Being in the business of designing and selling campaign materials, I have to admit that sometimes something that sounds like a good idea, and something that looks attractive on the computer just doesn’t work.

I have to wonder if this is one of those times. Because I’m not sure what the designer was thinking.

No, I’m not stretching this out. This is how it really looks.

There’s multiple fonts and miscellaneous type-styles used at random, such as the  “Commitment Honesty & Integrity” which pivots over to “that you can count on,” as if they needed to go randomly to a script font.

There’s also the part where what looks like the candidate’s logo is hiding in the upper right hand corner, as if to acknowledge that there is a logo. But, it’s not allowed to this font party, so it’s waving at the rest of the piece, asking to be invited in to the conversation.

And I can’t help but notice that someone ran over this nice man with a steamroller, squooshing him tall.

It has all the material present where a nice piece could have been done. Unfortunately, someone decided to have a font party instead, and his logo wasn’t invited.

(Disclaimer: No comments made have anything to do with how good a candidate anyone is.  They’re just the innocent victim of questionable campaign material design) 

Apparently, District 3 Democrat State Legislative Candidate Nikki Bootz doesn’t think the legislature deals with issues such as abortion & gun rights.

Wow.

As you’re receiving campaign postcards in the mail, snap a photo, and send me a copy, especially the attack ones. I’d love to see them and share.

E-mail to me here.

Delegation Urges USDA to Reevaluate Selection Process for General CRP Sign-Ups
“We are very concerned that with CRP’s dwindling enrollment and loss of general CRP enrollment acres in South Dakota, our state will suffer damaging setbacks …”

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) today urged U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack to reevaluate the selection process for the general Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) sign-ups. The results of the 49th annual general CRP sign-up, which was conducted December 1, 2015, through February 26, 2016, were recently released, and although 727 South Dakota applications for more than 42,000 acres were submitted under the general CRP sign-up, only 101 acres were accepted by USDA.

“Drastically restricting the number of general CRP contract enrollment acres in our state removes the option for most expiring large landscape CRP contract acres from being reenrolled in CRP,” the delegation wrote. “And as a result, because they are denied the option to enroll in general CRP contracts, tens of thousands of acres of marginal land in expiring CRP contracts will be returned to crop production, resulting in higher costs to taxpayers due to increased commodity crop base acres and payments, and increased crop insurance subsidy and indemnity payments. In addition, South Dakota’s already shrinking grassland landscape will dwindle at an accelerated pace.”

Thune, Rounds, and Noem also requested that in the absence of a general CRP enrollment in South Dakota, USDA allocate sufficient continuous CRP acres in a timely manner when needed and requested.

While the delegation acknowledges that USDA has accepted more than 37,000 acres in continuous CRP practices effective at the beginning of 2017, they point out that large landscape contracts enrolled under general CRP sign-ups are critically important for reenrollment of expiring contracts and for maximizing CRP’s usefulness in South Dakota.

Full text of the letter can be found below:

Secretary Tom Vilsack
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave., SW
Washington, D.C. 20250

Dear Secretary Vilsack:

We are writing regarding the recently announced results of the 49th general Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) sign-up conducted December 1, 2015, through February 26, 2016. CRP has played a key role in South Dakota’s landscape, outdoor recreation, land stewardship efforts, and economy. However, we are very concerned that with CRP’s dwindling enrollment and loss of general CRP enrollment acres in South Dakota our state will suffer damaging setbacks in these critical areas.

South Dakota landowner interest in CRP remains at very high levels as evidenced by the 727 applications for more than 42,000 acres in the 49th sign-up by South Dakota landowners. However, we are very disappointed that for South Dakota only two CRP offers totaling 101 acres were accepted in the 49th general sign-up.

We appreciate that for fiscal year 2017 more than 37,000 acres have been accepted in continuous CRP in South Dakota as well as more than 18,600 acres in the Grasslands CRP initiative. However, we point out that acreage enrolled under general CRP sign-ups are larger landscape contracts that provide greater environmental and wildlife benefits than continuous CRP practices. In particular, larger acreage general CRP tracts play a critical role in support of South Dakota’s economically significant and treasured pheasant hunting heritage by supporting nesting pheasant needs.

Drastically restricting the number of general CRP contract enrollment acres in our state removes the option for most expiring large landscape CRP contract acres from being reenrolled in CRP. And as a result, because they are denied the option to enroll in general CRP contracts, tens of thousands of acres of marginal land in expiring CRP contracts will be returned to crop production, resulting in higher costs to taxpayers due to increased commodity crop base acres and payments, and increased crop insurance subsidy and indemnity payments. In addition, South Dakota’s already shrinking grassland landscape will dwindle at an accelerated pace.

We request that you reassess the selection process for general CRP sign-ups. It is imperative that each state’s cadre of CRP initiatives and programs that focus on and have successfully addressed specific environmental and wildlife needs remain balanced. An action such as the elimination of the 49th general CRP sign-up enrollment in our state leaves a significant void in CRP’s effectiveness.

We also request that in the absence of a general CRP enrollment in South Dakota that you timely allocate sufficient continuous CRP acres when needed and requested.

Please consider our requests so CRP can continue to successfully function in its key role as a land stewardship tool that protects South Dakota’s marginal land, water, and wildlife.

Sincerely,

John Thune
U.S. Senator

Mike Rounds
U.S. Senator

Kristi Noem
Member of Congress

###

It’s that time of the election cycle again.

When spring is in the air, at a time when we’re likely to see no more snow, the fluorescent postcards begin to bloom, as courtesy of the Lautenschlager held South Dakota Gun Owners organization, they spread silliness and poo all over the state’s Republican primaries.

A reader received this one, and just snapped one side for me, but I’m sure there’s more of them coming. Just like last election, as you’ll see in this silly example from 2014, which was a lot of BS:

What’s the big difference from between this year, and last year?

Did I say South Dakota Gun Owners?  Um, that might be debatable. This year the fluorescent postcards are flocking in from on a Rocky Mountain High, as they arrive from Loveland, Colorado. Not Rapid City, where they they were formerly based. That’s because the head of the Lautenschlager group doing all the fluorescent attack postcards, Zach Lautenschlager, hasn’t been living in South Dakota for a while…

…hence the need for the attacks to be launched from two states away.

Can they legitimately call themselves the South Dakota Gun Owners PAC if it’s being ran out of Colorado?  Maybe they could put an asterisk behind it, for the sake of disclosure?  (We’ll watch for it on the others. Or at least the others that show up on time.)

Either way, some of this year’s postcards seem to be remarkable in that a few seem to be traipsing in from “elsewhere,” as they alternately cajole or cheer candidates,

Not just coming via the postcard from the South Dakota Colorado* Gun Owners  above, D35 Senate Candidate Tina Mulalley seems to be getting much of her campaign support from parts elsewhere, as there’s yet another cheer-leading postcard for her originating from several states away – this time, Indiana:

At least she didn’t note “Small Business Owner Supporting Indiana-Made Products” under her “Grow Jobs” section.

(*And no, it’s not that she didn’t use me, I’m completely up to my eyeballs this election season, and just keep getting busier. It’s just silly to go to Indiana to print or mail.)

Just got this in my e-mail.

Do you think there will be free stuff?  Like Political buttons? Or College Tuition? (one of those).

Sanders Campaign to Open South Dakota Office

May 18, 2016

Sioux Falls, S.D. – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ campaign on Wednesday will formally open its Sioux Falls field office. This is the campaign’s first office in the state.

South Dakota is one of the six states voting on June 7.

Here is the itinerary:

Wednesday, May 18
7 p.m. Sioux Falls Office Opening, Sioux Falls Campaign Office, 335 N. Main Street
Information for the public: Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, but RSVPs are strongly encouraged.

###

Noem Testifies on Legislation Protecting Tribes from Costly Employer Mandate

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Kristi Noem today testified before the House Ways and Means Committee on her Tribal Employment and Jobs Protection Act, which would protect Native American tribes from the Affordable Care Act’s costly employer mandate. The federal government is already responsible for providing healthcare to tribal members.  Imposing the employer mandate on them is unnecessary and duplicative.  Without relief, tribal governments could be required to cut important services while tribally-owned businesses could be forced to cut jobs.

Quote of the day, from Jay Williams rousing endorsement at the Bernie Sanders Rally in memorial park in Rapid City, May 12, 2016:

“I support the fiercely principled and moral US senator, Bernie Sanders, who has staked his entire adult life fighting for the interests of the American people regardless of race, religion, or economic status.”

– Jay Williams wrapping his arms around Bernie Sanders.

Did he say moral? (Link contains adult language.)

That quote of the day is free, by the way. Bernie-type free.

Which means, someone else is paying for it.

Thune, Colleagues Pressure CME to Reassess and Delay Proposed Price Change for South Dakota Live Cattle Delivery Point

“We stringently oppose the CME interfering with the price convergence in only a single market. It would interfere with the process of price discovery based on fundamental supply and demand factors, directly impacting the beef producers in our states.” 

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today led nine of his colleagues in writing to the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) about its status review of the Worthing, South Dakota, delivery point for October live cattle futures. The Worthing delivery point is being singled out for a potential $1.50 per hundredweight (cwt) discount for the October live cattle futures contracts. If implemented, this discount would hurt South Dakota and surrounding states’ cattle feedlot operators who use October live cattle futures with the Worthing delivery point as a hedging tool.

“While we acknowledge the potential logistical issues associated with the high number of deliveries, we stringently oppose the CME interfering with the price convergence in only a single market,” the members wrote. “It would interfere with the process of price discovery based on fundamental supply and demand factors, directly impacting the beef producers in our states.”

In the letter, the members request the CME:

• Delay any proposed price modification action that would impact any October 2017 and later month contracts.
• Commission an independent study executed by one or more land grant institutions to analyze the three-year economic impact of the proposed discount for October contract month deliveries to Worthing, South Dakota.
• Analyze the results of the study, which should include a comprehensive review of all delivery points and the impact of live cattle deliveries on price convergence.

In March, Thune requested an extension of the comment period for the CME proposal, which was subsequently granted. Today’s follow-up letter was necessary to continue applying pressure on the CME and reiterate the members’ strong opposition to this targeting.

Late last month, the South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, and Minnesota Cattlemen’s Associations wrote a separate letter to the CME and echoed many of the concerns expressed by Thune and his colleagues.

Joining Thune on the letter were U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), and U.S. Reps. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) and Rod Blum (R-Iowa).

Full text of the letter can be found below:

Mr. Tim Andriesen
Managing Director
Agricultural Commodities and Alternative Investments
CME Group
20 South Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL  60606

Dear Mr. Andriesen:

We write to you regarding the proposed amendment to the Live Cattle future rules which would add a seasonal discount of $1.50/cwt on October contract month deliveries tendered to Worthing, South Dakota.

The Worthing delivery area is a viable cattle feeding region that has seen cattle on feed numbers increase steadily over the last decade, and we are firmly opposed to singling out the Worthing delivery point for discount. The Live Cattle Futures market is one of the few, but important, risk management tools available to help beef producers offset their risk; and the proposed discount is prejudicial to our region.

While history indicates local supply and demand conditions in one specific market at one specific time of year might require a higher level of deliveries to bring about price convergence, there is no indication that delivery as a means to achieve convergence isn’t working.

While we acknowledge the potential logistical issues associated with the high number of deliveries, we stringently oppose the CME interfering with the price convergence in only a single market. It would interfere with the process of price discovery based on fundamental supply and demand factors, directly impacting the beef producers in our states.

We also point out that for comparison and analysis purposes that rather than using the All Grades weekly average, only deliverable-grade (Choice 2-3 steers) prices should be used to determine basis. Over the past two years due to tight fed cattle supplies and falling corn prices, fewer months with Choice 2-3 steers have been reported. Accordingly, using a general price series may not provide the same insights and results as restricting the comparison to only delivery-grade cattle.

We request that you:

• Delay any proposed price modification action that would impact any October 2017 and later month contracts;
• Commission an independent study executed by one or more of the land grant institutions in South Dakota, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Iowa that analyzes the three-year economic impact to cattle producers in South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and North Dakota due to a $1.50/cwt discount to October contract month deliveries to Worthing, South Dakota. This study should also include a comprehensive review of all delivery points and the impact of live cattle deliveries on price convergence.

Thank you for your consideration of our input. We look forward to working with CME Group to ensure the Live Cattle Futures Contract remains a viable risk management tool for the beef producers of our region.

CC:      Phupinder S. Gill, Chief Executive Office, CME

###

Rick Weiland: Sponsor of ballot question called “the South Dakota Government Accountability and Anti-Corruption Act,” which takes money from taxpayers to give to politicians via public funding for campaigns.   Which is the opposite of “anti-corruption.”

Adam Weiland: from KELO….  “(Weiland) will lead a team dedicated to organizing and engaging South Dakotan voters in conversations about Hillary Clinton’s plans to break down the barriers holding South Dakotans back,” the campaign said in a statement.”

Somehow, I think that’s going to be an opposite again.