Vote Now: Who's Your Man for PUC, Dusty or Doyle?

Would you work hard to get the job of Public Utilities Commissioner? Fortunately for South Dakota, we have two guys for whom the answer is "Heck yeah!" Republican incumbent Dusty Johnson and Democratic challenger Doyle Karpen are both working hard for the chance to spend six years working on pipelines and power rates.

The Public Utilities commission does regulates your utilities, keeps telemarketers from bugging you, and advocates for good energy and telecommunications policy? Given the increasing centrality of energy and telecommunications to the economic health of our state, the job of Public Utilities Commissioner isn't just some boring down-ticket coin-flip race. Picking the right guy for this job matters.

So who's your choice: Dusty or Doyle? Vote now in the latest Madville Times poll, here in the right sidebar. The poll is open through breakfast Sunday, so tell your friends, and click your pick!

SHS, Dems Support Health Benefits for 9/11 First Responders

O.K., fellow Dems, time to close the enthusiasm gap. Yesterday our Democratic Congresswoman, Stepahnie Herseth Sandlin, cast another vote alongside Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The bill: H.R. 847, the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010. What does the Zadroga Act do? Same thing James Zadroga did: tries to save lives and clean up the destruction wrought by the terrorists who destroyed the World Trade Center.

The bill is named for James Zadroga, a New York City police detective who worked several weeks at Ground Zero, and is the first 9/11 responder to have his death in 2006 attributed to illness contracted at the site.

The bill would establish an $7 billion fund over 10 years, with roughly a third of that going to cover the healthcare costs of the victims, and the other two-thirds to compensate them for their losses. Over 20,000 people, according to government figures, have suffered since the event, either from exposure to the toxic dust of pulverized buildings and combusted chemicals, or injuries, or post-traumatic stress, or two or all three [Joseph Picard, "House Passes Ground Zero Healthcare Bill," International Business Times, 2010.09.29].

All but four House Democrats voted for this bill. 88% of House Republicans voted against it. Republicans Kristi Noem likes—the man she won't admit she'll pick for speaker, John Boehner; the woman she imitates, Michele Bachmann; the man whose plan to privatize Social Security and Medicare she supports, Paul Ryan—voted against providing health care to the first heroes of the current War on Terrorism. Why? Because Republicans think paying medical bills for firefighters is "to put on the backs of the American taxpayer a new, $7 billion entitlement program."

Entitlement program? As Rep. Anthony Weiner says, if anyone is entitled to health benefits, it's the people who ran toward the smoke and flames and toxic dust on September 11, 2001.



The vote on the Zadroga Bill shows the gutless, heartless, hypocritical politics you'll get if you vote for Kristi Noem, or if you sit back and let her win by withholding your vote from Stephanie Herseth Sandlin. Republicans will cloak themselves in the patriotism and heroism of 9/11, but they won't put their money where their mouths are. Democrats are willing to pay what we owe to our fellow Americans.

America Feeds the World: Thank Immigrant Labor!

Troy Hadrick cites this AP article finding Americans won't take low-wage farm jobs and offers this sanctimonious conclusion:

Regardless of your position on immigration, the bigger story here is that many people don’t want to work even when jobs are available. Unfortunately, many people don’t develop a work ethic and would rather rely on the government for an unemployment check. It’s a rather sad commentary on our society [Troy Hadrick, "Americans Don't Want Farm Jobs," Advocates for Agriculture, 2010.09.29].

Leave it to a professional propagandist for the ag industry to offer pompous distractions from practical policy issues. Hadrick pops off with arrogant, manly-man horsepuckey about how the rest of society obviously isn't as industrious or independent as he is. He deliberately spins away from the bigger story, which is that your cheap groceries come thanks immigrant labor, much of it driven here by our own predatory trade practices, and the immorally low wages the ag-industrialists pay their workers.

Hadrick's agriculture industry likes to repeat the mantra Tell Your Story. The immigrant workers who ensure our food supply would like to have time to tell their story, too, but they're too busy doing our work and feeding America.

So the next time the ag-industrial complex tells you to Thank a Farmer®, maybe you should walk over to the Mexican part of town and say gracias to an immigrant.

Lurz and Wyatt Tie in Lake Co. Sheriff's Poll

I sometimes worry that local Madison news and polls won't draw much attention compared to our big statewide political races. The latest Madville Times poll shows that's not true! I asked you, eager readers, "Who is the best candidate for Lake County Sheriff?" That question drew one of the biggest responses yet to a poll here: 265 votes! That's a whole heap more than the Lake County Commission poll I ran just a couple weeks ago, which drew a mere 73 votes. The sheriff poll turned out about a third of the votes that the Madville Times U.S. House and S.D. Governor polls generated back in June. Given that Lake County has less than 2% of the total registered voters in South Dakota, that turnout for a local online poll suggests a lot of interest in this particular race.

Enough ado: let's look at the numbers!

Jason R. Lurz	113 (43%)
Dan Wyatt	113 (43%)
Roger C. Hartman	39 (14%)

Votes: 265

A tie between the challengers! I thought that Madison City Patrolmen Lurz and Wyatt might split the anti-incumbent sentiment and leave incumbent Sheriff Hartman room to squeak by with a slim plurality of folks satisfied with the status quo. Not so in this poll: both challengers appear to have strong voter bases.

But get out your grains of salt. This online poll indicates first and foremost that supporters of Lurz and Wyatt are paying attention to the Web. Sheriff Hartman represents the older generation: he has no campaign website, and his base probably doesn't fuss with the Internet much, either. Hartman has voters; they just aren't reading the Madville Times (but they should be!).

Still, Lake County's Internet users are not some fringe minority (well, I am, but not all of you are!). The strong showing for Lurz and Wyatt indicate a large number of voters who want a new man at the helm of county law enforcement. Hartman has been sheriff for twelve years. He told voters in 2006 that this would be his last term; the Madison Daily Leader called it his final term when he won the 2006 Republican primary against Wyatt. The above poll suggests that a lot of voters are ready to hold Sheriff Hartman to his word.

I haven't heard much in terms of actual policy that explains why folks might want a change. I don't have many reasons in that direction: the Lake County Sheriff's Department has responded with due alacrity when I've called for help. But the current sheriff did indicate previously that he didn't want the job beyond 2010. Officers Wyatt and Lurz have also been dutiful and conscientious law enforcement officers for the City of Madison. I have confidence that either challenger could effectively and fairly protect and serve the people of Lake County.

I look forward to further public comment from the candidates and their supporters on the future direction of law enforcement in our county. Voters, feel free to hit the comment section with your observations on who's the best man for Lake County Sheriff.

National Rifle Association Endorses Herseth Sandlin; Noem Nets Nut Nod

Here's the endorsement the Noem campaign desperately tried to to distract you from yesterday: the National Rifle Association has endorsed Stephanie Herseth Sandlin in South Dakota's U.S. House race.

"The National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund supports Stephanie Herseth Sandlin because she has defended the Second Amendment freedoms of law-abiding gun owners, hunters and sportsmen in South Dakota and across America," said NRA-PVF Chairman Chris W. Cox. "On November 2, I urge all South Dakota NRA Members and gun owners to vote Stephanie Herseth Sandlin for Congress" [Michael O'Brien, "Key House Dem Snags NRA's Backing in Reelection Effort," TheHill.com, 2010.09.28].

In a September 23 letter, the NRA's Political Victory Fund informed Congresswoman Herseth Sandlin that the NRA was endorsing her and maintaining her "A" rating.

NRA endorsement of Herseth Sandlin, 2010.09.23. [click to enlarge]

The Noem camp responded by touting an endorsement from a gaggle of South Dakota gun owners for whom even the NRA isn't nutty enough about guns. Her gun-owning endorsers include the likes of Second Amendment Sister Nancy First, who thinks we should let everyone carry guns in kindergartens, courthouses, and bars.

The Noem peanut gallery is desperately trying to spin the NRA's endorsement of Herseth Sandlin as insignificant. Some commenters are crying that the NRA is required by its by-laws to endorse incumbents. Not true. While the NRA-PVF's endorsement policy is "incumbent-friendly" (a logical position for an organization interested in maximizing leverage via seniority in Congress), the NRA is still free to withhold endorsements from incumbents it feels aren't doing its bidding. For example, the NRA is not endorsing incumbent Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in Nevada. If the NRA thought Herseth Sandlin was bad for its interests, the NRA could easily send that message.

Now I don't consider an NRA endorsement cause for celebration. Just a few weeks ago, I gave some poor telemarketer an earful for reading Wayne LaPierre's scripted lies to me over the phone in a push poll (don't these people keep track of past calls?). The NRA's gun-worship distracts us from solving real problems. I look forward to the day when someone who gets an F from the NRA can win an election in South Dakota.

But I can also acknowledge the political climate for what it is and revel in watching conservatives now blaspheme their usual electoral God. Gun advocates, you may think Kristi Noem is your little Annie Oakley, but the great and powerful National Rifle Association recognizes that Democrat Stephanie Herseth Sandlin is the right choice for making sure no one comes to pry your guns out of your hands.

Extremist views, ill-considered publicity stunts, sinking poll numbers, failure to grasp practical policy... Kristi Noem is turning out to be nothing more than Bruce Whalen in cowgirl boots.

Colton Uses Stimulus to Build Energy Independence

Visitors survey the renewable energy and energy efficiency upgrades to the Colton City East Shop.

It's the patriotic thing to do!

Twelve solar panels. Two wind turbines. It's not Sarnia or Buffalo Ridge. But those twelve panels and two turbines are enough to make Colton, South Dakota, the first energy-independent municipality in our fair state.

Mayor Erik Miller and Colton city staff hosted a ribbon-cutting yesterday afternoon to officially kick off their Energy Independent Community Initiative. Mayor Miller explained to a packed meeting room in the Taopi Hall that Colton has used American Recovery and Reinvestment Act dollars (you know, that nasty, useless stimulus money) to install enough solar and wind power production capacity to run city hall and the east and west city shops without grid power. Colton also used the money to weatherize the buildings, with new doors, windows, and insulation. Mayor Miller says their EIC Initiative has allowed the city to double its working shop space with no increase—and possibly a decrease—in energy cost.

Ken Hitzeman cuts the ceremonial ribbon for Colton's Energy-Independent Community Initiative.

Mayor Miller did not take credit for this forward-looking energy project. The "spark" behind the whole project is local resident Ken Hitzeman. The mayor said Hitzeman, a local renewable energy expert, brought up the idea of putting Colton on the map with wind turbines—"whirlybirds"—and other energy-producing and energy-saving projects. Hitzeman's passion for the project, said Miller, came from a simple commitment to the idea of energy self-sufficiency. Hitzeman is driven by the dread of seeing American energy dollars go overseas and buy even one bullet that might kill one American soldier. For his patriotic commitment to making energy here in small-town South Dakota, Mayor Miller made Hitzeman blush, just a little, by declaring yesterday "Ken Hitzeman Day" in Colton.

Eletrical equipment turning wind and solar power into usable juice in the Colton City East Shop:

1. wind-solar hybrid converter
2. excess power sink
3. inverter
4. smart meter
5. battery pack
   

City officials took time to show us the nuts and bolts at the "East Shop" next to the Taopi Hall. The small wind turbine sits atop an old windmill tower which used to support a town emergency. How's that for recycling? (A city employee also mentioned his dad once towed that tower, upright, a couple blocks across town to its current location.) Three solar panels lie on the south side of the roof. Inside, a converter combines the wind and solar power for use. Excess power is stored in four batteries. The battery pack in the East Shop can hold two hours of power. They should last fifteen years, with a replacement cost of about $2000.

To extend the life of the batteries, a controller shuts off the wind turbine when the batteries are fully charged and doesn't switch it back on unless the batteries have been drained to 50%. The controller also shuts off the turbine if the wind exceeds 65 miles per hour. When the batteries run out, power switches automatically to the grid with just the barest flicker of the lights.

East Shop smart meter shows zero power input from the grid. That's a zero we like!

A smart meter shows exactly how much power the system is producing and how much additional power the system is drawing from Sioux Valley Electric. Yesterday's grid power intake reading, with the wind turbine quiet and only the three solar panels juicing the shop: 0.0 kW. Ah, self-reliance....

Colton's EIC Initiative is bigger than just energy self-sufficiency for three city buildings. Ken Hitzeman is helping organize a community task force to promote conservation and recycling in Colton. That citizen group will also look for ways to promote energy self-sufficiency for Colton businesses and residents. The EIC Task Force will storm up some ideas at its first organizational meeting on October 19 (7 p.m., Daybreak Express in Colton). They will also start a dialogue about local energy independence on a new Facebook page, which they plan to launch in the coming weeks.

Mayor Miller may be new to Facebook—he said he just learned it for this project, and there were plenty of chuckles from city employees when the mayor asked at the press conference if the shop staff had all updated their Facebook status. But he already gets that the Web and blogs can support real conversation and exchange of ideas both within a community and with communities around the state.

State Senator Scott Heidepriem congratualtes Colton on its pioneering energy-independence initiative

And Colton's EIC Initiative will generate lots of conversation. Gubernatorial candidate and fellow Minnehaha County resident Scott Heidepriem was among the dignitaries who stopped by to congratulate Colton on the EIC Initiative. He noted that Colton will now face the challenge of being a pioneer in energy independence. Pioneers charge forward and solve problems, and then, said Heidepriem, they have to field all the calls and questions from other communities who will want to follow their lead.

Colton's EIC Initiative is a truly visionary, groundbreaking project. Colton's green innovation isn't just about saving the planet (though they're helping!). Colton is showing communities much bigger than itself that we can build the infrastructure now to produce our own power and build energy security at home.

West Shop solar panels and wind turbine

City Hall solar panels

East Shop solar panels and wind turbine

-------------------------
Update 10:40 CDT: See more coverage of Colton's push for energy independence on KDLT.

Noem Lobbyist Smokescreen Clouds Own Positions

GOP candidate for South Dakota's lone U.S. House seat Kristi Noem lobs another publicity stunt. Talking process and personalities instead of practical problem-solving (as usual), Noem trumpets her opposition to spouses of representatives lobbying in Congress.

This stunt is funny on various levels:

1. The glossy three-fold flyer Noem sent me says she believes "the best government is the government that governs least." (Leave it to Kristi to give Thoreau such an unartful, clunky paraphrasing.) But this new noisy campaign "issue" is a call for more government and more restriction of First Amendment rights. On the profound policy issues of the day, Noem apparently doesn't want government to assume any obligation, either because she believes in Hoover-style Social Darwinism or because she simply can't wrap her brain around such hard problems. But on process non-issues that make easy-to-remember sound bites, Noem is all for more rules and regulations.
   
2. As I review PP's mail box, I don't see any explanation from Noem as to whether she will apply this rule to herself and forbid her husband and partner in Noem Insurance DBA from lobbying her on any legislation concerning insurance regulation. Would Noem extend this rule to forbid her restaurateur mother from lobbying her on food safety regulations?
3. Also missing from Noem's call to arms: a ban on lobbyists themselves becoming members of Congress. (Cue wise guy in back of room to sneeze Aaah-Thune!)
   

Really, Ms. Noem. You need to stop make Democratic blogging so easy. More importantly, you need to offer some specific solutions for the real problems facing South Dakota. If you think sending Max Sandlin to the quiet corner will put more South Dakotans to work, pave any roads, or expand access to health care, you are sorely mistaken.
-------------------------------
Coming up next: Noem's big NRA fail!

Thune Message: Put Down Tea, Rally 'Round Me?

SDSU philosophy alumna and DC-NGO mover and shaker Anne Junod takes a whack at reading between John Thune's lines in his much ballyhooed Weekly Standard story:

...[G]iven the bevy of other names being tossed around as potential Republican presidential candidates in 2012, one must ask the questions: Who was this article really written to, why was it written at this time and what objective was it written to accomplish?

To answer these questions, one must read between the lines. In doing so, we discover that “Dakota Dreaming” functions as an appeal to deep-pocketed Bush Cheney funders of the conservative establishment who are irked by the loutish Tea Party in an effort to get them on board the Thune train [Anne Junod, "Between the Lines: Understanding the Subtext of Thune's Presidential Bid," The Independent Local, 2010.09].

Junod also discusses the meaning behind comparisons to former Virginia Senator and Governor George Allen and current Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell. Not discussed: whether Thune's appeal to the grown-ups in the Republican Party will also captivate those noisy kids throwing the tea parties... or whether those kids even be a factor in 2012.

Bankruptcy Trustee Moves for Veblen West Dairy Auction

The other shoe drops in the Veblen manure pile: bankruptcy trustee Forrest C. Allred filed a motion for sale of the bankrupt Veblen West Dairy in U.S. Bankruptcy Court yesterday. Judge Charles L. Nail granted the motion to set the auction date for October 8. That's next Friday. Any objections must be filed by next week Thursday and will be heard by Judge Nail the same day right before the proposed auction.

Bankruptcy receiver AgStar and Madville Times readers knew this was coming. So do Veblen East bankruptcy-sale purchasers Vista Family Dairies: that new corporation, formed this month by partners of former Veblen East and West owner Richard Millner, is included in the parties served notice of the motion for sale.

Buyers beware: if you place the winning bid for this 137-acre, three-site mega-dairy, you will assume full responsibility for fulfilling the obligations set forth in an order from the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources requiring the reduction of manure levels in the dairy lagoons to legal levels. Here's how Trustee Allred's motion explains the situation:

Debtor is subject to an administrative order requiring it to have 270 days of capacity in its lagoons by October 15. Debtor has been pumping manure in accordance with its normal practice. While Debtor expects to comply with the administrative order, the Trustee cannot and does not guarantee Debtor will achieve compliance, and there is risk of non-compliance. Failure of Debtor to meet this deadline could result in significant curtailment, or even cessation, of Debtor’s normal operating activities. The successful bidder shall be fully responsible and liable for all work, equipment, costs and expenses, including manure removal, required to fully comply with the Compliance Agreement captioned “In re the Matter of Veblen West Dairy, LLP Violating Their General Water Pollution Control Permit for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations” dated April 1, 2010, as well as any and all other regulatory compliance matters. Prospective buyers may obtain a copy of the Compliance Agreement upon request from the Trustee. The successful bidder assumes, at closing, all responsibility and will be liable for all environmental issues related to the dairy [emphasis mine; Forrest C. Allred, Motion to Sell Free and Clear of Liens by In-Court Auction, In Re: Veblen West Dairy LLP, United States Bankruptcy Court, District of South Dakota, Case 10-10071, Document 392, 2010.09.27].

In other words, if you buy Veblen West on October 8, you have seven days to measure just how much crap Rick Millner has saddled you with and get rid of it, on your dime, over and above the price you pay (minimum bid: $8.7 million) to acquire this operation.

To double your exciting market uncertainty, you also don't find out how many cows you're buying until after the auction. The motion says the Debtor owns 3700 head of cattle, but they constantly move from dairy to dairy, and there's no way to set a firm number before the auction. (Sounds like a convenient way to hide assets from bankruptcy court, don't you think?) You at least get to bid per head (minimum opener: $800), but you don't get a complete inventory until after the sale. You also get to pay for any disease testing on the cattle you buy.

To review: put up $8.7 million, plus $800 per head, and you can take possession of Veblen West Dairy, which may or may not be in compliance with environmental rules, may or may not have a feasible number of cattle in its inventory, and may or may not have sick cattle, none of which you'll be able to find out until you assume liability for the operation.

My dairy experience is limited to milk on my Toasty-O's, but am I wrong in concluding that Veblen West sounds like a really, really bad investment?

If you are considering bidding for the Veblen West Dairy, read the DENR order. Read the history of this environmental and financial mess. Then think long and hard about whether you want to put any money into this financially and morally bankrupt operation.
---------------------------
Update 2010.09.30: The impending Veblen West Dairy auction gets a little press from North Dakota television. South Dakota press still AWOL....

Scott/Steve, Don't Hype the Ad: Hype Frankenfeld and Janklow for Heidepriem!

Democratic candidate for South Dakota governor Scott Heidepriem has a new TV ad up. My one problem with this ad: it spends too much time pitching the next big ad, Heidepriem's half-hour program coming up next week, and not enough time pitching the candidate. I've noticed that problem in a number of the communications from Team Heidepriem: they tell me their ads are historic and unprecedented and are getting great reviews. I really couldn't give less of a hoot how good the ads are: we're trying to win an election, not a Pollie. Heidepriem's marketers seem to have overread or misread Marshall McLuhan and think that the man is the message is the medium.

Either that, or they're just full of themselves.

That said, the new ad has the elements of an even better, truly rock'em-sock'em ad: apparent endorsements from former Republican legislator Don Frankenfeld and Republican attorney Russ Janklow:



Holy cow! Getting Frankenfeld and Janklow fils to endorse the Democratic candidate for governor is pretty strong cheese. Or at least I think they're endorsing Heidepriem. They're in the ad—they must like him... right?

This ad shows us Frankenfeld and Janklow telling us South Dakota has a huge fiscal problem. But only former Democratic Governor Harvey Wollman makes the sale, saying we need to "put in a new team." But none of those guys says the magic word: Heidepriem, Heidepriem, Heidepriem.

If I had money for 30 seconds of TV time, and I had video of Don Frankenfeld and Russ Janklow saying good things about me, I'd fill that thirty seconds with every word I could from those big name endorsers. And I'd leave no doubt as to whom those guys were voting for. I'd make darn sure I included the tape of each of those heavy hitters saying my name and saying they're voting for me.

I hope that's what we'll hear in next week's half-hour extravanganza. Direct endorsements from such prominent Republicans really would be newsworthy.
---------------------
p.s.: Take this blog post and even the headline as textual metaphor for the marketing argument. Imagine how much better (for Team Heidepriem) this post would be if it started off with the real news—Frankenfeld and Janklow Endorse Heidepriem! Instead, in an ad-centered world, the marketing analysis gets the lead, and the juicy stuff gets second billing.

Dem Poll: Herseth Sandlin 51%, Noem 39%

The news keeps getting worse—well, just a little—for Kristi Noem. While the GOP candidate floats another desperate publicity-stunt demand from the Thune playbook (add that to the faux blog, emphasizing her high school basketball career in the glossy flyer she sent me... what Thune plays isn't Kristi running?), a new poll shows Herseth Sandlin leading Noem 51% to 39%. Undecided leads B. Thomas Marking 10% to 1%.

Yeah, yeah, the pollsters are Dems. But hey, why pass up a chance to recycle a headline: How's that trend working for you now, Kristi?

Bennett Petts & Normington conducted this poll last week, September 22–23. They contacted 400 likely South Dakota voters. Margin of error is ±4.9%. Even on this sample, the lead exceeds the margin of error.

If you give these numbers any credence, you might wonder why SHS and Noem are trading places in the driver's seat. Three hypotheses open to testing, in descending order of likelihood:

1. South Dakota voters want more than a pretty face and recycled talking points.
2. Herseth Sandlin's Blue Dog triangulation is working (dang it, dang it, dang it to heck!).
3. Skipping court and getting 20 speeding tickets (and a generic out-of-state ad that reinforces racing highway imagery) don't impress South Dakota voters.
   
4. A little good coverage on the Madville Times goes a long way. ;-)
   

Giago: Herseth Sandlin Clear Choice for Indian Country

Hat tip to Mr. Woodring!

Tim Giago stands Kristi Noem's arrogant lawbreaking and her desperate attack ads with Stephanie Herseth Sandlin's record of accomplishment and says for his Indian brothers and sisters, the choice for Congress is clear:

Herseth Sandlin is a Representative who has taken the time to learn about the Indian Nations in her state. She and current South Dakota Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) are probably the two most knowledgeable members of Congress when it comes to Native American concerns and issues.

I have sat in and listened as both of these members of Congress answered questions, some quite hostile, about Indian issues, and they not only answered the questions, but turned the questions into a time to educate the questioner [Tim Giago/Nanwica Kciji, "The Choice Between Sandlin and Noem Is Clear," Race-Talk.org, 2010.09.27].

Giago is right: Herseth Sandlin's experience in Congress has given her a much better understanding of Native issues than Noem has. Check the websites: Noem gives the standard GOP platitudes that mask her usual paucity of specific, practical policies. Congresswoman Herseth Sandlin's website lists a number of specific policies she's supported, like the Tribal law and Order Act she got passed this summer.

Given Dan Richardt's prediction of a squeaker of a House race, Lakota voters and all SHS supporters would do well to heed this get-out-and-vote warning from Giago:

For Native Americans to lose Herseth Sandlin would be a disaster of epic proportions. It would be comparable to the loss they suffered when Senator Tom Daschle lost to John Thune, a Republican. And Native Americans could have saved the seat of Daschle if they had turned out in proportionate numbers. Daschle lost by less than 5,000 votes and the Indian vote never developed. In fact, although high in comparison to the rest of South Dakota’s precincts (Pine Ridge had a 50 percent turnout), an increase to 75 percent and a similar turnout on the other eight reservations, would have saved Daschle’s senate seat.

That was a disastrous lesson in history that the Natives of this state dare not repeat [Giago, 2010.09.27].

Dems of all colors, now is not the time to sit on your hands. Circle Election Day, November 2, on your calendar, and plan your trip to the polls. If you're busy that day, you have five weeks to arrange a quick trip to the courthouse to mark your ballot for the only candidate with a proven record of delivering good legislation for Indian Country. Grab a friend and go vote!