South Dakota Media Has It Wrong: Independents Worth Being Heard

South Dakota "main stream" media, appear to have wrongly decided the Independent Candidates for Governor and US Senate don't have a chance of winning.

Recent stories in print and on the screen have emphasized the "main stream" candidates with little mention of the Independents. A loss for all of us.

It takes more work for an independent to get on the ballot. Nearly twice as many legal signatures must be gathered. An organizational feat unto itself.

In South Dakota, and other parts of the country, people are leaving the Republican and Democratic Parties, becoming either Independents or joining other lesser known groups. The "Tea Party" folks on the far right and the "Progressives" on the far left have driven some of that exodus.

The June election had a miserable turnout from both parties. I think there are two reasons for the low turnout: One, none of the candidates excited the voter enough to get them to the polls; and two, the reality that in Washington, and to a lesser extent in Pierre, neither party has shown an ability to get things done. Their major accomplishments are complaining about one another. The public is disengaged.

I believe this country needs more ideas, coming from different brains. I am tired of the dogma, sound bites, posturing, and never ending battles in Washington, coming from incumbents, their minions, and lobbyists.

On Viewpoint University, I will give Independent Candidates Larry Pressler, Gordon Howie, for Senator, and Michael Myers, for Governor, plenty of time to express their ideas. They will not be edited. I will not let them or any other candidate get by with sound bites.

Hope you will join us at Viewpoint University week-days 4-7 pm on 1140 KSOO and this website as we explore the new possibilities.

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