Republican Tide

SD representatives differ over public option

By David Montgomery
Pierre Capital Journal staff

Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson, a supporter of the public option, praised the compromise in a statement. “I am pleased … the Senate reform package brought to the floor will include a public option,” Johnson said. “I have long been supportive of the public option as a way to ensure affordable, quality coverage to Americans who currently have limited to no options for obtaining meaningful health insurance.”

Republican Sen. John Thune, an outspoken critic of Democratic health care reform proposals, slammed the opt-out provision as almost meaningless. “It hasn’t changed my view of it much,” Thune said. “A government plan by any other name is still a government plan.”

Democratic Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin said she’s not opposed to a public option. But Herseth Sandlin said too much attention has been paid to the public option and not enough to other aspects of the bill. “Going forward, I’ll evaluate the public option proposal in the bill that comes before the House, and in any final bill, in the context of the many other important provisions for South Dakota.”

House race to heat up in S.D.
By: Josh Kraushaar

POLITICO.com
October 13, 2009 05:14 AM EST

“Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-S.D.) hasn’t had a tough reelection challenge since she won her seat in a 2004 special election. But now she joins the ranks of other conservative Democrats who must gear up for their first competitive races in years.

Two well-regarded Republicans — Secretary of State Chris Nelson and state Rep. Blake Curd — announced their candidacies last week against the backdrop of concerns about the rising federal debt and an unemployment rate that has hit double digits in South Dakota.”

And…

“Until recently, there was little to suggest that Herseth Sandlin would be vulnerable to a challenge. Even in a solidly Republican state carried by John McCain, Herseth Sandlin still managed to defeat her GOP opponent in 2008 by a whopping 36 points.

At a DakotaFest agriculture forum in August, according to the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, she was grilled over whether she supported a public option in a health care bill and got booed when she told the crowd: “Don’t be scared that the Democrats are in charge.”

Read the whole article: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1009/28203.html

Click here to sign a petition against the Waxman-Markey Cap-and-Tax legislation

PIERRE – Chairman Bob Gray of the South Dakota Republican Party announced today that Governor Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) will deliver the keynote address at the upcoming Republican State Dinner on Friday, October 2nd in Rapid City, SD.

Governor Pawlenty is currently serving his second term as the 39th governor of Minnesota, a term that concludes in 2011.  His public service career includes serving as a criminal prosecutor, Eagan City Councilmember, and ten-year member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, including four years as House Majority Leader.  Pawlenty also served as Chair of the National Governors Association.  During the 2008 Presidential Election, he served as a national co-chair for Sen. John McCain, and since then he has remained a national figure in Republican politics.

“Governor Pawlenty has been, and continues to be, a national leader within the Republican Party,” said Gray.  “He will share his vision of how the Republican Party can have electoral successes in 2010 and beyond, and how the Party can effectively govern after winning those contests.”

For ticket information for the State Dinner, call the Republican Party at 605-224-7347.

Today, we remember and honor the men, women, and children that perished on Tuesday, September 11, 2001.  On that fateful morning beginning at 8:46am EDT, 2,974 souls were lost.  From the World Trade Center, to the Pentagon, or to the field in Pennsylvania where immeasurable courage was displayed by our fellow Americans to help avert further disaster, we must not forget.  While we remember those that perished, let’s take a moment on this day – Patriot Day – to pause, reflect, and cherish our freedoms.

We must also remember and honor those who continue the fight for our freedoms and our security.  Our American men and women who wear the uniform in service to our country here and abroad deserve our respect, our gratitude, and our thanks.  It is also fitting to remember words shared with us just days after 9/11 during the World War II Memorial Dedication Ceremony in Pierre, SD.  Maj. Gen. Philip G. Killey, then Adjutant General of the South Dakota National Guard, said “What we cherish, we defend.  What we don’t cherish, we don’t defend.  And what we don’t defend, we lose.”

In the words of Todd Beamer from aboard Flight 93, “Let’s roll.”

- Lucas Lentsch, Executive Director

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Tuesday shows that 30% of the nation’s voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty-one percent (41%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -11 (see trends).

Overall, 45% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President’s performance. That’s down a point from yesterday and the lowest level of total approval yet measured for Obama. Fifty-three percent (53%) now disapprove. See recent demographic highlights from the tracking polls.

Aberdeen: Republicans sponsor ice cream social, go-kart race

The Brown County Republicans will sponsor an ice cream social and go-kart race beginning at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Wylie Park Thunder Road.

The race begins at 7 p.m. between School and Public Lands Commissioner Jarrod Johnson and Public Utilities Commissioner Dusty Johnson.

Free-will donations will be accepted for the ice cream social.

Details: 605-225-3130.

Friday Night News Dump

Powerlineblog.com

August 21, 2009 Posted by John Hinderaker at 7:38 PM

As Barack Obama headed out for a vacation on Martha’s Vineyard, the Office of Management and Budget leaked the news that the administration’s ten-year estimate of budget deficits is being raised from $7 trillion to $9 trillion:

The White House next week will revise the 10-year budget deficit from $7.1 trillion to $9 trillion.

Officials at the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) confirmed the enormous debt revision late Friday afternoon, hours after President Obama left for a 10-day vacation.

The new projections bring the White House numbers in line with estimates by the independent and non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO). In June, CBO projected a 9.1 trillion deficit.

I take it that this means that, in the Heritage Foundation’s famous graph, the OMB projections are now essentially the same as CBO’s: