Received this e-mail from U.S. Senate candidate Rick Weiland (D. SD) who had some harsh words towards former Governor Mike Rounds (R. SD):
SD Senate candidate Rick Weiland said his vehement opposition to the shutdown of the Federal government and Mike Rounds cheer leading in favor of that shutdown and threat to default on the nation’s debt is and will remain the number one issue in their campaign for US Senate.
Weiland, who has called the shutdown a sellout to an extremist Republican minority that is representative of neither the American public, nor even the Republican Party, said Rounds should be ashamed of his support for the most irresponsible political position taken by a major party in the last 50 years.
“This is pandering to extremism in its crudest form. Mike Rounds knows better. I am convinced he believes in his heart the shutdown blackmail game of the extreme right is wrong, but he caved in out of fear of a primary election. We need to re-open the government and pass the Farm Bill. The west river ranch families don’t need political games right now, they need leadership,” Weiland added.
“It is a disgrace that Republicans are playing politics with Head Start programs and the Social Security benefits that our seniors depend on. We are at the point where Veteran’s disability payments are in jeopardy of being delayed. It’s more than wrong, it is shameful,” Weiland continued.
“Mike Rounds has now caved in twice, to big money by boasting he will raise $9 million from out of state big money sources, and also to the extreme right wing of the GOP by supporting Ted Cruz’s blackmail scheme against the United States government. I call on him to explain why he has thrown his lot in with Cruz and the extremists when his entire career, until he decided he had to pander to win a primary election, was in opposition to the kind of big money extremism he has now embraced," Weiland said.
At the beginning of his campaign, Weiland issued a pledge to Rounds asking him to agree to limit contributions to both campaigns to a maximum of $100. Rounds refused the pledge and also turned down Weiland’s offer to meet with him to discuss ways in which they could reduce the impact of big money on the race.
Well said. By the way, Weiland picked up another endorsement today:
http://www.heraldonline.com/...
The United Steelworkers (USW) today announced the union's endorsement of Rick Weiland for South Dakota's U.S. Senate seat that is currently held by Tim Johnson, who will not seek reelection in 2014.
USW District 11 Director Bob Bratulich said that Weiland earned the union's support by focusing on the issues most important to working families in order to rebuild a strong American middle class.
"Rick Weiland will fight to end pay-to-play retail politics and reclaim control of our country from the billionaires, corporations and special interests that have hijacked democracy for the benefit of their shareholders," Bratulich said. "He understands the importance of a clear plan to create family supporting, community sustaining jobs if we hope to improve our struggling economy." - Herald Online, 10/15/13
The USW represents 850,000 men and women employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in public sector and service occupations. If you would like to donate or get involved with Weiland's campaign, you can do so here:
http://www.rickweiland.com/