Facing Marty Jackley’s subpoena harassment, intrepid reporter Dana Ferguson reports on LEAD South Dakota, a new political women’s group that may find some qualified women to run against Jackley and his fellow warriors on women… if they can just overcome certain barriers:
Kroger’s group has generated conversation and excitement among a segment of South Dakota women. Convincing them to put their name on a ballot is still proving challenging. Family and professional commitments, the polarizing political climate and low pay for legislators have all deterred women from running for public office.
Kroger says that she’s optimistic that the group’s efforts will have a positive impact.
“I’m hopeful based on what I’ve seen in terms of women jumping up to be a part of this,” Kroger said. “Even just the sheer number of people who are getting involved in politics can only bode well for the state” [Dana Ferguson, “Encouraging Moms to Help Close the Political Gender Gap,” that Sioux Falls paper, 2017.05.12].
We husbands and dads can help with those family commitments. For professional commitments, see SDCL 2-4-1.1, which requires employers to give legislators who work for them a leave of absence to carry out their Legislative duties. For polarizing political climate… well, the poor will always be with us, too. For legislator pay, consider that doubling our Session pay from $6,000 to $12,000 for 105 legislators would require an appropriation of $630,000, less than 1% of the $77 million that the Governor’s Office gets for about 130 FTEs. Tapping some of that Executive Branch money to help the Legislature attract top talent with better pay would be a reasonable step toward balancing Legislative and Executive power, wouldn’t it?
Golly! $77 million to pay 130 people means they average nearly six hundred thousand dollars a year!
Or Mr. H is pulling more French math and mixing mushrooms with bowling balls again. Six hundred thousand dollars apiece for employees is just insaner than all get out. Even Mr. Nelson would have caught onto that, so something is fishy with your numbers.