Thune crucifies Republican irony

Bake a man a pie and he'll learn to divide by seven but teach a man piety and he'll crucify the apples then say they died for his sins.

Senator John Thune (earth hater-SD) is already notorious for encouraging moral hazard and adding a layer of government overreach bureaupublicanism on fighting wildfires.

Thune has heard a number of concerns with respect to the accuracy of the Drought Monitor, especially given its use in determining grazing disaster assistance through programs administered by the Farm Service Agency. Among these concerns is a frustration that USDA does not fully utilize data gathered by existing reporting stations to determine indemnities for insured grazing losses under the Pasture, Rangeland, Forage Insurance Program that is administered by the Risk Management Agency. [After Hearing Constituents’ Concerns, Thune Introduces Legislation to Improve Accuracy of U.S. Drought Monitor]

A Vale ranch pair lied to the Farm Service Agency after a blizzard buried parts of western South Dakota.

The offense carries maximum penalties of five years in prison and/or a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. In a Journal interview following the storm, Karl Knutson said he had been checking cattle and fences on the ranch of his father, Dale, east of Sturgis. [Rapid City Journal]

A farm bill laden with subsidies and ecocide has passed from a house committee.

In an audio statement, Rep. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) said, "I know a lot of you are calving right now, and these calves and cows are in danger. There are two farm programs available as a safety net for you. The first is the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), and it's there to help mitigate the cost of some of those losses. That program will reimburse you for 75 percent of the market value of livestock that are lost due to a storm like we see here this weekend. The second is Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-raised Fish (ELAP), which is there to help with secondary losses. Both programs are administered by your local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office, so please stay in touch with them if losses were to occur. [Friday the 13th brings harsh April blizzard]

Real conservatives at the Heritage Foundation have called for subsidy reform for years. Both Kristi Noem and Mike Rounds have taken handouts. Noem frequently calls for a socialized Black Hills timber industry to placate Hulett, Wyoming-based donor, Neiman Enterprises.

South Dakota's Republican congressional delegation has been obstructing attempts by the US Fish and Wildlife Service to streamline the agency weaning support from a Spearditch hatchery known for introducing invasive species in Black Hills watersheds and into the waters of the United States.

South Dakota owns loads of the means of production: part of the very definition of socialism.

Socialized agriculture, socialized livestock production, socialized coal and a socialized timber industry: South Dakota truly is a perpetual welfare state and a permanent disaster area.