Agriculture is a way of life in South Dakota. Not only is it the state’s largest industry and the economic engine of our rural communities, but our state’s rural areas are where many families raise their children and mold the next generation of farmers and ranchers—making agriculture very important to... Continue Reading
The Saturday Evening Post writer, Clarence Budington Kelland, once said: “My father didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.” The power of example is perhaps the most challenging and rewarding part of parenthood. While both of my girls are grown now, it... Continue Reading
Living in South Dakota, we know that the elements of nature can be our greatest friend and also our gravest enemy. On farms and ranches across the state it is not uncommon to see controlled burns in pastures. In these summer months, many of us enjoy roasting marshmallows and hotdogs... Continue Reading
Families will soon be packing up their cars, pulling out the maps, and jumping on the road to enjoy the beautiful summer weather in South Dakota. Tourism is the number two industry in South Dakota, so we understand the implications that higher gas prices mean not only for our own... Continue Reading
Since 2011, I have been raising concerns about a controversial proposal from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that would restrict access to Missouri River water and charge users for surplus water taken from Missouri River reservoirs in South Dakota, North Dakota, and Montana. When the Corps built the dams... Continue Reading
South Dakota has a proud legacy of military service, extending from some of our state’s earliest days to our current conflicts around the globe. South Dakotans of every background have always answered the call to defend America from those who seek to destroy the freedom that we cherish. I doubt... Continue Reading
I’ve been blessed with two incredible mothers in my life, one was my mother Pat Thune who passed away in March of last year, and the other is my wonderful wife Kimberley who is mother to our two beautiful daughters. Every Mother’s Day our family, along with millions of other... Continue Reading
The unnecessary flight delays experienced across the country due to the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) decision to furlough 47,000 employees, including 15,500 air traffic controllers, were avoidable. The administration has blamed these delays on the Budget Control Act (BCA), which passed in August of 2011 as a last-resort measure to... Continue Reading
Former Governor George S. Mickelson is a tough guy to forget. Twenty years after the tragic plane crash that claimed his life, it is still easy for those of us who knew him to tell stories about his striking personality and his zest for life. As the son of former... Continue Reading
Recently the March jobs numbers were released and it was more grim news for the American economy. We learned that nearly 500,000 Americans stopped looking for work, driving down the labor force participation rate to 63.3 percent, the lowest level since Jimmy Carter was president. In fact, if the labor... Continue Reading
As South Dakota’s largest industry, agriculture is not only the economic engine of our rural communities, it also provides jobs and opportunities across the United States. More than two million farmers and ranchers work hard each day to provide our nation with a safe, abundant, and affordable food supply. However,... Continue Reading
More than three years ago, Congress was embroiled in a debate over how to best address the growing cost of health insurance in our country. ObamaCare, which was signed into law in March of 2010, was pitched to the American people as a way to lower the cost of health... Continue Reading
