dollar and financial problems for worse than 2008.
    4) Now Obama is upsetting Russia, who is also interested in dropping the dollar as the world's medium of exchange.

    Seems Obama is intent on destroying America.

  58. Jana 2014.06.23

    Interesting that there have been no comments forthcoming from the GOP leadership or the mighty GOP bloggers.

    Troy however did weigh in over at the Ministry of Truth and Wingnuttery:

    "Regarding the “resolution”, by itself, it renders the platform a joke. And, makes Republicans look like morons.

    I want the roll call so I can remember who is incapable of serious thought."

    Let's see if the party chair will step up and be heard either condemning a majority of the GOP delegates for this vote or giving this his full throated support.

    I was also thinking it was spelled 'Morans."

    http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/get-a-brain-morans

  59. John Tsitrian 2014.06.23

    MFI, the wealthy are not off-limit for taxes.

  60. Lynn 2014.06.23

    Les you stated "Hoooooah. The fact that most of the noise on this blog speaks to the perfection of the Democratic party, plays well into the fact, this is after all "Maddville".

    The national Democratic Party has issues and the South Dakota Democratic Party has some serious challenges and that is obvious.

    It's easy at least for me to get angry about what happened with our involvement in Iraq and in the past to add what seems to be an almost casual attitude in using our military as an option to fix things abroad. I remember growing up when our Vietnam vets came home and saw what impact war had on them.

    The SDGOP convention with their resolution to Impeach Obama was simply a distraction and another example of their inability to deal with the real issues all of us face here in South Dakota. It was all fluff at the convention and it was an insult to all of us no matter what our political affiliation is.

    Maybe we just need to remind ourselves to keep the eye on the ball and stay focused on the issues that affect us daily here in South Dakota where we have more of an opportunity for change.

  61. larry kurtz 2014.06.23

    Mr. Tsitrian: talk about your relationship with Hani Shafai?

  62. John Tsitrian 2014.06.23

    Haven't seen Hani for a while, Larry, but am on cordial terms with him. In '07 he and I traveled to Syria through arrangements made by our mutual friend Jim Abourezk.

  63. caheidelberger Post author | 2014.06.23

    Steve, I can see where #1 on your list might be a high crime or misdemeanor. Please explain how #2–4 on your list constitute impeachable crimes rather than mere policy disagreements. Upsetting Russia is not impeachable.

  64. Steve Sibson 2014.06.23

    Sorry Cory, helping our enemies win in a financial war is not a crime. It has to be a military war.

    How many Americans will be scratching their heads after the dollar collapses believing that America is too big to fail?

  65. Steve Sibson 2014.06.23

    Lynn, I would be in favor of ending America's role as the police force for the New World Order, bring all of our troops back home, put them on the borders so that when we send the illegals back to where they came from, they can't get back in. Would Obama do that?

  66. larry kurtz 2014.06.23

    So, you support the SDGOP establishment preemptive strike against the president's consideration of special counsel to investigate alleged Bush/Cheney war crimes, Sib?

  67. Steve Sibson 2014.06.23

    No Larry, I don't. But the special counsel should also be investigating Obama.

  68. larry kurtz 2014.06.23

    Steve, do you believe that Governor Daugaard should appoint special counsel to investigate both his and the previous administration?

  69. mike from iowa 2014.06.23

    Who the blank cares what the Saudis do? They were 15 of the 19 9-11 hijackers and for that Bush gave his butt buddies a free,redacted pass from any involvement scrutiny,took a judicial award from Saudi Arabia from American citizens and swapped spit with the Saudi royal prince and held hands like a school girl in love. What are they gonna do? Take the miserable Bush family hostage? I sure hope so. Off with their heads,I say.

  70. larry kurtz 2014.06.23

    Does anyone else find it ironic that SDGOP, and apparently the current governor, want to impeach a president while they are again begging him for money for disaster relief?

  71. Douglas Wiken 2014.06.23

    "Les I agree both parties voted to go to war in Iraq but were they going off of falsified intel? "

    Demos got falsified intel or invented intel, take your pick. But Democrats also had plenty of evidence that the intel was rotten. I dumped a good bit of it into Sen. Johnson's office and never got so much as a response back. Johnson went along with the war. Salon Magazine demonstrated the falsity and irrelevance of most of the Bush-Cheney claims. More than a few books have been written on the advance information that the Bush-Cheney war runup was based on trash.

    Johnson has demonstrated all the backbone and courage of slime mold.

    Even so, the primary blame rests with the GOP chicken hawks so short of any real issues they needed a war to shore up their support with patriotic drivel. Bush was about 2 inches tall until he got his war boots on and then it was off to the war with 12 foot war boosters in those boots.

    Asshole Cheney and his sleazeball daughter have been dragged back from the 40-year wilderness and now howling about how incompetent Obama is. The press in their search for a foolish balance must have been really short on willing aiders and abettors to attack Obama.

  72. mike from iowa 2014.06.23

    I believe it was Raygun's fun bunch that asserted that public lands belong in private hands-the "sagebrush rebellion'. As for Sibby-Obama's crew didn't release any covert CIA agents name for political reasons and then lied about and tried to cover it up.

  73. Les 2014.06.23

    If there ever was a criminal in DC, I'd agree Cheney would be up with the best of them, Wiken. I didn't agree with BushII and don't agree with Drone Obama. Both dance to the music of the war machine or the music will stop, and they know it.

  74. larry kurtz 2014.06.23

    Les: good job bashing the Hickeys and Troys over at the toilet.

  75. Les 2014.06.23

    Sorry Lar, I try not to bash people, rather their thoughts. Even you Lar are worthy! ;)

  76. Steve Sibson 2014.06.23

    Mike, the Saudis can crush America financially by stop selling their oil in US dollars. Obama campaigned on the premise that he can stop the worldwide hatred of America.

    Larry, good point. So instead of the executive branch fixing the corruption, Congress should by impeachment.

  77. mike from iowa 2014.06.23

    Wingnuts can't seem to understand that burning Obama at the stake will not produce the desired results. Obama will never be white like you. Charbroiling will only make him blacker. Get over it!

  78. Les 2014.06.23

    Can't dislike a man's actions because he is black mfi? That's an old worn shoe, get rid of it.

  79. Les 2014.06.23

    Sib. The wars our country continues to make, evolve from the very issue you speak of. We fight at the very notion of Iran, India or China buying or selling in gold,silver or the rupee. Our dollar deserves to go into the hole we've dug not be held up off the backs of the working poor and the underdeveloped nations of the world.

  80. mike from iowa 2014.06.23

    Has nada,zero,zilch,zip to do with actions. So many so called conservatives don't like the color and aren't shy about expressing their views.

  81. Jana 2014.06.23

    Somethings to think about with this moranic vote.

    Where was the media?

    I'm sure they were thinking it's just a party gig, why cover it?

    The biggest reason is that we live in a state that is totally dominated by one party. What they decide in this conclave of insiders is what happens in South Dakota.

    We'd love to think that it was this unimportant, but with the advent of scorecards and panderers (See Mercer on pandering) this is what influences the money and support to our oligarchy.

    The fact that the GOP leadership has made this a closed affair and refused to comment on the vote that is bringing national ridicule should be a warning siren to the media that they missed the boat...or maybe not.

    Looking beyond the impeachment vote, there is the abolish the EPA, Department of Education, IRS et. al. that has serious impact on South Dakota.

    But until the media serves it's role as a the voice of the citizens, these welfare state dogs biting the hand of who feeds them will only nourish a willfully ignorant press and public who has stronger Pavlovian responses to platitudes than actual policy implications.

  82. Jana 2014.06.23

    Who knows what other wingnuttery is in the SDGOP platform?

    They are obviously so proud of it that they are keeping it a secret.

  83. JeniW 2014.06.23

    To have expected Obama to end all hatred by himself is unrealistic, and foolish. No single person can ever end anything. We cannot even end the hatred in the U.S., or even in our communities and homes.

    There always has been, and always will be those who hate the U.S., even some U.S. citizens hate the U.S.

    I remember the Bush campaign focus of increasing unity. It did not happen, in fact, our country became less united during his time in office.

    The question gets down to what are each of us doing to try to reduce the hatred in own homes, community and state? If we cannot help reduce the hatred, how can we expect anyone else, including Obama to reduce the hatred.

  84. JeniW 2014.06.23

    Jana, I agree with you. During the SD Legislative sessions, the Republicans have a "closed door" policy for their caucus meetings. Only Republicans can attend their meeting unless someone gets a special invitation.The Democrats have an "open door" policy.

    Closed door meetings implies the attitude that certain people are not "good enough" to attend the meetings, and there might be questionable discussion/topics being discussed.

  85. Steve Sibson 2014.06.23

    Les, did you know China has a greater income gap than the US?

    "Obama will never be white like you."

    Mike, I hope Obama's mother doesn't come upon your racist comment.

  86. Steve Sibson 2014.06.23

    Jana, the resolution came out of Allen Unruh, so the SDGOP Establishment is going to blame it on those Tea Party extremists, and not the so-called moderate common sense Republicans like Mike Rounds. The vote was not unanimous.

    How about we all unite under that idea that all presidents from H Bush forward should have been impeached?

  87. larry kurtz 2014.06.23

    Sibby, put up a post about Daugaard's violations of the state's constitution and i'll run with it.

  88. Les 2014.06.23

    You gonna leave out Iran Contra, Sib? The corruption runs in all men's veins.

  89. Jana 2014.06.23

    Fine Sibby. But why hasn't the SDGOP been blasting their platform loud and proud?

    I'm guessing you have some insight on that.

  90. Les 2014.06.23

    I'm sure china has a greater income gap that us Sib. Doesn't mean what we are doing to the world economy with our petro dollar manipulation is right.

  91. Steve Sibson 2014.06.23

    Les, no I would not. H Bush was behind that.

    Note that there have been two presidents over that last few decades who stood up against corruption and were shot. One died, the other survived.

  92. Jana 2014.06.23

    JeniW, this might be the tipping point that reveals the SDGOP is far more about party and power than they are governing for the people and policy that is good for ALL South Dakotans.

  93. Steve Sibson 2014.06.23

    Jana, because the platform is just window dressing to keep the conservative base. The SDGOP Establishment don't really support them.

  94. larry kurtz 2014.06.23

    DD just requested yet another federal disaster declaration from the president his party wants to impeach.

  95. mike from iowa 2014.06.23

    Oh Steve,I think I could whip her. There is nothing racist towards Blacks in what I said.

  96. mike from iowa 2014.06.23

    The last five wingnut Potii should be impeached. Some of them multiple times. I'm all for digging up bones and impeaching the dead ones. Justice delayed,is justice denied.

  97. Jana 2014.06.23

    SDWC proudly posts GOP platform.

    Wait...what...the official mouth piece of the party is running away from the platform...say it ain't so.

    Pat and the GOP need to put their big boy pants on and proudly display the platform that defines their party that they will demand their candidates strictly adhere to for the voters of South Dakota.

    These guys are:
    a. Embarrassed
    b. Incompetent
    c. Exclusionary
    d. Designing inane bumper stickers
    e. Backtracking with big donors
    f. Eating donuts
    g. Bravely running away

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZwuTo7zKM8

  98. Roger Cornelius 2014.06.23

    Steve,
    Obviously you don't understand how our Constitution works. George Bush cannot be impeached, impeachment applies to only a sitting official. Tried for war crimes? Yes, but it won't happen. Early in his presidency Obama decided to not pursue Bush on any charges. President Obama didn't want to the country to go through scandals at a time when our country was fighting for its economic survival and engage in two wars. He rightly decided that any action against Bush would further divide an already divided country.
    My question to you Steve is when will the mainstream GOP tire of the pointless and juvenile behavior of the wingnuts and the tea party?

  99. owen reitzel 2014.06.23

    "Jana, the resolution came out of Allen Unruh, so the SDGOP Establishment is going to blame it on those Tea Party extremists, and not the so-called moderate common sense Republicans like Mike Rounds. The vote was not unanimous."

    You're right Steve the vote wasn't unanimous but the "majority" I'll repeat that. The "majority" voted for the resolution telling me that the "majority" of the GOP are extremists. Right?

  100. Jana 2014.06.23

    It sure looks like the GOP establishment, from top to bottom, is walking away from their own platform. Taking their ball and going home as it were.

    Take that majority of delegates! The GOP officials will not even acknowledge your vote!

  101. Steve Sibson 2014.06.24

    "There is nothing racist towards Blacks in what I said."

    Your racism was against whites. It is an example of what I call cultural Neo-Marxism.

  102. Steve Sibson 2014.06.24

    "My question to you Steve is when will the mainstream GOP tire of the pointless and juvenile behavior of the wingnuts and the tea party?"

    They already have. They just have not reached the same level the British reached in the late 18th century.

  103. Steve Sibson 2014.06.24

    "The "majority" voted for the resolution telling me that the "majority" of the GOP are extremists. Right?"

    Defending the rule of law is extremism?

  104. Roger Cornelius 2014.06.24

    Steve,
    It is good that you included a historical reference in your non-answer, but the question is and I'll restate it for you,
    in this year of 2014 when will the mainstream GOP tire of the pointless and juvenile behavior of the wingnuts and the tea party?

  105. Steve Sibson 2014.06.24

    Roger, they can't do in 2014 something they have already done. Sad that RINOs and Democrats agree that the Founding Fathers were juvenile wingnuts.

  106. larry kurtz 2014.06.24

    "Jonathan Dayton was the youngest to sign the Constitution, at the age of 26."

  107. larry kurtz 2014.06.24

    James Madison was 36.

  108. Roger Cornelius 2014.06.24

    Steve,
    I don't hold in high honor the slave masters you call the founding fathers or their belief that all white men "are created equal".

    You have said several times that the tea party and RINO's are separate parties but yet the all run as Republicans. Don't wingnuts and the tea party crazies have the courage or know how to actually for an organized tea party? Isn't organized tea a oxymoron or something?

  109. Les 2014.06.24

    """""Don't wingnuts and the tea party crazies have the courage or know how to actually for an organized tea party? Isn't organized tea a oxymoron or something?""""" An oxymoron from a die hard SD Dem, the party of organization.

  110. caheidelberger Post author | 2014.06.24

    Jana, it occurs to me that the SDGOP, in its retreat from its own platform, is demonstrating that they really are a party in name only. They don't really stand for any particular principles; they just stand for winning elections.

    Les, a losing coach can still recognize when another team can't pitch or hit or field.

  111. Roger Cornelius 2014.06.24

    Nice attempt at deflection Les, I am aware of the SD Democratic Party, but that doesn't answer the question about the tea party and whether or not they are capable of being a legitimate organized party.
    If you can't answer the question Les, just say so.

  112. bearcreekbat 2014.06.25

    Roger asks an interesting question about the Tea Party. The same thing happened to the Whigs in the 1850's. One group of Whigs consisted of progressive individuals who believed that government could solve problems, and otherwise were somewhat conservative on economic issues. A second group of Whigs focused heavily on demonizing Catholics and immigrants, much like the current Tea Party folks demonize non-Christians and immigrants from south of our borders, including children seeking asylum from Central America. The Whigs split into Republicans and the American or No-Nothing parties. The former Whig, Abraham Lincoln, joined those progressive individuals who believed in the United States and formed the Republican party, while the anti-immigrant Whigs formed the No-Nothings and focused on separatism much like today's Tea Party.

    My biggest disappointment in the breakup of the Whigs was that the anti-slavery moderate President, Millard Fillmore, who brokered the 1850 Missouri compromise, brought California into the United States as as a non-slave state, stopped Texas from invading New Mexico, and basically kept America out of a civil war for the next ten years, decided to become a No-Nothing after losing the Whig nomination in 1852. He ran as a No-Nothing in 1856 and then disappeared from public life as the No-Nothings wasted away.

    http://millercenter.org/president/fillmore/essays/biography/9

    One unfortunate difference today, is that the mainstream Republicans do not share the same progressive ideas and trust in government that the Whigs turned Republicans did in the 19th century. Ultimately, I worry more that today's Tea Party extremists will break from both parties and seek to overthrow our government by violet means, with little or no thought about what will follow if they happen to succeed - kind of like the neo-cons' Iraq war.

  113. Stan Adelstein 2014.06.25

    Given the 2 to 1 rejection of Gant's minion - the least he could do is resign and let Shantel start to clean up the mess.

    Take a look at way2gosd.com for a little more.

    Stan Adelstein

  114. Les 2014.06.25

    Roger's question could be asked of all parties in SD. The original TEA party consisting of all parties was hijacked. What is the SD Democrats excuse for not providing our state with a two party system?
    .
    In that Gov Daugaard didn't ask for Gant's resignation immediately upon the abuse of that office, postulates similar levels of character or lack there of.

  115. Les 2014.06.25

    """""Les, a losing coach can still recognize when another team can't pitch or hit or field.""""" Just cannot recognize what is wrong with his own team Cory. The losing coach needs to go.

  116. Roger Cornelius 2014.06.25

    And Les continues his deflection, I asked a specific question about the tea party, not about the Democratic Party, and Les can do little more than punt it back..
    Again Les, if you can't answer the question, I'll know and understand why.

  117. caheidelberger Post author | 2014.06.25

    Which losing coach are we talking about, Les? The SDDP leadership, which has been in the game for just one year?

    Dems are trying to offer an alternative and two-party rule. How about voters help us out?

  118. caheidelberger Post author | 2014.06.25

    Hey, who's going to get me a copy of the SDGOP platform? I look forward to comparing it and the convention resolutions with whatever comes out of the SDDP convention this weekend.

  119. Jerry 2014.06.25

    Tough question Cory. I refer back to a more doable request to thread a needle, in the dark in the middle of a blizzard with mittens on. They got nothing for a platform, and they do not seem concerned by that either. When you think of it, when was the last time the republicans ever had a platform? I think that what they seem to do to win is to bash natives and accuse them of the voter fraud while looking the other way at their own backyards.

  120. Les 2014.06.25

    You fire the coach and get team players. You have neither as evidenced by the all hat team here.

  121. Les 2014.06.25

    I am not a Tea Part

  122. Les 2014.06.25

    Party member Cornieulus. I am not a Dem. why don't you worry about your own party problems and bring a two party system to our state? I'd say the TP is not capable. The Dem party has proven it can't swing any more voters than the TP in SD. Looks to me like you should start holding hands with the TP, it may be your only hope.

  123. caheidelberger Post author | 2014.06.25

    Wait? Who's the coach again, Les? Susan Wismer? Is she not a team player?

  124. Jerry 2014.06.25

    Erick Erickson over at Red State, has got the platform of the republicans all figured out Cory. http://www.redstate.com/2014/06/25/the-marionettes-remain-uncut/

    If he can't figure out his party, there really is no party. It is all about NO to the president and NO to America. It is bad enough that we have the Thune bird parrot in congress, we need to stop NOem and put Rounds in a square peg.

  125. Roger Cornelius 2014.06.25

    Les,
    The weakness of the South Dakota Democratic has always been a concern to me and has inspired me to work a little harder to give South Dakotans like you a choice.
    Remarkably Les, I can have multiple conversations on a variety of topics, with politics in my blood I am naturally interested in the potential threat the tea party poses to the GOP.
    Obviously you are ashamed of admitting your tea party affiliation on Madville, I would be too.
    As you relentless slam Democrats, you are the one not looking at your own party.
    It is your South Dakota Republican/tea party that not only endorses crony capitalism corruption, but continue to vote for the perps.
    It is your party that says it is against big government and proves the opposite when they continually to infringe and legislate women's healthcare.
    It is your party that has had continually denied health insurance to those that need it based on some silly principal.
    It is your party that opposes gay marriage, even when as gay bans are going down in flames around the country. Indiana was the most recent.
    It is your party that has Senators like Phil Jensen who has attempted to legalize discrimination.
    It is your party that has the likes of Steve Hickey, who wants to talk about poop in the national media.
    And of course, it is your party that owns the Bosworth campaign and all the fraud that goes with it.
    I suspect that you will condemn the above actions and abhor the filth, but when you get in the voting booth you will vote to continue the good old days.

  126. Les 2014.06.25

    Most of your coaches are gone from this world Cory. GM was a coach to SD. Bern comes to mind currently as a could be coach. The problem with the internet, it allows such as the folks here to think they are making a change when in reality it hits the same ears with worn out hyperbole. In an earlier day, they got off their donkey and met with folks encouraging them to action. You have no team and apparently no willing or able coaches.
    .
    Cory may be the only democrat coach in SD.

  127. Les 2014.06.25

    I suspect a lot of things about you corniulus but I hold my tongue on them and it would be proper for you to do the same, however expecting proper at Maddville is challenging to say the least.
    .
    As to facts, your party voted out SHS. My party elected her. My party elected TJ, TD and GM. Without my party votes your party would never have elected anyone. This may change but we are seeing more Dems fleeing to Indy than Pubs.

  128. Roger Cornelius 2014.06.25

    Les,
    My comments are about policy, politics, and on occasion the personal lives of public figures and politicians. An air of desperation exist when you start making not so subtle threats about my life and can't answer legitimate questions.

  129. Les 2014.06.25

    """""""when you start making not so subtle threats about my life and can't answer legitimate questions.""""""""" Over medicated today Cornieulus? I would guess your perceived idea of my threats would be in print here or are you just lingering for sympathy?

  130. Kal Lis 2014.07.20

    Helpful link. Thanks Larry.

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