Brian Kimmes

Oh where, oh where, have our priorities gone?

The two most talked-about issues facing voters this election have been the abortion bill (Referred Law 6) and the civil union ban (Amendment C). These two issues have been debated ad nauseam. I am fed up with the attention these two issues receive, and the lack of attention other, more important, issues receive.

For example, South Dakota is home to five of the 10 most poverty-stricken counties in the nation. I would like to see our legislators pass bills addressing that issue, not pass laws flying in the face of 30 years of judicial precedent.

Or how about education? We currently have school districts filing suit against the state for under-funding education. Let’s take care of the children and poor.

How about college tuition? Maybe we should spend some time and money pursuing ways to make secondary education more affordable and keep the brightest and most ambitious South Dakotans in the state.

Let’s look to help protect the family farm and keep our small towns populated. The people living in the middle of the state are either moving to the two large cities on the edges of the state, or moving out altogether. Let’s look at how we can keep our population intact, how we can preserve our rich heritage of small-town life.

Instead of addressing these pertinent issues, our legislators and our citizens have chosen to address abortion and “quasi-marital relationships.” I understand people think these issues are important, and to some extent they are, but they are not the most pressing concerns our state faces.

The courts will ultimately rule on abortion and civil unions. The abortion issue has already been decided, and a losing court date awaits Referred Law 6 if it passes. Amendment C has language like “quasi-marital relationships.” What the hell does that mean? It will take a judge to define what exactly a quasi-marital status is.

More courts, more judicial action, less helping South Dakotans.

I’m sick of wasting political capital on non-essential issues and on issues the court will ultimately decide. Let’s focus on poverty, education, protecting our small communities, making college affordable and keeping South Dakotans in the state. Those are the issues that really matter.

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