There’s Always More Work to Do
By Sen. John Thune

Growing up in a small town has its advantages and disadvantages, depending on who you ask. But if you ask me, my siblings, or my dad who still lives in the house we all grew up in, there’s nothing but upside. Growing up in small-town South Dakota helped shape who I am, and it laid the foundation for the opportunities I’ve had in my life. Sure, Murdo didn’t have shopping malls, amusement parks, or movie theaters, but that was part of what made it such a great place to grow up. It would be an understatement to say we lived small, but we always dreamed big. And if I could do it all over again, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Thanks to my mom and dad, my siblings and I learned to love reading, music, sports, and the great outdoors – we still do today. Attending a small school in a small town meant I had no trouble being in band and choir or making the basketball, track, or football teams. I was often able to participate in more than one club or sport at a time, which was a luxury the “big city kids” didn’t always have. Today, my three-point shot is still better than my singing voice, but I guess some things never change.

The Midwest values I grew up with in South Dakota helped take me to Washington, D.C., because I did more than just believe in what my parents taught us, I lived by the principles they instilled in us – like hard work, loyalty and dedication to family, and giving back to the community in which you live. Being your senator is more than a job title for me. That’s why I take great pride in not only being the senator from South Dakota, but more importantly, the senator for South Dakota and the people who call it home.

We’ve accomplished a lot of big things for South Dakota in the Senate over the last two years. As chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, I led the way on critical rail reforms that will help address major backlogs like the one that squeezed South Dakota’s economy in 2013 and 2014. I played an integral role in getting the first long-term highway bill in nearly a decade to the president’s desk, which will help agriculture producers, shippers, and consumers. And as chairman, I wrote a comprehensive transportation security bill that will help protect air travelers in South Dakota and around the country. I could list more, but the only thing more important than what we’ve been able to accomplish in a relatively short period of time is the significant work that lies ahead of us.

As many South Dakotans can attest to, work never ends on the farm or on the ranch. It never ends in Washington either. The nation’s economy is weak, and it’s not growing fast or strong enough. The Obama administration’s takeover of the nation’s health care system is failing, and the tax code is complicated and outdated. There’s always more work to do, and I’m up for the challenge. As your senator, I will always fight hard in Washington because I’m inspired by how you continue to fight here in South Dakota for the values in which we all believe and share. You’re what makes South Dakota the greatest place to live, work, and raise a family. There’s no way around it.

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Thanking our Veterans
By Senator Mike Rounds

Each year on November 11, we recognize the service made by our country’s veterans. The date is meaningful, as November 11, 1918 is the day World War I finally came to an end and November 11 became a holiday called Armistice Day. In 1954, the 11th day of November became a legal holiday, reminding Americans to honor all veterans. This year, we commemorate the day by thanking the generations of South Dakotans who have answered the call to serve.

South Dakota has one of the highest rates of military membership per capita in the nation, and we are home to more than 72,000 veterans. It is a privilege for me to serve on two Senate committees tasked with improving service for current military members and veterans: the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

I have introduced and cosponsored a number of bills specifically designed to help veterans. The Veterans First Act, which I cosponsored, takes meaningful steps to hold the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) accountable and, in turn, improve care for our nation’s veterans. This bill truly puts the needs of our veterans first by addressing the lack of accountability at the VA.

The Veterans First Act includes a number of provisions I offered to improve care for our veterans, including the Veterans Choice Equal Cost for Care Act, which amends the Choice Act by eliminating the “secondary payer clause” to make certain veterans do not pay more for private care under the Choice Act than they would if they were seen at a VA facility. It also includes my Veterans Health Administration Spending and Transparency Oversight Act. This legislation requires the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to produce an annual report to Congress detailing the cost of the health care it provides. Having accurate cost accounting by the VHA will help Congress identify legislative options aimed at better health care for our nation’s veterans. I’m hopeful that Congress will pass the Veterans First Act before the end of the year.

We have four offices throughout South Dakota staffed with specially-trained individuals who can help veterans navigate the often confusing bureaucracy at the VA. We understand that it can be frustrating to have an issue with the VA and not know the best way to resolve it. That’s why we are here to help in any way we can. My website, www.rounds.senate.gov, has a list of our office locations and phone numbers. Please let us know if we can help you with any problems you’re having with the VA.

Making sure our veterans get the best possible care in the timeliest manner is one of my top priorities working as your senator. Earlier this year, I held a tele-town hall with South Dakota veterans and their families, representatives from the VA and the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. It was a great opportunity for veterans to get their questions answered by experts in the field. We hope to continue doing these tele-town halls in the future.

Our nation’s veterans committed to selflessly defend our freedoms. Now they deserve a commitment from the country for which they so bravely fought. This Veterans Day, we say ‘thank you’ to our veterans and their families, we remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, and we continue doing what we can to improve the lives of the men and women who donned the uniform of the United States of America.

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Honoring Veterans and the Caregivers Supporting Them
By Rep. Kristi Noem

A woman reached out to our office recently. Her husband, a veteran now, was a medic in the Iraq War. While he’s returned home, she told us “it really is like he never came back.” He, like as many as one in five Iraq War veterans, suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.

For thousands, the battle does not end when the deployment does. There are scars – both seen and unseen – that remain. For this South Dakota family, PTSD has shown itself through fits of rage and occasionally a disconnect between the veteran and his children. While the family knew he needed mental health support, it was admittedly difficult to recognize the slow-striking signs of PTSD right away.

Eventually, the family found Coaching into Care, a resource provided by the Veterans Administration (VA). Through this program, they were connected with others who could understand the burdens of war and the difficult-to-discuss challenge of being a caregiver. Additionally, veterans and their caregivers can be introduced to licensed therapists and social workers who could provide professional help.

Offering this support to both veterans and caregivers in this way is critical. Over five million people serve as caregivers for veteran family members, and in doing so, they answer their own call to service. It’s a tough job, but there is support out there. In addition to the Coaching into Care program, the VA has set up a special Caregiver Support Line, which can be reached by calling 1-855-260-3274. There is also help offered through the VA Family Caregiver Program.

The woman we spoke to explained that her husband’s treatment has helped him a great deal, and she continues to advocate for more mental health research for military personnel. But she emphasized that more than anything, she wants other veterans to recognize the signs of mental illness and know it is absolutely not a weakness or a fault. With her goals in mind, I wanted to share a few of those signs today.

The VA identifies four types of symptoms. First, a veteran may relive a traumatic event or series of events. This may show itself through nightmares, flashbacks, or after experiencing a sight, sound or smell that triggers them to feel the same fear or horror as when the event first occurred.

Second, an individual may avoid situations that remind them of the event, such as crowded areas or driving. Keeping busy or ducking help might also keep them from having to think or talk about the event.

Third, you may see a change in the way a person thinks about themselves or others. Perhaps they avoid relationships or start seeing the world as completely dangerous.

Finally, a veteran may seem to be on the lookout for danger. This symptom may show up in the form of difficulty sleeping or concentrating, anger and irritability, or an unusual jitteriness. If you or a loved one is experiencing any of these symptoms, I encourage you to seek help. If you don’t know where to turn, the VA has set up a crisis line. To access it, call 1-800-273-8255 or text 838255.

Our freedom comes at a cost. This month, as we observe both Veterans Day and Caregiver Appreciation Month, I encourage you to reach out to the families who have answered the call of duty. They deserve our respect, support, and gratitude.

To all of those who have fought and for the caregivers who support them today, I know I can never truly understand the depth of the experiences you have endured, but I pray for you always. May God bless and protect you.

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Planning for the Future: SD’s Rest Area Revitalization Plan
A column by Gov. Dennis Daugaard:

In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed into law the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act, creating the interstate highway system. Along with 41,000 miles of roadway came construction of interstate rest areas, which served a dual purpose: to provide basic services for motorists and give travelers a place to get out, stretch their legs and rest.

South Dakota currently has 21 rest areas, some of which were constructed as long ago as 1969. Due to age, several of these facilities are in dire need of major maintenance, renovation or complete reconstruction. Additionally, the availability of information over mobile devices is changing the way that visitors plan their travels and access information about our state. To address these challenges, I asked staff from the departments of Tourism and Transportation to develop a revitalization plan for our rest areas.

After nearly a year of review, analysis, research and discussion, this work group developed a plan which addresses the needs and expectations of today’s motorists. Over the next few years, this plan will bring our rest areas into the modern era of travel and help us prepare for the future. Upon completion, South Dakota will offer five staffed welcome centers at our state’s borders and at Chamberlain, along with 12 additional rest areas along interstates 29 and 90.

The plan includes construction of two new welcome centers near Vermillion and on the Minnesota border, as well as an expanded and remodeled welcome center at Wilmot. These centers will be staffed during the summer months and, in addition to providing a safe place for travelers to stop, serve as South Dakota’s “front door” for vacationers seeking tourism information.

The welcome centers will be more extensive than our current rest areas. They will contain enhanced displays and exhibits as well as modern stations for travel-related information, such as road closures, weather conditions and construction. The welcome centers will provide a great first impression for our visitors, and I know South Dakotans will be proud of how well they represent our Great Faces and Great Places. For more information go to sd.gov and type “interstate” or “rest area” into the search engine.

Challenges very often lead to great opportunities. Through the changes outlined in the rest area revitalization plan, we will continue to meet the needs of our travelers and we will make South Dakota even more enticing to visitors. It’s a plan that will benefit our state well into the future.

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As the 2016 draws down to a close, I’ve been writing more and more about the Ballot Measures, as people are busy going back and forth on how to vote on them; whether to vote a blanket NO as I’ve seen both Republicans and Democrats advocate on social media.

I’ve pondered what to write on Initiated Measure 21, one of the measures restricting access to short-term loans in South Dakota. As you’ll see in the advertisement to the left from “Give Us Credit South Dakota,”  they make a couple of good points in their propaganda to vote the measure down.

• Initiated Measure 21 allows more government intrusion into your personal financial decisions.
• It will end access to short-term loans in South Dakota.
• And it’s going to cause a lot of jobs to disappear in that industry.

We’re facing yet another challenge to our freedom where a group of zealots are proposing legislation to take away rights, and put more weight behind the heavy hand of government. It’s a horrific nanny state measure that some claim is protective. But it’s not. It’s OVER protective, removing people’s ability to make their own determination of what’s best for them.

I wondered what else to say about it when I realized I provided the best argument against supporting the measure back in February. So, here’s my column back from February 16 of this year:

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George McGovern on short-term lending: Freedom means responsibility

As the advocates for more and more government control continue to press their case on many issues, including in the instance of payday lending which we’ll be seeing on the ballot this fall, I came across what one South Dakotan had to say on the topic, former United States Senator and liberal icon George McGovern.

In an extensive column on the topic which appeared in the Wall Street Journal, even this conservative Republican has to give George McGovern credit. Because unlike his liberal successors who seem hell bent into casting our society into socialism, he finds value in the system he fought in World War II to defend. To be free, and to choose our own destiny; even if others might not agree with that freedom:

Nearly 16 years ago in these very pages, I wrote that “‘one-size-fits all’ rules for business ignore the reality of the market place.” Today I’m watching some broad rules evolve on individual decisions that are even worse.

Under the guise of protecting us from ourselves, the right and the left are becoming ever more aggressive in regulating behavior. Much paternalist scrutiny has recently centered on personal economics, including calls to regulate subprime mortgages. …

… The real question for policy makers is how to protect those worthy borrowers who are struggling, without throwing out a system that works fine for the majority of its users (all of whom have freely chosen to use it). If the tub is more baby than bathwater, we should think twice about dumping everything out.

and..

Economic paternalism takes its newest form with the campaign against short-term small loans, commonly known as “payday lending.” …

…With payday lending, people in need of immediate money can borrow against their future paychecks, allowing emergency purchases or bill payments they could not otherwise make. The service comes at the cost of a significant fee — usually $15 for every $100 borrowed for two weeks. But the cost seems reasonable when all your other options, such as bounced checks or skipped credit-card payments, are obviously more expensive and play havoc with your credit rating.

Anguished at the fact that payday lending isn’t perfect, some people would outlaw the service entirely, or cap fees at such low levels that no lender will provide the service. Anyone who’s familiar with the law of unintended consequences should be able to guess what happens next.

and..

.Since leaving office I’ve written about public policy from a new perspective: outside looking in. I’ve come to realize that protecting freedom of choice in our everyday lives is essential to maintaining a healthy civil society.

Why do we think we are helping adult consumers by taking away their options? We don’t take away cars because we don’t like some people speeding. We allow state lotteries despite knowing some people are betting their grocery money. Everyone is exposed to economic risks of some kind. But we don’t operate mindlessly in trying to smooth out every theoretical wrinkle in life.

The nature of freedom of choice is that some people will misuse their responsibility and hurt themselves in the process. We should do our best to educate them, but without diminishing choice for everyone else.

Read it all here (Subscription required)

“The nature of freedom of choice is that some people will misuse their responsibility and hurt themselves in the process. We should do our best to educate them, but without diminishing choice for everyone else.”  That might be the best point in the entire article.   Because that’s the problem. Our society is at a cross roads because that’s exactly what too many people are trying to do.

As opposed to giving people the freedom and responsibility to manage their own affairs, we are faced with a perpetually growing government charged with treating the population as they would an infant, as we surrender more and more of our freedoms.  And it’s the same thing that payday lending opponents are doing with legislative and ballot measures. It’s a smothering and overwhelming altruism.

Is it a healthy society whose every action and decision is evaluated and controlled because someone decided it was for our own good?  As a conservative Republican I don’t think so. Neither did liberal Democrat George McGovern.

Because, despite our vast differences, I believe we both shared the same vision of America as the land of freedom – not the land of socialism and government control.

I can only hope my children and grandchildren will be able to experience a free country as I was able to experience in my lifetime. But, I have my doubts. Because as we continue to travel down a path of fewer and fewer freedoms, I think there will come a point when we will question whether we can call ourselves a free society at all.

Apparently this image is making the rounds on social media among South Dakotans who are tired of all the ballot issues…

My good friend State Rep. (and incoming Senator) Lance Russell is on TV this week in favor of Amendment S, Marsy’s Law:

Over the course of the last year, Slick Rick Weiland and Don Frankenfeld have been trying to convince us that South Dakota is among the most corrupt states in the nation, and among their demanded reforms, they tell us that we desperately need to fund politician’s campaigns with tax dollars to solve this conundrum. 

However, a 2014 study from one of Don’s alma maters, Harvard, proves that all of their campaign’s claims of a hopelessly corrupt South Dakota are nothing more than bullsh*t. (Which you can find in certain areas of my alma mater, SDSU, aiding in smelling it from a distance.)

There are other problems with measuring corruption by using conviction data, too. Over the three decades between 1980 and 2010, for example, South Dakota appears to be the most corrupt state—two and a half times more corrupt than New Jersey—as judged by federal convictions. This is quite surprising since the Dakotas were among the leading states in the movement against corruption in government that started in the late 19th century and continued through the 1930s. Prairie states such as the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Wisconsin are historically the least corrupt in the U.S. In fact, the only perceptions-based index measuring state level corruption in the U.S. ranked South Dakota as the least corrupt state in 1999. Any index based on convictions standardized for population is likely to be more variable in states with small populations, like the Dakotas, because a handful of cases will affect rates much more there than in, say, New York or Texas.

Read it here.

The evidence is clear that their whole campaign around the issue of corruption is utterly and completely manufactured garbage to try to prop up the unpopular idea of robbing the state treasury of taxpayer funds to put them towards political campaigns.

On Tuesday, there is only one logical response to their campaign’s outright lies. 

Vote NO on Initiated Measure 22.

You know you’re dealing with out-of-staters in this instance. Because people from South Dakota would probably know who “John Daschle”…  I mean “Tim Daschle”..

I mean they’d know who the guy on the right is.