How do you report the news, and in particular political news, fairly and faithfully in an environment where so many people can find sources on social media and talk radio and cable news who are willing to tell them only what they want to hear?

Matthew von Pinnon, the editor of the Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, talks about that on this issue of Plain Talk. He says the bias many imagine, where newspaper editors and publishers sit around a table in a smoky room to decide what the news will be, simply doesn't happen.

Von Pinnon also weighs in on North Dakota's interesting 2022 election cycle, including the in-fighting in the North Dakota Republican Party, and why the Democratic-NPL can't seem to find the energy to take advantage.

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The North Dakota Republican Party has had a dominant, three-decades-long run in state politics, but former Governor Ed Schafer, whose election in 1992 was the dawn of that era of success, says the sunset could be upon us.

It doesn't have to be, he said on this episode of Plain Talk. Things can still be corrected. But the path the party is on right now isn't one that leads to sustained success, he argues.

That was part of the reason why he endorsed incumbent U.S. Senator John Hoeven. "A lot of it was the nastiness," he said.

Hoeven is facing a challenge for the NDGOP nomination from state Rep. Rick Becker, who has burnished appeal to a very Trumpy, very online faction of Republicans who have no problem being confrontational, disruptive, and often just plain mean.

"It's distributing to me," Schafer said.

He's worried that if Becker's approach to politics becomes the norm in the NDGOP, North Dakota voters will lose faith in a party whose candidates they've been consistently voting for over generations.

The officials overseeing North Dakota's investments are acting quickly to divest from investments in Russia in the wake of the terrible invasion of Ukraine.

Already about 37 percent of the investments overseen by the State Investment Board have been pulled. It will take some time to pull the rest out - the investments are complicated, and officials are trying to limit the financial hit North Dakotans will take - but there's a plan in place to make it happen.

But should our strategy about investing in countries with not-so-great political leadership change going forward?

"I think it has to," Thomas Beadle said on this episode of Plain Talk.

Beadle was elected as North Dakota's Treasurer last year, and by law is a member of the SIB. He said officials at the SIB, as well as other state boards, such as the Land Board, which oversees the investment of North Dakota's funds, are having a debate about that shift in policy now.

But it can be complicated. Investing in state-owned companies is one thing, but what about American companies that do businesses in places like China or Russia? Also, is there danger in setting a precedent for reactionary investing? Do we want to open the door to pulling investments in companies based in other states because North Dakotans don't like the politics there?

Beadle says we have to find a balance, and state investment officials are working to find out what looks like.

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Is U.S. Senator John Hoeven too wealthy to be in touch with North Dakota voters?

Katrina Christiansen, a candidate for the Democratic-NPL's endorsement in North Dakota's Senate race, made that argument on this episode of Plain Talk.

Joining Wednesday co-host Chad Oban and I, Christiansen said Hoeven is too busy living up to Republican talking points from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to focus on North Dakota's values.

On this episode Oban and I also talk about the theatrics at President Joe Biden's State of the Union address. Is it a good thing for members of Congress to heckle the President of the United States?

No, it's not.

Is it a savvy move for a politician who wants to get attention and raise money?

Yes, sadly, it is.

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If there is any lesson to be learned from the last few years of tumultuous international politics, and the crippling pandemic, it's that we need our supply lines to get shorter.

For a long time, Americans have been content to see industry, from value-added agriculture to mining and manufacturing - move out of sight and out of mind. It's clear that we need to bring that stuff back to the United States.

That's not always as easy as it seems. There is a local political fight in Cass County over a soybean crushing facility. It's exactly the sort of project we need built in America, and in North Dakota, which grows some of the best soybeans in the world, but some critics, adopting a not-in-my-back-yard attitude, don't want it.

Rep. Jared Hagrit, a Republican from District 20, a soybean grower himself, and a past chairman of the United States Soybean Board, joined this episode of Plain Talk to talk about the Casselton project and why it's important.

In an development I wouldn't have predicted a year ago, popular incumbent Senator John Hoeven, facing a primary challenge from state Rep. Rick Becker, may skip the NDGOP's endorsing convention.

Why? Because it's not a sure thing that he'll win the endorsement, despite never receiving less than 70 percent in any statewide election since 2000. He also may be afraid that the turbulence within the NDGOP could manifest itself at the convention in embarrassing ways. Can you imagine the headlines if Hoeven were to be booed while addressing his own state party?

Would Hoeven skipping the convention be a good idea? Chad Oban and I play political consultant on this episode of Plain Talk.

Also, Superintendent Kirsten Baesler stops by to chat about the on-going challenges the state is facing when it comes to not just recruiting new teachers, but keeping existing teachers on the job. In a society where respect for so many of our cultural institutions - from the news media to law enforcement, government and education - is eroding our educators are taking it on the chin. How can we fix that?

North Dakota's oil production has "matured." Another term for it might be "plateaued."

That's the estimate of Lynn Helms, who is the director of the oil and gas division of North Dakota's Department of Mineral Resources. On this episode of Plain Talk, he said the state has about a decade of steady production driving plenty of revenue - "this is a great time" for tax revenues from oil production, Helms says - but that we shouldn't expect a lot of growth.

That might sound like sobering news in a state where oil activity drives an outsized portion of state tax revenues and commerce, but Helms isn't striking a dour note.

Oil production may be plateauing, but gas production is not. The state is still very much in a growth phase when it comes to that commodity, and it can create a lot of other opportunities. Also, the state's emerging carbon capture industry could be key in the development of enhanced oil production techniques that could put the state's oil production back into the growth column.

Since Governor Doug Burgum announced a goal of making North Dakota's economy carbon neutral by the year 2030, the state has seen about $30 billion worth of investment in things like carbon capture project.

James Leiman, who serves in Burgum's administration as commerce commissioner, said on this episode of Plain Talk that these investments can "add to every single sector of our economy."

"We are going to grow every single one of these things," Leiman said, referring to agriculture, coal, oil, gas, wind power, and more.

Plus, carbon capture has the very real chance to become a burgeoning industry in the state in its own right.

Leiman says North Dakota is a special place that can make it happen. "This is one of the last places in the world where the American dream still exists," he said.

Also on this episode, Attorney General Drew Wrigley talks about what it's been like to take over that office since the passing of Wayne Stenehjem, as well as how he plans to campaign for a term of his own.

On this episode of Plain Talk, we spent more time talking about gazpacho than I ever imagined I would on an episode of a politically-themed podcast.

Columnist Tony Bender joined Wednesday co-host Chad Oban and I talking about the struggle North Dakota's Democrats have recruiting candidates, the term limits ballot measure which will almost certainly be on the November ballot, the initiated measure process, and the U.S. Senate primary race between state Rep. Rick Becker and incumbent Senator John Hoeven.

Oh, and lots and lots of jokes about gazpacho.

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Minot, N.D. — There is only one Democrat elected to public office in western North Dakota, and she's retiring.

State Senator Erin Oban announced last year that she won't be running for another term in office. Two Republican candidates, Ryan Eckroth and Sean Cleary, have announced campaigns for that seat.

Tracy Potter, who served a term in that Senate seat previously after getting elected in 2006, has also announced his candidacy as a Democrat.

He joined this episode of Plain Talk to discuss what he sees as an arrogant legislature, the importance of protecting the initiated measure process, and term limits, among other issues.

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