Apathy has been one of the adversaries of positive change. The electorate has been rocked to sleep by the belief that someone was “looking out for them” in State Legislatures and the US Congress.
People are beginning to wake up and realize that they are “home alone”. Their representatives are on vacation.
The positive side to this scenario is that voters are beginning to pay attention to how their representatives are voting.
In the last few weeks some voting scorecards have been published. One of them reflected how South Dakota Legislators voted as compared to the Republican Party Platform. Another scorecard showed how South Dakota Legislators voted on the most important Faith, Family and Fiscal bills. You should take time to see how your representatives voted.
One thing is certain. These legislators have looked at the scorecards… And they are not happy!
During my six years in the State House and Senate I met some incredible people. These folks are nice people, for the most part. I enjoyed a friendship and comradery with them that will be a fond memory for my lifetime. Many of those people do not seem as happy to see me since the scorecards are published.
Some have chosen to openly attack me and others personally. I would just remind them that these are not my votes! I would further remind them that voters were not happy while their representatives were voting AGAINST the Republican Party Platform, AGAINST faith and family issues and FOR raising taxes $60 million dollars per year.
One of the most greivious things is that the Republican leadership in South Dakota told voters they “balanced the budget without raising taxes”. This while they, in fact, raised taxes $60 million dollars per year.
Most voters believed them, or just looked the other way. The media did not hold them accountable for this deceptive assertion. Not ONE Republican legislator called the leadership on this false representation. Now, as the votes are being revealed to the public, Legislators who voted for this tax increase are angry at being referred to as a 50% Republican or a 23% Repbuplican. That must not feel good. Neither did the $60 million dollar per year tax increase.
Some of these Legislators consider themselves to be good conservatives. Some have even suggested that they DID NOT support these tax increases. The record is clear. The votes are recorded and available to those willing to dig through the record to find them.
For my part, I am not attacking ANY of these Legislators. I do, however, believe they are accountable to taxpayers and responsible for their votes. And above all, they are responsible to be factual and honest with us.
The invitation has been extended, and continues to be open for any Legislator to make their case. If their votes have been misrepresented, if they think the scorecards are somehow “unfair” or if they just want to “explain” their votes, we will give them the opportunity here. So far, there have been no takers. Somehow, that isn’t surprising. They would just as soon we forget some of their voting records so they could get back to being “conservative” again.
***Gordon Howie is a nationally syndicated author and CEO of Life and Liberty Media***
