Author: @SoDakCampaigns

Governor Noem Deploys South Dakota National Guard to Texas for Border Security

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem announced that up to fifty South Dakota National Guard troops are being deployed to Texas to help the secure the border between the United States and Mexico. This is in response to Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s request for help to respond to ongoing violations of state and federal law by illegal aliens crossing the unsecured border.

“The Biden Administration has failed in the most basic duty of the federal government: keeping the American people safe,” said Governor Kristi Noem. “The border is a national security crisis that requires the kind of sustained response only the National Guard can provide. We should not be making our own communities less safe by sending our police or Highway Patrol to fix a long-term problem President Biden’s Administration seems unable or unwilling to solve. My message to Texas is this: help is on the way.”

The initial deployment to the border will last for between 30 and 60 days. South Dakota Adjutant General Jeff Marlette and the South Dakota Department of the Military are working with their counterparts in Texas to finalize the details of this mission. The deployment will be paid for by a private donation.

For operational security reasons, specific names of units, number of members, and mission specifics will not be released.

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Apparently we need interpretive dance and trigger warnings in the building housing the US Constitution and Declaration of Independence, according to a report recently filed by the national archives and reported on by Fox News:

Additionally, the report categorized the National Archives’ Rotunda as another example of “structural racism” as it “lauds wealthy White men in the nation’s founding while marginalizing BIPOC [Black, Indigenous and other People of Color], women, and other communities.”

The task force suggests ways to “reimagine the Rotunda,” including staging “dance or performance art in the space that invites dialogue about the ways that the United States has mythologized the founding era.”

The report also called for “trigger warnings” to be put in place with historical content to “forewarn audiences of content that may cause intense physiological and psychological symptoms.”

“Providing an advisory notice to users gives us an opportunity to mitigate harm and contextualize the records,” the report reads. “It creates a space to share with the public our ultimate goals for reparative description, demonstrate our commitment to the process, and address any barriers that we may face in achieving these goals (i.e., the size and scope of the Catalog and the ever-evolving knowledge we gain regarding what is harmful).”

Read it all here.

Now we need “to contextualize the records” and to have “reparative description” because the founding fathers were just a bunch of “wealthy white men?” And we’re going to fix all that by interpretive dance?

Little wonder why there is a backlash against the goofy left in this country.

I’m hearing early word out of the SDGOP Central Committee meeting this afternoon that the 2022 State Convention has had some alterations, and will be held in Watertown in 2022 after a change of mind of the Republican organization.

I’m hearing it was a robust discussion, along with speeches on both sides, with momentum initially towards keeping it the same in Rapid City, but convincing arguments on having it in Watertown, with people stepping forward to help make it happen, as well as the fairness issue for them being cheated out of this past years’ convention.

After the dust settled, it’s a go for having the convention in the Governor’s hometown area, and everything is full speed ahead.

This sounds more like an off-color joke that would come form my side of the aisle.

But last night in conjunction with the South Dakota Democrats’ big dinner, as part of an on-line auction, they auctioned off a “Bill Clinton humidor” for storing one’s cigars:

Er.. yeah.

Instead of going for the easy joke, you can click here to make a donation to the Childhood Resilience Foundation, of which Monica Lewinsky is a founding board member. There’s a link at the bottom of the page.

Founding Fathers’ Spirit of Patriotism Lives on in Americans
By Sen. John Thune

Two hundred and forty-five years ago, a group of patriots stood up and declared independence for themselves and their countrymen. They did this despite the risk to their own lives and with no promise that their campaign for freedom would succeed. All they had was a ragtag team of volunteer soldiers who were willing to stand up to a global empire – funds were tight, weapons were scarce, and there was still much disagreement over the direction this new country should go.

What they knew to be true, though, was they had the strength of a just cause and the desire for freedom. Despite the long odds, succeed they did. And thus, our country was founded upon that spirit of patriotism, bravery, and freedom – and we’ve never looked back.

The famed document our Founders adopted on July 4, 1776, laid out the case for the colonies’ independence from Britain. It proclaimed that government derives its power from the governed and that it is, therefore, the right of the people to change their government. This was a radical idea during the era of kings and queens and emperors, but it has stood the test of time and has remained a core tenet of our nation to this day.

Our Founding Fathers wanted to form a government – a democratic republic – that empowered the people to decide their representation through elections. Our current government as we know it today wasn’t created until the signing of the Constitution 11 years later, but the ideas put forth in the Declaration of Independence are woven into the very fabric of our democratic system.

The rich history of our Founding Fathers is still evident today. Not just in the monuments and statues erected in their honor, but also in the adventurous, freedom-loving American spirit. We are a people of free thought and independence, resiliency and risk-taking, loyalty and faith. These qualities drove history’s patriots to fight for the independence we enjoy today, which has been preserved by generations of selfless Americans who have answered the call to defend it. These inspiring traits made our Founding Fathers successful in creating the greatest country the earth has ever known. These are still the qualities that make America a nation of deep-rooted communities, religious diversity, and strong family ties.

Each year on the Fourth of July, we join together as a country to celebrate our nation’s founding and take pride in the great things we’ve accomplished together. Through the centuries, there have been ups and downs, but we toast to these cherished words that have helped guide our country through our ever-evolving journey: “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

America has always promised something unique to its people: to be a country where you can pursue your dreams, find happiness, and earn success—opportunities we cherish every day in South Dakota.

I wish every American a happy Independence Day. I hope that we can all strive to fulfill our Founders’ promise and pass along the great American spirit for generations to come. 

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Biden’s Backdoor Death Tax
By: Governor Kristi Noem
June 25, 2021

Over the past year, our farmers and ranchers went to work every day to feed this country during a time of great challenge and uncertainty for millions of Americans.

How does President Biden plan to thank them? By raising their taxes.

The so-called “American Families Plan” would create a backdoor death tax on family farms and millions of other small businesses.

For decades, our tax code has protected farmland from being double-taxed when it is passed on to the next generation by ensuring that a capital gain is not realized at the time of death and transfer – otherwise known as a step-up in basis. But President Biden needs more money to pay for his $1.8 trillion wish list of big government programs, and he’s expecting hardworking Americans to pick up the check. His tax plan would eliminate step-up in basis and impose a capital gains tax of up to 43.4 percent on unrealized gains valued at over $1 million. President Biden claims that this will only impact the wealthiest Americans. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.

Farmers and ranchers tend to own large amounts of valuable land, equipment, and livestock that makes them appear wealthy on paper, but they often have very little cash on hand. They spend years incurring great costs to make their land more productive, but they never know each year whether they will make any money. By the time that land is transferred to an heir at death it likely will have increased greatly in value, and under President Biden’s plan this would trigger a significant tax burden for the person who inherits it.

I experienced this firsthand when my dad died in an accident on our family farm and ranch. Our family was dealing with a tragedy, and suddenly we were faced with a massive death tax bill. We had land, machinery, and cattle, but we didn’t have any money in the bank. Thankfully, we had support from our small community and were able to borrow on our land and pay off that debt. But it took ten years and a lot of sacrifice. Those less fortunate than us would have been forced to sell the family farm to pay that tax.

That’s why I got into politics in the first place. And when I was in Congress, I worked with President Trump to repeal the death tax for most family farms in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

Our farmers and ranchers face challenges every day that few of us can imagine. They work and sacrifice to feed the world while building something that they can pass on to their kids and grandkids. Another death tax will only make it more difficult for young farmers and ranchers to acquire the land and equipment needed to pursue a life in agriculture. As a result, we will see more farm consolidation and the loss of vibrant rural communities.

Prosperity is not created by higher taxes and bigger government. Leaders like Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump knew that. The American people create our shared prosperity through their independence, hard work, and ingenuity. Washington, D.C. should learn to leave that well enough alone.

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Tomorrow at the Republican State Central Committee meeting, the leadership of the SDGOP will be sitting down to do the business of the party. And one of the things they will be doing is being asked to support a resolution in support of Amendment C to require a higher passage threshold for tax-increasing ballot measures.

According to a letter that went out this week to Central Committee members:

June 18, 2021

Dear South Dakota Republican Central Committee Members:

The ideal that people work hard to earn a stable income for themselves and their families is nothing new. In fact, this tenet is one of the core principles that the great state of South Dakota was built upon. Because of this long-standing philosophy, we believe that the government’s ability to take a person’s hard-earned income through the raising of taxes should be MORE difficult, as a protection to them.

Quite often, current ballot measures are asking for increased spending…but not offering a means to pay for it. This leads to difficult decisions as our state needs to be fiscally sound when budgeting for such necessities as education or roads and bridges.

Furthermore, allowing greater government spending and raising taxes is simply a harbinger of bad things to come for the people of South Dakota. This will eventually lead to greater economic peril for the families of our state, as well as less opportunity.

The precedent is already there: right now, any proposed tax increase requires at least 67% approval by both chambers of our state legislature to pass. Additionally, school bond issues also require a 60% approval vote to pass. Shouldn’t ballot measures be held to a similar standard?

I firmly believe that Amendment C is appropriate as a form of taxpayer protection in our state. Simply put, it will put into play our main point—that raising your taxes should be harder. If successfully passed, Amendment C would require that any state ballot measure or amendment that would increase a tax or that would spend more than $10 million annually in ongoing spending in its first five years would need to receive at least 60% voter approval at the election rather than a simple majority.

Isn’t this what South Dakota values are all about? Isn’t this a central principle of our Republican Party?

We respectfully urge you to stick to our Republican values of lower taxation and limited government spending, and to support Taxpayer Protection Constitutional Amendment C. Thank you for your time.

Respectfully,
Representative Jon Hansen
Speaker Pro Tempore of the South Dakota House of Representatives
Chairman, South Dakotans against Higher Taxes

Also attached was the resolution:

A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE TAXPAYER PROTECTION CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT C

WHEREAS, Raising your taxes should be harder; and

WHEREAS, With successful passage of Amendment C, if a state ballot measure or amendment imposes or increases a tax or it spends more than $50 million in the first five years, it will need to receive at least 60% approval by voters in the election instead of a simple majority.

WHEREAS, increased taxes and more government spending means less opportunity and more economic harm to people in our state. D.C. has tried higher taxes and more spending – it doesn’t work; and

WHEREAS, Far left East Coast elites often propose ballot measures in South Dakota that involve ideas that are out of touch with South Dakota values; and

WHEREAS, Often ballot measures ask for spending increases without a means to pay for it. This creates some hard choices when budgeting for education, health, and social services. and

WHEREAS, in the South Dakota legislature, any tax increase requires at least 67% approval in both chambers to pass, to protect taxpayers; and

WHEREAS, Even school bond issues require a 60% approval to pass; Let it be

RESOLVED, that the Republican Party of South Dakota strongly supports the passage of Amendment C, the Taxpayer Protection ballot measure.

Given the make-up of the Republican Majority party, the measure is likely to pass tomorrow and will gain the GOP’s official support as organizers move forward to the vote on the measure for the 2022 primary ballot.

Here’s one thing that struck me. Is the State Democrat party going to oppose this measure… because they want it to be easy to raise our taxes?

Because that would be one heck of a bill of goods to try to sell voters.

Johnson, Spanberger Introduce Butcher Block Act for Cattle Producers

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representatives Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) today introduced the Butcher Block Act, a bipartisan bill to rebalance the cattle market by easing regulatory barriers and offering U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) meat processing grants for small processors looking to expand or add shackle space.

According to a recent Rabobank report, an additional daily packing capacity of 5,000 to 6,000 head of fed cattle could restore the historical balance of fed cattle supplies and packing capacity. The Butcher Block Act would establish a loan program at USDA rural development for new and expanding meat processors and finance producer investment to drive competition within the meat packing industry. Additionally, it would allocate grants to entities to increase hiring and processing capacity.

“Our cattle producers and economists have been clear, there’s supply and demand, but not enough processing capacity,” said Johnson. “The bipartisan Butcher Block Act will help right the ship in cattle country and create more avenues for producers to sell their product. Producers deserve a fair price and our bill will expand market capacity quickly.”

“In Virginia’s Seventh District, livestock and poultry bring in millions of dollars for Central Virginia producers each year — but this vital funding stream is increasingly threatened by supply chain disruptions, as well as the continued consolidation within the meat industry. Particularly in the wake of cyberattacks directed against American processing facilities, we need to make long-term investments in the stability and security of the U.S. food supply,” said Spanberger. “By providing additional USDA assistance and grants for American processors to launch or expand their operations, our Butcher Block Act would both help protect the U.S. meat industry and increase market opportunities for American livestock producers. I am proud to co-lead the introduction of this legislation alongside Congressman Johnson, and I look forward to Members on both sides of the aisle working together to increase processing capacity, meet food demand here at home, and keep American cattlemen and poultry producers competitive in the global ag economy.”

“The Holcomb plant fire and the COVID-19 pandemic delivered a one-two punch to our nation’s cattle growers and the volatility in the cattle markets that followed drove home the need to find solutions to the challenges facing the industry. We appreciate Congressman Johnson and Congresswoman Spanberger for introducing the Butcher Block Act, which aims to diversify processing and create a more resilient food supply chain. Expanding opportunities for America’s ranchers will ensure they are paid fairly for the cattle they work hard to raise while meeting the demands of a growing nation,” said Zippy Duvall, American Farm Bureau Federation.  

“USCA thanks Congressman Johnson for his leadership in pursuing any and all available solutions to expand and enhance the independent meat processing sector,” said USCA Vice President Justin Tupper from St. Onge, South Dakota. “The Butcher Block Act will provide more opportunities for our small and mid-sized processors to succeed in a business with incredibly high barriers to entry. Through cost-share and grant programs, this bill expands regional processing capacity, which increases competition in the meat packing industry – leading to improved marketing options for livestock producers.”

“From coast to coast, we’re hearing the same need from our producers. More hook space to alleviate the chokepoint in our supply chain must be a part of any solution aimed at putting more of the beef dollar in the pockets of cattle farmers and ranchers,” said NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane. “The Butcher Block Act takes important steps to fund the growth of regional and independent packing plants, giving farmers and ranchers more opportunities to get their cattle sold and processed. NCBA thanks Congressman Johnson for his bipartisan leadership on this critical issue for South Dakota ranchers.”

Click here for a one-pager on the Butcher Block Act. The Butcher Block Act is cosponsored by Tracey Mann (R-KS), Vicky Hartzler (R-MO), Jim Baird (R-IN), Henry Cuellar (D-TC), Michelle Fischbach (R-MN), Frank Lucas (R-OK), and Randy Feenstra (R-IA).

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