Mark Winegar and Doug Kronaizl aren’t buying Todd Epp’s thesis on partial victory for ethics reform. To these Vermillion men, who also lead the new Represent South Dakota group rallying support for Initiated Measure 22, Secretary Krebs’s package of campaign finance reforms (Senate Bills 53 and 54) isn’t half a loaf; it’s a moldy loaf. Throw it out, they say, and keep what the voters said they wanted—IM 22!
Winegar and Kronaizl spoke with Dakota Free Press this afternoon after their presentation on their save-IM22 efforts to the Sioux Falls Democratic Forum. Winegar and Kronaizl talk about their experience protesting at the Capitol on the opening day of the Legislature and tell us what we can do to help fight for IM22:
Yup, but if they pass something, use it to base your next initiative on. Never give up. Keep forcing the issue every chance you get. For example, testify on these bills–everyone of them. Further, I’d have a strategy to have separate people testify as proponents and opponents of these bills. As proponents, you can say, “Yeah, it’s a start, but it’s nowhere near adequate. Here’s something better.” Then suggest amendments. In fact, as one amendment have IM-22 drawn up as an amendment to every one of these bills, and have it voted on every chance you get. Let them turn you down multiple times. It doesn’t look good for them to slap the voters in the face multiple times. Get these corrupt folks on record for doing nothing and turning down real reform. In your testimony rub their nose in all the corruption that occurred over the last several administrations. Let them know the voters a sick and tired of it.
Excellent advice, Donald! Experts on IM22 should make sure that every bill offered by the GOP to cover its tracks is always cast in the light of what the voters said they wanted and how what the GOP is offering falls short.
I also like the idea of keeping track of which corruption-related bills pass, ticking off the parts of IM 22 they achieve, and then offering a new initiative that fills in the gaps and completes the work of IM 22 in 2018.
Great advice!
Come back to South Dakota Donald Pay!
As part of its effort to corrupt state government, the Department of Energy has or will be parcelling out tens of millions of dollars to the sponsors who submitted the recent application for the deep borehole disposal test. That initial money is meant to “educate” people about what a great project this will be. I’m quite sure that part of that “education” effort will be a dog and pony show at the legislature, followed by the introduction of a resolution to support this project. They will, of course, try to make it appear that this resolution does not mean they support actual disposal of radioactive waste. The resolution will be toothless, unenforceable as to keeping radioactive waste out. Governor Daugaard, for the fourth consecutive year following his promise that radioactive waste will not be stored or disposed in South Dakota, will NOT submit any mechanism for that vote, indicating his statements were a lie, and that he absolutely intends to turn the borehole test into a dump site for radioactive waste.
The money that DOE is giving to the sponsors to “educate” you poor souls, is really meant to corrupt the state. Oh, they don’t say that outright, but that’s what it is for. When this resolution supporting this project comes, it will likely come with a lot of promises for cash, payoffs, and other sorts of things that Dauguard considers “economic development.” It will likely come without any public hearings, and, certainly, with no opportunity to refer it.
Get ready for a big money dump to be followed by a nuclear waste dump.
If you are concerned about corruption, this is The Big One.