By Kevin Woster

It’s hot and lonely up here on the mountain tonight.

I miss the man who carved this place, and dragged me kicking and whining up to the high ground - at least in the altitude or our hopes - of political debate.

I miss the woman who taught me how to look up telephone numbers without a phone book (it’s on the Internet!) and is halfway through an excruciating, extended lesson aimed at teaching me how to post a LINK with a blog thread.

Bill? Denise? Are you out there? Somewhere? Anywhere?

I hope so. Because I’m heading for central South Dakota in the morning, to cast a twister-tail jig into the fickle Missouri, visit St. Mary’s Cemetery in Reliance where my folks are buried and sample the always hospitable hospitality at the Garrigan house in Highmore.

If I get lucky, I might take in some of the 125th anniversary shindig at Miller.

It ain’t a trip to France, but it’ll do.

Problem is, I operate the moderation machinery for submitted posts here on the mountain with what amounts to a set of training wheels. Down on the plains, far away from the E-Z moderation setup designed especially for me by my more worldly associates, I can’t manage the management of this place.

So unless Bill or Denise show up - bless you both (And, yes, Sibby, I do believe, I do, I do, I do….) the mountain might be silent until sometime Monday.

Sorry. I do what I can, with what little skill I have.

Have a good weekend, either way.

By Kevin Woster

This just in from Judy Olson Duhamel on behalf of the South Dakota Democratic Party:

On this upcoming Fourth of July holiday, it is important that all South Dakotans remember the true intentions of the founders of the United States of America, Duhamel’s release says.

“South Dakota Democrats recently concluded our state convention, where we rallied behind a unifying message of tolerance and acceptance,” said Duhamel, state chair of the Democratic Party. “It is my firm belief that the freedoms provided by our founding fathers are being celebrated within the South Dakota Democratic Party.”

Hard to argue with that, isn’t it?

Especially here on Mount Blogmore, land of freedom, tolerance and the Sibson-Emerick debates.

By Kevin Woster

The planned rally and beer blockade at the South Dakota-Nebraska border near Pine Ridge didn’t amount to much Wednesday. About a dozen people gathered but eventually dispersed.

The would-be blockade participants seemed to be outnumbered by reporters and photographers.

Organizers had threatened a two-month blockade of beer entering the reservation, where alcohol sales are banned, from White Clay, Neb. They apparently planned to confiscate beer from anyone trying to bring it back across the line - a legally questionable idea, I’d think.

Protesters relented after Oglala tribal officials agreed to work on ways to stem the flow of beer across the border.

Given the rate of alcohol abuse on Pine Ridge, the protesters are clearly well intended. But beyond the legal issues, does anybody think a blockade would prevent people on the reservation who want to drink from doing so?

And, on a larger issue, what’s the point, and pratical benefit, of banning sale of alcohol on the reservation at all?

By Kevin Woster

Wow, that light-hearted Limbaugh post below sure took a sudden turn for the serious.

We started out taking a few playful jabs at the Rushmeister and ended up with people getting their brains blown out in China, or someplace.

You never know around here.

While we’re in a, uh, contemplative mood, let’s return to a question Frankenfeld had about whether it was appropriate for the New York Times to publish its much-discussed story about the government’s program to keep tabs on the financial affairs of people suspected of terrorist connections.

My inclination was to support the Times (who would have figured, huh?). But the more I thought about it, the less sure I was of that inclination. It seems like an important counter-terrorism program. And it seems like making it public could hurt the counter-terrorism effort.

I wonder if what we gained in publishing - and I think we almost always gain something in bringing government activities to light - matched what we lost in trying to prevent another terrorist attack.

It’s a good question, Don. Right now, I’m pretty sure that I believe the Times should have the right to decide whether to publish the story or not. I’m just wondering if they made the wrong decision.

By Kevin Woster

The floor is now open for discussion of the Limbaugh arrest (Wrong: As pointed out by the Sibmeister below, Limbaugh wasn’t arrested. He was detained. My fault).

Be nice.

Or not.

By Kevin Woster

First, a warning. The language you are about to read is racist, hateful and ignorant. It came in a submitted post from “White Guy” with a phoney e-mail address and a URI of Rapid City.

Normally, I kill posts with phoney e-mails. But I decided that this one, as horrid as it is, is worth posting, as a reminder that despite all the progress we’ve made in race relations, there are still some people out there living in the dark ages.

I’d like to think they are very few. I hope so.

Anyway, here it is:

#7—-So you poor injuns don’t wanna take what us whiteguys give you? You lost! Get over it!
Why don’t you kiyies back up your words with actions? It’s well and good for thievin’ redskins to yap about how bad the WHITE man treats them as they take our welfare checks to the bank! If they REALLY want to be non-whites, then let them go back to the breachcloths , and quit wearing the WHITE mans cloths (boots, Wranglers, shirts etc)and quit using American currency! I grew up on the Rez, and I know first hand that MOST non-whites make their “living” is by stealing, lying, and cheating, or panhandling! I’m WHITE and proud of it! Custer may have lost a battle, but the non-white lost the war. We won.

By Kevin Woster

Gov. Mike Rounds got a $70 million promise from Denny Sanford earlier today.

He got a campaign endorsement, too.

During a outdoor gala in Lead, Rounds praised Sanford, the Sioux falls banking mogul with a penchant for charity work, as a “guardian angel” for offering $70 million IF Homestake is chosen as the site of the deep underground science and engineering lab and IF the National Science Foundation kicks in $10 million for research there.

Then Sanford returned the favor by complimenting the governor and engaging in a bit of electioneering. Sanford said near the end of his speech that he hoped Rounds would be reelected, and that it would help assure the DUSEL would become a reality.

The Rounds camp said that was all ad-lib by Sanford. And I supposed it could have been.

Either way, a camera crew from Lawrence and Schiller, the Sioux Falls-based advertising agency that is handling the governor’s reelection campaign, got it on tape - along with everything else that happened - then quickly got Sanford to sign what appeared to be a photo release.

(After the snafu with former Democratic legislator Kent Frerichs - who ended up in a Rounds commercial without having signed a release - I’d guess L&S is being extra diligent about getting a signature from on-camera subjects.)

And obviously, they’d want Sanford’s signature in particular, to assure his appearance in what is clearly going to be a hot campaign ad.

And speaking of campaign stuff, since Sanford endorsed Rounds at the event, does that mean the $70 million would qualify as a campaign contribution?

Cause while I’m no expert, I think that’s over the limit.

By Kevin Woster

Ok, it wasn’t useless. But it was spent.

At 10 this morning I was going to put something up about our generals’ push for a clear timetable of troop withdrawl from Iraq, and how the Republicans and Democrats in Congress are dancing to find the right step in response.

But the day got away with newspaper stuff. And now I’m delirious with spent useless energy.

So if you want Iraq and the politics of the troop withdrawl, you’ll have to frame the question for me - with your answers.

Have at it.

But I will say this on another subject: Doesn’t bearcreekbat ask a good question down below on making life better on the reservation? Why not allow hemp farming?

By Kevin Woster

Mount Blogmore is signing off for the evening.

Get some sleep, Fleming.

By Kevin Woster

And before we leave the subject of life on the reservation - socialized or not - I have a question - again, from a dumb white guy’s perspective.

Aren’t there about twice as many people living there as could ever hope to make a living?

Let’s talk about Pine Ridge specifically. That’s a tough place to attract industry, a difficult place to farm and ranch, a limited place for infrastructure and its development, a beautiful landscape that just happens to be fairly close to high desert in its properties.

As much as many Oglalas might hate the idea of living somewhere else, isn’t that just a reality of simple math, and financial and environmental imperatives?

While similar landscapes outside the reservation are being de-peopled at a consistent rate, the reservation population grows.

With an increasing population and those aforementioned realities, it seems like the future will be filled with poverty, unemployment, relentless health issues and at least some form of a dependent relationship with the federal government.

How can it be otherwise?

By Kevin Woster

The selection of state Sen. John Koskan as the Republican candidate for the state Public Utilities Commission leaves the GOP without a Senate candidate in District 26.

And it could be difficult to find a replacement, given the fact that the whole boundary issue of the district - which was redrawn by U.S. Dis trict Judge Karen Schreier in an effort to better represent American Indians - is being appealed in court.

If the appeal succeeds, the election process in District 26 could go back to the start, including the primary, Koskan said. The possibility could make prospective candidates think twice about jumping in, he said.

“I’ve got to resign from the Senate race, and it could be hard to find anybody who wants to step in to all that,” Koskan said this afternoon. “Trying to find somebody who would put that work into a general election campaign, with all that hanging over their head, it could be tough.

Koskan is sure the GOP will get somebody to step into the campaign, however. He’s also sure he’ll miss his spot in the state Senate.

“I leave with a lot of mixed emotions, because I really loved the Senate,” he said.

Koskan said he knows little about his Democratic opponent for the PUC spot, telecommunications technician Steve Kolbeck of Brandon.

“I don’t know anything about him,” Koskan said. “I understand he works for a telephone company. That’s about it.”

I don’t know much more myself. Anybody on the mountain want to fill us in?

By Kevin Woster

Anybody surprised that the state Republican Party took a strong stand in support of HB 1215 during the party convention in Watertown yesterday?

In passing a resolution urging voters to approve the abortion ban in the statewide vote Nov. 7, Republican delegates seemed to have rejected popular wisdom that the abortion issue crosses all party lines.

Or isn’t it that simple?

Also in Watertown, delegates will choose today between state Sen. John Koskan of Wood and state Rep. Tim Rounds (one of the governor’s bros) of Pierre for the party’s candidate for the Public Utilities Commission seat now held by Bob Sahr, who won’t run for reelection.

So, who’s it going to be, Koskan or Rounds? And why?

(Whoops. It’s over. Just heard that Tim Rounds conceded this morning and threw his support to Koskan. That what I get for sleeping late and taking a little extra time in reading the morning Journal. Frankenfeld apparently got up earlier…)

By Denise Ross

My attempts at doing my own interview this week failed, largely, I suspect, because many of my potential guests are engaged in heated debate over party platforms at the state Dem and GOP conventions this weekend.

So I’d like to take this opportunity to post on a topic some of you have raised in comments to other posts: presidential signing statements.

I know I heard a Fresh Air discussion on this with the reporter (from Boston, I believe), who broke the story. But a search of that Web site has proven fruitless. I did, however, find a series of links to other NPR stories on this topic.

See them all here.

As I understand it, presidential signing statements are a method in which the president, as he signs a bill into law, takes the opportunity to say which parts of that law he won’t follow. It’s a way for the president to issue the entire executive branch unlimited get-out-of-jail-free cards when he doesn’t like something Congress passed.

In short, it’s a way for the president et al to break the law by saying upfront they’re going to ignore the law. As I understand it. It’s like putting your hands over your eyes and saying, “You can’t see me.”

These statements have been in use for years, but they have skyrocketed in frequency during the Bush administration.

And while I struggle to reconcile this with the adage, “No one is above the law,” I ask Mount Blogmore to put this in context under the checks and balances system laid out by our nation’s founders.

By Kevin Woster

The New Republic Online today has an entertaining piece by Michelle Cottle on “The Hatred of Ann Coulter.”

Cottle argues that Coulter, recently named “The Most Hated Woman In America” by none other than The National Inquirer, is making her fortune on “the last politically correct form of unbridled bigotry: political partyism.”

She further argues that Coulter serves as a cultural release valve for pent-up bigotry, hiding pernicious prejudice against everybody from blacks and Hispanic to lesbians by funneling bigoted emotions into critical comments of liberals in general, rather than minority groups in particular.

For example, she argues that even most bigots understand it’s unacceptable to slam Mexicans. But it’s OK to slam politicians who support imigration policies that are seen to benefit Mexicans.

Frustrated, angry conservatives can channel some of that emotion through Coulter’s statements, Cottle argues. But also, frustrated, angry liberals can channel their emotions into hating Coulter.

My question is: Does the Sibman play a similar role here on the mountain?

By Kevin Woster

As usual, Sibson has us talking.

His assertion that the problems on American Indian reservations are the result of the failed principles of a socialist system inspired retorts from the usual suspects.

But let’s not let it die there. Are reservation cultures and tribal governments - and their relationship to the federal government - socialist in nature?

If so, is that why they appear - at least to a dumb white guy like me - to be failing in many ways?

But aren’t they also succeeding in other ways?

And have Democratic politicians used reservation folks for votes, while actually doing little to improve their lives?

Could Republicans do better?

As always, I have many questions, few answers….

Help?

By Kevin Woster

Rep. Stephanie Herseth offered her support today for a measure that would give the president authority to propose specific cuts from appropriations bills, if Congress agreed.

It’s sort of a soft line-item veto, meaning the president proposes and federal lawmakers approve, or not.

The bill involved was scheduled for consideration late this afternoon on the House floor. Herseth, a Democrat with an intriguing mix of philosophical positions, likes it.

“This bill would shine a light on wasteful spending and provide for a stand-alone vote on the most egregious abuses of taxpayer money.,” she said in a news release. “I am hopeful that this bill will make lawmakers think twice about trying to sneak unnecessary pet projects into spending bills. We need more accountability and transparency in our budget process.”

The release went on to tout Herseth’s membership in the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of moderate Democrats who say they are committed to fiscal discipline and budget reform.

This seems like pretty good Blue-Dog business, doesn’t it? Also not a bad issue to run on….

By Kevin Woster

Just a reminder: Give us a legitimate, working e-mail address with your posts, and the town you’re sending from - generally.

If you don’t, we won’t run your posts.

You might get a few past our squad of dizzy, marginally competent gate keepers - OK, maybe quite a few - with a fake e-mail address and without listing a town under URI. But eventually we’ll figure it out and stop running your stuff.

That goes for you “anon.” Your post was fine. Your fake e-mail wasn’t.

By Denise Ross

In an apparant push-back against the federal Voting Rights Act, the US House stepped back Wednesday from a planned vote to renew the law for another 25 years.

The New York Times labeled it a “rebellion” in the GOP caucus.

House Republican leaders abruptly canceled a planned vote to renew the Voting Rights Act on Wednesday after a rebellion by lawmakers who said the civil rights measure unfairly singled out Southern states and unnecessarily required ballots to be printed in foreign languages.

I don’t know if Lakota would qualify as a ‘foreign’ language, but Jennifer Ring of the ACLU of the Dakotas points out that the Indian Country voting rights issues could get lost in the fervor over immigration and the Spanish-speakers at the fore of that debate. In some places in South Dakota, the Voting Rights Act requires interpreters for Lakota speakers, and Ring notes that the Lakota speakers have been around here a lot longer than the English speakers, who probably don’t consider themselves immigrants.

(Which reminds me of a T-shirt someone said they saw on a guy down in Pine Ridge: Fighting illegal immigration since 1492.)

Anyway, the voting rights bill appears headed for renewal before the deadline in mid-2007. Again, from the NY Times.

Despite the resistance, the Republican leadership issued a statement pledging to move ahead quickly with a vote once Republicans were given additional time to work out their differences.

“While the bill will not be considered today, the House G.O.P. leadership is committed to passing the Voting Rights Act legislation as soon as possible,” the leadership said in the statement.

…

The Republican leadership of the House and the Senate decided earlier this year to proceed speedily with the renewal to put to rest fears that Republicans intended to let it expire next year, and to try to make political inroads with minority groups. If the act is allowed to expire, Democrats will almost certainly accuse Republicans of trying to turn the clock back on civil rights.

There’s plenty more out there on this story. Washington Post. The Associated Press. The Hill. The National Review. Howard Dean.

By Kevin Woster

Jack Billion made it official this morning, naming Eric Abrahamson as his running mate for the 2006 governor’s campaign.

Now the Democrats are loaded and ready for GOP bear - named Mike and Dennis.

We had the story yesterday, but wanted the news first published in the morning paper (sorry, Don, sometimes the “print product” wins out).

Abrahamson was predictably articulate and engaging this morning during a news conference with Billion at the city library (which was attended by a Don Frankenfeld impersonator). Obviously, Abrahamson will be one of the most well-spoken lieutenant governor candidates we’ve ever had.

It remains to be seen whether he and Billion will have what it takes - in terms of key issue development, money, message and appeal to a broad spectrum of Democrats and a crucial percentage of independents and Republicans - to unseat a popular Republican incumbent with a healthy campaign account.

But between the salty, wise-cracking style of Billion and the easy eloquence of Abrahamson, they should make things interesting.

I’m ready to have some fun.

By Kevin Woster

Don Frankenfeld asked the question in an unrelated post below that we’ve been unable to answer for a couple of weeks: What’s the story with Bob Sahr?

You’ll find some of the story on the Journal website tonight, and in the “print product” tomorrow morning. But it only says that Sahr, the chairman of the state Public Utilities Commission, had announced Tuesday that he would not seek reelection this fall.

Sahr also said his announcement was prompted by rumors that he would prove to be untrue over time. We’ve heard a lot off the record from a variety of sources about what these rumors may involve. But we haven’t heard anything on the record, beyond official no comments. And until we get a lot more than that, we hesitate to fire the rumor mill.