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“Enemies of the State” Kill Tapio’s Anti-Islam Resolution; Joint Rule 5-11.1 Kills Reconsideration

According to Neal Tapio, the following nineteen South Dakota Senators are enemies of the state:

Sen. Neal Tapio addresses 19 "enemies of the state" in the South Dakota Senate, 2018.02.06 (screen cap from SDPB).
Sen. Neal Tapio addresses 19 “enemies of the state” in the South Dakota Senate, 2018.02.06 (screen cap from SDPB).
  1. Justin Cronin
  2. Bob Ewing
  3. Jason Frerichs
  4. Terri Haverly
  5. Troy Heinert
  6. Craig Kennedy
  7. Kevin Killer
  8. Jack Kolbeck
  9. Kris Langer
  10. Reynold Nesiba
  11. Ernie Otten
  12. Jeff Partridge
  13. Deb Peters
  14. Arthur Rusch
  15. Deb Soholt
  16. Alan Solano
  17. Billie Sutton
  18. Larry Tidemann
  19. Jim White

Those nineteen Senators voted against Senator Tapio’s Senate Concurrent Resolution 13, his latest abuse of the Legislative process to generate campaign propaganda for himself and his vile Trumpism. Before this afternoon’s debate, Tapio’s Congressional campaign released a statement declaring “anyone, any organization, business or political candidate who fails to support the resolution is by omission declaring themselves an apologist for radical Islam, an enemy of the state.”

Even Greg Belfrage thinks Tapio’s fascist rhetoric deserves a one-word response: “Nuts!

But what if we took Tapio’s words seriously? A majority of the South Dakota Senate are enemies of the state. What are we supposed to do about that, Neal? If you really believe what you are saying, that nineteen of your duly elected colleagues are terrorist sympathizers engaging in hostilities with the United States (that’s the legal definition of “enemy”, and it’s supposed to exclude American citizens), what action should we patriots take? Expel them from the Legislature… or from the state? Lock ’em up? Send them to the camps—or maybe just your house on Lake Kampeska—for reëducation until you decide they’ve become loyal Americans again?

Perhaps their only punishment will be having to listen to Tapio bloviate for another day over this matter on the Senate floor. Tapio said he will move to reconsider SCR 13 tomorrow. The delusion, otiosity, and vanity of this move is rank. Concurrent resolutions waste enough time on one pass: legislators play debating society, they cast meaningless votes, and then they move on to real business. By asking to spend a second day on his little word game, Tapio wastes the Legislature’s time just to stroke his own political ambitions. The only thing he will achieve is the opportunity to spend this evening and Wednesday morning ignoring his real Senate duties (Senate Health and Human Services meets at 10 a.m. to discuss telehealth, opioids, and massage therapy regulations) and trying to rally the bigoted followers Tapio is trying to inspire to join his fearful crusade for Congress.

Tapio’s brownshirts probably don’t care about parliamentary order, but Senate President Matt Michels does. If he reviews Joint Rule 5-11.1, President Michels will recall that “No question may be reconsidered except the final disposition of bills and joint resolutions and the override of vetoes.” Tapio’s measure is a concurrent resolution. He cannot move to reconsider SCR 13. He’s had the one debate he’s entitled to. He’s now done.

I hate to engage Tapio on this waste of Legislative time. Tapio’s willingness to use the vile tactic of labeling people who disagree with him “enemies of the state” (yes, this should sound disgustingly familiar) tempts me to rally all of my fellow patriotic “enemies of the state” to call and e-mail to stiffen the spines of our 19 sensible Senators. But perhaps we can settle for calling Lieutenant Governor and Senate President Matt Michels and reminding him that Senator Tapio’s motion to reconsider is, like Tapio’s ethics, out of order.

9 Comments

  1. grudznick 2018-02-06 21:29

    Messrs. Cronin, Nesiba, and White are nearly identical triplets. I think Mr. Tapio is insaner than most, but he might be right about lumping those 3 mayhem wreaking compadres into his fear list. Track those fellows votes together as the sessions continue. I think a pattern will emerge.

  2. Darin Larson 2018-02-06 21:50

    As time marches on and the history behind the origins of WWII becomes even less well known, the question has been asked how Germany could allow the rise to power of Hitler and the Nazis. With the rise of Trumpism and its adherents, we can certainly see the shadows in our country of what enveloped Germany in the 1930’s. Fortunately, our country is not in the depths of depression, rampant unemployment, and the after-effects of WWI.

    For Trump and Tapio to find a receptive audience in certain parts of our populace during relatively prosperous times without a major war, economic upheaval or mass social disruptions illustrates what could happen in the event of more extreme events in our country’s future. That is what is scary about Trump and Tapio.

  3. Kurt Evans 2018-02-07 00:28

    Cory writes:

    Before this afternoon’s debate, Tapio’s Congressional campaign released a statement declaring “anyone, any organization, business or political candidate who fails to support the resolution is by omission declaring themselves an apologist for radical Islam, an enemy of the state.”

    Here’s the rest of the sentence from Tapio’s website:

    … an apologist for radical Islam, an enemy of the state and de facto supporter of and accomplice to violent jihad on American soil.

    http://www.nealtapio.com/2018/02/05/tapio-introduces-resolution-formally-linking-fundamentalist-islam-terrorism-continues-fight/

    The same page of Tapio’s website quotes him as follows:

    America stands on the Judeo-Christian traditions of freedom and liberty.

    I’m a member of the executive committee of the Constitution Party of South Dakota. Our organization took no position on Tapio’s resolution. His assertion that Constitution Party members are therefore “declaring themselves” an “accomplice to violent jihad on American soil” isn’t true. He’s bearing false witness against us. According to Christ’s teachings (and the “Judeo-Christian traditions” associated with them), that’s a sin. Tapio is misrepresenting Christ’s teachings.

  4. Cory Allen Heidelberger Post author | 2018-02-07 08:41

    Darin, interesting: the best insulation to Tapio/Trump fascism seems to be a healthy economy and absence of other crisis. But economic and political stability seems to improve Trump’s chances of reëlection in 2020. Which way does the Trump/Tapio cookie crumble?

  5. Cory Allen Heidelberger Post author | 2018-02-07 08:43

    Good point, Kurt. Tapio demands active allegiance, or you’re an enemy. By sitting out and taking no position, the Constitution Party is just another enemy of the state. I hope you will press you point with your fellow party members and get them to actively oppose Tapio’s rhetorical-thug tactics.

  6. Dana P 2018-02-07 08:45

    Glad this went down the toilet bowl —- but to see that Tapio had 16 folks (yes, we are looking you Stace) that went down this nut job path is quite frightening.

  7. Rorschach 2018-02-07 10:01

    The crap Crapio spews is just a burp following his lunch.

  8. Jenny 2018-02-07 10:13

    Yes Stace, why the hell do you want to be known as a nut follower of Crapio?

Comments are closed.