I just had someone send me this analysis of votes in the 2018 South Dakota Legislature, and it’s kind of interesting if you think about it.
Last month, we had the Citizens for Liberty scorecard, which cherry-picked certain votes (the vast majority that the Citizens for Liberty faux-conservative group had not bothered to testify on), which showed three legislators ranking higher than any others:
After reading about this list, a correspondent sent a list of votes over which has a list of bills where the Senators receiving the highest ranking on the cherry-picked scorecard had a high correlation on other votes taken in the 2018 State Legislature. Unfortunately… it had their votes on certain bills where the Democrats largely block voted:
| BILL # | DEMS | Nelson | Russell | Jensen | Total Vote Count | Others: |
| SB20 | NO | NO | NO | NO | 22-13-0 | Klumb, Maher, Otten, Kolbeck |
| HB1006 | NO | NO | NO | NO | 21-11-3 | Youngberg, White |
| SB213 | YEA | YEA | YEA | YEA | 13-22-0 | Greenfield, Maher, Tapio, Novstrup |
| HB 1014 | NO | NO | EXCUSED | NO | 24-10-1 | Maher, Tapio, Partridge, Cronin |
| SB133 | YEA | YEA | YEA | YEA | 11-24-02 | Klumb, Tapio |
| SB 54 | NO | NO | EXCUSED | YEA | 25-9-1 | Tapio, Soholt |
| SB 81 | NO | NO | NO | NO | 25-8-2 | |
| SB 128 | NO | YEA | NO | NO | 27-8-0 | |
| SB 214 | NO | NO | NO | EXCUSED | 22-7-6 | Greenfield, Tapio |
| SB 133 | YEA | YEA | YEA | YEA | 11-24-02 | Klumb, Tapio |
| SB 54 | NO | NO | EXCUSED | YEA | 25-9-1 | Tapio, Soholt |
| HB 1114 | NO | NO | YEA | NO | 27-6-2 | |
| HB 1140 | NO | NO | NO | NO | 23-10-2 | Ewing, Kolbeck, Monroe |
| HJR 1004 | NO | YEA | NO | NO | 27-8-0 | |
| HB 1121 | NO | YEA | NO | NO | 22-13-0 | Greenfield, Maher, Otten, Wiik, Monroe, Partridge |
| HB 1007 | NO | NO | NO | NO | 21-13-1 | Otten |
…So, this scorecard has the people at the top of the cherry-picked scorecard winners as voting with Dem Legislators? Are they trying to say that you can be so far-right, you’re left?
Now, I have no assurances on the completeness of this list where Dems block-voted against the GOP. But it is a good lesson that a lot of these lists are subjective.
One list might show that some people are super-conservative, such as the obviously cherry-picked CFL list. Another might question where the same people’s loyalties lie based on how often they’re voting with the Democrat caucus based on another list.
I think the moral of the story is to spend less time picking votes to make up fake scorecards so people can claim they’re more conservative than others. Because someone else’s scorecard might question where your political loyalties lie.
One should worry about one’s own values instead of calling into question someone else’s.
Its called the horseshoe theory of the political spectrum…
IMO, makes more sense that these self proclaimed “conservatives” are simply untruthful and that they hide behind the label.
Ohh I’m not denying that reality. But I do believe in general that far right folks can agree with far left folks based on the horseshoe paradigm.
or the horse sh*t theory as Stace is not really a conservative
Been saying for a while Stace Nelson is a Democrat operative…
Only attacks Republicans
Never attacks Democrats
Never passes any meaningful legislation
Stands with Rick Weiland
Seeks to pass a “state nosh” which makes the whole caucus look foolish
16 votes
Stace Nelson voted with the Dems 13 times
Lance Russell voted with the Dems 12 times and 3 excused
Phil Jensen voted with the Dems 14 times and 1 excused
Clarify please. What’s 16 votes?
The 16 listed above…I just counted them 🙂
RINOs
It’s a good proof that the cherry-picked scorecard is height of silliness
Pat, that’s part of the issue – that cherry picking votes to create a scorecard is useless. But there’s more.
Take a look at the CIL scorecard. In crafting it they were good enough to provide links to attempt to explain how or why the votes violated “conservative principles according to the US & SD Constitutions, Republican Party Platforms & Resolutions.”
Take a moment to click on a few of the links. It doesn’t take long to understand these folks are either totally nuts, or, giving them the benefit of the doubt, interpret “conservative principles” very different than the majority of republican legislators.
This groups seems to frequently be in the minority during vote-taking. Perhaps that’s why they call the majority republicans “RINOS.” But if they vote so often with the Democrats, it seems to me they are the true RINOS.
Looks like there was a lot of work that went into this scorecard. If the naysayers on this web site say it is worthless, then how else do conservatives evaluate how legislators vote? Or do we automatically assume that if you are a Republican you are a conservative?
You announce the votes ahead of time that will be scored for one thing…..
so you eliminate the claim of cherry picking…every reputable group does it this way
I decided to do my own analysis. So when I try to match the bills listed on this post to the scorecard, only two bills match up (SB20 and HB1007). I don’t see the other bills on the scorecard Am I missing something?
Block him Pat! Delete his comments! He can’t point out the fallacy of the Post!
None of this surprises me.
There is a small group of Republicans whose purpose in life is to oppose the agenda of the Republican Governor and the Republican Majority.
There is a small group of Democrats whose purpose in life is to oppose the agenda of the Republican Governor and the Republican Majority.
Why would you be surprised they vote the same? In DC, we call them the Pro-Obamacare Freedom Caucus. In Pierre, they are just regular RINOS.
Why don’t you say that when the Democrats block vote in favor of Daugaard’s two major tax increases?
Pat, here is more work for you. Please argue how this was cherry picked:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-LQbUgbRK4SUeoe3AISMqOomB8eo6Vpa/view
How is it conservative to oppose podiatrists increasing their own fees on themselves to allow them to cover the expenses of licensing and testing?
This scorecard might be dumber than the previous cherry-picked one.
Liberals always seem to have justification for their tax and fee increases.
It was the Podiatrists asking for it.
Isn’t this similar to what Dusty did to Shantel when he picked out all her votes to increase taxes and fees?
I think the votes on HB1069 from 2017 are the most interesting. The “true conservatives” Nelson and Russell voted in favor of giving away $12 million to political candidates. $12,000,000 of taxpayer money to go to candidates like Hubbel, LaFleur, & Abernathy, among others.
SMH
The sad part of this is that there actually are a number of low intelligence people who believe the ratings of cherry picked scorecards and the disrupters who make them as good politicians. South Dakota’s finest Fake News.