Author: @SoDakCampaigns

Don’t forget that the Dems are featuring one of the biggest liberals in the country to South Dakota for their dinner.

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Remember last month how South Dakota Democrats announced that DNC Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) will be their speaker at this year’s McGovern Day Dinner this weekend? Announced it as in “sort of.” Because they were pretty quiet about it.

Why would they be quiet about it?

Well….  This is the same Debbie Wasserman Schultz who was reported to have prepared to attack President Obama as anti-woman and anti-semitic if she ousted her as DNC chair.

And, this is the same Debbie Wasserman Schultz who was recently caught wheeling and dealing with a mega-donor in return for a switch in her position on medical marijuana.

Let’s not forget that this is the same Debbie Wasserman Schultz who went way over the line in attacking Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker on women’s issues, saying the Republican “has given women the back of his hand.”

So, what are your thoughts? With those qualifications, is she an all-too-appropriate spokesperson to help South Dakota Democrats?

Legislator wonders where the media hysteria was when we went to 75 mph

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New Legislator John Wiik was one of those who voted to put the speed limit to 80 mph as part of the highway plan. But he was a bit taken aback at the media hysterics over what is a small part of the measure:

I never would have imagined the complaints that came from that what I imagined as a minuscule change.  TV stations talking about truck tires that fail at 72–where was that report when the speed limit was raised to 75?  I understand the concerns, but South Dakota is not alone–we are now the 5th state with a top interstate speed limit higher than 75.  Texas is testing an 85 mph road.  The nice thing about a speed limit is that it’s a top end limit.  If you’re not comfortable above 70, drive 68.

Read it here.

John, one thing I learned long ago is that the mainstream media is about selling newspapers and ratings. If a story is boring, it’s their job to make it scary, drive up hysteria, find a villain, or otherwise do whatever they can to make it not boring.

Because that’s what we trust the media to do, isn’t it?

Noem Q1 2015 fundraising – over $360k raised, 1.04 Million COH, 3 months early.

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An early fundraising report out of the Noem camp informed me this morning that South Dakota’s Republican Congresswoman took in more than $360,000 for the quarter; resulting in raising her cash on hand to $1,040,000 – officially moving the needle past that million cash on hand figure.

But there’s more to it. According to a post election story:

The result, he said, is her campaign finished with $800,000 in remaining cash and “is well-positioned to surpass” $1 million by mid-2015. All of which seems like a message to any possible challengers considering 2016: I am ready and waiting.

Noem anticipated passing the million mark by the second quarter.

And that didn’t happen. She did it in Q1, fully three months ahead of schedule.

US Senator John Thune’s Weekly Column: Working Toward Repealing Destructive and Unnecessary Death Tax

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Working Toward Repealing Destructive and Unnecessary Death Tax
By Senator John Thune

John_Thune,_official_portrait,_111th_CongressFor any family, the death of a loved one is a difficult and grievous time. Now add the federal government to this painful period, and the situation becomes a nightmare. The federal government shouldn’t force grieving families to pay a tax on their loved one’s life savings, built from income that has already been taxed by Uncle Sam. Many South Dakotans have witnessed this injustice firsthand – a friend, neighbor, or acquaintance who fell victim to the estate tax, also known as the death tax. Death shouldn’t be a taxable event, which is why I’m glad the Senate recently adopted my amendment to the Senate budget resolution calling on Congress to finally eliminate this destructive tax. I also recently introduced the Death Tax Repeal Act of 2015, which would permanently eliminate the death tax, with 27 of my colleagues.

Here in South Dakota, we are land rich and cash poor, leaving roughly one-third of South Dakota farms vulnerable to the death tax, based on cropland values provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The death tax imposes a tax rate as high as 40 percent on family farms, ranches, and small businesses, which hurts economic growth by discouraging savings and development. A recent study by the non-partisan Tax Foundation found that repeal of the death tax would increase the U.S. capital stock by 2.2 percent, boost economic growth, and create 139,000 jobs.

We work hard daily to build a better life for our children, but the death tax only burdens them. It violates the basic premise of the American dream. Ninety-eight percent of farms in South Dakota are family owned and operated, and according to the South Dakota Department of Agriculture, over 2,500 South Dakota farms have been in the same family for more than 100 years. In some cases, families have to sell land just to pay the death tax, which punishes farmers and entrepreneurs for a lifetime of hard work.

By keeping more money in the hands of hard-working Americans, they will have a better opportunity to build a stronger economic future for their families and our country. In the U.S. Senate, I will continue to promote common-sense policies, like repealing the death tax, that give South Dakota farmers, ranchers, and small business owners the peace of mind of knowing that their hard-earned money will stay with their families, and not end up in the federal government’s coffers.

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Shout out to several friends of SDWC

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As I’m trying to catch up with the pile of papers, and clear out the tissues and other detritus from my bout with the flu, I need to give a shout out to several friends of the SDWC who are having birthdays –

Former US Senate (and perhaps upcoming Atty General) candidate Jason Ravnsborg is celebrating his birthday today. So is US Senate Mike Rounds staffer Justin Rollins, former Democrat State Senator Mitch Fargen, current children’s Author, former State Treasurer & past GOP congressional candidate Dave Volk, and former State Senator Todd Schlekeway.

Go give them some SDWC love for another trip around the sun. (And make sure you remind Rollins how much better SDSU is than USD.)

US Senator Mike Rounds’ Weekly Column: Introducing the Payments Innovation Caucus

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Introducing the Payments Innovation Caucus
By Senator Mike Rounds
April 9, 2015

MikeRounds official SenateIn 1914, Western Union began issuing metal cards to the company’s top customers. For a subscription fee, “preferred” customers could use their “metal money” to defer payments on various goods and services. This was the first step in a series of monetary advances which revolutionized access to capital and credit. It has significantly changed the way commerce is conducted around the globe today. In the 101 years since metal money was first distributed, the credit card – and now the payments industry – has moved from metal to plastic to virtual transactions. Today, payments can be made with the simple tap of a smartphone.

South Dakota has been a leader and an innovator in the payments industry. As technology has expanded the reach of mobile payments, South Dakota’s role in this world economy has grown substantially. To help educate the Senate and others about the enormous potential of this industry and the dangers that could result if it is compromised, I have partnered with Senator Gary Peters from Michigan to form the bipartisan Senate Payments Innovation Caucus. The caucus is an opportunity for the Senate to understand the critical nature of the payments industry, to see what the industry has done for our state and to make certain South Dakotans have a voice in any changes to the industry moving forward.

The payments industry is growing at lightning speed. Last year, the Boston Consulting Group found that by 2023, the total world volume of electronic payments would hit an astonishing $780 trillion in transactions worldwide. These electronic payments already allow us to click, swipe or tap to purchase countless items. Yet the industry continues to grow. New technologies such as the Starbucks app and ApplePay make it easier than ever before to purchase goods and services.

But mobile transactions have benefits far beyond simplifying our lives. They can be important tools for facilitating economic development throughout the world that can help lift nations out of poverty. Take Kenya for example. Today, 25 percent of the nation’s gross national product flows through mobile payment networks. These networks help Kenyans transfer money quickly, safely and with little cost. When Kenya was engulfed in violence after the 2008 election, mobile payments played a critical role, helping Kenyans trapped by rioting access cash to buy needed food and supplies.

While we should celebrate the many benefits of mobile purchases, the larger and more interconnected the industry becomes, the more our enemies seek to attack it. Already, cyber hackers have attacked banks, merchants and payment intermediaries causing billions of dollars in damages, threatening our national security. To help keep these networks safe and reliable, it is important for Congress to take these threats seriously and understand how to best protect consumer financial data amid ever-changing technologies.

Payments innovation is a diverse industry that continues to grow and change each day. I’m proud of South Dakota’s leading role in it and look forward to working on the Payments Innovation Caucus to inform others of its needs and keep consumer data safe from hackers.
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Congresswoman Kristi Noem’s Weekly Column: Taxed If You Do, Taxed If You Don’t

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Taxed If You Do, Taxed If You Don’t
By Rep. Kristi Noem
April 10, 2015

kristi noem headshot May 21 2014When Benjamin Franklin said “In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes,” I don’t know if even he knew the extent to which that would become true in America.

After the President’s health care law was enacted, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the mandates were in fact taxes on hardworking Americans.  The most notable tax included was a tax on those who don’t have health insurance, but over the next few years, another tax will come into play: a tax on those who do have insurance.

It’s called the health insurance tax – or HIT.  The President’s health care law included an annual multi-billion-dollar “fee” on health insurance companies, the costs of which will largely be passed directly on to consumers to the tune of $350 and $400 per year for a family plan.

Earlier this month, I met with local small businesses – many of whom helped pay for their employees’ health coverage long before the President’s mandates went into place.  Now, they’re wondering how they can afford to continue providing it.  Then again, they can’t afford not to either.  One employer told me:  “We can’t afford the insurance.  We can’t afford the fine [if we don’t provide insurance].  And so, if we have to cut them to 30 hours, for them that means what?  A third job?”  He didn’t see that as a good option either.

These taxes have real-world implications on small businesses, on families, on folks’ financial independence. That’s something the administration doesn’t seem to understand.

Over the last few years, Congress has passed and the President has signed nearly a dozen reforms to the health care law that give people some relief.  I want to do all I can to continue offering that relief, keeping in mind that my ultimate goal is to replace the President’s health care law with a patient-centered approach.

Currently, much of the focus centers on an ongoing Supreme Court case, King v. Burwell.  As written, the law only provides subsidies to those who purchase insurance through state-run exchanges.  But only 14 states opened their own exchanges.  The other 36 states, including South Dakota, use the federally run exchange.

Through regulations, the IRS made the subsidies available to everyone who purchased health insurance on an exchange – regardless of whether it was a state- or federal-run exchange.  The question before the Court now is whether the IRS broke the law in doing that.  If the Court rules that they did, millions could lose the financial assistance they’ve been getting from the federal government to help pay for health insurance.  The loss of that subsidy could undermine the President’s health care law, requiring that it be replaced.

A final decision will be issued by the Supreme Court in June, but Republicans in Congress are working on an alternative now.  I’m hopeful this will allow us to move quickly and purposefully if the Court rules against the President.

Regardless of what happens in King v. Burwell, this debate is not over.  I will remain committed to protecting hardworking taxpayers from the President’s health care law, which taxes you if you do and taxes you if you don’t.

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First Lady Linda Daugaard’s Column: Some Advice For New Parents

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Some Advice For New Parents
A column by First Lady Linda Daugaard:

First LadyMuch has changed for Dennis and me in the last five years. Moving from Dell Rapids to Pierre to serve as governor and first lady has been quite the adventure. But there are other titles we’ve recently acquired that we value even more: grandpa and grandma.

Becoming a grandma has reminded me how much new parents have to decide in nine short months. What color to paint baby’s bedroom, which stroller to buy, whether to know the gender ahead of time – the list of questions can be endless for first-time parents.

Though it can all be overwhelming, the decisions that really matter are those that affect a baby’s health. When Dennis was first elected, he was shocked to learn how many infants were not reaching their first birthday, and that South Dakota’s infant mortality rate was higher than the rates in surrounding states of North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Montana and Nebraska.

This unsettling truth led him to ask me to lead a task force on infant mortality in South Dakota. I worked with a group of doctors, nurses, tribal health care workers, midwives, social workers and Department of Health officials to understand the causes of the problem. In our research, we found that deciding against early elective deliveries (EEDs), abstaining from tobacco, learning safe sleep practices and receiving prenatal care are critical to an infant’s wellbeing.

Inducing early for non-medical reasons can be dangerous. There are no known health benefits for EEDs, and there are significant health risks for baby – low birthweight, respiratory syndrome, pneumonia and even death. I’m very pleased that 20 of South Dakota’s birthing hospitals have signed pledges to work with us to reduce EEDs.

The infant mortality rate for infants of mothers who smoke is almost twice as high as it is for infants born of non-smokers. Last year, about 15 percent of pregnant women smoked. Though that is an improvement from 2011 when the task force began its work, South Dakota still has one of the highest rates of mothers smoking during pregnancy.

Along with abstaining from tobacco products, it’s critically important for expectant mothers to seek the care they need during the first trimester. In South Dakota, 72 percent of women received prenatal care in the first trimester last year. I’ve heard stories from women who have been told to wait until they are 12 weeks along to schedule prenatal care visits. That’s not good advice. Those who seek that care early on are less likely to lose their child within the first year.

Also before baby is born, expectant parents should learn about safe sleep practices. Infants need to sleep on a firm surface covered by a fitted sheet. Pillows, blankets, toys and crib bumpers should not be in the crib. Babies need to be placed on their back and it’s best for them to sleep in light clothing. Family members and other caregivers also need to know about these important practices.

The good news is that the infant mortality rate is declining in South Dakota. According to the Department of Health, the number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births is down from 2013’s rate of 6.5 to 5.9 in 2014. Last year’s rate is also below 2011’s 20-year low of 6.3. It’s important we keep working to increase prenatal care, promote safe sleep practices, and decrease tobacco use and EEDs to make sure that decline continues.

I know from experience there’s no way to fully prepare yourself for parenthood. Don’t sweat the small stuff. No parent is perfect. Know that by concerning yourself primarily with your baby’s health and safety, you’ll be just what your little one needs.

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Hopefully back to normal from here…..

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I think I’m finally getting the flu bug to move on after 3-4 days.

After binge watching Daredevil on Netflix, and loading myself up with cold medicines, I think I’m finally shaking off Influenza B.

Of course, that means by now that my wife and assorted kids are down for the count and miserably ill in my place.  So, I get to make the runs to HyVee for soup & ginger ale. (and do laundry, dishes, etc.)