On May 8 the Mitchell Chamber of Commerce held a forum for the District 20 Republican primary for state Senate, here is how the Mitchell Daily Republic described it:
Steve Sibson said he was “clearly a conservative challenging a liberal” in the race for the District 20 Republican state Senate nomination.
Sibson’s comment was made during a debate with his opponent, incumbent state Sen. Mike Vehle, R-Mitchell, on Tuesday at Mitchell Technical Institute as part of the Mitchell Area Chamber of Commerce Governmental Affairs Committee forum. The primary election is June 5, and the winner will advance to the Nov. 6 general election. District 20 includes Davison, Aurora and Jerauld counties.
Vehle didn’t respond directly to the “liberal” charge but said there is “clearly” a difference between him and Sibson. Vehle referenced Sibson’s advocacy for giving stimulus money back to the federal government, which Vehle said would have been foolish.
Amazing that Vehle is concerned about losing some of the $1.7 billion in federal funding. Afterall, it was only $1.1 billion in 2008, the year Obama was elected president. Since then the federal debt has increased 50%. And that is also how much South Dakota's share has increased. Anybody care about the children that will be saddled with this debt.
Early on there was a question regarding what it means to be a Republican, since this was a Republican primary. I had already mentioned the South Dakota Republican Platform during my introduction that starts with this:
The South Dakota Republican Party believes that the fundamental principles of the Republican Party are rooted in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of South Dakota.
I have been handing out copies of the Declaration and the Constitution of the United States during my campaigns. I also mentioned the economic development policy of promoting a fair and competitive free market that allows all to have opportunity. I mentioned that the SDGOP leadership economic policies has been using government to pick winners and losers and have been violating this Platform position. I have also noticed that the link to the platform no longer works. Wonder why?
Here is what the paper said about our opening remarks:
Vehle commented on his role in tackling issues in the state Legislature in his opening statement.
“Do we always agree? No. Is it always easy? No. But a majority of the people always come to an agreement on the major issues,” he said. “I think that’s the way we should continue to operate.”
In his opening statement, Sibson said his principles come from the Bible, the state constitution and the Declaration of Independence.
“This is what united our country at the very beginning, and this is what will unite us now,” Sibson said.
So Vehle thinks unity is going to the left, and I believe unity will be accomplished if we stay with traditional conservative principles. Now let is apply our fundamental beliefs to the issues:
As part of a series of questions from local media and audience members, the potential nominees were asked their stance on state funding for education.
“Teachers need to be paid more,” Sibson said. “Teachers are not the problem.”
Although Sibson agreed a merit-pay system could work, he did not support the system included in the teaching-reforms bill passed during the last legislative session.
Vehle said the recently passed teaching legislation could be adjusted as several committees work to study the impact of the reforms.
“All those folks are going to be looking at this thing that we passed,” he said. “That should give us a better idea of where we’re going.”
Funny that Vehle refused to defend the education policy he voted for. If he was really that unsure of the policy, why did he vote for it? Next issue:
When asked if there was any legislation the potential nominees would like to see reintroduced, Vehle brought up the failed proposal to ban texting while driving.
“It is difficult to enforce,” Vehle said, but added that once a law is passed, he believes the vast majority of people will obey.
Sibson said he hoped the Legislature will again move to resist aspects of federal health care reform.
Why isn't the healthcare issue discussed more? Why didn't the paper mention my revelation that the SDGOP is currently implementing insurance exchanges, the core to Obamacare? Next issue:
Both candidates were asked to give a letter grade to the Legislature for its work during the last session.
Sibson, who said the Republican dominated Legislature did not stick to its core principles, gave the legislature a C.
He added that he felt large corporations were having too great an impact on South Dakota’s politicians. “Global corporations are telling the governor what to do,” Sibson said. “That’s the globalists telling South Dakota you need to be part of a global economy.”
Sibson then claimed Vehle was taking “marching orders” from the Council of State Governments, which Vehle quickly denied.
Too bad that I could not get in the fact the Vehle's City Manager proposal for Mitchell originated out of the CSG. Instead the paper tried to give the CSG credibility:
The CSG is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that works with state governments across the United States.
Vehle gave the most recent legislative session a B-plus.
“I think we took on some tough issues. We didn’t dodge them,” he said. “It was tough to make cuts, but we did and we balanced the budget.”
In his closing remarks, Sibson once again brought up Vehle’s association with the CSG, which Sibson said celebrates both a “Canada night” and “Mexico night.”
“That sounds like a global new world order to me, doesn’t it to you folks?” Sibson asked of the audience.
Too bad this wasn't included in the report:
The CSG-WEST legislative membership of 13 western states benefits from its associate memberships with the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia and the Pacific islands of American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam, and benefits from its collaborative partnerships with the border states of Mexico.
...
The U.S.-Mexico State Alliance Partnership is a collaborative, multi-branch program aimed at strengthening cooperation among state officials and institutions of both countries. The Partnership promotes and convenes binational exchanges among border legislators, attorneys general, treasurers, Lt. Governors and other officials to enhance the role of state officials to address shared public policy concerns that transcend international borders.
REGISTER NOW for the CSG-WEST 65th annual meeting to be held in Edmonton, Alberta July 20 -23, 2012. Meeting and hotel registration are available.
CSG-WEST is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that brings Western state legislators together to share best policy practices, cooperate on regional issues and engage in professional development training. Several hundred people are expected to attend the annual meeting, drawing together elected officials from Western states and the Pacific region.
The meeting theme is “Western Frontiers – On the Edge of Innovation”. Delegates will meet with legislators from across the West, attend policy and professional development sessions, and see firsthand Alberta’s innovative approaches to industry, education, transportation and research.
Take advantage of professional development sessions as well as robust policy discussions on critical western issues such as energy, natural resources, water, health, fiscal affairs, western economic development and demographic trends in the western states.
Experience authentic western Canadian hospitality with policy toursof Alberta Industrial Heartland Association, Edmonton Waste Management Centre (EWMC), EPCOR Genesee 3 Supercritical Power Facility, Food Processing Development Centre, Quest Carbon Capture and Storage Project, and discover Alberta’s spirit of innovation.
Not exactly the American organization that the MDR mislead its readers on. Clearly sounds more like a promoter of a North American Union.
But the best part of my closing was not reported. While answering a question on how do we bring people to South Dakota I made a joke about increasing global warming. If we have more winters like the last one, it will be a lot easier to bring people to South Dakota. Vehle played off that point by saying he downplays South Dakota winters and tells people it is no worse than Minneapolis. During my research last year on the City Manager issue, I remembered bragging about using South Dakota blizzards to justify tax increases to his CSG buddies. So during the closing I brought up this:
South Dakota’s ‘Perfect Storm’ Blows in a Fee Increase
One of the lawmakers featured in the brief is South Dakota State Sen. Mike Vehle, who chairs the Senate Transportation Committee in Pierre and who is a member of CSG’s Transportation Policy Task Force. While Vehle was unsuccessful in his effort to raise his state’s 22 cent-a-gallon tax by 6 cents over two years, the legislature did approve an increase in license tag fees that will help fund maintenance of county, township and municipal roads and bridges.
...
Vehle describes the confluence of events that allowed the measure to succeed even over the Governor’s veto as a “perfect storm.”
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Vehle said throughout the winter as the measure was considered in committee and on the floor of the House and Senate, the snow falling outside provided a constant reminder.
“Everyone knows when all this snow melts it’s going to make those local roads even worse,” he said.
...
Vehle summed up what it took to get the bill done this way: “Especially in these times, if you want to increase funding [tax increases], you must establish a real and recognizable need [create a faux crisis], get solid grassroots support [through propaganda and deception], and then get lucky and have a perfect storm.”
Typical liberal to pass tax increases on to those rural citizens who are not receiving adequate service from their government during a period where their spending went for $3 billion (in the year Obama was elected) to $4 billion. So where is that money going? To set up the South Dakota to be controlled by the central planners of the global economy. It was Bob Mercer who disclosed that the CSG and the National Governors Association receives funding from the corporate plutocracy. I wonder how many of Vehle's globalist elitist friends in the CSG would want to move to South Dakota after he trashed us?
And then there is a letter from Sen. Mike Vehle to South Dakota Association of Towns And Townships Lobbyist, Richard Howard:
I too am still somewhat amazed at the success. I feel it was somewhat a perfect storm. We had been relentlessly plugging this for over 3 years with good reason and good facts, that showed a definite need that begged to be fixed. The snow kept falling as we debated it and everyone knew this year's spring thaw was going to make matters worse. County, Township, and Municipal folks contacted their legislators, saying now was the time. Most of the general public when asked, sheepishly admitted their license tag fees were cheap, and would pay more for better roads. This, along with some legislators that knowing we had to do something someday. I had several, who had been past opponents, that as I was explaining it to them said "OK Vehle, you've finally convinced me, I'll vote for it!" Having a respected Democrat farmer sponsor to started the bill was also a great move on your part. He was able to either get farm organizations support or neutralize their opposition. The Governor's office failing to appear to oppose the bill in the House Transportation Committee (no matter what the reason) was a stroke of luck also. The old adage "the harder we work the luckier we get" along with the perfect storm scenario all helped. And you were pulling the levers on a lot of parts of that storm.
THANKS for all your undaunted and persistent continued hard work. It sure paid off and we were fortunate to have you as the quarterback. Everyone knew yours was a labor of love, not just a "hired gun". Your sincere tenacity paid off.
THANKS AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING, YOU DESERVE
MORE CREDIT THAN FOLKS KNOW ! ! !
P.S. As you well know, we're not done yet, so we'll need you along for the rest of the ride!!!
Amazing how Vehle is in with the hired gun government lobbyist that uses a Democratic legislator to pass tax increases. The "rest of the ride" is more tax increases. Vehle said in February that he won't try and pass tax increases during an election year. His liberal tax and spend interior would be too exposed as his Republican clothes begin to wear thin. Clearly the District 20 seat has not been represented by a true conservative Republican over the last four years.
Why are you so frightened of a global economy, Mr. Sibby? It is coming, like a boogey man in your closet.
Posted by: grudznick | May 26, 2012 at 04:59 PM