Plain Talk

"You may have insurance, but can you afford to actually use it?" That simple, devastating question from North Dakota Insurance Commissioner Jon Godfread cuts straight to the core of an escalating crisis facing families across our state. It feels like every time North Dakotans turn around, another necessity has gotten more expensive. But few price hikes are quite as stomach-churning as what's happe...

"You may have insurance, but can you afford to actually use it?" That simple, devastating question from North Dakota Insurance Commissioner Jon Godfread cuts straight to the core of an escalating crisis facing families across our state. It feels like every time North Dakotans turn around, another necessity has gotten more expensive. But few price hikes are quite as stomach-churning as what's happe...

With household utility bills climbing and massive energy projects putting landowner rights under a microscope, our latest Plain Talk debate brought the race for the North Dakota Public Service Commission into focus. Incumbent Republican Jill Kringstad, appointed by Gov. Kelly Armstrong to fill the unexpired term of now-Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak, faced off against Democratic-NPL challenger Scot...

With household utility bills climbing and massive energy projects putting landowner rights under a microscope, our latest Plain Talk debate brought the race for the North Dakota Public Service Commission into focus. Incumbent Republican Jill Kringstad, appointed by Gov. Kelly Armstrong to fill the unexpired term of now-Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak, faced off against Democratic-NPL challenger Scot...

After spending a marathon day at Bismarck State College moderating debates across five statewide races and ballot measures, my co-host Chad Oban and I stepped out of our neutral moderator chairs on the latest episode of Plain Talk to give our candid, unfiltered analysis of how it all went down. Putting candidates around a table rather than behind formal podiums forced genuine, revealing conversati...

After spending a marathon day at Bismarck State College moderating debates across five statewide races and ballot measures, my co-host Chad Oban and I stepped out of our neutral moderator chairs on the latest episode of Plain Talk to give our candid, unfiltered analysis of how it all went down. Putting candidates around a table rather than behind formal podiums forced genuine, revealing conversati...

Should free breakfast and lunch be guaranteed to every North Dakota student under the state constitution, right alongside textbooks, yellow school buses and the basic right to a public education? That fundamental question drove our debate over Measure 2, putting outgoing state Rep. Zac Ista, a Grand Forks Democrat, and veteran Republican attorney and former party chair Bob Harms on opposite sides...

Should free breakfast and lunch be guaranteed to every North Dakota student under the state constitution, right alongside textbooks, yellow school buses and the basic right to a public education? That fundamental question drove our debate over Measure 2, putting outgoing state Rep. Zac Ista, a Grand Forks Democrat, and veteran Republican attorney and former party chair Bob Harms on opposite sides...

We began this debate over Constitutional Measure 1 between Grafton businessman James Kerian and North Dakota Watchdog Network director Dustin Gawrylow by asking why voters should—or shouldn't—raise the threshold required to amend the state constitution. "The whole point of having a constitution in our form of government is to have something that is a little more stable, a little more firm at the f...

We began this debate over Constitutional Measure 1 between Grafton businessman James Kerian and North Dakota Watchdog Network director Dustin Gawrylow by asking why voters should—or shouldn't—raise the threshold required to amend the state constitution. "The whole point of having a constitution in our form of government is to have something that is a little more stable, a little more firm at the f...

We began this debate between Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring and his challenger, Democratic-NPL candidate Vern Thompson, by asking about the controversial spread of hyperscale data centers across North Dakota and the Agriculture Commissioner's role on the state's Industrial Commission.   "The issue with data centers is a local issue, and it's a private property rights issue," Goehring, the...

We began this debate between Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring and his challenger, Democratic-NPL candidate Vern Thompson, by asking about the controversial spread of hyperscale data centers across North Dakota and the Agriculture Commissioner's role on the state's Industrial Commission.   "The issue with data centers is a local issue, and it's a private property rights issue," Goehring, the...

We began this debate between Superintendent of Public Instruction Levi Bachmeier and his opponent Tracy Foss by asking about the teacher bonuses initiative — the Support Teachers and Youth Succeed or "STAYS" legislation — Bachmeier recently announced alongside Rep. Mike Nathe and others.   "When I talk to high school kids all across our state and ask them what would it take for you to consider goi...

We began this debate between Superintendent of Public Instruction Levi Bachmeier and his opponent Tracy Foss by asking about the teacher bonuses initiative — the Support Teachers and Youth Succeed or "STAYS" legislation — Bachmeier recently announced alongside Rep. Mike Nathe and others.   "When I talk to high school kids all across our state and ask them what would it take for you to consider goi...

Rep. Julie Fedorchak, a Republican, and her Democratic-NPL challenger Trygve Hammer didn't agree on very much when they squared off for a debate on the Plain Talk podcast. My co-host Chad Oban and I asked them if they feel North Dakotans are better off today than they were two years ago. Fedorchak said yes, arguing that on border security alone, North Dakotans are better off thanks to tougher enfo...

Rep. Julie Fedorchak, a Republican, and her Democratic-NPL challenger Trygve Hammer didn't agree on very much when they squared off for a debate on the Plain Talk podcast.   My co-host Chad Oban and I asked them if they feel North Dakotans are better off today than they were two years ago. Fedorchak said yes, arguing that on border security alone, North Dakotans are better off thanks to tougher en...

"We were started 20 years ago by a Minnesota farmer," Blake Nixon said on this episode of Plain Talk. Nixon is the CEO of Geronimo Power, a renewable energy and data center company that's planning a data center facility in Harmony Township, west of Fargo in Cass County.  "Our founder was approached to put wind turbines on his land," Nixon continued, "and he said, 'I don't like how you're approachi...

" We were started 20 years ago by a Minnesota farmer," Blake Nixon said on this episode of Plain Talk. Nixon is the CEO of Geronimo Power, a renewable energy and data center company that's planning a data center facility in Harmony Township, west of Fargo in Cass County.  "Our founder was approached to put wind turbines on his land," Nixon continued, "and he said, 'I don't like how you're approach...

State Rep. Mike Nathe, in partnership with Superintendent Levi Bachmeier and Gov. Kelly Armstrong's administration, has announced legislation aimed at paying North Dakota teachers annual retention bonuses funded by the earnings from the Common Schools Trust Fund. That fund's balance is currently more than $9 billion and growing. For the next two-year budget cycle, it's projected to generate $718 m...

State Rep. Mike Nathe, in partnership with Superintendent Levi Bachmeier and Gov. Kelly Armstrong's administration, has announced legislation aimed at paying North Dakota teachers annual retention bonuses funded by the earnings from the Common Schools Trust Fund. That fund's balance is currently more than $9 billion and growing. For the next two-year budget cycle, it's projected to generate $718 m...

We invited North Dakota Commerce Commissioner Chris Schilken on this episode of Plain Talk to discuss the problems at the state's Development Fund, which run the gamut from poor accounting and record-keeping to practically nonexistent policies concerning things like conflicts of interest. What he brought us was the announcement of a new initiative, called ReadyND, and while it's not intended to ad...

We invited North Dakota Commerce Commissioner Chris Schilken on this episode of Plain Talk to discuss the problems at the state's Development Fund, which run the gamut from poor accounting and record-keeping to practically nonexistent policies concerning things like conflicts of interest. What he brought us was the announcement of a new initiative, called ReadyND, and while it's not intended to ad...

It's time for playoff baseball, and we had Gov. Kelly Armstrong, a notorious baseball addict on par with us hosts of the Plain Talk podcast, on this episode to make some predictions about the path to the World Series. But before we talked about that stuff, we asked Armstrong about a lawsuit announced by former lawmaker Brandon Prichard and Citizens Alliance accusing several legislative candidates...

It's time for playoff baseball, and we had Gov. Kelly Armstrong, a notorious baseball addict on par with us hosts of the Plain Talk podcast, on this episode to make some predictions about the path to the World Series. But before we talked about that stuff, we asked Armstrong about a lawsuit announced by former lawmaker Brandon Prichard and Citizens Alliance accusing several legislative candidates...

Social Security is a government program that touches all of our lives. Every American who earns a wage or a salary pays into it, and come retirement age, or if we find ourselves disabled, it serves as a vital lifeline to help make ends meet. But the program is facing headwinds. John Hishta, a senior vice president with AARP, said on this episode of Plain Talk that the program isn't going broke, bu...