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Don’t you just hate it when secret cabals organize opposition campaigns… (but don’t raise any money, or advertise, or run a campaign):

At a news conference Monday afternoon, supporters of 3 ballot measures claimed the state Republican Party and Chamber are working together to push a “Vote No on Everything” campaign, which was a shocking revelation to both state agencies.

Supporters of initiated measures 21, 22 and Amendment T revealed what they call a secret plan from the republican establishment.

“We’ve heard directly from Republican legislators and business people in this state that the state GOP and the state Chamber of Commerce are coming together in an effort to do a blanket “Vote No” campaign,” IM 21 sponsor Steve Hildebrand said.

And…

“There is no concerted effort to work with any group for a “No on Everything” campaign,” Ryan Budmayr stated.

KSFY News reached out to Hildebrand again Monday afternoon, after the Republican Party denied planning the ad campaign.

“I think they’re lying to tell you that they’re not running this strategy, because they are,” Hildebrand urged.

And..

Hildebrand would not say who told him the party is planning the ad campaign.

Read it here.

He can’t say WHO is letting him in on all these nefarious & evil Republican and Chamber-type plans…. but there’s a plan! Trust him, there’s a plan!

Er, yeah.

So, maybe when Hildebrand organized this paranoid presser on a secret “vote no” campaign, he should have also announced that it is all in his head.

(But that’s what they’d tell you. They’re all in on it.)

Before he was a State Representative, Scott Munsterman became a published author when he penned his book “A Vision for South Dakota” which laid the groundwork for his economic plan as he ran for South Dakota Governor.   It showed Scott as very intelligent and introspective, and the kind of man that people could see in the position of Governor.

While ultimately Dennis Daugaard prevailed in the primary race and later became Governor, his reputation for thoughtful contemplation has followed him during his legislative career, which is ending this coming January.

Scott has been quite busy with many things over the course of the past year. But one thing I hadn’t expected of him was that he was working on a new book, which recently was listed on Amazon.com:

Unfinished Business is an exceptional guide directed right into men’s hearts and stances on identity to uncover what has hindered their growth as godly men and what potentials from God they haven’t embraced yet. Each chapter focuses on areas in men’s lives where fear, uncertainty and other factors have hindered the development of a man’s potential. The author shapes his words to be straightforward, yet encouraging, to assist readers to prompt action and achieve the significant impacts they were created to accomplish in the world around them. Unfinished Business resulted from the author’s life lessons and experiences over two decades of participating and leading men fellowship groups.

Read that all here.

While it’s not as “policy wonky” as his first book, it’s no less worthwhile, and serves as an introspective call for men to look at their lives as if they are called to fulfill a mission greater than serving one’s self.

As opposed to presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who costs $200,000 a pop for speaking fees, Sioux Falls is getting the discounted Clinton, Chelsea:

Chelsea Clinton is set to stump for her mother, Hillary Clinton, at a pair of events Wednesday in Sioux Falls.

Clinton will focus on the Democratic presidential nominee’s platform on building the economy at a public event and will speak at a private fundraiser Wednesday evening at the home of former U.S. Attorney Brendan Johnson and his wife Dr. Jana Johnson.

Details for the public event were not immediately available Monday morning.

Brendan Johnson said Monday that they expect to host nearly 100 attendees with entry donations ranging from $250 to $5,000 for  couples interested in co-hosting.

Read it here.

The Marsy’s Law campaign continues to extensively send postcards out across the state, with the latest version being an endorsement from a former Federal Prosecutor, Paul Cassell, in favor of the victims rights measure, as well as answering some of the objections raised by the measure’s opponents.

Thoughts?

The Vote No on 23 campaign has kicked off their effort to oppose the labor union initiated measure which would force union dues to be paid by people who have no wish for union registration.

The measure is a response to South Dakota’s status as a right to work state, which has enjoyed increased popularity across the country, allowing people to work without the requirement to join a labor union.   If passed, IM23 would revoke South Dakota’s status as a right to work state, and allow labor unions to force due payments from non-union members.

Vote No on 23 has started their activities in campaigning against the pro-Union measure by going on twitter, Facebook, opening up a site on the web at www.voteno23.net/ and by having No on 23 coalition chairman and Executive Director of the SD Chamber of Commerce David Owen appearing on inside KELOLAND.

Attorney General Jackley Joins Legal Challenge to Protect Children from Sex Trafficking

PIERRE, S.D. – Attorney General Marty Jackley announced today that South Dakota has joined 20 other State Attorneys General in an amicus or “friend of the court” brief, challenging a decision granting Backpage.com broad protection from civil liability even when it took active steps to promote sex trafficking of children.  Data reveals that   these children exploited through sex trafficking are typically given a quota by their trafficker of 10-15 buyers a night, and sold up to 45 times a day during high demand sports  events  and conventions.

“The internet continues to be the primary method of advertising for sex trafficking and South Dakota is not immune from these types of ads. It is an uphill battle when   sources like Backpage.com actively promotes and refuses to cooperate in the  prevention of child sex trafficking. Companies selling ads for profit should not have immunity for their role in harming children,” said  Jackley.

The brief was filed in the United States Supreme Court in the case of Jane Doe 1, Jane Doe 2 & Jane Doe 3 v. Backpage.com. The brief argues that the Communications Decency Act does not protect a website operator from liability when it creates content that actively promotes sex trafficking of children by encouraging use of language that will attract customers seeking children for sex. The brief argues that Backpage.com uses language to encourage payment methods that make financial transactions with    the traffickers’ untraceable, strips metadata to impair law enforcement’s ability to  locate victims, and deletes “string ads” posted by law enforcement.

In 2011, Attorney General Jackley co-authored with Democratic Attorneys General Bob Ferguson of Washington and Chris Koster of Missouri, a letter to Backpage.com signed by 45 Attorneys General. The letter outlined a series of requests and specifically asked them to describe how they intend to stop the exploitation of minors. The goal for the Attorneys General with this letter was to find cooperation from Backpage.com to protect children from being sold with the removal of the adult services advertisement. Backpage.com has not cooperated with the Attorneys General.

The South Dakota Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit and their law enforcement partners from across the state continue to battle sex trafficking with law enforcement operations targeting sex traffickers.  Since 2013,  9 operations have been implemented statewide resulting in 39 arrests of those individuals soliciting minors for sex.

From South Dakota’s Congresswoman Kristi Noem comes a guest editorial at foxnews.com, noting how Hillary Clinton’s tax plan unfairly targets small business and farmers:

You don’t forget moments like this – the ones that come so unexpectedly, shoving a pit into your stomach.  I was 21-years-old and nearing the due date for my husband Bryon and my first baby. That’s when the phone call came: “Kristi, your dad is stuck in a grain bin.”  I knew instantly what it meant.

and…

To keep our family’s American Dream going, we were fortunate enough to get a loan, albeit one so large that it impacted nearly every decision we made for a decade.

I have never understood why the federal government thought it was appropriate to go after families with this double tax – especially in a time of crisis.  My family had already paid taxes on the equipment, the land, and any other assets.  Now, we had to pay taxes on it again because my dad had died.  It’s not right.

This month, Hillary Clinton proposed a dramatic 65 percent increase to the death tax, pushing it to the highest point since 1981. She justifies this as a tax on the 1 percent, but all too often it is small businesses and family farms that are put into jeopardy for a few days’ worth of government spending.

and..

No family should have to go through what ours did.  Clinton’s proposal is a tax on the American Dream during a time of tragedy.  Hardworking Americans deserve better.

Read it all here.

It’s bad enough that death is a taxable event at all. But a 65 percent increase to the death tax as Hillary Clinton is proposing should offend everyone who believes they are going to be dying in the future. (Yes, that would be ALL of us.)

Because truly – what are those of us in small business working for if not to build the foundation of something we can hand down to our children someday?  A 65% tax is nothing more than government confiscation of assets because they can.

And Congresswoman Noem is right –  No family should have to go through what her’s did.

Iola Joyce Hazeltine, age 81, died September 30, 2016, due to complications from cancer. She passed peacefully while in the loving presence of her family in Custer, SD. Even in her last moments she lit up the room with her infectious smile and class.

Joyce was born July 16, 1935, in Pierre, SD, the daughter of Howard and Ofa Mae Simpson. Well known by many South Dakotans, Joyce served as Secretary of State from 1986, through 2002. During her final term, she served as President of the National Association of Secretaries of State. Her leadership skills showed early at Fort Pierre High School where she was the first freshman chosen for the varsity cheerleading squad, graduated as class salutatorian, and was selected as a page for the legislature. She received a teaching degree from Huron College and taught for many years in Aberdeen, Eureka and Custer. She was elected president of the state Jaycettes, served as assistant chief clerk of the House of Representatives and the first woman secretary of the Senate, and owned the first association management company in the state.

In 1956, she married her true love, Dave Hazeltine. They enjoyed 60 years of marriage together, celebrating that anniversary in July. They raised three children – Derek, Tara and Kirk – and cherished the company of their grandchildren, Katelyn, Megan, Gessie, Duncan, Kennan and Evan.

Joyce is survived by her husband, Dave; daughter, Tara (Gordy) Heggen; son, Derek; sisters, Jan, Judy and JoAnne; her grandchildren, and many other family members and friends.She was preceded in death by her parents and son, Kirk.

A memorial service will be held 11:00 a.m., Saturday, October 8, 2016, at the Custer Lutheran Fellowship Church in Custer with Yvonne Steindal officiating. Interment will be held at a later date.

Memorials can be made to the Black Hills Playhouse or South Dakota Bankers Foundation, both of which she served in leadership capacities.

You can leave condolences here.

A reader sent this my way, and I thought I’d share.

Yeah…It’s somewhat reminiscent of the Republican who ran who would go door to door with her pet parrot perched on her shoulder.  If you’re running in Massachusetts or Vermont as a Bernie Sanders type eccentric, you might be ok to let your freak flag fly.

If you’re in the middle of South Dakota?

Well…. If seeing something they don’t see every day is their only exposure to you, a person might want to rethink that one.