A resolution has been introduced this week in the State Senate attacking Republican Congressman Dusty Johnson for his recent vote to block President Donald Trump’s declaration of a national emergency along the southern border. Supposedly, one is coming in the House too.
SR4P by on Scribd
But is it quite as simple as trying to portray it as a vote against President Trump, as it seems people are howling?
In a recent response from the Congressman, it’s evident that it’s a much more complex issue than the knee jerking responses try to portray:
The resolution filed in the legislature seems to be complaining that Dusty drew the line at taking money from the military infrastructure as was appropriated by Congress. These resolutions people are grousing about are that Dusty held on for the military budget not to be robbed?
Why would the legislators proposing this want money be stripped from the military?
Remember, this is coming from the same state legislature who brings bills year after year trying to strengthen the legislative branch against the executive branch in South Dakota.
Literally, they are asking for colleagues to vote that the executive branch at the national level needs more authority against the legislative branch. Are they now going to start demanding that all executive branches should be far stronger than the Legislatures in the Judicial – Executive – Legislative mix?
I guess I don’t have a problem with our Congressman standing up to the President when he feels something is in the best interest of South Dakota. I didn’t have a problem with Kristi Noem doing it, and I don’t have a problem with Dusty doing it.
Before we throw pablum out for the Facebook mob, maybe we need to take a look at what we believe our Government should be, and how we think the separation of powers between the branches of Government should work.
well said, Mr P. We elected a representative who supports the POTUS when he’s right and opposes him when he’s wrong.
Tapio knows Dusty supports Pelosi.
Dusty knows Tapio is a psycho.
See right hand margin.
A resolution? Why not send the Mexicans a resolution telling them to stay on their side of the border? That should fix things in no time at all. Good use of time elected officials.
I don’t know that this resolution is worthwhile, but I still don’t support Dusty’s vote against the emergency declaration. I still don’t think this is a separation of powers or constitutional issue, and I don’t think that taking some funds from the military can be considered “robbing” the military; like any and every government agency there is fat in the military budget, and given President Trump’s support for the military, he would not hamstring them as would have the prior anti-military president.
Dusty’s problem is that everyone and their dog in the GOP has an opinion on the wall. This issue permeates the GOP primary electorate like few issues. It is THE reason Donald Trump’s supporters backed him 1,000 percent.
Dusty is not viewed as a constitutionalist like Rand Paul or Justin Amash. He is viewed as a never Trumper by many in the GOP primary electorate. He is viewed as an establishment figure that doesn’t like Trumpism.
That’s all fine but that is how he is viewed.
I appreciate that Dusty has issues he is willing to lose an election over. I just didn’t expect to see one of those issues become his defining moment within his first 2 months.
This is a big political landmine he has stepped on. It’s a slap in the face to Trump. Its fascinating to see.
Will be interesting to see if a fringe wacky candidate runs or if a legit candidate like Ried Holien steps forward.
Either way I believe a primary would be very contentious and close. If Trump tweeted support to his opponent the race would be over and the entire future SD political landscape would be rewritten.
I also think these legislators would be using their time better to post a Facebook video that can be shared rather than failing on this resolution. The masses will not see the resolution.
Nailed it, 100 pm.
Dusty is a never Trumper.
Word is it that Goodwin is talking to people about running for Senate or Congress. This is his issue to elevate himself.
Goodwin is doing it because Tapio asked him to. Tapio is a bad candidate.
Sponsors may as well be named “Larry, Curly, and Moe” because that’s what they are: the Three Stooges.
Dusty has shown a willingness to be brave. I gotta hand it to him.
Brave??? Brave would be calling out those foul mouthed freshmen women of questionable beliefs and bully pulpit tactics. Why doesn’t he tell them to “take a hike” or something far worse…..that would be brave.
Complaining that funding for a border wall would use funds for military infrastructure? It’s a wall (infrastructure) meant to defend our nation. Dusty’s a willful idiot.
There are interesting comments on the response to the South Dakota Senate Resolution 4, but the most interesting is the commenters desire to remain anonymous. The fact is that the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, has every right to declare a national emergency on our southern border by the 1976 act passed by Congress called the National Emergencies Act. Since this law was signed into law 58 national emergencies have been declared by US Presidents, the first by Jimmy Carter in 1979 over the Iran hostage case. These 58 national emergencies include declarations over dealings with Yemen, Syria, and North Korea, among others; sanctions against terrorists groups, and the 2009 swine flu epidemic. Most recently George W. Bush declared 13 and Barack Obama 12, most of which are still in effect.
The above facts clearly shows that multiple caravans approaching our southern border with the intent to break US laws by illegals coming from just about everywhere is in fact a state of emergency as some of these illegals are bad people, such as MS-13, that present a clear and present danger to the United States and its citizens. Personally, I know a little bit about this having lived in San Diego for 18 years and have seen the damage caused by the unfettered illegal invasion of our country. Even acquaintances that I have met who are illegal tell me that US politicians are stupid for allowing this to occur and he himself would not hang out with illegal aliens because simply many were just too dangerous.
To date, Donald Trump has declared 3 national emergencies, the first one in 2017 so accusing this POTUS of overstating his authority and violating the Constitution is without merit and based on far left tactics, with the help of the media, to oppose everything he does and those in the Republican party who consider themselves to be “never-Trumpers”. In Rep. Dusty Johnson’s case, he mistakenly confused the Constitution with the right of the President to declare a national emergency using US defense funds to do so. Last I looked the money we give for national defense also includes spending that money for defending our borders from invaders.
Representative Johnson, an unseasoned Congressman from South Dakota, sheltered from national and international events, basically over-dissected the issue and was played by the liberal left and its media describing the declaration as a non-emergency. Johnson was played and was an easy target by this leftist marketing and believe me the herd mentality of the left are expert marketers. Johnson also failed to see a dysfunctional Congress where the Democratic party has moved so far to the left that it is no longer recognizable to mainstream Americans and morphed into an almost a socialist or Marxist party herd while the Republicans have been static. Today, in the current Congress, it is more apparent that Republicans conduct business as a team in opposing this Democratic move to the socialist end of the political spectrum. If the case was reversed, the left would at a drop of a button declare a national emergency over climate change or any other plank of their platform considering the entire Democratic herd of presidential candidates all subscribe to the far left philosophy.
The resolution by the South Dakota Senate was well advised and obviously researched unlike the vote Representative Johnson registered calling it a violation of the separation of powers of the US government. When the congressional left opposes this declaration it is not because of constitutional issues but rather they oppose the President of the United States and why this Congress is blatantly dysfunctional. Necessary steps needed to be taken to ensure the safety of our borders and Americans and most importantly our way of life. Rep. Dusty Johnson failed miserably at his first big issue.
I would at this time advise the Congressman to gather around you advisors that know what they are doing on national and international issue as well as advisors with experience rather than ones he obviously have selected. Republicans please stop making these mistakes.
Those of you who never lived by the US/Mexico border have no idea how bad it is and the problems it causes. 53% of Californians polled want to leave the state; 13,000 major businesses have fled the state since 2008; it is rated the 3rd worst K-12 school system in American, and is rated 50th in the state as the worst place to conduct business. And its even worse than that as Hispanics, who now outnumber all other races, are telling California whites and other races that we should accept that the demographics are changing and if we don’t like it we should move while Californians are taxed to oblivion to pay for this invasion. Now is that American?
Rep. Dusty Johnson made a monumental mistake.
Jeff your overly long post misses the important points:
1. The three sponsors of this are the 2 biggest buffoons in Pierre who have never done anything besides promote themselves and a lackey who thinks they’re important, and 2. We don’t approve of Republicans publicly criticizing other Republicans.
It’s one thing to contact Dusty’s office privately and tell him you don’t agree with him. But this behavior is unacceptable. Considering the clowns behind it, it’s business as usual.
I can see why you are anonymous on both points. But I believe you made the comment in jest on Republicans not criticizing others. That was funny.
What you are saying is you are practicing puratanical conservatism.
Facts are the stubborn things that liberals just have to ignore.
I’m just going to throw this one out there…
That’s kind of the opposite of the resolution Stace has signed on to….
Valid point but is only valid with a functional legislature. The US Congress is dysfunctional and the use of military funds appropriated for national defense; the defense of our border certainly applies and IS the number one Constitutionally mandated job and responsibility of the POTUS. Besides the invasion of potentially dangerous illegals there are also a humanitarian and drug and sex trafficking
Issues.
I think the case could be made that the South Dakota Legislature is very dysfunctional.
Stace 180, 360, 720, 1440, 720, 360, 180 spinning spinning spinning in nefarious anti-everyone but himself ; His self endowed Perfect Politician.
Too bad this isn’t a fairy tale but this guy actually sits in the South Dakota Senate and votes on legislation affecting all South Dakotans.
We’re lucky.. We could still be stuck with the actual 180, 360, 540, 720.. isn’t that right Charlie Hoffman (aka Caveman)
Stace has violated Reagan’s 11th Commandment so many times he’s fair game.
Trump has him beat.
Oh? I thought I read that the Senate will block the emergency declaration as well.
I don’t care who sponsored this, it’s not a bad thing for the state legislature to formally voice its disagreement on policy with our state’s lone voice in the house.
It would be better to draft a resolution of support for the POTUS’ National Emergency Declaration and just leave it at that.
I agree. It still gets the point across that Dusty is out of step with South Dakota.
You sure he’s “out of step”? I mean, you may wish it to appear that way, but unless you’ve got some access to polling on the border wall in SD, I think you’re just engaging in wishful thinking…
Unforced error on Johnson’s part. Why make this the issue that puts Presidential twitter sights on you? Why not hide in the majority? The ads against him in a primary write themselves.
“Dusty Johnson stands with Pelosi and socialists like Sanders and AOC”
If Tapio can stop his bigoted views on religion, he’ll do okay in a primary.
“Why make this the issue that puts Presidential twitter sights on you?”
The fact that this is written without irony makes me like Dusty more and the president less. We are through the looking glass, people.
So Dusty voting against President Trump, with the Democrats = good?
Russell & company bringing a resolution against Dusty = bad?
Hard to keep up with the spin here
Not hard if you understand the difference between tactics and strategy.
Ooooooooh, silly oversimplifications are fun! Let me try:
So Dusty voting against a lifelong democrat who turned R for the primaries and has no concept of budgets or consitutional limitations=bad?
And state R’s who frequently fight against their own party’s agendas in advancing state interests bring a resolution=good?
Hard to keep up with the spin on your spin, bud.
I’ll gladly vote against Dusty in a primary.
I wouldn’t commit to that, but I’d vote for him against any Democrat. I believe there’s a national emergency along our border and we needed to act yesterday.
Dusty has voted time and time for border funding.
No honest person can claim Dusty is against the wall.
Anon 4:59, so Dusty is supposed to ignore his concerns and “hide in the majority?” !!!!
And I thought leaders were supposed to have backbones.
An objective is the aim is to achieve, a strategy is the approach to be used, and tactics are the tools.
Many people can agree on an objective and disagree on the approach and the tools,
And then there are people who don’t understand any of this but will accuse anybody who favors a different approach or tools to be an enemy.
These people do not work well with others.
Too bad we don’t have a Dan Crenshaw representing South Dakota instead of the bureaucrat. He was just trying to make himself relevant. Someone please step forward to replace Johnson in 2020.
The author needs to read where the funds will be sourced.This is a national emergency.
It is assignine to say one cannot publicly oppose fellow Republicans when they screw up like this.
Over 70,000 illegal migrants stopped at the border in February. Invasion? Many Americans consider that an act of war. Nope, not the optimistic Dusty.
This year alone 200 cases of the mumps reported at TX migrant detention centers. Nope, nothing to see here.
Anyone who considers is an act of war has no idea what a war is. Full stop. Dumb and hyperbolic statement that I hope you used for effect and do not honestly believe.
“Anonymous” should give full disclosure to his statement and tell everyone who he is rather than hiding. To answer, there are many kinds of war and if you lived close to the border you would consider this an “economic war” where today 53% of Californians want to leave because they can no longer support by their tax money and their pursuit of happiness this invasion having a good chunk of their paycheck going to illegal aliens not to mention crime skyrocketing and a general worrisome belief living in that area you will be a victim of illegal crime. I have been often costing me tens of thousands of dollars for insurance deductibles on damage to my vehicles on illegal gang activity by Mexican gangs. Anonymous might also consider that the US taxpayer spends $150 billion annually on illegal aliens and in border states a similar amount to lessen the danger to the American citizen. The dumb and hyperbole statement came from you “anonymous”. Imagine what $150 billion could do in helping American citizens.
An economic war is not a war. You can go on the attack about anonymous or try to walk it back with “economic war,” whatever the heck that means, but it is a false statement used for effect. You are moving the goalposts, Jeff, because you are playing fast and loose with definitions to make a dumb statement stick. So yeah, wear the label with pride.
LOL, well it sure is. What do you think WW2 was about in bringing Germany out of a deep depression or Japan having an oil embargo put on it by the US. Or how about Venezuela where a tyrant government starves their people which is a prelude to war.
I will no longer respond to you anonymous so either grow up or come forward.
I want you to honestly say that immigrants coming to the US border are analogous to Nazi Germany. Go ahead.
I was thinking about it as a native son of South Dakota who like most had to leave this state because of a severe lack of any opportunity if one’s father had no farm or business to inherit. But having lived my entire career on the west coast most here in South Dakota just think one is a “carpet bagger” if a person comes back to help the state enter the 21st Century. So I gave up. I know Johnson and my first recollection of a speech he gave was he’d make a great master of ceremonies; and that’s it. South Dakota can do so much better and they need to. South Dakota is not an island, it belongs to the United States of America and should start acting like Americans.
You don’t know what you’re talking about; those of us who really know Dusty know him to be extremely detail-oriented. He studies every angle, nook, cranny and unintended consequence. He’s one of those people who always seems to know more about a topic than anybody else in the room.
He’s kind of a Super-Geek. Probably should wear a cape.
LOL, I spoke to him personally on many occasions and brought up topics that are national and international in nature that I am an expert in and Johnson knew nothing or had any background to comment while he tried to BS me. I am happy you will defend Dusty and I’m sure he’s a nice guy but like many in South Dakota’s leadership they are not qualified to protect the rights of all Americans, not just South Dakotans. Congress needs strong experienced members, not young, inexperienced wannabes. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez is an example of this.
Johnson wants to be a career politician but in actuality he doesn’t have the skills or demeanor and would never ever be elected in more populated states. Like I said, he may be a nice guy, but he just is not a statesman.
Jeff, I think there’s plenty of evidence you are in error.
Dusty was a driven and knowledgeable chief of staff. Read the column Mercer wrote at his departure, if you doubt that.
Dusty was a respected utility regulator (a complex field), chosen by his colleagues across the country for national leadership and testimony before Congress.
Dusty was just named ranking member of a key congressional subcommittee, a rare accomplishment.
Others seem to think he knows what he’s doing.
If the South Dakota legislature is serious about supporting the souther boarder wall, then I’d like to see legislative action authorizing a transfer of funds from SD to the federal government to support that construction. If we are aren’t willing to support a national emergency with SD tax dollars then the issue is about politics and sound bites, not action.
Dusty made the right call, congress should be responsible for funding or not funding these initiatives and conceding that authority over fear of backlash is why we are in this mess to begin with. Dusty just earned my re-election vote.