I caught this on facebook over the past day.

Ryan Howlett, the current CEO of South Dakota Friends of Public Broadcasting in his role as a private citizen is calling and encouraging others to call and attempt to put pressure on the Empire Mall, because he noticed that a retailer is selling t-shirts and other items imprinted with the Confederate Battle Flag:

My immediate thought was that despite it being done privately, it’s a fairly public advocacy action that some might find controversial wth his post for people to call up the Empire Mall and demanding the imposition of his views of what he believes to be politically correct from a corporation against a local retailer…when his job is to raise money from retailers & corporations.

Why are we at a point in our country where we feel we need to be our brother’s censor?

Our society seems to be moving away from embracing the rights enshrined in the constitution into using heavy handed tactics to punish and muzzle the opinions of people we disagree with.

Ryan is certainly entitled to his views, but I can’t help but go back to concerns about infringing upon free speech, and freedom of expression.  

When it comes to matters of economic censorship, shouldn’t retailers have a right to sell items that are legal to sell, letting the marketplace decide whether they wish to endorse the product via a purchase?  (I.E., If you don’t like it, don’t buy it.)

United States Senator Mike Rounds will be holding a Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Superfund, Waste Management and Regulatory Oversight hearing today in Pierre, which will be livestreamed by South Dakota Public Broadcasting, starting at 10 a.m. CT.

WHAT: Rounds to chair hearing entitled, “Oversight of the U.S. Army Corps’ Management of the Missouri River”
WHEN: Tuesday, August 22, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. CT
WHERE: South Dakota State Capitol, Room 413, 500 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, SD

LIVESTREAM LINK: http://www.sd.net/home/

I see the liberal left is winning friends and influencing people at the Brown County Fair, as Democrat Senate Candidate Cory Heidelberger, who is still in mourning over losing to Al Novstrup this last election, apparently got into it with someone at the fair:

Does it serve a purpose to get in people’s faces and antagonize them to the point of a near shouting match at the fair?  Not really. (But don’t tell Cory, he’s doing a great job of helping Republicans win elections).

I see there’s yet another letter to the editor today in the Argus Leader attacking John Thune and Republicans:

History will not look kindly on this era of American politics, especially the extremist, misogynist, racist, classist wing driving the GOP. Senator Thune’s picture will be there, with Speaker Paul Ryan, Sen. Mitch McConnell and President Trump for our children and grandchildren to see.

Read that here.

Since many of these seem to be coming as part of an organized campaign, out of curiosity I tried to google this person, who is obviously active politically in South Dakota to write a letter of this nature.

But… curiously, there’s no record of this person on Google.  I went and tried to look up this “Ted Hollelkus” on Facebook. Nothing there, either.  I even went to the voter database. And no one with that last name in the entire system.

So, someone deeply concerned with South Dakota politics. Who isn’t registered to vote.

In addition to making up facts, it looks like someone has taken to making up names as well.

It must have been a letter to the editor from beyond the edge. Of course, with it’s anti-Republican biases, the Argus Leader was more than happy to feature it.

The Future is Within Our Reach
By Sen. John Thune

The 24-hour cable news cycle is typically dominated by front burner issues of the day – everything from the latest news in Washington to updates about events or instability in other parts of the world. Many of these stories rightfully deserve the American people’s attention, but whether it’s a national cable network or a small town newspaper, there’s never enough time in the day or space on the page to cover every single story.

One story that isn’t likely to generate a breaking news alert or land above the fold is the good work happening behind the scenes in our Senate committees. I’ve always believed that Congress can walk and chew gum at the same time. We can focus on the big picture issues of the day while keeping our nose to the grindstone on other priorities. For the last several years, that’s been my goal as chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

This year alone, the committee has sent nearly forty bills, almost all of them bipartisan, to the full Senate. More than a quarter of those bills made it to the House, and we’ve already had a handful signed into law. In early August, the Senate passed a half dozen committee-approved technology and telecommunications bills that are now one step closer to becoming law. Among them was my MOBILE NOW Act, which would help lay some important groundwork for next-generation gigabit wireless broadband services throughout the country.

If you grew up in the ‘80s or ‘90s or are interested in film and television, you’re probably familiar with Hollywood’s take on the future, which at the time only seemed possible on the big screen. Dick Tracy had a two-way radio wrist watch, Marty McFly had self-tying shoes, a smart jacket, and a hoverboard, and Elroy Jetson had, well, every kind of toy or gadget a young kid could imagine. While some of Hollywood’s futuristic portrayals have since become reality, thanks in large part to the explosive growth of wireless broadband technology, America’s innovators and entrepreneurs have the capability and desire to do so much more. That’s one of the main reasons why I introduced the MOBILE NOW Act.

My bill would help get the government out of innovators’ way by cutting red tape and ensuring more spectrum (the airwaves that help make today’s wireless technology possible) is made available to folks in the private sector. The government currently controls a large portion of underutilized spectrum, so my bill sets a realistic timeline for transferring a significant amount of it to the commercial sector for innovators and entrepreneurs to use. My bill would also accelerate and streamline the process for the creation of physical infrastructure projects, like antennas and towers, which will be required for next-generation gigabit wireless broadband services, like 5G, for example.

Think about all of the technological advancements that have occurred just in your lifetime. Now imagine what could be accomplished in the next 10 or 20 years if innovators had the tools and opportunities to take the next step, free from unnecessary government obstacles and red tape. I’m excited for what’s to come, and I hope I can help South Dakota be a pioneer in this upcoming digital revolution.

###

Dakotafest Annual Opportunity to Bring All Ag Groups Together
By U.S. Senator Mike Rounds

For more than two decades, Dakotafest has been an annual event that brings together ag leaders and producers from across the state together into one place. With nearly 500 agribusinesses on-site to showcase their latest products, it is one of the premier ag events of the Northern Plains. I was grateful for the opportunity to join Sen. John Thune, Rep. Kristi Noem and area producers for Dakotafest’s annual farm policy forum again this year. Hearing firsthand from South Dakota producers is critically important as we work toward smarter, better policies for farmers and ranchers.

With the farm economy struggling and drought conditions affecting this year’s crop across the state, this year’s forum focused on the upcoming farm bill and how we can strengthen programs to help producers get through tough seasons. Maintaining and strengthening safety net provisions of the farm bill such as the crop insurance program remains my top priority in farm bill discussions. I also support raising the enrollment cap of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which was reduced from 32 million acres in the 2008 farm bill to 24 million acres by the end of the 2014 farm bill.

During the forum, I also heard concerns about conservation easements, particularly perpetual easements which are often agreements made by previous generations and may no longer serve their purpose for current farmers or ranchers who tend the land. That’s because perpetual easements are forever. I believe shorter-term easements would allow each generation to decide how they want to manage their land. During the last Congress, I introduced legislation that would make sure landowners know they have options for shorter-term easements when they enter into an easement agreement with the federal government. I will continue working to give our landowners greater optionality when it comes to perpetual conservation easements.

Farmers and ranchers are also concerned about having access to capital, particularly during tough times like this in order to keep their operations above water. As a member of the Senate Banking Committee, I have been looking closely at proposals to provide additional capital to ag lenders who provide both commercial and residential loans to producers. We have heard from producers that increasing the cap on the Farm Service Agency (FSA) loan guarantee limit will open up much-needed capital for farmers and ranchers.

With the current farm bill expiring in just over a year, it is important to begin discussions now about changes that need to be made in the next farm bill. Hearing firsthand from farmers and ranchers about their experiences with federal ag programs is crucial. We must make certain that federal policies work with – rather than against – our producers as they work to feed a growing global population.

I thank those who took time out of their day to visit with us at Dakotafest this year and I encourage all those involved in agriculture to remain engaged in the coming year as we continue to shape the next farm bill in Congress.

###

Thoughts from Dakotafest
By Rep. Kristi Noem

Farming is one of the only businesses where you take out massive loans at the beginning of the year, bury that money in the ground in the form of seed and fertilizer, then hope and pray there’s something to harvest in the fall. Despite the risk, it’s important we grow our own food, and that understanding has made the Farm Bill a bipartisan priority for decades. But as cities grow and families get further from America’s agricultural roots, it’s increasingly challenging to build support.

In 2014, I had to fight members of my own party to get the Farm Bill done, and I was proud the final legislation included a strong safety net for producers and a meaningful livestock disaster program. With the 2014 Farm Bill expiring in a little over a year, we’re beginning debate on what the next Farm Bill will look like, hopefully building in enough time to educate non-rural policymakers about why agriculture safety nets are necessary.

At Dakotafest this year, I had the opportunity to hear from producers about what they’d like to get out of the upcoming Farm Bill debates: what’s working, what isn’t, and what can be done about it.

Josh, a rancher near Wall, talked about the drought, its impact on his operation, and areas where disaster programs could be better. Many ranchers had to downsize their herds because they couldn’t access good feed, given the drought. Meanwhile, in other parts of the state, farmers were forced to destroy good hay that was harvested as part of certain CRP management practices. It doesn’t make sense, but that’s what current policy requires.

Earlier this summer, I introduced the DRY Act, which would allow farmers to donate this hay to ranchers suffering from bad droughts or fires. It’s commonsense, and I’d like to see it included in the next Farm Bill.

I also heard from Mike, whose homestead near Hecla is older than South Dakota itself. As Mike put it, he’s always “two weeks from a drought and one night from a flood,” so even though it’s been a dry year, he had some serious concerns about the wetland determinations process.

Wetlands are protected for conservation purposes. If property is determined to be a wetland, certain changes – such as laying drain tile in a field – are not allowed without a landowner losing the ability to participate in federal Farm Bill programs and crop insurance. The determinations process has a history of backlogs, and in some cases, it can take years to get everything straightened out. That doesn’t work, which is why I wrote the Wetland Determinations Efficiency and Transparency Act. This legislation, which I’m hopeful will be in the next Farm Bill, aims to better ensure producers get timely determinations.

I also had a lot of discussions about various aspects of CRP. Many young farmers, for instance, are concerned that the ag economy can change significantly from year-to-year, and if CRP rates aren’t updated quickly enough, they can distort local rental markets, making it difficult to access productive farmland. Earlier this month, I introduced the Fair CRP Payment Act to better ensure CRP rates accurately reflect the current cost of renting farmland.

These legislative proposals are only the beginning. We’re working on a number of other bills as well, but I want to keep hearing from you about what more is needed. If I missed you at Dakotafest, catch me at another event. Call my office. Send an email. Now is the time to start setting the parameters for the next Farm Bill.

With each Farm Bill, fewer and fewer policymakers have a connection to agriculture. I like to remind them that while not everyone farms, everyone eats. Even still, it’s a tough climb. But I’ll keep fighting.

###

There’s Something For Everyone At The State Fair
A column by Gov. Dennis Daugaard:

Before the season turns and the kids are fully immersed in school activities, there’s one more summer event you will want to experience. South Dakota’s great get-together, the State Fair, runs from Thursday, Aug. 31, to Monday, Sept. 4, in Huron. This year marks the 132^nd State Fair, and it’s an event you don’t want to miss.

For the last 10 years, the State Fair has charted a consistent trend of success, with year-over-year increases in virtually all areas. Since 2007, attendance has increased an incredible 40 percent, from 151,000 to more than 210,000, and with good weather, we may set another all-time record in 2017.

For a few days each year, the fairgrounds become a community unto itself. Be sure to stop at the FFA Ag Adventure Center and ask a state officer how their year of service is going. Take a walk through the exhibition halls and chat with 4-H’ers about their projects. Visit with the vendors. Stroll over for some cotton candy or go on a carnival ride. Test your skill in the arm wrestling competition, the jitterbugging contest or the pork and chili cook-offs.

You can experience a taste of the Old West at the bull riding and cowboy mounted shooting events. Sample a South Dakota beverage at the wine pavilion, or reminisce with an old friend on a trolley ride around the grounds. There really is something for everyone.

The State Fair is a celebration of agriculture and the history of the industry which dates back prior to statehood. On the morning of Thursday, Aug. 31, at 10 a.m. at the Dakotaland Stage, we will celebrate South Dakota farms and ranches that have reached their 100-, 125- and 150-year anniversaries. If you plan to be in town I hope you can join me for that and for the Salute to Veterans ceremony which follows at 10:30 a.m. at the Northwestern Energy Freedom Stage. The ceremony is a chance to honor our veterans and their families for the sacrifices they have made.

I am proud of our State Fair. It’s a one-of-a-kind celebration of agriculture and community. Consider marking the dates on your calendar and making plans to come out for at least one day. I hope to see you there.

-30-