In terms of the national debate over gun control, Democrats are very much for expanding the regulation of gun ownership and restricting access to guns and ammunition. But when it comes to winning elections Democrats, it seems, are a lot more pliable on the issue. Case in point, Senator Mark Pryor’s efforts to get re-elected…
Taking Attendance: Democrats Missed More Work In The Legislature Than Republicans
During the just-ended legislative session I wrote a number of posts about Rep. Kathy Hawken (R-Fargo) missing votes on pro-life bills despite pushing herself into the media as a vocal opponent of those bills. It turns out Hawken took a couple of out-of-state vacations while the legislature was in session. Those prompted many of you…
Dorso Column:House Seems Fed Up With Tobacco Agency
The 1998 tobacco settlement negotiated between the states and the big four tobacco companies was to have netted the 46 signatory states a minimum of 206 billion over 25 years. There were a number of agreements that went into the settlement not all of which sat well with the North Dakota legislature at that time.…
NDGOP Brags Up Obamacare Medicaid Expansion
Today the NDGOP sent out their first ever GOP Update, which mimics a daily email and social media blast the state’s Democrats have been doing for some time. We’re excited to announce the first issue of GOP Update, an at-a-glance look at the big stories happening in… fb.me/2OfP7he3a — ND Republican Party (@NDGOP) April 19,…
SAB Legislative Hall Of Shame Week 10: Senator Connie Triplett
We skipped last week in the Hall of Shame awards because it was a short week coming off of the crossover break and the legislature really didn’t get up to much. But this week there was plenty of activity, and one legislator who definitely earned this “honor.” The abortion issue is always a contentious one,…
SAB's Top Posts For The Last Week, Open Thread
These were the top posts, by page views, on SayAnythingBlog.com for the week that was: Democrat Legislator Jessica Haak Calls Republican Majority Leader A “Nazi” – Rep. Jessica Haak – (D-Jamestown) got caught posting nasty things, untrue things about Republicans on Twitter. When House Majority Leader Al Carlson confronted her about it, she called him…
Why Are We Spending 84% More To Feed 2% Fewer Students?
The Fargo Forum yesterday described the refusal by Republicans in North Dakota’s state House to replace federal milk funds for a third half-pint of milk a day with a state appropriation as “mean” and “stingy.” “The callousness is startling, disappointing,” wrote the Forum editorial board with their typically unthinking sort of intemperance. Of course, the…
Open Records Request Sets Off Emergency Legislation In The ND House
This legislative session the State of North Dakota has made large strides in the areas of transparency. The state has created an online video system through which floor debates in the state House and Senate are streamed and archived, and they’ve created a bill tracking system through which anyone can long in, look up bills…
Colin Powell: Republicans "Still Look Down On Minorities"
It seems odd for the first African American Secretary of State, appointed to his position by a Republican President, would say something like this but according to Colin Powell the GOP has a “a dark vein of intolerance.” So what, specifically, is evidence of this “vein of intolerance” according to Powell? Stuff that, frankly, isn’t…