Author: @SoDakCampaigns

Nice article on State Treasurer Rich Sattgast this AM

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South Dakota’s State Treasurer Rich Sattgast had a nice piece written about him in the Rapid City Journal this AM. And according to the article, apparently, he’s Santa:

For South Dakota State Treasurer Richard Sattgast, nearly every day is Christmas. And, to his distinct pleasure, he gets to play Santa Claus.

and…

On a personal level, Sattgast said the program has changed his own world.

“It’s made a great impact in my life,” he said by phone from his Pierre office. “This is definitely the most fun of all the state treasurer’s duties. When is returning something that has been lost not a great feeling? When you’ve found someone’s wallet and you’re able to give it back to them, that’s the feeling I get to feel every day.”

Sattgast said the range of items and their values returned to South Dakotans were quite diverse. Since assuming his post, he said, he has found for state legislators stock dividends that were valued at 25 cents. He also once returned property that looked like a Hot Lotto jackpot.

“When I first became state treasurer five years ago, I was able to return over $1 million to a family in Sioux Falls,” Sattgast recalled. “They actually were a fairly well-to-do family in South Dakota, and the father had passed away. The estate had been settled, but they had missed stock in an oil company in Colorado. They were grateful, I will say that.”

Read it all here.

US Senator John Thune’s Weekly Column: Transportation Reforms Strengthen, Provide Certainty toFarmers, Ranchers, and Businesses

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Transportation Reforms Strengthen, Provide Certainty to
Farmers, Ranchers, and Businesses
By Senator John Thune

John_Thune,_official_portrait,_111th_CongressWith all the Senate has accomplished this year, it is hard to believe that we are just six months into the Republican majority. The Senate has passed nearly 50 bipartisan bills since January, and we are on pace to pass many more. We have made bipartisanship a cornerstone of the GOP-led Senate because when the two parties work together, the American people win.

With a new majority, came a fresh set of leaders at the numerous Senate committees, which is where the important groundwork is laid before legislation comes to the Senate floor. For years, this process was ignored under Democrat leadership, and the legislative process suffered because of it. Thankfully, that has changed, and our committees are once again hard at work.

I was among the new set of committee leaders that took over earlier this year, and am humbled that my colleagues selected me to lead the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, which has broad jurisdiction over significant issues that are important to South Dakota, including telecommunications, aviation, rail, highway safety, and interstate commerce. The committee has already passed a number of improvements this year.

South Dakota businesses and agriculture producers faced numerous challenges last year during the nine-month labor dispute at 29 West Coast container ports. During this prolonged slowdown, many businesses and agriculture producers faced inventory challenges during the holiday season because shipments on the West Coast were severely backed-up.

Some estimates say that these disputes cost the economy up to $2.5 billion per day, and the resulting strife was widely cited as a contributing cause to the anemic 0.2 percent annual growth rate of the U.S. economy in the first quarter of 2015.

To help prevent a reoccurrence, I led a group of senators in introducing a set of common-sense sunshine reforms that would help with early identification of port labor disruptions before they inflict damage on the economy. These reforms would also require yearly port metrics reporting, which would create a new level of transparency and accountability for U.S. ports and give businesses and agriculture producers across the country greater certainty. Last month, my bill cleared the Commerce Committee, and I am hopeful that the full Senate will consider this legislation soon.

Freight rail is another issue that is critically important to South Dakota businesses and agriculture producers because of our dependence on transporting commodities and products across the country and around the globe. Because of the serious rail backlogs that occurred at the end of 2013 and into early 2015, I introduced legislation last Congress, and again this year, to provide common-sense reforms to the Surface Transportation Board to address the added costs and uncertainty that many South Dakota agriculture producers and businesses encountered when they were unable to get reliable rail transportation they depend on.

I have worked with numerous South Dakota groups for years on this bill, which has strong bipartisan support and the endorsement of organizations like the American Farm Bureau Federation, the South Dakota Grain & Feed Association, the National Rural Electric Cooperatives, and the South Dakota Farmers Union. This bill passed the Senate unanimously late last month and is awaiting consideration in the House.

Once these reforms are in place, South Dakota farmers, ranchers, and businesses will be in a stronger position to ensure that they get a fair deal on critical shipments, coming or going.

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US Senator Mike Rounds’ Weekly Column: We Must Act Decisively to Defeat ISIL

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RoundsPressHeaderWe Must Act Decisively to Defeat ISIL
By Senator Mike Rounds
July 10, 2015

MikeRounds official SenateProtecting our nation through a strong defense is a fundamental role of the federal government. We have the greatest military in the world, and it’s an honor to serve on the Senate Armed Services Committee to give them the support they need to continue to protect our nation. The House and Senate recently passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016, which supports our troops and provides them with the tools necessary to successfully complete their missions. Yet, while Congress has done its part, I am concerned about the administration’s strategy to combat and defeat ISIL in the Middle East and the threat ISIL poses to the U.S.

ISIL emerged two years ago out of the Al Qaeda terrorist organization. Since its formation, it has made alarming advances in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere in the Middle East and Africa as other violent terrorist groups pledge loyalty to ISIL. This group is the most dangerous, extremist Islamic terrorist group history has ever seen and now poses a direct threat to the United States. ISIL is a jihadist organization following an extreme interpretation of Islam which conducts unspeakable acts of violence against Muslims and non-Muslims, to include women and children. The United Nations holds ISIL responsible for human rights abuses and war crimes, and they have also been accused of ethnic cleansing on a “historic scale.” Their ultimate goal is to unite the entire Arab world under a violent extremist Islamist caliphate, and they are the first terrorist organization to hold large swaths of land from which they can obtain financial and other resources as well as organize and train their fighters. They have destabilized the entire Middle East and pose a threat to the United States and other nations outside the region partly because of the many individuals from the U.S. and Europe who have joined ISIL’s ranks and can one day return home to commit terrorist acts.

Many experts view ISIL, in conjunction with other expanding threats, as posing the most complex and uncertain international environment for the U.S. since the end of World War II. They pose a direct threat to our nation and American interests all over the world. ISIL must be defeated – and can be – but the administration’s halfhearted strategy to defeat them is failing to produce results, even emboldening them.

I recently had the opportunity to question Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Martin Dempsey about the administration’s lack of a strategy to defeat ISIL during a Senate Armed Services Committee Hearing. During that hearing, Sec. Carter acknowledged that the Pentagon’s effort to defeat ISIL has been severely slowed due to a lack of Syrian and Iraqi recruits to undergo U.S. training and eventually join the fight.  Shockingly, so far we’ve only trained 60 Syrians to fight ISIL instead of the thousands the administration promised.  I believe the reason we are having trouble finding recruits is because potential fighters lack confidence in our commitment to support them over the long term and fear what will happen to them and their families if we abandon them. Unfortunately, President Obama’s strategy, with its multiple constraints on what our troops in Iraq can do, does little to convey such a commitment. In particular, the administration refuses to provide Iraqi security forces with U.S. advisors who would serve with them on the front lines and forward air controllers to direct airstrikes to help them. Providing this kind of support would reassure Iraqis of our commitment and help provide backbone to forces who, with our help, have the potential for success.

Just as General Petraeus rallied the Sunni tribes in 2006 and 2007, we must do so again in order to stop the Sunnis from joining ISIL. The Sunnis feel as if they are second class citizens in Iraq due to Shiite control of the country, and their way of fighting against this control is to join ISIL. By working with the Sunni tribes and their elders, we can begin to recruit fighters in our cause as well as reduce the number of fighters providing support to ISIL. We must also work to create greater ethnic and religious tolerance in Iraq among the Kurds, Shia and Sunnis.

No one wants to see American boots on the ground in the Middle East, but this administration’s failing ISIL strategy threatens the region, country and the entire world. We must change our current course and act quickly and decisively to defeat ISIL. Failing to do so would be a profound failure to keep Americans safe.

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Congresswoman Kristi Noem’s Weekly Column: To End Poverty, Expand Opportunity

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To End Poverty, Expand Opportunity
By Rep. Kristi Noem
July 10, 2015

kristi noem headshot May 21 2014More than 1,000 South Dakotans, including nearly 300 children, were homeless at some point last year, according to a recent report by the South Dakota Housing for the Homeless.  What is perhaps more shocking is that three of the five lowest-income counties in the country are located in our state.  For many impacted by poverty, it’s been a challenge that has been passed from one generation to the next.  I want to help end that cycle.

Fundamentally, any conversation about ending poverty must begin with a conversation about expanding opportunity. Too often, federal programs fail in this respect.  I believe they need to do more than just help folks avoid the worst hardships; they must also empower people to build a successful career.  Earlier this month, I took steps toward such a goal.

On July 7, I introduced legislation to help reform the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program – or TANF.  By definition, this is a program designed to help struggling families achieve self-sufficiency and financial independence, but it isn’t working and loopholes let some states get away with ineffective spending.

TANF requires states to make sure 50 percent of program recipients participate in work-related activities, such as working, searching for a job, or training for one.  If states spend more than the federal government requires, the 50 percent threshold can be decreased.  In extreme cases, it can be decreased to zero.  Therein lies the loophole.

Some states are counting third-party spending as “state spending” and driving their apparent investments to artificially high levels.  As a result, they don’t need as many TANF recipients to be engaged in work-related activities.  Of note, South Dakota does not game the system in this way; we now need other states to follow our example.

The practice completely dilutes the integrity of TANF by eliminating a key accountability measure.  No longer do states need to achieve what TANF was intended to accomplish in order to receive the federal dollars in full.

My bill simply stops states from counting third-party spending as their own.  States need to make the investment and they need to produce a good outcome.  We need this level of genuine accountability if we are to be successful.

My bill was introduced as part of a broader legislative package that aims to increase the employment of low-income families.  As part of the package, we also introduced more incentives for states to help people get a good job.  We give states more resources to be innovative in how they tackle poverty at home.  We create a clearinghouse for best practices, so good ideas can go farther.

I firmly believe the best way out of poverty is a good job and that’s what these bills are intended to do.  In recent months, we’ve seen the national unemployment rate fall, but those numbers are deceiving because more and more people are dropping out of the workforce.  In fact, the portion of Americans engaged in the workforce today is lower than at any point since Jimmy Carter was president.  That lack of employment is reverberating throughout our economy and stopping us from moving beyond the recession.  The only way to break this cycle is to give folks more opportunities to rise up and out of poverty.

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Governor Daugaard’s Weekly Column: Protecting Against West Nile Virus

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daugaardheaderProtecting Against West Nile Virus
A column by Gov. Dennis Daugaard:

DaugaardIt used to be mosquitoes weren’t much cause for concern. We considered them a nuisance, but otherwise mostly harmless. It wasn’t until 13 years ago when West Nile Virus emerged in South Dakota that the nuisance became a formidable health concern.

Just weeks ago, at the end of June, the South Dakota Department of Health reported the state’s first West Nile case of the year in Brown County. Though there has only been one human case reported thus far, mosquito pools in two counties have tested positive for the virus. History tells us the peak transmission for West Nile in South Dakota is in August – so we can expect to see more cases.

There is no vaccine or specific anti-viral treatment for people who become infected with West Nile. Mild symptoms include fever, headache, body aches, rash and stomach sickness. Less than one percent of those who contract the illness develop serious neurological infections which can be fatal. Still, of 2,168 human cases reported in South Dakota since 2002, 677 individuals have been hospitalized and 32 people have died.

From the first detections of West Nile in South Dakota the state has worked closely with local mosquito control programs, offering educational opportunities and funding support. Over the years the state has provided cities, counties and tribes with more than $6 million in either direct funding or control chemicals. Just a week ago the Department awarded $490,000 in grants to 180 programs across the state to help control mosquitoes and reduce the threat of West Nile.

There are a number of ways to protect yourself from contracting the virus. Use mosquito repellent. Wear long sleeves and pants outside. Limit your time outdoors from dusk to midnight when mosquitoes are most active. Get rid of any standing water in your yard. And support local mosquito control efforts.

Those who are over 50, pregnant women, transplant patients, and individuals with diabetes, high blood pressure, or a history of alcohol abuse should take extra precautions because they may be at greater risk of developing severe symptoms.

The spread of West Nile isn’t inevitable. Let’s do what we can this summer to protect ourselves and others from this harmful virus.

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Group holds presser on calling special session in protest of task force.

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What do you do if you don’t like the educational funding task force’s focus?  If you’re Elizabeth May and Phil Jensen, you demand a special session, and ominously warn legislators they’ll be on a list!

The legislators — state Sen. Phil Jensen and state Reps. Elizabeth May, Lance Russell, Lynne DiSanto, Chip Campbell and Sam Marty — are criticizing a Blue Ribbon Task Force appointed by Gov. Dennis Daugaard to help resolve the funding crisis that is keeping teacher salaries low.

At a press conference Thursday in Rapid City, the six said they have been shut out of the task force’s deliberations because their priority is eliminating Common Core from South Dakota education standards. Russell also used the conference to propose possible solutions to the fiscal squeeze.

And…

The group wants a special legislative session to discuss Common Core, which South Dakota adopted in 2010. Common Core outlines specific standards in English language arts, math, history and social studies, science and technical subjects.

And…

May said the group is also working to create a website on which South Dakota residents can see how their representatives voted on the issue. 

“We are not any less elected than the members of the Blue Ribbon Task Force,” May said. “Legislators are elected to lead, and we don’t agree with the way the Blue Ribbon Task Force was set up.”

Read it all here.

Ugh. Are they still perseverating on common core not being part of a study on funding and salaries? Really?

Did they not read the group’s mission statement? According to the Blue Ribbon Task Force’s website:

This task-force will reevaluate the current funding formula, collect and analyze data, engage with stakeholders, and seek public input. The task-force will then make recommendations to the 2016 State Legislature for reform.

We need to understand where teacher shortages are occurring and what can be done to address them. We need to ask why 12 states can spend less per student than South Dakota, yet pay their teachers more. We need to ask why, even as we hear growing concerns about teacher salaries, many schools’ reserve funds are increasing. These questions need to be answered with hard data, not anecdotes or opinion surveys.

Read that here.

The task force is focused on funding and teacher pay. Not curriculum standards that are already argued about ad nauseum already during session.

And who cares if they’re going to have a list of who votes on a special session? I’d be watching it to see who wants to waste taxpayer dollars on a special session.

As a parent with 4 kids left to be educated in the K-12 system, my vote is to let the task force do it’s job.

And really, what’s the hurry? There will be plenty of time to review the task force’s results AND fight about common core next January.

Weiland preparing to file measure to create jungle primaries in South Dakota, and seeks to hide party affiliation on the ballot.

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I’d heard that RIck Weiland had submitted a measure for AG review, and thinking it was going to be the latest form of his group’s 44 page monstrosity which will likely never print on a single page, I’ve been pursuing a copy of it for the last 2-3 days.

And tonight, I got my hands on a copy….. at least 2 proposed versions of it. And the measure submitted wasn’t the 44 page monstrosity being floated among lobbyists. What has been submitted was what Slick Rick had quietly alluded to in an interview yesterday with Greg Belfrage.  From KELO-AM Radio:

The liberal TakeItBack.Org group wants the South Dakota State Legislature to become officially non-partisan. All the lawmakers would serve as individuals rather than as Republicans or Democrats.

The group, co-founded by former Democratic U.S. Senate Candidate Rick Weiland, will try to get a proposed state constitutional amendment initiative on the ballot next year.

Read it here.

And here you can read the two versions submitted for review, one of which could show up on a petition near you:

Weiland Jungle Primary Proposal

What Weiland is proposing is a constitutional measure to change South Dakota’s party primary systems from a political party primary based system to what’s commonly referred to as a “jungle primary,” where the top 2 vote getters from the June primary fight it out at the general election. So, in the fall, it could be a Republican or Democrat running. Or 2 Democrats running for one seat.

Or, in the most likely scenario given the crippling weakness of the Democratic Party in the state, 2 Republicans battling it out. And it’s at every level there’s a political office.

Note a specific part of the measure – it bans the candidate’s party affiliation from appearing on the ballot. As if it’s something they need to run from or be ashamed of. Personally, I think it’s an awful idea, and it seems like Weiland is plotting revenge against the Democrats for abandoning him in his ill-fated run for office, because that’s who it’s going to hurt the most.

But if I were Weiland in the last election, I’d want to hide being a Democrat as well.

What do you think? How do you think this measure would affect state elections?

Rounds Selected for Key Defense Committee Role

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Rounds Selected for Key Defense Committee Role

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has been appointed as a conferee to the Fiscal Year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Conference Committee. The NDAA is the major defense legislation considered by Congress each year. The Conference Committee is tasked with reconciling differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill. Last month the NDAA passed the Senate with broad bipartisan support and included a number of Rounds’ provisions.

 “I’m pleased to be a member of the NDAA Conference Committee,” said Rounds. “Enactment of the NDAA is essential to give our troops the resources they need. As a member of the Conference Committee, I will work with my colleagues to provide our Armed Forces with the tools necessary to accomplish their demanding and dangerous missions at a time of rising threats around the world.”    

 Other Senate conferees include Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the ranking Democratic member of the Armed Services Committee, James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.).

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