Hello everyone,
Here's what we have been up to since the last update.
Jan. 28th Sioux Empire Farm Show in Sioux Falls
Jan 29 -Feb. 6th Black Hills Stock Show (with a BHSS gubernatorial forum on Feb. 6th)
Feb. 1st - Faith Salebarn
Feb. 3rd - Custer Co. Republican Women in Custer
Feb. 8th - Sioux Falls Regional Livestock in Canton
Feb. 9th - Stockman's Livestock in Yankton
Feb. 10th - Charles Mix Co. Livestock in Platte
Feb. 11th - Ken's Superfair Foods in Aberdeen
Feb 12th - Vietnam Veterans reunion in Mitchell
Feb. 13th - Hub City Livestock in Aberdeen
- North Central Livestock Producers, also in Aberdeen
And on the 15th and 16th, I was in Torrington, Wyoming celebrating the birth of our first grandson, James Kenneth Stienmetz. Not alot of SD voters in Torrington, but some things are just more important than others! And just so you know, mother, son, and father are all doing fine.
I get asked all the time "Why would you want the job of governor?" And, one of the reasons, quite simply, is to do my part to insure that future generations (and that includes my grandson!) can enjoy the individual freedoms and rights that you and I have today. The same individual freedoms that our founding fathers were thinking about when they wrote our Constitution. The right to life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and, according to our state constitution, the right to acquire and protect property. That's basically why we have a government - to protect the rights of individuals. Not just the rights of a handful of people, or the rights of big business, or big corporations - they seem to have lawyers and lobbyists aplenty. But individual rights - those rights given to us in our constitution, by our founding fathers.
"To secure our inherent rights (those rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness), governments are instituted among men (and women), deriving our just powers from the consent of the governed." We are the "governed" and the only power that government should have is the power we allow it to have.
It is our responsibility to make sure these freedoms stay intact, not only for future generations, but for ours as well. Too many times in my travels, I have heard people say that they are "politically neutral", or "I'm only one vote", or "I don't participate in elections because it is all corrupt".
I'm not sure what "politically neutral" means, other than maybe a politically correct phrase for choosing not to participate, but how many times in recent elections did a candidate win by only a handful of votes? I can think of several, including a Presidential election several years ago - which included millions of voters! One vote can make a difference.
Also, not all politics are corrupt. And if it does become corrupt, it is only because we let it happen by not participating in our political process. We, as individuals, have the power, through our vote, to decide who we want to elect. By not voting (for whatever reason), we are neglecting our responsibility of maintaining our inherent rights and freedoms. Those same rights and freedoms that have made this country so successful in the past. Those same rights and freedoms that have allowed us to think freely, and act upon our own thoughts and decisions - hopefully to make our life better, but always knowing, in the back of our minds, there is a chance for failure.
I'm not going to sit on the sidelines and watch as our individual rights slowly deteriorate away through more bureaucracy, unneeded regulations, and higher debt. Less government is the best government.
Basically, that is why I'm running for Governor. But I can't do it myself. The reason you all are on this list is because you believe in some of the same things I do, and you have offered to help. Now, I am asking for your help in getting signatures to put my name on the Republican ballot for the primary election on June 8th, 2010. We need 2070 (1% of the number of Republicans in the last election) signatures from registered Republicans in this state. To be on the safe side, we want to get between 2500 and 3000 signatures. Deadline is March 31st.
Those of you who have petitions, we need them filled out and sent back in soon so we can get a count on where we are at. If you don't have one, e-mail myself, Dan, or Carrie, and we will get them sent to you.
If we don't get the signatures, we are done. That's it. End of story.
Ken
January 26, 2010
Hello everyone,
Been awhile since my last update. I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays, even though the weather was "wintry", to say the least. Because of the weather, our family ended up celebrating Christmas for three days, which, actually wasn't too bad. Sure ate good anyways! And we finally ate up the last of the Christmas goodies about a week ago. So, all in all, it turned out pretty good.
We're used to severe weather changes in South Dakota - it's just part of living here. We all know that a storm can come up at any time, and we do our best to get through it, sometimes all we can do is wait it out, and we do. Government is no different. Today we are looking at a possible "economic storm" in the next two years, and we need to "do our best to get through it." And that means tightening our belt on government spending - separating our needs from our wants. It doesn't necessarily mean that we will forget about our wants, it just means we have to put them aside for awhile, wait till the storm blows over, and it will.
We know there is going to be a deficit this coming year, just as we knew the Christmas storm was coming. And what did most of us do about the Christmas storm? We prepared ourselves for it, and waited it out. We can handle the state budget the same way, and in the process make government more efficient. Preparing for the worst doesn't always mean the worst will happen, but at least we can be prepared in case it does.
Our legislature this year seems very focused on making the cuts necessary to truly balance the budget, and not have to take away from our reserves this year. That is good, and I hope that they continue to remain focused throughout the legislative session.
Before Christmas, I went to a few meetings around the area, including a local Farm Bureau meeting in Wall to hear about what some of their issues were going to be in this legislative session, and a meeting with the Black Hills Multiple Use Coalition, where much of the discussion was on a Proposed Wilderness designation (more bureaucracy) in the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands, which it sounds like Senator Johnson will be introducing in Congress.
Jan. 8th, I was supposed to attend a meeting with the SD Municipal League in Oacoma, but when I got up that morning, it was 35 below, and our pipes were frozen, so instead of meeting with a group of mayors as a Governor's candidate, I was fixing broken pipes in below zero weather. Probably not very gubernatorial, but, nevertheless, it was something that had to be done. Sounded like I wasn't the only one who couldn't make it, so they might be rescheduling the meeting.
On January 15th, I met with SD ABATE, in Pierre. ABATE is a motorcycle organization whose main focus (aside from riding motorcycles) is in motorcycle safety. Actually, a few years ago, Mark Hollenbeck, was a lobbyist for both the Stockgrowers, and ABATE, and would say that he represented both the "bikers and cowboys" in Pierre. He always seemed pretty proud of that fact.
This past week, I attended "meet and greets" at cafes in White River, Murdo, and Kadoka. These went very well, and, I look forward to doing some more of these. It's more of a laid back type of atmosphere, where we can visit about politics, cattle, weather, kids, grandkids, or whatever. People seem more comfortable in those types of settings.
Also, I attended a meeting of the American Legislative Exchange Council in Pierre. Mostly legislators who believe in limited government, protecting individual freedoms, and the constitution. So seemed to be a good group.
One thing that we are working on now is getting petitions signed to put my name on the ballot. We have sent some of these out to people already, but if you haven't received any, and would want to help in getting signatures, call or e-mail Carrie.
All the best,
Ken
Hello everyone,
We finally got our fall work done - was glad we had some fall weather after the early snowstorms! Didn't look too good for awhile - thought we might be in for a long winter, but, thanks to the unpredictable weather in South Dakota, we had a surprisingly mild November.
Here's what we've been up to on the political front -
First, we have Carrie back on board to help with the press releases, web site, and such. Her e-mail is cstadheim@ndgateway.com
Also, thanks to those who were on the conference call on the 19th. Some of you didn't get the notice, I know, but we will get that corrected in the future. Also, we will send you the notes from that call, and if any of you have anything to add, feel free to contact either Carrie or myself.
On November 15th, I met with some school board members and teachers from Hot Springs and Custer, and on the 20th, I met with the South Dakota Association of School Boards in Pierre. If any of you are on a school board in your district, I would be interested in hearing from you. Schools are a big part of a community, and a big part of the state's budget. It's an important issue, and it would be good to hear some of your thoughts.
On the 21st, I was at the Farm Bureau convention in Rapid City to answer questions. One of the questions that keeps coming up, (and came up here, too) was balancing the budget. Last year, we were looking at about a 70 - 90 million dollar deficit, and this year we are looking at 130 million plus deficit. The state has to change the way it does business - become more efficient, and make some cuts. We don't have the luxury of increasing revenues that we have had in the past. It's a different economy today than it was just a few years ago. And the deficit is large enough that all faces of government need to make some concessions.
On the 24th, I was part of a question and answer session at the SD School of Mines and Technology. Several questions on energy came up, including the uranium mining that is starting near Edgemont. Also, a question on taxing internet sales came up, with alot of discussion among the audience on that one.
Yesterday, I met with John Brooks, who is the executive director of the SD Association of Newspapers. He had several ideas on advertising and things that were reasonably priced, and some new ideas using 'texting' and internet videos. One thing that he kept bringing up was that our campaign isn't "part of the political crowd", and that we need to express that every chance that we get.
That brings us up to December, and on the 5th, I will be in Pierre at the first annual New Pony Congress Conservative Rally at the Capitol Lake visitors center.
We have some other things going on in December as well, and when we get the calender put together, we will pass it on to you.
All the best,
Ken
Hello everyone,
Just a quick update - Kevin Wooster from the RC Journal was out a week ago today to do an interview and take some pictures. We were shipping some calves that day. Kevin also did his weekly radio program from our ranch. It is a political program that he does with Dave Kranz of the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, and host Paul Guggenheimer, of South Dakota Public Radio.
If you go to www.rapidcityjournal.com, there is a short video there that Kevin took. It's on the right side of the page, under Editor's picks.
Also, there should be an article of the Journal interview in the next couple of days. And, I am doing an NPR radio interview today at 11:00.
Saturday, I was in Brookings for the Hobo Days parade. Lots of people, lots of handshaking, and lots of handing out suckers. This is just an FYI, but in case any of you ever get the bug to run for a political office and you find yourself in a parade wondering what kind of candy to hand out, Dum-Dum suckers are the best! They are a huge hit among young and old alike.
Anyways, things are starting to ramp up alitte bit. We will be working on getting some press releases out in the near future, and hopefully adding to that every couple of weeks.
Stay tuned,
Ken
Hello everyone,
I've visited with some of you about how South Dakota is basically a small community. Well, the following is a perfect example of what I mean.
Last Sunday, I was at the Country Club in Dakota Dunes for a get together that was put on by the Republican Jewish Coalition. Now, for those of you who have never heard of Dakota Dunes, it is an area in the extreme Southeastern part of the state. Matter of fact, the Country Club we were at was only about a 100 feet or so from the river. On the other side was Nebraska, and Iowa was only a mile or so to the east.
But what Dakota Dunes is really known for is the people that live there. They're rich. Really rich. Some are doctors, some lawyers. IBP moved their "World Headquarters" there back when Janklow was Governor. Gateway was another company that used to be in the area. Others businesses have their company headquarters in Dakota Dunes (escape their state's corporate income tax), while their factories are in Nebraska, Iowa, or elsewhere.
The houses are huge and fancy, the landscape is perfectly manicured. Matter of fact, things are so perfect, it looks fake.
The Country Club is lavish. Everybody there is dressed to the hilt. Drinks are free (well, free with the $100 dinner ticket), people are visiting and laughing and discussing all the so-called important issues of the day.
We all go into the dining room to our assigned seats. I'm sitting at a table where the couple next to me are talking about owning factories like we talk about owning cattle. They do business in 33 different countries and are discussing their trip next week to China. They are telling me the "do's and don'ts" of doing business with the Chinese (useful information, I'm sure). The table next to me has the night's speaker, Ari Fleisher (Former White House Press Secretary to President Bush). All this fancy stuff going on and all these very well-to-do people attending, but the thing that impressed me the most was that the guy sitting across the table from me knows Lee Wagner, who owns and operates the bar in Buffalo Gap!! Small world.
Just goes to show you that we are still basically a community in this state. Almost everywhere I go, I meet someone who knows someone I know - or vice-versa. And the conversation usually ends with a " well tell so-and-so I said 'hi'. " Strangers when we first meet, but with a mutual acquaintance, it's like we have been friends for a long time.
Anyways, here's what else I have been up to -
Sept. 18th I was in the Homecoming parade in Kadoka, the 19th, Theresa, Rick, Monica and I went to the Beef Bowl at SDSU. Enjoyed tailgating and watching SDSU soundly handle their opponent.
The 20th, Monica and I attended the Pennington county Republican picnic in Rapid. And on the 25th I attended the Menno Power Show in Menno. It's an antique tractor and steam engine show ( and yes - I paid to look at machinery again. Seems to be becoming a habit.) Visited with lots of people there - it was a good event to be at.
October 2nd I attended the State Republican Leadership conference in Rapid, and on the 4th I attended the Republican Jewish Coalition in Dakota Dunes.
On the 5th, I met with one of the senior VP's of POET in Sioux Falls. Poet is an ethanol company with 26 plants across the midwest, with 6 of them in South Dakota. The family that started this plant started making ethanol on their family farm in Minnesota 20 years ago and have built it up to what it is today.
An FYI on one of the things we discussed at this meeting. One of the ethanol industry's new goals (like just in the last month or so) is Country of Origin Labeling for energy. Not surprisingly, they have received a letter from all the major oil companies stating that they (the big oil companies and their cohorts) are not going to support COOL for energy. Hmmm - sounds familiar, doesn't it.
Finally, this past Thursday and Saturday I attended the Western Junior Livestock Show in Rapid City.
Here's what I have coming up on the calendar (Randy, could you add these again? thanks).
Oct. 24th Hobo Days in Brookings
Nov. 20th K-12 School board meeting in Pierre
Nov. 21st Farm Bureau Governor's Panel in Rapid City
Hope all is well,
Ken
Hello everyone,
Been awhile since I sent you an update, so thought I'd let you know that I am still alive and kicking.
Saturday, August 22, we were in the Central States Fair parade. Jim Reed brought his restored 1950's (not sure of the year) pickup, and Monica and I rode in the back. I only made it to the fair one day, but it looked like there was a good crowd attending.
On Thursday, Sept. 3, Randy and I attended the State Fair in Huron, and on Friday, I was in the Homecoming parade in Onida.
We went to Winner SD, for Labor Day, where we participated in the parade (some local people provided a team and wagon for Monica and I to ride in), and also our "Knuppe for Governor" team participated in the ranch rodeo. They didn't place in this one, but we did get quite a bit of publicity.
September 10th - 12th was the Annual Stockgrowers convention. Also, on the afternoon of the 12th, Monica and I were invited to a polo match in Hill City, but it was postponed due to rain - too bad because I was looking forward to watching the match.
On Sunday, the 13th, I spoke at the AFSCME council 59 Annual convention in Watertown, and in the afternoon, attended the Spink county Republicans picnic.
Monday, I met with several people in the Highmore area.
Here's what I have coming up:
Sept. 18th Kadoka Homecoming parade
19th Beef Bowl @ SDSU
20th Penn county Republican picnic in Rapid
24th Minneluzahan senior center in Rapid
25-26th Menno Power Show in Menno
26-27th Car races in Pierre
Oct. 1-2nd Republican Leadership conference
4th Republican Jewish coalition at Dakota Dunes
Talking about the website, Dan checked on how many hits we have had, and it looks like we have had over 55,000 hits! That's good.
Also, Dan sent some of you some brochures and stickers. If you didn't get any of these and want some to hand out or put on bulletin boards, contact Dan at dlewisagency@rushmore.com
That's all for now. Sort of a bland update, but that's the way it goes sometimes.
All the best,
Ken
I was in Faith on Friday, August 7th, for their BBQ, and went to the rodeo afterwards. Faith missed all the bad weather that hit Sturgis, although we got over 2 inches of rain at the ranch. It's been several years since we have received that much moisture in any one rainstorm.
Saturday, August 8th, Monica and I were in the parade in Martin, and attended 2 BBQ's there - one at noon, and one in the evening. Met and visited with lots of people - was good.
The following Friday (the 14th), I attended the Casey Tibbs Memorial Ride parade in Ft. Pierre, then made it back to the Custer county fair in Hermosa to watch our "Knuppe for Governor" ranch rodeo team compete. Our team, consisting of Tom Coolihan, Brent Fox, Clay Knuppe, and Rich Knuppe won the competition. Congratulations, guys! Their next competition will be in Winner on Labor Day, if any of you are interested. These ranch rodeos are getting quite popular, even among city people. Grandstands are usually full. Makes for good publicity.
Saturday, our family again attended the Custer county fair, and then early Sunday morning I took off for Parker SD, (which is in the SE part of the state) for the Turner county fair. Spent Sunday evening and all of Monday there, where we got lots of publicity. In case you haven't noticed, this is the fourth time in the last two months that we have been asked to this part of the state . We are getting fairly well known there, which is good. This was an area we were unsure of early on, but we are gaining now. Some really good people down there whom we hope to get more involved as we get closer to the primary.
Tuesday, Randy Uecker and I went to DakotaFest in Mitchell. First time I have ever paid money to look at machinery. Well, technically Randy paid (thanks Randy!), but still, it just doesn't seem right. (Those of you who know of my limited mechanical abilities will catch the humor in this!).
From Mitchell, I headed up to Aberdeen to the Brown county fair for a day (Wednesday). Ran into a guy that I had met awhile back, who supports us 100%. He introduced me to everyone he knew at the fair (which was quite a few), so that was very productive. Thursday, I headed home.
Saturday (tomorrow) we will be in the Central States Fair parade in Rapid City, and throughout the week will be at the fair as well. I plan to be in Huron on Thursday, Sept. 3rd (right Randy?) and in Winner for the parade and Ranch Rodeo on Labor Day (the 7th).
Fairs are fun, and except for the size of the fair, are pretty much based on a similar pattern (parade, carnival, 4-H exhibits, commercial booths, etc.,). And as I attend some of these fairs and celebrations around the state, I got to thinking about a commercial I have seen on TV. Maybe you have seen it as well. It's selling a phone (with walkie-talkie capabilities, I think). At the beginning of the commercial, the question is asked "What if firemen ran Congress?" Then it cuts to a scene with a whole bunch of firemen (in their firemen's suits and hats) sitting at a meeting, the chairman (also in full firemen's regalia) asking for votes on an issue. The firemen vote, then move on to the next issue - simple as that, and the chairman is asking himself "what is so hard about this job (Congress)"?
It portrays the fireman as a "get 'er done" type of person, and rightfully so. They, like so many of us, see a problem or situation, and fix it. Firemen see a problem (usually a fire) and work towards fixing that problem (putting the fire out) - simple as that. That is their goal, anyways, to put the fire out. I know there are always unforeseen things that come up in any situation, but usually the firemen (like many of us) work towards solving the problem and eventually, it gets fixed.
Anyways, that was the commercial I was thinking about, and I got to wondering - what if the people who make our county fairs possible were put in charge of our state government. After watching some of these people in action (most with no pay), doing everything from organizing the parade to handing out BBQ sandwiches, to taking tickets to a rodeo (not to mention all the work done beforehand) I have no doubt that these people would "get 'er done" when it comes to the business of this state. And really, that is the way it should be. Because, after all, it is our (the people's) government.
What we need in our state government, I believe, is that "heart' - or that "lets do what needs to be done" attitude that so many of our citizens have when it comes to local activities such as a county fair. But before we can do that, we need a government that listens to it's citizens. People want to be listened to - not talked at. So we need a government that listens, acts upon, and involves citizens.
Once people realize that their government is listening to them, then there becomes a sense of ownership in our government. That's where "doing something from the heart" comes from - from that sense of ownership in something. That's why people do what they do for their county fairs. They feel part of the fair, part of the town, part of the community. They take pride in doing a good job.
It has nothing to do with getting paid the most - that just causes greed. And that greed causes more greed. Pretty soon everything is a "what's in it for me" attitude. Now don't get me wrong, money is nice to have - especially when raising a family (seems like there never is enough). But to get things done, to fix the problems, we need people in government that want to do what is best for this state because they take pride in doing a good job - in doing the right thing. Same "heart" that is found in those who put on your local county fair.
That "heart" to do what is right for this state is out there. We just need to tap into it, then take it to a higher (state) level.
All the best,
Ken
Hello everyone,
Hope your summer has been a good one. Seems like it's flying by awfully fast, but it seems like that happens every year. Must just be the way things are.
Anyways, here is what I have been up to.
July 24th, I spoke to the TARs (Teen Age Republicans) at Camp Rimrock, near Rapid City. There were about 50, mostly high school age kids there, plus supervisors. PUC's Dusty Johnson is the state TAR advisor, and the man in charge at the camp.
I talked mostly about ethics - went through the "cowboy ethics" on the back of our brochure -and related it not only to our daily life, but also how we need it in public service as well. They listened really well, but what impressed them the most was when they found out that the beginning of the movie "Hidalgo" was filmed on our place and a neighbors. That got all kinds of Ooooh's and Ahhhh's!
On Friday, July 31st, I drove to Alcester (which is just north and east of Vermillion) for the Union county fair. Kersten Johnson, Union county GOP chair, and District 16 Representative Dan Lederman introduced me around.
Union county is where Hyperion wants to build a refining plant. People in the area seem to be either strongly for it or strongly against it - no in between. Part of the problem as I see it has to do with the land. People who have never made a living off the land don't understand the strong ties that some farm and ranch families have. They don't understand the multi-generational ownership to some lands - to work some of the same land that your father, grandfather, or maybe even your great-grandfather did. To face some of the joys and also some of the hardships that those generations before us did. And not everyone that owns land has that same kind of tie. To some, land is just another way to make money, and will sell it if the price is good. And that is alright - but some people put a higher personal value to the land - to some, it's almost part of the family, or about family history. And that is alright, too. but that is where the problem lies. With those who have strong ties to the land they own, and those corporate exec types who don't understand those strong ties.
An example - say you and your child built something - a boat, chair, table, or whatever - it can be anything, but for the sake of this example, lets use the now famous word "widget". And both you and your child were very proud of that widget. So much so that you displayed it in your living room. Then, say a new neighbor moved in, and one day he saw the widget in your living room and said he liked it and was going to take it. Oh, and he was going to give you a fair price (his fair price) for it - 20 dollars. You wouldn't be too happy - in fact, you might be mad! You try to tell the guy, and others, how important that widget was to you, but no one would listen. Nobody will listen to you about the strong ties you have to that 'widget'.
Now, lets look at it a little different. Lets say that your neighbor came over and said that he liked that 'widget' and wanted to offer you $20,000 for that widget, and that he wanted to use it as a pattern to make more of them - that the 'widget' could benefit others. Or, better yet, what if that neighbor told you his plans up front, and then said that, for letting him use your widget as a pattern he wanted to make you a partner in his project, and that the project would be beneficial to others. That would give you ownership in what was going on. Most people probably would go along with something like that.
To me, government's place in this Hyperion thing is that of making sure it's citizens are being dealt with fairly. Big business and corporations have paid lawyers looking out for their best interests, and usually promote those interests in the name of progress. Sometimes, though, greed is too often hidden as progress. Our constitution states that "we have certain inherit rights, among which are those of enjoying and defending life and liberty, of acquiring and protecting property and the pursuit of happiness". In this particular case, whether the refining plant is built or not, our government needs to make sure these inherit rights are protected.
Anyways, after the fair in Alcester, I took off for my next stop - the parade in Isabel. my goal was to get to Pierre to stay the night, then leave in the morning for the parade. Some advice - don't plan on finding a room in Pierre at 1:00 in the morning the Friday before the Sturgis Rally. There are none to be found! I ended up sleeping in my car (which will always have a blanket in it!). Anyways, made it to the parade and stayed for the lunch.
Also, the Knuppe for Governor ranch rodeo team competed at the Fall River County Fair in Edgemont. They ended up out of the money, but had a good time, and we got lots of publicity.
Next week I will be in Faith on Friday, and Martin on Saturday. Also, I plan on being at the Brown county fair (Aug 17th-24th), Central States Fair (Aug 21st - 29th), Dakotafest (Aug 18th-20th), State fair (Sept 3rd - 7th), and the Menno Pioneer Power Show (Sept. 26th and 27th).
I don't have any exact dates for when I will be at the above functions yet, so if some of these dates coincides with something in your area, let me know.
That's all for now, and remember, if you ever find yourself on the campaign trail, always carry a blanket in your car (and maybe a pillow, too!). You just never know...
All the best,
Ken
Hello everyone,
Well, we had a busy week.
It started out with Monte attending a Health Care Rally in Sioux Falls for me. The rally was arranged by Representative Todd Schlekeway. Below is Monte's report.
The Rally was covered on KSFY television. My intern saw it on TV.
I met Todd and spoke with him briefly. He arranged ‘the event’ and said he agrees with the agenda of the “patientsunitednow” agenda to battle against socialized health care reform.
There is Tea Part II at the fairgrounds in Sx Falls on Thursday July 3rd from 12:30 to 4:00 pm.
A Dr. Hunter spoke on his experience with previous democratic attempts to socialize health care in the USA. He was apparently a think tank guy or lobbyist. He has a web site that is www.socialsecurityinstitute.com. His microphone kept slipping down and I could not hear too much of what he talked about but what I did hear was interesting. In addition, there was an outdoor rock and roll concert that was loud and drowned out some of his comments.
There was a guy that gave a testimony of poor experience of health care in Canada.
A Dr. Kurt from Orthopedic institute spoke on a USA health care system that is not broken and speculated on what the enormous cost of socialized health care would be. I particularly liked his comment that only 7 to 8% of Americans currently do not have health insurance.
On Wednesday, Monica and I worked at the Republican booth at the Heritage Festival at Memorial Park in Rapid City. It was interesting to say the least - our booth was next to two guys who were selling skirts (and wearing them, too, I might add), and across from the "Black Hills Save the Parrots" foundation ( seems like everyone wants to save something these days).
Early Thursday morning, Monica and I left the ranch (we had to feed Norma, our bum calf, as the boys were helping a neighbor do some riding for a few days) and headed for Beresford. We were back there a couple of weeks ago, and one of the locals invited us back for part of their celebration. We got to Beresford about noon and went on a tour of some of the farms in the area. We also attended a picnic in Beresford, where some of the families that have been in the area for 125 years were honored. Over 1600 people attended the picnic.
Friday morning, I did another interview with KSFY TV in Sioux Falls. If you go to their website, the interview is on there. Later that afternoon, I did another interview with KSOO radio. When I set up the interview, it was only supposed to last 15 minutes, but it ended up lasting 45 minutes. Went very good, and come to find out, Rick (the guy doing the interview), used to be the mayor of Sioux Falls during the 70's. He said that he had never been involved in politics before running for mayor, and that the incumbent wasn't that bad of a guy, but people were looking for something different. Rick was the alternative, so people voted for him. He ended up being mayor for 10 years. He also told me that timing is everything when it comes to running for office, which is something several of us have been talking about. I enjoyed the interview with this guy, and he said he wanted to do more in the future.
Saturday, several of us were in the Belle Fourche Roundup parade. What a great parade! Lots of people, and lots of entries. Actually ran out of candy to throw out, and handed out all kinds of brochures and window stickers. Also, we had a float in the parade in Britton SD (and, no, I wasn't there) and we had people handing out brochures in Menno SD (Thanks, Chas!).
Also, thanks to everyone who helped out this week. It makes a huge difference, and we reached a large amount of voters, which is exactly what we need to be doing.
That's all for now,
Ken
Hello all,
Didn't travel much this past week. I went to a couple of local picnics (and ate too much, of course - lots of good food!)
One thing we did work on this week is an e-mail letter (see below) that I would like each of you to look at, in the hopes that you will agree with the letter and send it on to the people in your e-mail contact list. We've been thinking about sending something like this out every few months or so. Let me know what you think.
This is a very cheap (costs nothing at all) way to spread my name (and any message we would like to send) across the state, and seeing how we don't have alot of money to spend on mass mailings and such, sending out this e-mail letter to our core group's contact lists seemed like the logical thing to do. I hope you agree.
If you have any questions about this letter, feel free to contact me.
Thanks,
Ken
Dear Friends,
Right now, we South Dakotans have the opportunity to put our state government back in the hands of the people. A friend of mine, Ken Knuppe, is looking to do just that by running for Governor of our great state. This former President of the South Dakota Stock Growers Association and dedicated rancher will fight hard for a government run by the people – not a government that runs peoples lives.
Ken has proven over and over that he has what it takes to move South Dakota into a new level of prosperity. After getting to know him, I am convinced that he will use his experience, work ethic, and proven leadership skills to put our government back on the right track. Already, he has been crisscrossing the state working hard to get his message out to the voters. So let’s all pitch in and help ourselves by helping Ken get elected Governor.
There are several ways that you can help Ken's campaign move closer to the Governor's office. First of all, it would be great if you took a look at the website www.knuppeforgovernor.com. Once there, you can learn all about Ken, as well as see how he plans to improve our state.
If you are looking to make an even bigger contribution, we invite you to give $10, $20, $50, $100, or whatever you feel comfortable with.
Additionally, we would greatly appreciate your help with the Ken Knuppe Campaign for Governor by:
· Contacting Ken about any upcoming events in your area
· Volunteering for the campaign in your local community
· Providing a place to put up yard signs or billboards
· Handing out brochures, bumper stickers, or business cards
· E-mailing this letter on to your friends and family
No matter what your contribution, you can make it knowing that every bit of it will be used to try and make South Dakota a better place.
Thanks again for letting me introduce this great individual. If you would like to help out in any way, you can contact me, or please feel free to direct your correspondence to Ken's campaign office at:
Knuppe for Governor's
2601 Grandview Drive
Rapid City, SD 57701
Hello everyone,
Thursday, Monica and I met with the Board of Regents in Pierre. Below is an article written by Bob Mercer, who attended the meeting as well.
Some of you may remember Bob from some of his articles on the brand inspection issue several years ago.
This coming week I will be at the Heritage Festival at Memorial park in Rapid City on Wednesday, Beresford on Thursday, I have an interview with KSFY TV and KSOO radio in Sioux Falls on Friday, and Belle on Saturday.
Have a happy 4th of July!
Ken
Governor candidate Knuppe tells regents he wants budget cuts
BY BOB MERCER, American News Correspondent
Published on Friday, June 26, 2009
PIERRE - Candidate Ken Knuppe left no doubt during his meeting on Thursday with the South Dakota Board of Regents that if elected governor in 2010, he will attempt to reduce spending throughout state government in order to bring the state budget into balance during the economic downturn.
Knuppe, a rancher from the Buffalo Gap area, told the regents how he and his wife, Monica, went without health insurance when their two oldest children were born because they couldn't afford it.
“When the market is down, we have to cut back on expenses,” he said, adding that he is looking at across-the-board cuts at his preferred approach. “That's my first thought, to cut back on expenses.”
Knuppe, a graduate of South Dakota State University, opened the business portion of the 90-minute meeting with the observation that state government revenue is decreasing and education is one of state government's biggest expenses. He wanted the regents to tell him what they plan to do under the circumstances.
Regents president Terry Baloun said the state tax support of South Dakota's public universities has dropped as a percentage of the total budget in the past decade, while students are paying more. He said the universities also are receiving more in federal research support.
When talk turned to the federal investment in the deep underground science laboratory proposed for the old Homestake gold mine at Lead, Knuppe made clear he's no fan of pursuing larger amounts of federal aid, especially at a time of economic trouble.
“It's almost like we're teaching another generation don't worry about the money, the federal government and the state government are going to take care of it,” he said, adding that he is “just tired of this damn the money” approach taken to many government projects and programs.
He later returned to the topic of the lab, saying that “no doubt, long-term” it could be a good investment for South Dakota. But, he continued, most people are looking at the short-term difficulties in the economy, and he said he is too. Regarding the lab he said, "It just depends on how the economy grows. There might have to be a waiting period.”
The lunch with Knuppe and his wife was the regents' third in a series with candidates for governor.
The board met a month ago with Lt. Gov. Dennis Daugaard and state Senate majority leader Dave Knudson. All three are Republicans. A meeting date hasn't been announced yet for the fourth Republican in the race, Scott Munsterman of Brookings. No Democrat has announced a candidacy.
Knuppe told the regents his “claim to fame” was serving as president of the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association. He said the group tripled its membership while he was involved in its leadership. He has lobbied for the Stockgrowers the past three legislative sessions.
Regent Jim Hansen of Pierre asked Knuppe what he would do to raise enough money to deal with state government's $92 million deficit. Knuppe said he would reduce expenses.
“And I assume you're not for increased taxes?” Hansen asked.
“Unh-unh (no),” Knuppe said.
Throughout the conversation Knuppe returned to the topic of the economy. “The money thing is an important thing to me,” he said. “I don't think this deal is done yet, this world-wide economy thing...Right now my concern is the economy.”
Hello everyone,
I attended the Pennington county Republican Ambassadors monthly meeting on the 3rd of June. Seems like Pennington county has several different types of Republican groups. Was a fair turnout - sounds like they have bigger turnouts in the fall.
Also, that same day, Dan and I met with Tyler Custis. Tyler is a graduate of Custer High School, graduated from Texas A&M and was also an intern in Thune's DC office. The last two years, Tyler has been traveling around the world teaching English. Tyler will be helping us out on the campaign, and has already come up with some good ideas.
Saturday the 6th was our branding day. The day before, we were working the drys off, and, as I went to turn a cow, my horse's feet came out from underneath him, and he landed on my knee and lower leg. To make a long story short, I ended up with three fractures, and it messed up my knee some. The good news is that the surgeon thinks most of it will heal on its own - if I stay off the leg for another 3 weeks! So, right now I am on crutches, and have a walking boot (although I can't walk on it) on my right foot. The accident was sort of an odd thing - wasn't nothing wild. Turning a cow was something I've done thousands of times before. Guess it was just one of those things.
The horse was sore for a few days, but is OK now. And, according to Clay, I did get the cow turned!
On the 9th of June, I met with the Fall River County Republican Central committee. Number one on everyone's mind is the economy (as is almost everywhere I go). What's going to happen? Are we out of the recession? Is our country borrowing itself into bankruptcy? All good questions, and questions no one has the answer for. The best thing we can do is elect people who will see this thing through. Not the ones with the most promises, or the most money, or who has been in politics the longest. But those people who can encourage others to do what's best, not for themselves, but for our country and our state. And to come up with solutions to problems as they come along - to get back to some basic fundamentals of government. Our campaign is just a start.
June 11th, we attended and testified at an NAIS listening session in Rapid City. Out of about 400 people, there where only 4 or 5 people who were in favor of a mandatory national ID system. Hopefully, USDA is getting the message.
On June 18th, Monica and I went to Beresford for a 4 county Lincoln Day Dinner. It was a good opportunity for us to introduce ourselves to that part of the state, and our message was well received. Several people talked to us afterwards, and really liked our message, and look forward to hearing more in the future. Actually, I was invited back to attend a program in Beresford on July 2nd, and I definitely plan to be there! And Tyler, I used some of your suggestions, and it went over quite well - Thanks!
On the 20th, Monica and I were back in Hot Springs for the Miss SD Pageant parade, and we rode on the Fall River Republicans float, and attended a Republican picnic there.
As I've mentioned earlier, if there is something going on in your area, let me know. Randy has started a list of some of the celebrations across the state, and I hope to make it to as many of those as I can.
Anyways, that pretty much catches us up on things - Here's what is going on the next couple of weeks:
June 25th - Meeting with the Board of Regents in Pierre.
July 1st - Heritage Festival in Rapid City
July 2nd - Celebration in Beresford
July 4th - Belle Fourche Rodeo
That's all for now,
Ken
Well, I guess it's been a little over a week since my last update (or maybe closer to a month!), and, although the Lincoln Day dinners are winding down, we have been meeting with other groups and people along the way.
Custer's Lincoln Day dinner was on Friday, May 16th. Good turnout, and it had a different speaking format than the rest. Their committee come up with 6 questions, and we each were suppose to have between 5 and 8 minutes to answer all six questions. Not very much time, but a good way to get to the heart of the matter. And a good way for me to put "Cowboy Ethics #8" to work (Talk less, and say more).
As I said, it was a good format for us candidates, the only problem was that no one was timing us, and a couple of the candidates took advantage of that. Guess that just raises a question to me - If a candidate can't do something as simple as listening to his own party's county chairperson and respecting his or her time limits, then why would that candidate, if he is elected Governor, listen to any of us? As I have said before, this isn't rocket science, so watching how candidates react to common, everyday situations will tell you alot about how he or she will act as Governor.
On May 27th, Randy and I went to the Beadle county Lincoln Day dinner in Huron. Each candidate had a couple of minutes to intruduce ourselves there. One sidenote - we had a turkey dinner (the tickets were $25 apiece). I couldn't figure out why we were having turkey to eat until Randy reminded me that there is a turkey processing plant in Huron that employs about 600 people. "Nuff said."
Now for what is coming up. Tuesday June 3rd a couple of us are going to the Pennington Co. Republican Ambassador's meeting in Rapid City. Scott Munsterman has been asked to speak there.
On Tuesday, June 9th, I will be meeting with the Fall River county Republican central committee at the Brookside Apmts. in Hot Springs. And Dan will be attending the Perkins county Lincoln Day Dinner in Bison on the same day.
On Friday, June 18th, I will be in Beresford for a 4-county Lincoln day dinner (It would be good to have some other meetings going on there as well).
On the 25th of June, I will be meeting with the SD Board of Regents in Pierre. I am asking this group for some input on some questions that I can ask of the Board. They will be asking me questions, but I will be able to ask them questions as well, so be sure to send me your thoughts. Questions don't have to be 'deep thinking" kind of questions, just questions that everyday South Dakotans would want to know, like why is tution going up another 6%, when it was raised almost 7% two years ago. It's the everyday common sense questions that need answering, and some of the upper echelon of South Dakota politics can't answer them without some repercussions. They would rather talk about things that most of us don't understand.
And, on the 4th of July, I will be in Belle Fourche for the parade and rodeo.
The 2010 primary is a year away. The fairs, picnics, rodeos, annual meetings, etc., that I go to from now on are important. I won't have another chance to go to these annual gatherings again before the primary. This will be our LAST CHANCE to meet at annual gatherings. Let me know what is happening in your area. Even if I have a prior engagement, we can get someone else there.
I know all kinds of things go on in South Dakota during the summer, so I am hoping to hear some dates from each one of you. Give me the dates. I will take care of the rest. Even if you won't be able to attend, I would still like to know what is going on in your area so I can make plans.
Seems like I have been meeting with alot of Republican groups. Which is alright, but I also want to meet with other groups of people as well. People who work in all kinds of occupations throughout the state. I want to hear their thoughts and ideas. What works and what doesn't work. This campaign isn't about "going to Pierre to become Pierre". It's about Pierre becoming us - about Pierre listening to the people of this state. That's where our best ideas will come from.
That's all for now,
Ken
PS Not sure if I mentioned this before, but this is my way of commuticating with you, and I would hope that no one is forwarding these on to anyone else. You never know where they might end up. I'm not so much concerned with what is said in these as I am someone from one of the other camps getting ahold of the e-mails and doing who knows what with them. It's been known to happen.
Hello everyone,
A couple of things this week. On Friday, I attended a pow-wow at Red Shirt school. I believe it was the first one that the school has put on, and it was well attended, with all kinds of elaborate dress, dancing, and drumming.
For those of you who don't already know, Red Shirt is where Monica is teaching.
On Sunday, I headed back to Sioux Falls to do an interview with KSFY TV. The interview was less than 4 minutes, but it was a good way to introduce myself to a large viewing audience in eastern SD. Was well worth the long drive.
Over the years, I have done hundreds of interviews with TV, newspapers, and radio. Not only locally, but for stations across the state, across the nation, in Canada, and even one radio interview for a station in Sweden, and this is the first time that I can remember getting a response (like the one below) back from one of the reporters. This ia a good sign, and hopefully a good media contact for the future. Monte, Jim, and Jay - when you get time in the next couple of days (and it needs to be soon!), could you stop by KSFY (sixth and Minnesota, I believe) and introduce yourselves to Drew Sandholm (the reporter that did the interview) and mention that you are helping out with our campaign? And thank them for doing the interview?
This would show three things - first, that we really do appreciate the interview, second, that we are serious about this, and third, that we have a statewide team set up. A simple thank-you to Drew from some local people (meaning you guys - Monte, Jim, and Jay) who support me would be huge, and we could reap huge benefits from it later on. We really need to build on this.
Anyways, the interview went well, and I have pasted my e-mail conversation with Drew below. I normally don't forward e-mail conversations, but this one is so unusual, I wanted to share it with you. This could be a huge media contact in Sioux Falls for us.
All the best,
Ken
Glad to hear it. When you have time, you can see how it went here:
http://www.ksfy.com/news/local/44268537.html
Looking forward to speaking with you again soon… and let me know if you are back in our area.
--DREW
From: kenin2010@gwtc.net [mailto:kenin2010@gwtc.net]
Sent: Monday, May 04, 2009 9:46 AM
To: Sandholm, Drew
Subject: Re: Thank you!
No problem. I enjoyed the interview, the tour, and meeting you and your co-workers. Don't worry about the miles - that comes with the job.
Yes, I definitely will come back, and I look forward to doing more interviews with you in the future.
Thank you for the opportunity to introduce myself to your viewers. I really appreciate it!
All the best,
Ken
Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel
From: "Sandholm, Drew"
Date: Sun, 3 May 2009 23:44:33 -0500
To: <kenin2010@gwtc.net>
Subject: Thank you!
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Hi Ken and thanks for taking time to speak with me today. What’s more, thanks for driving across the state to do so!
I just found time (after the 10:00 news) to watch how things went and boy, it looked good!
I hope you are able to come back for an interview in the future, as you continue your campaign!
Best wishes,
Drew Sandholm | Weekend Anchor/General Assignment Reporter | KSFY Action News
300 N. Dakota Ave., Suite 100, Sioux Falls, SD 57104
605-373-7350 | dsandholm@ksfy.com | Twitter – ksfyactionnews | ksfy.com
Hello everyone,
Just got back from a busy week. Started out on Thursday, April 23rd, in McIntosh at the Corson county Lincoln Day Dinner.
Then, on Friday, it was on to Spearfish to the Lincoln Day Dinner there.
Saturday, Rick rode with me to the Minnehaha county Lincoln Day dinner in Sioux Falls. On the way there, I got a call from a TV station in Sioux Falls, and they want to do a 4 minute live interview on May 2nd, so this next Saturday, it's back to Sioux Falls I go. One of these times I'll probably meet myself on the road.
Sunday, we headed up to Aberdeen. Monday Keith introduced Rick and I to some more of the local businessmen in the area, and Monday night, all three of us attended the Brown county Lincoln Day dinner in Aberdeen.
Tuesday, Rick and I headed to Watertown, where we attended the Codington county Lincoln Day dinner. Left there, and got home about 4:30 this morning. Whew!!
I know this update is short and to the point ( and boring), but sometimes that's just the way it is. Some of the dinners, the gubernatorial candidates spoke at, and others we were just acknowledged. All in all, we met alot of people, and handed out lots of brochures. And drive many a mile!
Ken
Hello all,
Been an interesting week. Started out with the Brule/Lyman county Republican Lincoln Day Dinner on the 14th. Jim Murphy attended this event with me, and introduced me to several people there.
The next day, the 15th, Rick and I attended the TEA (Taxed Enough Already) party held in Memorial Park (between Omaha St. and the Civic Center)in Rapid City. Somewhere between 1000 and 1500 other people were there as well - many carrying signs. I really didn't know alot about this before I went, other than there were similiar events held throughout the United States. There were two things (besides the number of people) that really impressed me about this event.
First, it was very well organized - with several eye-catching signs along Omaha St.. The event was on time, there wasn't anyone running around and trying to promote their own agenda - not even someone with a "The world is coming to an end!" sign. Everyone was focused on the current economic situation, and how our government wants to spend our way out of it. My hat is off to Senator Gordon Howie and the rest of the people who organized this event - it was very well done. One of the speakers there was Ira Taken Alive. Some of you might remember him from Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin's staff. Evidently Ira has seen the light, and has switched over to the Republican party. He gave a very interesting speech - I really enjoyed it. A couple of the speakers started out their speech by saying that they were a "third generation rancher", or " a third generation businessman" or something like that. Ira had them all beat! He said he was somewhere around a 256th generation American. You have to love the humor there!
The second thing that impressed me was how many people participated in the TEA party that usually don't show up to this kind of thing. Sure, there were the usual people you see at all these events, but the number of new faces was astounding. I visited with a few of these people, and almost every one of them said that they have never been involved in politics, but that government spending is getting so out of hand that they just felt that they had to do something to protest. People are starting to catch on to the fact that our country doesn't have all this money we are spending, and people are starting to ask questions about where is it coming from and who is going to pay for it - and rightfully so. Anybody who has bills to pay, whether it is for a business or even just living expenses, knows that you can't continue to spend more money than you take in - it just won't last. Government is no different.
One last thing on the TEA party. I've seen people protest all sorts of things, but it was refreshing to see patriotic people standing up and protesting something as simple, yet as important as the control of our government. Common everyday people, all across the United States, reminding Congress and our President that this is still a country run "of the people, by the people, and for the people."
Now for the last event of the week - the Pennington County Republican Lincoln Day Dinner. The event was great - huge crowd (somewhere around 400 people), the room was decorated in red, white, and blue - they even had a slide show of the TEA party. Overall, the dinner went well, and those resposible for organizing the event did a superb job.
That's it for this week. Next week I'll be in McIntosh on the 23rd, Spearfish on the 24th, Sioux Falls the 25th, Aberdeen the 27th, and Watertown the 28th - all Lincoln Day dinners.
Ken
April 8, 2009
Hello everyone,
On March 25th, Rick and I went to a meeting in Rapid about the Sanford underground lab at Homestake. Dr Jose Alonso, Physicist and Sanford Lab Director, talked about the lab and also Neutrinos (Rick thought the talk was going to be about cattle NUTRITION - just kidding!) and Dark Matter.
Although it is good to do research and study the different things that make up our world and universe, it seems like an awful lot of money (to the tune of 750 million to finish everything to the first level) to spend at a time when there is a lot of uncertainty in our financial stability as a nation - especially to look for something we can't see, or not even too sure if it is real, or just theory.
One thing that Dr. Alonso mentioned, is that they have rehired some of the miners that worked there for Homestake, and that their knowledge of the mine and their expertise on how to go about reclaiming the mine has been invaluable. I thought it was good that he mentioned that.
On April 3rd, I spoke with the South Dakota Campground Owners Association at their annual meeting in Deadwood. As Custer State Park has added about 50 new cabins, and is undercutting the private campground owners by an average of 10 dollars per site, they had plenty to complain about. They would like to see the Park charge what the average of all the private campground sites are charging, as is done in other states.
It was an interesting meeting, as they have come to the conclusion that they need to be involved more with our state government - or at least keep a better eye on what is going on there.
Also, April 3rd was the Lincoln county Lincoln Day dinner in Tea. As I was already committed, Jay agreed to go to the dinner in my place. Thanks Jay.
April 6th was the Kingsbury county Lincoln Day dinner. As we were still digging out from the latest blizzard, I had to cancel that one.
Nothing going on this week. Next week is the Brule/Lyman county Lincoln day dinner on the 14th, the 15th I have marked as a tentative day for a "Tea party" in Rapid (but I haven't heard anything further on that), and the 18th is the Pennington County Lincoln day dinner.
Next update will be after the 18th. Hope you all have a happy Easter!
Ken
Hello everyone,
Well, last week was a busy week! I started off in Rapid on Tuesday getting a new photo (without the hat!) to use on a new brochure, then headed to Aberdeen to spend a few days there visiting with people in the area. We also attended the State B Basketball tournament, and, as always, it provided some very exciting games.
Thanks to Keith, Brad, and Grant for introducing me to some of the business owners in the Aberdeen area. Keith and I also attended a fish feed put on by the Lions club in Warner.
Friday, I headed to Brookings and toured the Boys and Girls club there, and also toured the club in Flandreau. That evening was the Lincoln Day Dinner in Brookings.
Saturday, Jay, his two boys, and I went to an Ag Day event in Sioux Falls.
Most everyone I talked to was concerned about the economy. That was the thing most discussed.
Although one fella said that he never really paid much attention to politics - he was too busy trying to make a living. I think that is an honest opinion held by most people - at least until things get tough. Then it's "how did this happen?" Or "who let this happen?"
And usually it is the ones "too busy making a living" that are needed in government. They are the ones who can see what works and what doesn't. Where costs can be cut, and where some help is truly needed. Who is doing their job, and who isn't.
I had a lawyer the other day tell me that there are too many lawyers in Pierre, and that we needed more business oriented people instead. Guess I couldn't disagree (although I almost choked on some popcorn when he said that!)
There should be a link to the calendar at our website now. (right Randy?)
Ken
March 15, 2009
Hello everyone,
Just a note to let you know what we have been up to. A week ago Friday, Keith, Grant, and Brad (All from the Warner, Aberdeen area) were in Rapid City, so Dan, Rick, Lyndell and I met with them. Mainly a chance for the Warner group to meet some of our west river people. Monte, Jim, Jay, and Brian (or anybody else) - if you are planning to be in the RC area, let me know and we will set up something similar so you can meet the others as well.
Also, as required by law, we need a campaign manager and a treasurer. Dan Lewis has agreed to be the manager, and Mark Lyons has agreed to be the treasurer . We have set up an account at Pioneer Bank in Rapid City, and are also working on a brochure to mail out. A web site is being worked on as well.
I want you all to know that there have been literally hundreds of other people who have offered to help (in various ways) with this campaign. And they will - in due time. What we need to be doing now as a group is organize everyone so that 6 to 8 months before the primary election, things are in place to hit the ground running. Ideally, having a 'go to' person in each and every county would be perfect. Also, I need to be meeting people, especially east river. Not necessarily speaking engagements, but just showing up where people gather (clubs, organizations, auctions, bowling leagues,,,,etc.)and shaking hands and such. Monte did an excellent job of introducing me to people he knew, so if you have any questions on what to do, contact either Monte or myself. It's not that hard to do, and is actually quite fun! Basically all you have to do is give us a date, and I will show up.
Most importantly, remember that this will be a team effort. Ideas will be discussed amongst us. And we will probably change things as this campaign moves forward. What we start out with now might not resemble what we end up with. That's OK - we need to be able to adapt, and we will. And remember, this is truly a grassroots campaign. This campaign might seem to be about me, but actually it's about the ideas and the things that we will do together for South Dakota that matter. I know most of you have never been involved in something like this before. Don't worry about that, think of this as a new adventure.
"If something is worth doing, it is worth doing poorly at first" Downing We're starting - thats what's important. We may not know exactly what we are doing, but it's better than doing nothing at all.
Ken
PS Below is a list of e-mail addresses. I think Monte sent an e-mail out earlier with most of these on it. There are a couple of new additions, and also note that I have a new e-mail address.
Ken Knuppe
E-mail Address(es):
kenin2010@gwtc.net (note: new e-mail address. For various reasons, this will be the one we use for the campaign.)
Carrie Stadheim
E-mail Address(es):
jcherefords@ndgateway.com
ABNAGEL
E-mail Address(es):
ABNAGEL@GWTC.NET
Brad Seaman
E-mail Address(es):
b.seaman@fsbwarner.com (new addition)
Dan Lewis
E-mail Address(es):
dlewisagency@rushmore.com
Grant Seaman
E-mail Address(es):
g.seaman@fsbwarner.com (new addition)
Jay and Michelle Knuppe
E-mail Address(es):
knuppej@fcsamerica.com
Jim Hollenbeck
E-mail Address(es):
jbjaholl@iw.net
Keith Knuppe
E-mail Address(es):
k.knuppe@fsbwarner.com
Mark and Jamie Lyons
E-mail Address(es):
markl@caseypeterson.com
Monte Fuhrman (home)
E-mail Address(es):
monfuhrm1@hotmail.com
Theresa Fox
E-mail Address(es):
foxrt@hotmail.com
Hello everyone,
Thursday, I went to a meeting on carbon credits sponsored by the SDSM&T. The gal that invited me said that she has a meeting once a month (except in the summer) on different subjects, and the public is invited. The presentation was so-so, but, as usual, it's not always about the presentation, but about the people you meet afterwards that really makes things interesting.
I had lunch with a retired ag engineer (from SDSU), and we had a very interesting visit about alternative energy, and some of the companies involved, who was the leader in new ideas and technology, some of the successes and problems the industry has dealt with, etc.. I could have visited with the guy all day - very informative.
Anyways, he suggested that I talk with Jeff Broin of POET - to get a better understanding of not only the ethanol industry, but alternative energy as a whole. Anybody have a connection with this company? I have some feelers out, but if any of you have a contact there, that would sure help.
Saturday, Rick, Dan, Monica, and I got together and worked some on the brochures. These will be the "without the hat" version. I'll bring some of these with me on my trip to Aberdeen and Brookings.
Also, we have been working on a calendar for everyone to use, and we want to put it on the website as well. Here is the link to the calendar -
http://knuppeforgovernor.com/calendar/month.php
I need to know that this is working alright, so if you all could go to the link and look around, then let me know if it is working. The site (for now) is a public access site, so you won't be able to add anything, but we might change that as we move forward. It depends on how it works. Just so you know, the last event entered is on July 4th - Belle Fourche Roundup. Give it the once-over and let me (or Randy) know what you think. Thanks!
Also, as you can tell by the calendar (if it's working right), the next two weeks I will be in Lemmon, Sturgis, Aberdeen, and Brookings. Let me know if there is anything else I should be attending.
All the best,
Ken
Hello everyone,
Here is the update from last week.
Last Tuesday, Dan and I met with John Brooks, who is the ex. director for the SD Newspaper Ass'n, which includes both daily and weekly newspapers. John explained what he could offer, and also gave us some examples of ads that candidates have done in the past. He also gave us a contact list of all the newspapers in the state.
Thursday evening, I was in Pierre for the Hughes County Lincoln Day Dinner. All four of the governor's candidates were there, and we each got about 5 minutes to introduce ourselves.
Saturday morning, I attended the crackerbarrell session at SD School of Mines in Rapid City, and then another crackerbarrell session that afternoon in Oelrichs. Both sessions had good attendance, and some good questions asked, but everyone seems to be skirting the budget issue for now. Most are waiting to see how the Stimulus package from DC is going to affect the state. I have heard that SD qualifies for something between 550 million and 650 million dollars, but, as any government program, there are strings attached - at least to some of the money. The legislators I talked to are waiting to here the details of the program, but are suggesting that SD might pick some of the programs and pass on others.
If there is a crackerbarrell session in your area, I would encourage you to attend these, not only because I am interested in hearing what people are saying in your area, but it is good for you to know what is going on as well. Plus, it gives you a chance to meet your legislators - to put a face with the name - and vice-versa. Building a good contact with your legislator starts with visiting with him or her when the occasion arises, not just when you don't like the way he or she voted. Remember, most are people, just like you and I - they still put their pants on one leg at a time.
Also, Randy Uecker will be monitoring the web site, so if you have any questions or ideas for that, feel free to contact him. Phone 605-354-4850. And his e-mail rsuecker@santel.net . We have talked about getting some kind of calendar on there, too.
On Thursday, I will be in McIntosh for a county Republican meeting there, and Friday, Dan is having his bull sale in St. Onge - I might show up for that (just kidding, Dan! I' ll be there.)
That's all for now. If there is something going on in your area that you think I should attend, let me know. It doesn't have to be one of these county Republican meetings either. Just something where people gather - where I can meet and visit with people.
Thanks,
Ken