Yeehah! The Rodeo is in town, and next up in the chute is our congresswoman in the new event "Washington Fence Riding":

After Dr. Dean's healthcare group pegged her as a solid supporter of Obamacare, a charge she quickly denied, Herseth is still holding on tight to the fenceposts and doesn't want to let anyone know where she stands:

South Dakota Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin says she remains undecided on a sweeping health care reform bill unveiled by House Democrats on Thursday.

and....

In a release, National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Tom Erickson said Herseth Sandlin needs to take a stand now that the Democrats "have laid their cards on the table."

Read it here.

Keep riding that fence, Stephanie. Keep riding that fence.

Aye’s --  Ahlers, Elliott, Fryslie, Krebs, Lange, Lucas, McLaughlin, Merchant, Putnam, Street, and Vehle

No’s – Cronin, Juhnke, Knudson, Steele, Vanneman, Verchio

There's a lot more to pick the votes out of, as there were many parts to the package, but this was a big one. (And you read it here first.)

All 6 Democrats voted to raise taxes, along with 5 Republicans. 6 Republicans voted against it.

From the associated press, it appears that the Nobel Peace Prize is no longer a recognition of accomplishments, but simply liberal political symbolism taken to extremes:

President Barack Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday in a stunning decision designed to encourage his nascent initiatives to reduce nuclear arms, ease tensions with the Muslim world and replace unilateral American action with international diplomacy and cooperation.

Nobel observers were shocked by the unexpected choice so early in the Obama presidency, which began less than two weeks before the Feb. 1 nomination deadline.

and...

In his 1895 will, Alfred Nobel stipulated that the peace prize should go "to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between the nations and the abolition or reduction of standing armies and the formation and spreading of peace congresses."

Read it all here.

Two weeks, and he was nominated? Good gosh, you'd think that someone thought he was the messiah.  (Oops, I forgot. Some people do.)

If we're basing awards on ideas and possibilities now, Obama had better quickly come up with an idea for a screenplay.   It's almost Oscar nomination time.

As I've continued to look at the Johnson & Johnson nepotism saga, I seem to distinctly recall that in Senator Johnson's defense, many of the Democratic commenters sputter in rebuttal "...but, but... Senator Johnson said he would have nothing to do with the process...." 

And to their credit, yes, that's what the Johnsons claimed up front.  Such as this comment from Brendan Johnson:

"I believe, and my father believes, that he needs to be walled off 100 percent in the process and that also means no letters of endorsement or calling anybody or asking for favors. I'll stand on my record and nothing else," Johnson said.

Read it here.  And this one from him:

"What needs to happen in their minds is that my father will not make the nomination for the position. Nor will he lobby or advocate on anyone's behalf. He will be taken out of the process.

"When we look at situations in the past where senators have nominated their offspring, we are not going that route. If I decide to apply, I want to stand on my record, not my last name. No preferential treatment," Johnson said.

Read that here.    And it's what we were told by Tim Johnson and his staff:

Traditionally, Sen. Johnson would nominate qualified candidates to the White House to fill the spot because Johnson and Barack Obama are Democrats. But because of the potential for a conflict of interest, Sen. Johnson is not participating, according to his spokeswoman.

"The senator has taken a very hands-off approach on this one," Julianne Fisher said. "He's just going to allow the people applying to deal directly with the White House."

Read that here. And another instance of his staff claiming it here:

A spokesman for Sen. Johnson maintains that the lawmaker and his staff have stayed out of the process, even though as the senior lawmaker from the state Johnson would, by tradition, be able to make a recommendation for the job.

Read that here.

Well, after all of that pontificating that Senator Johnson would stay out of the process, guess what he did.

At the first sign of trouble, Senator Johnson dove head first into the process for his son's nomination for US Attorney and went back on his word:

When Brendan Johnson, a 34-year-old Sioux Falls lawyer, applied for the post of U.S. attorney for South Dakota last January, he made one thing clear to a local paper: His father, Sen. Tim Johnson, would have nothing to do with his seeking the job. “My father said, ‘Don’t consult me. Don’t update me. I’m not going to be involved in the process,’” he said.

The elder Johnson made the same promise.

But last week, when Brendan Johnson’s nomination unexpectedly ran into problems, the senator and his aides began a behind-the-scenes effort to find out what happened. The South Dakota Democrat contacted both Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) to figure out what the delay was.

and...

But there’s also a potential political benefit for the White House in making Johnson happy, Republican sources note. Johnson is a potential swing vote on a number of important legislative initiatives favored by President Barack Obama, including health care reform, climate change and the Employee Free Choice Act. Johnson is also a senior member of the Senate Banking Committee, which will be taking on a major regulatory reform bill for the financial services industry this fall.

“Keeping Johnson happy is a good thing from the White House’s point of view,” said a Senate GOP aide.

and...

“After a constant barrage of Democrat attacks against the Bush administration for supposedly politicizing the U.S. attorney selection process, now Sen. Johnson and his son would like South Dakotans to believe that there aren’t any nepotism issues at play here,” said Ken Spain, spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Spain added: “The fact that Sen. Johnson’s son — an individual who has hardly been able to keep his political ambitions to himself — is the lone candidate for the job is hardly a coincidence.”

Read it all here.

Senator Johnson was going to stay out of it?  

I think my grade school children note it properly - "Liar, liar, pants on fire."

This is nothing more than the Johnson Family building a political dynasty. His son was seeking one of the most important federal posts in the state, and at the first sign that there might be a complication, yes, dad stepped in directly and personally to intervene on his son's behalf.

If they wanted to avoid the charges of nepotism, they should not have committed it in the first place.

Starting yesterday - the SDGOP has had 2 candidates jump in the race against Congresswoman Stepahnie Hersth. 

First, here's the announcement from Dr. Blake Curd:

BLAKE CURD ANNOUNCES CANDIDACY FOR SOUTH DAKOTA CONGRESSIONAL SEAT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 1, 2009 Contact: Georgia Hanson 605-351-1880

“…there is too much Washington in South Dakota. It’s time to take more South Dakota to Washington.”

(Sioux Falls) – Dr. Blake Curd, Sioux Falls physician and Republican member of the South Dakota State House of Representatives, today announced the filing of his Statement of Candidacy with the Federal Elections Commission for the 2010 election for South Dakota’s At-Large Seat in the United States Congress. Curd, 42, was elected to the State House representing District 12 in Lincoln and Minnehaha counties in 2008, and is an Orthopedic, Hand and Microvascular surgeon practicing in Sioux Falls.

“As a doctor, it is my work to heal sick and injured people every day. As a Congressman, I will work to heal a very sick and injured federal government. These days there is too much Washington in South Dakota. It’s time to take more South Dakota to Washington,” said Curd.

“As South Dakota’s elected Representative I will work to restore our Congress to its intended form, one that listens to and represents the people I am privileged to serve. We cannot mortgage our way to success and prosperity. I will work tirelessly to restore true fiscal responsibility to our nation while ensuring that the federal government does not continue to trample on our freedom and liberty under the ruse of protecting and caring for us. We must curtail pork barrel spending, earmarks, and legislative arrangements that reward the few while hurting the country and South Dakota. We must seriously pursue energy independence. We must promote policies that encourage us to turn to each other for assistance when help is needed and away from increasing dependence on government solutions.”

“For decades Congress has inserted the federal government ever deeper into the lives of our citizens under the guise of assistance and compassion, the result of which has been a gradual yet constant erosion of our freedom and liberty. Congress continues to demonstrate that its appetite is insatiable and is dangerously close to accumulating a debt that America will never be able to repay and shackling future generations with the chains of that irresponsibility. This must end and this must be reversed.”

“Regardless the outcome of the current bills before our Congress, health care will continue to be a significant issue. The Democrats will continue to try and insert government in the personal and private relationships between ourselves and our doctors, dictate what health insurance we must have, and what treatments we can afford. We need people that have fought for patients, fought against disease, fought for what is right when the insurance industry has denied treatment, and stood up to the status quo to improve our health. As a member of Congress I will deliver real experience to health care and promote real solutions that work and are effective.”

“Elections are about choices. I believe the people of South Dakota deserve a choice between the current representation and a fresh new perspective on the federal government and its role in the betterment of the lives of our citizens. I look forward to a vigorous debate on the issues and challenges facing South Dakota with the current representative, Stephanie Herseth Sandlin,” concluded Curd.

Curd served in the United States Air Force, was stationed at Ellsworth AFB for a time, and moved to Sioux Falls in 2001. He and his wife Debbie have been married for 16 years and are the parents of three children. They attend Celebrate Church in Sioux Falls. A full biography of Dr. R. Blake Curd follows, and is available at www.CurdforCongress.com.

###

Bradley Byrne
Biography of R. Blake Curd, M.D.
R. Blake Curd, M.D. is an Orthopedic, Hand, and Microvascular Surgeon practicing at the Orthopedic Institute in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He is the immediate past chairman of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health Center.

Dr. Curd was born to Richard A. and Nancy L. Curd in Atlantic, Iowa, and reared in Omaha, Nebraska and the Greater Kansas City Area. His father served a long and distinguished career in both State and Federal Law Enforcement. His mother was an international entertainer who became a stay at home mom raising Blake and his brother Derek who is an electrical engineer currently living in Niwot, CO.

Curd graduated from the University of Missouri at Kansas City School of Medicine with degrees in Biology, Chemistry, and his Medical Doctorate. He completed an Internship at David Grant Medical Center, Travis AFB, CA and a residency in Orthopedic Surgery at Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland AFB, TX. Curd completed a Fellowship in Hand and Microvascular Surgery at Indiana University and the Indiana Hand Center. He is an Associate Professor for the Sanford School of Medicine.

Curd began his career in the United States Air Force Reserve in 1987. He entered active duty service in 1991 and was honorably discharged with the rank of Major in 2000. Curd was stationed at Travis AFB, CA, Ellsworth AFB, SD, Lackland AFB, TX, and Camp Pendleton, CA. During his time in the service Curd completed his medical training in Orthopedic Surgery and deployed to the Middle East and the Pacific Theater. While stationed at Ellsworth AFB he deployed to Kuwait where he was assigned to a combat search and rescue squadron in support of Operation Southern Watch. As a Flight Surgeon Curd has logged hours in the T-37, T-38, HH-1H Huey helicopter, HH53 Pavelow helicopter, HH55 Pavehawk helicopter, KC-10, KC-135, B1, B52, C130, C5, and C141.

Curd is Chairman of the Board and Interim President of Surgical Management Professionals. He serves as Manager for Medical Facilities USA, and is a member of the Acquisition committee for Medical Facilities Corporation. Curd is a member of the board and current Treasurer for Physician Hospitals of America.

He ran for the South Dakota House of Representatives in 2008 winning a four-way primary in May and was elected to office in the November General Election. He is currently serving his first term in the South Dakota House of Representatives and is on the Local Government and Health Committees.

Blake has been married to Debbie Curd, a registered nurse, for sixteen years. The couple have three children: Elliott, 13, Rilie, 11, and Zachary, 7. The family attends Celebrate Church in Sioux Falls.

Dr. Blake Curd should do well in his efforts against Congresswoman Herseth. Congratulations to him, and good luck.  It appears from the e-mail he’s using the consulting services of Georgia Hansen, who is also involved in Vernon Brown’s mayoral contest.

Contrast this with the announcement that came this AM from Secretary of State Chris Nelson:
 

For Immediate Release:

October 2, 2009

Nelson Announces for United States House of Representatives

Secretary of State Chris Nelson announced today that he will be a candidate in 2010 for the United States House of Representatives.

Nelson said, “The vast majority of decisions currently being made in Washington harm the ability of South Dakotans to prosper financially and live freely. It is time South Dakota elected a congressman who is willing to vote against legislation which deepens the federal debt and votes for a smaller federal government. It is no longer acceptable to push today’s problems off as a mortgage on our children’s future.

“South Dakotans want to prosper in their jobs and their businesses. I want to help that to happen by bringing fiscal responsibility to federal spending and not increasing the tax burden on our citizens. Congress today is considering many kinds of indirect taxes through your employer, your energy supplier, and your purchases. South Dakota’s House member must be willing to stand up and be a strong, representative voice for our state’s families, small businesses and ag producers.

“As South Dakota’s next congressman my votes will be guided by these principles:

· Fiscal responsibility must be a priority – This means not spending money on today’s problems with money which must be repaid by our children and grandchildren.

· The size of the federal government must be reduced – This means managing and regulating by the federal government only as a last resort. Most government functions can be performed more efficiently and effectively by state and local governments.

· A strong defense is vital – The most important function of the federal government is our security.

· Encourage opportunities for economic prosperity – allowing citizens to keep more of what they earn by minimizing taxes and allowing our economy to be fed by private sector growth not the federal government.

“As Secretary of State I have enjoyed serving the people of South Dakota for many years. I understand how to run government efficiently and effectively. I’ve seen how poorly written federal legislation costs taxpayers money. I am eager to bring my experience in running state government to the federal level.

“It is time for the right kind of change in Washington. Change for less borrowing and spending, less government intervention in business and society, and more opportunities for economic prosperity. I want to be part of making that change happen!”

The pair had been previously joined by Thad Wasson.

It's been said that this cycle is one of the most opportune times to be  Republican, and coupled with Congresswoman Herseth being in a period where her campaign account is down from the same time in previous elections, this might be a time where she's going to face more adversity in her electoral efforts.

In previous races, Herseth Sandlin has been notorious for dodging debates and any unscripted opportunities for comparisons against her GOP opponents. With the tenor of the debate in Washington this year, she might not be afforded that opportunity.

GIven the quality of the candidates placed against her, this could the the year the GOP retakes the seat.

This rumor is coming straight out of Pierre today from an extremely reliable source, and it’s not going to be a very welcome message to State Employees.

What I’m hearing is that even with Obama’s bailout, the budget situation at South Dakota State Government is troublesome enough that state employee pay raises are a major items again on the chopping block, and it looks as if state employees will go a second year without a pay raise.

In addition, it looks as if the Governor is also rumored to be proposing to reinstate the same cuts that were flirted with this last year,  such as Birth to 3, and School for the deaf. Of course, with School for the Deaf involved in a lawsuit over it’s mission under the constitution, and B to 3 having a very, very organized constituency, those aren’t the low hanging fruit they once were.

So, as opposed to an across the board departmental budget cut (which is needed), it sounds as if they’re going to pick and choose favorites as they did this past year.

Considering what happened last year – good luck with that.

Of course,  stay tuned to see if any of this holds true.

But as I said – No raises for 2 in a row, and cherry picked budget targets is what I’m hearing.

And in the face of our government spending reality versus reduced income, Obama’s bailout just wasn’t enough.

A good lesson for elected officials to heed as they prepare to go to Pierre this next year. As reported on KELOland.com:

About 78 percent of the voters opposed an opt out Tuesday which would have allowed the county to collect up to $500,000 more in taxes a year for five years. About 21 percent supported it.

and...

Commissioners will meet in a special session Wednesday to finalize a county budget without the additional $500,000. They expect to cut about ten percent from most departments.

Read it all here.

Voters aren't in the mood to buy any tax increases. In this case, to the tune of 79% of them.  Roberts county voters were demanding across the board cuts from already stretched local governments.

Translate this to the greater stage at the state, where state Government has grown by leaps and bounds, in the midst of structural deficit spending.  Any tax or fee increases are going to be met poorly by the electorate, who will likely take out those frustrations on anyone who proposes or votes for them.

So, you guys and gals who are going to Pierre this next session?  You've been warned.

You know, it’s hard to look to the State’s largest newspaper for inspiration when they’re rehashing the same things I wrote about 2-3 weeks ago:

In recent days, state Rep. Dr. Blake Curd of Sioux Falls has shown up on that list, having spread the word that he is a possible player in the race for his party’s nomination for U.S. House.

(read it here) Granted, I didn’t feel the need to ask Joel Rosenthal about it, and Larry Pressler must be out of town, or he would have been asked to weigh in as well.  But it’s still old news at this point.

Twenty years ago, when I started in politics and being a political activist, there were certain writers and columnists who were “must reads” in terms of breaking political news.

Most might have changed homes (in terms of he dead-tree press) by now, but in terms of evolution, only a few have made the transition to blogging. And even fewer are using the digital medium to break stories – and the internet has reached a point where it’s the place where most are looking for their daily dose of political rumors and gossip.

I think it just shows that it’s getting tougher for the print media to keep up with the pace of news in this digital age. Many of those in writing for the papers are finding themselves having to compete, or facing being viewed as candidates for extinction.

Now, most newswriters have their stories on-line out of necessity, or because their parent company has a website, and they need content. But I’d argue only three mainstream political writers in South Dakota use blogs to break stories (and to varying degrees of success).

Kevin Woster was the first, and foremost entrant into the field of blogging with one of the anchors of the SD Blogosphere, Mt. Blogmore. Mt. Blogmore was an absolutely outstanding example of how a mainstream media outlet could use blogging with political and other news to be topical, immediate, and relevant. Along with Bill Harlan and Denise Ross (who has since come over to the dark side, and went strictly on-line with hoghouseblog) they dominated the South Dakota Blogosphere.

Unfortunately, their parent company screwed it all up. With the departure of Ross and Harlan, Mt. Blogmore went from being the best to being neutered, rebranded in a corporate manner, and now can go for days without a post from it’s own writers.  I can’t say I’ve cited it as having breaking news or anything edgy in months (January).    Kevin remains an outstanding writer, but his best tends to be saved for the Rapid City Journal, and not the venerable mount.

Dave Kranz (who I cited above) used to be “the man” and even as recently as 2002, I can rememeber getting up early to find out what he had written because in politics, it was that important.

Ah, but the Argus Leader and blogging.  Never let it be said that our State’s largest newspaper can ever mix with the pajama clad. Dave has had a couple of false starts in blogging as the Argus Leader still can’t make up it’s mind as to whether “Hitler would have a blog,”  or whether everyone in the world should “get published” at the Argus,  so they can try to squeeze a few extra bucks out of on-line advertising to bolster what it’s losing from falling circulation.

I like Dave, and early on his blog had promise, as he’d partially break a story, giving us a teaser on what he was going to write about in the coming days -  enticing us to follow up in the dead tree edition. I know I did. But his Prairie Politics page is an example of how to take the promise and to dash it on the jagged rocks of indifference.

What has been his blog activity as of late? 2 posts on February 3rd. One on May 26th. Then, one each on July 8th and 13th.  That’s it.  I’m not sure why anyone is bothering, and it’s a gross under-utilization of what could be a great and very readable political blog.

Bob Mercer is the latest entrant from the political columnists of the dead-tree press from decades past to take a stab at blogging. So far, a notable exception who is making the transition well, and is now embracing the on-line genre. Bob has been keeping his stuff very fresh, very current and topical. Pure Pierre Politics has a lot of promise. Not every post is a long in depth story – in fact, many are quite short.  But it is consistency that counts and he’s been doing a nice job.

If he can keep it up on a  long term basis, Mercer’s website could be the place to go for breaking mainstream news. The only thing hamstringing him at this point would be the fact you have to register on the site to leave comments – I did it, but it removes the immediacy and impulsiveness that most commenters are looking for.

As the mainstream media continues it’s foray into blogging, there are new entrants from that side of the fence. David Montgomery of the Capitol Journal brought the Cap Journal into the arena with Behind Government Lines. And Seth Tupper at the Mitchell Daily Republic’s blog the Republic Insider has been very good about covering breaking political news.

As the media shifts from a paper focus to on-line, and people are seeking news on less of a fast-food mass media basis, and looking for the personal touch of blogging, it remains to be seen if we can continue teaching some of the old dogs we grew up with all the new tricks.

Stay tuned.

Pat Powers writes mainly over at his home website

dakotawarcollege.com (and forgets to post it here like he should be.)

California is well known for it’s nut production. As well as it’s produce.

And here’s Nancy Pelosi to make sure we all know it.

An uncharacteristically emotional Nancy Pelosi is warning Republicans — and other groups getting whipped up over the health care debate — not to incite unstable supporters who might repeat acts of violence that struck San Francisco in the 1970s.

A top Pelosi aide later confirmed reporters’ suggestions that her statement — a reference to the City Hall murder of gay rights activist Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone in Nov. 1978 — an earth-shattering experience for Bay Area Democrats like the speaker.

and…

Republicans — still upset at Pelosi’s charge that disruptions by town hall protesters were “un-American” — were quick to take issue.

National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Pete Sessions (R-Tx.) is the first House GOPer to take issue with Nancy Pelosi’s contention that the vehemence of anti-health care reform rhetoric could lead to a wave of violence akin to that which hit SF in the ’70s:

“Speaker Pelosi is right that the American people are upset, but it is her own words that continue to fuel voter frustration in America,” Sessions said in a statement sent to POLITICO. “No longer content with criticizing concerned citizens for being ‘un-American,’ the Speaker is now likening genuine opposition to assassination. Such insulting rhetoric not only undermines the credibility of her office, but it underscores the desperate attempt by her party to divert attention away from a failing agenda.”

Read it here.

This is who we have placed in charge of our country. Nut jobs who confuse legitimate political dissent and discontent with violence and assassination.  Feckless politicians who refer to the opposition and protesters as unhinged.  Now, where else have we heard this type of rhetoric recently?

I seem to recall is happening in Iran, where we’re cheering the protesters, and hoping they succeed in political change.

But in our country…….?