Guest Post: A Midsummers Night Dream by State Representative Kent Roe, District 4

A Midsummers Night Dream
by State Representative Kent Roe, District 4

Hello District 4 voters, & anyone else reading this. While I’m not a Shakespearean, I find his writings fun and challenging. I recently read “A Midsummers Night Dream”, and it’s a pretty good reflection on society.

We’re being treated to various political actors announcing their intentions for South Dakota and you and I. We’ve heard from the woke right, we’ll soon hear from the woke left. I sure hope someone more right-center shows up soon. District 4 and South Dakota deserve measured deliberate thoughtful & considerate leadership.

This country has survived for nearly 250 years, we’ll continue with our hiccups. The founders are considered to be quite radical. At the end of the day, they mostly wanted self-representation and freedom from the King of England. I believe that they would be shocked at today’s polarization, how both ends have picked up causes that attain an oversized influence. What’s wrong with boring? Not to discount causes with merit, but, a boring government probably isn’t going to abuse the citizenry. I’ll observe that the low voter turnout last election was largely due to this boredom. And maybe even a measure of satisfaction with the status quo. So let’s not fall prey to paraolgy, the false legitimation of ideas through consensus.

Do we have problems? Absolutely! Take a look at the national debt. Social issues? Yep, we have them too. But, here in South Dakota, we’ve got it good. We have a balanced budget, we’re a nearly crime free state (statistically speaking), our Churches are strong. The Lutherans are suffering, the Baptists are preaching, the Catholics are catholicing, etc.

Statewide, the prison is our next big issue. Well, it’s not really next. It’s been studied for years. 3-4 years ago a task force of subject matter experts took up a study to develop a plan. At that time the legislature recognized this need and put money away for the project ($600+ million). This last session we heard about the well thought out plan. Of course the zeitgeist had moved in Pierre. A big hubaloo was raised. Many people decided to ignore a well thought out plan and burn it to the ground. I even caught a slight scent of burned hair in the Capitol. So, here we are, mid-June and we have now seen this new study. The initial study was heavily criticized because of the site selection. The cost was a concern, but it was mostly the site selection that caused it’s demise. So, second verse same as the first verse, the second study landed nearly identical in it’s recommendations as the first study. As a former warden stated on the floor of the house, “nobody wants a prison in their back yard”. The prison was built in the 1880’s. It’s obsolete. We need to do something. Let’s follow what 2 commissions recommend, put the prison in Lincoln County on land we (the state) already own.

On the bright side, I’ve been working with Applied Digital, a data-center entrepreneur, on getting meaningful economic development here in South Dakota. Things are in motion. I benefit from good relationships with like-minded legislators. It’s not all gloom and doom. We benefit from a core of smart, bi-partisan, legislators that understand big ideas. We’ll develop legislation that encourages entrepreneurs and benefits the local economy and the state economy. We’ve got entrepreneurs who won’t quit. It’s in our DNA. We’re not always right, but we’re always swinging.

So, it’s summer. Time to read a book or more. If you don’t like Shakespeare I’d recommend Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, maybe Steinbeck. Hopefully you can get them past the librarian as those librarians are under threat of arrest…

Have an enjoyable summer. Take in a rodeo, stock car race, baseball game or just go fishing. Talk to you after Independence Day!

Rep Kent Roe, D4