Category: Uncategorized

Gov. Noem Submits Public Comment Opposing Biden’s Proposed Changes to Title IX

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem and the South Dakota Department of Education submitted a public comment to U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona opposing the Biden Administration’s proposed rule changes regarding Title IX and the fairness of girls’ and women’s sports. You can read the statement here.

“The proposed rule in unacceptable,” wrote Governor Noem. “If not withdrawn, the Department’s flawed proposed rule will cause untold harm to women and girls in sports…To ensure that Title IX continues to protect the very group it was enacted to protect, and to preserve the sovereign interests of states like South Dakota that have stepped in to do the same, the proposed rule should be abandoned.”

Governor Noem signed the toughest bill in the nation to protect girls’ sports last year. She followed that action by leading a letter co-signed by 15 Republican governors urging the Biden Administration not to take this action. And Governor Noem and her Republican colleagues recently sent a joint letter to Secretary Cardona opposing Biden’s proposed changes to Title IX.

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South Dakota Democrat Bert K. Olson of Sioux Falls filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission late this last week to raise money for the purpose of running as a Democrat for Congress in the 202 election cycle.

If you recall,  Bert Olson attempted to run as an independent for the same office in 2022..

Bert Olson is running for Congress as an independent to represent South Dakotans in Washington!!!

He’s going to need your help to circulate a lot of petitions in order to get on the ballot!!!

If you would like to help circulate petitions let me know. pic.twitter.com/cOOafNRP9e

— Sawyer Van Horn (@sawyervanhorn18) April 1, 2022

And going back to the 2022 election, Bert was not happy about the amount of love that Dems gave him at the time.

Not to mention that Olson was said to have had some notoriety in the past..

..such as when as Deuel County State’s Attorney, he granted himself immunity for possession of illegal drugs. By writing it on the box of illegal drugs. He resigned after his arrest. (From the Argus Leader, May 4, 1993)

Launching himself as the Democrat candidate a year ahead of the primary season might give him a little more time to work the kinks out of his campaign. But until he gets on the ballot, I’m going to remain the skeptic.

Guest Column: Stalinist Altruism (Movie Review)
By Thomas E. Simmons

Ayn Rand’s fiction has never been successfully put to film. The Fountainhead miscast Gary Cooper as the uncompromising architect, Howard Roark. It is a failed adaptation of the novel of the same name. After Warner Brothers trimmed down Roark’s courtroom speech without obtaining her advance approval, Rand refused to option anything else for the silver screen for the rest of her life. She died in 1982.

Atlas Shrugged, Rand’s fourth and final novel, describes a dystopian United States in which free enterprise is straining under government coercion. A relatively low-budget trilogy adaptation was released in 2011-14. Each bombed spectacularly. Rotten Tomatoes rates the three films, respectively, at 12%, 4%, and 0%. Granted, the films are flawed. But they’re worthwhile.

The premise of Atlas Shrugged is that in response to widespread unrest, the country veers left. Altruism is forcibly imposed by expanding anti-trust laws. Patents are nationalized. The right of employees to resign or change jobs is eliminated. Prices are controlled. Soon, it becomes illegal for an individual to own more than one business (think what this would do to Warren Buffet or Elon Musk!). In response, the most talented captains of industry begin to disappear.

They’re not being kidnapped or murdered – they’re reassembling a secret society devoted to free enterprise and individual achievement. Adopting the tactics of unhappy workers, management goes on strike. They withdraw. Predictably, their businesses falter and the economic crisis worsens. Free-thinking artists and inventors follow suit. Soon, economic instability threatens the tyrannical federal government itself, which was precisely the goal of the capitalist revolutionaries.

The title of the lengthy novel was originally The Strike. Rand changed it to Atlas Shrugged, suggesting how the productive giants of the world ought to respond to a left-leaning ideology bearing down on their shoulders. They should shrug. (Atlas is the Greek titan who carries the celestial sphere – the universe – on his back.)

The film trilogy comes off as flat and preachy. But that’s true to the novel. Rand discounted the role of emotions. Reason is sovereign. Individual excellence and human freedom are celebrated. Escapism and leisure are mostly without value. Objective truth reigns supreme (hence, the name attached to her philosophy: objectivism).

The most interesting aspect of the films is the interplay between technology and government. The federal science institutes malign a new steel alloy as unsafe, not because it poses safety risks, but because of bureaucratic ambitions to reallocate the value of the invention among the masses. No tyranny can abide scientific truths. In a socialist future, facts give way to ideology – an ideology which insists that no one can be better than anyone else – and that government has all the answers, even when those answers are lies.

Thomas E. Simmons
University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law
Vermilion, SD

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The opinions Professor Simmons expresses here on are his as an individual and do not reflect the views of the Board of Regents, the University of South Dakota, its Knudson School of Law, their employees, faculty, or administrators. The foregoing represents his views as a private citizen.

Every day, no matter the hour, there’s a police officer on duty. It’s not an easy job – we ask a lot of our law enforcement community. An ordinary day for the men and women in blue takes extraordinary character, courage, and commitment. During National Police Week, we honor their service and remember those officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.

Being a police officer isn’t just a job. It’s a calling. They run toward the unknown and confront threats on a daily basis. If you ask a cop, they usually tell you, “It’s just part of the job.” But this job entails an array of responsibilities, from catching criminals to keeping drivers safe to teaching kids about the dangers of drugs. There’s a great deal of character behind the badge, and I commend these public servants for answering the call to protect and serve their communities.

Policing has never been easy, but the men and women who choose it often do so despite the challenge and risks. Over the last few years, though, steady criticism and vilification of the police, which has sadly been amplified by far-left politicians, has taken a noticeable toll. Retirements and resignations are on the rise nationwide, without enough applicants to fill openings. Facing staffing shortages, many departments are stretching their resources extremely thin. Some have innovated, including the Sioux Falls Police Department, which recently partnered with Southeast Tech to create a pathway for individuals to explore a law enforcement career while earning a paycheck and college credit. I hope programs like this encourage more people to answer the call to serve their community in law enforcement.

Law enforcement agencies throughout the United States are also continuing to adapt to new threats to public safety, particularly those spawned by the crisis at our southern border. County sheriffs and police departments, which were already facing budget cuts, officer shortages, and rising crime, now find themselves assuming de facto national security duties. And drugs coming across the border are making their way around our country. South Dakota law enforcement traces the increased presence of drugs like fentanyl and meth in the state to the border crisis, which will only grow worse now that Title 42 has been lifted. Drug overdoses, which continue to trend upward, have taken too many lives, and confronting the flow of illegal drugs will continue to take a concerted law enforcement effort both at the border and in communities across the country.

There will always be challenges to maintaining law and order, but we can take comfort in knowing that there will always be men and women willing to keep watch, go after criminals, and protect the public. Police officers make sacrifices every day to protect and serve our communities. National Police Week provides an opportunity to be especially grateful for these brave men and women who put service above self to keep us safe.

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There have been more than 5 million illegal crossings of our southern border since President Biden took office. Title 42 ended May 11, a policy that has allowed border patrol to turn migrants away due to public health concerns. Fentanyl is flowing across the border in record numbers.

President Biden’s open-border policies have created a national security crisis, drug crisis, and crime crisis across America. I’ve joined my colleagues many times urging the President and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas to put a plan in place to secure our border when Title 42 ended. We’ve known the end date of Title 42 for years, even providing an extension to allow more time for a plan to develop.

May 11 has come and gone, and the Biden Administration has yet to implement legitimate policies to secure the border. This week, Texas Governor Greg Abbott and even Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs of Arizona expressed concern about the influx of migrants crossing the border into their states. They cannot ignore the situation at the border, and neither can we. Every state has become a border state.

House Republicans have been working on a plan to secure the border for months and it passed the House on Thursday. OurSecure the Border Act would put policies in place that would do the following:

• Restart construction of the border wall using funds appropriated by Congress that President Biden has refused to spend
• Implement border enforcement policies, infrastructure, and advanced technology to help Border Patrol Agents
• Increase the number of Border Patrol agents
• End catch and release policies
• Reinstates the Remain in Mexico policy provisions
• End the Administration’s abuse of executive immigration authority

Politics has been played long enough—former Speaker Pelosi blocked border solutions from coming to the floor the last four years. The crisis is real. We must repair the situation at the border to ensure America is a nation that’s safe.

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I still remember the first time I was invited to my mother-in-law’s home for dinner when I was dating Bryon. I hadn’t really talked to Sharon or my father-in-law, Al, very much before, and I was nervous.

Sharon is well-known for making her coffee the “old-fashioned way.” She mixes the coffee grounds with an egg and boils it on the stove, then lets the grounds settle to the bottom of the pot before serving. After filling the cups around the table that day, she sat it in the middle of the table for everyone to help themselves when they needed more. It was amazing! It was the most wonderful, smooth coffee I had ever tasted, and I quickly drained my cup and asked for more. As Bryon handed me the hot pot of coffee, our hands got tangled, and the entire pot emptied into my lap! As the boiling liquid seeped through my jeans and started to burn the skin on my legs, it seemed to grow even hotter. The entire family jumped into action, but it was Sharon who was brave enough to state the obvious – “you’ve got to get those jeans away from your skin to let the heat out!” I excused myself to the bathroom as Sharon handed me cold rags, ointment, and ice. She kept apologizing for that “darn hot coffee,” saying, “what was I thinking? I’m so sorry, Kristi,” all the way to the bathroom. I was humiliated, in pain from the blistering skin, and wondering what I was going to say when I went back to the dinner.

When I returned to the table, everyone asked how I was and expressed concern. And, once again, Sharon apologized. Then, she made a joke about herself and changed the conversation so we could all relax and enjoy the evening.

I learned everything I needed to know about my mother-in-law that evening. She’s a woman who does things with excellence, even if that means they take a little longer to get done. She loves her family enough to work all day helping on the farm and then come in to host a family meal so they could fellowship together. She is caring, helpful, quick to act, and eager to make everyone feel welcome and at ease – even if it meant humbling herself to do so. She loves to laugh, and when hurts come, she not only gives comfort, but helps people move forward.

Sharon is a remarkable woman. When I describe her to people, I often try to summarize her talents and gifts by saying, “she is basically Martha Stewart and Betty Crocker all rolled up into one person.” But she is so much more than that. Her heart is good. I don’t remember Sharon ever getting angry or sharing a cross word with me, though I’m sure I gave her plenty of reasons to do so.

Early on in my marriage with Bryon, I know I prioritized time with my family and siblings. I wasn’t as responsive as I should have been, and I could have been a better daughter-in-law. Politics can also be very negative at times. And for a family who hasn’t been exposed to that environment before, I’m sure it has been challenging.

I know that not all South Dakotans get to enjoy a wonderful mother-in-law like I do. I consider her one of God’s greatest gifts to me and our family. This Mother’s Day, I want to make sure she knows it. I know she isn’t flawless, but she is perfect for our family. And for that I am so grateful.

Families are flawed, people mess up, and there can be deep hurts and loss incurred for different reasons. This Mother’s Day, thank your mom for being as good as she could be. If you don’t have a mom, find a mom who doesn’t have a daughter or a son and help fill that hole. Think of those who have lost a mom and send them a quick text or make a phone call to let them know you haven’t forgotten their loved one either.

We never know how much time we have left to let people care. This Mother’s Day let’s make the most of it.

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So hearing more through the grapevine on my report of the Tornow Law Office going dark, and Tornow turning in his law license.

I’m told that Tornow announced at the Minnehaha County luncheon yesterday that he allegedly retired from his law practice to concentrate on running the Minnehaha County party.

He does know that doesn’t pay, doesn’t he?

Flags at Half-Staff at State Capitol in Honor of Former State Representative Jerome B. Lammers

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem ordered that flags be flown at half-staff at the State Capitol from sunrise until sunset on Saturday, May 13, 2023, in honor of former State Representative Jerome B. Lammers. He served in the South Dakota State Legislature from 1977-1992.

Funeral services for former Rep. Lammers will take place at 2:00 pm on May 13, 2023, at St. John Lutheran Church, 122 Grant Ave N, Madison, SD, 57042. 

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Just as an addition to the release from the Governor’s office, in case you’re not familiar with Jerry Lammers, he was one of the most powerful men in the State Legislature for a number of years.  A true giant in the process before the days of term limits ended the tenure of many statesmen.  Lammers held many positions, including LRC Executive Board member 1979-1986, LRC Executive Board Chairman 1979-1980, Speaker Pro Tempore 1981-1982,  Speaker of the House 1983-1984, Majority Whip 1986, and House Majority Leader 1987-1992.

In 1993, Lammers was almost a member of the Board of Regents, until Democrats went in for payback for all the times he had stymied them in the House of Representatives, and caused Governor Mickelson to pull his Regental nominees. The action of Democrats also drew a sharp rebuke from Lt. Governor Walt Miller, who noted in part..

You can read his obituary in the Sioux Falls Argus Leader here.

And Rapid City bubbles to the top of the crazy bucket another time this week, in a far worse way than someone shimmying up a billboard to vandalize it.

In a breaking story from the Rapid City Journal, a School Board Candidate had apparently tweeted in 2019 that he was “Ready and willing to die taking out evil Democrats.”

Local businessman and Marine veteran Gerald Alvin Harvey II replied to a post from Barbara Lee, a California Democrat and then-candidate for House, on Twitter June 13, 2019, writing: “There will BE ANOTJER[sic] CIVIL WAR…AND EVER[sic] DEMOCRAT WILL BE EXICUTED[sic]..YOU HAVE F***ED MY COUNTRY UP ENOUGH. IM READY AND WILLING TO DIE TAKING OUT EVIL DEMOCRATS FOR MY VOUNTRY[sic] AND MY President…” That same day, also in response to Lee, Harvey wrote: “THERE WILL BE ANOTHER CIVIL WAR AND ALL OF YOU EVIL DEMOCRATS WILL BE EXICUTED[sic].. GO MAKE YOU EVIL C**TS.”

Harvey admitted to the Journal during a nearly hour long phone call Wednesday night that he wrote those tweets and “was probably drinking” at the time.

Read that here.

And yes, it is still there on Twitter...

But it’s ok. He told the Rapid City Journal “was probably drinking.”

But the rollercoaster of crazy doesn’t stop there. Because we also have allegations and an admission of domestic violence. (and protection orders)

When asked if there were any domestic abuse cases filed against him, Harvey said he had “a domestic thing” with a separate woman “about 35 years ago,” where he slapped her. He followed by saying he doesn’t believe hitting women is right, but that he grew up “in a different time.”

“Why did I do it? I slapped her. She, uh…whatever. I lost control,” Harvey said.

Go read the article here.

Threatening to kill people while he’s drinking, protection orders, and slapping women.. OF COURSE he’s running for the Rapid City School Board. Because that’s what we need more of in our schools today.

If you read one article today, go read this one.  Good god.

Gov. Noem and Colleagues Oppose Biden’s Proposed Changes to Title IX

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem and 24 of her fellow Republican governors sent a letter to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona opposing the Biden Administration’s proposed rule changes regarding Title IX and the fairness of girls’ and women’s sports. You can read the letter here. 

“The proposed rule could prevent states from enforcing our duly-enacted statutes protecting fairness in women’s and girls’ sports,” wrote Governor Noem and her colleagues. “If not withdrawn, we are gravely concerned about the impact that the Department’s wholesale reinvention of Title IX’s terms would have on states’ ability to enforce their laws and policies as written.”

Governor Noem has been a leader in the country for fairness in girls’ and women’s sports. Last year, she signed the toughest bill in the nation to protect girls’ sports. She followed that action by leading a letter co-signed by 15 Republican governors urging the Biden Administration not to take this action. That letter stated, “if your administration chooses to move forward with these reinterpretations of Title IX…our states will have no choice but to pursue avenues to redress any harm that is done to our children as a result.”

“Defending the many hard-fought, historic athletic achievements over the last half century is far more than a matter of safety for female athletes. It also protects essential fairness.” continued Governor Noem and the other governors. “This administration apparently sees no irony that its policies validate an average male athlete stealing the recognition from a truly remarkable female athlete whose lifelong athletic discipline and achievements are discarded based on a deliberate misreading of a law whose very purpose was to protect, preserve, and encourage women’s athletics.”

Governor Noem was joined by the following Republican governors in issuing the statement: 

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy, Arkansas Governor Sarah Sanders, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, Idaho Governor Brad Little, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Missouri Governor Mike Parson, Montana Governor Greg Gianforte, Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo, New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Utah Governor Spencer Cox, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, West Virginia Governor Jim Justice, and Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon. 

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