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
Washington has long been embroiled in a debate over how to best to preserve and strengthen the Medicare program. Frequently we hear politicians discussing the need to cut costs while still ensuring that beneficiaries have access to the quality health care they need. Yet far too often we are left... Continue Reading
In December of 2012, my wife Kimberley, along with Senator Tim Johnson’s wife Barb, wrote an op-ed about the frustrations for many military spouses in obtaining a license or certification for their career as they move across state lines. Their article, along with the hard work of many throughout the... Continue Reading
Nearly every day I meet with groups, agencies, and organizations that are impacted by agriculture production. Some are ranchers and farmers, while others are bankers, car dealers, and lawyers, all of whom take a special interest in agriculture despite not always directly working in agriculture. All of them know that... Continue Reading
Washington has had more than a year to prepare for the across-the-board spending cuts known as the sequester. For months, Congressional Republicans have been warning of the effects that these cuts could have on our national security. What few people realize is the sequester was actually President Obama’s idea. The... Continue Reading
As a young high school basketball player, it was not until this time of year that I would allow myself to start thinking about playing on the biggest stage in South Dakota—the state basketball tournament. I remember the nervous energy in the room as I sat through pep rallies, boarded... Continue Reading
If you listen to Washington Democrats these days, you’d think that America’s economic and fiscal woes could all be solved if we would simply raise taxes. Evidently the tax increases last month served only as an appetizer for the big-government crowd. Now the spenders are back for the main course.... Continue Reading
In a rural state like South Dakota where access to specialized medical care can be hours away, residents depend on critical access hospitals to help meet their health care needs. However, an increasing number of rural hospitals are finding it difficult to recruit physicians to these under-served areas of the... Continue Reading
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) recently released its 2013 Budget and Economic Outlook. The report sounded the alarm on America’s financial future and made it clear that if the federal government fails to address the long-term drivers of our out-of-control federal spending, our national debt will continue on an... Continue Reading
