There’s an interesting question that’s swirling around Slick Rick Weiland and his allies as they come out in the public eye, promoting Amendment V, a measure that would simultaneously remove most instances of political party labels on the ballot, as well as make sure there’s never another independent or third party candidate who appears on the November ballot ever again.

Recall that chart I posted a couple of days ago on where the money is coming from for the “Yes on Amendment V” movement?

The shadowy out-of-state group “Open Primaries” has put just shy of $250,000 into using South Dakota as their laboratory for promoting Amendment V. But who is this “Open Primaries” group? Who exactly has Rick Weiland – who brought Amendment V to South Dakota – allied himself with? The answer may surprise you.

Open Primaries bills itself as  “a movement of diverse Americans who believe in a simple, yet radical idea: no American should be required to join a political party to exercise their right to vote” and that “The mission of Open Primaries is to advocate for open and nonpartisan primary systems, counter efforts to impose closed primaries, educate voters, train and support spokespeople, and participate in the building of local, state and national open primaries coalitions.”

What is is not telling you? Well for one, it’s largely funded and tightly affiliated with a former Enron commodities trader.  Yes, that Enron. The one that perpetuated one of the biggest frauds in corporate history.

For starters,Enron billionaire John Arnold has been trying to set himself up as a national political kingmaker, and in the past, as noted by Rolling Stone, he’s allegedly engineered plans to slash benefits for public workers, as well as becoming known as a corporate raider..

The dynamic young Rhodes scholar was allowing her state to be used as a test case for the rest of the country, at the behest of powerful out-of-state financiers with dreams of pushing pension reform down the throats of taxpayers and public workers from coast to coast. One of her key supporters was billionaire former Enron executive John Arnold – a dickishly ubiquitous young right-wing kingmaker with clear designs on becoming the next generation’s Koch brothers, and who for years had been funding a nationwide campaign to slash benefits for public workers.

and…

Anyone who has seen the Oscar-winning documentary The Smartest Guys in the Room and remembers those tapes of Enron traders cackling about rigging energy prices on “Grandma Millie” and jamming electricity rates “right up her ass for fucking $250 a megawatt hour” will have a sense of exactly what Arnold’s work environment was like.

In fact, in the book that the movie was based on, the authors portray Arnold bragging about his minions manipulating energy prices, praising them for “learning how to use the Enron bat to push around the market.” Those comments later earned Arnold visits from federal investigators, who let him get away with claiming he didn’t mean what he said.

As Enron was imploding, Arnold played a footnote role, helping himself to an $8 million bonus while the company’s pension fund was vaporizing. He and other executives were later rebuked by a bankruptcy judge for looting their own company along with other executives. Public pension funds nationwide, reportedly, lost more than $1.5 billion thanks to their investments in Enron.

Read that here.

But more recently, Arnold has been aggressively at the forefront of the Open Primaries movement, actively advocating and opening his checkbook when the effort has gone to various states.

Such as in Oregon in 2014..

Last week, Texas billionaire John Arnold reported giving $500,000 to help pass the top-two primary initiative — setting the record for the largest single political donation in Oregon this year.

Turns out that was just the start.  Late Wednesday, the group Open Primaries revealed that Arnold has given another $1 million in support of the ballot measure that would rewrite Oregon’s primary system.

Under Measure 90, partisan primaries in the state would be replaced with a single primaryopen to candidates of all parties.  The top two finishers — regardless of party — would advance to the general.  California and Washington both have almost identical systems.

Arnold, a former natural gas trader who once worked for the now-bankrupt Enron Corp., has been involved on a number of political causes, including revamping the education system and public employee pensions.

Read it here.

And in Arizona this year..

So, why would a billionaire want to push a nationwide effort to eliminate political primaries, and create the jungle primary, where most of the field is swept away early, and party labels are removed from the ballot?

It’s obviously not from an ideological standpoint, given his past track record in trying to push public pension reform as well as eliminate political parties. In fact, according to the Houston Chronicle, John Arnold is a big Obama supporter:

“In the small world of the Houston ultra-wealthy, the Arnolds cut a different profile. They are not on the political right – they have donated significant amounts to the Obama campaign and Democratic National Committee.

Read that here.

So what’s in it for him?

If I were a cynical man, I would point out that political parties serve an important function in supporting a candidate, rallying volunteers, providing a somewhat loose organizational structure, and many things a candidate would otherwise have to have to muster tremendous amounts of time and money to put in place themselves.

What if that was all erased? What if there were no party labels, and you could clear most of the field early – instead of letting them compete at the finish line, and you only had to choose between the last two?

Well, for starters, millionaires and billionaires would have a far easier time buying political races, as they could simply just start opening a checkbook for their hand picked candidates, and not have to contend with pesky political party activists who might be backing candidates because of ideology.

You can very quickly buy a lot of name ID with a million dollar television blitz. But the party apparatus has always served as an organizational counterweight, providing a strong level of support that money can’t buy.

No more party apparatus, and Slick Rick’s new buddies would have a lot easier time buying elections, especially as you get into bigger media markets across the nation.

That is, I’d think that, if I were a cynical man.

Somehow, I don’t think they’re going to put that on the literature.

We Will Never Forget 

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) released the following video ahead of the 15^th anniversary of the deadly terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Flight 93.    

Excerpts from Thune’s video:

“I remember talking to our youngest daughter, Larissa, and she had two questions on that day. She said, ‘Dad, are we safe?’ and ‘Are we going to get the bad guys?’ The answer to the first question obviously was, ‘Yeah, we’re safe,’ and the answer to the second questions was, ‘Yes, we’re going to get the bad guys.’ 

“We enjoy tremendous freedoms – tremendous privileges – and incredible good fortune living in this country, and specifically living in South Dakota. And that doesn’t happen by chance, it doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because there are people out there every single day who are putting their lives on the line to make that possible.”

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Still Looking for “Affordable” in the Affordable Care Act
By Sen. John Thune 

While President Obama is just a few short months away from leaving office, there are a few items he won’t be able to leave behind – like the legacy of his health care law. The president’s Democratic allies in Washington would still like to view this bill as President Obama’s top legislative achievement, but the truth is, this law has become a disaster. Thanks to Obamacare, South Dakotans have been saddled with higher premiums and fewer choices, and they’re still struggling to understand what happened to the president’s bold promise that Obamacare would be the cure-all for what ailed our nation’s health care system.

South Dakotans have been feeling the Obamacare pain since the law was first implemented, and for many, 2017 offers no reprieve. Let’s say for example that an Obamacare silver plan for a non-smoking, 40-year-old male in South Dakota cost $4,000 in 2016. If that same person signs up for that same plan in 2017, he would have to pony up an additional $1,400 next year alone. And that’s just for his premiums. He may also be facing thousands of dollars in deductibles on top of that. I don’t know many South Dakotans who can afford a 36 percent increase in health care premiums for themselves, let alone a large increase for their entire family. The cost of health care has gotten so bad that I’ve heard from multiple South Dakotans whose health care payments were more than their mortgage payments.  

The increasingly high cost of care under Obamacare has become the law’s hallmark, but unfortunately the law’s problems don’t end there. Countless Americans this year are once again discovering the hollowness of the president’s “If you like your plan, you can keep it” promise. Health insurance companies are dropping out of the exchanges in droves, which means countless consumers around the country are facing the loss of their health plan. And they may have very few options for replacing it. 

Remember when the president promised that choosing a health insurance plan would be like buying a TV on Amazon? Well, for many people nowadays, going on healthcare.gov is like choosing a TV on Amazon – if Amazon only offered one or two TVs. According to a report released in August, one-third of the country – one-third – may have just one insurer to pick from on the exchanges for next year.

Republicans, myself included, sounded the alarm for our Democrat colleagues in 2009 and 2010 about what we saw as the future of Obamacare. But this isn’t a matter of “I told you so” – far from it. This is a matter of acknowledging the reality of where we are, so that we can move forward. If we’re going to move toward a future with the high-quality, affordable health care that South Dakotans deserve, we’re going to have to start over, and Republicans are ready to go, with a lot of ideas to bring to the table. My hope is that Democrats and the next president will join us.  

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Cost of Regulations Impacts South Dakota Landowners
By Senator Mike Rounds

As Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Superfund, Waste Management and Regulatory Oversight, my job is to oversee federal agencies that promulgate some of the most egregious and harmful regulations. With more than 1 million regulations on the books today and a president who has issued more regulations than any previous administration, our subcommittee has highlighted the impact these regulations are having on everyday Americans.

Recently, I chaired a field hearing in Rapid City which focused on how regulations coming from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) are affecting private citizens’ ability to utilize and develop their land. During the hearing, we found that these agencies are not necessarily communicating with the public when they decide to issue new regulations, nor are they taking public comments into account when drafting new rules.

At our field hearing, we heard from several witnesses about the difficulty and confusion landowners may face in complying with the Waters of the U.S. rule (WOTUS). In 2015, the EPA moved forward with finalizing WOTUS, which would greatly expand the definition of a ‘navigable waterway’ under the Clean Water Act, giving the EPA unprecedented authority over significant inland water bodies not currently subject to EPA jurisdiction. This rule creates significant hurdles to normal agricultural operations, yet the EPA appears to have ignored concerns of farmers, ranchers, agriculture groups, the Small Business Administration and numerous state governors and attorneys general who oppose it.

Although the Sixth Circuit Court issued a nationwide stay on the rule, we have heard evidence that the U.S. Army Corps may be moving forward with implementing WOTUS. However, the U.S. court system should not be the primary backstop against overly-burdensome rules. If the EPA works more closely with landowners, states and agriculture groups throughout the rulemaking process, the end result would be better regulations that minimize the impact and costs on private landowners and American businesses.

We also heard from FWS on the Endangered Species Act during our field hearing. There are currently 1,226 species listed as endangered and 367 listed as threatened in the United States under the Endangered Species Act, and approximately half of the listed species have 80 percent of their habitat on private land. While the FWS attempts to work with landowners to encourage voluntary species management and conservation, the Endangered Species Act continues to impede landowners’ abilities to utilize and develop their land by imposing significant restrictions on what landowners can do on their own property.

Make no mistake, I understand that rules and regulations have a place in society. My concern lies with overbearing, burdensome rules and regulations that are promulgated by unelected bureaucrats who fail to fully consider local impacts before enacting rules. Each year, Americans pay nearly $1.9 trillion to comply with regulations, far more than the $1.4 trillion we pay in individual income taxes on April 15. As we heard during the field hearing in Rapid City, the high cost of complying with these regulations is hurting our economy and limiting the productivity of our farmers, ranchers and landowners who make a living on the land. I will continue working in my oversight capacity to identify and mitigate the negative effects of overly-burdensome regulations on our ag community.

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Eternal Gratitude
By Rep. Kristi Noem

John Ellsworth was just 13 years old when his mother met him at the door and told him his father wasn’t coming home.  America had lost a hero.

John’s father, Brigadier General Richard E. Ellsworth, flew 400 combat missions during World War II, earning numerous medals and proving himself as a man of great courage.  He returned to the U.S. where he became wing commander of the Rapid City Air Force Base.  While co-piloting a bomber during a simulated combat mission in 1953, however, his plane encountered bad weather, pushing it off course.  The freezing rain and fog limited the pilots’ visibility and the plane struck a hill, killing everyone on board.  A few short months after General Ellsworth was laid to rest in the Black Hills National Cemetery, President Dwight D. Eisenhower traveled to Rapid City to rename the base in his honor.

Those who have served and the families who sacrificed beside them deserve our nation’s eternal gratitude.  Since 1948, the Black Hills National Cemetery has been but one way this appreciation is shown. 

Today, the cemetery offers 100 acres of peaceful landscape to serve as the final resting place for service members and their families.  The facility, however, will not have the room required to continue serving veterans unless it is expanded.

After working with a number of area veterans and related federal agencies, I introduced the Black Hills National Cemetery Boundary Expansion Act, which would add around 200 acres of land to the cemetery by simply transferring federal lands that are currently under the Bureau of Land Management’s jurisdiction to the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

By expanding the Black Hills National Cemetery in this way, today’s veterans and service members, as well as their families, can be assured that America will be able to offer our eternal gratitude for all they have done.

Earlier this summer, we lost Chief David Beautiful Bald Eagle, a courageous World War II paratrooper and one of the legendary Lakota Code Talkers.  He too was laid to rest in the Black Hills National Cemetery and continues to be an inspiration to the Lakota people and everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.  It is his legacy, the legacy of General Ellsworth, and the legacies left by the brave men and women like them that we honor at the Black Hills National Cemetery.  Expanding it is a duty we must fulfill. 

I was humbled to see our Black Hills National Cemetery Boundary Expansion Act receive unanimous support in the House earlier this month.  While further action is needed before this bill reaches the President’s desk, I’m hopeful we’ll see movement before year’s end.  Our veterans deserve the certainty that our nation will forever show its gratitude for the contributions they’ve made in protecting our security, freedom, and country.

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The South Dakota Way
A column by Gov. Dennis Daugaard:

Eight decades ago, in 1936, South Dakota received a presidential visit. It was the height of the Great Depression and the state was in the middle of the worst drought in history. Tom Berry, who was serving as governor at the time, took on the responsibilities of directing New Deal programs for the state. He was the only governor to do so. Managing federal aid programs led Gov. Berry to have a good working relationship with President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s administration, and when the President came to South Dakota, Gov. Berry served as his tour guide.

In his Sept. 6, 1936, fireside chat, FDR talked about his tour of South Dakota and other Great Plains states. He spoke of the families he had met who had lost their crops, their cattle, the water in their wells and all of their money. FDR saw “field after field of corn stunted, earless and stripped of leaves” and “brown pastures which would not keep a cow on 50 acres.”

After describing the devastation, he added:

“Yet I would not have you think for a single minute that there is permanent disaster in these drought regions, or that the picture I saw meant depopulating these areas. No cracked earth, no blistering sun, no burning wind, no grasshoppers, are a permanent match for the indomitable American farmers and stockmen and their wives and children who have carried on through desperate days, and inspire us with their self-reliance, their tenacity and their courage.”

Almost exactly 80 years to the day that FDR spoke those words South Dakotans again demonstrated this kind of fortitude in a time of trouble.

Over Labor Day Weekend, in the early hours of Monday, Sept. 5, 2016, Springfield was hit by a severe storm with straight line winds of 110 mph. The storm destroyed six homes and damaged a number of others. According to early news reports, 70 people were displaced by the storm. The local emergency manager called the SD Department of Public Safety to say the town might need state assistance.

What followed was the kind of response for which South Dakota is well known. Of all of those without a place to stay, only two people used the shelter arranged by the Red Cross. The rest found refuge with relatives and friends. In the days following the storm, more than 500 volunteers emerged to assist the community in cleanup efforts. The emergency manager called us back to say they wouldn’t need help after all.

I can’t say I was surprised. Whether it’s a flood, blizzard, drought or windstorm, South Dakotans always pull together when disaster strikes. We don’t wait for the government to arrive; we get to work, help ourselves, and help our neighbors, too. That’s the way it was when President Roosevelt visited eight decades ago, and as we saw over Labor Day, that’s the way it is, yet today. And our way remains extraordinary.

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I picked up my daughter from school at DSU yesterday. While on the way home, I heard constant tapping from her and meowing from her phone. So much so I had to ask her what on earth she was playing.

Her response? “PolitiCats.”

It’s one of those games that as evidenced, you have to tap on constantly to earn “votes,” as well as campaign cash.

You use the cash to purchase a higher level of voter support, as well as campaign staff, teamsters, and any number of other facets to the game, as you run elections ranging from class president to… well, actual president.

As one website notes about the addictive game…

Players will need to hire and maintain a campaign staff, with roles that range from intern to videographer, volunteers, and even “old cat ladies”. You can also sign endorsement deals with celebrity cats, advance a platform, and even unlock “legendary” cats like Garfield. With the game being in the ‘Clicker’ genre, players are simply tapping on the screen to have their avatar cat give its speech. As this is accomplished, players will see support and donations float up from the crowd, and the background change to indicate successful bids. Every so often, the cat is engaged in debate with a rival, and players must out tap the AI opponent, within a set amount of time.

Read that here.

It’s a mindless diversion, with a bit more insight into the political process than you might expect from a phone game you tap on to play.

And in the 2016 South Dakota election cycle, given the level of candidates that Democrats are bringing to bear, it might actually be more challenging than the real thing.

The game is available for both android and iPhones (I’m playing it on my iPad).

The officer involved shooting that recently took place in Aberdeen has been investigated and justified by the Attorney General’s office. And as part of the report, you’ll note that State Representative Dan Kaiser, a sergeant in the Aberdeen Police Department, was present at the incident and came upon the scene as he was assisting his fellow officer who had the suspect pinned on the ground, after the man attempted to commit “suicide by cop.”

Thankfully, none of the officers were injured seriously.

It’s a scary episode, and a good reminder of the risks that police officers face on our behalf on a daily basis. And why #BlueLivesMatter.

Here’s the release from the Attorney General’s office, and the report.

Attorney General’s Office Releases Officer Involved Shooting Summary

PIERRE, S.D – Attorney General Marty Jackley and the Division of Criminal Investigation today released the summary into the shooting of Ehkhu Poe on August 14, 2016, in Aberdeen, South Dakota. The Division of Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation at the request of the Aberdeen Police Department.

The incident occurred on August 14, after a call to service near the intersection of S. Marshall St. and 4th Ave. SE in Aberdeen.

“It is my conclusion as Attorney General that Officer Ty Reinke was justified in firing his weapon and using lethal force. I would like to thank the Aberdeen Police Department and the Officer for their service and complete cooperation in this investigation,” stated Attorney General Jackley.

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AberdeenPDOISfin16 by Pat Powers on Scribd

This is real.

Thune Bill Would Address Shortcomings in the Veteran Suicide Crisis Line
“In their time of need, we need to be there to answer their call, too, which is why these reforms are so important.”

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today introduced the No Veterans Crisis Line Call Should Go Unanswered Act, legislation that seeks to address shortcomings in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) that were identified by the VA Inspector General (IG) and the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The bill would improve the VCL, which can be a critical lifeline for veterans and their families, by developing a documented process that would improve the responsiveness and performance of the VCL. The bill would also require the VA to develop a plan that would ensure every phone call, text message, email, or other form of communication received by the VCL and its backup centers is answered by a live person.

“Our nation’s veterans answered the call to duty, making remarkable sacrifices to protect our country,” said Thune. “The events and stress these men and women experience during their service to the country can leave invisible wounds. In their time of need, we need to be there to answer their call, too, which is why these reforms are so important.”

In July 2007, the VA’s Suicide Prevention Program started the VCL as a telephone suicide crisis hotline for veterans, families of veterans, and military personnel. The VA’s goal is to answer 90 percent of VCL calls within 30 seconds. However, a recent GAO report found that during a five-month review in fiscal year 2015, some calls weren’t routed to VCL backup call centers until after 60 seconds. A secret GAO review also found the VCL’s text messaging services left more than 25 percent of text messages without a response.

U.S. Rep. David Young (R-IA-3) introduced the House companion to the No Veterans Crisis Line Call Should Go Unanswered Act on June 7, 2016.

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