Opinion

Now that the legislative session is in the rearview mirror, I’m focused on looking forward and unlocking new opportunities for South Dakota. We had a historic 100th legislative session, and we accomplished a lot for the people of South Dakota – but there’s more work to do! I recently announced next steps to deliver a real property tax cut for the people of South Dakota.

The founding fathers of the United States established our democratic form of government on the basis of first-hand experience with dictatorial rule (King of England). They selected democracy on the basis of its promises of providing maximum protection from dictatorship, maximum preservation of citizen freedoms, and maximum fair citizen participation in government. These promises are achieved through a system of checks and balances that keeps any one group from taking control of government. Institutional checks on power include a written constitution and three equal and separate branches of government (executive, legislative, and judicial). A balance of power between competing groups is maintained through fair elections based on equal voting rights for all citizens and the rule of law. Groups win and maintain governing control on the basis of receiving a majority of citizen votes.

Dear Editor, Nearly three months ago, Donald John Trump took the oath of office as our 47th President. As his supporters, I among them, hoped, he is shaking up the status quo and is sending his liberal critics and enemies into an absolute tizzy - they are fighting him tooth and nail with the judicial branch of gov’t as they control. The worst example of their resistance to reason and sanity is of U.S. District judges handing down rulings against any action Trump takes on pretty much any issue. Now, I’ve read our Constitution and I cannot find any provision giving mere District judges any power and jurisdiction over cases outside the districts in which they are seated. Among other evils judges are doing, they want to stop Trump from removing barbarian invaders - any illegal aliens who happen to be drug runners, gang members, rapists, murderers, the worst of the worst offenders - from our country. If our chief executive cannot remove dangerous invaders from our shores, our country as we know it is done for, toast. Not only that, these judges and the liberals they represent oppose any action Trump promotes or takes to end wasteful gov’t spending, and increase external revenue, that is, levying tariffs on imported commodities and goods. What rational person would support governmental waste and fraudulent spending? Rhetorical question; the answer is “those who benefit from the spending.” This is why the Left squeals like demonpossessed warthogs when it appears the gravy train may run out of track. About tariffs: Many on the political Left tell us, U.S., that our gov’t shouldn’t levy import costs on goods and commodities that we import, that this is very dumb and terrible! IF this would be so, then why, in 2024, did other nations charge us $370 billion to export to them while we charged them but $50 billion to export to us - a $320 billion de facto deficit? This averages about $1,000 for each man, woman and child in the U.S.. I don’t know about you, Hoss, but I’d like to have an extra thousand dollars or so stay in my pocket. Not at the cost of my eternal soul, mind you (see Matthew 16:26), but within reason, a grand would sure go good. Now, I don’t blame foreign nations for charging tariffs. Like Canada, with their 200% tariff on dairy products they import. They are putting their ag and mfg interests, their people, first. And that is what Trump is doing, putting America First. This is what he should do! It won’t be painless; for decades our nation, with bad tax policies and over-regulating of every aspect of business, sent mfg jobs overseas and outsourced for goods we used to make here, even much of our food. For example, we import about 70% of the lamb we eat and have all but destroyed our sheep business Stateside! Time will be needed to return more ag and mfg to our shores. I hope it isn’t too late to do this.

Dear Editor, Readers, I trust you to fact-check and pass this on to those who get their news from social media on their devices. With all the scams and AI editing (TikTok), what is the truth? The King of Chaos and Retribution says you only get the real news from his chosen Fox News, and only certain reporters can ask questions. I follow CBC, BBC, and PBS, which are also not approved but are non-political. Trudeau, Macron, and Starmer corrected Trump, which caused the penalty tariffs. If you have the wrong tattoo, that can get you imprisoned in El Salvador? If you are a student and protest, you can get deported. Student protesters helped end the Vietnam War. There are more than 100 court filings to block Trump’s decrees to which he has the usual response: deny, delay, appeal, and now impeach the Judge?

Dear Editor, Since January 20 President Trump has issued a blizzard of Executive Orders a large number of which have been challenged in Federal Courts around the country, many successfully. The response from the President, several of his cabinet members and Elon Musk has been to publicly call for judges who have ruled against the Executive Orders to be impeached.

We recently cut the ribbon on the new Lt. Commander John C. Waldron Bridge over the Missouri River between Pierre and Ft. Pierre. For the next 100 years, this bridge will connect two communities. But more than that, it will connect two sides of our state.

In 1875, the Black Hills had not been lawfully opened. The army guarded the reservation, and during 1875 arrested and turned back a large number that attempted to invade the Indian domain. However they were not able to keep out all those who had heard the stories of those who had adventured into the hills earlier.

Dear editor, The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) website lists the USDA as the worst offender when it comes to burdensome regulations with twentyone thousand sections for every law passed by Congress. Among these is a recent rule mandating electronic identification (MEID) of certain classes of livestock crossing state lines. This is the first step in what is described as “a modern system of traceability from birth to slaughter”. Once fully implemented, the four major meat packers, who already hold 85% of fat cattle captive, will know how many feeder cattle are out there, how old they are, and who owns them. This will facilitate the international meat packers ability to manipulate the feeder’ cattle market, much to the detriment of the independent cattleman.

One of my favorite parts of serving the people of South Dakota is visiting communities around the state. I like to look folks in the eye, shake their hands, and gain an understanding of the challenges and opportunities that they face.

A list of the names of the post offices established in Dakota Territory up to the close of 1874 indicates quite clearly the progress of white settlement of the area up to that time. Post offices had been established at Platte Creek, White Swan, and Greenwood in Charles Mix County. Fort Randall and Ponca Agency was also delivering the mail. Eleven were already open in Bon Homme County and Crow Creek was distributing the mail in Buffalo County.