From KSFY, apparently Dem’s US Senate Candidate Jay Williams had a big rally in his hometown, featuring himself, as well as many other Democrat candidates from the area. See for yourself:

My gosh. You can hardly see Jay from all the people in the picnic shelter. 

Seriously, though. This was a rally with he, and a number of other Democrat candidates in his hometown.  If you subtract candidates, and family members… I’m not sure if anyone is there.  Much like Williams’ support against sitting US Senator John Thune.

Man, he is toast.

A South Dakota Fourth of July
By Sen. John Thune

There are a lot of qualities that make South Dakotans some of the greatest people in America. They’re humble, honest, and thoughtful, and they know a hard day’s work and the true value of a dollar better than anyone else. South Dakotans have an immense respect for what it means to be an American and are grateful for the extraordinary blessing of having been born here, the freest country in the world. More than that, though, they understand those blessings came with a price – an immeasurable amount of blood, sweat, and tears. All that to say, the true meaning of July 4 isn’t lost on the people who call South Dakota home.

Independence Day is one of those holidays that’s celebrated in different ways by different people, but all with an underlying sense of pride and patriotism. I think that’s exactly what the men and women who’ve laid down their lives on our behalf would have wanted, and it’s a right for which our military heroes continue to fight and protect to this day.

For as many communities as there are across South Dakota, there’s as many unique and enjoyable Fourth of July celebrations. The cowboys and cowgirls at Belle Fourche’s Black Hills Roundup and Rodeo, one of the oldest annual outdoor rodeos in America, will ride in the 97^th annual event this year. The week-long experience includes a parade, fireworks, the Miss Rodeo South Dakota contest, and the big rodeo itself, of course. While you’re in the Black Hills, the Crazy Horse celebration is a sight to see, considering it usually includes an explosion or two as the monument continues to take shape.

It goes without saying, but while each of those celebrations and the dozens more that take place across the state are worth seeing on their own, nothing quite compares to spending July 4 at Mount Rushmore. On any given day, you’d be hard-pressed not to feel a rush of patriotism while visiting Borglum’s tribute to some of our nation’s Founding Fathers, but add the excitement of July 4 to the mix, and I don’t think it gets more American than that.

Whether you and your family are camping, hiking, or firing up the backyard BBQ this Fourth of July, I hope it’s a safe, enjoyable, and memory-filled day. Wherever you are and whichever parade you attend, don’t miss the steely-eyed men and women marching quietly near the front. They won’t be tossing any candy and they won’t be riding on a flashy float. For our veterans, carrying the stars and stripes has a little extra meaning that day, and it’s something we should always honor and never forget.

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This Fourth of July is a Time to Reflect on What’s Important
By Senator Mike Rounds

Jean and I are blessed to have all eight of our grandkids nearby. They all live within a few minutes of our home in Ft. Pierre and we are fortunate to spend time with them most weekends. Among many other blessings they bring, they are also a constant reminder that the policy decisions being made today determine the kind of future we will leave for them.

With election season underway and near-constant media coverage of presidential politics, it can often be frustrating when the focus seems to be on hair or pantsuits, rather than the policy issues that will lead to a more prosperous future. Even my young grandchildren are put off by the tone, and thankfully they prefer riding around on the lawnmower or “four wheeling” on the golf cart with me. The reality is, we are facing serious issues and the important discussions need to be prioritized. We ought to be talking about the problems we face, and more importantly, the solutions that need to be pursued.

Independence Day is a good time to reflect on these issues. On July 4, 2026, just 10 years away, America turns 250 years old. As Americans, we will celebrate a historic time in the greatest country in the world. At the same time, our 250th birthday brings to bear a dangerous situation that we can forecast today. In 2026, it is projected that 99 percent of our taxpayer dollars will be spent on two categories: entitlement spending and interest on the national debt. That begs the important question: where will we get the money to spend on other critical items like national defense, roads and bridges, education or medical research? The crisis is not ten years down the road – it is right now. If we begin focusing on these problems today, we can address these challenges together. If we kick the can down the road, 2026 will be historic, but not in a good way.

Some in Congress are consistent in promoting higher taxes and more “free stuff.” Those plans inflate an already bloated federal bureaucracy, add to the federal debt and stifle job growth. Conversely, others in Congress simply support lowering taxes. Economically speaking, the solution is more complex.

We need tax reform that will provide an environment where businesses want to invest in America, rather than create jobs overseas and keep profits overseas. We need to limit the federal rule-making process that unfairly punishes job creators and restricts capital. Congress must regain its role as the lawmaking body– not D.C. bureaucrats. We need the courage to address entitlement reform so that we can save important programs like Social Security. We need to recognize that the best decisions are made at the local level of government, not in Washington, D.C. Lastly, we need to reduce the size of the federal government, and streamline it through strategic reductions.

Small victories are important and we’re seeing some success in the U.S. Senate. We’re moving more legislation through the committees than we have in the past eight years. We’re making progress, but we have a long way to go. In the meantime, we all need to keep our focus on the problems facing America so we can work together to find solutions. We’ll have a new president next year, and the leadership philosophy he or she brings will greatly impact what America looks like on our 250th birthday. I think all of us can agree on one thing: we want to leave this country better for our kids and grandkids.

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A Blueprint for Tax Reform
By Rep. Kristi Noem

Before the iPhone, the near-universal ownership of a personal computer, and the fall of the Berlin Wall, the United States passed a new, 26,000-page tax code.  In the 30 years since, very few reforms have been made to modernize that tax code – only loopholes added that have nearly tripled its size.  No wonder 9 out of 10 taxpayers use either a professional tax preparer or computer software to file their taxes.

The call for comprehensive tax reform has been made for years and it’s frustrating that it seems as though little has been done.  That was one of the reasons I pushed so hard to join the House Ways and Means Committee this Congress.  Out of the House of Representatives’ 435 members, what happens to our tax code starts with the 24 majority members of the Ways and Means Committee.  That is where I needed to be, so I was grateful to be named to the committee this year – the first South Dakota Representative in history to do so.

Earlier this summer, the committee released our blueprint for pro-growth tax reform.  Simply put, it is designed to grow families’ paychecks, the workforce, and the American economy.  More specifically, the proposal centers around three ideas.  First, the tax code should be simpler, fairer, and flatter.  Second, it should make it easier to create jobs, raise wages, and expand opportunity.  Finally, it should put taxpayers first.

This blueprint is all about simplicity.  In fact, we tried to make it simple enough that most Americans could do their taxes on a postcard.  That meant reducing the amount of tax brackets from seven to three.  We then went through and eliminated many of the most damaging add-on taxes, such as the death tax. Finally, we made sure important “milestone” tax breaks remained to help give families peace of mind at critical moments in life, such as going to school, getting a job, raising a family, or planning for retirement.

To make it easier to create jobs and raise wages, the proposal offers to cut taxes on small businesses, creating a separate, low tax rate of 25 percent for many on Main Street. Because U.S. businesses currently have to pay the highest corporate tax rate in the world, it also lowers the corporate tax rate to make America a more competitive place to do business.

Ensuring taxpayers come first meant we needed to tackle some pretty serious issues within the IRS – an agency that in recent years has allowed millions of taxpayer calls to go unanswered, targeted conservative organizations, and failed to operate in an ethical manner time and again.  This blueprint outlines a restructured IRS that is held accountable to the Taxpayer Bill of Rights and set up to provide excellence in customer service.  It would also install a new, term-limited commissioner who would be required to administer the new tax code fairly while keeping politics out of the IRS.

This blueprint is just the beginning of the conversation. It isn’t perfect or set in stone, but we’ve taken the initiative to draw the outline; now, it’s time to color in the picture.  While we included the ideas that so many taxpayers have talked about and urged for years, we’ll continue looking for feedback and insight.  The goal is to turn this plan into detailed, comprehensive legislation that can be moved when a new administration takes office in 2017.

If a family or business did things like they did in the 80’s, they’d still be relying on a fax machine.  The world doesn’t work like that anymore and neither should our tax code.

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