The talk coming out of Washington about creating jobs is all well and good, but the truth is that since passage of the stimulus bill last year, the government has only shown an ability to create government jobs. Real, sustained job growth comes from the private sector, particularly small businesses.... Continue Reading
In addition to warmer, longer days, one of the surest signs of spring in South Dakota is the annual state basketball tournaments. This year, young men and women from across South Dakota will compete for the AA, A, and B division crowns, an accomplishment that will be a lasting memory... Continue Reading
In recent months, Congress has focused primarily on the health care reform debate and the discussion of how to create conditions for economic growth and job creation. While these issues front and center in the news, it is important for policy makers in Washington as well as citizens in South... Continue Reading
Our nation has seen many changes over the last 100 years. The Internet has replaced telegraph wires; air travel has supplanted the railroads. Some things have remained constant, however, including the Boy Scouts of America, which recently marked its 100th anniversary. Scouting, both for boys and girls, is a tradition... Continue Reading
Two of the biggest issues facing our nation today are the need for job creation and our overdependence on imported energy. In South Dakota, we have seen the positive effect that renewable fuels production can have on job growth, and we recognize that biofuels can reduce our dependence on imported... Continue Reading
In the past few weeks, our television screens and newspapers have been filled with heartbreaking images of the devastation following January’s earthquake in the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The powerful earthquake has claimed thousands of lives and left many more injured, homeless, and hungry. U.S. and international aid organizations have... Continue Reading
On Christmas Eve, the U.S. Senate voted on and passed a health care bill that would fundamentally restructure one-sixth of our entire economy while raising taxes and increasing the cost of health insurance. On Christmas Day, an al-Qaeda affiliated terrorist attempted to blow up an airline flight carrying 258 passengers... Continue Reading
South Dakotans know how important it is to keep the family checkbook balanced. By keeping careful count of how much money comes in and how much goes out, families can avoid debt and the headaches that accompany it. Unfortunately, Democrat leaders in the House and Senate have gone on a... Continue Reading
Every time we enter a new year, many of us examine the things in our lives we can improve. We make resolutions and do our best to live by them. This year, Congressional leaders and the Administration could do right by the American people by following through with past pledges... Continue Reading
Christmas is a special time when we are particularly mindful of the importance of our families in our lives. This year, I am joined in wishing all South Dakotans a Merry Christmas by my wife Kimberley and our daughters, who I am happy have travelled home from college for Christmas... Continue Reading
The debate over how to enact needed reform for our nation’s health care system has been the subject of much attention around the country for months. Members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate have offered various health care reform bills, and numerous proposals have been analyzed by... Continue Reading
The fact that paying some taxes is necessary does not make writing the check any easier for most of us. South Dakotans work hard for their money, and I believe that they should be able to keep as much of it as possible. The reality is, however, that the federal... Continue Reading
