Had a note today from the Pierre Chamber of Commerce. With the invalidation on Initiated Measure 22 by the Court, the Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce’s Legislative Welcome is back on in its original format.
They’ve been busy calling legislators trying to get the word out, and to let them know they’d be happy to host them for dinner & welcome them with open arms to South Dakota’s Capital City.
A return to fellowship. Kind of a nice Christmas gift.
Sad that legislators before the court stepped in refused to meet with groups of constituents to educate themselves about issues. Newsflash, it’s not unlawful to visit with constituents.
It is (or was) if there is food or beverages served.
I don’t know any Legislator who refused to meet with a constituent over this, and neither does the prior author. People were making their best efforts to obey a bad law and not going to events which gave free food, which many did to attract people to come. Don’t confuse the issues.
if you believe that the free food was the attraction at these events you really should move back to Massachusetts, in South Dakota providing a meal is just good manners.
Let the wine cheese and expensive scotch flow. Cigars for all the fat cats on the take. Selling their votes for ramkota food and dinner with the chamber members from pierre. Have they no shame?
That would be a first.
Clearly you have no idea what you’re talking about, and have never been there. How’s the weather in Massachusetts?
I expect the free hot dogs every day for the legislatures will return. It is probably not a bad thing, since keeping them there at work will maybe get them to do something productive. Give them only free hot dogs, not steaks and biscuits for breakfast.
The snarky comments about cigars and implying that food buys votes are – first – wrong, and second, a nasty smear at our state. The legislature is a microcosm of our state. There may be a few that are impressed and influenced inappropriately, as the are in the general population. BUT, without regard to their political registration or personal circumstances, they seek to to do good for our state. I think too much of this snarky stuff comes from people who are not happy with the views of legislators. The reality is that legislators as a whole behave ethically and honorably.
IM22 passed because of scandals with GEAR-UP and EB5, neither of which were about the legislature. Demagoguery by certain zealots sold those events as widespread political corruption. I would love to have a debate with Weiland or Frankenfeld about being politically responsible in South Dakota, and get to make them defend IM22 where they couldn’t hide behind slogans and smoke – and their own political histories.
They never would debate the matter. Your point lee is one they ignore. Rick knows this, he’s just running a con raising and making money trying to stay relevant. I doubt frankenfeld or knobe are thinking beyond a 5th grade level on this and have let themselves be used to the profit of others. What will be telling is if Rick w shows his face in pierre or only sends his stool pigeons who bark words like corruption while not having a single instance of legislative misdead that im22 would have addressed.
Don spoke of unlimited gifts. Give us one instance. Rick w spoke of steak and champaign a type of which you can’t buy in most if any places in pierre. If the national guard, rural electric companies, realtors and nursing students by hosting events providing “gifts” to our legislators are part of the problem we’ve crossed into so strange place in this state.
The Pierre Chamber event is not free. Tickets are still available for $25 or a table for $200. If campaign funds can pay for mass mailed Christmas cards, they should be able to pay for dinner tickets. IM22 is no problem for elected officials.
I lurk on this site because from what I have seen it’s just got way too much snark. Yes, there are some who can post respectfully and make a good point, but one has to wade through all the snark to got to their posts.
I agree with the senator, though, IM22 probably passed for the wrong reasons, and won’t do much to correct them, if anything, assuming it even gets a chance. Frankly, it’s of that type of legislation so well likened to killing a gnat with a sledgehammer, and that’s a shame.
DWC is civility like flunitrazepam is an aphrodisiac. Pierre is a sewer with a governor for a plumber.