Fascists tend to overuse exclamation points….
Evidently stung by criticism that her “Freedom Works Here” marketing campaign lacks measurable results, Governor Kristi Noem has decided to shout down her detractors. Two days after the Legislature’s Joint Appropriations Committee heard vague marketing flim-flam from the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and one day after the Legislature’s Executive Board demanded details about how contracts for splashy video campaign were issued, the Governor issued an exclamatory press release promising more of her plumber dress-up ads:
“Businesses love the Freedom Works Here campaign and have asked us how they can partner to keep it going – so we’re bringing it back by popular demand!” said Governor Noem. “We are continuing to recruit Freedom-loving Americans from across the country to come live and work right here in South Dakota. I can’t wait for everyone to see the new Freedom Works Here ads!” [Office of the Governor, press release, 2023.11.15]
Two exclamation points in three sentences? That doesn’t sound like a typical formal statement from a governor. Noem doesn’t actually speak with that much enthusiasm. Perhaps that punctuation signifies the perky authorship of office baton-twirler Amelia Joy, who after eleven long months on the job is finally being allowed to put her name on the byline of the Governor’s press releases.
But all the shouting and first-name-only anecdotes about a few workers coming here because they like seeing Kristi on TV can’t erase the fact that GOED hasn’t produced real data showing that the Governor’s campaign for Vice-President is boosting South Dakota’s workforce and economy.
It might be more effective to have some of the people that did recently move here from out of state, star in the ads.
Maybe let them get through a winter or two first to make sure they legit love SD. :)
Freedom works where?
Probably not coincidental to Kristi Noem’s political grandstanding is the flight of talent from South Dakota where her christianic religionists blame Democrats for inflation as labor shortages drive wage increases and utility rates. South Dakota-based Black Hills Energy laid off 44 employees across their eight-state service region, 24 of those positions in Rapid City.
Faux plumbers and welders and dentists oh my!!!
Stupid people like Trump (and Noem), elected by conservatives to office, demonstrate the following inappropriate behavior, thinking “norm-breaking” is somehow acceptable.
On 25 October, Judge Engoron unexpectedly forced Mr Trump to take the stand, after he publicly criticised “a person who is very partisan sitting alongside” the judge.
Judge Engoron perceived that comment to refer to his clerk, who sits to his right.
Mr Trump stated under oath that he was talking about that day’s witness, Michael Cohen, but the judge said he did not find this credible and imposed a fine.
Forgetting his BOLD FACED LIE TO THE JUDGE, just a few days later, “Donald Trump has assailed a judge and clerk handling his New York fraud trial as a gag order banning him from criticising court personnel was paused.” https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-67446060
(Mr Trump’s lawyers have repeatedly told Judge Engoron they believe his clerk is displaying bias, and “claim that she is passing notes or rolling her eyes.”
In the New York Supreme Court system, clerks play a role in the proceedings and often quietly confer with the judge.)
It drives our completely incompetent former leader, “little-hands” Trump, nuts, that a little person, a nobody, of no significant wealth, could be sitting right in front of his counsels’ table, at the right hand of the judge, with legitimate influence over Trump’s future, having once himself been in the seat of ultimate power (that stupid Republicans entrusted him to wield, to the great embarrassment of the world) as president of the United States. He can’t just declare “your fired” in the real world, all bronzed-orange and bleached-blonde in his comb-over in oh-so many ways, to assert his will.
Mr Trump’s lawyers filed for a mistrial this week, arguing Judge Engoron is biased. The judged denied the motion.
Trump just now publically wrote of the:
“…Gag Order, not allowing me to defend myself against him and his politically biased and out of control, Trump Hating Clerk, who is sinking him and his Court to new levels of LOW, is a disgrace….”
Trump, a child of every privilege, is almost capable of reading and writing the English language. And utterly incapable of recognizing his own absolute disgrace.
Kristi too, is having a hard time losing control and even understanding lawyer/legislators like Schoenbeck and the new state chief justice.
We are the freest.