South Dakota’s chapter of the Americans for Prosperity Foundation will be hosting upcoming seminars in Rapid City and Sioux Falls on “The Sordid History of Political Correctness.”  Interested in attending? Here’s where you can make your reservation:

RAPID CITY

Please join us for a free dinner and a special presentation of
The Sordid History of Political Correctness
by the Grassroots Leadership Academy’s Stephanie Maier.

Maier is a political, democracy, and media educator who has worked to expand democracy and free-market economics in thirteen countries. She has also worked in campaign management and grassroots advocacy in the United States, and she is now working with the Grassroots Leadership Academy (GLA) to educate activists throughout the country about the principles of freedom, prosperity, and individual liberty.

Day and Date:                     Monday, January 25, 2016
Place:                                   Minervas Restaurant
Address:                               4111 Lacrosse Street
Rapid City, SD 57701

Time:                                    5:30 – 7:30 P.M.
Tickets:                                 include dinner
Ticket Deadline:          Friday, January 22, 2016

Please reserve your FREE TICKETS at www.GLARapidCity.com
or contact Chad Krier at (605) 370-2778 or [email protected]
for more information.

SIOUX FALLS

Please join us for a special presentation of
The Sordid History of Political Correctness
by the Grassroots Leadership Academy’s Stephanie Maier.

Maier is a political, democracy, and media educator who has worked to expand democracy and free-market economics in thirteen countries. She has also worked in campaign management and grassroots advocacy in the United States, and she is now working with the Grassroots Leadership Academy (GLA) to educate activists throughout the country about the principles of freedom, prosperity, and individual liberty.

Day and Date:                     Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Place:                                                   Callaway’s
Address:                               500 East 69^th Street
Sioux Falls, SD 57109
Time:                                    6:30 – 8:00 P.M.
RSVP Deadline:                   Friday, January 22, 2016

A variety of Callaway’s delicious homemade pies will be served!

Please reserve your FREE TICKETS at www.GLASiouxFalls.com
or contact Chad Krier at (605) 370-2778 or [email protected]
for more information.

In the Washington Post today, South Dakota’s US Senator John Thune observed that President Obama isn’t exactly pursuing an aggressive legislative agenda in his last year in office:

Obama’s need to work with Congress effectively ended late last year, after lawmakers passed a two-year budget accord and approved a spending package to keep the government open for the bulk of the coming election year. And the political reality was evident in Obama’s speech, which centered on a high-minded appeal for a more inclusive and responsive brand of politics but included no specific proposals in that area.

Instead, he called on Congress to take action only on a handful of issues whose chances of passage this year range from slim to none.

“The speech tonally was very different than previous years,” said Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), chairman of the Senate Republican Conference. “It’s almost like, ‘Okay, I’ve done what I can, and I’m going to continue to do what I can this next year by executive action.’ But I think he’s been on the glide path out of here, and I think the speech tonight reflected that.”

and…

Each carries deep political complications and thus little chance of advancing through Congress in a presidential election year.

“If I had to handicap, I’m not sure any of them get done this next year,” Thune said after the speech.

Read it all here.

I noticed that Bob Mercer had the following statement on his web log:

Brown is term-limited after eight consecutive years in the Senate and isn’t running for a House seat.; Justin Cronin of Gettysburg, the House appropriations chairman, is running for Brown’s Senate seat.

Read that here.

Dang it. I had that weeks ago, but it had been embargoed by my correspondent who had informed me.

That’s the trouble. The better inside information you get, the more you tend to hear people say “But, don’t put it on dakotawarcollege yet.”  Aargh! Seriously? You guys kill me when you say that.

At events or around Pierre, it used to be that people would turn around and walk, or run, in the other direction because they didn’t want to confirm or deny anything – they just wanted to avoid questions altogether. Now, as this website has matured over the last decade, they’re more comfortable in telling me stuff.  But, they don’t always want to let the cat out of the bag *just yet.*

I’ve always honored those requests, with the caveat that if I hear it from other sources, yes, the cat is already out of the bag.  Leaving me sitting on information that I’d like to use….. but I can’t just yet.   And no, I’m not going to disclose who told me about what.

Right now, I’m sitting on another legislative retirement, and two returning legislators from the past who are returning, and giving it another go, as well as a few other tidbits. No, the GOP ED hasn’t been selected as of yet, but I’m hearing that people are being discussed.

For those of you who do have insider tips and information, you’re always welcome to e-mail, or call me. (My number is easy enough to find.).  And remember that “But don’t put it on dakotawarcollege yet” is the bane of my existence.

Rounds: Tonight’s Speech a Missed Opportunity to Reach Across the Aisle

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) tonight made the following statement on President Obama’s final State of the Union Address.

“An overwhelming majority of South Dakotans – and all Americans – are dissatisfied with the direction of our country, and tonight’s speech lacked any serious ideas for working together to renew and reenergize the people’s faith in the American dream. The facts are clear: our economy is stagnant, the VA is broken, Obamacare is failing, manufacturing has shrunk, Americans don’t feel safe from terrorism and damaging new regulations being promulgated by this administration are hurting hard-working families and businesses. I believe we can do a lot more good for our country if we face the challenges before us and make our country better than it is today. Only then can we truly solve the important issues before us.

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Noem Reacts to President’s Final State of the Union Address

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Kristi Noem today issued the following statement in reaction to President Obama’s final State of the Union address:

“The picture President Obama tried to paint tonight is a starkly different image than what most people see in their own backyard. We live in a world where wages are stagnant, the institutions set up to care for our veterans, seniors, and Native Americans are failing at the most basic levels, and few people are confident in the state of our national security. I believe we can do better.  We have a responsibility to rebuild our economy and give more opportunities to every American.  We must strengthen our national security, restoring American leadership and giving people greater peace of mind.  We must re-energize the American Dream, using it to inspire our next generation to imagine and achieve a better world for their families and our nation. I believe in better than what President Obama’s policies and tonight’s speech offered and I’m hopeful we can achieve it.”

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Thune Reacts to President Obama’s Final State of the Union Address

“South Dakotans don’t want to hear about President Obama’s legacy or policies that haven’t worked – we want to hear about what he’s going to do in his remaining months in office to help fix the problems that have plagued seven years of his presidency.”

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) provided the following reaction after President Obama delivered his seventh and final State of the Union address:

“For the seventh year in a row, President Obama used his State of the Union address to lecture the American people about the failed top-down, government-knows-best policies that have come to define his presidency and have given us a stagnant economy, a smaller labor force, and a more chaotic world scene.

“South Dakotans don’t want to hear about President Obama’s legacy or policies that haven’t worked – what we want to hear is what he’s going to do in his remaining months in office to help fix the problems that have plagued seven years of his presidency.

“Last year at this time, I promised you that Republicans would turn Congress’ focus back to the American people’s top priorities, and that’s exactly what we’ve done. We’ve fought to make our economy stronger, our government more efficient and accountable, and our nation and our world safer and more secure. But there’s more work to be done, and we need a partner in the White House who’s at least willing to meet us halfway.

“Rather than the ‘my-way-or-the-highway’ attitude that we’ve come to know from President Obama, my hope is that he spends 2016 working with Republicans in Congress to help move America toward a brighter tomorrow.

“The new approach that Republicans have worked hard to help to advance in just the first year of the new Republican majority is a positive start, and we will continue that fight whether President Obama joins us or not.”

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State Representative Jim Stalzer has his petitions out. But not for the State House.  I’ve had it confirmed tonight that this member of the State House Delegation for District 11 is circulating his petitions for the upper chamber of the State Legislature.

He’s not challenging current Senator David Omdahl, as much as Omdahl is tagging Stalzer in, so Omdahl can pursue other things.   Stalzer tells me this evening that he was holding off to give the good Senator an opportunity to change his mind, as the District 11 delegation gets along fairly well, and it’s a shame to see any of them go.  For both Stalzer & Omdahl, 2016 is their 4th year in the legislature.

Keep an eye peeled on the legislative races, as the campaign news just keeps on coming!

(Dems still don’t have a sacrificial lamb for the US Senate, BTW)

Governor Daugaard presented his State of the State address today, with an increase in teacher salaries serving as it’s centerpiece. From the Argus:

Gov. Dennis Daugaard proposed South Dakota’s first sales tax increase in more than half a century Tuesday to help lift the state’s rock-bottom teacher salaries.

The Republican governor told legislators in his State of the State address that a half-cent sales tax increase would raise about $107 million and allow the state to increase its last-in-the-nation teacher salaries from the current average of $40,000 a year to a target of $48,500. Any surplus would go toward property tax relief.

“This is the year. This is the year to get out of last place. This is the year to act. Let’s join together this year to strengthen our schools and keep our promise to the next generation,” Daugaard said.

Read that here.

What was the response from the State’s minority party, the Democrats? Predictably, when you get down to it, they said they would make a better-er proposal……… by spending twice as much!

“A recommended funding source for the needed $122.5 million of new funds could be a one-penny increase in the state sales tax. This would raise $220 million on an ongoing basis”

Read that here.

Yeah…..

Rounds Statement on VA Inspector General

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, today made the following statement after the committee approved the nomination of Michael Missal to be Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA):

“The VA hasn’t had a permanent Inspector General for over two years. During that time, the VA has been plagued with scandal and mismanagement, and our veterans have been paying the price,” said Rounds. “They deserve better from their government. It is my hope that a new Inspector General will help regain trust in the VA, and provide accountability for the Department’s policies and management.”

The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee held a prior hearing on Missal’s nomination in November 2015. He now awaits confirmation from the full Senate.

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