Frerichs: Noem Offers No Clear Agriculture Policy

While the conservative commentariat drools over process stories and reaffirms that negative ads are only bad when they're about your own candidate, Rep. Jason Frerichs points out an ironic gap in Kristi Noem's online talking points:

I was looking at the websites for the major South Dakota candidates, and noticed that Scott Heidepriem, Dennis Daugaard, and Stephanie Herseth Sandlin all think enough of agriculture and rural folks to note where they stand but, to my astonishment, Kristi is the only candidate who doesn’t. She lists things like “Medicare fraud” and “Immigration”–which she apparently feels are important enough to mention–but not ag or rural issues?

As a South Dakota farmer and rancher I find it appalling that the Republican candidate for Congress has left us in the dark.... The lack of relevant policy details on Kristi Noem’s website concerning South Dakota agriculture indicates a disconnect between her campaign and everyday farmers and ranchers [Jason Frerichs, "Press Release: Frerichs Asks Noem to Show Her Ag Issues," JasonFrerichs.com, 2010.10.12].

Disconnect indeed. Nearly every ad Noem sends out shows her on the farm with her horsey. But after eight months of campaigning, she hasn't bothered to put a statement about South Dakota's number-one industry on her website? Maybe talking about farm subsidies is just too hard.

Noem is another glittering example of image over substance. Given Noem's eagerness to run as the cutest little farm girl this side of the Missouri, her inability to articulate clear agricultural policy is particularly egregious.
-----------------------------------
Bonus Noem Policy Blind Spot: Families USA says 63,000 South Dakotans will qualify for a big middle-class tax cut in 2014, thanks to this year's health care reform law. But Noem just cries Obamacare! like all the other Republicans and vows to repeal it. Noem wants her farm subsidies, but she sure doesn't want you getting a tax break.