From Facebook, Congressman Dusty Johnson is coming out against proposed IRS regs to report any transaction over $600.
Considering how long it took them to process my taxes this year, I don’t think they can handle the load of adding every transaction over $600. Nevermind it’s a massive intrusion of privacy.
Noticing that I posted the re-election announcement for Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken, the other candidate in the race David Zokaites wanted to reach out and make sure people knew he is running too. And has been for a while.
From my e-mail box:
On Reddit I found one of your articles about Paul TenHaken campaigning for mayor. I’m also campaigning for mayor although I haven’t held a rally to officially announce. On the other hand, I’ve been driving around in a van with a license plate of “MAYOR” for about 3 years.
I think you’ll enjoy the softcopy flyer booklet which I have attached to this email My booklet is composed of two documents, both of which are attached.
Enjoy life,
David
And in case you wanted to read his booklet…
DAVIDZ Platform 1 by Pat Powers on Scribd
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, September 16, 2021
ATTORNEY GENERAL RAVNSBORG JOINS 24 STATE COALITION DEMANDING PRESIDENT BIDEN DROP VACCINE MANDATE OR RISK LEGAL ACTION
PIERRE, S.D. — South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg has joined with 23 other state attorneys general to send a letter to President Joe Biden today, warning that litigation will follow the implementation of the proposed mandate on private sector employees to either get a COVID-19 shot, submit to weekly testing, or be fired. The coalition of AGs outlined their legal and policy concerns with the mandate, which will be carried out through an Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) emergency temporary standard.
“The policies of this administration will hurt the American people and business,” said Ravnsborg. “This President seeks more government control over the lives and choices of all Americans.”
History has shown that the judicial branch is highly skeptical of the use of OSHA emergency temporary standards because of concerns about federalism and the separation of powers. Further, the AGs raise concerns about the expansion of a federal regulatory agency and public perception of the order’s constitutionality.
The coalition of AGs goes beyond legal arguments to address practical policy considerations of such a sweeping order. Most concerning is the potential to drive individuals out of the workforce, particularly healthcare workers, who are most needed right now to fight the pandemic. Additionally, this mandate ignores the tens of millions of Americans with natural immunity and will drive further skepticism of vaccines.
Last, and perhaps most importantly, the AGs note there are alternatives to a broad, nationwide order. The letter states, “The risks of COVID-19 spread also vary widely depending on the nature of the business in question, many of which can have their employees, for example, work remotely. The one-size-fits-almost-all approach you have decreed makes clear that you intend to use the OSHA statute as a pretext to impose an unprecedented, controversial public health measure on a nationwide basis that only incidentally concerns the workplace.”
South Dakota was joined on the letter by the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
You can read the letter here: AGs letter to President Biden on Vaccine Mandate
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I have a new long-form post up at South Dakota Political News tonight which you can preview..
20 years ago, we were more geographically diverse in who served in elected office. Now, we seem to be coalescing to certain areas. I think that trend will continue will more concentration to our population centers as we cruise towards the next decade.
While it had already been broken at the Federal level, Kristi Noem shattered the glass ceiling for who we consider for leadership. And looking at the current makeup of the legislature, many of the more dynamic potential candidates moving up through the ranks look a lot different than they did a decade ago.
Absent a drastic change in political landscape, I think we’re going to remain fairly red.. but we may start to see a bit more purple shading in Sioux Falls. And I’ll just stop there, as this post will get far too long and too far afield if I don’t. As opposed to talking about 2030’s environment – let’s talk about who to watch.
With that, let’s consider and predict what the SDGOP’s “Generation Next” – the future class of elected leaders – is going to look like.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, September 15, 2021
ATTORNEY GENERAL RAVNSBORG ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF JAY SEKULOW AND STAFF AS CO-COUNSEL IN PRO-LIFE APPEAL
PIERRE, S.D. — South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg has prepared the following statement regarding the appointment of co-counsel in the appeal to the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals in the matter of Planned Parenthood v. Noem.
“As Attorney General I have made the rights of the unborn a priority. For many years, Planned Parenthood has denied South Dakota women access to free counseling that is needed to properly inform their consent to the abortion procedure and protect them from coercion and pressure from others to have an unwanted abortion. The South Dakota Attorney General’s office is tasked with defending all state statutes, including South Dakota’s abortion counseling statute. Consequently, after the District Court denied the state’s motion to dissolve the injunction on the state’s counseling statute, I consulted the notable constitutional scholar Jay Sekulow. Mr. Sekulow has served as President Trump’s lawyer and has argued numerous cases in the United States Supreme Court and federal Circuit Courts of Appeals.
As a result of our conversations, Mr. Sekulow and his staff have agreed to co-counsel with attorneys here in the South Dakota Attorney General’s office on the appeal now before the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. To that end, I have appointed Mr. Sekulow and his staff Special Assistant Attorneys General to work alongside attorneys in the South Dakota Attorney General’s office to assist in preparing the state’s case for the next stage of this litigation in the federal appeals courts. Mr. Sekulow brings a wealth of experience in the areas of First Amendment and pro-life litigation in the federal courts. His office’s participation in this case reflects the merits of the state’s counseling statute, the strength of state’s legal position and the importance of this case in the legal fight for the unborn.”
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Rounds Announces $11.2 Million Grant Awarded to South Dakota School of Mines and Technology for DoD Cold Weather Research
Funding for this project has been Rounds’ top defense appropriations request for three years
WASHINGTON—Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today announced that South Dakota School of Mines and Technology has been awarded a $11.2 million grant to partner with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Engineer Research and Development Center’s Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL). This new project called “Materials and Manufacturing for Cold Regions” will be conducted over a five-year time span, with funding going to faculty and student research at the School of Mines from multiple engineering and science disciplines. The team will develop advanced materials and manufacturing technology in support of the U.S. Army’s global military objectives in cold and remote regions.
“I congratulate South Dakota School of Mines and the Army Corps of Engineers on this important collaborative research effort,” said Rounds. “Thanks to the work that has already begun, the conditions have been set for the research team to design enduring systems and processes for use in cold and remote conditions. The success of this vital program is critical to the joint force’s ability to meet National Defense Strategy objectives to fight and win in extreme cold weather environments.”
“U.S. Senator Mike Rounds along with members of the US Senate Armed Services Committee and other members of our congressional delegation have been instrumental in supporting this sort of research that is critical for our military to protect the nation’s interests in cold regions of the world,” said Dr. Grant Crawford, professor of materials and metallurgical engineering at South Dakota Mines. “Through this partnership we will apply materials and manufacturing research expertise and infrastructure, developed over the past two decades by numerous Mines faculty, staff and students, to support the critical needs of our nation’s armed forces. It’s a perfect opportunity for us and we look forward to the new partnership.”
“This research has the potential to be a win-win,” said Dr. Jim Rankin, President of the South Dakota Mines. “It will aid our nation’s defense and it will lead to new technology, new materials and new manufacturing processes that will spin-off into start-up companies right here in the Black Hills. This translates to more local high-paying jobs for our graduates and an economic boost to our community.”
Background:
CRREL solves interdisciplinary and strategically important challenges for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, Department of Defense (DoD) and the nation by advancing and applying science and engineering to complex environments, materials and processes in all seasons and climates, with unique core competencies related to the Earth’s cold regions.
School of Mines faculty and students will focus on three main research areas in support of CRREL.
Advanced Materials: This includes lightweight composites that offer thermal insulation and low temperature ballistics capability to support armor for soldiers, equipment, vehicles and structures. This also includes multifunctional shape memory materials that can be used for damage tolerant devices and energy harvesting in cold environments.
Advanced Repair and Manufacturing Technologies: This includes friction stir welding/processing and cold spray technologies that can be used to repair broken parts and produce lightweight structures in cold regions.
Advanced Coatings: This includes both thick and thin film coatings that offer advanced wear and corrosion resistance, anti-icing capability, and are tailored for use in earths cold regions to extend the lifetime of equipment, structures and devices.
School of Mines faculty and researchers involved in the project include Dr. Grant Crawford, Dr. David Salem, Dr. Bharat Jasthi, Dr. Nick Bruno, Dr. Forest Thompson, Dr. Satish Bhattiprolu, Dr. Leila Sorkhi, Joshua Hammell, Todd Curtis, Michael Carter and James Tomich. Thirteen members of CRREL and the Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) joined Mines researchers for a meeting on the Mines campus last week.
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Jay Sekulow to Represent South Dakota in Planned Parenthood v. Noem
PIERRE, S.D. – Governor Noem and the State of South Dakota have retained attorney Jay Sekulow and the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) to join the State’s legal team in the ongoing Planned Parenthood v. Noem litigation. South Dakota is appealing the current ruling to the United States 8th Circuit Court of Appeals.
“Jay is a brilliant conservative legal mind,” said Governor Kristi Noem. “He’s argued 12 Supreme Court cases, including several religious liberty and pro-life cases. He will bring the same tenacity to protecting unborn children here in South Dakota.”
The State of South Dakota’s appeal in Planned Parenthood v. Noem seeks to uphold the South Dakota state law requiring that a pregnant woman consult with a pregnancy help center before deciding whether to abort her unborn child. This will ensure that women considering an abortion have all of the facts regarding their unborn child and the potential risks of an abortion procedure.
“On behalf of the ACLJ, I am honored to represent Governor Noem and the good people of South Dakota,” said Jay Sekulow. “This common-sense legislation protects mothers and the unborn children.
Jay Sekulow is Chief Counsel of the ACLJ, one of the most prestigious law firms in the country. Sekulow led President Donald J. Trump’s defense team in its impeachment acquittal in January 2020. He is an accomplished Supreme Court advocate, renowned expert on religious liberty, a #1 New York Times bestselling author, and a respected broadcaster. You can learn more about Jay here.
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Marty Jackley is back in mailboxes today with a campaign piece in his impending run for his former office, as he solicits the support of possible SDGOP delegates and supporters:
MartyJackleyforAG.pdf by Pat Powers on Scribd
State Representative John Mills didn’t seem to earn any brownie points with Governor Noem today, as he is the chief legislative source for a hit piece written today at the National Review website attacking Governor Noem, mainly over legislation which would have prohibited transgendered people from participating in high school sports.
Of which there aren’t any right now, but whatever:
But even as she began to position herself as a national contender in the first months of 2021, Noem’s status as a rising Republican star has been dampened by a number of controversies back home. Most notably, her surprise “style-and-form” veto of House Bill 1217 — a law that would have banned biological males from competing in women’s sports — did serious damage to the young governor’s star power. The move effectively gutted the legislation and hurt her self-styled image as a staunch conservative fighter; Noem was accused of caving to the demands of the NCAA, Amazon, and the number of other powerful left-leaning corporations that had opposed the legislation. For many of those on the right who had viewed her as an island of sanity and courage, the decision was a betrayal.
and..
I think one of the most common words that I have heard in recent years in relation to the governor is ‘disappointment,’” says John Mills, a Republican lawmaker representing South Dakota’s House District 4. “And you know, many of us who had high hopes for her have felt that disappointment.”
Noem’s office declined to give an interview but pushed back firmly in an emailed statement on any suggestion that the governor is being improperly influenced.
“Nobody is making decisions for her,” a spokesman tells National Review.
Several months back at a local GOP meeting, Rep. Mills and Senator VJ Smith got in a bit of a loud disagreement across the meeting room over transgendered people in sports, with Rep. Mills having a biblical view of transgenderism in sports, and Senator Smith having an opposing view over whether legislation was needed.
So, I’m not surprised over his vocal opinion.. but maybe a little surprised he’d take after the Governor in this manner as part of a hit piece.
Ultimately, Governor Noem has to do just that – govern. And that’s not just govern those who consider themselves conservative christians, but everyone who lives in the state, regardless of party. And dying on the hill of legislation that would affect 2-3 people across her entire term of office, versus letting the High School Activities Association deal with it on as as needed basis, seems a lot more sensible.
Flags at Half-Staff in Honor of Former Legislator Bob Faehn
PIERRE, S.D. – Governor Kristi Noem has ordered that flags be flown at half-staff at the State Capitol from sunrise until sundown on Friday, September 17 in honor of former State Representative Robert (Bob) Faehn. Faehn served as state representative from 2005 to 2010, including as Majority Leader from 2009 to 2010 and as Majority Whip from 2007 to 2008.
“Bob was a dear friend, and it was a tremendous privilege to serve as his assistant majority leader. Bryon and I are praying for his family,” said Governor Kristi Noem. “He was a tremendous statesman and a gentleman besides. He advocated tirelessly on behalf of South Dakota’s technical colleges, helping to make them among the very best in America.”
A memorial service for Faehn will be held on Friday, September 17, 2:00 pm CT at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church in Watertown.
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