Rounds Billboards

I've been having thoughts about the Gov. Rounds campaign billboards. These billboards sure don't recommend Rounds to me. As a matter of fact, they remind me why I would love to have a different Governor.

Here's my take:

Leadership

• "I believe this year we should raise the minimum wage in South Dakota," (2005)
  
• "I did not write this Bill" (defending signing of HB1215)
  
• "we want [matching] funding for laptops in grades 9 through 12 ('05 budget address)
  
• Boldly led the state to take deed to the Homestake Mine (and its toxic waste)
  
• Secret meetings and political/business gatherings
  

Results

• Minimum wage unchanged
  
• The SD median wage lower than all adjacent states.
  
• 6-19 percent increase in state budget (depending on who you read); a paltry 3% increase in education
  
• No laptops, as the proposal only covered minimal matching money and nothing for maintainance and upkeep. And, South Dakota teacher pay still at 51st in the nation. Republican legislators continue to blather that we don't need more, with no comment from the Governor's mansion, the executive entrusted with carrying out fair state funding of schools.
  
• Mining companies are held harmless for any environmental damage from Homestake
  
• Particle physicists wake up in a cold sweat worrying that they may have to move their daughters to the Misogynist State.
  
• A referendum specifically limiting use of state airplanes, since the Governor has refused to do the right thing on his own and even the "conservative" Lege won't call him on it.
  
• We have a neat new South Dakota quarter.