Since Blanchard and PP took the stories I was going to write about today—Burma’s Butt-kickin’ Buddhists and Gov. Mike Round’s new Chief of Staff Neil Fulton—I kind of had my thunder stolen. So, today I’ll do something a little different and do the laundry—I’ll give you some quick takes and throw in a Ehrisman cartoon for good measure.
Here’s my mixed bag of laundry going into the washer.
- Burma’s Butt-kickin’ Buddhists—
As a student of Buddhism, it is with great pride that I see the Buddhist monks leading the pro-democracy charge in Burma.
I also like the fact that these are not Zenned-out Buddhists but Buddhists who are taking peaceful action as they fight tyranny. Just be mindful about it, guys, and watch out for the billy clubs.
- Neil Fulton—Probably less than 100 people in South Dakota know or care who Gov. Rounds’ new chief of staff is.
But interestingly, Neil is a former treasurer for Rep. Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin’s campaign and apparently an independent. While Neil, like me, is a lawyer, I’ve never met him, but the comments on SD War College seem to indicate that he’s a top notch person. 
Like my friend Mitch Krebs, former news director and anchor at KSFY-TV, Neil sounds like a person of talent and good character—and not a political hack. As a major critic of the Rounds Administration, I do think I have to concede that Mitch’s and Neil’s hirings indicate that Gov. Mike at some level is becoming more moderate and is more interested in running an effective government than worrying about idealogy.
Like my friend Mitch Krebs, former news director and anchor at KSFY-TV, Neil sounds like a person of talent and good character—and not a political hack. As a major critic of the Rounds Administration, I do think I have to concede that Mitch’s and Neil’s hirings indicate that Gov. Mike at some level is becoming more moderate and is more interested in running an effective government than worrying about idealogy.
- Schaff has been all over my former law partner and friend, former U.S. Senator James Abourezk—
For Schaff to say Jim doesn’t belong in polite company is not only just sheer stupidity, it mischaracterizes Jim.
As someone who has spent some time in Israel, Palestine, Jordan, and Syria, I can tell you first hand that America’s blind support of Israel and its thuggery toward the Palestinians is a major cause of our current problems in that corner of the world. Jim just likes to point that fact out more than the Israeli lobby and its apologists like Schaff care to hear. And Jim is right: you should be able to criticize Israel’s policies without being labeled an anti-Semite.
- And I conclude with SCHIP—the health insurance program for children who don’t qualify for Medicaid— Sen. Tim Johnson, Rep. Herseth-Sandlin, and Gov. Rounds are apparently all on the same side for increased funding for the successful program. Why Sen. John Thune and President George W. Bush think increased funding for the program that keeps our kids healthy will destroy it is beyond me.
Top left: Editorial cartoon by Scott Ehrisman.
Top right: The face of a Buddha.
Top middle right: Pierre lawyer Neil Fulton, Gov. Mike Rounds’ new chief of staff.
Bottom right: Former South Dakota U.S. Senator James Abourezk.
Todd Epp
