Nostalgia can be bittersweet. Sometimes I miss playing high school basketball – working with teammates; hearing the crowd; the pride of seeing hustle pay off. I loved watching my kids play sports, and I also loved watching Bryon coach, but there’s nothing that’s quite like the thrill of competing yourself – of taking on the opponent and emerging victorious.

Sports teach us a lot of life lessons. Victory teaches us the benefit of hard work, the payoff that comes with pushing just a little bit harder for a little bit longer. Defeat teaches lessons, too. We often learn more from mistakes than from success. In both victory and defeat, sports teach our kids teamwork, which will be invaluable for the rest of their lives.

Earlier this summer, Title IX turned 50. Title IX is the law that guarantees equal opportunity for biological girls in school and in sports. Basically, it guarantees fairness and equal opportunity for girls to learn the lessons of victory, defeat, and teamwork—in the classroom and on the field.

There are some today who want to pervert that and allow biological males to compete in girls’ sports. South Dakota has been clear – there is no way we will allow that to happen.

This year, I wrote and proposed the toughest law in the nation to guarantee that only girls play in girls’ sports in South Dakota at both the K-12 and collegiate level. That bill was the first one that I signed this year, and we held a celebration in the Capitol Rotunda.

But now, the Biden Administration is attempting to undermine fairness for girls by requiring schools to allow boys to play in girls’ sports or else lose lunch money for our kids. Yes, the same Biden Administration that caused a formula shortage for our babies is now literally trying to take food off our kids’ plates. South Dakota isn’t going to stand for it.

This past week, 14 Republican Governors joined me in promising the Biden Administration that if they move forward with this ridiculous interpretation of Title IX, we will take action to protect our kids. After so many calls to “trust the science,” the Biden Administration should recognize the basic biological differences between boys and girls.

Those differences are a wonderful part of life. Some of them are subtle, others profound. And one of the places that they are most evident is on the field of competition. It isn’t complicated – it’s a matter of basic fairness.

South Dakota will always stand for our kids and grandkids. They are the future, and their sports are more than just games for children – they are the building block for lessons and skills that will last a lifetime.

In South Dakota, we believe only girls should play girls’ sports. And we are going to keep it that way.

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Senate President Pro-Tempore Lee Schoenbeck has a column in the Rapid City Journal this AM (hard copy only at moment) discussing the problems with voters relying on cherry picked scorecards that are designed to make “their people” look good. Namely the Citizens for Liberty Scorecard:

Senator Schoenbeck also points out the difference between the cherry-picked scorecard that organizations like CFL puts out, versus the scorecards of groups such as ELEVATE Rapid City that actually go and advocate for issues in the State Legislature:

Pick up a copy of the Rapid City Journal, and read it today.

Word is this Friday afternoon that the Argus Leader is continuing it’s slow implosion after they have shut the presses down and moved them to Iowa.

This afternoon, Joe Sneve, arguably the best political reporter they’ve had in some time, announced his departure on Twitter.

Also hearing word via the grapevine that he’s not the only person departing, and another well known name in the news division is leaving as well.

(Update..) The word is that Jonathan Ellis, the Argus’ other decent political reporter, is also leaving, and the pair will be going into business together, producing a political newsletter. 

We’ll see what the state’s largest paper (as printed out of state) is going to be left with when the dust settles.

I hadn’t caught this until today.

Remember the Grand Gateway Hotel owner Connie Uhre, who in March of this year said she was banning Native Americans from her hotel?

Connie Uhre said in a Facebook comment Sunday that she can “not allow a Native American to enter our business including Cheers,” stating she can’t tell “who is a bad Native or a good Native.”

Read that here.

Of course, that commentary set off city-wide protests, scorching criticism from Rapid City’s Mayor, and a lawsuit. Just for starters.

Apparently, in the recent elections Connie Uhre was also donating to candidate who she believed in, as the final campaign committee report for the Taffy Howard campaign shows this donation:

Uhre made a $300 donation to supplement a prior $20 donation. Coming June 3rd, her dropping cash into the Taffy Howard race came several months after Uhre’s racially offensive comments got her in hot water, and had Taffy Howard still accepting it after the other thing that happened that made the news.

Interesting to see that in the race for Congress, Taffy Howard was the one candidate who Uhre pledged her support to.

From Facebook, after his loss to Marty Jackley in the Attorney General’s race at the Republican State Convention, former States Attorney & DCI Director Dave Natvig plans to be on the ballot this fall in the race for Circuit Court Judge in the 4th Circuit:

You can check it out on his official Facebook page here.

From Facebook:

Over on twitter, SoDak Governors blog author and District 13 State Rep Candidate Tony Venhuizen is noting some of the new entries from states in the rotunda of the US Capital:

Each state gets 2 statues in Statuary Hall. In 2000, Congress allowed states to switch theirs out. This has allowed Kansas to send a very strong duo of new statues: Dwight D. Eisenhower (in 2003) and Amelia Earhart (today). https://t.co/IK5f8GkIsV

— Tony Venhuizen (@Tony_Venhuizen) July 28, 2022

.. based on a law that allows states to swap out statues. As a result of that law, national figures such as Amelia Earhart and Johnny Cash are going to be recognized for their contributions. Which got me wondering, is it time for South Dakota to consider swapping out our figures?

South Dakota is represented by William Henry Harrison Beadle, whom many politically aware South Dakotans know for his work on preserving school lands provision at the South Dakota constitutional convention of 1885.  We are also represented by Joseph Ward, and most everyone has to look him up. Ward was the founder of Yankton College, which ceased operation in 1984, drafted much of the state constitution, composed the state motto and wrote the description for the state seal.

According to the law passed which created the hall in 1864, the purpose of the hall is to commemorate “deceased persons who have been citizens thereof, and illustrious for their historic renown or for distinguished civic or military services such as each State may deem to be worthy of this national commemoration.”

As other states have updated their representation in statuary hall, the question begs itself whether South Dakota should consider updating our figures there as well, possibly to South Dakotans who might be better recognized in contemporary society, versus those who would be recognized a century ago?

Former Governor and Medal of Honor recipient Joe Foss might be towards the front of the line for consideration for his military career, as well as his national prominence with the AFL, the National Aviation Hall of Fame, a decade on television, and his leadership of the National Rifle Association.

I would also suggest South Dakota artist Oscar Howe, who created his own style of abstractionist Native American art, earning him accolades. As an educator, Howe served South Dakota in many capacities as varied from teaching at the Pierre High School to serving as a professor of art for over 25 years at the University of South Dakota.

What say you readers?

If South Dakota was to update our representation in statuary at the US Capital rotunda, which two South Dakotans would you pick for their distinguished civic or military services worthy of national commemoration?

– Just an extra note – Here are the guidelines for the replacement of statues. Which would provide that the statues would go back to the ownership of the state, where South Dakota could display them as appropriate.

Just came across this on the Twitterverse from a field staffer for Democrat Gubernatorial Candidate Jamie Smith. And I think it’s something we can all agree with, Republican or Democrat. That “the Biden administration is painfully weak and wholly inept” and that we need to dump Joe Biden and VP Harris from leading our country.

I’ve got to wonder how many on the Democrat ticket share the same opinion that it’s time to dump Joe Biden?

Gov. Noem and Republican Governors Call on President Biden to Defend Equal Opportunities for Girls and Women

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem led a coalition of 15 Republican Governors urging President Joe Biden to defend equal opportunities for girls and women. In a letter to President Biden, the governors challenge him to reject the rule and policy changes proposed by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which would completely reinterpret Title IX. Title IX was passed 50 years ago to prevent discrimination “on the basis of sex” in education and athletic competition.

“Over the past two years, we have heard calls from many in our society to ‘trust the science’ with regards to the COVID-19 pandemic,” wrote Governor Noem and her colleagues. “We ask your Administration to trust the science on human biology; to realize that there are real, wonderful biological differences between women and men; to understand that those differences impact us in many ways – some subtle, some profound; to recognize that athletic competition is one of the arenas in which these differences are the most striking.”

The Governors took particular issue with the implications of these policy changes for the National School Lunch Program. “To be clear, your Administration would take lunch money away from our kids and grandkids in pursuit of a radical agenda that has no basis in science and which is not supported by the vast majority of the American people,” wrote the governors.

A federal judge recently blocked DOE’s Title IX “guidance” on the grounds that it “directly interferes with and threatens Plaintiff States’ ability to continue enforcing their state laws.” Earlier this year, South Dakota passed the toughest law in the country to defend fairness in girls’ sports.

The Governors also echoed arguments made by Republican Attorneys General, pointing out that the proposed policy changes from DOE and USDA impose new and unlawful regulatory measures in violation of the Administrative Procedures Act.

The letter was led by Governor Kristi Noem and co-signed by Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Idaho Governor Brad Little, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves, Missouri Governor Mike Parson, Montana Governor Greg Gianforte, Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, Virginia Governor Glenn Younkin, and Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon.

You can find the Governors’ letter to President Biden here.

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Johnson Polls South Dakota, 94% Facing Inflationary Pressure

Washington, D.C. – This week, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) urged President Biden to reject unnecessary government spending following survey results where 94 percent of South Dakota respondents stated they were experiencing inflation. Read the full letter here.

Johnson surveyed thousands of constituents asking if they are experiencing higher prices at the grocery store, gas station, restaurants, and department stores. 94 percent of participants responded yes; they are experiencing higher prices.

“I conducted a poll of thousands of South Dakotans, and the results were overwhelming – 94 percent of survey participants responded they are experiencing higher prices at the grocery store, gas station, restaurants, and department stores,” said Johnson. “These prices are making it harder for individuals and families to make ends meet, and have created dilemmas for state construction projects, police departments, and school districts. Higher prices are affecting South Dakota across the board.

“Solutions like my bill, the Ocean Shipping Reform Act, year-round E15, and increasing domestic energy production can counteract this pressure. I urge you to resist calls from my colleagues to spend our way out of this crisis and turn your focus to policies that will unleash American energy.”

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the consumer price index was 9.1 percent higher in June compared to a year ago. Despite government spending exacerbating inflationary pressure, Democrat leadership is pushing for an additional reconciliation spending package.

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