Plain Talk

State Sen. Ryan Braunberger joined this episode of Plain Talk to discuss his run for North Dakota Secretary of State, election integrity, campaign finance transparency, redistricting, and the growing distrust many Americans have in public institutions. "I think we do a good job of running our elections," Braunberger said. "What I think the Secretary of State office could do better at is showing th...

State Sen. Ryan Braunberger joined this episode of Plain Talk to discuss his run for North Dakota Secretary of State, election integrity, campaign finance transparency, redistricting, and the growing distrust many Americans have in public institutions. "I think we do a good job of running our elections," Braunberger said. "What I think the Secretary of State office could do better at is showing th...

Our education is in decline. Lawmakers and other education leaders are lying about the use of Common Core curriculae. In fact, some of them intentionally want our schools and students to fail. That's what Charles Tuttle, a candidate for Superintendent of Public Schools, had to say on this episode of Plain Talk. "We've got a a major decline in our educational system. The direction hasn't changed,"...

Our education is in decline. Lawmakers and other education leaders are lying about the use of Common Core curriculae. In fact, some of them intentionally want our schools and students to fail. That's what Charles Tuttle, a candidate for Superintendent of Public Schools, had to say on this episode of Plain Talk. "We've got a a major decline in our educational system. The direction hasn't changed,"...

Ariston Johnson is Watford City-based attorney who is challenging incumbent Supreme Court Justice Jerod Tufte, who is in the process of wrapping up his first 10-year term on the court. There are actually two Supreme Court races on the ballot this cycle. Justice Douglas Bahr is running to have his appointment by Gov. Doug Burgum to finish former Justice Gerald VandeWalle's term confirmed by voters....

Ariston Johnson is Watford City-based attorney who is challenging incumbent Supreme Court Justice Jerod Tufte, who is in the process of wrapping up his first 10-year term on the court. There are actually two Supreme Court races on the ballot this cycle. Justice Douglas Bahr is running to have his appointment by Gov. Doug Burgum to finish former Justice Gerald VandeWalle's term confirmed by voters....

North Dakota doesn't typically see competitive judicial races, particularly for the state Supreme Court. But even when voters do have a choice, the candidates themselves are prohibited by ethical considerations from campaigning the way other candidates do. They can't tell voters how they'd rule on a particular case, or, for incumbents, why they ruled the way they did on previous cases. But judicia...

North Dakota doesn't typically see competitive judicial races, particularly for the state Supreme Court. But even when voters do have a choice, the candidates themselves are prohibited by ethical considerations from campaigning the way other candidates do. They can't tell voters how they'd rule on a particular case, or, for incumbents, why they ruled the way they did on previous cases. But judicia...

Last year, the City of Minot held a special mayoral election that made statewide headlines. In part, because the previous mayor had resigned in disgrace after sending a pornographic text message to the city attorney. In part, also, because of the cast of four candidates running to replace him, two of which had significant criminal records. Josiah Roise was one of those two -- he was charged with r...

Last year, the City of Minot held a special mayoral election that made statewide headlines. In part, because the previous mayor had resigned in disgrace after sending a pornographic text message to the city attorney. In part, also, because of the cast of four candidates running to replace him, two of which had significant criminal records. Josiah Roise was one of those two -- he was charged with r...

When Oliver County Commissioner Dave Berger -- a veteran of more than 50 years of local public service --  stepped down  amid what he describes as an abusive and slanderous backlash over a data center proposed by Applied Digital, it illustrated the dark side of two debates. One is the debate over data centers. There are good arguments to be made on both sides of the debate, but some elements invol...

When Oliver County Commissioner Dave Berger -- a veteran of more than 50 years of local public service -- stepped down amid what he describes as an abusive and slanderous backlash over a data center proposed by Applied Digital, it illustrated the dark side of two debates. One is the debate over data centers. There are good arguments to be made on both sides of the debate, but some elements involve...

If you get into a scrape involving local government in North Dakota -- say a garbage truck side swipes your car, or you get hurt on park district property -- the organization you'd likely seek relief through is the North Dakota Insurance Reserve Fund. This is an entity created by local governments, and funded by local tax dollars, which acts essentially like an insurance company. But the organizat...

If you get into a scrape involving local government in North Dakota -- say a garbage truck side swipes your car, or you get hurt on park district property -- the organization you'd likely seek relief through is the North Dakota Insurance Reserve Fund. This is an entity created by local governments, and funded by local tax dollars, which acts essentially like an insurance company. But the organizat...

Sen. Kevin Cramer and I have had a running dispute over President Donald Trump and his approach to politics. Cramer says media critics like me are too focused on Trump's antics. I say people like Cramer are too muted in their own criticism. "I'm a United States senator from North Dakota who has a really good personal relationship with the president of the United States," Cramer said in defense of...

Sen. Kevin Cramer and I have had a running dispute over President Donald Trump and his approach to politics. Cramer says media critics like me are too focused on Trump's antics. I say people like Cramer are too muted in their own criticism. "I'm a United States senator from North Dakota who has a really good personal relationship with the president of the United States," Cramer said in defense of...

Corey Johnson is the chief of the Williston Fire Department and a candidate for the state House in District 23. Unlike one of the incumbents in District 23, state Rep. Nico Rios, who has made headlines with an ugly arrest for DUI and erratic behavior on social media, Johnson says he wants to cast his community and his region in a positive light. "I want a representative down in Bismarck that's goi...

Corey Johnson is the chief of the Williston Fire Department and a candidate for the state House in District 23. Unlike one of the incumbents in District 23, state Rep. Nico Rios, who has made headlines with an ugly arrest for DUI and erratic behavior on social media, Johnson says he wants to cast his community and his region in a positive light. "I want a representative down in Bismarck that's goi...

When asked on this episode of Plain Talk about the justification that President Donald Trump's erratic regime of tariffs is necessary to flex America's economic might and negotiate better deals, John Bitzan, director of the Challey Institute at North Dakota State University, argued that the strategy has not worked. "We haven't gotten better deals out of this," he said. He pointed out that the goal...

When asked on this episode of Plain Talk about the justification that President Donald Trump's erratic regime of tariffs is necessary to flex America's economic might and negotiate better deals, John Bitzan, director of the Challey Institute at North Dakota State University, argued that the strategy has not worked. "We haven't gotten better deals out of this," he said. He pointed out that the goal...

What is civil asset forfeiture? It's the process through which law enforcement can "seize your property on the basis of suspicion that it's involved in a crime," Patrick Reasonover told us on this episode of Plain Talk. What's worse? The cops often get to keep the proceeds. Or, at least, their departments do. Reasonover is one of the producers of the documentary, "When Cops Become Robbers," which...

What is civil asset forfeiture? It's the process through which law enforcement can "seize your property on the basis of suspicion that it's involved in a crime," Patrick Reasonover told us on this episode of Plain Talk. What's worse? The cops often get to keep the proceeds. Or, at least, their departments do. Reasonover is one of the producers of the documentary, "When Cops Become Robbers," which...

How hard is it to do revenue forecasts for the State of North Dakota, which is heavily dependent on revenues from commodity-driven industries like agriculture and energy? On this Plain Talk, Joe Morrissette, director of the Office of Management and Budget, gave one example: For 1$ that oil prices move, there's a roughly $36 million swing in state revenues. The war in Iran hasn't just driven oil pr...

How hard is it to do revenue forecasts for the State of North Dakota, which is heavily dependent on revenues from commodity-driven industries like agriculture and energy? On this Plain Talk, Joe Morrissette, director of the Office of Management and Budget, gave one example: For 1$ that oil prices move, there's a roughly $36 million swing in state revenues. The war in Iran hasn't just driven oil pr...

In the world of journalism, it's a truth that we can tend to focus on the negative. "Safe airplane landings aren't news," the adage goes. There's a reason for that. The proverbial airplanes are supposed to land safely. When they don't, and when people and property are hurt, we want to know what happened, and why it happened, and who is responsible. Sometimes, though, it behooves us to talk about t...