South Dakota - The Only State Not To Shut Down

[Wendell]

The story below is the fifth in a series on America’s small businesses, their struggles under the shutdowns and threats of rioting, and what they’re doing to survive. Over two weeks, The Federalist traveled the country to tell stories like this one. In South Dakota, the only state in the union to never enforce a government-mandated shutdown, we spoke with cowboys, ranchers, steakhouse owners, hotel managers, great grandparents, actors, bartenders, and even the governor to learn the state of American business. We heard of their successes and perils, those who hadn’t made it and those who still might not.
https://thefederalist.com/2020/06/10/the-story-of-the-ranchers-businesses-and-people-in-the-only-state-to-not-shut-down/

[randyho]

The story below is the fifth in a series on America’s small businesses, their struggles under the shutdowns and threats of rioting, and what they’re doing to survive. Over two weeks, The Federalist traveled the country to tell stories like this one. In South Dakota, the only state in the union to never enforce a government-mandated shutdown, we spoke with cowboys, ranchers, steakhouse owners, hotel managers, great grandparents, actors, bartenders, and even the governor to learn the state of American business. We heard of their successes and perils, those who hadn’t made it and those who still might not.
https://thefederalist.com/2020/06/10/the-story-of-the-ranchers-businesses-and-people-in-the-only-state-to-not-shut-down/
Salena Zitoesque. Thanks for the link.

[LittleLebowski]

I like the governor.

[blues]

I like the governor.

You think she's hot, don't ya? Shame on you, Lebowski. Shame...


:p

[5pins]

You think she's hot, don't ya? Shame on you, Lebowski. Shame...


:p

I wasn't even going to click on it until you said that.

[wvincent]

Governor Noem has done a remarkable job with the Covid-19 crisis and when we caught some of the overflow from Mn during the protest.

I'm don't agree with every decision she has made since in office, but that isn't a bad thing.
She has treated us like adults, and worked very hard to avoid over reach from the state.
She signed Constitutional Carry into law in less than 30 days after being sworn in. That was one of her campaign promises.

So yeah, she's good to go.

[RoyGBiv]

So yeah, she's g̶o̶o̶d̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶g̶o̶ hawt.
FIFY

55652

[wvincent]

FIFY

55652

Dude's!! Get of my Gov, Brah!

Actually, she is much more attractive in person.
Our paths cross usually twice a year, for about the past 4 years.
An encounter I don't dread.

[Trooper224]

One more reason for me to like South Dakota, which I already do.

My wife's family has a lot of history in the state so I've visited often. It's one of my favorite places to be honest.

[RJ]

I enjoyed the hell out of our brief visit to Coeur d’Alene ID.

Edit: WTF. Sorry I completely read ‘Idaho’. Dammit where are my glasses.

[mtnbkr]

Dammit where are my glasses.

On top of your head.

Which is where I sometimes lose mine.

Chris

[TheNewbie]

Maybe I should move to SD. My doctor wife was against the lockdown, she would love that about the state.

Plus she still has yet to see real snow, and she keeps asking me to take her.

SD is a beautiful place.

[ST911]

South Dakota + Rangemaster Advanced Instructor Course = Excellent Vacation
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/advanced-firearms-instructor-development-course-tickets-71321794407

[RJ]

On top of your head.

Which is where I sometimes lose mine.

Chris

I have legit done this for real. Several times, unfortunately.

[RJ]

South Dakota + Rangemaster Advanced Instructor Course = Excellent Vacation
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/advanced-firearms-instructor-development-course-tickets-71321794407

For sure. 30 minutes to Mount Rushmore, an hour or so to Deadwood.

We stayed a week here, near Spearfish, and enjoyed the heck out of the whole area.

https://www.campgroundreviews.com/regions/south-dakota/spearfish/elkhorn-ridge-rv-resort-cabins-5354

[jetfire]

I like the governor.

Gov. Noem was extremely well liked when she was our representative in the House. SoDak is so small that we only rated one House rep, and she won her elections by landslide margins. When she ran for governor I had already moved to Florida, but I considered taking a leave of absence to work her campaign. She's smart, thoughtful, and actually seems like a pretty decent person. She's always been really involved in SoDak's military community as well, which carries a lot of water with me.

Personally, it wouldn't surprise me if they were grooming her for a Presidential run, because she would make a superb candidate.

[YVK]

SD has a population of less than a mil, and population density of 11. How heavy of a covid19 burden can anyone expect in a state like that whether you keep it opened or closed?

Take one step to the right into Iowa and the density goes up five times. Two steps, into Illinois, and the density is 230.

I am less impressed with Gov. Noem than you all. She gets a credit for making a right decision for her own state but her state never faced a problem of the same ferocity as more populous states did or still do. Her rhetoric doesn't inspire a confidence in that she would've made a correct decision if she was running a place with population density of 27,000. If she's being groomed for a big stage, more grooming needs to be done.

[jetfire]

So basically she handled things appropriately for her state but that’s bad because it might not have worked in another state?

K

[JAD]

So basically she handled things appropriately for her state but that’s bad because it might not have worked in another state?

K

Exactly. Our Kansas nitwit stayed lockstep with Cuomo, and we wound up with a bunch of empty hospital beds and significant damage to the economy and working class.

[Nephrology]

One more reason for me to like South Dakota, which I already do.

My wife's family has a lot of history in the state so I've visited often. It's one of my favorite places to be honest.

I've never been out that way but I did love my time in SE MN. I am sure if I liked that the Dakotas would be no problem. Seems like a mix between MN and MT.

Unfortunately the Dakotas do not have any residency programs (that I give a shit about, at least, if they have any at all) so unlikely I'll be living out there next, but maybe a vacation...

[TheNewbie]

My best friend’s father is a traveling ER doc currently in South Dakota. He also thought the Wuhan response was over five.

He seems to appreciate his time there.

[YVK]

So basically she handled things appropriately for her state but that’s bad because it might not have worked in another state?

K

You got it. Decisions to do or not to do things may and should vary from place to place based on local factors, but principles and reasoning on which those decisions are made should be the same whether your state loses 70 people or 25,000. She spoke enough to show what she based her call on. Good for her, I guess. Than again, pretty safe to speak about Constitution and rights vs public health when your state is at a low risk a public health crisis to begin with.

[Trooper224]

Exactly. Our Kansas nitwit stayed lockstep with Cuomo, and we wound up with a bunch of empty hospital beds and significant damage to the economy and working class.

She has not impressed.