Most North Dakotans get their insurance through some sort of group plan, usually through an employer, but our state is also a unique place. We have a lot of self-employed entrepreneurs, people like ranchers and farmers and other small business owners, and they’re responsible for purchasing their own insurance. The only news most of us…
Plain Talk: Auditor Gallion Says Things Are “Cordial” With Governor Burgum Despite Campaign Announcement Snub
“Regardless of what you do…you’re going to have critics.” That’s what North Dakota Auditor Josh Gallion, a Republican who announced his re-election campaign last week, told me on this episode of Plain Talk. Gallion has drawn the ire of at least some of his fellow Republicans during his first term in office. After some aggressive…
Plain Talk: ACLU of North Dakota Talks Cash Bail and Cops in Schools
On this episode of Plain Talk, Dane DeKrey from the ACLU of North Dakota talks about his group’s opposition to cash bail. They’d like to see the state use other methods to guarantee that defendants, released from jail pre-trial, show up in court. He also discusses his group’s opposition to the use of police officers…
Plain Talk: Why Do Americans Feel So Anxious? “It’s Not Trump” Says NDSU Professor
Americans are living at historically high levels of prosperity, but we also see increasing rates of problems with things like anxiety. About 20 percent of millennials say they are alone all or some of the time. Many of them say they have no real friends. “More and more people are taking anti-depressants and buying self-help…
Plain Talk: Congressman Armstrong Says He “Can’t Tell You How Much Time” Democrats Have “Wasted” on Impeachment
“I can’t tell you how much time we’ve wasted on this.” That’s what Congressman Kelly Armstrong had to say of the latest push from Democrats to impeach President Donald Trump. He said the current controversy, with accusations that Trump pursued an untoward arrangement with the leader of Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden…
Plain Talk: Senator Cramer Says Obama’s Iran Deal Partly to Blame for Attacks on Saudi Oil Facilities
On this episode of Plain Talk, Senator Kevin Cramer and I discussed the recent attacks on Saudi oil facilities. Iranian equipment was used in the attacks, but the country is denying involvement. Cramer, who said he’s “read the classified CIA brief on the evidence,” said it’s his “sense” Iran was behind the attacks. “Any deniability…
Senator Kevin Cramer speaks with Customs and Border Patrol agents during a recent visit to El Paso, Texas. Facebook
Plain Talk: Senator Cramer Says He Could “Easily See” President Trump Saying He’d Pardon Crimes to Build the Border Wall
A recent report from the Washington Post claims, based on unnamed sources, that President Donald Trump has said he would pardon crimes in order to help build a border wall between the United States and Mexico. Asked if this report bothers him, Senator Kevin Cramer said, “It does if I believe it.” But Cramer, alluding…
Plain Talk: Senator Cramer Sees “Pervasive Antisemitism” Among Democrats, Says Tax Cuts Didn’t Cause Budget Deficits
On this episode of Plain Talk, Senator Kevin Cramer decried what he sees as “pervasive antisemitism in the Democratic party.” Though questioned on that characterization, he backed off it a bit. “Maybe ‘pervasive’ is the wrong word for it, but the Democratic party leadership is becoming far too comfortable with it,” he said. His comments…
Plain Talk: North Dakota’s New ACLU Leader Says He’d Like to Find Common Ground With Conservatives, Burgum Pollster Talks 2020 Race
Can the ACLU, widely perceived as a left-wing organization, find common ground with conservatives in North Dakota? The new leader of the organization in the state, Dane DeKrey, says he’d like to try. Also Chip Englander, pollster for Governor Doug Burgum’s campaign, talks about the 2020 race. Use the links below to subscribe to the…
Plain Talk: Changing North Dakota’s Domestic Violence Laws, and How Can Democrats Win Over Rural America When They Hate Fossil Fuels?
On this episode of Plain Talk, Jodi Beauchene was a friend to Denise Marie Anderson. Anderson was the victim of murder and arson in Fargo, and a former boyfriend is currently facing charges. Beauchene has started an online petition calling for changes to North Dakota’s domestic violence laws to make it easier for people to…