We have an important election coming up in November. There are two major ballot initiatives, one has to do with raising taxes the other has to do with education. I have concerns about how our elections have been handled over the past couple of years. I have a lot of questions, and not a lot of answers.
Let’s start from the beginning;
• A Sioux Falls mayoral election in which Staggers was victorious in the general and mysteriously 6,000 new voters showed up to the polls a few weeks later in the runoff helping Huether to clinch victory.
• Minnehaha County Auditor Bob Litz proudly displaying Build It Now signs in his yard until chided by me, an Argus reporter and another concerned citizen to remove the signs, in which he conceded.
• Sioux Falls City Clerk Debra Owen terminated just weeks before the crucial Events Center special election.
• Record turnout for a special election approving the new Events Center.
• Rumors of registered voters living outside of the city limits voting in the Events Center election using old Sioux Falls addresses (I heard of at least two instances where a voter lived in Canton, and one lived in Minnesota – blatant voter fraud).
• Jason Gant getting elected Secretary of State campaigning on a faux issue about the Feds taking over our elections. (This has been proven to be unsubstantiated).
• Secretary of State Gant trying to change rules without the consent of his special committee.
• A move towards e-polling and super precincts in Sioux Falls (I am all for e-polling, but I do not agree with super precincts. We live in a democracy, voting should be as easy as possible and ‘saving money’ should never be used as an excuse to use super precincts).
• Recent municipal election ballots running out. A seemingly dismissive city clerk and a silent School District employee with no real explanation. There wasn’t even an informal investigation by the SOS’s office that I heard of anyway.
• SOS’s operations manager possibly moonlighting as a campaign consultant, and once revealed makes an internet link joke about it.
As you can see, a lot of questions, not a lot of answers. I am only a volunteer blogger, I can’t find the answers to these questions on my own, our MSM needs to start digging.
BANNING TEXTING
I also am suspicious of the recent coalition that is proposing an ordinance change concerning banning texting in Sioux Falls, side stepping the state legislature. Does anyone find it a coincidence that the Mayor is good friends with one of the coalition’s members (Rob Oliver). I speculate this is a move to test the waters of our Home Rule charter by the mayor himself. Why isn’t this powerful group of individuals organizing a petition drive to get it on the November ballot for a statewide ban. And when the group’s leader, Rich Lauer was asked about the state’s involvement during the public services meeting, he was clueless as to why the state has failed to pass a ban (in other words they didn’t even attempt to explore that option).
Chief Barthel had concerns about the ordinance, he also had SFPD Captain Steve Haney, chair of a safe driving task force in Sioux Falls speak about his concerns. Something that stuck out in his testimony was that ‘Distracted Driving’ isn’t recognized by the state when filling out an accident report (I think that is what he was referring to) and says that state law has to change to fix that (as I mentioned above, there needs to be a petition drive to put this on the state ballot).
So why do I think the mayor is testing the waters? This is a perfect issue that could easily pass the council. Everyone agrees texting while driving is idiotic. What the mayor and council need to do though is learn from history. The city has lost 3 cases already in reference to the Home Rule charter and it’s power. It’s not a constitutional document. Daily vs. The City of Sioux Falls, the red light camera case and the city trying to regulate video lottery are prime examples of why the Home Rule charter cannot trump state law. The Public Services committee needs to table this proposal and send a clear message to the mayor’s office that it is not within the city’s power to regulate traffic laws, as Haney pointed out, that should be the state’s objective.
This post covers a lot of territory. This post makes you step back and ask why business school students should ever be allowed to be elected to an office of public trust.
Business schools are places where you learn how to skirt rules to make money, in other words how do I push the envelope, not get arrested and make a big paycheck. ALA Jamie Dimon, sub-prime Mike, Gant, PP, Karsky, salesmen and other types who are taught to engage their mouths before thinking.
Almost everything you mentioned in this post reeks of unconstitutional or at least unethical actions. Business schools do not teach the principles of fair play or the need for the constitution. B-Schools only teach how to get by with something so you can generate profits for the owners.
When we elect business people to positions of power over us, few ask how they plan to put into action all the things they are planning. The mass of people will say, “Oh look how much money they made, they will do the same for us”. “If they made so much money , they must be able to do the same for ‘X’ office”. Look at all the failures we accumulated during the Bush – Cheney years or 1920’s to prove the point. Elective office in the USA is not a license to run it as a dictatorship like a business in theory is. The owner or CEO of a business is a dictator in a kingdom. Top down rule versus a democracy being a messy bottom-up, the people own and rule by the vote.
Just like sub-prime Mike, they have a lot of money and friends in high places to accomplish the dirty stuff so they look good, with deniability to the bad. Look at Romney’s bullying past, slippery stands on issues and his ability to always get what he wants, because he is from money. Money gave him privileges most will never see and a past he can change with a daily press release.
With no broad understanding of the Constitution, these business / sales people will trample the people’s rights guaranteed by our founding fathers. Bush, Cheney, TeaBaggers and other constitutionally weak people often condemn those of us who care about our basic rights.
Look at the victor in the Indiana GOP Senate primary this past week, he believes we should not be able to vote for the holder of senate seats any longer. This would return them to heredity seats again where a family could own them, then the holder would not have to get their hands dirty by touching the citizens. Today’s business environment encourages vast distance between the people and the business leader / politician. Voting in the eyes of this group must be returned to the wealthy property owner.
We have Gant is installed to make it happen in South Dakota, sub-prime Mike is doing his part in Sioux Falls, and Litz has the auditor’s office to make sure the loop is closed. Each of these levels does its part to make the take over ‘legal’ by the laws the masters created. Until the people wake up and demand change at all levels, we will continue to see our rights trampled and voices never to be heard again.
No right on red. Baloney. Stop and yield first. Perfectly legal.
I have been feeling deeply suspicious about our election processes since 2008.
Remember how the voter polls in various states were so far off? I mean the ones taken of the voters as they left the polling places. Repub voices quickly piped up that the polls were deeply flawed, people were lying to the pollsters, etc.
But I remember that Diebold promised the Repubs they would make sure Repubs won. It certainly appears Diebold did exactly that.
Those voter polls have a remarkably accurate history. They didn’t suddenly become inaccurate. Nor did the voters themselves suddenly start lying.
Our election processes all across the nation are being systematically corrupted on all levels.
We must raise less corn and more hell!!!!
(I forgot what women activist said that in the 1950s?)
D.E. Bishop, the Diebold promise was made face to face in front of an Ohio crowd, directly to GW Bush in 2004.
This elitist moron (Huether) NEEDS to be recalled or thrown out of office. This guy is a corrupt, self-serving jackass who has ZERO respect for the citizens of this city. Not to mention contaminating our DRINKING water supply (Big Sioux) was brilliant you power intoxicated less than human peice of garbage!! Bet you and yours have a pantry full of bottled spring water, don’t ya Huether?
Strong words. I wouldn’t say he is a jackass or a piece of garbage, but he is an elitist that is out of touch of people. I also agree dumping sewage into the river and even into the city streets was disgusting and irresponsible. When I saw images of sanitary napkins and toilet paper in the streets, I just about hurled. I don’t entirely blame Huether for that, I do agree that if they would not have done that, there would have been a lot of shit in people’s basements, literally. Munson and Hanson neglected infrastructure and Huether is trying to play catchup. What Huether doesn’t know is that instead of bonding for an EC we should be spending that money on catching up on our sewers and water system.
But to the point of the post, I don’t trust him, I think he is trying to manipulate the Home Rule charter and I have suspicians about our elections.
I totally don’t get the texting ban. No one supports it except for a few hobbyists!
A bit off topic – but not reall and even scarier – did you see the new State Law allowing the State to peek in on your ‘meds’ if they are ‘investigating’? I read the article on the front page of that paper that charges to visit their website.
No subpoena needed – no explanation needed. Any cop can just get in and see what prescriptions you or your family members use? Did MMM help draft that law too?
There’s been enough local elections infraction that the state should become involved with poll monitors and follow-up investigation.
‘guest citizen’ is angry. Unfortunately, there’s no way to recall the mayor. Provisions were taken out of city ordinances. Huether is an absolute dictator who can overrule the council and rig elections.
Heil Huether!
Like Hitler, he’ll be overcome only when state/federal allies storm the steps of the Sioux River.