SOUTH DAKOTA STRAIGHT TALK

Ron Paul Yard on Duluth Avenue in Sioux Falls

The yard sign shown above caught my eye recently. I was surprised not so much that it was for Ron Paul but that it was up 11 months before the Primary Election. Sioux Falls City Ordinance prohibits political signs from being put up by campaigns more than 60 days prior to an election.

As there has been so little organizing activity for the Presidential campaigns in South Dakota (because of our near last in the Nation primary status), I checked out who Paul’s leadership is, knowing because of this gaff it wouldn’t be someone from the activist GOP community. While others may have already known (I did not – but I wasn’t surprised to learn) that Congressman Paul’s South Dakota leadership is none other than Chief South Dakota JAILer Bill Stegmeier.

If Paul had any hopes of building a base among Republicans in South Dakota selecting Stegmeier is a big mistake.

Stegmeier in his own mind believes in what he is doing but like his refusing to answer questions when he appeared before a Senate Committee two years ago, and his other acts of omission and half-truths, Stegmeier needs to play by the rules.

You will not succeed in Politics without Credibility. Stegmeier has none.

I too am not a big fan of the 60 day sign rule, but the law is the law. You don’t get to pick and choose which laws you want to obey because they don’t comport with your sense of Justice.

Bill take the signs down .

Sidebar - To the extent there are campaigns in South Dakota, Governor Rounds has endorsed Mike Huckabee, Senator Thune has endorsed John McCain, and District 10 State Senator Gene Abdallah has been busy organizing the Rudy Giuliani effort.

If you are of the mind to find out more about Ron Paul or Bill Stegmeier, the campaign is having a bar-b-q and pool party at Stegmeier’s home in Tea this Saturday.