I’ll give you a little insider baseball here.
A few years back, when I was doing the party newsletter during session, there was a week – that week – when most of what got accomplished was all impeachment related regarding moving forward articles of impeachment to the Senate. It literally was one of the only things that got done. How do you mention the 800lb gorilla in the room? It was kind of challenging to write, and I attempted to handle it factually and tactfully. That was a mistake.
But I get it. It was the only time I bumped up against a line, and got negative feedback (1 bad article in close to 6 years of writing/editing the newsletter), because this was a Republican party publication, and bringing that topic up was too close to breaking the golden rule that the party did not speak ill of other Republicans.
So, when putting together future issues, the newsletter did not address that topic. That wasn’t a party function.
Of course, that golden rule that the party shall not speak ill of other Republicans seems to have been thrown out the window nowadays. Recently, we have the SDGOP promoting an attack on Senator Rounds (and holding that grudge a bit), And now, we have one of the House Majority Whips taking to social media to attack all of our state’s Republican delegation to DC, and claiming some Republicans should have a D behind their name:
“The 3 we sent to DC are not representing our SD Values” – House Majority Whip Brandei Schiefbauer
Since when did this functional illiterate become the arbiter of “SD values” as she declares there’s “righteous litmus tests” for “our Governor’s race,” as she goes on about “Republicans who should have a D behind their name?’
I’d ask how dysfunctional GOP House Leadership in the State Legislature is when you have one of the House Majority Whips attacking the Republicans who are literally on the masthead for the Republican party on a statewide basis… except the State GOP in their mess kind of tossed that standard out the door.
You know, the last House Whip I remember who tended to go on like this, similarly declaring who was more or less Republican or a RINO was Lynne DiSanto. Remember her? No? That was about 8 years ago, and already she’s fading from the collective memory, because there is little to remember except the drama.
The point being that we get a few of these people who run for office who come down with legislatoritis, and seem more concerned with self-importance and their own sense of ideological purity than just doing their jobs. Maybe it’s social media that amplifies it, especially the people who lack an appropriate filter. But the job of being a legislator is not about the politics, it never has been.
It’s about representing your community and constituents. It’s about action and accomplishment, not crazy talk. How do you solve basic problems that people in your community face every day?
No amount of self-righteousness changes that.
The Wackos think the only true Republicans are other Wackos. When in fact, the Wackos are not really Republicans at all.
These crazies are drinking their own coolaid. This is the problem with them. Their view is the only view…and it should be mandatory for all. I guess other folks values are wrong.
Maybe behind her name should not be R, but an M.
M for Marxist.
There is this huge disconnect from those who believe themselves to be the “true Republicans” and the person on the street whose involvement in politics consists of voting 1-3 times a year. As the crazy gets turned up, we risk losing these people.
Absolutely right, Pat.
Brandei is the last person who should be lecturing us on SD Values.
Ms. Brandei is a great example of the vacuousness of most of the Whackos who are insaner than most. Her values are not those of the True Republicans, which makes her a RINO or just ca-ca-ca-caRAZY. Or maybe it’s “crazei”
There is no way she authored that. Some awful big words in there like “kaleidoscope”, “litmus”, and “the.” Either she had help or AI GPT assistance. It was written with such Shadiness. Is someone lurking in the Shadows assisting her? Her musings seem to be Shadowed by controversy and speculation. Seems Shady.
Why is the Thune campaign assisting the Party with the Pheasant Hunt fundraiser? People like BranDEI will work to use those funds against him.
Time to shut the money off to the State Party.
I want more detail on the so-called “righteous litmus tests for our governor’s race.” Even on its face, that claim is deeply troubling and says a lot about the groups and candidates with which Rep. Schaefbauer associates. Clearly, in their mind, you are anathema unless you meet their arbitrary, amorphous standards of morality, mindset, and messaging.
As a constituent of D3 I used to email Representative Schaefbauer regarding bills she signed on to be a co-sponsor or be prime. Our communication exchange did not happen very often but I questioned how a number of these bills helped our district since we have real issues here that need to be addressed. One time she ended a communication by telling me that she could tell I was a child of God. I have never had an elected official respond to me that way and have worked with lawmakers on both sides addressing non-partisan issues. Has she ever responded to another constituent of D3 telling them she can tell they are the spawn of Satan? Did God delegate her to judge people here on Earth?
Later she either could not answer basic questions or refused to answer them that other legislators would easily answer probably indicating the political extreme nature of these bills and their origin being from outside South Dakota. My impression is that D3 has essentially a rogue legislator not working for everyday D3 residents pushing fringe “Brandei-land” bills. Another that needs to be replaced at the ballot box.
D3 has 3 dead heads that need to be replaced….
When can we expect SD House Majority Whip Brandei Schaefbuer to announce she is running for Congressman Dusty Johnson’s seat or US Senator Mike Rounds seat?
Will she attempt to bring “Brandei-land” to DC?
I’m voting for Mike Rounds in the primary and the general election. I expect he’ll garner more than 70 percent. He’s a good guy. Pro life. Pro military. If folks think this good man isn’t conservative enough to be called a true Republican, I fear we’ll never attract the broad coalition needed to hold the house and senate. With a gridlocked government it’s much harder to solve problems statewide & nationally. Please think big tent, not pup tent.
Of all of South Dakota’s chosen Federal officials, Rounds is BY FAR the most impressive to me. He quietly works his tail off and his office is responsive. He has my vote, even if I’m not in agreement with everythimg he does.
Brandei is irrelevant and definitely insaner than most. These legislators don’t realize how much they are not known and how much they won’t be missed when they are no longer in office.
As for her buddy the used car salesman running for Gov, he seems to be playing the role of Dr. Boz this election.
When Brandei is replaced along with the other crackpots it will be “Party-land” at the Circus Sports Bar & Grill in downtown Aberdeen! Celebrate with their famous wings and beer!
…. now I want circus wings..
The DC Congress people can’t win. They DO what Trump wants, the libs excoriate them, and the magats STILL excoriate them too, because of past bipartisan sins and because they have their own ambitions of high office. Sucks to be them, as the saying goes. They’ll still score massive wins in SD but the magats will siphon off some of the joy.
Brandei’s Righteous Litmus Test:
Answer yes or no: Do blood donations from covid-vaccinated individuals turn the recipients into Mutant Ninja Turtles or Marvel /DC Comic book characters?
If you answer yes, you’re a true Republican. If no, you’re a RINO
MAGA vs MAGA.
This is how the NazisCommunists fought each other.
Keep it up. I need more 🍿!!!!
Met Brandie for the first time, and within a few minutes, she said with a superior tone dropped, “my son’s a priest.” After a brief pause, all I could manage was, “OK.”
Now, she’s talking about litmus tests for South Dakota values and has used her faith to set the standards for others. Are things like divorce on the list? This is harsh, but after all the inflammatory and frankly silly things she’s said and written, I think it’s fair to ask.
It’s only wrong when others are doing it.
She is as pure as yellow snow
I’ve always felt if you have to wear a magnetic rectangular name tag to impress people, you aren’t that impressive or important.
Even if it is a cool stripper name.
I don’t think of it as a stripper name. When I see “Brandei S.” I am reminded of Louis Brandeis, the first Jewish member of the SCOTUS, born in 1856, appointed to the SCOTUS in 1916, died in 1941. Brandeis University was named for him.
It’s an important name.
She dishonors the name.