Just how desperate some politicians are to hold on to and expand their power base is evident from what is going on in South Dakota.  Absentee ballots have been cast by dead people, as well as by those who never existed and some who don’t live in the state.

The focus of an investigation into these shady shenanigans centers on absentee ballot registration requests from counties near Native American reservations across South Dakota. And the questionable ballots are tied to the state’s Democratic Party.

One party operative has already been fired.  Meanwhile, federal and state investigators are looking into the matter.

South Dakota has a tight senate race pitting Democratic incumbent Senator Tim Johnson against Republican challenger, Representative John Thune.

Control of the senate and the confirmation of judges who read and heed the constitution are all that is at stake in this election.

Watch for more desperation-driven improprieties like this, as we’ve already seen in New Jersey.  The dead and felon voters will turn out for the Democrats as usual.

I’m Cal Thomas in Washington.