South Dakota Democrats charge uphill into the wind carrying sandbags into their state convention this weekend in Yankton. Further dampening the party is this assessment from the reasonably neutral Governing of our chances of winning the Legislature—zip:
Senate: Projected Safe R; Current 28-7 R
House: Projected Safe R; Current 53-17 R
In solidly Republican South Dakota, the only relevant battles are between the establishment and Tea Party wings of the GOP. The Democrats aren't much of a factor here [Louis Jacobson, "Democrats Playing Defense in 2014 Legislative Races," Governing, 2014.06.23].
Independent Scott Ehrisman doesn't see much hope for our newly announced gubernatorial ticket, either:
If Susan breaks 30% I will be shocked. I bet Huether was secretly giddy after hearing the news. I will be curious if he donates any money to the campaign. As I have said in the past, the only way Wismer/Blake even have a snowball chance in Hell of beating Denny is if the EB-5 scandal blows up in his face, but I see that investigation is slowly getting buried like Benda himself [Scott Ehrisman, "SD Dems Seal the Deal for Huether's 2018 Governor Run," South Dacola, 2014.06.25].
Holy cow! Am I the only one around here who believes in Democrats' ability to turn the historical corner and win in South Dakota?
The issue I have is with the doddling the Dems have been doing for several years. All of these candidates should have been picked 6 months ago, not a few days before the convention. It showed in the interview they did with Monty yesterday. Suzy Blake seemed to be shooting from the hip, I don't have a problem with that, but many of the questions Monty asked should have had an answer, they did not, because they just cooked up this candidacy in the last couple of days. As for them being women, doesn't matter to me, I vote for the beliefs and policies of the candidate, and I believed that Lowe was more qualified then Wismer. The problem is that the old hats in the SD Democratic party had a problem with him since he used to be a Republican. Instead of welcoming a convert, they took a dump on him.
I believe we can make a difference. Working together with determination and hard work, we will make gains. I am up for the challenge. Are you??
It's always bemused me to read and hear the complaints of couch-critics who wail that Democrats aren't recruiting enough candidates, or raising enough money or registering enough voters. Teddy Roosevelt said it best in 1910 (this is a bit of a rewrite):
THE WOMEN IN THE ARENA
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong woman stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the woman who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends herself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if she fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that her place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.
Could care less about emotions and passion, to win elections (in SD) it comes to strategy. Deb and Bernie, what is your strategy to make Wismer and the other SD Constitutional office candidates winners?
In most states, the NBP-EB-base-5 scandal would have huge political consequences. Look at the reasons Illinois sent its last two governors to prison. But not in South Dakota, where corruption is considered by the majority party to be smart politics and a means to power. Telling the GOP majority that corruption is wrong is like preaching Christianity to the ISIS in Iraq. And that says much about the mentality of the power elite in South Dakota: it ain’t fixable.
Loyal South Dakotans like to believe that the people of their state are benign, friendly souls with minor differences in values and social attitudes. They cannot confront the fact that what underlies a weak education system and the attitude toward workers is a deep and devout malevolence and misanthropy against anyone who does not share the majority’s belief-system of conniving greed and power.
The social climate of South Dakota defines the state, and the denial of its corruption and hate-based politics of the majority makes Democrats irrelevant. Politics is not the vehicle of positive change in South Dakota. If corruption is ever eliminated as the driving force in state governance, it will have to come from the outside.
Scott, the point is that folks are criticizing good people who are devoting (in some instances) 10 hours a day, 7 days a week to building a two-party state in one of America's reddest places, and instead of help they get criticism. What checks have you written today? How many voters have you registered? Have you put your name on the ballot? Or volunteered to help with strategy? There are still a few openings for constitutional offices. Join the fight.
I believe this is where conservatives are in the same boat as Democrats. In order to win politically, you need money. Whose politically agenda fulfill the wants of those with large amounts of money? The GOP Establishment and their crony capitalist economic development via public/private partnerships. How does Democrats and conservatives raise money when our supporters are the folks who are being screwed over by system and have little funds to contribute.
Bernie, I am an independent, but I had my support behind Lowe. I felt for once the Dems had a great candidate that could beat Denny. I will be supporting Mike Myers.
Grass roots campaigning and working harder than the other guy, or gal as the case may be, goes a long way. We have a plan....we just need everyone working together to make it work. We will succeed.
The Onion captures the essence of our plight:
Humanity Surprised It Still Hasn’t Figured Out Better Alternative To Letting Power-Hungry Assholes Decide Everything
http://www.theonion.com/articles/humanity-surprised-it-still-hasnt-figured-out-bett,36361/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=SocialMarketing&utm_campaign=LinkPreview:1:Default
I would hope that Democrats and Indies would unite behind the riddance of the XL pipeline and the expansion of Medicaid. The big news out of Canada was their supreme court decision regarding Native rights http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/supreme-court-expands-aboriginal-title-rights-in-unanimous-ruling/article19347252/
There will be even more pressure coming from the Kochs on the XL, we need to send a united message that we are not for this and use it in the platform.
There won't be grass roots campaigning if those of us in the grassroots hear only "please send money". I have not seen anything suggesting anything but grotesque timidity from most Democratic candidates and the shortage of candidates is a prime indicator the Democratic party hacks aren't accomplishing much of anything.
Am in Yankton right now and will find out: 965 miles from the ranch.
Good luck down there, raise some hell.
Larry, at convention? Everyone, put on your hard hats! And Larry, send updates! Pix! Video!
I'm glad Deb and Bernie are working hard. The Dems are taking a good, vocal position on Medicaid expansion. I'd like them to follow Jerry's full advice and adopt opposition to Keystone XL as another strong rallying point. The GOP is in full-throated support; we need to hear some loyal opposition, which would appeal to Dem base, Indian activists, and West River ranchers who don't like being jerked around by foreigners and eminent domain.
JUST A REMINDER OF WHAT WE ARE UP AGAINST
When the Supreme Court issued its Citizens United ruling, Rove was ready with a plan to capitalize on the decision—and the transformation he knew it meant for American money politics.***
Over a February 2010 lunch at ... Dallas Petroleum Club before about 20 Republican plutocrats, the foursome laid out their blueprint for a sort of shadow party.
The plan was complicated, calling for an alphabet-soup coalition of unlimited-money nonprofit groups that would work together to boost Republicans in the 2010 elections and beyond, each filling a different niche:
• American Crossroads. It would eventually be registered as a super PAC, the new breed of political committee that emerged from a lower court decision***
• American Action Network. Unlike American Crossroads, American Action Network was registered under a section of the tax code, 501(c)(4), that allowed donors to give anonymously.
• Resurgent Republic. Co-founded by Gillespie, it would conduct polling and message testing.
• Republican State Leadership Committee. Registered under section 527 of the tax code...
"""""""""""as an aggressive campaign arm for state races.""""""""""""""""""***
[T]he collaborative approach, pioneered by Freedom’s Watch and Wellspring...would learn from their mistakes. There would be a deeper pool of wealthy givers, so the groups wouldn’t rise or fall on the fortunes of a single patron like Adelson. Instead of huge full-time staffs, they would contract out much of the strategic work to a small corps of consultants who would form a privatized brain trust, taking the shadow party’s decision making even further out of the remit of elected and party officials***
And so, on April 21, 2010, exactly three months after Citizens United, a group of about two dozen Republican operatives convened at Rove’s house. Karl and Darby had recently split and would soon sell the house for $1.4 million, but on that April day, 4925 Weaver Terrace was the birthplace of a new Republican Party—one steered by just a handful of unelected operatives who answered only to the richest activists who funded them.***There were representatives from corporate heavyweights like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, new organizations like American Crossroads and the American Action Network, and star vehicles like Alliance for America’s Future, spearheaded by the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney.
[T]he American Crossroads team quietly created a sister group called Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies... registered as a nonprofit under section 501(c)(4) of the tax. That allowed it to accept anonymous donations—unlike American Crossroads. Secrecy turned out to be a fundraising boon for the new group ...Las Vegas casino owner Steve Wynn, after an assiduous courtship by Rove, became the biggest donor to Crossroads GPS, giving at least $10.1 million***
Rove’s [2012]wedding, which fell on the same day the Supreme Court upheld Obamacare (Rove actually did a Fox News hit on the ruling that morning, hours before his ceremony), was attended by former President George W. Bush and multiple megadonors. It was held on the upper deck of Westwood Country Club and featured a performance from the Grammy Award-winning western swing band Asleep at the Wheel. Afterward, Rove, Wynn and their new wives flew together aboard Wynn’s Boeing 737 to Naples, Italy, where they boarded Wynn’s massive yacht and cruised the Mediterranean. The secret cash flow from Wynn and others affirmed that Rove still had the touch***The Koch network had come to the table in a major way too, with a top operative named Sean Noble attending the Rove-led meetings at the 1401 New York Ave. office of Crossroads. “It was very coordinated. There wasn’t one race in which there were multiple groups airing ads at the same time.”***
Rove- “I’m having a lot of fun,” he [said] defiantly a week before the election, rejecting suggestions that Democrats might be able to leverage his unpopularity to hurt Republicans.
A week later, Republicans recaptured control of the House of Representatives and picked up six Senate seats, six governorships and 680 state legislative seats. http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/06/karl-rove-and-the-modern-money-machine-108019_full.html#.U62aLRXnZjo
Some others see a different handwriting on the wall. I see the same and so does Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Here is from the words of a billionaire to his fellow .1% billionaires, it is very telling. I think we have just about had enough of our republican overlords. Remember, that is why a lot of citizens from the Dakotas left colonial Europe and settled here. http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/06/the-pitchforks-are-coming-for-us-plutocrats-108014.html#ixzz35r1vMLA1
I see Bernie taking a coach stance and his party followers stating how he or any candidates are not giving enough or good enough. Must be that the party of the jack has few with talent or money in SD. Good to see you here Bernie, I feel for you.