There is broad bipartisan agreement that America needs to invest in infrastructure. The problem is, there isn’t a lot of agreement on what infrastructure is. In Congress, Democrats are pushing an infrastructure bill that includes a raft of progressive policy priorities that have little to do with roads or bridges, or power grids. Congressman Kelly…
Live at 11 Am: What Does Jupiter Paulsen’s Murder Mean for Criminal Justice Reform?
Jupiter Paulsen was a 14-year-old girl who was brutally killed in Fargo, allegedly by a man with a long criminal history who was out on probation. Some are blaming officials for letting Arthur Prince Kollie, the man arrested for the death, out of custody. North Dakota, like many other states in America, has made some long strides…
Join the Live Discussion: Will Governor Doug Burgum Be Recalled?
A group of hardcore supporters of Donald Trump have gotten approval to begin circulating a petition to recall North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and his running mate Lt. Governor Brent Sanford. Will they be successful? Chad Oban, former executive director of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL, joins this episode of Plain Talk Live to discuss it. Also, a federal…
Live at 3pm: Let’s Talk About Critical Race Theory
Critical race theory. You’ve no doubt been hearing a lot about it. It’s in our headlines. It’s grist for the ceaseless mill of cable news outrage. It’s a topic of debate in our school districts. Is it a valid curriculum? A worthy avenue for scholastic endeavor? Or is it an ideology? Political doctrine dressed up…
North Dakota’s One-Dose Vaccination Rate Has Finally Passed 50%, but What Can We Do to Get More?
MINOT, N.D. — Back in early May I wrote about the slowing pace of COVID-19 vaccinations in North Dakota. At the time the one-dose coverage rate for the vaccine — which is the percentage of people who have had at least one shot — was at 46.7%, just short of half. Today, a month and…
Live at 2pm: Former Gov. Ed Schafer Weighs in on State Investments Drama and Emergency Commission Appropriations
Earlier this year North Dakota’s lawmakers passed a bill requiring full legislative approval of any interim appropriation of federal money that exceeds $50 million in a biennium. Now lawmakers don’t want to follow their own law. Former North Dakota Governor Ed Schafer weighs in on that situation on this episode of Plain Talk Live. Also, there’s…
Live at 1pm: What Could a Major Rail Merger Mean for North Dakota?
If you can name me a North Dakota community that wasn’t built around a railroad stop, or at least had rails running through it at one point in its history, I’ll buy you lunch. Rail infrastructure has been important to North Dakota for as long as our state has been a state. Longer, really, so…
LIVE at 11 A.M.: What’s Going on With the Line 3 Protests?
With the vigorous demonstrations against the Line 3 pipeline replacement project, the upper Midwest is getting another front-and-center look at the often vicious politics of energy infrastructure. Left-wing activists train to be arrested, the plot conflict with law enforcement, all to produce media coverage that is sympathetic to their cause. Meanwhile, every single one of us, including…
LIVE at 2 P.M.: A Hydrogen Hub Is a Big Deal for North Dakota; Listen to the Discussion
A big name in power is coming to North Dakota to invest in hydrogen energy, and it’s a big deal for our state in a lot of ways. Mitsubishi Power is partnering with Bakken Energy to build a hydrogen hub in the state. The potential benefits are enormous. It’s a new industry, for one, in a state that desperately…
LIVE at 2 P.M.: Lawmakers Say OK to a Ban on LGBT Conversion? Watch the Discussion and Chat Live With Rob Port
The Administrative Rules Committee approved a ban on LGBT conversion therapy asked for by the North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners, which oversees licensing for social workers. Some Republican lawmakers resisted the change. Was it the right move? I’ll talk about it with former Democratic-NPL executive director Chad Oban on this episode of Plain Talk.…