Category: Uncategorized

Bob Mercer is reporting today that the South Dakota Newspaper Association is taking a dim view of accusations of fake news, in particular those made recently by Secretary of State Shantel Krebs against the media for reporting on her endorsement by Kansas SOS Kris Kobach, and whether she supports a “Federal Muslim Registry”:

Many of you saw the campaign email from Shantel Krebs earlier this week headlined: “More Fake News from the Mainstream Media.” Shantel begins her email with: “It’s no surprise, but the mainstream media is once again pushing fake news and inaccurate reporting. Each election year their liberal agenda becomes more apparent.” She ends the email asking supporters to “take a stand against FAKE news” and make a donation to her campaign.

and…

It’s apparent that Shantel was referring to a story in the South Dakota press over a period of a few days last week regarding Kansas Sec. of State Kris Kobach coming to Sioux Falls to endorse her campaign. The story became larger when state Sen. Neil Tapio, who has said he plans to run for Congress, put out a statement asking Shantel to clarify where she stands on a proposed “federal Muslim registry.” Kobach has been outspoken about tightening federal immigration laws and policies. Kobach’s immigration comments and stands have generated controversy.

and..

The story about Tapio/Krebs/Kobach also was in the political blogs in the state, including Dakota War College and Dakota Free Press.

It appears to me the reporting on this story by South Dakota journalists was done accurately and was straight forward. My hunch is that Shantel was caught off guard and stung by the Tapio statement and was upset that the news media reported it. Was it fair for the press to pick up on and report about a statement from someone who says he intends to run but has not yet officially declared? I think so. Tapio already is in public office as a state senator from Watertown. He was Trump’s state campaign chairman, and he has been pretty clear about his intentions to run for Congress. Plus, Kobach has been very outspoken about immigration and has attracted controversy for his statements and positions. So it is natural that if Shantel is going to accept his endorsement, people are going to ask her about Kobach’s controversies.

and…

Absolutely she and other candidates should call out and criticize any reporting that is false or intentionally misleading. But to attack the press for what has been demonstrated as accurate and fair news reporting should not be tolerated.

Read the entire post here.

President of the NCSL and South Dakota State Senator Deb Peters was interviewed by the Rapid City Journal, and as part of the interview, Peters noted that despite what the media is attempting to portray at times, bad behavior at the State Legislature is actually a rare occurrence:

The woman credited with facilitating an upcoming sexual-harassment training session for legislators, state Sen. Deb Peters, told the Journal that recent sexual misconduct scandals in state government are isolated incidents and are not indicative of a cultural problem.

“It’s not acceptable behavior and never should be acceptable behavior,” said Peters, a Republican from Hartford. “But do I think it’s systematic of the system? No, absolutely not. It’s an anomaly.”

Peters said she has never suffered nor personally heard of any sexual discrimination, harassment or other sexual misconduct during her nearly 14 years in the Legislature.

Read the entire story here.

Merry Christmas to you and your families from mine.

Merry Christmas from South Dakota State Auditor Steve Barnett and his family.

If you’re familiar with Josh Shields, who has been instrumental in election success in recent years for both the Thune and Noem campaigns, his family is fighting a different type of battle as of late, as the family is fighting his wife’s cancer diagnosis in recent weeks.

As noted on a Go Fund Me page that’s been set up:

Danielle recently received a diagnosis that no young mother should have to endure – breast cancer. We are still completing additional tests to see how far the cancer has spread. There is a chance it’s already spread to three bones which would make it Stage 4.

Danielle is an otherwise healthy young woman and we are confident that we can overcome this obstacle with the best treatment combined with support and prayer from our vast network of friends and family.

We are entering a situation with lots of unknowns – including expenses. But we know that we need to seek out the best care, which means getting a second opinion and possibly treatment, at a nationally-recognized cancer center. This will create additional medical expenses and travel expenses. We also know that our four kids – ages 5, 4, 3 and 1 – are going to need additional childcare while their dad works and their mom beats cancer.

We’ve never set up a page like this before and never thought we would need to. But the outpouring of support from those who love us has been so overwhelming that we wanted to create a centralized place for financial assistance if folks feel so led.

Of course, the most important way you can help is to continue praying, continue sending texts and messages of support. We love you all and we are so thankful that we are not in this fight alone. We have a good and faithful God and we have friends and family that will help us through.

Read, and support Danielle’s Cancer Fighting Fund here.

Please keep the Shields family in your thoughts and prayers this holiday season, as they work to return Danielle to full health.

 

Restoring Balance to the Court System
By U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.)

In the United States, we expect our judicial system to treat all Americans equally. After all, it is our judicial system which we rely on to assure due process of law.

The federal courts play a critical role in our constitutional system. Because of this, it is important that federal judges faithfully apply the law as written. This year, the Senate has been able to put a number of highly-qualified judges on the federal bench who are committed to fulfilling that role.

The process for filling vacant federal judgeships begins with a nomination by the president. The nominee then must be confirmed by the Senate following a thorough vetting process. Confirming highly-qualified judges is one of the most important roles of the United States Senate. Because the federal judges hold lifetime appointments, it is vital to make certain that they base their decisions on the rule of law rather than their personal policy preferences or feelings.

Under the previous administration and a Democrat-controlled Senate, court vacancies were filled with liberal, activist judges seeking to rule based on what they want the law to be, not on what Congress actually legislated. With President Trump in office, we have been able to change course and begin to balance out the courts with judges who interpret the law as it was written. In 2017, we have appointed 12 highly-qualified circuit court judges who are committed to this view of the law.

Last year, while he was a circuit court judge, Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch explained that a good judge should strive to “apply the law as it is, focusing backward, not forward, and looking to text, structure, and history to decide what a reasonable reader at the time of the events in question would have understood the law to be – not to decide cases based on their own moral convictions or the policy consequences they believe might serve society best.”

I agree with Justice Gorsuch that the role of a judge is to apply the law faithfully and impartially, not to legislate from the bench. It’s important that we continue confirming the dozens of pending nominations to keep the judicial system fully functioning. There are still more than 100 federal court vacancies across the country. I look forward to continuing to do my part in putting fair-minded judges on the bench who understand the role of the judiciary is to interpret the law as written, not to make the law.

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More Control over Your Paycheck
By Rep. Kristi Noem

I’ve told this story often, but it bears repeating because it’s the foundation of what I’ve fought for in tax reform. A while back, I met a young mom in the grocery store. She had a handful of coupons and a cart of groceries. We got to talking about how much costs have gone up. Healthcare, electricity, you name it – all were on the rise. And so, she asked me: “When is it going to get better?” To that mom, I want to say this: 2018 will be better because of tax reform.

In South Dakota, the average household income is $54,000. For that family of four, we doubled their standard deduction, meaning the first $24,000 a married couple earns is now tax free. We’re also doubling the Child Tax Credit to $2,000 per child, and we’re pushing the family’s tax rate down to 12 percent. If you crunch the numbers, that the average family of four in South Dakota making $54,000 will go from an $830 tax liability under current law to a $780 tax refund under tax reform. That’s a change of $1,600.

And it could be even higher. Families will continue to have access to the Child Care Credit, which I fought alongside Ivanka Trump and others to preserve. The home mortgage interest deduction, the Adoption Tax Credit, charitable contributions, and popular retirement savings options are also retained. Deductions for 529 education savings accounts and medical expenses are enhanced, as is the refundability of the Child Tax Credit.

These credits and deductions can have a powerful impact on those we care about, because they put money back into our families and communities, rather than into the greedy hands of Washington.

At the same time, this tax reform package is designed to create a healthier economy – one in which wages can rise. Already, we’ve seen a number of businesses respond by announcing they’re moving jobs back to America and giving their employees a much-deserved Christmas bonus.

In South Dakota, our number one industry is agriculture, and I’m incredibly proud this tax reform package reflects so many of the priorities shared with me by farmers and ranchers across the state. I was the only farmer sitting at the negotiating table when the final deal was made, but I made sure producers would have access to enhanced expensing tools, immediate deductibility, and like-kind exchanges. Additionally, we created a 20 percent small business deduction that will benefit many farms and ranches as well as agricultural cooperatives. While the fight to repeal the un-American Death Tax will continue, I’m glad this bill gives farmers, ranchers, and small businesses some relief by doubling the exemption levels and maintaining the stepped-up basis.

I believe 2017 will be marked as the year in which you were put back in control. Federal regulations have been toppled by Congress and President Trump. The judicial system has been flooded with those who believe in liberty and the freedoms enshrined within our Constitution. Tax reform’s passage was the capstone and the surest sign that things are going to get better for hardworking Americans.

During his remarks on the White House lawn, President Trump explained we were “warriors together” in tax reform. It’s very true. We fought side by side throughout this process, and we did that for a singular reason: We both believe you deserve more control over your paycheck. You’ve worked hard for that money, and it’s time the folks in Washington respect that.

Memories Of Christmas
A column by Gov. Dennis Daugaard:

I have many fond memories of Christmas. One year, I remember singing Christmas carols in Dell Rapids with my 4-H club. Afterward, we ended the evening at the Lutheran Church where we sang Silent Night with all the lights out and only the Christmas tree lit.

Some of my memories are of the one-room country school I attended as a child. Every year, all eight grades joined together to perform in a Christmas program. We stretched a wire across the front of the schoolroom and hung burlap curtains. When the curtain opened, Mrs. Hainje played the piano and we’d sing songs, or we’d recite poems, or perform little one-act plays. Our program lasted about an hour or two, and every year, my parents faithfully attended.

When I was in eighth grade the country school closed, and I began to ride the bus to school in Dell Rapids. I joined band, and when we had band concerts at Christmas time, my parents would always come to those too. We’d assemble on the stage in the gym, and all the parents sat on grey folding chairs in rows on the gym floor. I remember looking out into the crowd to find them, and they were always there. I also sang in the chorus, and my parents came to those concerts too.

Now, you may be thinking: That’s nothing special, parents should always come to their children’s Christmas concerts – and that’s true. What’s unusual, though, is that my parents didn’t come to hear me perform. You see, my dad couldn’t hear at all, and my mother could barely hear anything either. They were both deaf.

They came to those concerts and sat, sometimes for hours, not hearing a thing. Concert after concert, year after year, they came – not because they could hear me, but rather because I could see them. They came to show that they loved and cared about me.

Among all my Christmas memories – whether of a special gift I received or of a favorite dish at dinner – it was my parents and my sisters who made Christmas special. Christmas was a meaningful time of year because I celebrated it with the people I loved, and who loved me.

For some, the holidays are a difficult time. The parents of a son or daughter serving abroad, the person who just received a grim diagnosis, or the family who recently lost a loved one may not be looking forward to Christmas this year. This season, remember others like that. Do what you can for the sick and the poor and the lonely. Go Christmas caroling at the nursing home, invite someone new over for Christmas dinner, call that friend you haven’t heard from in a while or give to a family in need. As my parents taught me, at Christmastime you don’t just show up to the concert to hear the music. You’re there to show that you care.

Merry Christmas.

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