Framing everything newsworthy in the politics of an off-year election this Fall, I read that another year of losses are likely to descend on row crop farmers in this country. According to an America...

Today is a National Day of Action . It’s time for Americans to take action, too. There is an opportunity to do so in Sioux Falls tonight, one of more than 135 such gatherings in the nation. A cand...

George Washington was no fan of political parties. In his Farewell Address , he warned that although parties may “now and then” serve popular ends, they are likely to be used to defeat the public i...

Toby Doeden has been fast-talking around the issues for months now. So quickly and deftly does he change positions that listening to him talk is like watching the lady above jitterbugging her way arou...

Let’s start with the disclosure: I enjoy betting—though I’m too frugal to ever risk more than maybe 20 bucks. Recently I’ve wagered on World Cup soccer games, and I’ve admitted in previous columns to ...

I voted today. If you asked me 10 years ago if I would be a registered Republican doing whatever I could for damage control, I would have told you no way, but here we are. Honestly, I was origin...

The first time President Pinocchio promised that we’ll pay off the debt was when he ran in 2016.   Actually, he said he’d get it paid down in eight years, but voters put a kibosh on that ti...

Harry Chapin’s music still gives me a lift. Which makes the boost I gave him mean even more to me. Chapin, a celebrated songwriter and singer, has been dead for 45 years, but he and his music haven...

When the voter does everything right and an election worker does something wrong, the voter should win. That is not the case in South Dakota. The recent Mayoral run-off election in Sioux Falls i...

A client called me last week wanting to know how to claim a $7,500 tax refund he thought he'd missed. His question was based on an email sent in early July to Social Security recipients from Frank J....

A just-released KELO-commissioned poll conducted by Emerson College , shows incumbent Larry Rhoden way, way ahead of Toby Doeden as we head into the Republican primary runoff for the gubernatoria...

The Republican runoff election for governor is Tuesday, July 28. ALL taxpayers are paying for an election over 200,000 voters can’t participate in. Outrageous . I drafted the lett...

Politics is about power. It’s the power to inspire, to persuade, to be at the head of a movement. The most effective politicians are able to lead people, craft legislation and impact the city, county...

So far the tourist season in the Black Hills region has been not so hot. Visitation to our largest National Park Service sites – the Badlands (-27% in June) and Mt. Rushmore (-9% in June) – has be...

What’s the best option for Democrats, independents and people who belong to other political parties in the South Dakota Republican Party gubernatorial runoff? Should they stand by and watch Gov. La...

Lakota youth lazily swung their legs over the back of the flatbed truck carrying them to the corrals where their horses grazed. As they bumped along the grassy road, they sang in their traditional L...

Trump’s farm policy screw-ups are getting expensive. Another federal cash bailout, this time to the tune of $11 billion, was announced in June, effectively demonstrating once again that farmers can’...

As I’ve often said, my American patriotism is very complicated and different as a Native person. It’s very strong. When people sing “This Land is Your Land,” I think that it is and has been for c...

Vice President JD Vance has provided the country with a guiding touchstone on ethical principles for holding public office. A Golden Age of presidential success may be found, Vance suggests, in the ...

My last few columns have received a lot of comments. It surprises and pleases me to have so many folks reacting to my writing. Most of the comments make me smile. Some don’t. There are some...

Mail-in voting has played a role in the American electoral process for over 160 years. During the American Civil War, many states established absentee voting so Union soldiers serving away from home...

In Congress, July 4, 1776 The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,  When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political...

When Benjamin Franklin — the greatest American to not serve as president, with a strong case for being the greatest American, period — was asked what kind of government the Founding Fathers we...

For decades I have watched couples come undone over money. In many cases, red flags warning of money conflicts could have been identified long before they married. Such signals are not as obvious as d...

I was surprised and shocked, as I’m sure many were, at hearing the agenda of the Trump Administration summarized in five words. It all happened at “fight night” on the White House lawn. (I’m not c...

This is the last in a series of five interconnected essays. The first installment can be read here . The second installment can be found here . The third is located here . The fourth, ...

My favorite podcast is “The Rest is History.” Two British historians cover world history, examining both major events and lesser-known subjects. A recent episode made me think about our 250th c...

What is the current relationship between Donald Trump and John Thune? The two men, leaders of the executive and legislative branches of government, respectively, come from very different backgrou...

Every election cycle , someone inevitably says, “My vote doesn’t matter” or “My vote doesn’t make a difference.” Usually it’s while standing in line for coffee, scrolling social media, or explaining...

Sioux Falls is at a crossroads. This mayoral race , regardless of where it lands after the recount, should be a wake-up call. In a city runoff where only about a quarter of registered voters showe...

This is the fourth in a series of interconnected essays. The first installment can be read here . The second installment can be read here . The third can be found here . South D...

There is currently a very real, but quietly fought battle for the soul and character of the South Dakota Republican Party. And this week’s state GOP convention provides a backdrop for the battle b...

UPDATE: 8:27 p.m. The first election results came in at 8:25 p.m. with Jamie Smith in an early lead at 55% (2,333) and Christine Erickson at 44% (1,862). According to the city website, there have b…

His rapid decline is obvious. Why not give it the attention it deserves?