In South Dakota it may soon be easier to get a gun permit than either a driver’s license or reproductive services.  It may soon be reality that corporate cronies are treated better than tomorrow’s leaders.  That is, if Gov. Daugaard continues to ignore the people of South Dakota.

Today, a new poll revealed South Dakotans do not support Governor Daugaard’s attempt to cut state funding for education.

More than half of South Dakotans polled (56%) opposed the Governor’s 10% cut to education funding as a means of dealing with the structural deficit.

Q:  Governor Daugaard is proposing to cut state funding for Kindergarten to 12th grade education by 10%, in order to deal with what he says is South Dakota’s “structural deficit.” He argues that South Dakota has no other fiscal choice, while others argue that his cuts are too severe and will hurt our children. Do you support or oppose Governor Daugaard’s cuts in education funding?

Support: ……………..39%

Oppose: ……………..56%

Not Sure:………………5%

So the structural deficit Republicans created can’t be fixed by refusing to educate future voters who may decide that there are other ways of fixing a structural deficit. Interesting.

Chairman of the South Dakota Democratic Party Ben Nesselhuf comments on the results: “Our families know that ten percent cuts to K-12 education will be detrimental to our children’s education. South Dakotans do not support Governor Daugaard’s efforts to close the deficit in one year by jeopardizing our children’s future.”

Lesson: Don’t jeopardize South Dakota’s future just to cover up past mistakes.  When it’s this important, don’t risk it; stick with the Democrats.

*A sampling of 1,667 South Dakotans were polled by Public Policy Polling between February 25 and February 27, 2011