The Argus just posted this story, which has the Governor poking back at legislators who would like to see fewer blue badges (government lobbyists) on the 3rd floor as the Senate prepares to make a decision tomorrow whether to banish them from their midst:
“If they differ from my attitude with something, let the ideas win the day. Let the best idea win the day,” Daugaard said. “If those who are afraid to have my attitude or my employees’ attitude be aired then I would say if you can’t defend your ideas, maybe they’re indefensible.”
and..
Sen. Ryan Maher, R-Isabel, brought the rules change last week that would restrict state employee lobbyists from the Senate chamber and adjacent hallway during working hours. He said lobbyists who enter the chamber or look on from the hallway to one side of the chamber have become too much of a distraction to lawmakers that don’t have offices at the Capitol and often work at their desks.
and..
“You don’t learn more by talking and listening less. So I don’t understand the rationale behind the feeling that they should not interact with the executive branch. It doesn’t make sense to me,” he (Governor Daugaard) said.
Senate Majority Leader Blake Curd, R-Sioux Falls, has said lobbyist presence on the Senate floor and in one of the hallways adjacent has at times been “destructive and a distraction” to the legislative process.
What do you think about the war against 2nd floor lobbyists on the 3rd floor? And as I’ve already weighed in on, what do you think about their proposal to shield themselves against lobbyists of all types?
Makes the governor look out of touch.
Makes the Senators look stupid.
Daugaard is right but he also runs around like a dictator. Endorsing candidates for the legislature, appointing legislators to influence leadership races, telling legislators he will use his war chest against them if they don’t raise taxes, trashing Donald Trump and endorsing Dusty Johnson. I think people are just tired of him dictating his opinion into everything.
I’d let the lobbyists do whatever but if they are sending a message to Daugaard then good for them.
This all but ensures they will be banned.
Separation of powers……..The governor should stay out of senate specific business.
Sounds like the Governor’s office reaching to retain what little power/influence it had left in the Senate.
This Governor really has an elitist streak. I never have been a fan of his meddling via endorsement in Republican primaries and now here again he feels his opinion is needed. As a lame duck this comes across as even more bossy. I think it’s a reasonable pushback on a guy who has a waning popularity with the Party. I’m curious to watch how Michels handles the association if he is truly interested in the promotion.
Hilarious stuff. Maybe the legislatures should just be totally ignored since they are essentially meaningless.
I think the bill is silly. If you don’t want to be bothered just make a little tent sign and put on top of your desk that says do not disturb.
All it will do is create a bunch of note passing from outside and getting ambushed in the halls. The citizens have the most direct access to lobby specific legislators while on the floor during specific hours and it will force the blue badges to the open social events in the evening. The legislators are not the experts on many issues and hearing both sides only makes legislation better.
What if this does force these blue badges to all the free beer and food events in the evenings so they can hit up the legislatures on the same footing as the other badge colors who do the wining and dining? Is this not making occur the very thing that did not occur but that the IM #22 claimed was happening? Will the government lobbies start hosting their own events with free food and beer? Or will all the lobbies withhold important information from the senate but give it to the house? It will be interesting to see.
What a joke. Apparently senators are afraid of the blue and white badges. Sad!
I’m wondering how many “blue badges” there are today and how that compares with previous years and previous Governors? It sounds like the pushback from Senators is over numbers rather than mere presence. Back in olden days I remember many state sub-Cabinet officials strenuously avoiding the Capitol during session for fear of being chided by the Governor’s staff.
Apparently they are particularly afraid of the blue badges. But the House is stalwart. They are strong enough to resist the bending of their wills. Good on the House. The new Senate Leadership is rubbing off already.
Don’t doubt this new senate leader is a thinker and can’t be bothered while he’s in pierre.
Mike,
That is so true and funny. During the first couple of years of the Mickelson administration, sub-cabinet people like myself were “chided” often to get back to work (by Governors office and sometimes a legislator), we’d gladly go back, the Cabinet member would get a complaint we weren’t there, we’d go Bak across the street, we’d get chided, go back to the office. It was a yoyo. But the end, the Governors office quit chiding us.
I have been reflecting on this a bit. Mickelson may have been unique in this regard. Unless the Governor had a formal position, he allowed GOED to advocate what they thought best and it was our position (not necessarily the Governors) while another department took a different position. The good Representative Zikmund probably remembers some of those times. 🙂
My favorite “zinger” was after I answered some questions of the committee, Secretary deHueck said in opposition to my answers said, “this is important to my department. If it was important to GOED, Commissiiner Dolly would be here personally.” I used that I wasn’t important enough to avoid going to the Capitol for a week. And ribbed Peter forever.
Grudz,
In six sessions while a blue badge, I only went to one after-hours event and went every year. The fish feed put on by either the Right-to-Life group or the Knights of Columbus (don’t remember if RTL was host or Knights did it to promote pro-life).
I suppose there are exceptions, but I get tired of all those people who have opinions on one or all issues and hide behind anonymity.