From Governor Kristi Noem via twitter:
It’s remarkable how quickly Democrats have embraced socialism. When I served in Congress, I knew that some members were socialists, but they’d never say it publicly. They do now.
We need to educate our kids on how socialism destroys lives, how it is contrary to American values.
— Kristi Noem (@KristiNoem) January 4, 2021
For Republicans who have attended GOP dinners for years, autographed Kristi Noem memorabilia has been selling for some time to help raise money for the local organizations while she served in Congress and during the first two years of her administration as Governor.
If you were one of those who have purchased those items in the past – you might want to review what you have on your shelf or in your memorabilia collection in the closet, as the possibility that the South Dakota Governor might enter the 2024 Presidential election has her autographs and other items selling for hundreds of dollars on websites such as eBay.
Searching on the popular Internet auction website for “Kristi Noem” brings up several dozen items currently for sale at prices ranging from $12.50 for a glossy poster that might have been produced from a file photo of the Governor to an autographed and authenticated photo of Governor Noem being offered for nearly $300, as well as a signed and certified baseball being sold for just under $250 (plus shipping).
Think it’s just “overeager” sellers thinking they have potential gold and putting a high price on items? Guess again, as in the last 60 days, a number of the Noem items are selling at generous prices, with disclosed sales of autographs of $75 and $85 each, and undisclosed sale prices that may be higher than listed.
Kristi isn’t the only South Dakota politician whose fame is being traded on the internet, with items from John Thune, Dennis Daugaard and others having their memorabilia regularly bought and sold. In fact, McGovern presidential items are quite commonly traded for.
But given Governor Noem’s increased national profile due to the Governor’s insistence on South Dakota being open for business during the COVID pandemic, as well as acting as a very popular campaign surrogate for Donald Trump and others, her memorabilia seems to be enjoying increased sale prices as supporters and speculators do their best to drive up demand for items associated with one of the state’s most popular political figures.
So dig out those Kristi Noem buttons and autographed cowboy hats – you might be sitting on a hot political collectible in the lead up to the 2024 presidential contest!
Johnson Sworn In to Second Term in Congress
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) issued a statement following his swearing-in as South Dakota’s Representative for the 117th Congress. This is Johnson’s second-term in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“Today, on January 3rd in accordance with the U.S. Constitution, I’ll be sworn into my second-term in the U.S House. The last few months have been a tumultuous time for our country, and we face real challenges in the months and years ahead. We have a China and a Russia that are not our friends, and they work every day to destabilize and weaken our country. We have an economy that is softer than we want and a pandemic that continues to rage. It will be the honor of my life to spend the next two years working for you. I will do the hard work. I will honor my oath to the Constitution, and I will work with all good people to do good and strengthen our country. Thank you for the opportunity.”
Rep. Johnson addresses South Dakotans following the 117th congressional swearing-in.
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Optimism for the New Year
By Sen. John Thune
It was a year unlike any other, and as it comes to a close, I’ve been taking time to reflect on both the incredible challenges we’ve faced and the opportunities for the New Year. There’s no way around the tough economic hardships, the lives we’ve lost, and the difficult moments in 2020 because of the coronavirus. But there are also plenty of good stories worth remembering that could bring light and joy to the darkest of any times.
In the face of incredible challenges and uncertainty, South Dakotans stepped up every day to help our communities. Nurses, doctors, and health care professionals across the state fought the coronavirus on the front lines, whether it was in a rural hospital in South Dakota or in New York City. Essential workers from law enforcement to farmers and grocery store employees showed everyday patriotism by doing their jobs. South Dakotans delivered food to nursing homes and volunteered to help others. And as the son of two educators, I have a particular gratitude for the teachers who have taken great lengths to help their students succeed this year, despite the pandemic.
The year comes to a close with other reasons to celebrate: coronavirus vaccines are being delivered throughout the state, and more are on the way. The virus remains serious and we aren’t in the clear yet, but the safe and effective vaccines bring hope to 2021. We should all begin the year with the same spirit we began the pandemic with, and continue to take the necessary steps to slow the spread of the virus.
As we look ahead to a new year and the 117th Congress, Congress will also need to work together. My colleagues on both sides of the aisle and I ultimately have the same goal— to improve life for all Americans. We may have different views or approaches on how to do this, but if we keep our constituents’ needs in mind, I am confident in what we can accomplish.
The year 2020 was a testament to the resilience of the American people. During these unprecedented and uncertain times, some of the best of humanity showed itself in South Dakota and across our country. I am counting these blessings as I reflect on the past year, with optimism for what 2021 has in store.
In this new year, my commitment to South Dakotans will remain the same: making sure they have a strong voice in Washington. I’ll continue to work hard and fight for what really matters to the people of our state – you have my word.
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Grabbing the Bull by the Horns
By U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.)
I heard a story recently about a government bureaucrat from DC visiting real America for the first time. He worked on agriculture policy but grew up in the city so his only experience with food involved his plate. He bought a pair of shiny new boots and headed off to cow-calf country.
When his plane touched down, he was greeted by a man with a cowboy hat and a firm handshake. They jumped in the rancher’s F-350, a vehicle so big the city slicker couldn’t figure out how you’d parallel park it, and headed out to his ranch. When they arrived at the rancher’s pasture, the bureaucrat thought he’d ask a tough question to impress the tough cowboy: “Why doesn’t that cow have any horns?”
“Well,” the rancher said, “there are many reasons why a cow doesn’t have horns. Ya see, some don’t have horns because we dehorned them as calves and some, like Angus, are a polled breed that naturally never grow horns. But the reason that cow doesn’t have any horns is because it’s a horse.”
This joke illustrates a broader point: ranchers in cow-calf country work hard every day to produce the best beef in the world, but continue to lose hundreds of dollars per head because the deck is stacked against them. DC lobbyists and bureaucrats, who have never been to a sale barn or stepped foot on a ranch but still think they know better, continue to rig the system and line the pockets of the big packers. They’re ripping off our ranchers, small processors and, ultimately, our consumers. That needs to stop now.
As we enter a new year and a new Congress, it would be easy to get discouraged, see the situation not changing and give up. But these issues are too important to quit on. There is fire in my belly and I’m going to fight like hell until we get this done.
When I meet with ranchers in South Dakota in places like Wall or St. Onge or Ft. Pierre, it’s clear they know what’s best for their operation. They demand greater market transparency, new markets for state-inspected facilities, Product of the U.S.A. labeling and Mandatory Country of Original Labeling (MCOOL). Those are the people I am fighting for in Washington.
Over the last year, I’ve introduced bipartisan, commonsense legislation that touches on each of these issues. We formed coalitions with folks on both sides of the aisle who care about the needs of our ranchers and processors. And while you’d think that’d be enough, it’s not. When we attempted to force votes on these issues, our attempts were denied. The stranglehold on certain members of Congress is still too strong. DC dysfunction at its finest.
But the good news is that momentum is on our side. Every day we are continuing to win senators and members of Congress over to our way of thinking. They are beginning to understand that what’s best for the consumer, in this case, is also what’s best for the producer. It’s going to take all of us working together to get this done. I don’t care who I have to talk to – Republican or Democrat.
This is a priority for me now more than ever. We cannot stand idly by and watch our ranching community continue to suffer. As we enter a new year, it’s time to discard DC dysfunction, grab the bull by the horns and deliver results.
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Congressman Dusty Johnson from Facebook points out that a Plexiglass Box has been installed in Congress so COVID-positive Congressman can come in and cast a vote for Nancy Pelosi to be Speaker:
How is your family doing?
By Rep. Dusty Johnson
December 31, 2020
When I am traveling across South Dakota I get dozens of questions a day, from the budget deficit to healthcare to national defense to agriculture policy. Over the last two years I’ve regularly used this space to address many of the issues most often asked about.
There is a common question asked by South Dakotans I haven’t written about in a while, though: “How is your family doing?”
Some South Dakotans assume we moved to Washington, DC, after the election two years ago. We didn’t, and never really considered it. My wife has a successful business in Mitchell, but we also wanted our boys to grow up in South Dakota. There is a work ethic, kindness, and unassuming demeanor in our state that I didn’t want my sons to miss out on.
That means I am in South Dakota every weekend, which keeps me better connected to the people I’m serving. I see South Dakotans when I’m at the post office, the grocery store, and attending school events. We have one son in high school, one in middle school, and one in elementary school, so we have most bases covered!
Like most South Dakota families, we’ve been impacted by COVID-19, but we are holding up well, all things considered. We’ve lost close family friends to the pandemic. We’ve had travel plans disrupted, had to consider the possibility of COVID impacts to my wife’s business, and had to be thoughtful about when we see family members. We also have a sense of gratitude, though, that we’ve been able to have the kids in school. Study after study is showing that students are learning more when they are in the classroom and we are blessed to have Mitchell teachers and administrators working so hard to keep the kids safe and in the classroom.
COVID has meant a lot more time together as a family. Our family likes hiking and biking, and we’ve done more of that in 2020 than ever. Twelve-year-old Ben particularly likes the outdoors. He shot his first pheasant earlier this season, and he is regularly pushing me to take him to walk a field or to shoot trap. He has a 28-gauge and he’s become quite a shot. I’m still the only one in the family that will clean a bird, though.
Fifteen-year old Max is a hard worker and a talented musician. Marching band and show choir have demanded a lot of time from him, but he still makes time to work a good number of hours at the World’s Only Corn Palace as a tour guide and cashier. Both Max and Ben are good brothers to eight-year-old Owen. Owen is energetic and funny, and enjoys building things and exploring the neighborhood on foot, scooter, and bike. His ping pong skills are fast approaching mine, but that’s probably not much to brag about.
It isn’t easy to have a father and husband gone half the time, of course. Jacquelyn and our sons have to pick up a lot of my slack when I’m away. I’m grateful they are good people who love this country and who understand the value of what I’m trying to accomplish in Washington. They realize that it isn’t just our family that matters; it’s the thousands of families across South Dakota who want a fair, reasonable, and freedom-protecting federal government. Thank you for the opportunity for our family to serve.
Rounds Takes Oath of Office for Second Term in U.S. Senate
WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) made the following statement after taking the oath of office for his second term serving South Dakotans in the United States Senate:
“Continuing to work on behalf of South Dakotans in the United States Senate is a tremendous privilege and honor. I’m also incredibly thankful Jean was able to join me for the ceremony.”
“I look forward to getting to work on the important issues that will define our future.”
Rounds was sworn into office by Vice President Mike Pence and escorted by U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.). Video of Rounds taking the oath is available HERE.
The reenactment photo, below, was taken in the Old Senate Chamber of the U.S. Capitol following his official swearing in. This is Jean’s first trip to Washington, D.C., since she first started cancer treatment in June 2019.
After yesterday’s solicitation for names to include with a letter to the states federal delegation alleging election fraud in the presidential election, outgoing Speaker of the House Steve Haugaard was in attendance at a “Stop the Steal” rally in Sioux Falls… which you can read about yourself:
Two speakers self-identified with the “Proud Boys,” a far right-wing group with a history of violent confrontations, and were acting as guards for the stage.
Current legislator and former Speaker of the South Dakota House of Representatives Steve Haugaard was in attendance but declined to comment. He did say he would be sending out letter voicing frustrations with the election.
SD Speaker of the House Steven Haugaard is in attendance. pic.twitter.com/yCR9sl7jf9
— Erin Bormett (@EEBormett) January 2, 2021
Happy New Year… and apparently happy conspiracy day from outgoing Speaker of the House Steve Haugaard, as he sends out an e-mail early this evening to Republican State Legislators asking them to join him on a letter he intends to send out to to our state’s Congressional delegation tomorrow:
On Jan 1, 2021, at 5:59 PM, Steven Haugaard <Steven.Haugaard@sdlegislature.gov> wrote:
Dear Legislators,
I am writing to invite legislative members to join in the attached request being forwarded to our Congressional Delegation. Congress will act upon the report of the vote on January 6. Evidence of fraud needs to be evaluated. Please respond to this email OR text me to let me know if you want your name included on the attached letter.
I know this is short notice as I expect to send this later tomorrow, but I will update the list of names as I receive additional responses.
Thanks, and Happy New Year!
Steve
Steven Haugaard
Speaker of the House
South Dakota House of Representatives
From the response Haugaard received from the incoming Senate President Pro Tempore Lee Schoenbeck, I get the distinct impression that Haugaard’s plea to use his office to contest elections in other states is not entirely appreciated:
On Jan 1, 2021, at 7:27 PM, Lee Schoenbeck wrote:This RHINO behavior should stop. Please at least pretend to be a real Republican.