The grandson of Governor George Mickelson was in the audience last night at the Davison County Lincoln Day dinner.
Unfortunately, he had a seat where he had to watch the Republican Party Chairman – Obama supporter and former 32-year Democrat – Jim Eschenbaum attack his grandfather’s dream. A dream of jobs and prosperity for his state which has served it well in the 40 years since. But the Chairman of the party doesn’t like it, because he looks in the mirror and thinks he somehow knows better.
I don’t have film, but as it was related to me by two people I spoke with today, apparently Eschenbaum got in front of the crowd and declared that half of the legislature has an ED issue. And said it was ED as in Economic Development. And as no one laughed, he continued attacking economic development.
He went after data centers, despite it being part of President Donald Trump’s plan for the US to be a leader in AI. And ultimately, despite the Republican platform having an entire section on Economic Development and Jobs that explicitly states..
2.1. Economic Growth – We support the creation of new jobs, economic development, and job training which will encourage our youth and adults to stay in the great State of South Dakota.
… in front of the crowd at Mitchell, I’m told Eschenbaum declared that we need to remove economic development from the Republican Platform. In fact, I’m told he referred to it as “crony capitalism.”
The former Democrat chairman of the SDGOP has unilaterally decided that he doesn’t want to follow the Republican platform, considers it crony capitalism, and wants to change things for his own ends?
Has he checked his job description? It’s like Catholics saying the Borgia family should be back in charge of the church.
Anyone who runs a business in South Dakota really needs to take stock. Because this guy just doesn’t get it, and wallows in short-sightedness.
Oh. I’m also told that while he was on the stage, he mentioned that he thinks we’re moving towards a one-world global government. Which leads me to believe that he’s wallowing in something else.
(And it should be a good reminder not to donate to these goofballs. )
Not one penny for goofballs & whackos!
You are way too nice.
Take this to the bank, folks. When the next recession hits, these guys will be first in line to say the state should “do something”. Populism isn’t the answer; it never was. North Dakota, Iowa, Montana, and Minnesota can’t wait to take our jobs. If you think these other states are going to lay down their incentives and efforts, you are mistaken.
I did see the GOP chair was wearing blue jeans and a wrinkled denim shirt. No class.
he wore jeans and a wrinkled shirt to a Lincoln Day Dinner???
what does he wear to central committee meetings, pajamas?
He wears that everywhere. He has 2 shirts. A white shirt and a jean shirt. Take note that’s all you will see him in other than some kind of t shirt knocking DC.
At least they have sleeves. That’s a step up from his daily wardrobe.
Eschenbama is an idiot that believes every conspiracy theory he reads on Mother Jones!
He’s not a farmer he failed at that multiple times. He tore up all his family’s grass and lives off the rent check. He has an ED problem “Extreme Douche Bag”
Sounds like some of it makes sense.
The crony capitalism part is probably what stings people. They’d feel better if he wasn’t partly right.
Mr. Eschenbaum , This is great news for some old school MN Republicans that are pro-economic development and would like to use South Dakota as a dumping ground for their right wing radical fringe wackadoodles encouraging them to seek freedumb in SD. Their economic development plan would be to help load their moving vans, trucks and trailers. What say you?
The party has been hijacked by middle to late age extremists that have no regard for the younger generation who want to continue to call SD our home. Low voter turnout created this mess. I just hope enough people can see the damage they are doing and turn the tide in ‘26 by getting rid of some of these people.
As an added bonus to sweeten the pot of economic development surrounding states will incentivize anti-vaxxers to move to South Dakota.
How RFK Jr. built an army of mean moms and anti-vaxxers-Salon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEfOfxBivls
the antivaxxers are going to move to Florida and create such a hotbed of influenza and other communicable diseases that Nobody will go there for spring break or take the kids to Disney World
I’ve been a lifelong Republican. The party I joined was made up of businessmen in the Rotary Club who built communities and valued growth. Now extremists run county parties, and our own chair attacks economic development as “crony capitalism.” That’s not conservative, it’s destructive.
Maybe you should show up?
we did show up. And when we found ourselves surrounded by unvaccinated screaming lunatics, we realized even face masks and earplugs were not enough to protect our physical and mental health.
We don’t even want to be in the same convention hall with these people..
We don’t want to be seen or photographed with them.
At a every local meeting I have been to, (county party meetings, cracker-barrels, forums) there have always been a couple of people who are complaining that the incumbents at every level are avoiding them, are too hard to get in touch with, or aren’t listening to them. They are riled up about vaccines and pipelines and they can’t figure out that they’re the problem.
Absolute embaresamnet. The average everyday South Dakota Republican has to wake up and take our party back!
These far-right whack jobs have destroyed what our fathers and grandfathers worked so hard to build.
People who aren’t smart enough to know that they aren’t very smart are very dangerous and run the risk of mental implosions.
Leadership in the SD GOP and Legislature are now filled with many so called geniuses.
Counseling centers with trained psychologists should be available at all Central Committee meetings and during legislative sessions.
Saw Jackley and Haeder were there. Any other state wide folks? Is it time to simply avoid these events like some of the county meetings? Guilt by association would sting the party if the dems weren’t completely inept.
Good crowd, good food. Several excellent speakers. But Eschenbaum was terrible. Endless boring midwit ramble. Not just shallow content but miserable oratory. After 5-6 minutes the audience was checked out & scrolling.
It is sad that the Messrs. Jackley and Haeder are supporting this whackadoodle fellow, Mr. Eischenbaum. How far the party has fallen away from the Conservatives with Common Sense common sense conservative platforms.
Real “cronie capitalism” creates oligarchy.
Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, Carnegie, Gates, Musk, Zuckerberg.
South Dakota doesn’t come close to that with its economic development programs. In large part these programs have been successful at lifting up our citizens.
You keep reminding us that Eschenbaum is a former Democrat, but how is it that the Dems in Pierre are better on economic development and rate higher on Chamber scorecards than most Republican legislators?
Point being, Eschenbaum’s old party affiliation doesn’t seem to check the fact that he’s peddling insanity.
Wait till the Action4Liberty anarchists move to South Dakota. They will bring their non-stop political theater, ambush politicks and chaos with them with no interest in governing. It is one grift after another. Freedumb caucus on crack..
Sounds like BranDEI’s cup of tea!
Fred Deutsch posted on BranDEI’s FB page yesterday cheering her on to be the RFKjr of South Dakota. Yeah! Another radical extremist is the last thing we need back in Pierre. South Dakota needs an emergency Radical Extremist Reduction in 26.
It won’t take much for the pheasant hunt to outshine the golf outing.