SOUTH DAKOTA STRAIGHT TALK

Citizens expect at a minimum when they elect Legislators either State or Federal that they would take the effort to understand what is in the laws they are enacting.

Lately our Congress has taken inattention to new heights. Last February when Congress finalized the Stimulus Bill, the President and Democrat majority in the Congress told us that the bill had to be passed immediately and sent to the President for his signature post haste.

The bill was passed on Friday rather than let Congress and the Public see and digest the legislative sausage before say voting on it the following Tuesday. No sunshine was allowed. This bill that had to be now was the $800 plus Billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. After the bill was passed on Friday the President then decided he was not in such a hurry to sign the bill. Rather he waited until the following Wednesday for a full blown ceremony and press oppity.

Last week with the U S House passage of the so called Climate Bill (cap and trade et al) similar shenanigans took place.

While in this latest round Democrats are railroading their favorite projects and policies, Republicans have not always been innocent bystanders. Most everyone who pays attention to current events and our federal Congress are very used to seeing Committee hearings that are attended by only two or three Senators or Representative. How many times have you seen on CSPAN floor debate in the U S House or Senate with just a minimum of Members present?

Shouldn’t we expect more attention?

I have been an observer and what might be described as adjunct participant in our State Legislator for almost thirty years. I understand that not all Legislators read every bill. They do depend (at least on the GOP side and I presume the Dem side as well) the Caucus to review legislation. But in Pierre, hearings and session is attended at near 100 percent levels.

Having not attended Session for the past 6 years I was somewhat surprised to hear a new term. “Reader” Recently I was introduced to State Representative R. Blake Curd. As part of his introduction to me by another legislator I was told ‘he is a Reader.” When I inquired what that was, it was explained he was one of the few members that actually read the bills. While I was disappointed to hear that the process and consequently understanding of the impacts and consequences of legislation in South Dakota may be deteriorating, I was impressed by Representative Curd’s intellect and work ethic.

In a Representative Democracy we should expect no less of all our solons and especially our Federal Reps.

Sidebar – It was also pointed out to me that in our last Legislative session because of impacts of the “Stimulus Bill” (referenced above) at the initiation of Representative Curd a Special Legislative Committee was organized to study and understand the federal rules and mandates that came as “rules” with the cash the Feds are sending. Representative Curd was appointed Chairman of Stimulus Committee. This is an impressive recognition of respect for a first year Legislator.