Plain Talk

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.

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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What started as a small protest of truckers upset about the Canadian government's vaccine mandates has turned into a full-on international movement. Now demonstrators have blocked multiple crossings between the United States and Canada, and it's having a deleterious impact on commerce between our nations at a time when we hardly need it.

Not one of us needs prices to go any higher, do we?

On this episode of Plain Talk, Senator Kevin Cramer talks about the protests, why they're happening, and how they could be stopped.

"What they're asking for is so simple," Cramer said, noting that all the Canadian government would have to do to end the demonstrations is lift the mandate.

He's got a point. Over 251 million Americans, or about 87.4 percent of adults, have at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine. In Canada, 88.3 percent of citizens over the age of 5 have been vaccinated. Among the truckers, about 90 percent of those who regularly cross the border are vaccinated according to the Canadian Trucking Alliance.

Is this really still about public health? Or is it about different factions with entrenched positions being unwilling to give an inch?

Sen. Cramer also talks about trucking regulations taking effect in the United States which have the potential to cause more problems for our national supply lines, and the on-going Olympic Games in China.

State Rep. Rick Becker, the founder of the Bastiat Caucus in the North Dakota legislature which claims that they, and not the much larger majority of their Republican colleagues, represent actual Republicanism, has announced a primary challenge to incumbent U.S. Senator John Hoeven.

What does Hoeven think about it? He answered questions about that on today's Plain Talk, co-hosted Chad Oban who joins the show on Wednesdays.

He said that he'll campaign against Becker the same way he campaigns every time he's on the ballot, which is by focusing on the things he's done in office. "It's a lot more than just voting no all the time," he said, touting his work across the aisle with people like Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia.

I'm not usually one for meme-based political arguments, but a friend shared this one after Becker announced his candidacy, and it seems apt:

Hoeven also talked about the food fight which has erupted within the GOP about the Republican National Committee's decision to censure to sitting House members, Rep. Liz Cheney and Rep. Adam Kinzinger, over their participation in congressional inquiries into the January 6 riot.

"I'm not a fan of censures," Hoeven said of the move.

Hoeven also said the January 6 riot was not legitimate political discourse as the RNC resolution claimed. "For people that broke the law, they need to be held accountable," he said.

He agreed that the RNC resolution is a distraction. "Clearly we need to focus on winning in 2022," he said.