COUNTERPOINT | Leadership isn’t measured in talking points. It’s measured by real relief
Guest column by Julian Beaudion, U.S. Senate candidate
Senator Mike Rounds says Washington has “restored leadership” and fixed the economy. But if leadership were truly restored, South Dakotans would feel it in their wallets, at the grocery store, their health insurance premiums and when they open their utility bills. Too many families are still falling behind.
Rounds claims President Trump inherited a cost of living crisis from President Biden. That is misleading. During President Biden’s final year in office, inflation was trending downward.
By November 2024, inflation stood at 2.4 percent. Under President Trump’s second term, inflation has risen again, averaging 2.7 percent. One reason prices are climbing is Trump’s tariffs, which raise the cost of many everyday goods. When companies pay more, families pay more at the store. Rounds also says the Trump tax cut is the “largest tax cut for working families in history.” That is simply not true.
Trump’s tax cuts do not even rank among the five largest in U.S. history. More importantly, slogans don’t pay the rent. They don’t make child care affordable or bring down health insurance premiums. Leadership isn’t about how a bill is branded, it’s about whether people actually feel relief in their day-to-day lives.
Eliminating taxes on tips is a good idea, but it does not solve the underlying problem. Many food servers still earn a lower minimum wage than other workers. If Senator Rounds truly cared about working people, he would support raising the minimum wage so no one is forced to rely on tips just to survive. An extra $1,000 Child Tax Credit sounds helpful, but it barely touches reality when child care costs more than $8,000 per child each year. Saving a few hundred dollars in taxes means very little when health insurance premiums rise by thousands of dollars next year.
Standing up for people means fighting for policies that lower costs across the board, not temporary deductions or selective tax benefits, but real, structural relief. It means investing in affordable housing, protecting workers’ paychecks, strengthening rural health care and ensuring corporate profits are not prioritized over South Dakota families.
South Dakotans deserve facts, not political talking points. Lower inflation, better jobs, fair wages and affordable health care matter more than cheap rhetoric. They deserve leadership that measures success by outcomes, not applause. We deserve leadership that puts people first.
Julian Beaudion is a Sioux Falls business owner, civic advocate and former law enforcement officer. He is a Democratic candidate in South Dakota’s 2026 U.S. Senate election.
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