Breaking News

Local Columnists

Rise of ‘Doug Burzum’ adds fodder for satirists

I’m the kind of political junkie who seeks out a diversity of opinions and ideological outlooks in the content I consume. My YouTube algorithm swings wildly across the political spectrum and in their degrees of professionalism. This tableau of new media grifters, missing link journalists, podcast clips, and C-SPAN highlights sometimes gives me whiplash as it takes me from languid committee hearings where nothing of value occurs to the latest episode of a podcast like the dirtbag leftists “Chapo’s Trap House.” For the first time since I started listening to “Chapo’s,” ...

ND ethics commission is looking for you

Yes, that’s right. The North Dakota Ethics Commission, consisting of five male types, is looking for prospects who may become members of the Commission. Hurry, the filing deadline is June 30. Now there were some folks – mostly legislators – who didn’t think North Dakota had enough ethics to have a commission. Technically, it is not a commission but a board but the word “commission” is used to elevate its importance in the family of 120 boards, commissions, agencies, and whatever blocks out the sunlight. It was not easy to get a commission to oversee ethics because ...

Presidential campaigns offer rhetorical contrast

On Wednesday I watched North Dakota Governor Burgum’s speech announcing his candidacy for the presidency, followed shortly thereafter by former Vice President Pence launching his campaign in Iowa. Let me be clear: Given his political views, as a Democrat I would not vote for Burgum. Moreover, I don’t think he has a realistic chance of being nominated. Nevertheless, allow me to put on my hat as a communication scholar and make a few nonpolitical observations. First, Burgum has a pleasing rhetorical style, one standing in clear contrast to Trump’s bombastic discourse and the ...

Darkhorse Doug’s bizarre adventure

Is North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum going to do it? Will our favorite conservative technocrat deprive his home state of his steady middle of the road leadership to step into the role of political spoiler? Will “the silent majority” of voters roiling in the boil of a cultural climate reminiscent of the Terror of the French Revolution finally have someone else to turn to besides a grifting octogenarian and his hated populist predecessor? I guess it’s something to talk about, and many people have glibly and sincerely opined on it, but ultimately all this jabber is pointless if the ...

Senators disgrace an august body

After four years of presiding in the North Dakota Senate, I am very familiar with the manner in which the senators respect the protocol and dignity of their deliberative body. Back in those days, we had members who were very dogmatic in their own ways – liberals, moderates and conservatives – just as we do today. But they didn’t let their ideology crush a chaplain. And even when they disagreed, they held their peace and respected each other. However, for the first time in my memory we had a couple of senators who broke the demeanor of the body by turning their backs on the ...

Minors in transition and other dysphoria

Around ten years ago I was out drinking with friends in downtown Fargo, when I started chatting with an individual who told me they were transitioning from male to female and had recently undergone “bottom surgery.” It was a fascinating conversation, but when I asked them why they were doing it their answer blew my sheltered little mind. “Because I hate my penis,” was their answer. Never mind the fact that this person by all accounts was still presenting as male in their manner and fashion, they had already taken that giant leap across the Rubicon of the gender transition ...