September 2008

Freedom of speech stifled at council meetings

l3wis September 2, 2008 13Comments

Published in the Argus Leader

Scott L. Ehrisman • Sioux Falls • September 2, 2008

American citizens have a constitutional right to free speech. The First Amendment guarantees that right, and no state, municipal or parliamentary procedure rules, ordinances or charters trump the U.S. Constitution. It is the highest law of the land, and only the U.S. Supreme Court can rule otherwise.

I want to commend many city staffers and a few councilors for promoting transparency in government, especially City Clerk Debra Owen and Councilor Kermit Staggers. This city is fortunate to have them working for us.

Sioux Falls Mayor Dave Munson, however, is testing the Constitution and specifically the First Amendment by citing bogus parliamentary procedure at recent City Council meetings.

Any citizen in Sioux Falls or even in the metropolitan area is allowed to address the council on any topic before the start of regular business at a council meeting. Munson asks citizens to adhere to a five-minute rule for that testimony, but this is merely a courteous rule – not a constitutional one. Yet Munson has timed me and several other citizens to the second and cut us off exactly at the five-minute mark whether we are done testifying or not. He even has used a plain clothes police officer to intimidate citizens. In fact, the last time I spoke, the officer followed me to my chair and hovered over me briefly.

The use of intimidation to end testimony is a possible violation of the First Amendment and should not be tolerated. As long as a citizen does not threaten elected officials or use inflammatory language, officials must allow the person to finish his or her grievances whether they agree or not.

I’m sure Munson’s actions against free speech stem from his bloated capital improvement plan budget that is 14 percent higher than last year’s and his unbridled drive to increase retail taxes during a slowing economy. Many citizens have voiced their concerns about the amount of pork for special interests contained in the budget and the need for a tax cut – not an increase.

This lame duck mayor is trying to squelch criticism before the larger citizenry catches wind of his budgetary abuses and the Sept. 8 vote on the retail tax increase. One citizen even pointed out the capital improvement plan budget hearings were mysteriously not rebroadcast on CityLink.

Last I checked, Mr. Mayor, Sioux Falls still falls under the rule of the Constitution. Please stop censoring your critics at public meetings. It just makes you appear thin-skinned and arrogant.

If you can’t take a little criticism from the people who pay your salary, you need to resign.

South DaCola’s Brown Bag Philosophy

l3wis September 2, 2008 0Comments

Vote Dykstra – Mr. Conflict of interest

l3wis September 1, 2008 1Comments

From the SD Peace & Justice Center:

SDPJC supports environmentally sustainable development and farming, it is important to note we are concerned with the professional resume of U.S. Senate candidate Joel Dykstra: (see bio at the bottom which notes his expertise in the “ongoing national debate on alternative fuel sources”—what debate??)

Joel Dykstra—Professional Experience:
Business Consultant, present
Manager, Adams Thermal Systems, 2004-present

Chief Executive Officer, South Dakota Ag Producer Ventures, 2000-2004 (This was one of the first investment companies that brought out-of-state CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations) to SD –mostly dairies and some hogs. He was instrumental early on in Ag United, a CAFO promoter.)

Business Development Director/Realtor, Hegg Companies, 1999-2000

Chief Executive Officer, London and Scottish Marine Oil Company
Italy, 1995-1999 (This one blew me away, especially since he was on Gov. Rounds energy task force from 2004-2005!)

International Business Coordinator, London and Scottish Marine Oil
Company plc, London, 1990-1995.
Organizations:
Member, South Dakota State University Anaerobic Digester Project (this is the waste management system for CAFOs)
Advisory Board, 2006-present
Member, Canton Rotary Club, 2000-present
Council Member/Deacon, Redeemer Free Lutheran Church, 1999-present.

Caucuses/Non-Legislative Committees:
Assistant Majority Leader, South Dakota State House of
Representatives, 2004-present
Chair, Economic Development Coordination Advisory Board, 2004-present
Board Member, Genesis of Innovation for South Dakota Advisory Board,
2002-present
Secretary, Canton Economic Development Corporation, 2000-present
Board Member, Lincoln County Economic Development Association, 2000-
present
Co-Chair/Member, Governor’s Energy Task Force, 2004-2005.

Joel graduated from Canton High School in 1976, and earned his
Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa. Oklahoma. Joel spent his early career in the oil and gas industry. He spent 10 years as a Petroleum Landman for the U.S. subsidiaries of British oil companies based in Tulsa, OK. He accepted a promotion to the head office of LASMO, plc, in London, England, where he served as the International Business Coordinator for five years. He was then appointed CEO of LASMO’s Italian subsidiary in Rome, Italy – a position he held for four years before returning to his home state of South Dakota.

I guess Abstinence Education doesn’t work

l3wis September 1, 2008 11Comments

Rumors about Palin’s son Trigg have been debunked, but that doesn’t mean Sarah isn’t gonna be a grandma.

Oh Boy!

Of course McSame blames viscious bloggers. Um, okay.

Apparently I live in the bottom of a barrel

l3wis September 1, 2008 7Comments

But at least I don’t post this kind of crap on my site.

I took down the post about Palin’s pregnancy story of her last child. BUT, no one from the McCain campaign has debunked this story yet, instead they are in hiding because Hurricane Gustav must be so powerful it is going to hit St. Paul. Give me a break.

But I heard another storm is on its way. . . scary!

Do you live at the bottom of the barrel? – Pastor(?) Steve DooHickey