MINOT — Conservative Forum Columnist Rob Port is putting a new, digital twist on his traditional opinion columns. Starting Wednesday, March 31, Port, who is widely known for his conservative views on North Dakota and national politics, will be hosting weekly shows on InForum that will feature rotating guest hosts with more liberal takes on the issues.…
Guest Post: The Obsession Is About Life
This guest post was submitted by Linda Thorson, the North Dakota state director for Concerned Women of America Ms Ahlin claims no good can come of Senator Janne Myrdal’s (Republican—District 10) fixation on abortion. Her fixation, described as strange, was demonstrated by the amendment Myrdal offered to the higher education challenge matching grant program for…
Guest Post: Lowering Healthcare Costs the Wrong Way
This guest post was submitted by Michael Fedorchak, the North Dakota state director for Americans for Prosperity. The COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us of two things: the high price of medical care in the United States and the amazing innovation that defines our healthcare system and allows patients to access life-saving medications and treatments. But,…
Our Adulation of Political Figures Reaches Crisis Level
MINOT, N.D. — Earlier this week I mentioned a trip to Barnes & Noble in one of my columns. I love the store, but sometimes walking in there gives me a sad feeling. Seeing those rows and books reminds me, especially as I enter middle age, that I’ll never live long enough to read all…
Plain Talk: Rep. Brandy Pyle Calls Lawmaker’s Fundraising Amid Harassment Claims a ‘Slap in the Face’
Supporters of Rep. Luke Simons, an embattled Bastiat Caucus lawmaker from Dickinson who has been accused of harassing behavior by numerous women who work in and around the Legislature, have begun raising money for his legal defense. Simons faces no criminal or civil charges, but House Majority Leader Chet Pollert and other Republican leaders have called on Simons to…
Plain Talk: North Dakota Senate Has Passed a Bill Hiding Presidential Vote Counts
The fighting over close national elections can be vicious. We saw that last year in the heated battle between Joe Biden and Donald Trump where many of the latter’s supporters made claims of vote fraud. But it’s not a recent phenomenon. Turn back the clock and you find Democrats in the George W. Bush-era hatching conspiracy theories about Diebold voting…
Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.) prepares for an interview with CNN. Photo via TwitterPhoto via Twitter
Plain Talk: ‘The United States Used to Be the Best Country in the World When It Came to Infrastructure’
Congressman Kelly Armstrong talks about power outages, energy infrastructure, working in Congress in the Biden era, and what drives intransigence in Washington D.C. Click to listen…
Plain Talk: Sen. Kevin Cramer on the Texas Blackouts, Wind Power, Rush Limbaugh, and Ted Cruz
Power outages touched millions of Americans this week, including North Dakota Sen. Kevin Cramer. “I actually had a 45-minute blackout,” he said on this the 200th episode of Plain Talk, referring to his home in Bismarck. What can be done to prevent these sort of blackouts in the future? A lot of energy policy gets made…
Plain Talk: Could North Dakota See Longer School Years to Make up for Pandemic Learning Loss?
“We have a bit of a crisis in K-12 education right now,” North Dakota Superintendent Kirsten Baesler said on this episode of Plain Talk. At issue is the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact it’s had on the state’s schools. While some of the testing and other measurements of academic progress vary from district to district,…
Gov. Doug Burgum: Grateful for COVID Efforts and an Effective Emergency Process
This guest post was submitted by North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum From early on in this pandemic, it was clear this was going to be more of a marathon than a sprint. Now, thanks to the selfless and tireless efforts of so many North Dakotans across our great state, we are well-positioned to finish strongly…