Category: Uncategorized

Tomorrow, the Minnehaha County Commission has an ordinance up in front of them as they host a public hearing on pipeline policy brought about and specifically targeted at the CO2 pipelines being brought by the Navigator pipeline people, and more specifically the Summit Carbon pipeline, both of which are transporting carbon dioxide to North Dakota for sequestration in the ground.

Currently, the CO2 is released in the atmosphere on the site of ethanol production. But economic realities are such that purchasers are passing legislation and/or just flat demanding carbon neutrality in what they buy, closing markets to producers who just pump it into the air.  The markets where they are able to sell are starting to dwindle, making South Dakota’s homegrown energy products less and less salable.

This would potentially set up a drastic situation for ag producers, as they would see one of the strongest markets for grain in the state collapse over the next few years, as this market fights for survival.

The producer’s solution was simple.. put it back into the ground, which works for the purposes of their market.  And so based on the laws currently in place, they are constructing a pipeline to do so, following the existing rules, procedures and laws for pipelines.

Yet, as with anything, there are opponents. Opponents of the ethanol market who claim they’re not against ethanol.. but they’re doing everything they can to negatively impact the producer’s ability to sell it.

It’s a tale as old as time itself.

There are, and have always been those opposed to progress.  There were those who were opposed to moving away from steam power to electrification. There are those who were opposed to bringing telephone lines. There are those were opposed to cable TV. There were (and are) those opposed to dropping fiber op cables for world-wide connectivity.

One of the latest we’ve seen in the state – after campaigns for green energy – have been battles over wind towers.

I don’t know that we’ve seen so many in South Dakota, but there are those who are vehemently opposed to solar power..

“Your letter to support the solar farm, when a majority of the citizens of Williamsport oppose it, makes you a disgrace to your position,” Weaver said. “Time to hang it up, buddy.”

Rather than argue, Elliott moved on to the next person who wanted to speak. Weaver sat down. The tension eased.

Read that here.

There are always those who are opposed to progress. They might at times be a vocal minority, but they have and they will always be with us.

Change is scary to a lot of people, and some of the most reactionary among us will do anything they can to try to stop progress.

The important thing for leaders to recognize that we are a nation of laws, and of fair play. And that when someone follows all the rules, dots the i’s and crosses the t’s, they should be allowed to advance down the field.

The City of Sioux Falls recently had an entire election over a group trying to bring ag production to Sioux falls in the form of a packing plant. They dotted the i’s, and crossed the t’s. And yet there were those who fought to stop it… it went so far it came to an initiated vote.

But that vote failed. And it did so on a message that the initiated “ordinance changes the rules in the middle of the game. That’s not right.”  And that “the group behind the Slaughterhouse Ordinance intends to change those rules four years into the process.”

If the City of Sioux Falls could recognize that it was wholly unfair that an initiated ordinance could change the rules in the middle of the process, how is it any different that Minnehaha County is proposing to do the same to those who have been following the rules on CO2 pipelines? As the ethanol industry attempts to move forward and survive?

Minnehaha County needs to ignore the shouting opponents to progress and not change the board in the middle of the process. Commissioners need to let the current rules stand.

In an article in the Dakota Scout, it was announced that former State Representative(2007-8, 2017 -18), State Senator (2009-10), and US Senate Candidate Dan Ahlers will be the next Executive Director for the South Dakota Democrat Party:

A former Dell Rapids lawmaker and U.S. Senate candidate will lead day-to-day operations of South Dakota’s minority party.

The South Dakota Democratic Party (SDDP) has hired Dan Ahlers to be its next executive director, taking over for Berk Ehrmantraut, who left the post this spring.

Read the entire article here (Subscription required).

Well, that’s interesting. And somewhat unexpected from the South Dakota Democrat Party, to pick up someone as their ED who might be one of the most experienced Democrat campaigners, far more than the chair of their Party.  Ahlers could rally enough to win an election when things were more competitive, but he could also do stupid stuff as well, such as when he sponsored an antivaxxer measure while in the legislature.

Considering the SDDP’s last ED had no practical experience with winning legislative campaigns, this means the playing field could be more challenging where we have more competitive districts.  Something to keep in mind.

Federal spending has grown increasingly out of control under the Biden administration. The federal government will spend 40 percent more this year than it did just four years ago, yet the president and Democrats continue to propose more reckless spending and balk at Republicans’ responsible attempts to rein it in. Democrats have added trillions to the debt in the last two years and fueled an inflation crisis with their overspending. And their reluctance to engage in serious negotiations to reduce excess government spending risks precipitating a debt crisis.

At $31.4 trillion, our national debt already exceeds the size of the entire U.S. economy, and it’s projected to rise to over $50 trillion in the next decade. This level of debt is not only unsustainable, it’s unacceptable. Government debt drives up interest rates, crowds out private investment, and weakens America’s economic and national security.

Just paying the interest alone on this much debt is an increasingly serious challenge. Unless common-sense fiscal policy is prioritized, 50 cents out of every dollar the government borrows over the next decade will go toward making interest payments. In a few years, interest payments will exceed what we spend on national defense, with Medicare and Social Security not far behind.

Making tough choices today can help ensure we avoid these dire circumstances in the future. But President Biden doesn’t seem to see it this way. He has consistently proposed budgets that call for more federal spending, which he hopes to pay for, in part, with trillions of dollars in tax hikes. But the truth is that we have a spending problem, not a revenue problem. Taxing the rich may be a convenient political slogan, but it will not bring in enough money to dig us out of the hole we’re in. We have to find a way to responsibly rein in federal spending.

Historically, the debt ceiling has provided an opportunity to do just this. The eight largest deficit reduction laws since 1985 have all been attached to debt limit legislation. The president’s refusal to negotiate for three months and his repeated calls for Congress to raise the debt ceiling without any meaningful spending reforms defies precedent and it indicates a lack of seriousness.

There has never been a more important time to address the problem of reckless government spending. The trajectory it’s on now is not just dangerous in the long-run, it can cause serious problems in the not-too-distant future. It’s time for the president to join Republicans in taking this problem seriously and work toward a solution that puts us on a more sustainable and responsible fiscal path.

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In the late 1880s, a movement called the Ghost Dance swept across the nation. Indians believed that this dance would give stolen land back to them, bringing about a renewal of Native society. Indians would join together to dance for this renewal at the protest of the federal government.

On December 29th, 1890, a group of Lakota Indians led by Chief Spotted Elk made camp near Wounded Knee Creek on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. There, U.S. Army 7th Calvary troops were sent to disarm the Lakota. A struggle occurred between the U.S. Army and some of Chief Spotted Elk’s band – a majority of which consisted of women and children. A shot rang out, and the U.S. Army opened fire on the largely unarmed group, tragically massacring an estimated 350-375 Lakota Indians.

The land where this massacre occurred had been held under private ownership for decades until September 2022, when both the Oglala Sioux Tribe and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe jointly purchased the land. One month later, the tribes signed a covenant to ensure the land remains a memorial and sacred site without development.

The Wounded Knee Massacre is a dark stain on our nation’s history. After working with both tribes for the last six months, I introduced the Wounded Knee Massacre Memorial and Sacred Site Act to honor and remember the lives lost. The bill would place the land purchased by the tribes into restricted fee status, similar to a trust, so both tribes can continue to hold ownership, prevent the land from being taxed, and protect it from development for generations to come. Once given restricted fee status, the land would not be able to be sold without consent of both tribes and Congress.

The section of land is forty acres located on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. My bill will make sure the tribes have the opportunity to protect the land as sacred and retain the sovereignty to maintain the land. It was and always is an honor to work with the tribes, striving to being a more perfect union.

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From Twitter, arguably the best tweet I’ve read today.

Man to Ron DeSantis: “Hi, I’m a state senator from South Dakota, I drove an hour just to see you”

Ron DeSantis: “Oh ok, thanks…” *walks away*

A deeply awkward person. pic.twitter.com/U0Hu91uXKx

— No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@NoLieWithBTC) May 20, 2023

The president of the South Dakota Chamber of Commerce and Industry, David Owen has a column at the Dakota Scout website today in support of the Summit Carbon pipeline, pointing out how the pipeline is essential to the viability of South Dakota’s future with ethanol production:

The goal of Summit Carbon Solutions, a member of the South Dakota Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is to secure voluntary easement agreements with landowners. That plan is working. The company has secured more than 880 easements with roughly 550 South Dakota landowners and 2,750 total landowners across the Midwest. Summit has negotiated terms with landowners, dispersing hundreds of millions of dollars for agreements, with more budgeted for future agreements. Securing agreements takes many months as each property is unique and land ownership is often complex.

Carbon capture and sequestration projects are essential to the viability of South Dakota’s ethanol industry and constitute the market for well over half of the corn grown by the state’s farmers.

California, Washington, Oregon and Canada have established policies that pay a premium for low-carbon fuels and many other states and countries are likely to follow with similar policies in the coming years. We cannot sell to these markets without carbon sequestration enabled by these CO2 pipelines.

Read the entire column here (Subscription required).

At this juncture, it’s more about the ability to sell their product on the marketplace.   As noted, California, Washington, Oregon and Canada are demanding carbon neutrality, and Minnesota is closely behind them.

Literally, you cannot claim to be in favor of the continued health and expansion of South Dakota’s homegrown energy production in the form of ethanol, if one opposes their efforts to remain in the market.

Food for thought.

It is springtime in South Dakota and all things seem new! The grass is growing, new crops are being planted, and baby calves are kicking up their heels enjoying the recent sunshine and good weather. Some days I felt like joining them! But this week, I received some sad news. Sheila Bonrud, a fixture in my office and several Governors before me, passed away. It was a stark reminder that life is precious and that our last interaction with someone may always be that…our last interaction.

I wanted to share a little bit about Sheila with you all for several reasons. For one, her dedication to the people of South Dakota was inspirational and legendary. She started working for the state of South Dakota almost 50 years ago and tried to retire twice…and failed! She loved her work too much to give it up. She helped shepherd our office, and the offices of Governors Janklow, Rounds, and Daugaard through legislative session and much more. Tracking bills, setting up processes, and giving a clear assessment of the situation at hand, were just a few of her special gifts. Her quick wit and fantastic cooking ability gave us opportunities to laugh, break bread together, and learn a little history from her when she shared her stories. And by the way, she made a wonderful noodle salad!

“Sheila’s list” was a document she shared with everyone daily that we all depended on to keep the train’s running on time during session. When she would hurry into a room to deliver it to us all during a busy day, we could always count on her to summarize the situation at hand with policymaking that day. “It’s sure a show upstairs today!” or “I’ll get the info to you when they decide they want to share it with those of us who have to DO it!” I asked my staff to describe Sheila to you all and these were the words that rose to the top. Patient, reliable, funny, sharp and accountable. She loved to work and enjoyed mentoring younger people in my office, especially young women.

In summary, Sheila was a gem. As much as she invested in us with her gifts and talents, she also shared herself with her family and community. Sheila was special, loved by all and she lived a life of significance.

The lesson I take from Sheila’s life is this. Enjoy the new beginnings spring brings us, but may we also remember the gifts surrounding us each day that makes South Dakota special. It is our people and the relationships we have with them that will change our lives. And there are many people in state government, local government and other roles in our lives who are dedicated to helping people. They may not ever get their name in the paper or be at the top of the news hour on the local tv station, but they deserve our thanks for serving us. Sheila will be greatly missed by all of us in our office, but we are so thankful God placed her in our lives to enjoy and learn from. Her faith taught her, as it teaches us, that “those who die in God’s grace and friendship live forever with Christ.” What a wonderful faith we share that brings us all hope to see those we love again someday when all things will be made new again.

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In a new documentary on the life and passing of actress Anna Nicole Smith, Sioux Falls resident and former reality TV Star Mitchell Olson is featured as one of the many people offering commentary on the life of the former Playboy model and Guess Jeans spokeswoman.

Olson had made an appearance on the Anna Nicole show, as noted in the documentary, and is noted in the show as a friend of Smith, who passed away in 2007.

South Dakotans know Olson as having appeared on the TV Reality show Survivor in 2002.

South Dakota politicos may also recall Olson as having been involved in post-election chaos that we all remember surrounding US Senate candidate Annette Bosworth, as Olson had filed a lawsuit noting he had been hired by the Dr. Annette Bosworth Legal Defense Fund in June 2016 as a consultant, and was stiffed for $24,000.

You can watch the documentary Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me currently on Netflix.

In the prior post, I noted that legislators could be looking at pushing back on kids attending drag shows using liquor licenses as a preventative hammer. Which is ironic, because it comes at the same time that a national LGBTQ+ group has announced that they’re coming to SD to train more candidates after a bill that targeted drag shows at public universities was debated.

According to Dakota News Now:

..a national, nonprofit group based out of Washington, D.C., that tours the country to recruit and train LGBTQ+ political candidates is coming to Sioux Falls on Saturday for the Sioux Falls LGBTQ+ Leadership Summit.

and..

He attended a four-day LGBTQ+ Victory Institute training course in Portland, one of three that group stages per year. Events like Saturday’s one-day course in Sioux Falls occur four times per year.

Given those tools from the Victory camp — and some financial backing by Victory’s sister PAC, the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund — Nelson finished second place in a new district that sends two members to the House of Representatives.

and..

“We play the long game at Victory Institute, so we know that this is a war, not just a battle. Most importantly, we need to send a clear message that we are not going back. We are not going to take an off year. We’re not going to stop running for office.”

Read the entire story here.

With one side of the culture war recruiting candidates to beat Republicans because they vote against drag shows , and the other side fighting to keep kids from being exposed to drag shows, it looks like South Dakota is firmly in the crosshairs of the national culture wars.

Should make for an interesting election in 2024.

The controversy over kids at drag shows last year triggered a review on what content our State Universities allow minors on campus to be in the presence of. And from the sounds of things, legislators might not be done with the topic, as in a facebook exchange, one legislator brings up an approach used in other states.

In a Facebook exchange today after State Rep. Carl Perry pointed out an all-age drag show coming to the Red Rooster in Aberdeen, State Representative Kevin Jensen points out that the legislature has little recourse, except to pull state/local licensing for those who want to put children in the middle of the adult burlesque acts.

Aside from noting “Drag shows are a sick perversion indoctrinating young minds,” in particular, Jensen brings up stopping them through “city or county permits, especially if they serve alcohol.”

Is this foreshadowing of legislation that we might see brought forward next session? Based on what’s happening in Florida, it would not be unheard of.

In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration has been cracking down on liquor license holders for lewd drag shows being hosted in the presence of children:

Florida’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation filed a 17-page complaint against the Hyatt Tuesday for violating a state statute that prohibits lewd or lascivious exhibition in front of those 16 years and younger.

and..

Before the show debuted, the department issued a warning to the Hyatt that it must not admit minors or else risk losing its alcohol license. But the venue still admitted minors as long as they were accompanied by an adult.

“Although Respondent [the Hyatt] updated its advertising to include a disclaimer that the Show was ‘[r]ecommended for audiences 18+,’ Respondent’s admission policies specifically allowed for minor children to attend if ‘accompanied by an adult,’” the complaint reads. “As a result, minors attended and were knowingly admitted into the Show by Respondent, including children appearing less than 16 years of age.”

Florida’s business department is under the authority of Gov. Ron DeSantis, who supports the complaint.

“Sexually explicit content is not appropriate to display to children and doing so violates Florida law,” DeSantis Press Secretary Bryan Griffin told Business Insider. “Governor DeSantis stands up for the innocence of children in the classroom and throughout Florida.”

Read the entire story here.

I don’t know that many South Dakotans would consider sexualized dancing as they beg for tips as appropriate entertainment for children, no matter the gender.

And as one legislator notes, it might be one way they can stop it.