Candidate for State House Stace Nelson on school consolidation.

U.S. Marine Corps veteran Stace Nelson is a candidate for South Dakota State House District 25. I submitted a question, this one on HB1182, which would make force all school districts to have at least 190 students enrolled, or be forced to merge. The following is Mr. Nelson's response.

Question 1: Last session a bill was introduced HB1182 to consolidate school districts under 190 students. What is your position on school size?

Thanks,

Thad Wasson

Thad,
My grandma, Freda Nelson, was a “one room” schoolteacher over near Lake Andes. That school house was on the front part of their farm, I have some of the books that they once used, and that building will forever be in my memories. I imagine that she would be shaking her head in wonderment and disgust that we have lost our way here in South Dakota. Even with the advent of the most miraculous of technology, we are closing schools and devastating small communities? I do not support our state mandating schools close/consolidate. I believe that the future of small schools should be left in the hands of the community. That being said, these communities need to understand that if they want to keep their schools open then they need to think outside of the box and run these schools only with the funds appropriated for their student population. Our state cannot ensure a Roosevelt/Mitchell/Baltic/etc. high school experience to every child in rural South Dakota; however, with the availability of video conferencing and computer technology our small schools should be given the chance to adapt their teaching environments so these small communities do not lose their schools or heritage.

Respectfully,

Stace Nelson
District 25 Republican Candidate for South Dakota House of Representatives
24739 420th Ave.
Fulton, SD 57340-8004
Cell: (605) 770-7461
Tel: (605) 996-0882
WWW.StaceNelson.Com

This answer reveals a concern to keep our rural communities alive and viable for future generations. South Dakota is more than I90, Sioux Falls and Rapid City. Our leaders must always be on guard for the entire state, and consolidation is not the wise course.

Thanks Stace and good luck!

NPR gets it wrong.

Juan Williams was canned for remarks made on Fox news. Williams said that he 'gets nervous when around those in Muslim garb' while waiting in airports. NPR has no problem when their other commentators demean the tea party or Republican candidates.

As the old saying goes - we are all equal, but some are more equal than others.

Jay Pond responds!

Jay,

Question #1: You are a proponent of wind energy. How could the state of South Dakota generate revenue from wind to add to our tax base?
Yes I am a proponent of wind energy production - call me the Drill Baby Drill of Wind.


I see wind as a new crop - a new source of sales income for South Dakotans. I don't want our wind production capabilities to be owned by out-of-state corporations that will take the profits out-of-state. I want the opportunity to purchase my energy from local production. By purchasing from others outside the state we are exporting the profits from our consumption. This need not be the case for our energy consumption. We have the means and the technology to produce our own energy. Let's keep the profits in-state. More money staying in the state translates to a boast in sales for homes, retail, restaurants...all tof which increase our sales tax revenue.


For South Dakotans to own the production process - the windmills, I support Federal, State and our local investment class to guarantee loans through our local banks and credit unions enabling individuals, if they choose, to purchase the means to tap into wind and solar. The opportunity to produce and sell energy is particularly good for rural South Dakotans. Loan guarantees are not subsidies - they are means to provide the necessary capital for South Dakotans to develop their own means of production.

Question #2: Japan was home for you during the early 1990's. How could you maximize that international experience to increase and build new ag and tourism markets?
Great question - I appreciate the opportunity to answer it. Before getting to the specifics of tourism and ag, I want to mention the Japanese value of community-based economics.


My living experience in Japan taught me that as a culture the Japanese are incredibly good at maximizing a very limited amount of natural resource available to such a huge population living in on very small island country. The Japanese are great at refining... improving quality and process. The economy, for as large as it is, is very community-based. The Japanese buy from each other first, then if items are not available from Japanese-based production, they then turn to the outside world. This allows for the refinement process, as everyone and all the processes are connected. By keeping the chain of production local, they support each other. The emergence of their economy into the second largest on the planet is evidence of this very simple economic value.


I want to see South Dakota do the same - we are so blessed with abundant resources and well-educated hard-working people, yet a vast amount of our consumption of goods produced outside our state - most of our retail consumption is produced outside the country. This is economic insanity in my opinion.


To your question of tourism and ag. My travels and living abroad make in easier for me to understand exactly how unique the Black Hills are. Our agriculture is produced with some of the last remaining naturally pure water in the world. Our beef and buffalo production is done ethically - small and medium sized ranches, not large scale animal production lots. Our production process still is naturally ORGANIC! The Japanese value quality, and have the means to pay extra for the increased value.


Also, I'd like to see a broadening of our tourism promotions to market to a more up-scale traveler. I'd like to see our state promoted as one enormous sculpture garden . Not just our two biggies - Rushmore and Crazy Horse, but our city sculpture gardens - the Presidents here in Rapid, the sculpture walk in Sioux Falls and Yankton, the great art popping up along I-90. We truly are emerging as a sculpture destination. I'd like to see the state promote our sculptors abroad. Local sculptors are emerging as masters - Dale Lamphere, John Lopez, Jim Maher just to name a few.

Question #3: The state Veteran's Home in Hot Springs is being lured by the elected leadership in Rapid City to place new roots in Rapid. Where would the Home best serve all veteran's?
Thad, I need to know more about this issue before I'm able to offer an intelligent opinion. Please point in the direction of any information to get me up to speed on the issue.

Question #4: Medicaid is a growing item in our state budget that has an insatiable appetite. How do we manage this going forward?
Big Pharm has us by the balls. I'd like to see South Dakota join with other states in the region to buy in bulk. Obama in my opinion screwed the nation when he made a backdoor deal with Big Pharm by agreeing to not negotiate price. Canada negotiates as a bulk buyer, so should we! I think Medicare Part D needs to be repealed.


"Calculations by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office and other independent fiscal experts show that the $1.1 trillion cost over the next 10 years of the Medicare prescription drug program, which the Republican-controlled Congress adopted in 2003, by itself would add more to the deficit than the combined costs of the bailout, the stimulus and the health care law."

Thanks for your time and answers Jay. Good luck on November 2, 2010.

Interview with Jay Pond.

Jay Pond is an Independent running for the South Dakota State House in District 35. Mr. Pond has kindly agreed to answer a few questions that I submitted to him. Stay tuned!

The path to wings.

The children could not part with the caterpillar when we got home. So they placed it in a plastic container and this morning woke up to a cocoon. The caterpillar is on its way to becoming a monarch butterfly.

A lazy Saturday afternoon was spent at Dalton Lake in the Black Hills. Henry reached up and grabbed a dragonfly, he also snagged a caterpillar.

Hannah snapped pictures of all the flowers.

Shedding blood for religon.

American troops have been fighting in Afghanistan since October 2001. We are there to establish and create and maintain the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Huh? Why is American treasure and blood being spent to support a country devoted to the rule of Islam? Using our military muscle to groom a nation whose guiding principle in their constitution is the rule of Islam? Where are my liberal friends who preach separation of church and state in the U.S.A? Are they proud of this?

Barn fun.

Off to the wild blue yonder.

Its good to have a local economist.

Our janitor also moonlights as an economist. Case in point, today he came in the crew room and said he can tell our company has gotten rid of a lot of employees because he rarely has to replace the toilet paper.

Raise your hand if you are a hawk.

Since President Obama signed the new treaty with Russia limiting and reducing the stockpiles of nuclear weapons, and the outrage by candidates and elected officials over his decision, its time to compare and contrast with our hero, Ronald Reagan.

Let's look at the reaction by Reagan when the Marine barracks were blown up by Islamic terrorists in Beirut, Lebanon 1983. Nothing. No ground troops stationed in the Middle East. No special forces involvement. No sustained air bombardment.

How about dealing with the Russians and their nuclear ambitions? Quote 'I call upon the scientific community in our country, those who gave us nuclear weapons, to turn their great talents now to the cause of mankind and world peace: to give us the means of rendering these nuclear weapons impotent and obsolete'. Ronald Reagan.

President Obama has increased troops in Afghanistan and plans to maintain a troop level of over 50,000 American military personal in Iraq indefinitely.

Mr. Obama to this point is more of a hawk than Mr. Reagan ever was.

Golf Tournament Fundraiser has been set.

The 21st of June is the date for the Bethany Christian Services golf tournament. This is a best ball four man scramble held at Hart Ranch in Rapid City. Last year I put down an 18 for a handicap, on hole 6 my partner mentioned that next time I say my handicap is 26.

Under the age of 27?

The new 'law of the land' health care bill needs to be discussed on this blog. Allowing your children up to the age of 27 to be on your current health insurance plan is counterproductive. The goal is to get the young and healthy to pay into the insurance pool. Why extend the umbrella of their parent's policy? Obama said everyone in, no one out. Get a job! Drop the Xbox headset and show some desire to earn some cash.

Border war

A crowd of over 300 gathered Thursday evening at the convention center off of exit 48.

The quickly announced special zoning for Meade county residents near the border with the city of Summerset took place Thursday evening. It began with confusion and ended with a question. What happens next?

Meade county officials are proposing a new special zoning committee that would hold the title of number 5 in layers of government bureaucracy. Government chain of command currently is the state of SD, the city of Summerset, the county of Meade, and current covenants of homeowners associations that would be grandfathered in.

Why create something that will have no taxing authority or legal recourse to enforce codes that are on the books? Why get the people excited over a committee that has been hyped with a false sense of bravado?

Is this being created to provide a blueprint for Summerset to annex the area and for the Meade county commission to wash their hands of us?

All in a day's work.

My work routine takes me to a variety of homes, apartments and businesses throughout the day. These pictures were taken at a rental unit in Rapid City. The image to the left is the entrance to the rental. Notice the punched-out sheet rock. At the upper right hand corner is trash piled at the main door. Cost monthly for this tenant is $600 dollars.

Eye Contact with Meaning

Mary Fast Horse died Monday night. How do I know this? I made eye contact with one of her relatives today on the job. His eyes carried a heavy burden which prompted me to ask if he was okay. His reply was, "No a family member died." His family member was Mary Fast Horse. She was drinking at Romeo's bar in Rapid City, the liquor gave her a false sense of warmth. She left the bar without her shoes or coat, curled up next to a dumpster and froze to death.


What causes a person to die this way and a city that seems to have indifference? Is this a reflection of Rapid City or a one time occurrence?

May God have peace on her soul and give her family comfort.

China vs. U.S.

China gets referenced a lot on my blog. They are currently positioned better than the U.S. is economically and until our nation addresses this, we will continue to lose jobs.

Our nation has three bills that China does not. Bill 1. A military that we spend half of our budget on. Bill 2. $800 billion dollar bank redemption plan. Bill 3. Two wars.

Their is a loud cry of our desire to wean ourselves from foreign oil, and the capital that flows outside our borders to other lands. A concern that is valid, but what of imported electronics, textiles, clothes, food, and vehicles?

Get ready for the next Cuban missle crisis.

Keep your eye on what is going on in Taiwan. An American company, McDonnell Douglas, sold $37 million dollars worth of missiles to Taiwan. China claims Taiwan as their property and the U.S. state department favors a one China policy. Having Taiwan with the ability to defend herself is unacceptable to the mainland and they are pushing back hard on America.

This is where we see who has the power at the start of the new decade.

Worst idea of the session.

First reported by Pat Powers of Dakotawarcollege followed by CAH of Madvilletimes a bill only a Bolshevik could love and one only a communist dictator would draft. A law requiring all bloggers to provide information on comments posted on their blogs. Id's must be kept for purposes of government tracking.

Senator Nancy Turback Berry and Rep. Noel Hamiel are the authors of this gross violation of the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The shine on the presumed crown that both these elected officials wear must be affecting the function of all common sense in the halls of Pierre.

When war is your trade.

A resolution was presented to our state investment council from our elected reps seeking to divest our state retirement funds from companies that do business with Iran. Iran has been providing training for terrorists that have fought and killed American and British military personal in Iraq and Afghanistan.

It looks like the Chinese government likes what it sees over here in the South Dakota legislature and is going for their own version of that resolution. BBC news has reported that China has warned an American company, Boeing, that they will be suspended from doing business with the Chinese government unless they cease military trade with Taiwan. China claims sovereignty over Taiwan and having a Boeing subsidiary McDonnell Douglas provide missiles to Taiwan has gotten the attention of the Chinese leaders.

Carry the flag to battle.

The sign of a great society is how well it treats its wounded military personnel. A recent program of brain damaged veterans was presented by public television. It showed parents and spouses left with the financial obligation of providing the needed medical care for their injured loved ones.

Our country should provide all the monetary resources needed to alleviate this burden.

Go ahead and lump'em all together.

There has been a disturbing trend these past months. NATO has assumed broadcasting American military deaths in Afghanistan. This is not a NATO led mission in Afghanistan, this is an American mission with NATO support. To have NATO place a generic announcement about military deaths is very insulting. The least the Obama administration could do is have the fallen service members names, hometown and branch of service recognized for their ultimate sacrifice.

The way to beat Congresswoman Herseth-Sandlin. Step 2.

Offer to take this elected position to the next level. The next level is to appear before the public and to stand tall before your citizens. Promise to choose a town that will host you monthly. Whether it is Rapid City, Brookings, Madison or Pine Ridge bring congress home to South Dakota. This will be the platform to explain bills and take questions. Compliments and praise is nice but you grow faster by accepting constructive criticism. You get that by not being afraid of the people that elect you.