Author: Pat Powers

The South Dakota Republican Party filed the September Federal Elections Commission report today. And while it is the beneficiary of some presidential donations rolling through the party, it is still headed on a downward trend for cash on hand at the end of the month.

SDGOP September 2024 FEC by Pat Powers on Scribd

$305,578.89 in donations came into the Republican Party via donors such as Dana White and T. Sanford (guessing the middle name wasn’t listed in the report), while $316,876.77 in expenses went out.

The state’s majority party ended with over $11,000 less in the federal account than it started the month with.

Which might get to be a serious situation at the end of the year after the election.

Thune: Harris Can Reverse Her Positions, But Not Her Record

 “Suffice it to say that after the past four years, no one has to wonder what Democrat governance would look like.  And I hope our country – and American families – will be spared another four years of it.”

Click here or on the picture above to watch the video.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke on the Senate floor to contrast Vice President Kamala Harris’ recent policy flip-flops with the Biden-Harris administration’s record of high prices, open borders, and weakness on the global stage. Thune noted that the American people need look no further than the last four years to see what Democrat governance would look like for the next four.

Jackie Diedrich, former Brookings County Republican Party Chairwoman who was also heavily involved in her former husband Larry’s run for Congress, passed away this week at the age of 66.

Her obituary is available here.

Please keep her family in your thoughts.

That’s quite the statement coming from President Trump with regards to the legalization of marijuana.

Does that mean the initiated measure 29 people are going to get a boost from his support?

South Dakota Sturdy
By: Gov. Kristi Noem 
August 23, 2024    

It’s back to school time! My kids are all grown up with their school days behind them, and though my grandkids are still young, Miss Addie is starting preschool! This time of year means so much to me. Everything that I do is about making our state safer and stronger for our kids and grandkids – and making sure they get an excellent education is a huge part of that.

This year, we’re kicking off the school year with a new initiative called South Dakota Sturdy. This is a free resource that we’re offering to each South Dakota school district to teach our students resiliency, work ethic, and that driving pursuit of achievement.

South Dakota Sturdy provides ten free lesson plans for students between fourth and sixth grade. It’s available to school counselors and teachers alike. As an added benefit, these lesson plans are rooted in our state standards – so teachers can use aspects of South Dakota, tribal, and American history, and even science to teach these important lessons.

Let me give you an example: One of the ten lesson plans covers my favorite president, Teddy Roosevelt. As a young man, Teddy refused to let asthma and poor eyesight get in his way. He adopted an outlook that he called “the strenuous life,” exercising and spending time outdoors – and he overcame his asthma .

When Teddy’s mother and wife both died just hours apart, he moved to the Dakota Territory, became a tremendous outdoorsman, and proved himself to the other cowboys as a man full of grit. And when America went to war with Spain, he personally led the Rough Riders into combat, defeating the Spanish in a battle and becoming a war hero.

As president, he strengthened America’s Navy, built the Panama Canal, and set up the national parks system that we know today. Throughout his political career, he took on seemingly insurmountable corrupt political machines – and won.

Teddy was able to overcome challenges because he believed that he was in control of his own life. He made the world around him greater because he took charge of his own destiny. Today, his face is on Mount Rushmore – the greatest symbol of American Freedom – because of his leadership.

That’s the type of lesson that South Dakota Sturdy will teach our kids. No matter what challenges they face, even the most unimaginable difficulties, they can overcome with the lessons that this initiative will teach.

I do want to be clear; these lesson plans are not mandatory. They’re available to give additional flexibility to our teachers who work so hard. Maybe they could be used as an easy option for a substitute teacher who has to drop into a classroom at the last minute.

To our knowledge, South Dakota Sturdy will make us the first state to provide such specific lesson plans in this area of resiliency and student wellness. This is the latest way that South Dakota is raising the bar for our kids, making sure that our students receive the very best education possible.

We appreciate everything that our teachers do for their students. We raised their pay this past legislative session because we respect their work. South Dakota students deserve to learn these important life lessons. With this effort, we will make it easier for teachers to provide an excellent education for our kids.

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State Senator Ryan Maher is in the spotlight for serving his community as a small town business owner:

Loading groceries has become Ryan Maher’s regular Monday and Thursday morning routine. On those days, he’s up early to pick up groceries from the Timber Lake grocery store.

and..

It seems The Occidental is exactly what this community needed.

“That’s why this has been successful. Because we are so far removed from the Walmarts and the Sam’s Clubs and the Costcos,” said Maher. “If Walmart was just 20 miles down the road, this wouldn’t work.”

That makes this middle-of-nowhere location the very key to its success.

Read the entire story here.

Always great to read about a community-minded businessman serving a need for their community.

South Dakota and National Ag Organizations Support Rounds’ Legislation to Reform Livestock Program

MITCHELL – Several agriculture stakeholders in South Dakota and across the nation are showing support for legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) which offers producers fairer market prices for livestock disaster assistance programs. The LIP Payment Improvement Act, which was introduced in March, would require the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to make quarterly updates to Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) payment rates that reflect livestock market prices.

The LIP provides payments to eligible livestock owners and contract growers for abnormal livestock deaths caused by an eligible loss condition, such as severe weather, disease or animal attack. Currently, the FSA is required to update LIP payment rates annually. While the agency occasionally provides periodic price updates, the LIP Improvement Program would make these updates more frequently to reflect an ever-changing market.

The LIP Payment Improvement Act has been included in the U.S. House Agriculture Committee’s version of the Farm Bill, which has been passed out of committee. The provision has also been included in both the majority and minority frameworks for the Senate Agriculture Committee’s Farm Bill, which is awaiting markup.

“South Dakota farmers and ranchers work hard to produce quality livestock,” said Rounds. “Unfortunately, extenuating circumstances such as severe weather or disease can deplete their herds and as such, hurt their operations. These producers deserve to be paid a fair and updated market price for their livestock when tragedy strikes.”

The LIP Payment Improvement Act is supported by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the South Dakota Farmers Union, the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association, the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association and the South Dakota Farm Bureau.

“The South Dakota Stockgrowers Association, the oldest cattle organization in the United States, supports Senator Rounds efforts in maintaining updated and concise reports for our Livestock Indemnity Program with the Farm Service Agency.  Our organization has always supported our livestock producers and we support all efforts to ensure their businesses and livelihood are protected,” said Doris Lauing, Executive Director of South Dakota Stockgrowers Association. “Our ranchers invest a vast amount of time, labor and finances into building a quality herd.  When extenuating circumstances such as severe weather or disease can deplete their herds it cripples their operations. These producers deserve to be paid a fair and updated market price for their livestock when tragedy strikes in which Senator Rounds is asking for.  As market prices fluctuate, so should the program so cattle producers are reimbursed the full value.”

“Natural disasters take a heavy toll on cattle producers, especially when severe weather leads to livestock losses,” said Allison Rivera, Executive Director of Government Affairs at National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. “Many producers rely on the Livestock Indemnity Program for support during these challenging times, but the program needs to be updated in a timely manner so that cattle producers are reimbursed for the full value of their lost cattle. Our members appreciate Senator Rounds introducing the Livestock Indemnity Payment Improvement Act of 2023 to correct this issue and ensure that cattle producers are compensated at the fair market value of their livestock.”

“South Dakota Farmers Union applauds Senator Rounds and Senator Klobuchar for working to update the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) from an annual payment rate to a quarterly payment rate,” said Doug Sombke, President of South Dakota Farmers Union. “With climate change plaguing many parts of the country, our emergency relief programs must adapt accordingly. Given these circumstances, it has become clear that an annual payment rate is not a reflective measure of the true market value for livestock. This change will provide flexibility to help farmers and ranchers due to climate-related impacts.”

“In an ever-changing cattle market, timely and accurate compensation for livestock losses is vital to sustaining producers’ operations,” said Warren Symens, President of the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association. “The Livestock Indemnity Program Improvement Act is a crucial step toward fairer market prices and greater financial stability for South Dakota’s hardworking producers. We commend Senator Rounds and Klobuchar for their bipartisan leadership in making these necessary updates.”

“The South Dakota Farm Bureau appreciates Senator Rounds for introducing this bill that will benefit our 13,000 ranchers, farmers and rural families. It is critical that we have our voices heard and we’re excited to hear progress is being made on getting this included in the Farm Bill,” said Scott VanderWal, President of South Dakota Farm Bureau. “With an ever-changing market, it’s important that cattle producers get fairly compensated when disaster strikes. This will go a long way in improving the farm safety net.”

Click HERE for full bill text.

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Draft Explanations Released For Proposed 2026 Initiated Measure on Prayer in Schools

PIERRE, S.D. –At the request of the sponsor, an explanation for a proposed initiated measure that would require non-denominational prayer in public schools, which would be on the 2026 general election ballot if approved, has been submitted for public review by the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office. 

Attorney General Marty Jackley takes no position on any such proposal for purposes of the ballot explanation. He has provided a fair and neutral explanation on the initiated measure to help assist the voters. The sponsor of the proposed initiated measure is Hillel Hellinger of North Miami Beach, Fla.

This proposed initiated measure would require each public-school teacher, in grades kindergarten through 12, to lead students every morning in prayer. The measure would allow both teachers and students to seek an exemption from participating in the prayer.

The ballot explanation can be found here.

State law requires the Attorney General draft a title and explanation for each initiated measure, initiated constitutional amendment, constitutional amendment proposed by the Legislature, or referred measure that may appear on an election ballot. The Attorney General’s explanation is meant to be an “objective, clear, and simple summary” intended to “educate the voters of the purpose and effect of the proposed” measure, as well as identify the “legal consequences” of each measure.

Once the Attorney General has filed and posted the draft explanation, the public has 10 days to provide written comment. The explanation was filed Aug. 20, 2024, and the deadline for comments on this explanation is Aug. 30, 2024 at the close of business in Pierre, South Dakota. The final explanation is due to the Secretary of State on Sept. 9, 2024.

The initiated measure would require 17,509 valid petition signatures to qualify for the 2026 general election ballot.

To file written comments on a draft Attorney General’s explanation please use one of the following methods below. Copies of all received comments will be posted on this website. 

Comments may be submitted via mail, or through hand delivery, to the Attorney General’s Office at: 

Office of the Attorney General
Ballot Comment
1302 E. Hwy. 14, Suite 1
Pierre, SD 57501

Comments that are hand delivered must be received by the close of business in Pierre, South Dakota, by Aug. 30, 2024.

Comments may also be emailed to [email protected] by Aug. 30, 2024.  Comments should be clearly expressed in the body of the email. The Attorney General’s Office will not open attachments in an effort to prevent malware or other digital threats. Please include your name and contact information when submitting your comment. The title of the comment must be included in the subject line of the email.

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Johnson Re-introduces SOBER Act to Expand Successful 24/7 Sobriety Program 

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) re-introduced the Supporting Opportunities to Build Everyday Responsibility (SOBER) Act, legislation aimed at combating repeat alcohol-related criminal offenses and bolstering the 24/7 sobriety program across the country.

24/7 sobriety was pioneered in South Dakota in 2005. An evaluation found a 12 percent reduction in DUI arrests in jurisdictions that adopted the program. The same evaluation found the program was associated with a 9 percent reduction in domestic violence arrests, and even a 4.2 percent reduction in all-cause mortality. Similar successes were seen through other state-run programs, like North Dakota where DUI arrests decreased by 9 percent in counties that implemented the program.

“The SOBER Act is commonsense legislation. It encourages sobriety and safe driving, preventing accidents and saving lives, one person at a time,” said Johnson. “South Dakota has been leading 24/7 sobriety programs for nearly twenty years with positive results. My bill allows this success to be available for every state.”

“The SOBER Act is our best chance to meaningfully reduce alcohol-related crime, which costs the U.S. more than $80 billion a year,” says Greg Newburn, Niskanen’s Director of Criminal Justice. “We are grateful to Representative Johnson for his leadership in tackling a problem that negatively impacts millions of Americans.”

“We have long been advocates for 24/7 sobriety programs being a useful tool in ensuring public safety,” said Nelson Brunn, Executive Director of the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA). “When used in tandem with ignition interlock devices, 24/7 sobriety programs implemented with effective screening are a valuable and cost-effective way to combat crimes attributable to alcohol abuse. The NDAA supports the SOBER Act, which would expand access and funding to sustain and/or improve existing 24/7 sobriety programs, in addition to encouraging state and local governments to create new 24/7 sobriety programs within their communities.”

Specifically, the SOBER Act would:

• Provide funding to help sustain and expand existing 24/7 sobriety programs;
• Incentivize the creation of 24/7 sobriety programs; and
• Provide data from grantees and a report assessing the impact of 24/7 sobriety programs.

The SOBER Act is cosponsored by Pete Stauber (R-MN), Angie Craig (D-MN), Don Bacon (R-NE), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Dina Titus (D-NV), and Julia Brownley (D-CA).

The SOBER Act is endorsed by the National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO), National District Attorneys Association (NDAA), National Sheriffs’ Association, Niskanen Center, and Major County Sheriffs of America.

View full bill text here.

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South Dakota Democrats raised nearly $109K in July according to their latest FEC report.  No, not $109. More zeroes than that.

They raised nearly $109,000, during the same period where South Dakota Republicans raised $278. With less zeroes.

$108,726.99 raised against $62,053.38 spent, leaving them $127,164.65 cash on hand.

While the GOP had one donor noted during this period, democrats had 66 pages of them (x3 per page).

Just a thought. If the local GOP County groups causing this disparity and regularly attacking the state GOP want to take over, instead of continuing to erode the party maybe this weekend they should show up with $100,000 for the state GOP and show they care for the Republican Party in general?

But who am I kidding?