The R Label And The Damage Done

Nationally, the 2012 general election was very encouraging to me. In general, voters came out against the crazy. Unfettered corporate money and tea-party rhetoric, and herculean Republican efforts at voter suppression in Ohio and Florida did not work -- voters came out in large numbers on both sides and voted their conscience.

Unfortunately, in South Dakota it was more of the same, and nowhere this more obvious than in Robbinsdale. Consider the resounding defeat of one of the worst laws (HB1234) put forward by the Pierre Political Class (and ALEC), a misguided educational "reform" bill. This bill is easily the worst thing to come along since HB1215, and just as much a partisan weapon against Democrats. The law was so bad it was easily brought up for referral to the voters by petition this year as "Referred Law 16."

Here's the vote in Robbinsdale on RL16:

At the same time, our Governor-appointed legislators were easily reelected. Both Reps. Conzet and Gosch voted for HB 1234.

Jackie Swanson used to teach in the Rapid City Schools and was an outspoken critic of HB1234. However, the good citizens of Robbinsdale that are registered Republican cannot bring themselves to vote against their label, no matter how much they hate the laws they pass.

I'm not suprised, this is what we do here. Will the R's west of the Missouri ever wake up to how much they hurt their own interests by voting party line?

I'm not holding my breath.