The U.S. cannot say it was not warned. For years now, sovereign credit rating agencies have repeatedly told Congress to get its torrent of deficit spending under control, or else face a downgrade of its gold-plated Triple-A credit rating. Standard and Poor’s (S&P) was the first agency in the West to fire its warning shot, downgrading its outlook on U.S. debt from “stable” to “negative.” The threat of a downgrade is now, meaning we don’t have 26 years to balance the budget.

Donald Trump has created quite a stir with his serious-sounding talk of running for president, to the extent that he even went on the Rush Limbaugh program last Friday to talk about it. Others are less enthused. The Club for Growth has denounced him as a “tax-hiking liberal,” George Will says his policies would lower the standard of living for Americans, and Mark Levin has pointed out his financial contributions to liberals like Anthony Weiner, Chuck Schumer, Hillary Clinton, RINO Charlie Crist, and Harry Reid. The facts are clear: while Trump has some conservative opinions, for the most part he is a liberal.

Islamic Shariah law has invaded America. One example of how this is so, is that our government and military officials are already demanding that Islam be given deferential treatment, even at the expense of the freedom of religion of Christians. When an obscure pastor burns a Koran in America, we are told this Koran-burning is responsible for Islamic violence, and Bibles sent my missionaries to Afghanistan are burned by the U.S. military, lest their existence inspire Islamic violence.

If Obama had been right about his spending and money-printing scheme to save the economy, revenues would have already recovered. He also would not be proposing a budget that will add about $1 trillion to the debt every year, rising to over $24 trillion by 2021, and saying now that we need to raise taxes. That’s Obama’s tax and spend irony, and it should not be lost on the American people as we head towards 2012.

As patriotic Americans with the Tea Party movement, 912-ers and other patriots came out this weekend celebrating our unique heritage of freedom and protesting the socialization of our bloated big government, Leftists and other America-loathers were out showing how much they hate all that makes America great. In these videos, you will see Leftists talk about how they wipe dirty body parts with the American flag. You will see liberals carrying on like spoiled children during the Star Spangled Banner, booing and otherwise being brats. You will hear Leftists screaming profanity at a teen age Tea Party patriot. In other words, you will see the face of the American Left with the mask off.

As we begin this Holy Week there is no other issue, no other thought more demanding of our attention than that of the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. On these facts—and most especially the resurrection—rest the whole Christian faith, mission, and message. I pray you take time to stop and reflect throughout this week—be reminded of your first love and his kingdom, which you are to seek first as you press into this world bearing witness to the glorious power of the resurrection!

Patriots from in and around Rapid City, South Dakota spent last weekend brushing up on their American history and knowledge of the Constitution, thanks to several events sponsored by the Family Heritage Alliance, BigHorn Canyon Ministries, the Life & Liberty Group, and the South Dakota Tea Party Alliance. Events began with a dinner at Mount Rushmore, followed with seminars on American history and the U.S. Constitution, and saw rallies preparing for the 2012 election season and protesting Tax Day.

Now the battle looms to raise the debt limit. This is an inside-the-belt-way shell game wherein the parties of power each beat their chests and growl at each other about who is the most responsible before they both vote to increase the limit on their collective credit card.

During the last session legislators changed the state’s large project refund. Taking effect in 2013, the new refund program is to be less expensive and discretionary. Unlike the current program, projects won’t automatically qualify for refunds simply by meeting certain spending requirements. Instead, a panel will decide who gets the refund. Opponents call the change the Governor’s slush fund. Are they right?

Do you bother to look at your taxes after filing them? Yes, you pay someone to fill out your tax return, but when it is done, do you ask what to change in the future to keep more of your earnings and forfeit less to Uncle Sam? Many people believe a dollar saved on their taxes is not worth the same as a dollar of their salary or a dollar of gain in the stock market. They are correct. A dollar saved on your taxes is actually worth more.

The best of the best articles at Dakota Voice last week, including: Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid Omits God in Pledge of Allegiance; Bad News for Planned Parenthood, Good News for Parents; Rapid City’s $163 Million Debt and George Soros in Your Back Yard; Hiding the Truth, Hiding From the Truth; What is Donald Trump Up To?; The Liberal War Against Reality and Truth; Obama: America Not Great Until Embrace of Socialism; and more!

The embedded video from governmentgonewild.org is a ‘must-see’ for all Americans. It portrays our debt crisis for what it is, the greatest threat to our country that we have ever faced. Unless we get this under control we can forget about our environment, terrorism, the global economy, radical Islam, socialism or any of the issues that we struggle with daily. It won’t matter because day to day survival will be our major concern.

Fred Phelps and his gang of haters has made a practice of driving a knife into the hearts of families grieving the loss of American soldiers fallen in combat. Though buffer zones to stop these haters is still in debate in our courts, the American people have made their own solution in the form of the Patriot Guard Riders who honor the fallen and their families. This video about the Patriot Guard Riders is told mostly by a family who lost their loved one in the line of duty; their pain is very clear, as is their appreciation for the Patriot Guard Riders.

It’s been an up-and-down kind of week. It started with us being told that Republicans had managed to squeeze $38 billion in budget cuts for 2011 out of a deal with the Devil, er, Democrats. Then most of that turned out to be smoke and mirrors. But the week finished strong, with House Republicans passing a plan to cut $6 TRILLION in spending. Now is the time for Americans to get behind fiscal responsibility, for the future of our republic.

All rhetoric and hyperbole aside, it is a documented fact that Planned Parenthood is an ideologically-driven organization dedicated to advancing a radical pro-abortion agenda. When the organization and its supporters decry evil Republicans’ attempts to deny critical “family planning” services to low-income women, they are not talking about adoption services or birth control – they are talking about in-clinic abortions, the abortion pill, and efforts to spread their anti-family, anti-child agenda to the women of the world. Why are the taxpayers forced to fund this organization?

On Wednesday, President Obama spoke at George Washington University to share his vision on how to deal with the nation’s fiscal crisis. In opening his remarks, the president quite correctly noted that the debate about our national budget is about “more than just numbers on a page…..It’s about the kind of country we believe in.” In other words, the budget debate is most fundamentally a debate about values.

A “Restoring Our Republic: A Plan for 2012″ rally was held in Rapid City, South Dakota this evening at the Ramkota Best Western. The event was sponsored by the Life and Liberty Group in Rapid City. Features speakers were authors John Eidsmoe and Mark Skogerboe, on the principles that made America great…and can again. Skogerboe offered a plan for identifying candidates who can restore our republic, and then getting them elected.

A battle has broken out between the tea party movement and House Republicans over just what the now-enacted continuing resolution (CR) for fiscal year 2011 will achieve in real savings. Activists have been responding to AP reports that the resolution cutting $38.5 billion would only result in $352 million in actual cuts to outlays in 2011. How can this be?

State officials should act now to deny ObamaCare the regulatory edifice it needs to take root, instead of waiting for the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the federal law, according to policy analysts who favor free market reforms. Already, Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-La.) has joined with Gov. Sean Parnell (R-Alaska) and Gov. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) in an effort to resist implementation.

The latest Louder with Crowder with Steve Crowder features the American success story of the Gracie family begun by Helio Gracie in Brazil. The Gracies are living and teaching the American dream. We need more of this spirit!

Proposition 8 is an amendment to California’s State Constitution which defines marriage as between a man and a woman. It was passed via ballot initiative in 2008 but remains tied up in federal court, thanks in part to the ruling of Federal Judge Vaughn Walker. Walker was initially rumored to be a practicing homosexual, placing his objectivity in the case in doubt. But now he has admitted that he is a homosexual, and the case for recusal has been proven. His ruling on the Prop 8 case should be immediately vacated as he possessed both an incontrovertible and disqualifying conflict of interest.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit rejected a lawsuit filed by the Freedom From Religion Foundation that sought to strike down the National Day of Prayer. The court determined that “a feeling of alienation” was not sufficient legal grounds for the atheist group to file suit. Historically, including 2010, all 50 governors, along with U.S. presidents, have issued proclamations in honor of the National Day of Prayer.

Shad Olson recently announced that his radio talk show, the Shad Olson Show, is about to experience explosive growth. In the first year of the show, the SOS Radio Network has been heard in Rapid City, Belle Fourche, Valentine, Nebraska and Sundance, Wyoming. The Shad Olson Show is now poised to expand to an additional 50 cities, with the possibility of another 80 in the near future. That would put the Shad Olson Show on the air in 23 states.

Barack Obama is threatening that if Congress does not increase the $14.294 trillion national debt ceiling, the nation will default. It is a rather curious formulation. Note that the Administration is not saying that if we continue to borrow trillions of dollars year on end without ever presenting a plan to repay the debt, we will default. But that if we do not continue borrowing, we cannot meet our obligations to creditors. Call it the next big lie.

The South Dakota Tea Party Alliance is hosting a Tax Day Tea Party in Memorial Park in Rapid City Saturday, April 16 from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm. This will be the third year in a row that patriots from the Black Hills and West River area of South Dakota have gathered to send a message to our elected representatives: we demand fiscal responsibility and respect for our constitution! There will be music, special speakers and lots of sign-waving!