Secretary of State Monae Johnson really needs to keep her nose out of economics. Not only does her latest economic report present an incomplete and imbalanced picture of South Dakota’s economy; not only does it contradict her party’s message that rising GDP helps everybody; not only does it ignore basic research on commuting and productivity; but it also lets slip under the Secretary’s smiling imprimatur an anecdote from DWU soccer coach Nicolas Reinhard that suggests life is better under the European socialism in his native Germany:
He explained that housing in Germany and Nashville is expensive and difficult to find, while Mitchell offers affordable, higher-quality housing. Nico also believed groceries in Germany are generally cheaper and higher quality than in the United States.
Regarding transportation, Nico noted that Germany’s government-operated public transportation system is more affordable and accessible, while transportation in the U.S. is often more expensive because it is privately operated.
Finally, Nico compared healthcare and taxes in Germany and the United States. Germany has higher taxes, but citizens receive benefits such as free healthcare. However, wait times can be long and quality may vary. In the U.S., healthcare is more expensive but often faster and higher quality. Nico admitted that the high cost of healthcare in America sometimes causes him to avoid routine check-ups. He also explained that taxes in Germany are automatically deducted from paychecks, unlike the annual tax filing process in the U.S. [Secretary of State Monae L. Johnson and Dakota Wesleyan University, 2026 Q1 Business and Economic Data Analysis Summary, 2026.05.21, p. 44].
Secretary Johnson is already on the outs with the radical right-wing base that elevated her to election chief over more qualified candidates. Using office time and resources to promote socialism straight from the land of Marx—that’s going to send Monae’s wingnuts into a real tizzy.
Would you prefer higher taxes but more “spending money” remaining after your bills are paid, healthcare is provided, and groceries are purchased?
We liberals label that “economic humanism” NOT woke socialism.
There is a growing movement among Democrats and others to fund Medicare for all but I like the idea of rolling the funding for Obamacare, TriCare, Medicare, the Indian Health Service and the Veterans Health Administration together then offering Medicaid for all by increasing the estate tax, raising taxes on tobacco and adopting a carbon tax.
Yes, socialized agriculture, socialized dairies, socialized cheese, socialized livestock production, a socialized timber industry, socialized air service, socialized freight rail, a socialized nursing home industry, socialized water systems, a socialized internet and even socialized tourism are all fine with Republicans in South Dakota but then they insist single-payer medical insurance is socialized medicine.
grudznick had no idea Ms. Monae tracked so many statistics. And compiled them from other sources in ways that make it look like she doesn’t understand what they mean and package it up for the public to ignore.
A citizen in Europe has it made. You know health care is the big one. For instance, your doctor says you need an MRI. Ok the insurance guy who makes money out of refusing your care says no. Sooo your doctor sends you to a specialist who then says you need an MRI. After talking to two to three people at your insurance your MRI is approved. You doctors now find out what is causing your pain which you’ve had for months while this is going on. You have three options. Physical therapy is the first you need this twice a week for a couple of more months. Is that doesn’t work your insurance should approve a shot into your spinal column. If that doesn’t work it’s surgery. You have to do this in this order because otherwise your insurance won’t approve. Of course you have a copay for all these meetings too, its not cheap.
Its purely stupid. People wonder why Luigi Mansions is a folk hero? The policy at that insurance company was killing thousands and thousands of people that has changed at least a little. Of course what he did was horrible but what the insurance companies are doing is worse. How was this shit system set up. America spends more and gets much less.
Luigi Mangione. Sorry.
Pre-filled tax returns (the IRS already has the data) would save Americans billions of hours and billions of dollars in fees and fraud. “Who cares? You’re not cheating, are you?”