KSFY: Jay Williams Campaign Rally on Saturday, with other candidates from the area. If there were only people there.

From KSFY, apparently Dem’s US Senate Candidate Jay Williams had a big rally in his hometown, featuring himself, as well as many other Democrat candidates from the area. See for yourself:

willaims_Rally

My gosh. You can hardly see Jay from all the people in the picnic shelter. 

Seriously, though. This was a rally with he, and a number of other Democrat candidates in his hometown.  If you subtract candidates, and family members… I’m not sure if anyone is there.  Much like Williams’ support against sitting US Senator John Thune.

Man, he is toast.

US Senator John Thune’s Weekly Column: A South Dakota Fourth of July

thuneheadernew John_Thune,_official_portrait,_111th_CongressA South Dakota Fourth of July
By Sen. John Thune

There are a lot of qualities that make South Dakotans some of the greatest people in America. They’re humble, honest, and thoughtful, and they know a hard day’s work and the true value of a dollar better than anyone else. South Dakotans have an immense respect for what it means to be an American and are grateful for the extraordinary blessing of having been born here, the freest country in the world. More than that, though, they understand those blessings came with a price – an immeasurable amount of blood, sweat, and tears. All that to say, the true meaning of July 4 isn’t lost on the people who call South Dakota home.

Independence Day is one of those holidays that’s celebrated in different ways by different people, but all with an underlying sense of pride and patriotism. I think that’s exactly what the men and women who’ve laid down their lives on our behalf would have wanted, and it’s a right for which our military heroes continue to fight and protect to this day.

For as many communities as there are across South Dakota, there’s as many unique and enjoyable Fourth of July celebrations. The cowboys and cowgirls at Belle Fourche’s Black Hills Roundup and Rodeo, one of the oldest annual outdoor rodeos in America, will ride in the 97th annual event this year. The week-long experience includes a parade, fireworks, the Miss Rodeo South Dakota contest, and the big rodeo itself, of course. While you’re in the Black Hills, the Crazy Horse celebration is a sight to see, considering it usually includes an explosion or two as the monument continues to take shape.

It goes without saying, but while each of those celebrations and the dozens more that take place across the state are worth seeing on their own, nothing quite compares to spending July 4 at Mount Rushmore. On any given day, you’d be hard-pressed not to feel a rush of patriotism while visiting Borglum’s tribute to some of our nation’s Founding Fathers, but add the excitement of July 4 to the mix, and I don’t think it gets more American than that.

Whether you and your family are camping, hiking, or firing up the backyard BBQ this Fourth of July, I hope it’s a safe, enjoyable, and memory-filled day. Wherever you are and whichever parade you attend, don’t miss the steely-eyed men and women marching quietly near the front. They won’t be tossing any candy and they won’t be riding on a flashy float. For our veterans, carrying the stars and stripes has a little extra meaning that day, and it’s something we should always honor and never forget.

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US Senator Mike Rounds’ Weekly Column: This Fourth of July is a Time to Reflect on What’s Important

Rounds Logo 2016 MikeRounds official SenateThis Fourth of July is a Time to Reflect on What’s Important
By Senator Mike Rounds

Jean and I are blessed to have all eight of our grandkids nearby. They all live within a few minutes of our home in Ft. Pierre and we are fortunate to spend time with them most weekends. Among many other blessings they bring, they are also a constant reminder that the policy decisions being made today determine the kind of future we will leave for them.

With election season underway and near-constant media coverage of presidential politics, it can often be frustrating when the focus seems to be on hair or pantsuits, rather than the policy issues that will lead to a more prosperous future. Even my young grandchildren are put off by the tone, and thankfully they prefer riding around on the lawnmower or “four wheeling” on the golf cart with me. The reality is, we are facing serious issues and the important discussions need to be prioritized. We ought to be talking about the problems we face, and more importantly, the solutions that need to be pursued.

Independence Day is a good time to reflect on these issues. On July 4, 2026, just 10 years away, America turns 250 years old. As Americans, we will celebrate a historic time in the greatest country in the world. At the same time, our 250th birthday brings to bear a dangerous situation that we can forecast today. In 2026, it is projected that 99 percent of our taxpayer dollars will be spent on two categories: entitlement spending and interest on the national debt. That begs the important question: where will we get the money to spend on other critical items like national defense, roads and bridges, education or medical research? The crisis is not ten years down the road – it is right now. If we begin focusing on these problems today, we can address these challenges together. If we kick the can down the road, 2026 will be historic, but not in a good way.

Some in Congress are consistent in promoting higher taxes and more “free stuff.” Those plans inflate an already bloated federal bureaucracy, add to the federal debt and stifle job growth. Conversely, others in Congress simply support lowering taxes. Economically speaking, the solution is more complex.

We need tax reform that will provide an environment where businesses want to invest in America, rather than create jobs overseas and keep profits overseas. We need to limit the federal rule-making process that unfairly punishes job creators and restricts capital. Congress must regain its role as the lawmaking body– not D.C. bureaucrats. We need the courage to address entitlement reform so that we can save important programs like Social Security. We need to recognize that the best decisions are made at the local level of government, not in Washington, D.C. Lastly, we need to reduce the size of the federal government, and streamline it through strategic reductions.

Small victories are important and we’re seeing some success in the U.S. Senate. We’re moving more legislation through the committees than we have in the past eight years. We’re making progress, but we have a long way to go. In the meantime, we all need to keep our focus on the problems facing America so we can work together to find solutions. We’ll have a new president next year, and the leadership philosophy he or she brings will greatly impact what America looks like on our 250th birthday. I think all of us can agree on one thing: we want to leave this country better for our kids and grandkids.

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Congresswoman Kristi Noem’s Weekly Column: A Blueprint for Tax Reform

noem press header kristi noem headshot May 21 2014A Blueprint for Tax Reform
By Rep. Kristi Noem

Before the iPhone, the near-universal ownership of a personal computer, and the fall of the Berlin Wall, the United States passed a new, 26,000-page tax code.  In the 30 years since, very few reforms have been made to modernize that tax code – only loopholes added that have nearly tripled its size.  No wonder 9 out of 10 taxpayers use either a professional tax preparer or computer software to file their taxes.

The call for comprehensive tax reform has been made for years and it’s frustrating that it seems as though little has been done.  That was one of the reasons I pushed so hard to join the House Ways and Means Committee this Congress.  Out of the House of Representatives’ 435 members, what happens to our tax code starts with the 24 majority members of the Ways and Means Committee.  That is where I needed to be, so I was grateful to be named to the committee this year – the first South Dakota Representative in history to do so.

Earlier this summer, the committee released our blueprint for pro-growth tax reform.  Simply put, it is designed to grow families’ paychecks, the workforce, and the American economy.  More specifically, the proposal centers around three ideas.  First, the tax code should be simpler, fairer, and flatter.  Second, it should make it easier to create jobs, raise wages, and expand opportunity.  Finally, it should put taxpayers first.

This blueprint is all about simplicity.  In fact, we tried to make it simple enough that most Americans could do their taxes on a postcard.  That meant reducing the amount of tax brackets from seven to three.  We then went through and eliminated many of the most damaging add-on taxes, such as the death tax. Finally, we made sure important “milestone” tax breaks remained to help give families peace of mind at critical moments in life, such as going to school, getting a job, raising a family, or planning for retirement.

To make it easier to create jobs and raise wages, the proposal offers to cut taxes on small businesses, creating a separate, low tax rate of 25 percent for many on Main Street. Because U.S. businesses currently have to pay the highest corporate tax rate in the world, it also lowers the corporate tax rate to make America a more competitive place to do business.

Ensuring taxpayers come first meant we needed to tackle some pretty serious issues within the IRS – an agency that in recent years has allowed millions of taxpayer calls to go unanswered, targeted conservative organizations, and failed to operate in an ethical manner time and again.  This blueprint outlines a restructured IRS that is held accountable to the Taxpayer Bill of Rights and set up to provide excellence in customer service.  It would also install a new, term-limited commissioner who would be required to administer the new tax code fairly while keeping politics out of the IRS.

This blueprint is just the beginning of the conversation. It isn’t perfect or set in stone, but we’ve taken the initiative to draw the outline; now, it’s time to color in the picture.  While we included the ideas that so many taxpayers have talked about and urged for years, we’ll continue looking for feedback and insight.  The goal is to turn this plan into detailed, comprehensive legislation that can be moved when a new administration takes office in 2017.

If a family or business did things like they did in the 80’s, they’d still be relying on a fax machine.  The world doesn’t work like that anymore and neither should our tax code.

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Governor Daugaard’s Weekly Column: Celebrating An Unparalleled Way Of Life

daugaardheader DaugaardCelebrating An Unparalleled Way Of Life
A column by Gov. Dennis Daugaard:

In the spring of 2012, I had the chance to visit somewhere I’d never expected to go. I joined Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee for a Department of Defense trip to Kuwait and Afghanistan. I am not well-traveled, so I had no idea what to expect.

Our first stop was Kuwait. Although it was springtime, we saw very little vegetation. Only along some parts of the road did we spot any growing plants – plants that had been planted and watered. We drove through blowing sand and dust, and traversed areas where overland oil pipelines and overhead electric transmission towers dominated the countryside. The dust was so bad at one point that we could not see the sun. The SD National Guard soldiers I met in Kuwait were just weeks from their scheduled return to South Dakota, and their mood was upbeat.

When we arrived in Afghanistan we were directed to wear helmets and flak jackets. America was actively at war here. We traveled in armored helicopters and when we flew, it was largely at night. Our helicopter was equipped with machine guns mounted on both sides. Armed soldiers accompanied us throughout our stay. In one daytime flight I noticed the walls surrounding most homes and some fields. The walls weren’t built to contain or exclude livestock, but to provide security. One group of SD National Guard I met had the duty of providing security for transports. The mood of these guardsmen was more serious and tense.

Enroute home, we flew to Landstuhl, Germany, where the most severely injured troops were being sent. I remember a conversation with a soldier who had been shot in the lower extremities and would suffer permanent damage. His two buddies had also been shot. He judged that the person who shot them was about 10 years old.

When I arrived back in South Dakota, the prairies were lush and green. No escorts were needed, nor any body armor. I saw well-kept houses surrounded by green lawns. Kids were playing outside.

In America, our abundance and freedom is so commonplace that we often take things for granted – clean air, running water, kids playing, feelings of safety. Yet there are many places in the world where these things are uncommon or even rare.

On July 2, a group of South Dakotans who understand this more deeply than the rest of us will return home. After 10 months in Kuwait, the 155th Engineer Company will return to South Dakota. I expect the soldiers of the 155th will spend this holiday weekend fully appreciating the freedoms we have in America, and we should do likewise.

This Independence Day let us celebrate the beliefs upon which America was founded – that every person is born with unalienable rights: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Our freedoms have led to a prosperity that no one in 1776 could have imagined.

But beliefs alone did not secure America’s way of life. Rather, it was those beliefs made tangible through the sacrifices of those who have worn our country’s uniform. It is thanks to the men and women of the 155th Engineer Company and all of those who have served that you and I are free.

Happy Independence Day, America.

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Democrat PUC candidate promoting pro-Leonard Peltier event on Pine Ridge.

Not something you see every day in South Dakota, when a candidate for Public Utilities Commission hosts an event promoting the release of a man involved with murdering 2 federal law enforcement agents.

As promoted by Democrat PUC Candidate Henry Red Cloud on his Facebook page

redCloud_peltierday

Wow. And I mean wow.  A Democrat candidate for statewide office is promoting the release of a man convicted of murdering two FBI agents in cold blood.

Quite the change from when no less of a Democrat than Tom Daschle told Bill Clinton not to pardon him:

From the Associated Press from February 2001:

Gov. Bill Janklow said he urged former President Clinton not to pardon American Indian activist Leonard Peltier before leaving office last month. “I am probably the one who’s responsible for Leonard Peltier not getting out,” Janklow said Friday.

Janklow said he flew to Washington in early December and had a long meeting with Clinton at the White House. He told Clinton that Peltier should never get out of prison because he is dangerous.

“Leonard Peltier is not innocent. He is a cold-blooded murderer,” Janklow said.

and…

Bellecourt noted that Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., also asked Clinton not to pardon Peltier.

Read it here.

(For more reading, I’d recommend the entire website at the No Parole Peltier Association, and the book “American Indian Mafia,” which presents first hand accounts, and the other side of the coin to the propaganda Red Cloud seems to be promoting.)

Donald Trump hires a familiar face in Colorado

Congratulations to long-time friend of the SDGOP and former SDGOP ED Patrick Davis in being named Trump State Campaign Chair for Colorado:

Donald Trump’s campaign hired a veteran political operative Wednesday to lead his efforts in Colorado.

Patrick Davis, a Colorado Springs-based consultant, will serve as Trump’s state director — the first indication that the presumptive Republican nominee is building an infrastructure to make a play in this top battleground state.

The announcement came two days before Trump is scheduled to visit Colorado for the first time in 2016. He will give a speech Friday morning at the Western Conservative Summit in Denver.

Davis was the political director for the National Republican Senatorial Committee in 2004 and served as the executive director for the South Dakota Republican Party in 1995. More recently, he led the nascent super PAC, Go America PAC, that supported Robert Blaha’s unsuccessful campaign for U.S. Senate.

Read it all here.

Thune still on V.P. Short List

In a story filed today, South Dakota’s US Senator John Thune is apparently still on the short list being considered for Donald Trump’s running mate:

thuneheader2Indiana Gov. Mike Pence is “in play” as a possible contender to be named Donald Trump’s running mate at next month’s GOP convention, sources familiar with the vice presidential search tell NBC News.

and…

In addition to his governing experience in Indiana, Pence served for 12 years in the House, filling Trump’s reported requirement of being able to navigate Capitol Hill.

Other possible picks for the job include Gov. Chris Christie, Sen. John Thune, Sen. Bob Corker and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, among others.

Read it all here.

Advertising spaces open at SDWC – Contact the webmaster today!

As we have advertising contracts that have about run their course, the SDWC has space available once again to help you put your message in front of our State’s opinion leaders and decision makers. It’s a great way to grab their attention, especially if you want to raise the profile of your issue with them in the run up to this years’ election, or next years’ legislative session.

(If I was running for Governor, Attorney General, Congress, or a host of other offices in 2018, it’s a good way to gather potential volunteers, and to put yourself on the map. But, that’s just me. 🙂  )

Advertising on the Dakotwarcollege.com website is based on a first come, first serve basis for the available positions.  Advertising slots on the right are 300 px wide up to 300 px tall, and may be either static image, animated .gif, or flash file, as long as the file size is within acceptable file parameters, does not impede the loading of the website, or interfere with existing code.  All ads run through-site, and are not rotated in their positions.

Information on ad prices, ad positions, and required ad commitments may be directed to the webmaster by clicking here.

And if it needs to be mentioned, I’d encourage you to visit our long list of advertisers, and check out their websites, such as United States Senator John Thune, Americans for Prosperity SD Chapter, Congresswoman Kristi NoemVote Yes on S – Marsy’s Lawas well as my own Dakota Campaign Store, one of the State’s largest suppliers of campaign materials.

And while I’m on the subject, for all you newly minted candidates who may be looking for parade materials such as stickers, banners, car magnets, and the like, Dakota Campaign Store is open for business, and available to serve the campaign material needs of Republican and non-partisan campaigns.

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Thanks for your patronage!