Plain Talk

North Dakotans like to get a lot of work out of their public servants. Perhaps, in particularly, those working in the judiciary. The "judicial system has somewhere between 160,000 and 180,000 cases each year," Chief Justice Jon Jensen said on this episode of Plain Talk. Given that the state only has "55 district court judges," this creates "a pretty large case load that each one of our district co...

North Dakotans like to get a lot of work out of their public servants. Perhaps, in particularly, those working in the judiciary. The "judicial system has somewhere between 160,000 and 180,000 cases each year," Chief Justice Jon Jensen said on this episode of Plain Talk. Given that the state only has "55 district court judges," this creates "a pretty large case load that each one of our district co...

"I'm optimistic that they're going to do it," North Dakota Insurance Commissioner Jon Godfread said on this episode of Plain Talk, referring to Congress approving an extension to enhanced subsidies for health insurance policies sold on the individual marketplace exchanges. "I'm hopeful that they do it because I think it's the it is the right thing to do." The subsidies are central to the ongoing s...

"I'm optimistic that they're going to do it," North Dakota Insurance Commissioner Jon Godfread said on this episode of Plain Talk, referring to Congress approving an extension to enhanced subsidies for health insurance policies sold on the individual marketplace exchanges. "I'm hopeful that they do it because I think it's the it is the right thing to do." The subsidies are central to the ongoing s...

This has not been a good week for President Donald Trump and his MAGA movement. Elections in New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Georgia, California, and beyond seemed to see voters sending a message to Trump and his allies about the government shutdown and more. "Well, the first thing I think the president came out and said, 'Oh, the only reason that this happened is I wasn't on the ballot,'" former...

This has not been a good week for President Donald Trump and his MAGA movement. Elections in New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Georgia, California, and beyond seemed to see voters sending a message to Trump and his allies about the government shutdown and more. "Well, the first thing I think the president came out and said, 'Oh, the only reason that this happened is I wasn't on the ballot,'" former...

"Imagine you're someone a family who is working a job or two or even three, and then all of a sudden, with a week before the end of the month, you learn that the money you had been counting on to purchase food for you and your family isn't going to be there on Saturday, November 1st," Karen Ehrens said on this episode of Plain Talk. "Probably you have rent due or you're a senior on a fixed income...

"Imagine you're someone a family who is working a job or two or even three, and then all of a sudden, with a week before the end of the month, you learn that the money you had been counting on to purchase food for you and your family isn't going to be there on Saturday, November 1st," Karen Ehrens said on this episode of Plain Talk. "Probably you have rent due or you're a senior on a fixed income...

During their regular session earlier this year, North Dakota lawmakers formed its own version of President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. It's a task force, as opposed to a department, and state Auditor Josh Gallion, who is participating in the meetings, said they've been calling it TOGE to avoid confusion with the federal efforts. But it's been making good progress,...

During their regular session earlier this year, North Dakota lawmakers formed its own version of President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. It's a task force, as opposed to a department, and state Auditor Josh Gallion, who is participating in the meetings, said they've been calling it TOGE to avoid confusion with the federal efforts. But it's been making good progress,...

Farmers and ranchers are in a particularly vulnerable spot amid this protracted shutdown of the federal government. President Donald Trump's erratic trade policies have driven up the cost of doing business, and complicated access to international markets, even as crop prices have come in below profitable levels. Trump's push prop up Argentinian President Javier Milei, an admirer and populist ally,...

Farmers and ranchers are in a particularly vulnerable spot amid this protracted shutdown of the federal government. President Donald Trump's erratic trade policies have driven up the cost of doing business, and complicated access to international markets, even as crop prices have come in below profitable levels. Trump's push prop up Argentinian President Javier Milei, an admirer and populist ally,...

This week Gov. Kelly Armstrong announced his appointment to replace Superintendent Kirsten Baesler, who has been confirmed for a position in President Donald Trump's administration, but it's a somewhat unusual situation. Levi Bachmeier can't take office yet, because Baesler can't officially take her position in the federal government, because the government is shut down. But eventually the rancor...

This week Gov. Kelly Armstrong announced his appointment to replace Superintendent Kirsten Baesler, who has been confirmed for a position in President Donald Trump's administration, but it's a somewhat unusual situation. Levi Bachmeier can't take office yet, because Baesler can't officially take her position in the federal government, because the government is shut down. But eventually the rancor...

On previous episodes of Plain Talk, North Dakota Insurance Commisisoner Jon Godfread and Chris Jones, the former head of the state Department of Health and Human Services who is just wrapping up a stint as an adviser in President Donald Trump's administration, argued that health care pricing is opaque. They said that lack of transparency contributes to spiraling health care costs, and thus the ris...

On previous episodes of Plain Talk, North Dakota Insurance Commisisoner Jon Godfread and Chris Jones, the former head of the state Department of Health and Human Services who is just wrapping up a stint as an adviser in President Donald Trump's administration, argued that health care pricing is opaque. They said that lack of transparency contributes to spiraling health care costs, and thus the ris...

"Banking has been on payment rails that are old and traditional," Don Morgan said on this episode of Plain Talk. "They were built in 1970. They're antiquated." Morgan is the president of the Bank of North Dakota, which recently announced a new blockchain currency called the Roughrider Coin — a "stablecoin," in the parlance of the industry. He came on the show to talk about how that will serve the...

"Banking has been on payment rails that are old and traditional," Don Morgan said on this episode of Plain Talk. "They were built in 1970. They're antiquated." Morgan is the president of the Bank of North Dakota, which recently announced a new blockchain currency called the Roughrider Coin — a "stablecoin," in the parlance of the industry. He came on the show to talk about how that will serve the...

"We've just made it so complex that the average consumer will never understand it." That's what Chris Jones said on this episode of Plain Talk, referring to the way Americans access and pay for health care. Jones is the former head of the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, having served in that role under Gov. Doug Burgum, and he's just finishing up a stint in President Donald T...

"We've just made it so complex that the average consumer will never understand it." That's what Chris Jones said on this episode of Plain Talk, referring to the way Americans access and pay for health care. Jones is the former head of the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, having served in that role under Gov. Doug Burgum, and he's just finishing up a stint in President Donald T...

President Donald Trump's deployment of the military domestically over the objections of local leaders has become a flashpoint in our national debate. The Trump has justified these deployments by citing lawlessness in places like Portland and Chicago, but at least one federal judge has found these claims to be "untethered in reality." North Dakota Rep. Julie Fedorchak has said in the past that a li...

President Donald Trump's deployment of the military domestically over the objections of local leaders has become a flashpoint in our national debate. The Trump has justified these deployments by citing lawlessness in places like Portland and Chicago, but at least one federal judge has found these claims to be "untethered in reality." North Dakota Rep. Julie Fedorchak has said in the past that a li...

After a federal judge imposed a new district map on the State of North Dakota, former Sen. Judy Estenson lost her seat in the state legislature. That's unfair, she argued in a recent letter to the editor of the Minot Daily News, and on this episode of Plain Talk. " I am deeply frustrated that a judge's decision could undo the will of the voters who elected me in 2022," Estenson said. "I am angry t...

After a federal judge imposed a new district map on the State of North Dakota, former Sen. Judy Estenson lost her seat in the state legislature. That's unfair, she argued in a recent letter to the editor of the Minot Daily News, and on this episode of Plain Talk. " I am deeply frustrated that a judge's decision could undo the will of the voters who elected me in 2022," Estenson said. "I am angry t...

Steve Forbes, the editor-in-chief of Forbes Media, the host of the "What's Ahead" podcast, and a two-time U.S. Presidential candidate is speaking at North Dakota State University later this month as part of the Challey Institute's Menard Family Distinguished Speaker Series. He dropped by Plain Talk ahead of that speech to talk about some of the economic issues pressing on North Dakotans. Specifica...