Well, this is uncomfortable.  It seems Rep. Kristi Noem failed to get Sen. John Thune’s talking points on the importance of extending government operations for three weeks while the final FY 2011 budget is completed.

It also seems Noem forgot to learn about the importance of the Watershed and Flood Prevention and Operations program to South Dakota communities facing record flooding before she voted to eliminate it.  We know, Thune is busy and all with “inventing” PAYGO and his non-presidential campaign appearances.  We also know that the training wheels should have come off by now.  Note ‘should’ and ‘training wheels’.

Now, we recognize this will be a difficult conversation.  Therefore, we have prepared the following talking points from South Dakota Democratic Party Chairman, Ben Nesselhuf.

  1. Most people grow out of this convoluted logic by the time they leave high school. “Nancy Pelosi voted against it and I voted for it, so I think I was on the right side of the issue.” – Kristi Noem, Argus Leader, 3/18/11
  2. When calling on President Obama to exert the leadership you refuse to exercise, you might want to refrain from voting to terminate a program crucial to that effort.
  3. When funding infrastructure projects, like bridges, it’s best to make sure they go somewhere – and when you are presented with an opportunity to defund say, a bridge that goes nowhere, you vote to do so.

While emulating Thune is not something we recommend (ever), in Noem’s case, we’re pretty sure someone’s report card isn’t looking so great for parent conferences.

Our recommendation: vote Democrat. It’s rational.