John Gossom
Congress, Not the Internet to Blame for Postal Woes
WASHINGTON - By now you have probably heard that the US Postal Service is ending Saturday delivery of first-class mail in order to cut some of its financial losses. What you might not know is that Congress is the cause of most of those losses.
Debate Over Military Drone Strikes Divides Democrats
WASHINGTON - The Obama administration’s appointment of John Brennan to serve as director of the CIA has brought to the fore some troubling questions about the rationale for lethal drone strikes. These questions are also exposing a political divide on the left.
Senate Bill Will Not Address Teacher Shortage in South Dakota
PIERRE - If the Governor and the legislature want to do more than put a band-aid on this problem, they are going to have to address the larger problem.
Stone Age Politics: House Kills Medical Marijuana Bill
PIERRE - There is a multitude of anecdotal evidence of marijuana’s beneficial medical uses, however the federal government continues to treat it as a substance with no redeeming medical value.
Immigration Reform Will Have Impact Close to Home
Due to the attractive local economic climate, many Sioux Falls area residents either will be, or know someone who will be, directly affected by immigration legislation.
Do Wind Farm Developers Need Tax Rebates?
PIERRE - A bill recently introduced in the South Dakota Senate would attempt to make the state a more attractive locale by giving developers of wind farms not only a full refund of the state contractor’s excise tax but also 25% of the sales tax.
Sentinels and School Boards: South Dakota House Bill to Arm Schools Falls Short
The efforts to place ‘sentinels’ in schools has only happened so recently that no one currently serving on a school board was elected to that office based on their position on this issue.
School Voucher Programs Only Work for Those Who Don’t Need Them
Government exists to serve the general public interest. It is not a vending machine designed to give everyone exactly the amount of candy they are willing to pay for.
New Filibuster Rules Could Lead to More of the Same Ineffective Congress
If you enjoyed the last two years of a historically ineffectual Congress, get ready more of the same.
Criminal Justice Reform Long Overdue
The South Dakota Senate has overwhelmingly approved a bill aimed at creating alternative sentencing for nonviolent offenders.