South Dakota’s senior US Senator John Thune is the first featured speaker in South Dakota Strong’s “Leaders Up Close” series out in Rapid City on May 19th:

You can put it on your calendars, and find out more here!

The US Attorney’s office has released notice that former US Attorney and outgoing Democrat Party chair Randy Seiler has passed away after suffering a heart attack this last week.

Please keep his family in your prayers.

From Twitter:

The top six states with clean energy are powered primarily by nuclear or hydropower.

Not solar or wind.

Whether they know it or not, when “environmentalists” advocate against hydropower and nuclear, they advocate for INCREASING fossil fuels.

(1/6) pic.twitter.com/7lg9EoqBGN

— Benji Backer (@BenjiBacker) April 17, 2023

Gov. Noem Applauds Passage of Social Studies Standards

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem  applauded the passage of the social studies standards revisions by the Board of Education Standards:

“Today is a wonderful day for the students in South Dakota. They are our future,” said Governor Noem. “Now, they will be taught the best social studies education in the country, one that is a true accounting of our history. We want our children to have honest and factual classroom teaching so they can be engaged participants in our civil society for the rest of their lives.”

Department of Education Secretary Dr. Joseph Graves also celebrated the passage of the standards revisions:

“Growing majorities of Americans lack fundamental understanding of the nation’s governmental structure and history,” said Secretary Joseph Graves. “Passage of these standards is an important step in equipping South Dakota students with the solid grounding in history and civics they need to exercise their role as citizens. The board previously approved an extended, two-year timeline for implementing the standards. The department stands ready to support that implementation with professional development and standards-aligned resources.”

Starting in June, the Department of Education, along with the Historical Society and the Office of Indian Education, will start a two-year implementation period to help current teachers learn how to put the standards into practice for our students. Highlights include a History and Civics Summit in Sioux Falls for a thousand teachers, a state history “Road Trip” for another 240 teachers, and a web site to support the integration of state and Native American history throughout K-12 for teachers, students, and parents.

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Oh my gosh, did I get a great Capital Fight item in the mail today. A fully illustrated 32-page brochure for the last South Dakota capital fight extolling the virtues of “Picturesque Pierre.” And one that spends as much time-trash talking those scurrilous slanderers of Mitchell as they do extolling the virtues of Pierre. It might be one of the single best pieces I’ve run across that shows the lengths that these communities went to in fighting for hosting the South Dakota State Capital.

You get awesome passages such as “Mitchell proceeds to libel and vilify it through local and itinerant knockers and by newspapers and other campaign literature. But when charged with such libel and vilification, Mitchell hypocritically denies that she has knocked the western half of the state.”

And that’s one of the mild attacks on it’s competitor to be the seat of government for South Dakota.. here’s another passage:

“What would you think of a proposition, made by any special and selfish interest of any single community in the state, or by any bunch of conspirators connected therewith, which, merely for its own real estate boom, should attempt to smite and libel and slander and slap in the face every acre of the more than two millions comprised in these seven southeastern counties of the state?

What would you think of the consummate nerve of such a bunch if it should go to the owners of all the real estate in these seven southeastern counties and ask them to help in this libel and slander of their own millions of acres?”

That is just great stuff.

Sharing a few pages from the brochure, you can see why I’m absolutely giddy to get my hands on this great piece of history.

On the cover is the old Capital, located at the present day location of the Retailer’s Building, across the street from the current one…

Page 2 has the Hughes County Courthouse, which I believe they’ve redone the roof in the intervening years, as well as the Old Federal Courthouse and Post Office, which has been donated to the state, and has been state offices for decades now. I used to work there many years ago when the Division of Insurance was in the building.

Some pictures showing the fertility of the region.. with the header of one the Capital Fight Slogans, “Pierre, Progress and Prosperity”

Three of the banks in Pierre at the time, one of those corner buildings might still be there…

and the back cover with the view across and down the street from the temporary Capital..  Not sure if any of that’s left, although that might be the methodist church far in the background.. or the old high school.

If you’re into the history of our state, this is great stuff, and a unfiltered glimpse into how rough and tumble politics could be 120 years ago.

The Minnehaha County GOP Fundraising machine is back at work. And it looks like they’re going for the big bucks.

We’ll have to watch and see how much they can raise by selling Shawn Tornow’s old golf pants and tomato cages.

As someone who was in the auction business for a number of years doing estate sales, at least from my experience, the old reader’s digest books, shoes and clothes are usually the things that end up in the dumpster after the sale as opposed to bringing the big bucks.

This is getting kind of painful to watch.

Paul Lloyd Announces Campaign for Rapid City School Board Area Five

RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA – Paul Lloyd announces his candidacy for the Rapid City School Board Area Five. Paul is a dedicated father and grandfather. He and his wife, Lynn Lloyd, moved to Rapid City in 2004 where his daughters attended West Middle School and Stevens High School.

Paul is passionate about helping our students become successful in today’s education environment. He is focused on making sure our students’ education comes first and that we are BUILDING OUR FUTURE leaders of South Dakota.

“I look forward to forming a campaign that Rapid City parents and grandparents can be proud of.” said Paul Lloyd “I believe our children and students deserve leaders on the school board who will prepare them for a future beyond academia.”

Paul believes we need to bring vocational education back to Rapid City and help our students achieve higher math and reading comprehension levels to compete with the growing educational gaps among Rapid City Area Schools students and the national standards.

The Rapid City Area Schools represents 26 schools and serves 12,814 students. According to US News, Rapid City Area Schools has a 68% graduation rate and a 22.5 out of 100 ranking in college readiness.

Paul has previously worked in business, ministry, social services and education. Paul has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama in Human Resource Management, a Master of Divinity from Samford University, and a Master of Science of Education from Black Hills State University.

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Providing for a strong national defense is one of the core responsibilities of the federal government. Ensuring our men and women in uniform have what they need to defend against any threat is a responsibility I take very seriously. I’ve long supported and defended Ellsworth Air Force Base and its airmen not only for their importance to South Dakota, but because I believe their mission as an imperative power projection platform is critical to America’s national security. We live in a dangerous world, and history is full of examples of weakness inviting aggression, which is why I firmly believe that to secure peace, we must maintain strength.

Recent events have underscored the necessity of making sure our military is the top fighting force in the world so that we can deter – and, if necessary, confront – any threat. Unfortunately, President Biden has placed little emphasis on investing in our defense capabilities, even while China dials up its military budget. The budget request the president introduced for next year requests a massive hike for non-defense spending compared to a mere 3.2 percent increase for defense. The president’s proposed increase fails to keep pace with current inflation levels, which means that his defense spending hike is really a defense spending cut. At the same time, we have military services that are struggling to meet recruitment targets, a persistent pilot shortage, and in a number of cases we have too few mission-capable aircraft – all while threats to our security continue to rise. A well-funded, sufficiently manned, and fully equipped military is essential to meeting current and future national security threats.

We’ve seen too much short-sightedness from the Biden administration. At home, open borders and hostility to domestic energy production have weakened our security. Porous borders and lax immigration enforcement are an invitation to criminals, terrorists, and others who seek to harm our country. In February alone, 16 individuals on the terror watch list were apprehended attempting to cross our southern border illegally. On the energy front, hostility to domestic energy production increases our dependence on hostile nations for energy while driving up prices and harming our economic strength.

These actions have also helped to embolden our adversaries. The Chinese surveillance balloon flying over U.S. military bases is just the latest iteration of the Chinese Communist Party spying on Americans. China is also increasingly aggressive toward Taiwan while further aligning with Russia. Iran is moving closer to nuclear capabilities and strengthening its alliances in the Middle East, while its proxies are launching unprovoked attacks against American forces. And Russia’s invasion of Ukraine demonstrates Putin’s imperial ambitions, which likely go beyond Ukraine.

It’s hard not to draw a line from these emboldened adversaries to the Biden administration’s colossal failure in its handling of the withdrawal from Afghanistan, which sent a clear message of weakness to the world. The after-action report recently released by the administration reiterates yet again that it wasn’t our intelligence that failed, it was the president. He failed to heed warnings from military experts and members of Congress and did not adequately prepare for the worst-case scenario that came to pass. The administration’s attempt to label the withdrawal a success, to wholly blame the previous administration, and skirt accountability, indicates that no lesson has been learned from this failure. And it’s a smack in the face to the families of the 13 heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Kabul airlift and dishonors the generation of veterans who fought and died in Afghanistan.

We can’t be certain what challenges the future will bring, but we can make certain that those who would do us harm know that the United States will always meet their threats with strength. Wishful thinking will not make our world safer. We need to remain engaged in the world to pursue peace, but always be ready to respond to those who would jeopardize it. There is no surer way of preserving peace or protecting our heritage of freedom.

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Guest Column: Visiting Our Nation’s Capital
By Nathanael Monroe, Tour Coordinator for Rep. Johnson
April 14, 2023

Summer is coming quickly. Many are planning their summer trips and vacations, and Washington, D.C. is a popular destination for families in South Dakota. Visiting Washington, D.C. can be a life-long memory for many. The list of things to do seems endless: visiting the U.S. Capitol or the White House, standing in awe at the Lincoln Memorial, watching the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, seeing the city from the top of the Washington Monument, or visiting dozens of museums throughout the city. As the tour coordinator for Dusty’s office, I’ve compiled a few ideas to keep in mind when visiting our nation’s capital.

Our office is able to assist in reserving tours of the White House and booking tours of the Capitol, FBI Building, and Supreme Court. We can also provide you with the link to book timed entry passes into the Library of Congress. The best way to do this is by visiting our website. This is the best way to allow me to quickly get to work on securing your trip itinerary. It’s important to remember to fill out this form as early as you can (three months in advance is standard). Although we can get tours closer to the time of your trip, they may be limited or unavailable.

D.C. always has something going on both big and small, and the best times to visit the city are often the busiest. Still, my favorite times of the year have been the fall (middle of September to the middle of November) and spring. Independece Day is another exciting time to visit Washington. But if you are planning a visit in the summer, expect crowds, heat, and humidity.

This city is full of our nation’s rich history around every corner. If you haven’t been to Washington, D.C. yet, I’d recommend a visit sometime soon. I’d also recommend checking out the District’s tourism website Washington.org for comprehensive guides for events, attractions, restaurants, and more. Please contact our office so we can assist you with your travel plans!

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President Reagan famously said, “the nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.” Yet today, too many Americans are still relying on the government for their livelihoods and depend on the government to grant them their Freedoms. They have forgotten that their Liberties do not come from government, they come from God.

While our Founding Fathers created a government that recognizes our God-given rights, “We the People” do not have to ask permission to defend them. God gave us the right to defend ourselves, our families, and our Freedoms.

Here in South Dakota, we have been embracing Liberty and personal responsibility for years, and we are thriving as a result. Our state is setting the standard as the most Second-Amendment-friendly state in the nation.

The very first bill I signed as governor guarantees Constitutional Carry for all law-abiding South Dakotans. I signed legislation to block state and local governments from using an emergency declaration as an excuse to infringe on Second Amendment rights. We strengthened our “Stand Your Ground” law. And we made South Dakota the first state in America to not charge a fee for a concealed carry permit – we’ll even pay for your federal background check.

While leadership in Washington, D.C. has failed time and time again to deliver true, meaningful solutions for this nation, South Dakotans are enjoying the strongest economy in the nation, the lowest unemployment, and unprecedented economic growth. The media may call us crazy for defending our rights, South Dakotans are able to go to sleep at night knowing that they can protect their families.

These things don’t just happen – Freedom generated these blessings.

And it’s not only big government and the media that are attacking our rights. Now, we are seeing banking institutions go after industries they don’t agree with, threaten to withhold funding, cancel loans, or hold them to a different standard. None have been more impacted that those who support the Second Amendment.

I will not stand for it, not in South Dakota.

I have signed an Executive Order to protect the God-given right to keep and bear arms from being infringed upon by financial institutions. My Executive Order, which is effective immediately, blocks state agencies from contracting with large banks that discriminate against firearm-related industries.

Our founders recognized that the right to bear arms is about deterrence. It is about ensuring the government respects the Liberty of citizens. In a letter to James Madison, Thomas Jefferson wrote of his commitment to Freedom. He made his point in Latin, but it translates as, “I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery.”

It is my hope that this is the kind of Freedom the people of South Dakota can enjoy for generations. A Freedom that empowers. A Freedom that respects. And a Freedom that strengthens.

In South Dakota, Freedom is guaranteed.

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