Opinion
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A Nazi march and an old reminder
On June 6, we turned our attentions to Normandy in France as several world leaders honored the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion of occupied Europe during World War II, a pivotal moment in that war and in the course of human history. The moment pleaded to us to not…
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This years closed Republican primary could be the last of its kind in South Dakota
Tuesdays primary election could be the last of its kind in South Dakota. In November, voters will consider Constitutional Amendment H which, if approved, would drastically change the way primaries are conducted in this state. Amendment H would open the primaries to all registered voters, regardless of party affiliation or…
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Bipartisanship alive with congressional delegation, not so much with Gov. Kristi Noem
South Dakota Searchlight readers were recently treated to two very different views of bipartisanship and governance. First came the story about an analysis of bipartisanship in the U.S. Congress. Released by the Lugar Center and the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University, the report had good news about…
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Major League Baseball embracing sport’s history
Who holds Major League Baseballs record for the highest batting average in a single season? Its not Ted Williams, with his .406 average in 1941, the last time anyone topped .400. Its not Ty Cobb, with his stunning .420 average in 1911, or even Nap Lajoie, whose .426 average in…
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Kristi Noem, the tribes and a no-win situation
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has been on a roll of sorts lately, although its probably been the worst kind of roll possible for a politician. Details in her new book such as killing a dog and a goat and questionable facts about meeting foreign leaders have ignited controversy as…
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Regarding the repression of transnational dissidents
Forty-five years ago, the Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov was killed in London with a poison-tipped umbrella as he made his way home from work. The horrifying case transfixed the British public. So transnational repression is not new, including on British shores. But unless its target is unusually high-profile, or it…
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New audit points to fraud potential in tax credit program for biofuels
A new federal audit has revealed a surprising claim about biofuel tax credits: One third of the credits sampled by investigators lacked the required documentation, meaning the claims should not have been allowed. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, or TIGTA,examinedcompliance procedures at the Internal Revenue Service and said…
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No Going Back for Noem after trying too hard to impress Trump
These are tough times for Kristi Noem. Shes frequently the butt of jokes from late-night comedians. Shes been lampooned on Saturday Night Live. Her plight inspires memes on the internet: Run, Cricket! Run! In one of the roughest book tours in the entire history of print, Noem finds herself defending…
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US Postal Service’s decision on South Dakota operations seemed inevitable
Ultimately and unfortunately, the U.S. Postal Service did what it was always going to do when it was announced last week that it was going ahead with its plan to shift some of the duties of the Sioux Falls Processing & Distribution Center to Omaha, Nebraska. This move, coupled with…
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What reclassifying marijuana means
The news recently that the Justice Department plans to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug is most welcome. But very, very late in coming. President Biden promised during the 2020 presidential campaign that he would decriminalize cannabis. Moving the substance from Schedule I, for the most dangerous and abused…
