Are South Dakota's Republican Leaders Running A Caucus, A Kids Club, Or A Cult?

Dakota Free Press, Dakota War College, and Right Side South Dakota all cover a letter Republican cause leaders sent to Republican legislative candidates. (Given how Blogger seems to load slowly, I am not going to paste images of the letter which one can find at all three sites.)

I really don't know if the letter is recruiting people to a meeting to indoctrinate them into a cult or is an adult version of "Do you like me? Please check yes or no."

The letter begins, "As we just celebrated the birthday of our great country, we take time to pause and reflect how important it is for our great state of South Dakota to have a strong and united  Republican caucus. We have all agreed and wish to share the following points . . . "

Translation: We're the cool kids and we want you to be cool kids to. Nothing cool has happened without us. If you want to be a cool kid, we have decided you have to do everything we say.

Later, the letter says , "All members will be expected to maintain the highest degree of confidentiality within the caucus."

Translation: Don't tell anyone our secret passwords or show anyone our secret handshake. Whatever you do, don't mention that thing with the pocketknife and candle! (I'll leave the rant about transparency for another post.)

The letter continues, "History dictates that members of the Senate and House Republican Majority Caucuses, respectively, have been considered and assigned for positions of chair and vice chair of committees.  Members of minority caucuses are not considered for these positions."

Translation: Did we tell you we're the cool kids? Yeah, just remember, we're really freakin' cool!

Later, the caucus leaders pour on the charm: "We consider the Senate and House Republican Majority Caucuses to be a family of Republicans working together to ensure that conservative Republican principles are protected and preserved in South Dakota."

Translation: We love you. You need our love to be whole. We'll be just like mommy and daddy but without the vegetables. If you accept our love everything will be great all over. Remember, mommy and daddy make you eat yucky stuff, but we love you.

The charm ends with the next sentence, however. "Therefore it requires you to be a sole member of the Senate or House Republican Majority Cause, respectively.

Translation: We have the only good ideas and a monopoly on all that is right. We're like that Joshua guy in the Bible, and you have to choose us or nothing. Remember we're on the side of freedom and good stuff. Also, you won't be one of the cool kids if talk to anyone isn't one of us.

I would prefer my legislators to be adults who are able to think independently not members of a kids club or a cult. Republican leaders, however, seem to value conformity, secrecy, and a forced show of unity.