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On August 24, eight days after signing the so-called Inflation Reduction Act into law, President Biden announced that with a stroke of his pen, he would authorize a student loan giveaway of up to $10,000 in qualifying student loan debt for most borrowers and up to $20,000 for borrowers who received Pell Grants. Eight days. That’s how long it took President Biden to completely erase any of the supposed deficit reduction included in Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act.

I want to be very clear about this: Despite what the president and other Democrats might say, not one penny of debt is being “canceled” or “forgiven.” This debt is being transferred from the 13 percent of the country with student loan debt to the 87 percent of the country that does not have student debt. It’s a slap in the face and blatantly unfair to expect Americans who either never went to college, paid off their loans, or paid their way through college to shoulder the cost of other Americans’ loans that they agreed to pay back. What about all the parents who scrimped and saved to send their children to college, or the students who chose a lower-cost college or worked to put themselves through? Not to mention the men and women in the military who fought for this country and earned money for their college education.

The president’s plan isn’t even targeted to the people who need it most. Families making $250,000 – nearly four times as much as the average household – will now be eligible to have their obligation to repay student loans erased. Instead of focusing on ways to control the rising cost of college education, President Biden’s decision will provide a disincentive for colleges to lower costs for students, and it will likely encourage students to incur even more debt, since he has now set up an expectation that the government will step in and write a check. Also, given the fact that student loan debt is expected to be back to its current level in six years, I imagine we will be hearing more Democrat calls for student loan “forgiveness” in the very near future.

Our country is in the middle of the highest inflationary period in four decades, and families are already struggling with high grocery bills, high energy bills, and high rent prices – largely because of Democrats’ big-government, big-spending agenda. Instead of focusing on policies that would help lower inflation for American families, President Biden instead chose to pursue policies, like the unprecedented bailout of student loan debt, in order to appease the radical wing of the Democrat Party. To add insult to injury, according to the Penn Wharton Budget Model, this bailout could cost taxpayers more than $1 trillion over the next decade, which would only pour gasoline on the inflationary fire.

While President Biden’s reckless student loan plan may buy him a vote or two, a lot of other Americans may decide that they’ve had their fill of inflationary spending, soaring prices, and far-left appeasement.

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Flags at Half-Staff in Honor of Queen Elizabeth II

PIERRE, S.D. – PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem ordered that flags be flown at half-staff statewide effective immediately until sunset on the day of internment in honor of former Queen Elizabeth II.

“Her Majesty saw so many triumphs and tragedies in her 96 years on earth,” said Governor Kristi Noem. “She was royalty who could walk with the common man. May she Rest in Peace.”

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How is Student Loan forgiveness potentially going to affect the country?

According to one source, it might just fuel a boom for those who deal in comic books.

Seem like a silly argument? Well, COVID stimulus was behind significantly increased comic values for those who buy and sell or otherwise invest in vintage comics.

And there’s a strong possibility that student loan forgiveness might drive up values for my collection, and make it tougher to buy those back issues I had when I was a kid.  According to Comic Book value website “Go Collect”:

As we all know, the pandemic and federal stimulus sparked the largest one-year jump in comic book values in history. While we can’t attribute the boom entirely to stimulus checks, it would surprise no one if comic book investors used that extra cash to buy key issues they couldn’t afford in the past.

and..

..millions of Americans, and thousands of comic book investors, just had millions of dollars of student loan debt wiped off their ledgers. Just as investors spent their stimulus checks on comic books, it’s likely they may do so again since their discretionary budgets just received an unexpected boost. In addition, since the comic book market is currently in a bear market, these investors who are now flush with cash have financial incentives to “buy the dip.”

The confluence of these two factors, relatively low values and larger discretionary budgets, could fuel another comic book boom.

Read the entire post here.

I can confirm prices on comics seem to have gone crazy. As I notice that some things that I’d left in a box in the garage for years now were potentially worth $50 or $100, and some books that sold a few years ago in the local comic store were now on their shelf behind the counter for over $1000, there are definitely collectors with cash to burn who are driving prices up.

Some might say that the latest runs on the market are courtesy of tax dollars being shifted to people who are spending it on the important things.

Like that back issue of Spider-Man that they had to have.

Our nation loves to celebrate holidays. Today, I want to talk about one day that does not get enough attention: September 17, Constitution Day.

On September 17, 1787, our Founding Fathers signed the document that has shaped our nation ever since: the U.S. Constitution. Over the last couple years, I have spoken many times about upholding the Constitution, and about how South Dakota is setting an example for the nation that constitutional principles still work. Some might think that I even talk about it too much – but there’s a reason why I do. That reason is best articulated by a story from another September 17.

To this day, September 17, 1862, remains the bloodiest 24 hours in American history. On that day, the Battle of Antietam was fought during the Civil War, and an estimated 23,000 young American men were killed or wounded.

What were those men fighting for? Our Constitution. It mattered to them. It mattered to those who were fighting to preserve our Union. The Confederacy had attempted to break the Constitution by seceding, and the men defending our Union were determined to uphold it.

There is a scene from this battle recorded by one anonymous soldier. As one of the regiments was, for the second time, entering the conflict, one soldier staggered. But he was not wounded – he had just seen his father lying dead upon the battlefield.

Another man, who knew them both, pointed to his father’s corpse and then pointed upwards. He said, “It is alright with him,” and the son continued with him into the battle. He passed his father’s dead body and did his duty to defend our Constitution.

We must exhibit the same bravery and sense of duty in defending our Constitution and the principles that our nation was founded on. We must do it even when it isn’t popular. We must do it because it is the right thing to do.

South Dakota has done this time and time again. When other states were destroying the Freedom of Religion, South Dakota never ordered a single church to close. When others were attacking the Freedom of Assembly, South Dakota allowed people to make their own decisions about who to gather with. When other states – and the federal government – tried to tear down the 2^nd Amendment, South Dakota set the standard for defense of the right to keep and bear arms. I have always remained focused on what authorities I have and do not have – and I will continue to do so for as long as I am Governor.

The principles that our Founding Fathers followed in creating our Constitution – Freedom, Equality, Opportunity – these are still the most powerful forces known to man to make all of us safer, stronger, and healthier. South Dakota will continue to stand for these principles, and I will continue to stand for our Constitution.

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The August District Work Period is coming to a close, and next week Members of the House head back to D.C. for votes.

August was full of meetings in South Dakota with constituents, community leaders, small business owners, and more. I hosted town halls, visited county fairs, honored veterans, and toured businesses.

My meetings took me all over the state—from Spearfish to North Sioux City and St. Francis to Frederick—let’s just say I had a lot of time in the car.

Some of my favorite stops?

1. Touring Anthem Oats in Frederick—their story of a five-generation family farmstead is rooted in South Dakota values and tradition. The Sumption family grows the Rushmore variety of oats that was developed at SDSU. They value quality from start to finish and they support other American family-owned businesses in the process. Not to mention how delicious these oats are!
2. Seeing the newest innovation for the ag industry at DakotaFest.
3. Visiting Silencer Central when they were named one of America’s fastest growing companies.
4. Honoring hundreds of Vietnam Veterans at Vietnam Veteran Pinning Ceremoniesacross the state. Each veteran had an opportunity for their unique story to be recognized and received thanks and gratitude for their service.
5. Touring Albany Farms in Belle Fourche—after encountering supply chain disruptions in California, Albany Farms decided to relocate its ramen noodle production to South Dakota, and we are happy to have them. Their new facility will bring 150 jobs to Belle Fourche.

While I have meetings regularly in South Dakota throughout the year, being home for the whole month of August was a great opportunity to have more visits. There truly is no place like home.

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Attorney General Mark Vargo announces that Hughes County State’s Attorney Jessica LaMie will investigate Government Accountability Board complaint 

PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Government Accountability Board has informed the Office of the Attorney General that it has voted to refer Complaint No. 2021-04 involving South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem to the Attorney General’s office for investigation by the Division of Criminal Investigation. The board has done so without making any findings based on its statutory authority to refer any investigation, report or complaint it receives to the Division of Criminal Investigation.

The Division of Criminal Investigation will promptly review and investigate this matter. Gov. Noem appointed Attorney General Vargo to his post in June. In order to avoid even the appearance of impropriety, Attorney General Mark Vargo has requested that supervision of the investigation and any charging decisions will be undertaken by Jessica LaMie, Hughes County State’s Attorney. LaMie has agreed to oversee the investigation. Because the investigation is on-going, the A.G.’s office will have no further comment and will not release any reports or evidence concerning the complaint until the investigation is complete.

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Former Trump advisor Steve Bannon was indicted in New York State this week for allegedly bilking people for millions, and making it his personal piggy bank:

Bannon, 68, surrendered to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg on Thursday morning. A six-count indictment charges the controversial former White House adviser with money laundering, conspiracy and scheming to defraud for his alleged role in We Build the Wall, a group that raised at least $15 million to construct a barrier along the border with Mexico but skimmed the donations.

and…

“It is a crime to turn a profit by lying to donors, and in New York, you will be held accountable,” Bragg said in a statement. “As alleged, Stephen Bannon acted as the architect of a multi-million dollar scheme to defraud thousands of donors across the country — including hundreds of Manhattan residents.”

Read that here.

I know that group sounds familiar. Where have we heard about the “We Build The Wall” group before? I think it was back in 2020 When Julie Frye Mueller was being wined & dined by the group….

 

and..

and…

Whoops!

From Fox News, Queen Elizabeth passed away today at the age of 96:

Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch who served as the beloved face of her country and source of strength for seven decades, died Thursday at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. She was 96.

Elizabeth’s doctors said earlier Thursday that they were “concerned for Her Majesty’s health” and that she was “resting comfortably” at Balmoral under medical supervision.

Read the entire story here.

This week Politico had a story where South Dakota Senator Mike Rounds had some words about former President Trump’s removal of classified documents from the White House:

Some Republicans, though they’ve been few and far between so far, have openly criticized Trump’s handling of the documents and assert that he never should have had them in the first place.

“You shouldn’t be taking those classified things that are supposed to be … in a classified location,” said Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), who has previously drawn Trump’s ire for criticizing the former president’s false claims about the 2020 election. “There are specific areas where classified materials are looked at. And it’s pretty clear-cut.”

Read the entire story here.

Thune: Democrats’ Big-Government, Big-Spending Agenda Does Nothing to Ease Economic Pain

“What [the Inflation Reduction Act] will do is spend hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars on Democrats’ socialist, big-government fantasies – and raise taxes to help pay for it.”

Click here or on the picture above to watch the video.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today discussed how the Democrats’ so-called “Inflation Reduction Act” will do nothing to reduce inflation and how it will instead double down on wasteful government spending and increase the tax burden on American businesses and middle-income families. Thune noted that Democrats should start focusing on pro-growth economic policies that would actually help working families who have experienced a de facto pay cut due to record-high inflation and President Biden’s failed policies.