How open primarys could help SD; a thank you from a veteran: Your letters

Your letters to the editor for March 31, 2024:

Open primaries would empower independent voters

South Dakota Open Primaries is a statewide group of Republicans, Democrats and Independents dedicated to reshaping our election system to make it fairer and more competitive. We are gathering 50,000 signatures to be filed by May 7th. South Dakotans have been receptive to this idea once they hear our proposal.Our top-two primaries constitutional proposal eliminates separate ballots for each party. All registered South Dakota voters would get the same primary election ballot. It would cover the three congressional offices, the governor, the legislature and county offices. It would be a South Dakota primary, not a Republican or Democrat primary. Candidates will have more competition to get into office, and they’ll have to tailor their message to appeal to large numbers of South Dakotans, not just a partisan few.There are currently 150,000 independent or unaffiliated voters in South Dakota. That’s over a quarter of the state’s registered voters. Many have disengaged from the highly charged partisanship that characterizes today’s politics. Their taxes pay for the primaries they can’t vote in and the salaries of the people they have no part in electing. Open primaries would empower them with a meaningful role in the political process.

− Joe Kirby, Sioux Falls

Thank you for taking care of me, Sioux Falls VA.

Being a resident of Sioux Falls since 1946 I have watched this amazing city grow from 45,000 to its current 215,000. After 3 years 3 months in the US Army and 6 years in the US Navy Seabees, I have had the privilege of having any and all my medical needs addressed at the finest military hospital in the country, between Western and Garfield Ave, 22nd and 26th street in Sioux Falls SD. From the valet parking, to every room or desk at that facility the staff is exceptional by the way everything is explained and respect for our military commitment is obviously displayed. The coordination between the various departments pertaining to issues us old people deal with is admirable. I believe I have reached the age of 83 because of the last 30 years being treated by that very fine hospital. Thank each and every one of you for all you do at the Sioux Falls SD Veterans Hospital.

− Paul Dysart, Tea

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Is South Dakota still the land of the free and for whom?

What you are about to read may shock you and it sure as heck should stir up about as much outrage, blind-sidedness, and deception that a SD born and raised landowner can take! First, those outrageous, false tv ads about protecting landowner rights have purposefully aired as total misinformation to intentionally sway folks to believe that SD landowner rights are being held in the state government's, Summit Carbon's and its supporter's best interests. Second, our state government majority leaders, backed by Governor Noem have outright betrayed us all by touting and reinforcing these same untruths everywhere in the media and in the legislature.

On March 6, 2024, the "Summit Carbon Bill of Rights" legislation in the form of HB 1185, HB 1186, & SB 201 coalesced exactly as Summit and supporters wanted. Through the tireless work of Summit's allies and lobbyists, Rep. Will Mortenson and Sen. Casey Crabtree, SD landowners and counties are now some of the worst protected in the country when it comes to eminent domain and having any chance against huge private pipeline corporations hungry to force their will upon landowners and counties.

None of this legislation protects landowners from the abuses of Summit. Eminent domain and invasive destructive land surveys against property owner's will were both ignored. Each of the so-called landowner rights describes what landowners can already obtain, Summit has already agreed to do, or the law already allows. The bills are 100% pro-pipeline as they effectively kill local control, destroy the discretion of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and handcuff them from doing their job as they have since 1975.

In 2023, SD landowners and counties pulled off two historic fair and square PUC victories against hazardous Co2 pipelines. After that, corporate lobbyists and legislators rallied and decidedly changed the rules in the middle of the game. Losing on merit and under laws since statehood, they "gamed" the system and laws in their favor, creating the above-mentioned bills. We now have less landowner protections than Iowa or Minnesota. Governor Noem, is SD still the land of the free? Or free, meaning just for big corporations she's backing under "SD We're Open for Business" all at the expense of SD landowner rights? How could this happen in SD? Landowners' voices were simply shut out - when they made suggestions and offered solutions, they were ignored. Every committee hearing was just a formality with the outcome predetermined, leaving landowners frustrated, receiving nothing they asked for. The real "work" occurred in secret meetings orchestrated by Summit's lobbyists and hand-picked friendly legislators. For more eye-opening truths and the rest of the story, Google this powerful YouTube video "Fighting the Eminent Domain Takeover of Farms and Ranches" with SD's Amanda Radke.

− RJ and Lisa Wright, Brandon

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Humility is important in leadership, even in high school sports

I read the article about the Class A boy's basketball championship game in the Monday Argus Leader. I am amazed that the Sioux Falls Christian boy's coach, who was quoted throughout the article never once made a reference to the Sioux Falls Christian opponents in that game. Never once did he pay his respects to the team than beat them on Saturday night.Having once been a coach and teacher, I realize the pain that his entire team must have felt after that game was over. I am from the Hamlin district. I grew up in Hayti, and believe me, we had some pretty fair basketball teams up in that area during the '50's and 60's. Every coach we ever had in Hayti would have paid their respects to a victorious opponent in defeat.It speaks volumes that Coach Scouten didn't in this article. Hamlin played a very good game. It was exciting to watch. The two best teams in the tournament played each other for all the marbles, and the best team on that night won. Sioux Falls Christian has an outstanding team. They showed guts coming back the way they did. Hamlin showed determination holding them off and the team that won was the team that made the least mistakes at critical moments.It is unfortunate that someone had to lose that game, but they don't allow them to end up in ties. A little acknowledgement of your opponent in defeat would have been appropriate. It would have been a really good example if for no one else, for his players.Now if Coach Schouten did acknowledge the efforts of his opponents that led to the victory and congratulated them during the course of the interview that led up to the article, then the responsiblility for the omission of respect that should have been paid to the victor that is missing from the article lies elsewhere.Humility in a leader is not a bad thing when dealing with young people. It is a wonderful trait for a coach to exemplify.I hope to see these two teams meet again next season. I hope both coaches coach their best game and both teams play their best game, but most importantly I hope the next time they meet that both the winners and the losers pay the respect to their opponents that is due them.

− Randy Amundson, Sioux Falls

Not voting is still a vote for Trump

Dace Potas of USA Today stomped his foot recently as a Guest Columnist in the Argus – a prolonged whine about the dearth of desirable candidates in the upcoming presidential election. What’s a poor, principled young conservative to do? He concludes with this pronouncement – “If neither party will give us candidates worth voting for, I simply won’t.”

I beg Mr. Potas to Grow Up. The plea extends sincerely to all of us, left and right, who are frustrated with the choice that is almost certain to evolve: Biden vs. Trump.

I would not try to convince a Trump supporter to consider otherwise at the polls. That ship has sailed - into a different universe. If I could find it, I would not go there.

But, Mr Potas - this is definitely not an election where you get to vote for your candidate, the best guy, the one you truly support. This is an election where you suck it up and vote for the candidate most likely to defeat Donald Trump. Period. Any shred of critical thinking should lead to the same conclusion regarding this election: It will be close, maybe very close, and not voting is simply voting for Donald Trump with your middle finger. If you are OK with that possible outcome, shame. If not – grow up and cast a meaningful ballot.

This is possibly a Lincoln moment. Self-indulgent nihilism is not allowed; juvenile pouts deserve no haven; understandable and righteous frustration needs be checked at the door. That’s hard – especially this time around. But the Democracy part of a Democratic Republic may be at stake. Deep breath. Clench hard and vote against a candidate - and do it effectively. Please!

−Jeffery Smith, Sioux Falls

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This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: How open primarys could help SD; a thank you from a veteran: Your letters