Dismantling the abusive patriarchy in Pierre will involve more than any one change in law, legislative rule, or lobbying practice. Even electing all new legislators in 2018 (yes—every darned one, male and female), while a positive step, would not guarantee that the newcomers wouldn’t bring entitled, misogynist attitudes back to the Capitol.
But KSOO’s Patrick Lalley offers one suggestion for making women safer from male chauvinist pigs during the Legislative Session—stop fueling the pigs with free booze:
When you’re in South Dakota’s driver’s seat…
There is one action that Gov. Dennis Daugaard and legislative leaders should forward immediately and without equivocation. End the practice of free booze available at the nearly nightly socials hosted by lobbying groups and other special interests.
…It’s mystifying to me how this still exists. It’s a once-common practice in statehouses where the old boys in smoke-filled rooms hashed out policy and traded favors. It’s a bygone — or going — culture that needs to end.
That’s not to say that people won’t go out and drink while they are in Pierre. But it shouldn’t be something that flows like water without cost.
That’s not to say that bad things won’t happen in the watering holes of the state capital, far from wandering eyes.
But it’s something we can do, must do, as a statement that the business or our Legislature isn’t a 40-day festival of good times and bad behavior [Patrick Lalley, “End the Free Flow of Booze for Lawmakers in Pierre,” KSOO Radio, 2017.10.25].
…well, maybe not to hell, but to behavior unbecoming a legislator…
As one of Donald Trump’s fellow teetotalers, I’ll take Lalley’s proposal one step further. Legislating is as serious as driving. When the Legislature is in Session, legislators should not drink alcohol. Don’t touch the stuff!
It seems we could solve a lot of problems in Pierre if legislators would just practice 100% abstinence.
Here comes Big Ag and the Booze business bozos to ask why you hate farmers. Without free booze made from all kinds of grains, South Dakota’s economy will tank and Cory will be the leading cause.
El Rayo X
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, I didn’t sexually harass that woman, I paid for my drinks. If the drinks were free, then maybe I did step over the line.”
-Legislator ??????
Real deep Patrick.
Rorschach
While they are at it they should ban the free food to bring an end to fat shaming.
Given that legislators get a meal stipend, free food is completely unnecessary.
Don’t drink and legislate.
grudznick
I see nothing wrong with free booze and food. Do not, as some of you will, take this as condoning the groping or mean comments alleged of some in the legislatures. Take it as a sign that grudznick likes free booze and food.
Also, even if not handed out at the Capitol Building, it seems against people’s rights to prevent them from buying booze or fatty sausages and bacon at the restaurants. It is probably even against my rights to prevent me from buying and then giving booze to anybody in the legislatures, man or woman.
I do not think you can make “free” booze and food go away, even if these fellows came over to somebody’s house for dinner, but you might make the free booze go away from the Capitol Building, where it flows from the gold-plated drinking fountains the legislatures put in their remodeled bathrooms.
Jeff Barth
If a candidate for office gives free food and liquor to voters on election day she/he is breaking the law. Providing those benefits to a legislator just before they vote is routine.
Jeff Barth
There was a proposal in another State requiring Lobbyists who have sex with Legislators to declare it on their contribution reports. I don’t know if it went through.
grudznick
Mr. Barth, anybody in the legislatures who would sell their vote for a pig in a blanket and a warmish Coors Light is not the sort of fellow you should elect. It is considered polite, in some cultures, to offer food and nourishment to guests when they visit your house or go out to dine with you to talk about important things. I think the sex registration thing is a good idea though.
Jeff Barth
grud,
Good point.
So why is it a crime to give a citizen a cookie? Why do we assume that voters are more corrupt than elected officials like me?
Thanks for the post Cory. Just as a side note, I covered the Iowa Legislature for three years. Free food and drink were banned. It’s not that damn hard.
grudznick
Mr. Barth, it should not be a crime to give a citizen a cookie. Especially when those cookies come from lonely old ladies in Wasta who just wanted to have a little socializing while they womanned the polls. But Judge Barnett said “BAH” to that and now nobody gets cookies. There are just some things we are not meant to understand.
grudznick
Mr. Barth, are you in the legislatures, and if so do you partake of all the free food and drink and dancing entertainment and such? I am somewhat shocked, sir, to learn you are elected and open to all these enticements. I know you walked downhill and gave a speech at Great Bears but I thought that was for a congressional election, perhaps the one with that young Ms. Noem. If you, sir, are one of those bombarded with all the free food and drink as an elected official, then I step aside so you can detail some of those daily temptations and how you deal with them. It would be most enlightening to me and others here and maybe other elected officials, now and future.
Jeff Barth
Yes, I am an elected official (if only a county commissioner). Somehow the cash filled envelopes and the golfing trips to Scotland have eluded my grasp. Any book I write after retirement will be devoid of salacious content.
Alas.
Jenny
Hi Patrick (I miss your show when you were at that SF paper), I agree with you. It shouldn’t be this damn hard, if Iowa is able to ban alcohol should be able to also.
Keep the drunks out of politics!
Jenny
I meant to say SD should step up and ban alcohol also. But we all know they won’t. Pierre will keep being the rotten little corrupt Pierre it’s always been and what happens in Pierre will continue to stay in Pierre.
Jeff, on cookies and citizen corruption: that is an interesting question. We are all sinners. However, I would suggest that legislators are more prone to corruption because they have far more to gain personally and far more to offer in return to those plying them with booze.
I have never served and will never serve alcohol at any campaign event wholly under my control. I have served and will continue to serve cookies, hot dogs, and other wholesome American food… plus pop and coffee.
I wholeheartedly support chili feeds at GOTV events. The side effects of heavy chili consumption are far less harmful and far more amusing than the side effects of heavy alcohol consumption.
bearcreekbat
When the Whigs put up William Henry Harrison as their presidential candidate the Democrats called him a drunkard who lived in a crappy log cabin. Harrison’s campaign turned these slurs around by distributing free log cabin tins filled with whiskey at their campaign events. Voters loved it and elected Harrison as President.
The name “booze” for liquor is often attributed to this campaign as the maker of the whiskey tins was none other than the E.Z. Booz company.
And as an aside, Harrison’s grandson, Benjamin, was the President that shepherded South Dakota’s statehood. Maybe that is why we have all that free “booze” in Pierre.
mike from iowa
If governing was actually important, one might think people would wish for clear heads to do the people’s work.
No politician works so hard anymore that they can actually claim they deserve a drink at work.
The only stress anymore for these people is whether they will be primaried if they don’t follow the party line.
Here comes Big Ag and the Booze business bozos to ask why you hate farmers. Without free booze made from all kinds of grains, South Dakota’s economy will tank and Cory will be the leading cause.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, I didn’t sexually harass that woman, I paid for my drinks. If the drinks were free, then maybe I did step over the line.”
-Legislator ??????
Real deep Patrick.
While they are at it they should ban the free food to bring an end to fat shaming.
Given that legislators get a meal stipend, free food is completely unnecessary.
Don’t drink and legislate.
I see nothing wrong with free booze and food. Do not, as some of you will, take this as condoning the groping or mean comments alleged of some in the legislatures. Take it as a sign that grudznick likes free booze and food.
Also, even if not handed out at the Capitol Building, it seems against people’s rights to prevent them from buying booze or fatty sausages and bacon at the restaurants. It is probably even against my rights to prevent me from buying and then giving booze to anybody in the legislatures, man or woman.
I do not think you can make “free” booze and food go away, even if these fellows came over to somebody’s house for dinner, but you might make the free booze go away from the Capitol Building, where it flows from the gold-plated drinking fountains the legislatures put in their remodeled bathrooms.
If a candidate for office gives free food and liquor to voters on election day she/he is breaking the law. Providing those benefits to a legislator just before they vote is routine.
There was a proposal in another State requiring Lobbyists who have sex with Legislators to declare it on their contribution reports. I don’t know if it went through.
Mr. Barth, anybody in the legislatures who would sell their vote for a pig in a blanket and a warmish Coors Light is not the sort of fellow you should elect. It is considered polite, in some cultures, to offer food and nourishment to guests when they visit your house or go out to dine with you to talk about important things. I think the sex registration thing is a good idea though.
grud,
Good point.
So why is it a crime to give a citizen a cookie? Why do we assume that voters are more corrupt than elected officials like me?
http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/the-buzz/article53468660.html
HB2059 apparently never passed into committee. It was not in the final list of votes taken at the end of the year in Missouri.
Thanks for the post Cory. Just as a side note, I covered the Iowa Legislature for three years. Free food and drink were banned. It’s not that damn hard.
Mr. Barth, it should not be a crime to give a citizen a cookie. Especially when those cookies come from lonely old ladies in Wasta who just wanted to have a little socializing while they womanned the polls. But Judge Barnett said “BAH” to that and now nobody gets cookies. There are just some things we are not meant to understand.
Mr. Barth, are you in the legislatures, and if so do you partake of all the free food and drink and dancing entertainment and such? I am somewhat shocked, sir, to learn you are elected and open to all these enticements. I know you walked downhill and gave a speech at Great Bears but I thought that was for a congressional election, perhaps the one with that young Ms. Noem. If you, sir, are one of those bombarded with all the free food and drink as an elected official, then I step aside so you can detail some of those daily temptations and how you deal with them. It would be most enlightening to me and others here and maybe other elected officials, now and future.
Yes, I am an elected official (if only a county commissioner). Somehow the cash filled envelopes and the golfing trips to Scotland have eluded my grasp. Any book I write after retirement will be devoid of salacious content.
Alas.
Hi Patrick (I miss your show when you were at that SF paper), I agree with you. It shouldn’t be this damn hard, if Iowa is able to ban alcohol should be able to also.
Keep the drunks out of politics!
I meant to say SD should step up and ban alcohol also. But we all know they won’t. Pierre will keep being the rotten little corrupt Pierre it’s always been and what happens in Pierre will continue to stay in Pierre.
Thanks Jenny. Now you can listen to me on KSOO.com or follow my podcast on SoundCloud and iTunes.
Jeff, on cookies and citizen corruption: that is an interesting question. We are all sinners. However, I would suggest that legislators are more prone to corruption because they have far more to gain personally and far more to offer in return to those plying them with booze.
I have never served and will never serve alcohol at any campaign event wholly under my control. I have served and will continue to serve cookies, hot dogs, and other wholesome American food… plus pop and coffee.
I wholeheartedly support chili feeds at GOTV events. The side effects of heavy chili consumption are far less harmful and far more amusing than the side effects of heavy alcohol consumption.
When the Whigs put up William Henry Harrison as their presidential candidate the Democrats called him a drunkard who lived in a crappy log cabin. Harrison’s campaign turned these slurs around by distributing free log cabin tins filled with whiskey at their campaign events. Voters loved it and elected Harrison as President.
The name “booze” for liquor is often attributed to this campaign as the maker of the whiskey tins was none other than the E.Z. Booz company.
And as an aside, Harrison’s grandson, Benjamin, was the President that shepherded South Dakota’s statehood. Maybe that is why we have all that free “booze” in Pierre.
If governing was actually important, one might think people would wish for clear heads to do the people’s work.
No politician works so hard anymore that they can actually claim they deserve a drink at work.
The only stress anymore for these people is whether they will be primaried if they don’t follow the party line.
E.C. Booz—”E.Z.” was just to hilarious to be true. ;-) But fascinating etymology and tie of the tangent to South Dakota! Well done, Bearcreekbat!
Mike I don’t even drink alcohol while writing about the Legislature. I promise never to drink it while serving in the Legislature.