FBI: violent crime doubles under Rounds, Daugaard

Under Republican governors Rounds and Daugaard, South Dakota has become an increasingly dangerous place especially to raise children:

A recently released FBI crime report shows violent crime in South Dakota rose 96 percent between 2005 and 2012. State statistics put that figure at 44 percent. Krista Heeren-Graber, executive director of the South Dakota Network Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault, agreed that prevention can be difficult, especially with “limited” funding for prevention programs and crisis servicing. The number of meth labs and arrests also has been growing at an alarmingly high rate, authorities say. [Mark Walker, Sioux Falls Argus Leader]

Hardly surprisingly, South Dakota is being led into the dustbin of history by Republicans:

The crime rate has increased in only five states since 2007, the FBI said. The situation is getting worse in New Hampshire, where the rate is up 17 points in the last five years, and South Dakota, where crime is up 20 points over the same period. [Reid Wilson, Washington Post]

As a rule, religionists get pilloried at interested party.

South Dakota representative and Sioux Falls pastor, Steve Hickey has been sounding more like a progressive than a member of the earth hater party lately: he posted some questions for his dying red state at his blog. Lifted from Voices Carry:

Many economists agree it’s only a matter of time before America faces the consequences of decades of the devaluation of the Dollar, unsustainable spending, irresponsible consumption and unbridled debt accumulation. Regardless of whether or not we agree a day of reckoning is inevitable, it is the responsibility of our state elected officials to do more than wait and see if and when for example, the Dollar ceases to be the World’s Reserve Currency.

Hickey dislikes video loottery even as I hate it: it destroys through class warfare and discriminates against a single income base contributing to addiction, desperation and crime. Capitalism relies on coveting, after all.

South Dakota's governor has proposed drug courts for persons caught possessing less-than-felonious amounts of cannabis: a measure clearly meant to reduce costs of law enforcement, overcrowding in state facilities, and the associated burdens to society. Legislation being prepared is apparently designed to address addiction but stigmatizes and shames persons for whom the use of cannabis should be as protected as it is for carrying a firearm.

Rep. Hickey laments the state's reliance on the dole from the feds as he fails to embrace the obvious revenue possibilities of the responsible cultivation and consumption of a relatively safe adults-only pastime, not to mention a renewable source of protein, and some likely pending industrial ag wet dream like Monsanto GMO cannabis.