Category: Uncategorized

It was a long day helping to sort political buttons today, but I managed to obtain these phenomenal ribbons for my collection. They are absolutely great:

Four Pettigrew for Senator Ribbons and a great Taft for President/Kittredge for Senator Piece, along with another Taft Ribbon.

The State Convention ribbon puts it at about 1890 with August 28th date, so I’m still chasing an elusive ribbon for the first state GOP State Convention to add to my set of ribbons for the 2nd-7th conventions.. but I’m sure there’s something out there somewhere!

The South Dakota Republican Party went live yesterday with a link to join them for Lunch with US Senators John Thune and Tom Cotton in little more than 2 weeks. So get your tickets while they’re hot.

Lunch with Senator Tom Cotton and John Thune

WHEN
June 29th at Noon

WHERE
The Military Alliance

1600 W Russell Street
Sioux Falls, SD 57104

Google map and directions

CONTACT

Dan Lederman, dan@sdgop.com
Maggie Sutton, maggie.igwt@gmail.com

Join the South Dakota GOP and the Minnehaha County Republicans as we welcome Senator Tom Cotton and Senator John Thune for a discussion on what is happening in Washington DC.

Senator Cotton will speak and take questions from the audience. Everyone who attends will also be given a lifetime membership to the South Dakota Military Heritage Alliance Club as part of the price of admission.

Lunch provided and a Host Roundtable will follow the event.

Space is limited for both the lunch and roundtable so get your tickets today and don’t miss your chance to hear from Senator Cotton!

** Click here to purchase your tickets **

 

Winning the Long Game
By Sen. John Thune

In the era of the 24-hour news cycle and instant gratification, it’s important to remember that some good things still take time. On June 9, South Dakota scored a historic, once-in-a-generation win when the U.S. Air Force signed a record of decision to formally designate Ellsworth Air Force Base in Box Elder as Main Operating Base 1—the first home of the B-21 stealth bomber. I couldn’t be prouder to welcome this mission in the years ahead and am eager to start the transformation of the base to prepare for the formal training unit and the first operational squadron for the Raider.

The record of decision will set off a flurry of activity at the base over the next several years to build high-end maintenance facilities for the B-21’s stealth coating, training and operations buildings, and a secure weapons facility to support the nuclear mission. Hundreds of millions of dollars of military construction will be invested in Ellsworth in anticipation of the mission, which will preserve America’s global military reach in the high-end fight, and it will support a projected 7,700 airmen, spouses, and dependents at Ellsworth, with a total end-state increase of 3,147 individuals. We are fortunate the nation has entrusted South Dakota to host this mission.

This consequential decision for the Air Force and the state of South Dakota is all the more momentous when you consider how close we came to not having an Air Force base West River at all. Ellsworth was on the ropes 16 years ago. The base was placed on the Department of Defense’s Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) list just months after I arrived to the Senate in 2005. When the bad news broke that May, I immediately went to work, joined by the community and other elected officials. We dug in, put up a fight, and convinced the BRAC commission that Ellsworth was a vital national security asset and that moving the B-1 fleet from Ellsworth would actually cost money. We also made the case that the U.S. military shouldn’t put all its eggs in one basket—that it shouldn’t consolidate all of its strategic assets in one location. By August, Ellsworth was removed from the closure list, and it’s fair to say we kept our sleeves rolled up ever since, seeking every opportunity to strengthen Ellsworth’s role in our national security with the aim of getting this very news.

One of the most transformative steps taken was the decades-long effort to quadruple the local training airspace, the Powder River Training Complex (PRTC). The PRTC is now the largest training air space in the continental United States and can be used for large force exercises that draw combat aircraft from across the country. Advanced aircraft need larger training space, and the PRTC gave us an edge in winning the B-21 mission.

Ellsworth went from imminent closure to now being on the cutting edge of America’s national security and strategic deterrence. It’s been a team effort, from the local communities in Box Elder and Rapid City, to state partners like the Ellsworth Development Authority, and strong relationships with the base and Air Force leaders. And it couldn’t have happened without keeping an unwavering focus on it for 16 years – an almost unthinkable time horizon by today’s standards.

But sometimes you have to play the long game. And in being patient and strategic, we’ve shared some great wins together: saving the historic Hot Springs VA to preserve regional care for America’s veterans; securing a future for the former Homestake gold mine as a state-of-the-art physics lab in Lead; and connecting rural communities across the state with broadband and the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System. And now, cementing Ellsworth Air Force Base’s legacy in our national security and South Dakota’s economy for decades to come.

I’m grateful to the Air Force for this decision and the hard work by so many to get us to today. I remain steadfast in my support for the mission and the men and women of the 28^th Bomb Wing, who have put Ellsworth on the map, and I am thrilled for this B-21 announcement, which will keep it there.

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South Dakota Strong
By: Governor Kristi Noem
June 11, 2021

South Dakota has the strongest economy in America. In fact, a recent study by Moody’s Analytics says that South Dakota is one of only 2 states to be in a stronger economic position than we were before the pandemic. That’s no small deal. At a time when other states are still struggling to recover from the devastating shutdowns imposed on them by shortsighted politicians, South Dakota is thriving.

Our unemployment rate of 2.8% – the lowest in America – means that every South Dakotan who wants a job should have little problem finding one. In fact, there are ten job openings available for every South Dakotan currently receiving unemployment. WalletHub took notice of this by declaring that South Dakota is the #1 ranked state in America to find a job right now.

This has led to a tremendous bit of good news: more South Dakota teenagers are joining the workforce than in recent years. This means that our kids will learn the dignity of earning a paycheck. They’ll realize life skills that they otherwise may not picked up until years later. This will pay tremendous dividends down the road as our teenagers blossom into adults.

For South Dakota workers who had been looking for the opportunity to start a new career, there is no better time than right now. Folks across the state are in serious need of hard-working employees, and South Dakotans have hard work and determination in spades. If you’ve been nervous to take that leap, I’d encourage you to seriously consider whether now is the right time to launch a career that can lead to years of success.

Our tourism industry is soaring. Wall Drug broke its single day record for sales this Memorial Day. Our visitation numbers are on pace to break annual records. Visitation to our state parks in particular is far above what it was last year – when we broke the previous record. People are paying attention to South Dakota, and they like what they see.

We have opportunities to continue building on this success. Sioux Falls was just named the #1 city in America for young professionals, and the city will only grow stronger as this economic growth continues. I’ve always said that South Dakotans have grit. They’re strong. And thanks to their hard work, South Dakota’s economy is strong, too.

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I think Cory Heidelberger turned his ‘wokism’ up past 10 today, because he’s managed to come up with one of the goofiest trains of thought that I think I’ve seen in a while. Because he declares that only ‘White Male Republicans’ can be racist in South Dakota:

Racism flows from the group in power to the group(s) the powerful oppress to maintain their power. White male Republicans don’t like it when racial minorities gain any power, because such minority power, even the meager power of one Lakota chairman of one limited Legislative committee, threatens the racists in power. They thus project their own sins onto the minorities they must continue to oppress.

Racism does not flow the other way, from the less-empowered to the powerful. When Representative Bordeaux used the term “apple,” he was describing an American Indian individual who plays along with the white powers and thus props up their systemic racism.

Read that messed up stuff here.

So, when Legislative Leadership decides to act in advance of a law passed to standardize how a committee’s leadership is chosen to match that of every other committee, it’s racism…

But when someone else uses pejorative, racially charged language insinuating that someone is a native american on the outside and white on the inside and fans the fires of racial division, it can’t be racist… because the person doing such things can’t be racist, because he’s not a white male Republican. And we should all accept that kind of behavior in a lawmaker, because the state official he was referring to is “playing along with the white powers?”

When some prominent Democrats say that the party has a problem with wokism… this is the kind of stuff they’re referring to.

Rounds, Gillibrand Lead Bipartisan Push To Fully Fund U.S-Israel Missile Defense Cooperation

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) led a bipartisan group of 38 senators in calling for $500 million to fully fund U.S.-Israel cooperative missile defense programs in the Defense Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2022. Israel’s missile defense system is made up of four operational layers: Iron Dome, David’s Sling, Arrow 2 and now Arrow 3. In addition to contributing to ballistic missile defense, the funding will support crucial work on research, development and test activities to counter hostile unmanned aerial systems.

“We have had a great deal of success in improving our missile defense systems working with Israel,”said Senator Rounds. “The advancements we have been able to make in this cooperative effort will benefit our defense capabilities as well as those of our ally Israel. This missile defense system has also saved the lives of countless Israeli and Palestinian citizens living in Israel. It is important that we continue to authorize and fund these systems.”

“Not only does this critical funding help Israel defend itself and save lives, but it also strengthens U.S. national security, aiding research and development,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Our relationship with Israel is unbreakable and I’m proud to lead this bipartisan push each year to ensure Israel has the resources needed to protect its citizens.”

The bipartisan group of senators wrote, “the U.S.-Israeli cooperation has resulted in a system that can, and has, countered numerous missile threats from state and non-state actors from adversaries in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, and elsewhere. This system provides Israel with the ability to protect lives at home and on the battlefield, keeping its citizens and soldiers out of harm’s way.”

Senators Rounds and Gillibrand have long led this bipartisan letter in support of U.S.-Israeli cooperative missile defense programs, which advance U.S. national security interests by supporting Israel’s ability to defend itself against missile and rocket attacks. For several years, the senators have led letters that have secured at least $500 million for these important programs.

In addition to Senators Rounds and Gillibrand, the letter was signed by Senators Bennet (D-Colo.), Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Booker (D-N.J.), Brown (D-Ohio), Cantwell (D-Wash.), Cardin (D-Md.), Casey (D-Pa.), Coons (D-Del.), Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Cramer (R-N.D.), Daines (R-Mont.), Duckworth (D-Ill.), Feinstein (D-Calif.), Fischer (R-Neb.), Hassan (D-N.H.), Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Kaine (D-Va.), Kelly (D-Ariz.), Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Lankford (R-Okla.), Markey (D-Mass.), Merkley (D-Ore.), Padilla (D-Calif.), Peters (D-Mich.), Rosen (D-Nev.), Rubio (R-Fla.), Schatz (D-Hawaii), Sinema (D-Ariz.), Smith (D-Minn.), Stabenow (D-Mich.), Thune (R-S.D.), Van Hollen (D-Md.), Warner (D-Va.), Warnock (D-Ga.), Wyden (D-Ore.) and Young (R-Ind.).

The text of the letter appears below:

Dear Chairman Tester and Ranking Member Shelby:

Thank you for this committee’s strong support of U.S.-Israel collaborative defense programs, including Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow as well as our continued cooperative work on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). As you begin work on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Defense Appropriations bill, we write seeking $500 million for continued support for these in order to meet the United States’ and Israel’s national security needs.

Joint U.S.-Israel missile defense collaboration on Israel’s multilayer missile defense system has been foundational to the defense of Israel since the 1980s. Congress has consistently supported this project. Israel’s missile defense system is made up of four operational layers: Iron Dome (short-range), David’s Sling (medium-range), Arrow 2 (longer range), and now Arrow 3 (very long range). The U.S.-Israeli cooperation has resulted in a system that can, and has, countered numerous missile threats from state and non-state actors from adversaries in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, and elsewhere. This system provides Israel with the ability to protect lives at home and on the battlefield, keeping its citizens and soldiers out of harm’s way.

This cooperative program has also created an important flow of data and invaluable insight to support vital U.S. missile defense technology while safeguarding our strategic ally Israel and our service members in the region. This program synergizes with our ongoing operations in the area increasing interoperability between U.S. and Israeli systems and forces. Moreover, the program supports critical elements of the industrial base and important jobs here in the United States through co-development and co-production agreements.

Another area of critical importance to both the United States and Israel, is in the field of UAS, and perhaps just as importantly, counter-UAS. In February 2020, the U.S. Defense Innovation Unit announced it had selected Israeli firm D-Fend Solutions to field a counter-drone system for the FBI and U.S. military. This technology was co-developed with the U.S. Combatting Terrorism Technical Support Office. CTTSO has played a crucial role in U.S.-Israel cooperation and innovation.

For FY 2022, in addition to ballistic missile defense, $500 million will continue critical work on research, development and test activities to counter hostile unmanned aerial systems. This funding will further development of a range of systems designed to handle the imminent threats American and Israeli forces face.

Together, these programs confront the compelling challenges facing both Israel and the United States and form a strong foundation of the enduring friendship of our nations. We look forward to working with you on these important programs.

Sincerely,

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Governor Noem Announces New Opportunities for South Dakota Meat

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem announced that certain South Dakota state-inspected meat processors will have the opportunity to ship their meat across state lines. South Dakota and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) have entered a Cooperative Interstate Shipping (CIS) agreement, which opens these new market opportunities for South Dakota producers.

“Our food supply is a matter of national security, so we need to increase diversity in the supply chain to offer more options to Americans,” said Governor Kristi Noem. “For too long, meat producers have been shortchanged due to anticompetitive practices in the meatpacking industry. These new opportunities will expand their options and allow them to ship South Dakota meat across state lines.”

Under CIS, state-inspected facilities can operate as federally inspected facilities, under specific conditions, and ship products across state lines. Without CIS, a state-inspected facility is limited to sales within its own borders. Processors interested in the CIS program should contact the Animal Industry Board at 605.773.3321 or visit https://aib.sd.gov/.

“The Animal Industry Broad is excited to help bring CIS to South Dakota,” said State Veterinarian Dusty Oedekoven. “Our meat processors and producers need options, and CIS gives them another pathway for getting South Dakota products to market.”

In addition to South Dakota, there are 8 states currently participating in CIS – Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, Vermont, and Wisconsin.

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Just wanted to take a moment to give a shout out to SDSU Student Association President Andrew Rasmussen who was chosen for a internship to learn the inner workings of journalism through South Dakota News Watch:

After months of planning and preparation, News Watch and SDSU have launched the “Jeffrey B. Nelson Investigative Journalism Endowed Internship” and have chosen a student to be the inaugural participant in the program.

After an application process, SDSU student Andrew Rasmussen has been chosen for the internship and is already at work reporting and writing articles of statewide interest for News Watch.

Rasmussen is a senior at SDSU majoring in journalism and political science with a minor in legal studies. A native of Brookings, S.D., Rasmussen has previously worked as a reporter for The Collegian, the independent student newspaper at SDSU. Rasmussen was recently elected president of the SDSU Students’ Association.

Read it all here.

Andrew has been extensively involved with the SDSU Student Senate, College Republicans, served as a Republican intern in the South Dakota Legislature and has also spent time working on statewide campaigns for Republicans such as for Congressman Dusty Johnson.

Congratulations!

We have an opportunity to make our elections healthier
by State Representative Will Mortenson, District 24

We have an opportunity to make our elections healthier.

South Dakota’s electoral process works pretty well. Our county auditors, who do the bulk of the ballot-preparing and the vote-counting, are a strong group. Many have decades of experience and I haven’t run across one that I wouldn’t trust with the code to my garage door. In short – diligent, honest folks run our elections and South Dakotans can have faith in them.

We can do better, though. This spring and summer saw dozens of elections on assorted dates throughout the calendar. In April, Fort Pierre held a municipal election. About a month later, I read about a school board election in Sioux Falls. Last week, Harrisburg held a bond election. This week, Pierre held a municipal and school board election and Rapid City held a school board election.

I subscribe to and read newspapers from Sioux Falls, Rapid City, and Pierre. I read blogs about government and follow most South Dakota media on Twitter. It’s fair to say I’m more interested than most in the workings of governments in our state. Even with that information, I had a hard time remembering when all these elections were taking place, let alone when the early voting window may have started.

The difficulty I experienced is borne out in voter turnout. South Dakotans are simply not showing up for these random-date elections. Fort Pierre turned out less than 25% of voters for the April election, despite a 79.25% turnout in the 2020 general election. In May, a mere 5% of Sioux Falls voters cast a ballot compared to almost 75% six months prior. On the Tuesday after Memorial Day, Harrisburg turned out 4.5% of the voters for its bond election, woefully short of the 79.5% that voted in November. Pierre and Rapid City showed the same trend, with 27% and 9.9% turnout, compared to 75.24% and 71.79%, respectively.

I know there are some good reasons why cities and school districts hold elections more frequently than every two years: some have odd-year terms, bonds elections have important timing considerations, and it can be complicated to administer four or five different types of elections all at once.

I’m not disputing these reasons, but our current process puts the strain and complication on the voter. We’ve made it difficult for South Dakotans to participate by holding elections on sporadic dates. 5% turnout is unacceptable when we know 70% of the same set of voters turned out in November.

We can do better. These elections should be held consistently and on a high-profile election day, so that the public has as much notice as possible. I look forward to working with cities, school districts, county auditors, the Secretary of State, and my colleagues on a practical plan to make these elections healthier.

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