Meet and Greet for District 4 candidates Guenette and Roe – Thursday, May 16th 8-9:30 am in Milbank
From Facebook, if you’re in Milbank, or adjacent, check out the meet and greet the two best Republican House candidates running in D4:
Category: Uncategorized
Governor Noem Names Algin Young Tribal Law Enforcement Liaison
Governor Noem Names Algin Young Tribal Law Enforcement Liaison
PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem announced that Algin Young will serve as the new Tribal Law Enforcement Liaison for the Noem Administration.
“The federal government is turning their backs on our tribal reservations. The lack of tribal law enforcement officers combined with the warzone at our Southern Border has created multiple crises on our reservations,” said Governor Noem. “Algin Young is well respected within our tribal communities and at the federal level. His knowledge will help in our efforts to restore law and order in Indian country.”
Young formerly served as the Chief of Police for the Pine Ridge Reservation. After bravely testifying before the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on the cartel presence on tribal lands, Young found himself without a job. Governor Noem is proud to welcome him to the administration.
Young will join the Department of Tribal Relations, and he will serve as a senior advisor to Tribal Relations, Public Safety, and the Governor’s Office on Tribal Law Enforcement issues and public safety in Indian country.
“I am passionate about improving law and order on our reservations and neighboring communities,” said Algin Young. “I look forward to serving as an ambassador for the State of South Dakota at the federal level and with the State’s nine tribal nations to facilitate solutions for tribal law enforcement and understand and navigate jurisdictional challenges.”
Governor Noem has previously called attention to the challenges that tribal law enforcement faces due to underfunding from the Biden Administration. Last month, Governor Noem and Attorney General Jackley announced that South Dakota will be offering a tribal law enforcement-specific certification course this summer right here in our state. In February, she urged the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs to enhance public safety on tribal reservations. And in March, she called for a comprehensive, public, and transparent audit of all federal funds to South Dakota’s nine Native American tribes to help understand the funding level that is necessary to keep these communities safe.
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South Dakota Landowner & Outfitter Alliance (SDLOA) Calls for Ban on “Fake Meat”
South Dakota Landowner & Outfitter Alliance (SDLOA) Calls for Ban on “Fake Meat”
Today, the SDLOA announced their intent to seek legislative approval to ban “fake meat” including its production and sale in South Dakota.
Several states have already pursued the ban, most recently Florida Governor Ron DiSantis signed legislation banning fake meat. The Florida Governor said his administration was committed to investing in local farmers and ranchers. “We will save our beef,” the governor continued.
“As the cattle industry continues to battle market volatility and burdensome government regulations, banning fake meat should be relatively easy to accomplish in an agricultural state like South Dakota,” stated Mark Trask, SDLOA chairman. “We’d ask every livestock and ag organization to support this effort in the next legislative session,” said Trask.
There are a number of start-up companies developing technologies to grow beef, chicken, and fish by using cells taken from live animals.
Cody Weyer, immediate past SDLOA chairman and board member stated, “We need to stop this movement before it gets started. Fake meat may be expensive and years away – but in our opinion – South Dakota should lead the way in pushing back before this anti-rancher effort shows up on our doorstep.”
About South Dakota Landowner & Outfitter Alliance:
SDLOA, established in 2019, advocates for landowner & property rights and commercial hunting operations. Membership is reflected both East and West River South Dakota and membership owns and operates nearly 2 million acres in South Dakota.
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SDGOP May 15 FEC Report – $3420.40 raised, $14,790.18 spent, $30,576.24 cash on hand in the federal account. That’s not good.
The South Dakota Republican Party has filed it’s May FEC Report, and I’m sure they’re happy the convention – which is supposed to make money for them – is coming up, because the cupboards are looking a little bare at the moment:
May SDGOP FEC Report by Pat Powers on Scribd
I’ve been hearing rumors for quite some time that some of the goofballs in the party have been damaging the brand and stifling fundraising, because no one wants to make a donation to elect those characters. And the proof may be in the pudding, with receipts of $3240 from 4/1 to 4/30. What were the headlines during that time? Candidate Robin Schiro in Jail, County GOP groups promoting Indy candidate Justin McNeal, Yankton County GOP playing favorites in primary, Minnehaha GOP Vice Chair recruiting petition carriers for Indy McNeal, and more.
What kind of effect did it have on the SDGOP? Only $750 in itemized contributions. $2667 in small donations. Candidates such as Rick Weible and Robin Schiro do not inspire donors to invest in the Republican brand to become part of a rising tide that lifts all boats. They either donate to candidates directly, invest in political action committees with a very narrow band of focus, or they just hang on to it.
Unless the SDGOP has a financially successful convention, candidates might be looking at a very lean fall election when it comes to party activity on behalf of candidates. It’s not because they don’t want to help – Chairman Wiik and others are very concerned with getting Republicans elected – it’s just that the well might be rendered too poisoned or dry to do anything when this fall rolls around.
CANDIDATE QUALITY MATTERS. It always has, and always will. And when the Good Candidate/Goofball ratio has gone too far out of balance, this is the danger that Republicans face.
Law enforcement investigating abortion petition callers
KELOLAND News is reporting tonight that there are allegedly people calling and identifying themselves as being with the Secretary of State’s office, when that isn’t the case. Now law enforcement has gotten involved, and it is investigating who might have tried to perpetuate this fraud:
KELOLAND News first became aware of the calls on Monday morning when a family member of a newsroom employee received a call from someone claiming to be a volunteer with the Secretary of State’s Office.
and..
Some of the callers are saying they are with the South Dakota Integrity Committee or with Petition Integrity Commission. They are questioning citizens regarding the Abortion Rights petition. A committee named South Dakota Petition Integrity did file a campaign finance statement of organization this morning. Whoever is behind these false actions have taken the farthest path from integrity possible.
and..
The South Dakota Petition Integrity committee named in Soulek’s statement is run by Republican State Rep. Jon Hansen.
Could be interesting..
Secretary of State says SD Canvassing claims are false with no proof, notes “no danger in absentee voting”
The Secretary of State’s office is challenging the billboard sloganeering from SD Canvassing designed to erode faith in the Election Process in South Dakota, as “false” and having “no proof.”
The digital billboard on the corner of 14th Street and Cliff Avenue in Sioux Falls is urging people to vote in person on Election Day and to not “let an algorithm vote for you.”
Rachel Soulek, the director for the division of elections for the Secretary of State’s office, said there is no danger in absentee voting.
“It’s really disappointing to see so much doubt cast into elections with no proof,” Soulek said.
KELOLAND News reached out to SD Canvassing for clarification on what they meant by algorithms voting for people and their concerns with absentee voting. We did not hear back by the time this story was published.
Read the entire story here refuting the paranoid rantings of a fringe group.
Happy Mother’s Day from Dakota War College
Taking a moment from working after my wife hopped in my truck to head out west back to Spearfish (she’s hauling some patio furniture), I thought I’d take a moment to revisit a column I wrote back in 2017 to honor the mothers who influence me the most:
The first is my mom, Kay, pictured here before I was around at the World’s Fair in Queens, NY. Mom passed away from Breast Cancer right before Thanksgiving in 2000, after her cancer metastasized throughout her system. In her last 30 days on earth, we did at least 2 auction sales and then she was off for another round of cancer treatment the next day to Oklahoma City.. where they called within a couple of weeks, and told us we needed to drive down from Pierre to bring her home, because her time was ending.
Mom’s only education past high school was a vocational nurse’s training program. And at times, I think she wished she’d gone further. But in addition to being a Registered Nurse (and later a school nurse for the Pierre Public School system) she was a savvy businesswoman who made up for what she lacked in formal education by working hard and teaching herself. Over the years, she ran two small businesses in Pierre, an antique store and an auction company, and as her oldest I was often drug along for the ride (whether I liked it or not).
From mom I learned a lot of things. Lessons about hard work, running your own small business, as well as other pieces of knowledge she tried to pass on to me. I pale to her energy, but I’m as much of a workaholic as she was. In her last five years, after she had first been diagnosed with cancer and was horribly ill from chemotherapy, she even demanded I follow her commands on how to butcher a deer – right there on her kitchen table – because it was something she thought I should learn.
She taught me that success might be because of many factors. But hard work and becoming a student of your craft is what matters the most.
She also taught me lessons about life. When it was time for an auction sale, she was known at times to hire people who might be down on their luck, because equal to her needing the help, it helped them, because sometimes people are just looking for a chance.
Mom grew up as a child of divorce in the 40’s and 50’s when most didn’t do that, and I think that there were times when they didn’t have a lot of money or stability, until my grandmother married her third husband, who I knew as my grandfather until the day he died. Which brings to mind a lesson mom made about family. When I was engaged, she was being mom, and trying to honestly pass down advice. And she told me to never bring a complaint about my wife to her. She said that there are good times and more challenging times in all marriages. And as her son, she would always take my side whether I was right or wrong, because that’s what parents do. She pointed out a cousin whose wife always ran to her parents to complain. And eventually, instead of encouraging them to work together to solve their problems as a couple, her parents pushed her to divorce.
There are lots of people who have challenging times in their marriage, and plenty that end in divorce. But, as my mom intended to impress upon me, if you can avoid stacking the deck against success by not encouraging your family’s opposition to your spouse over simple disagreements or minor issues, I consider that to be fairly sound advice. My wife and I will celebrate 33 years of marriage in November.
Speaking of my life-partner, and mother of my seven children, my wife Michelle is of course the other mom who influences me greatly. Among many things, the quality I most admire about her is her lifelong desire to learn, continually improve, and to try to elevate her craft and skill in her field, in her case, education.
During our relationship (we were engaged after about 2-3 weeks), she’s gone from Special Education teacher at Elk Point, to State Director of Special Ed, to Director of Special Ed for a School District which paid more than the State of SD job, and after receiving her doctorate spent a number of years teaching the next generation of Special Educators at Augustana University. Until once again taking a leap of faith to return to administration in a new field and is serving the needs of adults with disabilities as the CEO of Northern Hills Training Center.
It’s not easy being a career-minded woman who puts up with me, is the mother of seven children, active in the community, active in professional associations, all at the same time she’s worked on and completed a Masters Degree, a Specialist in Education Degree, and a Doctoral Degree.
Back when we lived in Pierre, I remember a friend relating a story where her daughter was complaining about her college workload, and this woman’s retort to her child was, “Michelle Powers is working full time, is in the middle of her master’s degree, just played last month in the orchestra of the play, and is down at the hospital having her fourth child. Don’t complain to me about your workload.”
While my mom was a person possessing a high school education, as well as a vocational nursing certificate, and my wife has several degrees, they were/are both remarkable mothers to me. At the same time they raised large families, they both had that same super-human energy and a hunger to continue reaching for knowledge, to improve, and to reach new goals.
In remembrance of my mom, Kay, and my wife, Michelle. Happy Mother’s Day.
New video out in support of Katie Washnok for District 3 Senate
From Twitter (or X, if you’re so inclined to call it that), comes a new video in support of Katie Washnok, candidate for District 3 Senate:
— Katie(Wagner)Washnok (@thektwashnok) May 11, 2024
Rounds Receives Fiscal Hero Award from Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget
Rounds Receives Fiscal Hero Award from Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget
WASHINGTON – The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget has designated U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) as a 2024 Fiscal Hero. This award honors lawmakers who prioritize improving the fiscal trajectory of the United States through legislation, votes and policy positions.
“I am honored to receive the Fiscal Hero award once again,” said Rounds. “The federal government should live within its means. It is our responsibility as elected officials to cut wasteful and unnecessary spending whenever possible for the good of the American people. Reducing spending now sets future generations up for success. I appreciate the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget’s commitment to this mission. We are on a trajectory to spend more on interest for our national debt than on our defense budget, which is why I’m fighting to reverse this dangerous fiscal trend.”
“Fiscal responsibility is a stewardship, not only for Americans today but for generations of Americans to come. We applaud this year’s Fiscal Heroes, including Senator Rounds, for having the courage to prioritize our fiscal health and work towards achieving a more sustainable debt trajectory,” said Maya MacGuineas, President of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget and head of Fix the Debt. “Through legislation, speeches, engagement back home, and tough political decisions, these Members of Congress have distinguished themselves as leaders on these key issues, and we are honored to recognize and applaud them for their efforts. We look forward to seeing how these Fiscal Heroes will build on the momentum in the past year to make even greater strides going forward.”
BACKGROUND (Courtesy of Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget):
Fiscal Heroes are awarded each Congress to recognize policymakers working to improve the nation’s fiscal situation and fix the budget process. Fiscal Heroes have distinguished themselves by pushing their party leaders to make debt a priority, leading bipartisan efforts to work through policy options to fix the debt and the budget process, taking responsible votes, participating in fiscally focused events, using their town hall meetings to engage and educate constituents, delivering floor speeches to raise awareness about the issue, advocating to keep tough choices on the table, and introducing legislation to improve the budget process and the nation’s fiscal position.
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US Senator John Thune’s Weekly Column: The Biden Regulatory Onslaught Continues
The Biden Regulatory Onslaught Continues
By Sen. John Thune
With Democrats in control of the White House and the U.S. Senate, much of my efforts lately are focused on stopping the dangerous Biden-Schumer agenda in Congress. However, the Biden administration has abused the power of regulation to enact a slew of bad policies without a single vote in Congress. All of those executive actions bear costs and consequences for our country and for the American people. A recent spate of regulations has brought the total cost of the Biden administration’s new rules to a whopping $1.47 trillion, which will be felt by workers and families across the country.
One of the areas where the Biden administration has been most prolific with new regulations is in the energy sector. For example, the president’s new power plant rule would force electric generation facilities to spend millions of dollars on carbon capture systems or be forced to close, while adding significant cost burdens for new natural gas-fired power plants. The so-called “Good Neighbor” rule would also drive up the cost of producing energy and manufacturing by imposing onerous emissions standards, likely resulting in a less reliable energy supply. And there’s the president’s inexplicable decision to pause permits for liquefied natural gas exports at a time when our allies depend on American natural gas.
At the same time, President Biden is pushing costly environmental regulations on the American people. There was his now-dashed attempt to revive the Obama administration’s Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule that would have forced farmers, ranchers, and private landowners to spend tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars on environmental strictures on their land. Now he’s pushing a tailpipe emissions rule that is an effective mandate for more expensive electric vehicles. And new requirements on certain federally connected homes will add an estimated $7,000 to the cost of construction.
The Biden regulatory regime also extends the heavy hand of government to job creators. Take for example the new overtime rule, which imposes a 65 percent hike in the overtime exemption threshold. Small businesses are likely to face the difficult choice of raising prices, reducing the number positions, or lowering workers’ pay. I don’t see any of those as good for workers, customers, or business owners.
Unsurprisingly, a number of regulations coming out of Washington demonstrate a lack of understanding about life in places like South Dakota. WOTUS was simply unworkable and unreasonable for farmers and ranchers. South Dakotans aren’t eager to switch to electric vehicles, especially with our harsh winters and the demands we put on our cars and trucks. And last year, the Biden administration tried to prevent hunting and archery education programs from receiving federal funding. Thanks to congressional action, that regulation was stopped, but the fact that it was proposed at all is emblematic of Washington bureaucrats’ overreach and their lack of understanding of our way life.
The Biden administration has not been shy about using its regulatory power. The sticker shock of $1.47 trillion in regulatory costs is a lot, but it’s even worse when you consider that President Trump had actually reduced regulatory costs at this point in his administration. Even compared to President Obama, President Biden’s regulations cost almost five times as much. I shudder to consider how many more costly regulations the Biden administration is dreaming up for the future.
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