The executive board of South Dakota Progress met in Aberdeen on Thursday. Chair Katrina Wilke and board members Michael Hanson, mrc Miller (no, really, lowercase—that’s the way mrc likes it), and Lorri May got together at the Eagles Club here in the Hub City to continue planning their efforts to help local and legislative candidates win in the 2016 elections, as well as to meet with Brown County Democrats to plan further social revolution (or at least mild victories for justice, sanity, and good government in South Dakota).
Among the highlights of the SDP discussion was planning for candidate training. South Dakota Progress has a tested candidate curriculum picked out, based on material used in the past by South Dakota Democracy in Action. Keeping with SDP’s mission to focus on helping Democrats win local elections rather than promoting specific issues, the candidate curriculum focuses on nuts and bolts: rolling out the campaign, communicating, raising money, and getting out the vote.
South Dakota Progress intends to host a number of candidate training sessions around South Dakota in the run-up to the 2016 campaign. Currently the plan is to offer a big training event in Rapid City for candidates and campaign helpers who’d like to learn more about the rules of running and winning in South Dakota, plus a number of smaller events in towns where interest pops up.
But first, SDP needs to train its trainers. SDP will host that training on October 11 in Rapid City. Then, candidates, get ready to go to school and learn how to win!
If you’re interested in getting some SDP support for your campaign, give Katrina Wilke a shout. Or visit with the SDP executive board at their next meeting on Sunday, August 30, in Madison.
Liberals, “Don’t you love that name?” ~ SOUTH DAKOTA PROGRESS ~ How refreshing in the face of the “mean spirited” nature of THE repressive and dominant political party.
So any of the SDP folks have experience with Camp Wellstone?
I’ve noticed that some of South Dakota Progress members are actively supporting Bernie Sanders for President, will they be endorsing democratic candidates during the primary season?
“South Dakota Progress has a tested candidate curriculum picked out, based on material used in the past by South Dakota Democracy in Action.”
All the talk about a new way to rebuild seems a lot like the old losing ways of the past.
The Blindman
Why South Dakota Progress needs a reason to live remains a mystery.
Larry,
Why should you care? Didn’t you give the South Dakota Democratic Party a 24 hour ultimatum or you withdraw your support and vile attacks on their behalf would start supporting the Libertarian Party? Your a Libertarian now right? :)
I’m sure there were a number of South Dakota Dems and Independents celebrating after those 24 hours were up. lol
You’re, not your, you stupid cow.
” You’re, not your, you stupid cow.”
There we go that’s the Larry Kurtz everyone knows and who is a clear liability to efforts the Democrats have here in South Dakota and will cause a great deal of division and increase even more the chance of defeat by supporting very bad public policy
Charlie Hoffman had to ban you from his twitter feed “Everyone I have ever been forced to block is a pot head.”
Charlie Hoffman lives in the shadow of a real spine and South Dakota will always settle for 51st.
Regardless of Charlie’s political views do they justify such vile and obscene attacks and you claim to represent South Dakota Democrats? You have been a liability for a long time. Too long!
Hey keep doing what your doing since your doing a really swell job and watch year after year things getting worse up here while you can toke up down there in New Mexico.
Charlie is an idiot of biblical proportions like his governor is.
Prepare to be boarded, South Dakota.
Your a Libertarian now right? Remember the 24 hour ultimatum and threatening to delete The Dakota Progressive make believe blog or were those threats basically ramblings in a pot smoke filled room?
Larry, would you pls chime in on an argument I am trying to make in another post about equality. They are not easy answers but equality is supposed to be a good thing. At times I think you could be more honest and patient rather than provoke like a 6th grade military brat.
As a Libertarian you can hang out with your pals Kurt Evans, our mutual friend Bob Newland, Chad Haber, Ryan Gaddy, Annette Bosworth, Lee Stranahan, and more. It would be a great fit for you!
Lynn wrote to Larry Kurtz:
>“As a Libertarian you can hang out with your pals Kurt Evans, our mutual friend Bob Newland, Chad Haber, Ryan Gaddy, Annette Bosworth, Lee Stranahan, and more. It would be a great fit for you!”
I’m actually an independent (small-L) libertarian now, Lynn, but one cool thing about the Libertarian Party is that it doesn’t require a great “fit” for a person to be accepted there.
Personally, if I were recruiting for my former party and had a choice between you and Larry, I’d probably take the gifted nature photographer.
Deb, the candidate curriculum SDP plans to offer is derived from the Wellstone project. As far as I know, none of the current SDP board have been to Camp Wellstone.
Roger, yes, I’ve seen Katrina Wilke with some “Go Bernie!” paraphernalia, but I would imagine that the organization itself will remain neutral on Presidential candidates, in keeping with its declared mission to focus on local/Legislative candidates.
Kurt,
If the world was perfect than I can see Libertarianism working but unfortunately we don’t live in a perfect world where we can trust a business entity such as mining, corporate factory farms, oil/gas industry or whatever to not pollute our water or air. Unfortunately we need regulation.
Personal liberty only goes so far until it has a negative affect on the rest of society as a whole where they end up paying in social and economic costs.
Personally I don’t see how I would ever fit into the Libertarian Party. Sorry!
Thank you, Kurt; but, living in South Dakota would be going backwards and running for office in New Mexico is impossible until my Spanish gets much, much better.
If South Dakota ‘Progress’ doesn’t start talking about legal cannabis it will remain as flaccid as SDDP already is.
Larry,
It’s been stated numerous times that it is not part of South Dakota Progress’s mission to deal with policy. They recruit candidates and help train and help with support. Again your wasting your time.
The Libertarian Party is far more focused on legalization of drugs being the ultimate in personal liberty. You could rename your blog to the Dakota Libertarian and support them. They would love it!
No, no, no. The devolution of this thread into calling people stupid cows and wallowing in the pot argument ends here.
South Dakota Progress is taking steady, practical steps to build a new organization and network to help Democratic candidates. That’s a positive action to challenge what Larry sees as the futility of trying to help Democrats win. They are not an issue-advocacy organization; they are a candidate-support organization. Even if legal cannabis were the one silver bullet that would kill the Republican werewolf (it’s not, it is so not), it is not SDP’s job to advocate that or any other issue. There are plenty of organizations and advocates (Mentele, Gaddy…) making cannabis their single issue; that ought to be all the organizational effort needed to put that silver bullet in the gun and shoot whatever beast needs to be shot.
You want to talk marginal utility? One more single-issue organization promoting legal cannabis adds less value to the progressive scene than a new organization focusing on electing candidates in a variety of local and legislative races, candidates who will be in a position to change the discourse and policy direction on a variety of issues, perhaps including legal cannabis. You want to get stuff done? Quit trying to pull South Dakota Progress off its course and let it try its experiment. I think it can work, and I think it stands a better chance of working if it doesn’t get bogged down in testing members and candidates for pot purity.
Lynn: progressives overwhelmingly support legal cannabis while liberals are too afraid to offend a non-existent base. Clearly, South Dakota ‘Progress’ doesn’t have a progressive spine and should just join the SDGOP.
Larry,
Remember when the nuns or a teacher would have a student write on the chalkboard 100 times so they could finally grasp what point they were trying to make?
1st sober up. 2nd. Find a chalkboard or a piece of paper and write 100 times:
South Dakota Progress mission is to recruit, train and support Democrat candidates running for office here in South Dakota. South Dakota Progress does not deal with policy!
This may help you finally get it so you can redirect your efforts in regards to your obsession.
Lynn, Larry clearly disagrees, but he’s missing your point and mine. SDP has chosen a very specific mission: help candidates win elections with practical campaign support. SDP is leaving issue advocacy to other groups. There are plenty of other groups to conduct that advocacy. My marginal utility question remains unchallenged: with Mentele’s and Gaddy’s groups focusing on cannabis issues exclusively, why not let SDP have its exclusive, separate, and arguably more practical focus? Why must everyone choose between working for cannabis or being told by Larry to jump in the lake?
Democratic candidates in red states have exactly zero to lose by embracing legal cannabis as an alternative or supplement to corporate income taxes especially where regressive systems prevail.
Dig it or don’t.
South Dakota “Progress” should be recruiting candidates who get it: how that is going remains a mystery.
Why Kurtz’s doesn’t get behind Gaddy’s SDAP or the Libertarian mission to make cannabis legal is a mystery.
South Dakota Progress has its stated goals as repeatedly explained by the blog, Lynn, and Cory, why Kurtz’s fails to comprehend that is a mystery.
Roger,
I have no idea other than long term chemically induced obsession may hamper Larry’s ability to look beyond what his and other’s seemed to be so consumed with. It’s seems to have taken over their lives.
SDP has a very specific and practical mission that compliments the efforts of the SDDP and national Democratic party. It helps build a feeder system from the ground up to fill that pipeline with good qualified candidates that are ready to fight with a good support structure.
SDDP can include policy and advance real practical PROBLEM SOLVING that will help energize and UNITE the electorate. It would be a huge tactical and strategic mistake for the SDDP to advance issues that would CREATE or ADD to PROBLEMS and be very DIVISIVE which would damage party and candidate credibility and insure defeat!
This is happening in every other state Democratic Party but not in South Dakota. Cannabis is a winning issue and if Democrats want to win they’ll embrace it or lose: it’s just that simple.
“Why Kurtz’s doesn’t get behind Gaddy’s SDAP or the Libertarian mission to make cannabis legal is a mystery” I agree Roger. Rather than Larry always getting so frustrated with SDDP or SDP it might be better for him to realize it’s just not a good fit for him.
Besides Larry gave the SDDP a 24 hour ultimatum which passed to the celebration of many and now Larry the Libertarian (has a nice ring to it) seems to be a better fit with Ryan Gaddy(SDAP and Libertarian) Bob Newland, Haber, Stranahan and a few others.
Full legalization of drugs has been a signature issue for the SDLP being an ultimate personal liberty. So whether some person is desperate to get their fix and to them huffing paint might be their medicine, or using compressed air to clean computer keyboards, crack, meth, or whatever it all falls under personal liberties.
I could see a print ad with someone passed out on their recliner with a syringe stuck in their arm with a little heroin left.
The text would read Larry The Libertarian always fighting for your personal liberties! Enjoy the Trip!
n+1=15,000,000
This is happening in every other state Democratic Party but not in South Dakota. Cannabis is a winning issue and if Democrats want to win they’ll embrace it or lose: it’s just that simple.
How many bikers will the State of South Dakota kill before SDP recruits a candidate remains a mystery.
So, Lynn and Roger: how many South Dakota voters are your forums reaching?
SDP doesn’t have a twitter presence but chooses to rely on FB malware to get its message to recruits: self-reliance or moral hazard?
“full legalization of drugs” is a Pat Powers phrase: try harder, people.
Larry,
I don’t have a forum nor am I seeking one, Dakota Free Press is fine with me.
What remains a mystery is why you turn every thread you comment on into debate about legalization of cannabis.
Bob Newland convinced me long ago about the benefits of medical marijuana and I have no argument with that, the problem I have is when people become obsessed with their personal hobbyhorses on Cory’s blog.
“embrace it or lose”—baloney. You’ve adopted a false absolute, Larry. There are many ways that South Dakota Progress can succeed in its mission without promoting cannabis.
Plus, we’ve already looked at the evidence and found pro-pot politics hasn’t boosted youth turnout or Democratic fortunes. The point is not that we have nothing to lose; we appear to have nothing to gain. Isn’t enough for now that we don’t stand in the way of the special-interest groups circulating their petitions? Isn’t it enough that we have actively opposed efforts to make initiatives harder? Isn’t it enough that we have placed Referred Law 19 on the ballot, freezing SB 69 and keeping the current easier rules for getting candidates and new parties on the ballot?
Speaking of which, why aren’t we arguing about how Melissa Mentele and Ryan Gaddy need to work harder to create a new political party and place candidates on the ballot to advocate their issue? If SDP must embrace pot or lose, isn’t it just as logical to say that Mentele and Gaddy must embrace candidate recruitment to help their mission succeed?
Medical cannabis will never pay a dime to boost teachers’ wages, Roger, just like Cory will never raise a penny for a US House run being a teetotaler.
Cory,
That is an excellent link and I’m sure there are even more regarding a lower turnout of voters due to legalization of Marijuana. I’d read just how bad the turnout was in Washington state after legalization and the shift in power that resulted. It will just be another addictive intoxicant for people to “tune out” which will just add to the apathy of voter turnout here in SD. Not addictive? Why do they need to get high day after day after day which for some spills over to work and other aspects of their lives? It totally consumes their lives.
It’s all fine and dandy to talk about things on this blog but when you have been involved in businesses, been involved with rental properties and lived in other places besides South Dakota you see things out there where you see negative affects of what is constantly sold as “harmless”.
I’ve been visiting with a few people that would easily vote against the SDGOP but when I shared with them about a number of Democrats were pushing for decriminalizing marijuana and a flawed medical marijuana which is essentially legalizing rec use they were pissed! They won’t be voting for any Dems then for the foreseeable future. Think I’m fabricating this? Dems just keep doing what your doing!
Thanks, Pat!
Let the earth hater party lead and we lose.
http://www.argusleader.com/story/news/business-journal/2015/08/04/tribe-seeks-capitalize-cannabis/31131467/
A May, 2014 article is not current events.
That PP is at this blog using a fake name and an IP anonymizer is clear indication that SDGOP is afraid SDDP will adopt the kurtz cannabis plan.
Larry the Libertarian you should be working with Melissa, Ryan Gaddy, Bob, Stranahan, Haber and others to build your party and recruit candidates. I’m sure with all of your combined resources you will help bring the electorate to their senses in creating a drugtopia that will revolutionize South Dakota. After all people just want to feel better right?. Enjoy the trip!
Let the SDDP and SDP focus on more practical problem solving matters.
I am not a big L libertarian.
The Rally generates about $30,000,000 in tax revenue for the general fund and kills x number of bikers every year: how will SDP use those figures to recruit candidates?
Let the SDDP and SDP focus on more practical problem solving matters.
Why SDDP needs a drain on its life support remains a mystery.
Larry the Libertarian is Lee Stranahan still an executive officer of your party? You should help your party get some candidates and help with their petitions. Your fellow party member Ryan Gaddy has been pulling some long hours at the Sioux Empire fair all by himself. Seems to be a lack of motivation issue with pro-pot decrim petition. Any surprise?
If Gaddy can’t even get pro-pot volunteers to get motivated to help with his petitions how you ever expect them to get out to vote and get active later on?
” Well, no help today setting up at fair. . . Thanks guys. . .” Ryan Gaddy 7/31
“Hey, who is on here in Sioux Falls can help with booth tomorrow? I am very tired and need help. . . I’ve personally devoted 50 hours to this petition just this week alone (since friday)-Gaddy. . .ps. . . I don’t wanna fly solo with our SDGOP neighbors” Ryan Gaddy yesterday
Would he really expect potheads to be right there motivated and there even if it directly benefitted them? Larry your Libertarian party member needs your help.
http://interested-party.blogspot.com/2015/08/legal-cannabis-wafting-into-national.html
Larry the libertarian that link has malware. No thanks
Larry, who is just one of my Libertarian friends, often links to evil sites that seek to exploit your computers. I think it is probably unintentional.