South Dakotans prefer openness? Yah think?

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I hope judge Caldwell and Roger Hunt take a good hard look at this survey;

By a 3-to-1 ratio, South Dakotans say campaign finance disclosure laws, such as the one state Rep. Roger Hunt skirted in 2006, provide valuable information for voters. The minority say those laws violate a donor’s right to free speech.

The problem I have with the Hunt case is that it wasn’t about ‘free speech’. What I do on this blog is considered ‘free speech’ what Hunt did is considered ‘money laundering’. I still think he got away with a crime. If you feel passionately enough about an issue to give $750,000 to it, the voters have the right to know who gave that money. That is what I consider ‘free speech’.

In one question, 75.4 percent agreed or strongly agreed that disclosure laws provide valuable information for voters, while 20.2 percent disagreed or strongly disagreed.

In another, participants were asked which view was closer to their own position on the effect of disclosure laws: that they provide valuable information or they violate free speech. Valuable information won 72.4 percent to 22.8 percent.

I think this was worded incorrectly. Like I said above, I don’t think providing your name when you donate to a political cause is violating your free speech rights. You have a choice, you can remain anon and not give the money, no one is forcing you to give up your name, unless you donate the money. Voters have a right to know, in all fairness, who is donating to these causes. I always find it ironic that neo-cons never mention free speech rights when they are being publicly protested, only when it is helping their cause.

Not so fast

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As I suspected, your constitutional rights CAN be suspended when you are convicted of a felony. Judge Delaney explains his sentence and first amendment rights in the Newland case;

The advocacy ban was an infringement on Newland’s First Amendment rights. Delaney doesn’t deny that. But neither does he consider it more onerous or any less appropriate than many other infringements imposed as part of felony sentences.

The random searches Newland faces in the next year would be violations of his constitutional rights, but for the felony plea. Felons can face otherwise unconstitutional firearms restrictions and the right to associate with certain people or go to certain establishments, Delaney said.

“We restrict speech as well in a lot of protection orders, or in divorces, where in some cases the parties’ freedom to speak to one another may be limited,” he said

I don’t agree with limiting someone’s free speech, BUT, the judge makes a good point, felons often have many rights limited when they are on probation. It would be much worse for Bob if he was sitting in jail.

Once again, the Argus Liar only prints what they want….

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I don’t understand why they didn’t just print Katrina’s whole letter.

I assume it’s because the AL editorial staff has some hidden agenda to suppress dissent and criticism.

Here is Kat’s piece in it’s entirety.

Governor Rounds set goals in the 2010 Initiative to double visitor spending and develop SD’s quality of life as one of the best in the nation.   Without the foundation of the South Dakota Arts Council, how will these goals be met?  Cultural tourism revenues and the creation and development of vibrant, creative, economically progressive communities is a residual effect of government support of the arts. 

 

I was one of those Gen-Xers that wanted to get away from the rural life of South Dakota as soon as I graduated from SDSU.  That was, until I discovered that I could find a career in the arts here. 

 

I’ve worked for a non-profit arts organization for the last eight years that receives a grant from the South Dakota Arts Council.  Each time my organization produces an event our patrons and vendors positively impact the state through sales tax revenues. 

 

A report from Americans for the Arts shows that as of January 2008, South Dakota is home to 1,287 arts-related businesses that employ 6,368 people and it is estimated that these businesses and arts workers create a local economic impact of $48 million.  

 

The foundation that the SD Arts Council provides my organization keeps one more young person in this state to pay taxes, buy a home and start a family.

 

My life is a microcosm of the trickle-down effect of how funding the SD Arts Council benefits our communities.

 

I’m tired of the argument that funding the arts is frivolous and meaningless.  Ideas like this are millions of miles away from the reality of how government funding of the arts truly does benefit us all, not only intrinsically, but in regard to our economy.