A bill to supplant or replace Common Core education standards with other standards was killed in the South Dakota House Education Committee today. Prior to considering HB 1243, the Education Committee killed HB 1187 to exempt students whose parents did not want them to take academic assessment tests.

South Dakota Secretary of State Jason M. Gant has issued the Secretary of State’s Economic Report for the 4th Quarter of 2013 based on corporate registration data compiled by his office. Overall, South Dakota’s economy continues to remain strong as we move into a new calendar year and indicators point toward continued growth for the state.

The Obama Administration has engaged in an unprecedented assault on the First Amendment which is accelerating as he expands the reach of government using regulatory powers well beyond their legal limitations. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall famously wrote in McCulloch v. Maryland, one of our nation’s foundational legal decisions, that the power to tax is necessarily the power to destroy.

There is a bill coming up that funds the prenatal care to illegals in the state of South Dakota. Unfortunately, the folks behind the bill are presenting it as a pro-life bill. Several of our pro-life legislators have been convinced to vote for this, but the long term effects would likely forever change our state in a negative way.

How often have we told our readers that the Democratic Party is the party of Communism and Socialism? How many times have we noted the Marxist philosophy of Obama, of Hillary, et al? Now, the Communist Party USA has stepped from the shadows and openly admitted their involvement with the American left including the Democratic Party and Obama.

The slave ship’s captain, John Newton, found himself in the midst of a treacherous storm at sea and prayed to God to spare him. Some of the slaves he was transporting were released from the cargo hold and helped to save the ship. Shortly thereafter, Newton had an epiphany and gave up the slave trade.

Liberals have repeatedly characterized privatization as a risky venture and Social Security as the safe and responsible choice. But every 46-year investment horizon since Social Security was made law would have produced better returns had the withdrawals been invested privately. Even the Social Security withdrawals of average workers would produce millionaires if they were allowed to be saved and invested in private accounts.

These are some of the noteworthy bills being considered in the South Dakota Legislature today. They include some education bills, as well as at least a couple of “hoghouse vehicle” bills that were created as empty shells designed to insert substantive legislative language later.

At one time in America, most people were financially independent. I don’t mean by this that most people were wealthy. What I mean is that they worked for themselves as opposed to working for someone else as a hired laborer. That day has passed. Today most people who work are employed by someone and draw a wage.