President Trump’s Speech Highlights Americans’ Priorities

President Trump’s Speech Highlights Americans’ Priorities

“We’ve got a lot of work to do, but I believe we can accomplish big things for the American people this year, and I look forward to getting after it.”

WASHINGTON  — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) issued the following statement after President Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress:

“Tonight President Trump highlighted his continued focus on tackling the issues that matter most to Americans,” said Thune. “I look forward to working with the president to implement policies that will help create jobs and get our economy growing at a faster rate. The Republican-led Senate shares the president’s commitment to repealing Obamacare and replacing it with patient-centered health care that is affordable for every American, to easing burdensome regulations that are driving up the cost of creating jobs in this country, and to reforming our outdated tax code. We’ve got a lot of work to do, but I believe we can accomplish big things for the American people this year, and I look forward to getting after it.”   

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Guest Column: The Case for HB 1200 and Ballot Reform (updated)

(Editor’s Note – The table below has been updated to remove a couple of inaccuracies – PP)

The Case for HB 1200 and Ballot Reform
by Mark Mickelson, Speaker of the House

Dakota Territory was divided into North Dakota and South Dakota at statehood for a simple reason.    The 1880’s railroad political lobby wanted four pro-railroad U.S. Senators to continue the federal government’s financial support for the construction of railroad lines.

After gaining statehood in 1889, Civil War veterans and immigrant farmers settled in South Dakota.  Our South Dakota founders did not trust our local government officials completely, as they were afraid they could succumb to the far-away railroad titans to effectively “buy” our government.  As a protection against this measure, South Dakota became the first state in the nation to fully embrace a citizen’s right to petition its government.

It is our right, as South Dakota citizens, to have the public vote on the quality of our ideas at the ballot box if we gather the appropriate number of signatures.

This year we saw this process play out as it was intended in 1889 with the successful 2016 pay-day lending interest rate cap ballot initiative (initiated measure 21).

However, I submit to you that the remaining initiated measures reflect a perversion of our original purpose.  The very system created to protect us against the influence of big money from outside the state has been hijacked by out of state special interests.

In 2016, there were seven initiated measures, including four that proposed to re-write our constitution.

  • Six of the seven ideas were brought to us by out of state political and business interests.
  • $8 million was spent in support of the initiated measures and amendments, 91% from out of state.
  • $12 million was spent in total on the ten measures (including three referred), 83% from out-of-state;
  • Over 60% of the money came from groups that do not have to disclose their contributors; dark money, some say.
  • Three passed, four failed.
Description Pass/Fail Proponents Opponents Money raised Pro (for) Money raised Con (against)
IM 21 36% pay-day lending cap Pass (76%) Former state Rep. Steve Hickey (R), former Daschle staffer Steve Hildebrand (D Select Management Resources (pay-day lending business) $76,243

73% in-state

$1,285,702

0% in-state

IM22 Government ethics/public financing for candidates Pass (51.5%) Represent Us

Florence, MA

Liberal

 

Americans for Prosperity, DC, Conservative $1,726,198,

2% in-state

61% NO CONTRIBUTOR DISCLOSURE

$640,865,

2% in-state

48% NO CONTRIBUTOR DISCLOSURE

IM23 Pro-Union Fail Americans for Fairness

Chicago, Illinois

Labor Union

AGC of South Dakota

National Right to Work Committee

$873,793

0% in-state

NO CONTRIBUTOR DISCLOSURE

$296,283

50% in-state

PARTIAL CONTRIBUTOR DISCLOSURE

CA S Crime victims rights (Marsy’s law) Pass (70%) Henry Nicholaus (California) and Jason Glodt (in-state Republican lobbyist) Criminal defense bar $2,001,469

0% in-state

$4,850

100% in-state

CA T Legislative redistricting Fail SD Farmer’s Union, Democrat Party SD Farm Bureau $498,941

100% in-state

83% NO CONTRIBUTOR DISCLOSURE

$1,500

100% in-state

CA U Usury law – unlimited interest rate with signature Fail Select Management Resources Center for Responsible Lending $1,879,623

0% in-state

$23,205

9% in-state

CA V Non-partisan elections Fail Open Primaries

Take It Back, Org.

SD Republican Party $1,819,248

15% in-state

79% NO CONTRIBUTOR DISCLOSURE

 

$287,076

100% in-state

Is it possible out of state interests are using our low signature requirements and cheap media markets in an attempt to buy our ballot initiative process?   If so, they will have turned our state founders’ intent completely on its head.

Our system needs safeguarding if we are to restore our system to one that serves the people of South Dakota.  We have two sensible measures pending which have passed the South Dakota House and are pending in the South Dakota Senate:

HB1074:                This proposal limits certain out of state contributions to a ballot question committee at $100,000.

HB1200:                This proposal requires all organizations which contribute more than $25,000 to a ballot question committee to disclose their top 50 donors.   A transparency measure designed to shed a little light on the contributors associated with these largely out of state organizations.

HB1200 merely asks that a group allow the voter to put a name and face with the otherwise nameless, faceless organizations that come into South Dakota to advocate for their public policy interests.

Think of The Club for Growth (conservative Washington D.C. based think tank); Americans for Fairness (Illinois Union affiliated group); Americans For Prosperity (Washington D.C. conservative – David Koch founded); Represent US (Massachusetts liberal) and many other groups.

These organizations do not have children that attend our schools, they do not attend our churches and you will not see them at the basketball game this weekend.  That is because they do not live here and likely have never been here.   I have worked with their representatives to try to overcome their objections to HB1200 and do you know who is calling their shots?    Their Washington D.C. lawyers.    Let’s limit their involvement unless they can demonstrate either residency or a legitimate business interest in South Dakota.  At the very least, let’s at least make them tell us who they are.

I urge you to contact your state Senator and ask them to support both of these proposals.

NOEM: Trump Action, a Step toward Ditching WOTUS Rule

NOEM: Trump Action, a Step toward Ditching WOTUS Rule

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Kristi Noem today applauded President Trump’s Executive Order to begin pulling back the controversial, Obama-era Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule. 

“The Obama administration attempted to pull off one of the largest federal land grabs in U.S. history when it finalized the Waters of the U.S. rule,” said Noem.  “Today’s actions are a step toward reversing the rule’s impact and lifting another regulatory burden from the shoulders of hardworking farmers, ranchers, and homeowners.  As the administration’s efforts move forward, I will continue to work on the legislative front to reverse this Obama-era regulation and protect South Dakotans from the costly impacts it could have.” 

As finalized by the Obama administration, the WOTUS rule could greatly expand the federal government’s control over small and seasonal bodies of water throughout South Dakota and the country.  Estimates show that if a landowner falls out of compliance, penalties could cost more than $30,000 per violation, per day. 

In May 2015, Noem helped the U.S. House of Representatives pass the bipartisan H.R. 1732, the Regulatory Integrity Protection Act of 2015, which would send the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers back to the drawing board on the WOTUS rule.  Months later, a federal appellate court temporarily suspended the nationwide implementation of the WOTUS rule, a suspension that holds today.

In January 2016, Noem joined the House in passing legislation disapproving the rule.  President Obama later vetoed the bill.  Watch Noem discuss this legislation.

In February 2017, Noem joined more than 35 Members of Congress in a letter to President Trump, urging the administration to take action to roll WOTUS back.

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Rounds Praises Trump’s Action to Undo WOTUS

Rounds Praises Trump’s Action to Undo WOTUS 

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today praised President Trump’s executive order that will begin to undo the Obama administration’s overreaching Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule. The executive order will require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps to review the WOTUS rule to make certain it promotes economic growth and minimizes regulatory uncertainty. It also requires agencies to rescind or revise aspects of WOTUS that are incompatible with this new policy guidance. 

“If implemented, the WOTUS rule would be one of the largest federal land grabs in the history of our country,” said Rounds. “It would give the Army Corps and the EPA control of nearly all water, including man-made water management systems, farm ponds, drainage ditches and any other water that the EPA decides has a ‘significant nexus’ to downstream water. Under WOTUS, farmers, ranchers and landowners would be forced to spend hours filling out burdensome paperwork to get permits from the EPA and Army Corps just to conduct normal agricultural activities or spray for weeds along our county roads. I applaud President Trump for taking steps to undo this unnecessary, misguided overreach.”

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Another one in for AG? Russell moving toward an announcement.

Don’t look for anything official until after session, but I’m hearing that State Senator Lance Russell may be moving forward with a bid for the office of Attorney General in the 2018 election.

The talk around the Capitol is that Lance is definitely “in,” and already starting to have discussions with potential delegates. 

As the sole West River candidate at the moment, Lance might be able to leverage that to his advantage with his deep connections to the Pennington County GOP delegation, when East River votes will likely be a bit more split.

We shall see, but it all adds up to a vibrant and exciting 2018 election for Republicans next year.

Thune Statement on Senate Confirmation of Wilbur Ross as Secretary of Commerce

Thune Statement on Senate Confirmation of Wilbur Ross as Secretary of Commerce

“As a businessman who spent his career revitalizing struggling businesses, Wilbur Ross is an exceptional fit to revitalize our nation’s economy and create jobs as secretary of commerce.”

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, released the following statement on the Senate confirmation of Wilbur Ross as the secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce:

“As a businessman who spent his career revitalizing struggling businesses, Wilbur Ross is an exceptional fit to revitalize our nation’s economy and create jobs as secretary of commerce,” said Thune. “His background is a valuable asset for implementing the administration’s economic agenda and helping Americans impacted by economic hard times in recent years. I look forward to working with him to boost our nation’s economy and make job creation a reality.”

Click here for information on Ross’ confirmation hearing before the Commerce Committee.

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SD District 8 Conservatives Monthly Luncheon this Thursday

SD District 8 Conservatives Monthly Luncheon

The monthly District 8 Conservatives Luncheon will be held Thursday, March 2nd, 2017, 11:45AM, at the Second Street Diner, 610 Washington Ave. S., in Madison.  Jim Iverson will be the guest speaker with a presentation on senior care options.

South Dakota Legislative District 8 consists of Sanborn, Miner, Lake, and Moody Counties in the East Central part of the state.

Conservatives from District 8 are invited, as well as from the surrounding area.  Order off menu, daily special available.  For information call 605-270-2991.

Indivisible group promoting town halls really organized network of liberal activists on the attack.

The liberal activist group “Indivisible” recently started a shouting match at a recent town hall in North Dakota, after inviting North Dakota US Representative Kevin Kramer, as related by North Dakota political blog Say Anything:

On Thursday last week Rep. Kevin Cramer accepted a town hall invitation from a local chapter of the national left wing group Indivisible which, per their website, was formed to “resist” the policy agenda of President Donald Trump.

The event got a little shouty, and in an interview Friday Cramer described the event to me in a radio interview as a “scheme” intended to provoke a “YouTube moment” of the Congressman saying or doing something stupid.

And..

But it’s a shame that a partisan left wing group like Indivisible would pervert the intent of such events, turning from a satisfying sort of civic engagement to a stage managed political spectacle.

Read it here.

More recently, the South Dakota chapter of the same group tried to gin up negative publicity for South Dakota’s delegation by announcing a fake town hall in Sioux Falls, placing empty chairs on the stage, aping Clint Eastwood at the GOP National Convention by trying to claim that the delegation was absent.

But was their goal actual discourse and discussion? Of course not. They’re not holding town halls. They’re holding hate rallies. Their sole goal is to attack Republicans.  Interestingly, in North Dakota, where Democrat Senator Heidi Heitkamp is, the local Indivisible Chapter has exempted her from their demands.

In case you missed the point, this sounds like an effort being organized and coordinated to attack Republicans on a nationwide basis:

Leaked audio from an anti-Trump protest group meeting reveals activists with anti-Trump group Indivisible plotting how to best manufacture a hostile environment at a town hall with Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana on Friday.

The audio, obtained by local radio station KPEL, reveals a coordinated effort to create the public impression that Cassidy’s support for Trump is unpopular with his constituents. The activists, who describe themselves as liberals in the audio, can be heard strategizing how to best turn a local town hall into a political victory.

The activists split up into an “inside team” — tasked with occupying “as many seats as we can” and an “outside team,” whose job was to “give [the media] the coverage they want” before joining the others inside. Activists were instructed to dress like conservatives and leave at home “any signifier that you’re a liberal” in order to blend in with constituents.

and…

“Game plan number one is to fill as many seats as we can, right? If it’s all of us in there and the poor people of Breaux Bridge are sitting behind us, well then tough luck for them,” said one organizer, identified by KPEL as James Proctor. His “poor people” comment drew laughs from the other activists.

and..

“The Indivisible Guide does say that when you start to lose the meeting, that’s when you boo and hiss,” one unidentified activist can be heard saying. “Right, I was going to say that,” another activist replied. Local news outlet The Advertiser reported that members of the crowd “frequently interrupted, expressing disagreement with some of Cassidy’s positions and shouting out their own questions.”

One woman can be heard on the audio saying she was in contact with the national Indivisible organization.

Read it all here.

Infiltrate town halls. Shut out locals who have legitimate concerns. “The guide” says to boo and hiss when you start to lose the meeting.

It sounds like this group is far less concerned with legislators meeting with their constituents, and more like an angry group trying to continue to run the political campaign they just lost.

Senator Nelson is informed by the Attorney General that compromise is not illegal.

From the Attorney General’s office:

AG Issues Official Opinion Relating to “Vote Trading” and “Vehicle  Bills”

PIERRE, S.D. – Attorney General Marty Jackley has issued an Official Opinion on whether “vote trading” and “vehicle bills” are  prohibited:

AGoffopin1702rel by Pat Powers on Scribd

When it comes to horse trading on legislation – which is common in any legislature in the country – Senator Nelson has now been informed via an official Attorney General’s opinion that compromise is “not illegal.”

Michels still talking about Governor. But who are their sources?

From KELO-AM, I heard this on the way to taking my son to School. And I had to do a double take on who they were saying was also considering a run:

Michels says it’s very heartening to hear support for a gubernatorial bid but says he’ll wait until the legislative session is over before making a decision.

and…

Attorney General Marty Jackley and U.S. Representative Kristi Noem have announced their candidacy.

There are other rumblings as to possible candidates for governor, including former governor and current U.S. Senator Mike Rounds.

On the Democrat’s side, Senate Minority Leader Billie Sutton is rumored as a potential candidate as is former United States Attorney of South Dakota Brendan Johnson.

Read that all here.

They have a few right, but they must be picking up some of their rumors at the local tavern, where drunks are throwing out random names.

Absolutely, Matt Michels, Kristi Noem and Marty Jackley are all thinking about it/actively in the hunt. And yes, for a long time Billie Sutton has been encouraged to to be the Democrat sacrificial lamb candidate.

But Brendan Johnson for Governor? That’s never come up, and frankly, with his experience and pedigree, it makes little to no sense. His chances would be far better in a contest for a federal office, but as far as I know, I haven’t heard he has any interest in jumping into things anytime soon.

And Mike Rounds is going to quit his US Senate seat to run for Governor again? Really? Sorry, but whoever is ‘rumbling’ that is just engaging in crazy talk.

Moving on….