The AP headline is “US States Adding to Financial Pressure on Russia over War.” The Rapid City Journal reads David A. Lieb’s article and plows down to the 19th graf to derive its headline: “South Dakota Not Among States Taking Action Against Russia.”
Lieb cites swift responses to Russia’s now week-long invasion of Ukraine from 29 states, some symbolic, some substantial. Georgia, Colorado, New York, and Pennsylvania are working to divest from Russian companies. The governors of New York, North Carolina, and Colorado are terminating contracts with Russian firms. Indiana is barring Russian-controlled businesses from buying property in Indiana for a year.
“Indiana will not be a safe haven for ill-gotten Russian funds, nor for its oligarchs trying to find financial shelter in the wake of Putin’s unconscionable invasion of Ukraine,” Democratic state Rep. Ryan Dvorak said while proposing the amendment last week [David A. Lieb, “US States Adding to Financial Pressure on Russia over War,” AP, 2022.02.28]
North Dakota’s State Investment Board is holding a special meeting Thursday to review its Russian holdings. Connecticut, Indiana, New Jersey, Oregon, Virginia, and Washington are conducting similar reviews.
“If our state can put one brick in the wall around Putin, it will be a good thing, and we intend to do all that we can in this regard,” said Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat [Lieb, 2022.02.28].
Iowa, Utah, and New Hampshire are among at least ten states ordering Russian vodka off store shelves. The Governor of Texas has asked retailers to yank all Russian products.
While other states direct their fire at Putin, South Dakota’s Governor is standing behind the front lines firing at her own troops:
Two prominent Republican governors, Florida’s Ron DeSantis and South Dakota’s Kristi Noem, who are widely seen as angling for a White House bid, mostly took aim at President Joe Biden rather than issuing executive orders targeting Russia. They criticized his energy policies and said that had made it difficult to slap sanctions on Russia’s exports of oil and gas [Lieb, 2022.02.28].
Some South Dakota businesses are launching their own boycotts, but Governor Noem is refusing to take any action of her own:
“Governor Noem is pleased that consumers and businesses are supporting the Ukrainian people and defers to South Dakotans for their innovation and ideas in how they express their support. If someone is waiting for Gov. Noem to start telling South Dakotans how to run their business, then they haven’t been paying attention the last few years,” said communications director Ian Fury [Kesia Cameron, ” Noem’s Reaction to South Dakota Businesses Removing Russian Alcohol Products,” KSFY, 2022.02.28].
Whether it’s a deadly virus or a murderous nuclear-armed tyrant, the Governor’s position is, hey, if you want to support death, it’s your money. There’s nothing I can do about it. But come on, Governor! You found a Tennessee billionaire to pay for deploying the South Dakota National Guard to the Mexican border for a photo opp that failed to advance any practical policy goals; surely you can find some rich donors who would fund sending South Dakota troops to Ukraine to defend real freedom fighters from a real border crisis. Just imagine the photo opp, paratrooping into Kyiv, shaking President Zelensky’s hand and tweeting, “Here’s the ammo you asked for!”
The South Dakota Legislature had two whole days last week after Russia launched its tanks and missiles to introduce resolutions to condemn Russia, support Ukraine, and call for any of the anti-Putin responses that other states started last week. No such resolutions materialized.As we saw yesterday with House State Affairs’ spectacular anti-IM-26 hoghouse of Senate Bill 150 and its still-pending hoghouse of carcass bill HB 1127, the Legislature can grab any bill at any time and amend it to tackle any subject. HB 1127 originally read, in toto, “Section 1. The Legislature shall pursue opportunities to enhance the state.” Senate State Affairs inserted language yesterday declaring county redistricting an emergency; when it HB 1127 up again tomorrow morning, HB 1127 sponsor Senator Gary Cammack (R-29/Union Center) could say the real emergency is in Ukraine and we need to enhance their chances of beating back Russia by seizing all the Russian assets in the Phillips Avenue trusts, or divesting from Russia, or canceling contracts with any Russian firms, or any of the other real action other states have been swift to take to stand for Ukraine and against tyranny.
South Dakota’s official silence disgraces our fair state. The Governor may want to use this global crisis solely to build her brand, but the Legislature has several days of the 2022 Session left during which it can put itself and the State of South Dakota on the right side of history and justice.
South Dakota won’t crush Russia’s war machine all by itself. But as Washington’s Governor Inslee said, every brick in the wall will help protect Ukraine and the world from Putin. Other states are acting to build that wall; South Dakota should join that effort.
McCTurtlef##kface is, at least, partially owned by Putin for the huge investments they have made in Kaintuck. Like to hear his shuck and jive explanations on what to do about Putie.
Kinda figures Noem Nothing would do nothing after her head on cluster-expletive deleted performance as a do nothing pandemic leader. What a waste of wasicu!
You want Kristi to sanction Russia? Just tell her that Russian women are pro-choice or that some female athletes in Russia are transgender. She’ll be on that like white on rice! ;-)
All that oil pipe came from Russia, so NOem feels obligated to the oligarchs for their continued support. I’ll bet you don’t have to drill to deep to see money transfered to the NOem wing of South Dakota politics and that includes our congressional delegation.. Always remember that a spy, a Russian spy by the name of Butina came here….why was that??
As Ian Fury has pointed out, the State Government of South Dakota is working hand in glove with the brutal totalitarian dictatorship of Mother Russia. The blood of the Ukraine stains the flag of our once patriotic, bastion of freedom. South Dakota has turned traitor.
Once again, your Governor Noem doesn’t know what to do; so she does nothing.
Imagine this woman in a national leadership position, if you dare.
Today I recived a message from a friend in Russia. I won’t detail the cyber route it took but she’s unable to use any media except What’s App. She can see what Americans post of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram but can’t reply or post.
She wants Americans to know that almost all the Russian people in her city are against the war and that those people are being held hostage to the communications black out.
Should USA start bombing or initiate a Russian invasion her city would probably be the first because of its immediate proximity to Ukraine
Today a declaration came down from Moscow making any passing of “false” information about the war to anyone in or out of Russia a serious crime.
Once again, we outshine Mississippi.
That SD doesn’t want to rush to war 2000 miles away is a sign we understand the dynamics of the conflict, which means we’re listening to people who actually know.
“[America] goes not abroad, in search of monsters to destroy … the wars of interest and intrigue, of individual avarice, envy, and ambition, which assume the colors and usurp the standard of freedom [are foolish].” — John Quincy Adams
The United States gets much of its nitrogen fertilizer from Belarus through the Persian Gulf but a Trump era tariff and Hurricane Ida in the Gulf of Mexico slowed the movement of product to markets up and down the Mississippi River. Nitrogen fertilizer is normally applied to subsidized corn then ends right back up in the Gulf of Mexico where it kills whole ecosystems.
What war is 2,000 miles away, I missed that.
First off, thank God Trump is not the president. Having Biden in the White House is a blessing for the world. Now it’s obvious why Trump tried so desperately to weaken NATO and refused aid to Ukraine. (trash against Biden was a ruse)
With Noem in office, sorry folks, even the prayer ladies (all Republicans) in my group don’t trust her in times like this. Noem loves her guns, conflict, men much much too much, and being in the spotlight. She can now replace Butina as a poster girl for Russia. Saddle up and get the shot guns, let’s have some fun. Then fly off to Vegas for some poker. Keep the Russian assets in SD for FREE and invite Russian sympathizers to move to SD where you can do whatever you want, but only if you’re a man with a gun. 55% of the residents own guns, come on, we need more.
So since Trump thinks Putin is a genius, Noem and her fellow spineless toadies represent all of us in SD, holding us hostage with their traitorous silence. They do not speak against Russia who MOST South Dakotans consider an enemy. Are they afraid to speak out?
It’s hard to see Noem not supporting the Ukranian Yellow and Blue. She did go to State right? I went to USD and support the Ukranians with all my Vermillion.
John Dale not surprisingly reveals his taste for Putin.
Comrade Kristi may get some headlines on Faux News, lets not be picking on her, lest you irritate the Queen!