By Ed Randazzo
Rapid City Crackerbarrel #2 of the 2011 South Dakota Legislative Sessionwas held at the School of Mines on Saturday, 2/5/2011. Once again the house was packed.
Governor Daugaard’s proposed budget and taxes in general dominated the thoughts and minds of the attendees.
The 1st featured legislator to speak was Senator Stan Adelstein (District 32) and he wasted no time in pitching his bill SB174 which would impose a NEW 1% SALES TAX effective only during the June, July and August for the next 3 years. Senator Adelstein claims that this NEW TAX would generate $50 million dollars in revenue and that 74% of voters (according to a poll commissioned by Senator Adelstein) approve of this NEW TAX.
During the Q & A session some of the legislators in attendance expressed their doubts that once a tax is instituted that it would ever go away. In fact,
the legislature seems poised to renew a “temporary” sales tax that would have expired this year. Senator Jeff Haverly (R-35) explained that it was crucial to reduce the expenditures in order to break the cycle of the state spending more than it can afford, the structural deficit. Lance Russell (District 30) warned that we should not assume that revenues will rebound and that federal participation will continue at appreciable levels.
There seemed to be a consensus of the legislators present that Governor Daugaard’s initiative to balance the budget and eliminate the structural deficit without new taxes or the use of reserves through budget cuts would be the wise choice.
Representative Phil Jensen (R-33) cited several recent cases involving crimes perpetrated by those empowered under Shariah law and that there are efforts underway to introduce Shariah law or condone it in this country.
HJR1004, a House Joint Resolution proposes an amendment to the SD Consttitution prohibiting the application of international law, the law of foreign nations, and certain foreign religious or moral codes in the state courts of South Dakota.
I would like to commend all of the citizen legislators who attended and participated in this Crackerbarrel event. Thank you for your service and Godspeed to all.
Wait, Ed: it sounds like you are authorizing the state to favor one religion over another, simply by dint of the historical accident that the Moors didn’t sail west at the same time Columbus did. How does that support separation of church and state?
It’s the muslims that are advocating for special treatment. Go ask them but bring a bodyguard as they might behead you for being an infidel.
It’s important to remember Christians started the feud with Muslims during the crusades.
Is this from the book of …………oh that’s right we don’t know your name, do we?
You should know the history of your religion, good bad and indifferent. I don’t suppose you’d have any reason to research the Crusades, any more than you would the Salem witch trials, or the role Greek philosphy played in the writing of your Bible. Your lack of belief in historical fact in no way diminshes the history which proves such knowledge is in fact legitimate. Of course, the same applies to me.
The history of my religion, as well as yours, is not stellar. Evil, and misdeeds were performed by imperfect men. I am not sure what your point here. Is it that your religion is better than mine?
Christianity is not a foreign religion. It is an integral part of our Judeo-Christian heritage. I do support the separation of church and state. There should not be a state religion and the state should stay out of the affairs of churches.
It is technically foreign. Jesus was living in a foreign land. He was a foreigner. He didn’t speak English. He was a descendant of Abraham. He lived on another continent. He was an Arab. He never set foot in America. I guess it depends on your (incorrect) definition of “foreign.”
There is no place in the universe where Jesus is foreign.
Jesus was merely a mortal man, a Jew gone astray. He’ll be back in the fold when the Messiah arrives.
I pray that God will open the eyes of your heart soon.
Thanks, but you’re praying to Jesus, not God. For the record God has already spoken to us and entered our hearts, first through Abraham, and then to other Jews through out history. He will speak again, to the entire world this time when His Messiah arrives on earth. I know you’ll do the right thing when He arrives.
For the record, Jesus Christ is God. I respect the fact that you are Jewish. I would appreciate your acceptance of the fact that I am a Christian.
Why is it that raising taxes is all we ever hear about from Adelstein? Time has passed him by.
HJR 1004 also bans judges from citing foreign religions like Christianity and Judaism in their rulings. Of course, if you respect separation of church and state, you don’t need HJR 1004.