The South Dakota Standard

Greetings.

Welcome to the launch of The South Dakota Standard! Tom Lawrence and I will bring you thoughts and ideas concerning issues pertinent to the health and well-being of our political culture. Feel free to let us know what you are thinking.

All by Mike Levsen

Former Aberdeen mayor Levsen: Under the worship of Trump, Republicans are ignoring reality, law and science

Mar 12

Mar 12 Former Aberdeen mayor Levsen: Under the worship of Trump, Republicans are ignoring reality, law and science

Former Aberdeen mayor Levsen: Ready for a government run like a Trump business overseen by Elon Musk?

Feb 14

Feb 14 Former Aberdeen mayor Levsen: Ready for a government run like a Trump business overseen by Elon Musk?

A foreshadowing of a 2026 South Dakota public school classroom lesson and the Ten Commandments

Jan 19

Jan 19 A foreshadowing of a 2026 South Dakota public school classroom lesson and the Ten Commandments

Former Aberdeen mayor Mike Levsen: A twisted legislative crusade – making life more difficult for trans people

Dec 20

Dec 20 Former Aberdeen mayor Mike Levsen: A twisted legislative crusade – making life more difficult for trans people

Former Aberdeen Mayor Mike Levsen has some burning questions in the wake of the disastrous 2024 election results

Nov 9

Nov 9 Former Aberdeen Mayor Mike Levsen has some burning questions in the wake of the disastrous 2024 election results

Lies from Trump and Vance about Haitians mirror falsehoods about Somalis made in Aberdeen years ago

Oct 21

Oct 21 Lies from Trump and Vance about Haitians mirror falsehoods about Somalis made in Aberdeen years ago

What is ‘extreme’ when discussing abortion? Denying women the right to choose seems to be the true outrage

Sep 26

Sep 26 What is ‘extreme’ when discussing abortion? Denying women the right to choose seems to be the true outrage

Former Aberdeen mayor Levsen: Amendment F supporters are wrong to accuse South Dakotans of not working hard enough

Sep 3

Sep 3 Former Aberdeen mayor Levsen: Amendment F supporters are wrong to accuse South Dakotans of not working hard enough

Please, Dusty — no lectures on civility in politics. Your support for Trump overshadows such pieties

Aug 5

Aug 5 Please, Dusty — no lectures on civility in politics. Your support for Trump overshadows such pieties

Former Aberdeen mayor Levsen recalls that during the 2007 flood, help came fast from Gov. Rounds and the National Guard.

Jul 23

Jul 23 Former Aberdeen mayor Levsen recalls that during the 2007 flood, help came fast from Gov. Rounds and the National Guard.

Politics makes strange bedfellows, as the marriage of Donald J. Trump and the Christian right proves

Jun 26

Jun 26 Politics makes strange bedfellows, as the marriage of Donald J. Trump and the Christian right proves

Former Aberdeen mayor Levsen: Of all our patriotic holidays, Memorial Day holds a special and somber meaning

May 27

May 27 Former Aberdeen mayor Levsen: Of all our patriotic holidays, Memorial Day holds a special and somber meaning

May is test month, so quiz yourself with these multiple-choice questions to determine how well you know South Dakota

May 3

May 3 May is test month, so quiz yourself with these multiple-choice questions to determine how well you know South Dakota

Party over country? Thune, Rounds and Johnson need to explain their support for Trump’s dangerous policies

Apr 8

Apr 8 Party over country? Thune, Rounds and Johnson need to explain their support for Trump’s dangerous policies

Noem not the only governor playing politics with National Guard, as NY Gov. Hochul sends Guardsmen into subways

Mar 12

Mar 12 Noem not the only governor playing politics with National Guard, as NY Gov. Hochul sends Guardsmen into subways

Levsen: Yes, there is a problem at the southern border, but grandstanding and mean-spirited buzzwords won’t solve it

Feb 17

Feb 17 Levsen: Yes, there is a problem at the southern border, but grandstanding and mean-spirited buzzwords won’t solve it

Why the hypocrisy? If the state of South Dakota can support church schools, it should do the same for public schools

Jan 26

Jan 26 Why the hypocrisy? If the state of South Dakota can support church schools, it should do the same for public schools

A Hallmark movie Christmas event in Aberdeen — and a question about SD’s priorities all year

Jan 7

Jan 7 A Hallmark movie Christmas event in Aberdeen — and a question about SD’s priorities all year

Former Aberdeen Mayor Mike Levsen on the good, bad and kind people and comments after a big snowstorm

Dec 16

Dec 16 Former Aberdeen Mayor Mike Levsen on the good, bad and kind people and comments after a big snowstorm

Former Aberdeen mayor Mike Levsen: The GOP has lost its way, and is being led by dangerous and poorly informed idiots

Nov 15

Nov 15 Former Aberdeen mayor Mike Levsen: The GOP has lost its way, and is being led by dangerous and poorly informed idiots

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