You know, I’m not a fan of Taffy Howard with her general awfulness as a legislator such as skipping 14% of all floor votes, skipping impeachment, etc. But this meme from the South Dakota College Democrats goes way, way too far:
If you’re missing the reference, it’s from the burn book scene in the Mean Girls movie. But even if it originated in a movie, it’s completely and absolutely over the top inappropriate to call a legislator, much less a female one a “skank bitch,” or a “fugly slut” in the course of political debate.
State Democrats have a huge problem if they believe that represents them, even via their college level auxiliary. If this is how they want to represent themselves to South Dakotans, at the very least, it’s far from enlightened. Would they stand next to the Senate Minority Leader Liz Larson and use this as their catcall at Republicans? I kind of doubt it.
Very inappropriate. And they need to do something about it.
Strongly agree with this post. Do better Dems
Dont support this. But considering what the Repubs have thrown out there starting with their presidentif this is hardly a show stopper.
The second half of your comment shows you to be as bad as whoever wrote that comment about her.
I agree too. I disagree with Taffy on many things, but these words used towards her are totally inappropriate.
Not good! We desperately need a strong opposition party with as many good candidates as possible to counter costly and destructive extremism from right. This will hurt everyone.
College dems have gotten way out of hand. All of their posts are hateful- interesting for the party of inclusivity.
Ms.Taffy is among the insanest of them all, but you are a blind blue dog if you think she is this fugly thing. She is very pretty in the face and she knows it, but she is fugly in the mind.
I agree that the College Dem were out of line with those comments.
I also want to remind everyone of the article the Argus Leader did earlier this month posted by Democrat candidate Robert Arnold made about Representative Jon Hansen & Aberdeen businessman Toby Doeden.
https://dakotawarcollege.com/democrat-candidate-for-governor-refers-to-candidates-jon-hansen-and-toby-doeden-as-neo-nazis-in-speech/
I also believe whether you agree with their views or not are just as much out of line as what the College Dems did. Yet he seems to got more support for what he said and you’re condeming what the College Dem did. You can’t have it both ways. Be consistent.
Good grief, you Cons elected the biggest scuz to ever disgrace Washington and this is what you’re talking about!?
Anything to detract from who’s in a certain naughty list and 50% tariffs on copper I guess…
anonymous at 6:50, you are wrong. The sleaziest scuz award goes to either FDR, JFK or WJC. I’ll let you decide which was the worst. FDR’s squeeze had to be hustled away from his deathbed so his wife could take her place, JFK was screwing every female with a pulse, and WJC had a staffer whose job it was to handle “bimbo eruptions.”
Trump is a paragon of virtue compared to those hound dogs.
“Paragon of virtue” LMAO that right there is full blown TDS
How many extramarital affairs has Trump had? How many divorces? How many allegations of sexual impropriety? He’s in the majors compared to the others.
And if this isn’t on topic, than neither is the imbecile this reply is directed to.
Exactly
Not a fan of Laffy Taffy but this is too much. The Dems need to grow up! Much like the far right zealots.
I appreciated that Taffy didn’t judge my family and I, and went out of her way to reach out and speak with us at the Lincoln Day Dinner in Sturgis a few years back.
I think she does a good job representing her district. If, politically, you have a problem with her, you have a problem with the people in her district, and must not need their votes or respect their perspectives.
Fugly in the mind, Mr. Dale. Fugly in the mind.
She does not represent her district well – I’m one of her constituents. She misses votes and if you disagree with her she refuses to speak to you. Even when a person is not being combative – just expressing a different opinion.
She yells at anyone that disagrees, it is pretty bad… not a good sign of a leader when they refuse to listen.
Repeat after me: “sophomoric misogyny.”
Has a nice ring to it.
b-b-b-b-b-b trump
What else can we expect from democrats…
I sit next to Senator Howard every day during session in the Joint Committee on Appropriations (JCA). We don’t always vote the same way, and we sometimes approach policy from very different perspectives. But we have great conversations, and I genuinely enjoy our dialogue. It’s civil, it’s substantive, and it’s rooted in mutual respect.
That’s what South Dakota politics should be. And, most of the time, that’s exactly what it is.
We debate fiercely, and we stand up for our value. But we do not tear each other down on a personal level. We don’t call names. We don’t resort to vulgarity. We can disagree without being disagreeable. That’s not just good manners; it’s essential to doing the people’s work.
If the next generation of political leaders, on any side, wants to make a meaningful impact, they should model their activism on the principles of respectful engagement. Passion matters. But so does decency.
We are good people in South Dakota, and we treat each other accordingly. That’s the example worth following.
Well said Rep, thank you for taking time to highlight the importance of decency in public service.
Keep it on topic, please. And Trump is not on topic.
Shut up…
No. If you didn’t have double standards, you’d have none at all.
SD Dems are irrelevant and frustrated.
As a Dem who registers R so I can try to have a say in the primaries, you are so right!
Disappointing to see college dems are focused on posting memes and weaponizing misogyny against women they don’t like instead of focusing on issues that actually matter.
I think COLLEGE students care about college affordability, job prospects, and housing. I don’t know how much weaponizing misogyny is going to help them get out the vote.
You can make memes and crack jokes but this is in bad taste. I’m one of those people who are upset about Medicaid and other benefits being cut. I’m a Democrat. And I still think this is a bad look from them.
With the actual wheels coming off the wagon everywhere you look, I cannot believe a juvenile scrawl is even a story. Her status as top MAGA is unassailable. She and only she warned Trump that the SDGOP was just using him for its own evil purposes when he came for the torch-and-pitchfork rally in Rapid City. But come he did, and gathered all unto Him.
PS it really looks like the Taffy pic and bottom caption were added later to a meme that was originally about someone else. The font and alignment don’t match the top half of the meme at all. Just a comment, it was found where it was found.
Just caught the Burn Book reference, never mind.
Dem leaders and Legislators support this. We, the minority in the minority party, are going to push back very hard against this, very hard. Its time for new leadership within the state party at the SDDP, from the state chair all the way down to county party chairs. We need actual leadership and not cowards. Plain and simple. McGovern is turning is his grave right now watching and Daschle is shaking his head. Its sick, degrading, and absolutely disrespectful. Time for change within!
As a fierce Democrat that I am, I applaud Rep. Kassin for stepping up and condemning this behavior. The SDDP wont do this. In fact, I’ve seen the SDGOP condemn the actions of their own when they cross the line. Not the SDDP though. The days of Randy Seiler are gone. The days of common sense are gone. The days of treating each other with respect are gone.
The party elites pushed back against a 19 year old running for Gov, but god forbid they push back against this hateful speech.
I’m still a Democrat, but dammit, I’m really ashamed to be a South Dakota Democrat right now. Where is our state leadership on this? Where are our state Dem legislators on this? Oh thats rights, SILENT! Enough is enough.