April 6, 2010
Howie sets a SD signature gathering record?? - UPDATED
We were all impressed a couple weeks ago with Steve Hildebrand's ability to get 3800 signatures in five days or less to put Dr. Kevin Weiland on the ballot in the June primary. However, it is looking like State Senator/Gubernatorial candidate Gordan Howie, also in five days or less, got nearly that many from just the Sioux Falls area to put an Initiated Measure on the ballot that would insulate South Dakota from Obamacare.
Howie needed 16,000 signatures by today. Nothing available yet on totals but word is 2500 signatures were collected in Sioux Falls alone. (I'd have been able to get more here had it not been Easter weekend.) With signatures from the rest of the state soon to be added in, it is looking like there won't be enough to put this on the November ballot.
In any case, every elected official needs to take note that a powerful uprising is underway in our state and nation. Others who are more familiar with our state's political history can confirm, but I'd guess we are about to witness a state record in terms of grass roots signature collecting.
UPDATE: Half of the 16,000 needed signatures were collected in less than five days. Remarkable actually. This is on their Facebook site this morning:
Call to Action: Petition Drive! South Dakota Health Care Freedom Act we already have a rep on the house side in pierre who is willing to represent the sb 137 in jan of 2011 & we believe we will be able to find someone on the senate side to do the same!and if that doesn't work we already intend to get it on the ballot in 2012 if necessary and let the people decide!
In the meantime, we can be thankful Marty Jackley is holding the line - Go Marty Go!
Comments on Howie sets a SD signature gathering record?? - UPDATED »
Stace Nelson @ 7:14 am
I had hoped that enough would be collected. If not, I think it should be an election issue that voters demand their candidates address.
caheidelberger @ 11:44 am
Stace, the A.G. is already addressing this issue. The lawsuit, if successful, will achieve the same thing the proposed legislation would. How about we ask our legislative cnadidates to focus on issues they actually have jurisdiction over, like education, energy, taxes, and the state budget?
Stace Nelson @ 1:17 pm
I would think that history taught us that state sovereignty extends well beyond that. The US Constitution would argue as such, as well as Supreme Court rulings. I would argue that the ultimate evidence of that jurisdiction, in fact, was when the Southern states seceded from this great Union. I know it is a novel idea, but how about we let the voters decide how far they want to go to ensure that monstrosity is repealed?
Stace Nelson @ 1:28 pm
Additionally, you do not debate the AG's state constitutional authority for contesting this matter. Arguably, his authority to do so would be less than the full weight of a law imposed by the elected body of the people.