One of South Dakota’a worst legislators, Dylan “DJ Jazzy” Jordan, who lives in his grandma’s basement, has a Christmas message out this weekend which doesn’t sound very Christmasy as he brags how he voted against the budget this last session and plans to bring legislation that benefits no one, and wants to spread communicable childhood diseases that can kill:

We need to get our government back in control. It was an honor to vote NAY on every tax and fee increase that came up for vote (except one that helped local sheriff offices/affected mainly collection agencies). In addition, I voted as NAY to one of the top three budgets in SD History and voted NAY against the soon-to-be billion-dollar prison.

and..

Further, we need to ban taxpayer funded lobbying. Your tax dollars should not be used to lobby against you! I know of two bills that would address this issue. I will work hard to get this passed.

and..

I’m also planning on working with other legislators on other issues such as education, pro-life policies, medical freedom and any other bill that will promote freedom and help us be able to keep the American and South Dakota spirit alive and well. Let’s live the life in District 4 that the devil wants to cancel!

It’s amazing that the guy who touted his pledge to have passenger jets shot down by the national guard is trying to explain how he’s proud of voting against the budget.  I know I’ve covered this before..

..what exactly did these legislators actually vote NO on?  Here’s a tremendously small and fractional sampling of the things they voted against:

• They voted against our military & veterans – Ellsworth Air Force Base, funding the South Dakota National Guard, the Veteran’s hospital, and County Veteran Service officers
• They voted against supporting South Dakota housing.
• They voted against workforce education, including resources for (again) veterans, new and expecting moms, and disabled people who want to work
• They voted against healthcare facilities, repairing state buildings, paying for claims against the state, or covering employees through the state insurance pool
• They voted against having their own state e-mail account. Or their own laptops. Or their own iPads.
• The voted against libraries, public broadcasting, and having a state radio network that emergency and law enforcement can communicate on.
• They voted against auditing state government.
• They voted against collecting and distributing sales tax to cities.
• They voted against having video lottery, or managing gaming in Deadwood.
• They voted against resource conservation & forestry.
• They voted against the Animal Industry Board, the Dairy Association, the Wheat Commission, the Oilseeds council, the Board of Veterinary examiners, the Corn Utilization Council, and the South Dakota State Fair in Huron.
• They voted against tourism, the arts, wildlife development, all the state parks, and snowmobile trails.
• They voted against every penny that went from the state to tribal relations.
• They voted against mothers and babies in need of public assistance. They voted against anyone in behavioral health settings, those with addictions, they cast a NO vote to supporting the disabled and more.
• They voted against licensing any and all professions.
• They voted against all vo-tech schools and universities, as well as job service offices and services.
• They voted against schools, teachers and students. And libraries.
• These legislators voted against processing rape kits for crime victims, funding 911 calls, putting cops on the street, paying judges to keep order, and the opposed keeping bad guys in jail.
• They voted against regulating utilities.
• They voted against people to keep an eye on how the state spends money.
• They voted against paying state employees.. and well anything for government.

  They can try to claim that it’s some sort of goofy protest vote. But it’s no different than the fools who drive to a protest and then proceed to block traffic. They’re accomplishing nothing, except possibly adding to people’s annoyance factor.

You can read that here.  DJ Jordan can brag about voting against nursing homes, hospitals, libraries, roads and law enforcement. But when you look at the details, the ‘conservative’ argument falls apart. Unless you like it when dams break because they haven’t been repaired. Or you hate that snowplow that comes by after storms.

Jordan’s work on education in the past has consisted of being a lobbyist’s pet legislator and bringing the bill that his out-of-state Libertarian lobbying group was promoting, so I would not expect that any of the legislation he’s claiming he’ll bring this upcoming is going to be different. Oh, and Translate ‘medical freedom’ to actually mean getting rid of childhood vaccinations, so we can see more outbreaks of measles whenever someone walks through a crowded airport.

Telling people that you were proud to try to cut off funding for nursing homes, law enforcement, and vocational education, at the same time you’re seeking to make kids sicker is a strange Christmas message.  But, that’s what we see all too often in the state legislature nowadays.

May God bless us all this holiday season. Because we’re going to need it.

From South Dakota Public Broadcasting, the current chairman of the South Dakota Republican Party is telling people that they need to raise money for next years’ state convention. Because they want to provide state convention goers free meals at the convention?

Filings show a $9,000 transfer from the SDGOP’s state account in December and $4,800 in October. The party has transferred nearly $20,000 this year. That has some GOP supporters worried.

Jim Eschenbaum is chair of the SD GOP. In an interview with SDPB, he said his biggest concern is looking ahead to the coming summer and the 2026 election.

“The biggest question with the convention committee is whether the convention attendees are going to have to pay for their own meals or not,” Eschenbaum said. “If we pay for their meals, we need about $130-150,000 to make convention happen. If we make them pay for their own meals at convention, we can do convention for about $50,000 or $60,000.”

and..

“Fundraising is tough. I was in Miami in May for spring training, RNC spring training, and I stood up in front of that assembly all 50 states and I says, ‘Hey what do you guys do to raise money for your state party?”

and..

SDPB reached out to SD GOP Treasurer Rep. Tina Mulally repeatedly about the funds, when they will be reflected on FEC filings, if donations are being made to the state account and other questions. Mullally’s only response via text message was “Our fundraising efforts will continue.”

Read the entire tale of woe here.

Sure… it’s all about providing a free lunch.  I know I’ve been going to the state convention since long before the 32-year former Democrat posing as the chairman changed parties. Show of hands – how many long-time convention-going Republicans reading have ever been provided a feee lunch at convention?

I’ve talked to the people who have signed the contracts for many conventions, including this one, which had already been signed before the chairman walked in the door.  He’s claiming that it may cost $50-60k? HA!  The facilities are very strict about mandatory meal purchases, and they charge for EVERYTHING, right down to the cable connecting the microphone. I was told by party insiders that people should anticipate this convention will cost $125k or more.

I seem to keep recalling what Eschenbaum said when he first became chair; how “We don’t need any more money thrown to the state GOP than what we need to operate.”

According to public broadcasting, it sounds like Chairman Eschenbaum is in the process of figuring out that the job might not exactly be what he expected.

South Dakota Democrats had a heavier burn rate on the federal side this month, but unlike South Dakota Republicans, they raised more than zero, according to the latest FEC report from the South Dakota Democrat Party:

SDDP December FEC 2025 by Pat Powers

SDDP reports $35,844.96 raised, against $46,476.97 spent. But when you have a pile of cash in the bank, it’s NBD. And they were left with $53,968.47 to take them into the new year.

It’s less that they’re running with $20k more than the GOP in the federal account – and more that they’re running with 50 PAGES OF REGULAR DONORS in their report – something the Jim Eschenbaum’s version of the SDGOP sorely lacks as we end the “off year.”

The world is ran by those who show up.

Stay tuned.

President Trump Signs Johnson’s Wounded Knee Memorial Bill into Law

 

Washington, D.C. – Today, the Wounded Knee Massacre Memorial and Sacred Site Act, introduced by U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), was signed into law by President Trump.

“It has been almost 135 years to the day of the tragedy that unfolded at Wounded Knee and today, the president signed my bill into law to preserve the land where hundreds of lives were lost,” said Johnson. “I am grateful the Oglala and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribes will be able to hold this land in perpetuity as a way to honor and memorialize the lost.”

“As we approach the 135th anniversary of the Wounded Knee Massacre, we are pleased that the United States has recognized the legacy and sacrifice of our ancestors and that it has finally pledged federal protection for our hallowed land at the massacre site,” said Frank Star Comes Out, President, Oglala Sioux Tribe. “This bill is an important step in the healing process for our Lakota people.”

“The President signed the Wounded Knee Massacre Memorial and Sacred Site Act,” said Ryman LeBeau, Chairman, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. “The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and our Wounded Knee Survivor Association, acting in consultation with our Oglala Sioux relatives, believed that it was very important that our Wounded Knee Massacre Sacred Site is in the name of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and Oglala Sioux Tribe, subject to the protections of our 1868 Treaty. The House, Senate and the President have agreed, so that we may remember and honor our relatives we lost at Wounded Knee, now and in future generations. The Act and the Report also acknowledge the history of the Wounded Knee Massacre and America’s Apology. On behalf of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, we say Wopila, with special thanks to Representative Johnson, Senator Rounds and Senator Thune. This is a good day for our Lakota oyáté (people)!”

After months of working in coordination with the Oglala Sioux Tribe and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Johnson introduced the legislation last Congress which passed the House unanimously but was not voted on by the U.S. Senate. Johnson reintroduced the bill in January 2025 and it passed the House later that month. The Senate passed Johnson’s legislation in December.

The Senate companion bill is led by U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and John Thune (R-S.D.).

Wounded Knee Massacre Background:

In the late 1880s, a movement called the Ghost Dance swept across the nation. Indians believed that this dance would give stolen land back to the Indians, bringing about a renewal of Native society. Indians would join together, wearing shirts they believed would protect them from bullets, to dance for this renewal, all at the protest of the federal government.

On December 29, 1890, a group of Lakota Indians led by Chief Spotted Elk had made camp near Wounded Knee Creek on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. There, U.S. Army 7th Calvary troops were sent to disarm the Lakota. A struggle occurred between the U.S. Army and some of Chief Spotted Elk’s band – a majority of which consisted of women and children. A shot rang out, and the U.S. Army opened fire on the largely unarmed group, massacring an estimated up to 350-375 Lakota Indians. Twenty-five U.S. soldiers also died.

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Governor Rhoden Announces Debate Plans

Rapid City, SD – Today, Governor Larry Rhoden announced his plans to participate in statewide debates during the 2026 gubernatorial primary. Governor Rhoden accepted two statewide debates that have been announced and laid out a recommendation for one additional gubernatorial and a lieutenant gubernatorial debate.

“This election is not about who I’m running against, but what I’m running for: to keep South Dakota strong, safe, and free,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “I realize that debates are a crucial tool for South Dakotans to contrast the candidates’ records and their ideas for the state’s future. Being Governor is a full-time job, and the debates that are scheduled should have a statewide media broadcast to reach the most South Dakotans possible.”

Governor Rhoden accepted the two debates that have already been announced:

• An April 13 debate co-hosted by South Dakota Public Broadcasting and South Dakota News Watch; and
• An April 27 debate co-hosted by the Dakota Scout and Forum News, which includes print and TV outlets on both sides of the state.

“I would welcome a third gubernatorial debate, and the media outlets should also offer a lieutenant gubernatorial debate, since that position is vitally important for our state’s future, as well,” continued Governor Rhoden.

Lieutenant Governor Tony Venhuizen also invited the other campaigns to put forward their lieutenant governor selections for a lieutenant gubernatorial debate.

“Governor Rhoden is built for this moment. He is proof that who you choose as your running mate matters, given that he became our 34th Governor after Secretary Noem’s confirmation,” said Lieutenant Governor Tony Venhuizen. “I would enjoy the opportunity to discuss our state’s future with the lieutenant governor challengers.”

The primary election is June 2, 2026. To learn more about the Rhoden for Governor campaign, visit GovernorLarryRhoden.com.

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Christmas Old and New
By Sen. John Thune

The Christmas season is here, and with it come the familiar sights, sounds, and smells of yuletide. To this day, the smell of lutefisk and lefse still brings me back to Christmas Eve at my grandmother’s house. While the Thune family has since replaced my grandmother’s Norwegian fare with clam chowder on Christmas Eve, the warm feeling of gathering with family to celebrate the birth of our Savior is still the same as it was all those years ago.

When I was growing up in Murdo, Christmas was always a special time of year. We were a caroling family in a caroling church, and we would go to our neighbors’ houses to sing and spread Christmas cheer. And on Christmas Eve, we would all pile into the car to go to Grandma’s before we continued on to the Christmas Eve service in Okaton.

This time of year, we could usually count on there being snow on the ground, and we were ever eager to sled down Jackson Avenue. Hopefully, a new and faster sled would appear under the tree, too. These days, I’m not-so-eager for snow since it means multiple rounds of snow-shoveling. I’d rather be sledding. Or doing anything else, for that matter.

Our grandchildren bring us plenty of joy on Christmas. This year, Kimberley and I welcomed our sixth grandchild to the family, and we’re looking forward to celebrating his first Christmas. For us, Christmas Eve is still the main event, with the Christmas Eve service and gathering with family. We read the Christmas story to the kids, and we gather around the tree for presents.

In the entire year, there may be nothing I cherish more than opening the Bible and having the grandkids piling on to hear the story of God’s greatest gift to humanity: His Son. “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people,” the angel tells the shepherds. This story, however familiar, never grows tired. This good news is never old news. It touches the heart, and it reminds us of what truly matters.

From my family to yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

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Protecting American Trade
By Rep. Dusty Johnson
December 19, 2025

BIG Update

Ocean shipping is the backbone of international trade, allowing American products to be sold in other countries while giving American businesses and consumers access to goods we don’t make. Even in America’s heartland, ocean shipping is an integral part of our economy.

My bill to reauthorize the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) passed the House unanimously this week. My bill will ensure the FMC can continue doing its job to protect American businesses, producers, and consumers from China’s abuse of America’s ocean shipping laws.

This legislation establishes a formal process to report complaints against shipping exchanges and requires the FMC to report on anticompetitive business practices. It also eliminates redundancies in FMC’s reporting requirements.

Click here or the image above for Johnson’s remarks

BIG Idea

It’s clear the health care system in America is broken. The Affordable Care Act made health care unaffordable for the American family with many paying more for their health insurance than they pay for their mortgage or rent. The answer to this crisis is not to write more checks to big insurance companies.

I voted for the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act which would lower premium costs by 11%. This plan also brings transparency to pharmacy benefit managers and removes hidden costs for prescription drugs.

This plan also allows small business owners and independent workers to form associate health plans and provides more choices for employees to customize their health care plans.

BIG News

The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act passed the House this week and now heads to the president’s desk. This bill allows schools to serve whole and 2% milk during lunch in addition to reduced fat options.

It’s important that our kids have healthy options in the lunchroom. Whole milk is filled with essential nutrients that help kids succeed in school. I drink milk every day for lunch and am excited that our kids will now have the same option.

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The Spirit of Christmas
By: Gov. Larry Rhoden
December 19, 2025

Growing up on our family ranch near Union Center, the holiday season was always a time of simple joys. The ornaments might not have been the fanciest, but they were ours – and they reflected the true meaning of Christmas. At the heart of it all was the story of Christ’s birth, a reminder of hope, humility, and sacrifice. That celebration and connection kept us grounded through the long winter ahead.

Similar celebrations are taking place in homes across South Dakota. And we also recognize the traditions of all who call South Dakota home. We recently lit a menorah in the Rotunda of the State Capitol alongside our Christmas trees. It was a great opportunity to honor our Jewish neighbors and the religious freedoms that allow all faiths to flourish in South Dakota.

South Dakota is a place where faith, family, and freedom aren’t just words – they’re the foundation of our way of life. We’ve worked hard to protect those values, ensuring that families can celebrate Christmas without the burdens of overreaching government or economic uncertainty. Our low taxes and balanced budget have kept more money in your pockets. This allows you to focus on what matters: gathering with loved ones, giving to those in need, and building brighter futures for our kids.

Take our economy, for instance. South Dakota has the lowest unemployment rate in the nation – our people are thriving. Whether you’re a rancher checking cattle in the crisp morning air or a small business owner in Sioux Falls preparing holiday shipments, our pro-growth policies have created opportunities that echo the generosity of the season.

Education is another area where we’re celebrating hope and opportunity. We want every child in South Dakota to have access to quality learning, whether in public schools, homeschooling, or innovative programs that prepare them for trades or higher education. We’re giving our children the gift of the tools they need to succeed. And let’s not forget public safety – our commitment to law enforcement means safer communities where families can enjoy the holidays without fear.

Amid these achievements, Christmas calls us to humility. The King of Kings humbled Himself and came to us as a baby, reminding us what true servant leadership looks like. In a world that often seems divided, South Dakota stands as a beacon of civility and common sense. We recognize that the season’s true gift is caring for one another, so we give that gift in abundance.

This Christmas, let’s embrace that South Dakota grit and heart of service – the kind that gets us through blizzards and builds strong communities. To our farmers, teachers, first responders, and families: thank you for making this state special. From my family to yours, Merry Christmas. May the peace of the season fill your homes, and may God bless South Dakota.

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Thune: Democrats Delay Bipartisan Appropriations Bills

“I want this body to know that I remain as committed as ever to funding the government through the regular-order process.”

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor:

Click here to watch the video.

 

On Credit Scores, Governments Blunder, Taxpayers Wonder
by Pete Sepp

Taxpayers have a huge stake in ensuring that financial risks are properly and predictably measured for the government loan programs they have been forced to backstop. Credit scores are vital tools for taking those measurements, so the loan space has common reference points for creditworthiness.

But a recent evaluation from American Enterprise Institute (AEI) analysts shows that a years-long effort from the government to create “competition” out of thin air for the credit scoring market may have left taxpayers no better off—and perhaps even worse off.

AEI explored that proposition after a VantageScore White Paper claimed its VantageScore 4.0 model had a clear edge over FICO’s longstanding product by predicting “up to 49% more mortgage defaults leading into the COVID-19 pandemic period than Classic FICO.”

This would normally be great news for taxpayers, who are depending on the most accurate credit score environment possible to help avoid costly bailouts of bad loans going forward.

Unfortunately, AEI found that after adjusting for “methodological inconsistencies and selection bias,” VantageScore’s contentions may not be up to snuff:

Once these issues are corrected, the purported performance advantage of VantageScore 4.0 largely disappears. While VantageScore 4.0 has a marginal advantage over Classic FICO in capturing high risk loans within the bottom risk decile, the difference is relatively small. Across the full sample, Classic FICO performs as well as, and in some cases better than, VantageScore 4.0 on several key predictive measures.

But isn’t AEI going out on a limb in drawing its own conclusions? If so, others are sitting in the same tree with them. In late 2024, an Urban Institute study concluded that:

[b]oth credit scoring models effectively distinguish between high-risk and low-risk borrowers,” and even though “VantageScore 4.0 is marginally more effective at identifying high-risk borrowers from among those with the lowest credit scores . . . the differences are small.

The Milliman firm, which assisted with NTU’s policy paper on credit scoring in 2019, conducted its own side-by-side comparison last year and observed “there is information in using both credit scores in evaluating mortgage default risk,” specifically noting “the default rates are generally consistent between scores, but caution should be used when using Vantage directly in existing mortgage models.”

After the 2018 passage of legislation directing Fannie and Freddie’s watchdog, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to develop a process for evaluating credit score models, in 2022 FHFA finally approved two that the GSEs could use: VantageScore 4.0 and the newer FICO 10T. Incoming FHA Director Bill Pulte’s unexpected decision just three months ago to instead “allow” Fannie and Freddie-handled loans to use either VantageScore 4.0 or Classic FICO further roiled lending markets.

VantageScore (owned by three credit bureaus perched elsewhere in the loan ecosystem) is sure to fire back at AEI and others to defend its turf, while the AEI, Urban Institute, and Milliman studies all have important caveats.

Nonetheless, taxpayers are left to wonder whether they are on any safer ground with government mortgage liabilities now than they were when lawmakers and regulators pushed the credit score competition issue seven years ago.

Three of the four studies referenced above found varying, and relatively small differences in the predictability of the two models. And for these small differences, lenders may be incurring major overhead for converting operations to both models that could raise costs for borrowers.

Less scrupulous actors might also be tempted to play off one score against another in each loan situation to qualify as many borrowers as possible—a “gaming” scenario that defeats the purpose of the models in predicting risk, while leaving taxpayers to guarantee an even bigger government-backed lending portfolio.

Instead of more blunders that imperil the nation’s finances, taxpayers need a policy reset now from both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue. It starts with a full disclosure from FHFA, internal documents and all, about how it arrived at the 2022 credit score competition decision. And as NTU testimony has demonstrated, taxes are by far the single biggest consideration in a consumer’s mortgage closing costs.

Congress at least recognized that problem by making Private Mortgage Insurance a more attractive, tax-deductible product via the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. States and localities need to do their part by reducing transfer taxes and rationalizing the building permit process.

Meanwhile, stronger capital requirements, policies to encourage reinsurance and risk transfer away from taxpayers in the mortgage market, and a genuine plan for government divestment of the GSEs all deserve thoughtful formulation from federal leaders. These approaches will create a stronger housing market that will encourage better predictive tools to evolve organically, rather than at government’s spearpoint.

In a recent op-ed for National Mortgage News, the authors of the AEI study concluded, “given the trillions in mortgage debt, millions of borrowers, and immense taxpayer exposure, it is essential that the debate be grounded in facts rather than marketing.”

Taxpayers agree . . . and they are still wondering when public officials will recognize the need for that debate to happen.