Let's Wake Up South Dakota

• Munsterman Calls for Changes in Government Budgeting

  From the Aberdeen American News:
  
  BY BOB MERCER, American News Correspondent
  
  FORT PIERRE - The governor and the Legislature should limit the growth of state government to the rate of inflation and no longer use one-time sources of revenue to cover increased ongoing costs, Republican gubernatorial [...]
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  Posted: October 29, 2009, 7:00am EDT
  

• Munsterman says Medicaid eligibility must be scaled back in SD

  From the Pierre Capital Journal:
  
  Munsterman says Medicaid eligibility must be scaled back in SD
  
  By David Montgomery
  Capital Journal staff
  
  FORT PIERRE — Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Munsterman told a Fort Pierre audience he wants to scale back Medicaid eligibility in South Dakota, but cover [...]
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  Posted: October 28, 2009, 11:37am EDT
  

• Speaking in Rapid City

  Check out footage from a recent stop in Rapid City:
  
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  Posted: October 19, 2009, 4:30pm EDT
  

• 50 Years of Tradition

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  South Dakota has a many great traditions. But one that comes to mind over and over again is how we, in this state, value [...]
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  Posted: October 13, 2009, 11:14am EDT
  

• Voters Say No to Opt-out

  Right or wrong, the people of Roberts County are for sure about one thing - now is not the time to raise taxes.
  
  What people must wake up to is the fact that, if our state doesn't balance our budget soon, we will be completely out of reserves (due' [...]
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  Posted: October 12, 2009, 5:37pm EDT
  

• Change in Health Care Approach is Needed

  From the Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan:
  
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  Posted: October 07, 2009, 1:10pm EDT
  

• Still On The Campaign Trail

  From the Brookings Register:
  
  
  
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  Posted: October 05, 2009, 9:00am EDT
  

• Balancing Our Budget

  I appreciate columnist Bob Mercer's keen interest in the looming $200 million budget deficit for the State of South Dakota. The unnamed state bureaucrat he quoted saying my ideas would have to close universities, state prisons, and state courts is totally out of touch with taxpayers and reality.
  
  [...]
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  Posted: October 01, 2009, 6:03pm EDT
  

• SD measure would ease stem cell research limits

  Associated Press - September 27, 2009 1:05 PM ET
  PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - Former state Treasurer David Volk of Sioux Falls, a cancer survivor, says a proposed ballot issue to ease restrictions on stem cell research will strike a chord with South Dakotans because nearly everyone has had a serious [...]
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  Posted: October 01, 2009, 11:00am EDT
  

• Ethanol Byproducts

  The Argus Leader recently ran an article about some exciting research going on at SDSU.
  
  Researchers are working to utilize dried distiller’s grain—the byproduct of ethanol production—for human consumption. They hope to use distiller’s grain as a high-protein, high-fiber additive to flour to improve the nutrition of flour [...]
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  Posted: September 30, 2009, 1:48pm EDT
  

• South Dakota and Medicaid

  One of the biggest challenges for South Dakota's next governor will be how we approach the health care issue. Not only are the costs to individuals going through the roof, but the cost to our taxpayers is also going through the roof, and it may become even worse if some [...]
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  Posted: September 29, 2009, 3:19pm EDT
  

• Advancing Education

  The state can be applauded for working towards seeing the importance of distance learning and earning college credits prior to graduation. Now we need to get serious about creating significant partnerships with our postsecondary institutions, including our career and technical centers of education. By connecting our “kids to kareers” early [...]
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  Posted: September 21, 2009, 3:19pm EDT
  

• Improving Health Care

  Here's a very interesting article by Lawrence Kudlow that was recently published in Investors Business Daily.
  
  According to Kudlow, the day after President Obama's health care speech, the markets for private health insurers, hospitals, and drug companies all spiked dramatically--a strong indicator that the market feels that the [...]
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  Posted: September 16, 2009, 2:12pm EDT
  

• Having a Vision for Life, South Dakota

  From the Pierre Capital Journal:
  
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  Posted: September 09, 2009, 11:34am EDT
  

• A New Vision for South Dakota

  
  
  For those of you on Facebook, click here... [...]
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  Posted: September 04, 2009, 11:53am EDT
  

• GOP's Munsterman Stumps in Yankton

  From the Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan:
  
  
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  Posted: August 26, 2009, 1:48pm EDT
  

• Fiscal Leadership is a Must

  It’s true that we were able to balance the budget this year during our legislative session, but at what cost? Balancing our budget required an infusion of $71 million of federal stimulus money from the national government. Crawling on our knees when times get bad is not a good sign [...]
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  Posted: August 21, 2009, 7:00am EDT
  

• As is Always the Case, Competition is Good

  Paramount to providing a quality education for our youth is also to provide parents the flexibility to send their kids to what they themselves feel is the best learning atmosphere for their children. The state can set standards for learning, but allowing the freedom for parents to send their kids [...]
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  Posted: August 20, 2009, 12:40pm EDT
  

• Collaboration is Key...

  Collaboration is the key to success for communities both large and small. Projects such as the I-29 corridor help regional areas to maximize their resources and thus their potential for success. Communities that cut themselves off and do not collaborate must rely on themselves for resources, which is often [...]
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  Posted: August 06, 2009, 7:00am EDT
  

• We Are Only As Strong As Our Smallest Community...

  Recent actions by the national government are increasingly endangering the viability of the smaller communities around the state. Possible policies, as outlined by Senator Thune, include cap-and-trade, bovine greenhouse gas emissions fines, and unfriendly attitudes toward our 2nd Amendment rights. Revitalizing our smaller communities is essential to the overall health [...]
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  Posted: August 05, 2009, 7:00am EDT
  

• Open Records Law a Good Start

  The open records law that took effect at the beginning of July is a great step forward for our state government.
  
  Open government has many benefits. First off, as a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people,” to quote President Lincoln, it seems only reasonable [...]
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  Posted: July 30, 2009, 8:00am EDT
  

• Communities Respond Responsibly to Economic Climate, Shouldn’t the State?

  Local governments and cities like Belle Fourche seem to be the model example for how a government should operate during tough times. This article shows that Belle Fourche is budgeting for the worst, cutting the fat, and yet still manages to keep essential programs such as education and emergency services [...]
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  Posted: July 29, 2009, 8:00am EDT
  

• Tech Schools Have Unique Purpose for South Dakota's Future

  Technical schools play a very critical role in the state's post-secondary structure. While our state universities focus more on the 4-year degrees and all the careers fields opened up by a 4-year degree, technical schools offer critical post-secondary education in the areas of computer information, diesel technology, financial services, medical [...]
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  Posted: July 28, 2009, 9:34am EDT
  

• Incorporate the 2nd Amendment

  Thank you attorney general Larry Long for joining 33 other attorneys general in support of our 2nd Amendment rights.
  
  The attorneys general have issued a collective request for certiorari to the Supreme Court seeking their review of the case of NRA v. Chicago. Hopefully a review of [...]
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  Posted: July 22, 2009, 3:03pm EDT
  

• Competitive Education

  Normal.dotm 1 256 1462 South Dakota State University 12 2 1795 12.0 false 18 pt 18 pt false false false /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; [...]
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  Posted: July 17, 2009, 8:46am EDT
  

• Bob Mercer Article

  From the Aberdeen American News:
  
  Will candidate's book aid run for governor?
  By Bob Mercer
  
  2009-06-27 PIERRE - Scott Munsterman is the first candidate for governor in recent memory, if not also in our state's entire history, to have written a detailed book specifically linked to his campaign, [...]
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  Posted: July 06, 2009, 3:33pm EDT
  

• A Call to Greatness

  [...]
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  Posted: June 25, 2009, 7:00am EDT
  

• Fiscal Leadership

  The City of Sioux Falls looks to be in great financial shape, according to the Argus Leader. A recent audit showed that Sioux Falls is sitting in a comfortable position, with a good reserve fund and a manageable amount of long-term debt. The city has budgeted conservatively in order [...]
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  Posted: June 24, 2009, 11:00am EDT
  

• KSFY Interview: Education and Economic Development

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  Posted: June 22, 2009, 10:36am EDT
  

• On States' Rights and Financial Independence...

  
  
  Click here to see the video [...]
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  Posted: June 16, 2009, 8:45am EDT
  

• The Employee Free Choice Consequences

  Senator Tim Johnson recently let business leaders know that he would allow a Senate floor vote on the so-called Employee Free Choice Act, essentially lending his support of the bill by working towards a filibuster-proof majority cloture vote.
  
  It can’t be stressed enough how much of a detriment [...]
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  Posted: June 12, 2009, 10:00am EDT
  

• Personal Responsibility

  KSFY reports that South Dakota has some of the lowest credit card delinquency rates in the nation, which is great news in this rough economy.
  
  Individuals within this state are living within their means, cutting back appropriately, and not living to excess. Our culture of personal and fiscal [...]
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  Posted: June 10, 2009, 6:30am EDT
  

• On Education and Community...

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  Posted: June 09, 2009, 6:00am EDT
  

• On Republican Leadership...

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  Posted: June 08, 2009, 6:00am EDT
  

• KOTA Interview

  We were recently interviewed by KOTA in Rapid City, check out that interview here. [...]
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  Posted: June 07, 2009, 12:12pm EDT
  

• Scott at Kiwanis Club Meeting

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  Posted: June 01, 2009, 8:00am EDT
  

• Conservation vs. Environmentalism

  Tony Dean was recently awarded the Conservation Achievement Award by the National Wildlife Federation, according to the Argus Leader. Tony devoted much of his life to addressing issues of preservation, erosion, and conservation issues.
  
  Tony makes a great point in an article on his website in reference [...]
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  Posted: May 28, 2009, 11:03am EDT
  

• Graduation and the Economy

  Recent college graduates are finding it harder and harder to find jobs in this rocky economic climate, according to the Argus Leader. Businesses are in economic lock down; hiring only as necessary and looking to more experienced, trained individuals who know the ropes to decrease new hiring costs.
  
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  Posted: May 26, 2009, 2:34pm EDT
  

• KSFY Interview

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  Posted: May 25, 2009, 10:25pm EDT
  

• Supporting Non-Profits

  Non-profit organizations are groups that really do not receive enough recognition for all their hard work and the good that they do to help out our friends and neighbors. These private organizations provide assistance in various areas of need more efficiently and at lower cost than if taken care of [...]
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  Posted: May 09, 2009, 6:25am EDT
  

• Tweet Tweet

  We've added a new feature to my blog! We're now using the social networking service Twitter, and I update it frequently on our travels around the state with information about what we're currently doing. It's a great way to keep up with us in real time as we travel around. [...]
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  Posted: May 05, 2009, 6:30pm EDT
  

• Securing Voting Rights

  I applaud the efforts Joel Dykstra for taking the initiative to put an initiated measure on the ballot that would ensure use of the secret ballot in election activities, including union establishment elections.
  
  According to the Capital Journal, this amendment to our state constitution would ensure that our [...]
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  Posted: May 01, 2009, 11:15am EDT
  

• Keystone Update

  Hearings started today over the new proposed Keystone pipeline in the western part of the state, according to the Mitchell Daily Republic, and residents will be able to come and voice their concerns or support for the project.
  
  The new pipeline would be a great way to supply [...]
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  Posted: April 27, 2009, 2:22pm EDT
  

• Brookings Leadership: State of the City Address

  Here is my recent state of the city address to the City of Brookings:
  
  
  State of the City
  2008
  Mayor Scott Munsterman
  
  The City of Brookings is committed to providing a high quality of life for its citizens, and fostering a diverse economic base, through innovative thinking, [...]
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  Posted: April 22, 2009, 1:13pm EDT
  

• Employment Stability

  I can’t quite say it enough, but once again, the economic opportunities that our tax and business environment afford us as individuals is really a great thing, and it’s giving us great publicity during these tough economic times. A recent article in the LA Times displays the headline “What [...]
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  Posted: April 16, 2009, 3:14pm EDT
  

• Brookings Register: "City's Financial Health Sound"

  From the Brookings Register:
  
  
  City's financial health sound
  Posted: Sunday, Apr 12th, 2009
  BY: Jill Fier
  Brookings Mayor Scott Munsterman gave his final State of the City address to the Council this week.
  Mayor Scott Munsterman says the City' [...]
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  Posted: April 15, 2009, 2:25pm EDT
  

• Cap-And-Trade?

  A recent article in the Argus Leader discusses the effects of the cap-and-trade carbon emissions program that the new administration wants to implement. According to the article, South Dakotans in residential areas can expect to see their electricity bills increase by a minimum of 41 percent under this plan.
  [...]
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  Posted: April 04, 2009, 3:49pm EDT
  

• A Picture Paints A Thousand Words...

  From the Argus Leader:
  
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  Posted: April 01, 2009, 3:00pm EDT
  

• Why The Increased Spending?

  The Pierre Capital Journal reported that the legislature actually increased its spending for the 2010 budget by $6.8 million. Much of this spending has been spurred by the federal stimulus money coming into the state, as well as some alleged “cuts” to the state budget. Some of these cuts were [...]
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  Posted: March 30, 2009, 3:22pm EDT
  

• Small Community Sovereignty...

  The residents of Wayne Township (west of Sioux Falls) voted on Monday to remain independent of Minnehaha County control after losing most of the elected township board to resignations and lack of term-renewal interest, according to the Argus Leader. The rest of the story here…
  
  Smaller communities all [...]
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  Posted: March 26, 2009, 8:56pm EDT