South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem hasn’t agreed with President Joe Biden on very much since he took office, but the two have finally come together on an issue.
Last weekend, Biden joined his administration’s pandemic call with governors and he was warned against letting “federal solutions stand in the way of state solutions” by Arkansas GOP Gov. Asa Hutchison.
“Look, there is no federal solution,” Biden said. “This gets solved state level. My message to the governor is simple: If you need something, say something and we’re going to have your back in any way we can.”
The governor also made it clear that he doesn’t prefer to see federal solutions, such as testing, get in the way of state leaders’ ability to do their jobs.
“As you look towards federal solutions that will help alleviate the challenge, make sure that we do not let federal solutions stand in the way of state solutions and the production of 500 million rapid tests that will be distributed by the federal government is great,” Hutchinson said. “But obviously, that dries up the supply chain for the solutions that we might offer as governor.”
The exchange, and particularly Biden’s remarks about there being “no federal solution,” led the South Dakota governor to conclude that there isn’t a need for federal mandates regarding the pandemic, either.
“After a year, we finally agree . The federal government isn’t the solution. That’s why from the start, SD took a different approach by trusting our citizens to be responsible and make the right decisions for themselves & their families. Now rescind all the federal mandates,” Noem tweeted on Tuesday.
She further elaborated during an appearance Wednesday on “Fox & Friends.”
After a year, we finally agree . The federal government isn’t the solution. That’s why from the start, SD took a different approach by trusting our citizens to be responsible and make the right decisions for themselves & their families. Now rescind all the federal mandates.
— Kristi Noem
Noem , “That’s interesting to me that the president is so bold in saying that there is no federal solution yet continuing to impose mandates on the country.”
She went on to note the initiatives being taken by GOP governors and attorneys general in seeking to end Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
“And the fact is that he doesn’t have the authority to put these mandates in place,” Noem added. “That’s why South Dakota and many other states and governors and attorney generals have challenged the federal government on this authority in court. That will be heard here in January, and we’ll win.
“We’ll win because this president has taken unprecedented action to impose on the liberties and freedoms of the American people. And sometimes, the only ones that are left to fight are the governors,” she noted further.
“It’s so important that [people] have a beacon of hope,” the GOP governor added. “Actions that we’ve taken here [in South Dakota] has shown people that when you do protect those freedoms and those liberties, that it really does create more opportunities and a better future for the people that live under that kind of environment.”
“Really, the thing that they’re doing the most is imposing restrictions and requirements on us,” Noem said of the Biden administration. “They need to back off. We really need to be able to take care of our people. We’ve shown that we do it the best,” she added.
“That’s why South Dakota has got the number one economy in the country,” Noem continued. “We’re getting through this together. We’ve got historic revenues and businesses and people relocating to our state, and it’s because people respect the freedom that they can get here for their children and their grandchildren and know that it will be protected.”