Dorgan Requests Meeting with President to Make the Case for Disaster Relief

Via a press release...

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) --- U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) is leading a bipartisan group of senators requesting a meeting with the President to discuss the urgent need for a federal agriculture disaster bill.

Dorgan, Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND) and 15 other Republican and Democratic senators signed a letter Tuesday asking for a meeting with the President, who has blocked efforts to help producers by threatening to veto legislation containing disaster relief.

Dorgan, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has added disaster assistance to a number of appropriations bills. Each time, House Republican leaders, acting at the behest of the President, have refused to approve it. In August, Dorgan, Conrad, and Congressman Earl Pomeroy invited President Bush to come to North Dakota to see the impact of the drought firsthand. Dorgan has also introduced legislation to re-establish a permanent disaster assistance disaster aid program.

“The President has blocked disaster relief for family farmers and ranchers over the last two years, and the fact is we need to convince him it’s urgently needed if we’re going to get help to them,” Dorgan said. “I hope the President will at least hear our case. We have family farmers in North Dakota and across the nation who have been hit with weather-related disasters, and who, if they don’t get some help, will lose their family farm. I hope this meeting will help us find some common ground and convince him to lend a hand to the producers across America that have been hit by weather-related disasters.”

WSI bill gets unfair treatment by N.D. Republicans

Via the Bismarck Tribune...

Senate defeats WSI proposal
By DALE WETZEL
Associated Press Writer

North Dakota's Senate has gutted a proposal to restore the governor's control of the state's workers compensation agency, despite pleas that its current structure lacks accountability to injured workers.

For a decade, an independent board has been responsible for overseeing the operations of the Workforce Safety and Insurance agency, after the Legislature approved a bill to strip former Gov. Ed Schafer of his power to hire its director. Lawmakers overrode Schafer's veto in the process.

Legislation sponsored by Sen. Joel Heitkamp, D-Hankinson, sought to restore the governor's authority over workers compensation and remake the board into an advisory panel. Among its supporters was Schafer, who testified in its favor at a Senate committee hearing.

Read on...

Chairman's Invitation

Dear Fellow Democrats,

It is my pleasure to invite you to an exciting day of party events in Bismarck on Saturday, February 24th.

A training workshop for party activists and potential candidates is scheduled from 9:15 AM - 12 noon. We have assembled an outstanding group of training staff including Brad Martin, DNC Northwest Political Director. Before taking this position in Washington, DC, Brad served for 12 years as the Executive Director of the Montana Democratic Party.

It is important that we waste no time in preparing for the next election. The training will focus on developing recruiting, organizing, and fund raising skills necessary in preparing for the challenges ahead. I encourage all interested Democrats to attend the workshop.

The workshop will be followed with a buffet luncheon at 12:30 featuring Congressman Earl Pomeroy.

The state party reorganization meeting will begin at 1:30, followed by a dessert reception at 4 PM, sponsored by Tim Purdon and Carmen Miller.

All the day's events will be held at the ND Heritage Center on the Capitol Grounds.

We will need an exact count for the luncheon, so if you plan to attend, please RSVP to Kathi at the Kennedy Center by phone (255-0460) or email (kathi@demnpl.com) by Monday, February 19th.

If you have any questions, or need more information, feel free to call me at 255-0460.

I look forward to seeing you on February 24th.

Sincerely,

David M. Strauss, Chairman
ND Democratic-NPL Party

Schedule:

9:15 AM - 12:00 - Workshop - "Building Your Organization" (Lecture Rooms A & B), 12:30 PM - Luncheon with Congressman Earl Pomeroy (Mezzanine), 1:30 PM - State party reorganization meeting (Lecture Rooms A & B), 4:00 PM - Dessert reception sponsored by Tim Purdon & Carmen Miller (Mezzanine)

News from headquarters

Housekeeping

All candidates and districts need to file their year-end campaign contributions statements by Jan. 31 (that’s tomorrow) with the Secretary of State. If you don’t, you’ll get fined $25, and the fine goes up the longer you wait.

You can download the forms by clicking here and here. You need a PDF reader to open them.

Also, reports for district reorganizations have to be filed with your local county auditor’s office and the state party. The reports with the county auditor need to be filed five days after the meeting. The reports should also be sent to state party headquarters ASAP.

Interesting hearings

Wednesday seems to be the big day for legislative hearings on some important Democratic bills in our state Capitol.

Starting at 8 a.m., there will be a series of hearings on bills related to WSI. They will be heard throughout the day in the House Industry, Business and Labor Room (Peace Garden Room). The sparks will be flying; I promise!

At 9:30 a.m., in the House Education Committee Room (Pioneer Room), there is a hearing on HB 1441, which is the big K-12 education funding bill Rep. Merle Boucher (D-Rolette) is sponsoring. This bill gives way more funding to K-12 education than the governor’s bill. It’s the true way to give property tax relief.

At 10 a.m., in the Senate Industry, Business and Labor Room (Roosevelt Park Room), there will be a hearing on SB 2409, which relates to cell phone consumer protection. Sen. Aaron Krauter (D-Regent) is sponsoring this bill over an ongoing spat with Alltel because of poor service. I feel his pain. The coverage in Regent isn’t very good, even though it’s supposed to be in my area.

At 11 a.m. today, there will be a hearing on legislation for the largest tax cut seen yet. SB 2291 creates a tax credit on income tax statements based on property taxes, but also includes a provision for a tax credit for the 85,000 North Dakota home renters. The bill is being sponsored by Sen. Tracy Potter (D-Bismarck) and is being heard in the Senate Finance and Tax Committee Room (Lewis and Clark Room).

Abuse of power in the Bush Cabinet?

Via McClatchy Newspapers...

Gonzales appoints political loyalists into vacant U.S. attorneys slots
By Marisa Taylor and Greg Gordon,
McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON - Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is transforming the ranks of the nation's top federal prosecutors by firing some and appointing conservative loyalists from the Bush administration's inner circle who critics say are unlikely to buck Washington.

The newly appointed U.S. attorneys all have impressive legal credentials, but most of them have few, if any, ties to the communities they've been appointed to serve, and some have had little experience as prosecutors.

The nine recent appointees identified by McClatchy Newspapers held high-level White House or Justice Department jobs, and most of them were handpicked by Gonzales under a little-noticed provision of the Patriot Act that became law in March.

Read on...

N.D. congressional delegation members hold much clout

Via the GF Herald...

NORTH DAKOTA POLITICS NOTEBOOK: N.D. ranks second in ‘clout per member'
By Janell Cole, State Capitol Bureau

BISMARCK - The shift in power to Democrats in Congress has put North Dakota in second place in “clout per member” as computed by Washington's Roll Call newspaper.

Roll Call does a biennial assessment of congressional clout using a proprietary statistical formula involving size of delegation, number of members on influential committees and so on.

In this “standard ranking” of sheer power, California, New York and Texas hung onto the top three spots in that order.

The paper said North Dakota moved up 12 slots, but doesn't say where exactly we started and ended.

It's the paper's secondary ranking where we shine.

By its clout-per-member measure, Alaska remains in first place, followed by North Dakota, Hawaii, Vermont, West Virginia, Montana, South Dakota, Wyoming, Delaware and New Mexico.

Read on...

Sen. Krauter is a champion for better cell service

Via the Dickinson Press...

Law judge to preside over hearing
Stefanie Briggs
The Dickinson Press

The North Dakota Public Service Commission met Thursday to assign Alan Hoberg as an administrative law judge for the public hearing regarding the formal complaint that Sen. Aaron Krauter, D-Regent, made against the corporate cell phone service company Alltel Communications Inc.

The public hearing is set for 3 p.m. on Thursday, March 22, in the PSC hearing room on the 12th floor of the State Capitol in Bismarck.

Read on...

There will also be a hearing related to SB 2409 at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 31, in the Roosevelt Room in the state Capitol. This bill was authored by Sen. Aaron Krauter (D-Regent). It would give more protection to cell phone users. The oversight would come from the Public Service Commission.

News from headquarters

Century Club event

Well, we had some fun at the Century Club event last night. Carmen Miller’s food was fantastic as usual and Tim Purdon’s hospitality was second to none. It’s always quite enjoyable having events at their unique home on Highland Acres Road in Bismarck. Thanks also goes out to all the legislators who attended and to our interns Tyler and Sean.

Congressman Earl Pomeroy was the guest of honor at the event. He gave a speech about the new found morale in our nation’s capital and the North Dakota congressional delegation’s role in leadership. It’s incredible how much clout the three hold, and it’s also good to know we have someone like Earl representing us in the U.S. House of Representatives.

About Century Club

The Century Club is the financial backbone of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party. Through Century Club memberships, we are able to combine resources of thousands of Democrats to be used for legislative and statewide elections, grassroots party building and research operations at state headquarters.

Memberships don’t come cheap, but from the results we saw in the legislative races statewide in 2006, they sure pay off. By joining, you also get to attend fun events like the one last night.

If you would like to become a Century Club member, just click here to make a contribution online with your credit card. Or, you can call us at headquarters (701) 255-0460 if you prefer to send cash or a check.

Renewable energy

Yesterday, Sen. Joel Heitkamp (D-Hankinson) testified on SB 2288 in a Senate Agriculture Committee hearing. The legislation is a bi-partisan, comprehensive renewable energy bill, which would mark North Dakota as a leader in this industry. It proposes a number of things which include: funding a Renewable Energy Development Fund, creating a Renewable Energy Research Council, funding for a biomass research center, further tax incentives for biofuels and giving a tax credit for the installation of solar, geothermal and wind devices.

Heitkamp is a co-sponsor of SB 2288. There are many more bills relating to renewable energy in the hopper which Democrats are backing.

As Democrats, we need to support bills like this, because they take us toward energy independence. Like I said before, America is currently 65 percent dependent on foreign sources of energy. That’s a big security risk if you ask me. When President Bush was first inaugurated in 2001, we were 58 percent dependent. I know under Democratic leadership in Washington, D.C., and dogged efforts by our elected officials in North Dakota, we can start making some real progress instead of taking steps backward. If enacted, Heitkamp’s bill would do just that.

News from headquarters

It’s hard to imagine that this is now the fourth week of the 2007 Legislative Session. Your Democratic-NPL legislators were busy filing legislation before time was up (the deadline in the Senate was Monday).

There have been some really good bills which have come across my computer monitor this week, and I’m not just saying that because they’re Democratic bills.

Here are a few:

SB 2252 is bi-partisan legislation sponsored by Sen. Tim Mathern (D-Fargo) ensuring medical costs related to attempted suicides are covered by health insurance companies.

SB 2409 is designed to give consumers sound information so they can make good decisions with their cellular telephone purchases. The prime sponsor is Sen. Aaron Krauter (D-Regent).

HB 1417 would allow an individual to protect their personal information by placing a freeze or lock on their credit report and credit score. It is being co- sponsored by Rep. Pam Gulleson (D-Rutland).

HB 1447 would increase the state aid and distribution fund by 25 percent. Under the current formula, the fund is $91 million. Under the proposed legislation, the fund would be approximately $113 million. Rep. Lee Kaldor (D-Mayville) is the prime sponsor. This legislation could help cities, counties and townships that have not seen property valuation increases and are at their mill levy cap.

HB 1518 is designed to take 75 percent of the Bank of North Dakota profits derived from student loans for a scholarship fund. The sponsor is Rep. Chris Griffin (D-Larimore). Co-sponsors include: Reps. Jasper Schneider (D-Fargo) and Ben Vig (D-Aneta).

If I was in the Legislature, I would vote for every one of those bills, especially the one about cell phones. As you know, I was in Regent this last weekend. I had to climb Black Butte to get a good signal. I want to see a commercial with the “can you hear me now” guy do that.

Century Club event reminder

Bismarck Century Club Reception

With Special Guest: Congressman Earl Pomeroy

Thursday, Jan. 25, 2007

5:30 p.m.

Tim Purdon and Carmen Miller Residence

1243 E Highland Acres Rd., Bismarck

Join or renew your Century Club membership!

Please RSVP to Kathi @ Dem-NPL Headquarters (701) 255-0460 or kathi@demnpl.com.

News from headquarters

I got back to Bismarck from funeral services for my grandfather in Regent, N.D., late last night. Needless to say, I didn’t have much energy to write a big critique of President Bush’s State of the Union Address then (although it deserved one).

However, I did listen to the whole speech on Prairie Public Radio on the way back. It started as I was getting gas in Richardton. I found it a little ironic that right next to the gas station is a new ethanol plant, which is now in full-swing.

As promised, Bush touched on renewable energy in his speech. Let’s hope this year he takes action to bolster that industry rather than just hosing us with his annual rhetoric on the issue.

As you probably know, our own U.S. Sen. Byron Dorgan is from Regent. He had some things to say about Bush’s speech, so I’ll leave most of this column up to him today. Below is a statement I received from his office about the speech, which touches on some things I feel are worth noting.

“The President is asking Congress to dramatically increase renewable fuels, particularly bio-fuels and ethanol. He’s going to find a ‘welcome mat’ here on that proposal. We’ve been pushing for that for quite awhile, so that’s encouraging. It just underscores the point that North Dakota has a big part to play in our nation’s energy future.

“I’m also encouraged by his intention to do something about the increasing cost of health care. Of course, it’s easy to talk about that, much harder to do. If he’s prepared to take real action, then he’ll find Congress ready to work with him.

“I didn’t hear much tonight from the President about fiscal policy. So far the President’s administration has piled up mountains of new debt. In addition, he’s spent over $400 billion on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, none of it paid for. We’re told he’s soon going to ask for another $120 billion, none of it paid for. We need to start dealing with our debt. It’s unfair to our kids and our grandkids to just keep piling up billions of dollars in new debt.

“The other thing I didn’t hear much about tonight was the largest trade deficit in history. We have the largest trade deficit in history. Substantial numbers of American jobs are going overseas, and for those that remain, there is substantial downward pressure on wages. Poverty is rising in this country. We have some very serious challenges here at home and we need to start addressing them. We’ve ignored them far too long.

“Finally, on the issue of Iraq, I believe the President is making a mistake by deepening our involvement in Iraq. The other day the head of our intelligence services, Mr. Negroponte, in testimony before Congress said the “greatest threat” to America’s security is Al-Qaeda, whose leaders he said, are in “secure hideaways in Pakistan.

“If we have 20,000 American soldiers ready for action, I think they ought to be prepared to go after the leaders of al-Qaeda, who, according to the President’s own head of national intelligence, are not even in Iraq. That ought to be our highest priority, not deepening our involvement in Iraq.”

A couple of shindigs in Bismarck

Today, you are invited to a retirement open house honoring Lynn Clancy from 3 to 5:30 p.m. The event will be held in the main floor conference room (Room 166) in the Federal Building, 220 E. Rosser Ave. Lynn worked for U.S. Sen. Kent Conrad and the people of North Dakota for 20 years. That’s a great accomplishment!

Tomorrow, there will be a big Century Club reception with Congressman Earl Pomeroy. The event will be at 5:30 p.m. at the home of Tim Purdon and Carmen Miller, 1243 E. Highland Acres Rd. Please RSVP with Kathi at Dem-NPL Headquarters, (701) 255-0460 or kathi@demnpl.com, if interested in attending.

Legislators Propose Renewable Energy Package

Via a press release...

(BISMARCK) Democratic legislators today joined members of the Renewable Energy Partnership, Ag Commissioner Roger Johnson, and Republican colleagues in proposing four bills and one resolution they are calling the “Renewable Energy Package.” The four bills are SB 2288, SB 2282, HB 1483, and HB 1506. The House Resolution, introduced by Representative Phil Mueller (D-24, Valley City), does not yet have a number.

“This package of bipartisan sponsored legislation sets the tone for the next generation. It puts funds into renewable energy instead of simply giving the issue lip service and forgetting about it until the next election cycle,” said Senator Joel Heitkamp (D-26, Hankinson).

“Today, 65 percent of our energy comes from foreign sources,” said Representative Gulleson (D-26, Rutland). "The good news is that North Dakota is in a unique position to help lead this nation's efforts to become energy independent."

“SB 2288 is a comprehensive bill that touches on almost every aspect of renewable energy. It is one of the cornerstones of the future of North Dakota,” said Senator Heitkamp.

"This set of bills captures the work of many who believe that North Dakota's energy future can include biodiesel, ethanol, biomass, and wind, as well as oil and coal,” said Representative Gulleson.

HB 1506 sets a goal of 10 percent of all electricity sold at retail within the state by the year 2015. “The objective of reaching 10 percent is voluntary. There are no fines or other penalties for not reaching the goal. It is just good sense,” said Representative Scot Kelsh (D-11, Fargo).

Encouraging state agencies to purchase products that are environmentally preferable is the goal of HB 1483. “It just makes environmental sense to purchase goods that are environment friendly when they are available. This is especially true of state agencies. They can set the standard for private companies and prove that it is not cost prohibitive to be environmentally conscious,” said Representative Gulleson.

“Increasing the use of bio fuels like ethanol and bio-diesel makes sense in North Dakota. Not only does it help reduce dependence on foreign oil, it also helps boost the state’s economy,” said Senator Heitkamp. “Senate Bill 2282 creates incentives to entice people to use more bio fuels by lowering the cost to consumers.”

Rep. Scot Kelsh says enough with tuition increases

Via The Forum...

Tuition may stay at spring ’07 rates
Amy Dalrymple, The Forum

BISMARCK – Higher education officials support a bill that would freeze tuition, but they want to ensure campuses won’t see funding cuts to accomplish it.

The state Board of Higher Education unanimously supported Thursday a bill that would keep tuition at spring 2007 rates through July 2009.

A provision in the bill says the state will provide up to $20 million to offset the costs so the campuses would not have to make cuts to fund the tuition freeze.

Rep. Scot Kelsh, D-Fargo, the prime sponsor of the bill, said in statement that recent double-digit tuition increases across North Dakota have placed heavy burdens on students.

“Enough is enough,” Kelsh said. “With a huge budget surplus, we can and should stop this increasing tax on our students right now.”

Read on...

News from headquarters

District re-organization meetings

There are a few big district re-organization meetings coming up. Attend one of them if you are interested in getting involved with your local Dem-NPL district.

Here’s a list of the next 10 on my list:

Jan. 20: District 26, Sargent County Bank in Rutland, Community Room, 9:45 a.m. precincts; 10 a.m. district meeting

Jan. 20: Minot area – Districts 3, 5, 38, 40, Electrical Workers Local 714, 1925 North Broadway, 10 a.m.

Jan. 20: Fargo area –Districts 13, 21, 22, 41, 44, 45, 46, Ben Franklin Middle School, 1 p.m. also District 11, Clara Barton Elementary School, 1 p.m.

Jan. 20: District 23, Tolna Fire Hall, 2 p.m.

Jan. 20: District 29, Women's Club Rooms – 210 3rd St. S.W. in Jamestown, 2 p.m.

Jan. 21: District 20, Hope Senior Center, 2 p.m.

Jan. 21: District 4, Garrison Senior Center, 4 p.m.

Jan. 23: Bismarck area-Districts 30, 32, 35 and 47, Century High School, 6 p.m.

Jan. 24: District 34, Mandan Library, 7 p.m.

Jan. 27: GF area-Districts 18, 19, 42, 43, South Middle School-1999 47th Ave. S., 9:30 a.m.

Dem House leader says more funding needed for schools

Via the GF Herald...

VIEWPOINT : Boost N.D.'s school-funding share
By Merle Boucher,

BISMARCK - From the time of 19th century statehood to the 21st century, the citizens of North Dakota have made a powerful commitment to education. Historically, North Dakotans have believed that education is a key factor in personal, family and community growth.

Thus, state and local community leaders made certain that schools were appropriately and conveniently located throughout the state. In addition, collaborative state and local community funding responsibilities evolved. The state legislature appropriates tax monies from general and special fund sources, and local community school boards procure funds from property tax levies. These collective resource dollars are used to finance the cost of K-12 public education.

Unfortunately, over the past couple of decades, an ever-increasing amount of educational funding responsibility has fallen upon local school districts. During that time, the state's share of education funding has fallen by about 30 percent, while the local communities' share has increased by about 190 percent.

Read on...

News from headquarters

Your Democratic-NPL lawmakers in the Legislature were again hard at work yesterday.

Here are a few excerpts from some press releases I've received:

Rep. Scot Kelsh (D-Fargo) is the prime sponsor of HB 1521, which would create a tuition freeze for students attending North Dakota colleges and universities during the 2007-09 biennium.

Sen. Tom Fiebiger (D-Fargo) and Sen. Tim Mathern (D-Fargo) have proposed legislation, SB 2256, to make schools safer by keeping registered sex offenders from entering school property. The legislation would prevent registered sex offenders from entering school property without permission of the local school board in accord with written policy.

The legislation contains language that would increase the penalty for registered sex offenders who violate this law. It also has local school boards controlling, on a case by case basis, under what circumstances registered sex offenders may be permitted on school property.

Rep. Arlo Schmidt (D-Maddock), along with several other legislators, introduced HB 1401 which would reduce the interest rates on student loans borrowed from the Bank of North Dakota. The bill would not affect rates on federally insured loans, but only on so-called “alternative” loans sponsored by the state of North Dakota.

The bill would allow the Bank of North Dakota more flexibility in designing both fixed-rate and variable rate loans. Specific rates would be subject to approval by the Industrial Commission which acts as the board of directors for the Bank of North Dakota.

Getting out of the house

There are a couple of upcoming events in Bismarck worth noting which are free and open to the public.

There’s a forum tonight at 7:30 p.m. regarding minimum and living wages. It’s being held at First Presbyterian Church, 214 E. Thayer Ave. The event is the first in a series of community forums on justice being held during the 2007 Legislative Session.

Friday is “Renewable Energy Day,” which is being sponsored by the North Dakota Renewable Energy Partnership. The event is being held between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the state Capitol.

Booths will be set up on the first floor in the Great Hall/Memorial Hall (walkway between the legislative chambers and the governor’s office) for the public to stop at. The purpose of the event is to educate legislators and the public about renewable energy.

Next week there’s “Citizens’ Night at the Legislature.” It is being held between 7 and 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 23. Highlights include: Capitol tours between 6 and 7 p.m., committee hearings from 7 to 7:45 p.m. and floor debates in both chambers from 7:45 to 8:30 p.m.

Forum says Dem-NPL plan worth a look

Via The Forum's Web site...

Forum Editorial: Democrats’ school plan has appeal
The Forum

Democrats in the North Dakota Legislature have proposed a K-12 education funding formula that deserves a serious look. It calls for more new money than in Gov. John Hoeven’s budget for education. It looks to try and restore more of the state’s neglected constitutional role in funding public education.

The so-called “70-30 initiative” is wonderfully simple, and that might be its greatest asset – or its weakness. The provisions include directing the Legislature to invest 195 million new dollars during the next two years. That’s more than twice the amount proposed by the governor and the Commission on Education Improvement. Here’s the breakdown in the Democratic-NPL bill:

- Directs schools to allocate 70 percent of new money to education instruction and services – the classroom.

- Gives schools the discretion to direct up to 30 percent of new money into property tax relief.

- Gives the local school board the discretion of using any part of the 30 percent portion for education and services, if the board determines that option is best for schools.

Read on...

News from headquarters

Mark your calendars for another great speech by our president. It’s State of the Union time next Tuesday!

Remember last year when Bush said our nation is addicted to oil, and we must invest more in renewable energy sources to mitigate it? He also said something similar in his first State of the Union address back in 2001. Well, it turns out we’re more addicted than ever.

Check out this stuff:

"America must become more energy-independent, and we will." (State of the Union, 2001)

Today, America depends on imported oil for 66 percent of our oil consumption, compared to 58 percent when President Bush took office. America spent $236 billion on imports of oil in 2005 and spent $230.8 billion in just the first 10 months of 2006. (Energy Information Administration, U.S. Census Bureau Federal Trade Division)

"US dependence on the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries for its oil imports has risen to its highest level in 15 years, following Angola's arrival this week as the 12th member of the oil producers' group." (Financial Times, 1/2/07)

I bet we hear more rhetoric on this topic next Tuesday from Bush. I’m glad Democrats are now at the helm in Congress. Our North Dakota congressional delegation is leading the charge to guide our country toward energy independence. I know by next year the story will be much different. If it is, we know it’s the Democrats in Congress, led by our congressional delegation, who made it happen.

Reception for John T. Schneider

The State Bar Association is hosting a special reception for the late John T. Schneider. It’s being held at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19, in the reception area outside of the Supreme Court in the state Capitol.

Schneider passed away on March 9, 2001. He served in the 48th through 52nd Legislative Sessions from Fargo’s District 21. He also served as the Democratic- NPL floor leader in the 51st and 52nd Legislative Sessions.

Freshman senator to give State of the Union rebuttal

Via the Washington Post's Web site...

Webb to Give Democrats' Rebuttal to State of the Union
By BOB LEWIS
Associated Press

Freshman Sen. Jim Webb will deliver the Democrats' response next Tuesday to President Bush's State of the Union address.

The selection was made Tuesday by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, said Webb spokeswoman Jessica Smith.

Webb's upset victory over Republican Sen. George Allen was the decisive race in giving the Democrats control of Congress in last year's midterm elections.

Webb will speak for about five minutes shortly after Bush's address to a joint session of Congress on Jan. 23.

Read on...

More Republican infighting

Hey, the NDGOP national committeeman is mentioned in this article. It's worth a read.

Via The Washington Times...

Choice of Martinez sparks GOP rebellion
By Ralph Z. Hallow
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Rebellion is brewing among conservatives on the Republican National Committee over President's Bush's attempt to "impose" Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida as "general chairman" of the party, who favors "amnesty" for illegal aliens.

"I will be voting against Senator Martinez if he is nominated for any chairmanship of the RNC," Tina Benkiser, Texas Republican Party chairman, told The Washington Times yesterday.

Bill Crocker, the elected national committeeman from Texas, says that when the RNC convenes here tomorrow, "Absolutely, I will vote against Martinez."

The conservatives -- one of whom accused the Bush White House of "outsourcing" party leadership -- say the general-chairman post does not exist under RNC rules, which can be changed only at the party's presidential nominating convention.

Read on...

News from headquarters

Don’t forget about the Century Club reception next Thursday night with Congressman Earl Pomeroy. The event is being held at 5:30 p.m. at the home of Tim Purdon and Carmen Miller, 1243 E. Highland Acres Rd. in Bismarck.

We invite you to join or re-new your membership this new year. Please RSVP with Kathi at Dem-NPL Headquarters by tomorrow, (701) 255-0460 or kathi@demnpl.com.

Determined Democrats

Well, this week has already been a busy one for your Democratic-NPL lawmakers in the Legislature.

Here’s a few highlights:

Sen. Larry Robinson (D-Valley City) and Rep. Phillip Mueller (D-Valley City) have sponsored legislation which would require criminal background checks for security guards, health care workers and people seeking employment in sensitive areas.

Sen. JoNell Bakke (D–Grand Forks) announced legislation that would provide North Dakota schools with funding for optional full-day kindergarten programs. The legislation outlines new measures - securing funding for half and full-day programs, while limiting classroom size to twenty-five students per teacher.

Dem-NPL Senate floor leader David O’Connell (D- Lansford) announced legislation to help ease the financial burden of classroom expenses for North Dakota’s K-12 teachers. Under the legislation, teachers who pay out-of-pocket expenses for classroom supplies would be eligible for a maximum tax credit of $250.

Sen. Carolyn Nelson (D-Fargo) announced legislation that would have required North Dakota State Parks to post signs showing the availability of wheelchairs. Upon notice of the proposed legislation, officials from State Parks and Recreation and the State Historical Society responded by saying they would make the changes without legislation.

Last week, Democratic-NPL legislators in the House proposed $195 million for education funding and property tax relief to be spent over the next biennium. The plan is dubbed the “70-30 Initiative.” It calls for the direct investment of 70 percent of the $195 million into K-12 education. The other 30 percent could be used at the local school boards’ discretion for either education funding or direct property tax relief.

Whoa, that’s a lot of good stuff. Your Democrats have been busy lately!

Midwest Dems rock

Via the GF Herald...

Upper Midwest Democrats gain clout
By Scott Wente, Forum Communications

WASHINGTON - The road to power on Capitol Hill now passes through the Upper Midwest.

And there are several stops along the way.

The November election handed Democrats control of the U.S. House and Senate for the first time in a dozen years. It also elevated more federal lawmakers from the region into influential positions this year than at any time in recent memory.

That left Rep. Jim Oberstar shaking his head in amazement. Now in his 33rd year in Congress, Oberstar couldn't recall a similar scenario during his tenure.

“Never. Haven't seen that before,” he said while sitting in his spacious Capitol Hill office.

Oberstar, of northeastern Minnesota's 8th District, has taken control of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee just as several of his area colleagues similarly have ascended.

New Democratic leaders from North Dakota, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa are poised to put their thumbprint on a host of topics important to the region. The list includes farm, energy, highway funding and budget issues.

Read on...

More misperceptions from Republicans

Via The Hill...

Dems feel heat on wage bill, but GOP gripes are misleading
By Susan Crabtree, The Hill

Efforts to bring the U.S. territory in the Northern Mariana islands under federal minimum wage law is creating political headaches for House Democrats because the U.S. has long held American Samoa to a different wage standard.

House Republicans are making plenty of political hay over the disparity between the two territories’ wage policies, lambasting Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Education and Labor Chairman George Miller (D-Calif.) for "exempting" American Samoa from their minimum wage bill and claiming that they’re being motivated by the fact that Del Monte’s headquarters are located in Pelosi’s district. Del Monte owns StarKist Tuna, which owns one of two packing plants in Samoa that together employ a large portion of the islands workers.

But the disparity between American Samoa and the Northern Mariana islands’ wage policies is nothing new, and the Democrats’ minimum wage bill does not mention American Samoa in any way.

Read on...

Republicans look to 2008 in Dakotas

Via The Hill's Web site...

As Johnson mends, Dakota GOPers focus on ending 20-year drought
By Aaron Blake, The Hill

There’s a saying in North and South Dakota politics: The voters send Republicans to the state capitol to be conservative with their money, and they send Democrats to Washington to bring back other people’s money.

Whatever their motivations, Dakota voters have indeed split their elections along those lines for many years.

The illness of Sen. Tim Johnson (D-S.D.) could open things up again in 2008 for Dakota Republicans, who have long struggled for a breakthrough in their congressional representation. If recent history is any indication, however, it will be hard-fought and expensive to make a dent in Democrats’ stranglehold on the Washington delegations.

Democrats have held at least five of the states’ six congressional seats for the last 20 years.

Read on...

News from headquarters

More secrecy by a Republican controlled government

There was an exposé in yesterday’s Forum of Fargo/Moorhead describing some secrecy within the nickname lawsuit between the University of North Dakota and the NCAA.

The headline reads: “Public case is private.”

The lead in the story reads: “The Attorney General’s Office and University of North Dakota officials have few answers about how much a lawsuit against the NCAA is costing and who’s paying for it.”

The article describes how Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem’s office and UND haven’t disclosed how much money they are paying out-of-state attorneys for their assistance with the case.

According to the article, the duties of the case have been divided between UND, Stenehjem’s office and three Utah attorneys. There is supposed to be a $100,000 private fund set up for the lawsuit. The article sheds light on the fact there may not be that much money in the fund. The article also states no one really knows how much money has been spent on services provided by the Utah attorneys.

I guess I don’t really have a dog in the fight over the nickname dispute, but the way Stenehjem’s office and UND are acting, makes me wonder if taxpayer dollars have been utilized somewhere in this process. If true, it would be a broken promise to North Dakota taxpayers by Stenehjem and UND. I haven’t seen this kind of secrecy from our Republican controlled state government since the Chancellor Potts debacle last summer.

Bill Brudvik, our 2006 candidate for attorney general, said this in the article: “Someone has an obligation to disclose the terms and conditions of the employment of the out-of-state attorneys appointed by the attorney general to handle this case.”

I agree with Bill.

Marketplace for Entrepreneurs

The annual Marketplace for Entrepreneurs sponsored by U.S. Sen. Kent Conrad and Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson starts tomorrow.

The event is being held at the FargoDome in, yes, Fargo. It will be chock full of seminars and programs, all aimed at bolstering business opportunities here in North Dakota. It’s really a great event for all interested in business.

For more information, click here.

N.D. Dems fight for wage increase

Via the Minot Daily News Web site...

Bill introduced could raise minimum wage up to $7.25
By GWEN BRISTOL, Correspondent

BBISMARCK — People in North Dakota with low-paying jobs will likely rally support for Senate Bill 2122, which raises the minimum wage from $5.15 an hour to $7.25 an hour during the next three years.

Sen. Tim Mathern, D-Fargo and Rep. Jasper Schneider, D-Fargo, introduced the bill on Jan. 3, the first day of the legislative session. Mathern said the bill was held temporarily while the state waited for the national Congress to make its decision on minimum wage.

On Jan. 10, the United States House of Representatives passed legislation that would raise the national minimum wage. Mathern hopes the state bill, which has been held for the past week and a half, can be heard in a committee soon.

“People on the lower end of the wage scale have not been able to participate in the growing economy of North Dakota,” Mathern said. “This is a way they can participate.”

Mathern said the bill calls for a 70-cent per hour increase in each of the next three years. If it passes, it will be the first increase in minimum wage rate in 10 years.

Read on...

News from headquarters

The Dakota Beacon prints plagiarism?

I don’t know if you’ve seen The Dakota Beacon hanging around your local gas station or café. If you haven’t, here’s an introduction: It’s an ultra-right wing publication widely circulated in Bismarck. Its cover is in matte color with plenty of poorly edited content. The publisher is long-time, right wing activist, Steve Cates.

There’s a post I found over at BismarckDems blog yesterday which claims that former Gov. Ed Schafer may have plagiarized material printed in his latest column for The Dakota Beacon. Usually, his monthly tome is about vintage automobiles. This month, it’s about a submarine called the USS Plunger. Let’s just say it’s a little fishy.

Click here to check out the post over at BismarckDems blog. Be sure to look at the comparison of the text Schafer used in his column and the text in the original documents. You decide if it’s plagiarism.

If the plagiarism is true, it makes me wonder how credible The Dakota Beacon really is.

Democrats’ education plan

Yesterday afternoon, Reps. Merle Boucher (D- Rolette) and Phil Mueller (D-Valley City) sent out a news release about their plan to invest $195 million into K-12 education and give property tax relief during the next biennium.

They are requiring that 70 percent of the money be directly invested into K-12 education. The remaining 30 percent could be used by districts for either direct property tax relief or as further investment in schools.

Here are some quotes from the news release:

“Education is the backbone of society. It is time we fully accept our fiscal responsibility to adequately finance our K-12 public schools and provide property tax relief to North Dakotans,” said Rep. Phil Mueller, House Education Committee (D-24).

“Our commitment to education is our number one priority. By investing in education we are investing in strong families and strong communities,” said House Minority Leader Rep. Merle Boucher (D-9).

Look for your Democratic legislative leaders to introduce legislation about this soon.

The Dakota Beacon prints plagiarism?

Click here to check out the newest post over at BismarckDems blog. It's interesting stuff.

News from headquarters

Bush’s ‘different course’

Twenty thousand more troops going to Iraq. I don’t really like the sound of that. I’m hoping that with this large increase in U.S. forces, we can stabilize the country and turn it back over to the Iraqis soon. Our troops have fought bravely over there, and they deserve to be back home.

Will Bush’s new strategy work? The first one sure didn’t. He even admitted it in his speech last night. That’s something we don’t see too often!

We did it

Democrats won on a major issue yesterday with the passing of a minimum wage bill in the U.S. House. The vote was 315 to 116. The legislation will now go over to the U.S. Senate for consideration. If it passes, it will be the first increase of the minimum wage in over a decade. The proposal would increase wages in three steps over 26 months.

Congressional Democrats promised they’d roll up their sleeves in the first 100 hours of majority status. Well, here you are.

Not potato chips

Yesterday morning, there was a hearing in the state House Human Services Committee about a bill to dramatically raise the eligibility for the children’s healthcare insurance program.

CHIPS, for short, is a state funded program which helps families cover their children’s healthcare costs. The bill, HB 1047, would raise CHIPS eligibility for families who are 140 percent above the poverty line to 200 percent. Basically, the bill would give more low income families free health insurance for their children. That ain’t small potatoes to families in need.

The prime sponsor of the bill is Rep. Scot Kelsh (D- Fargo). Others sponsors include: Sens. Tim Mathern (D-Fargo) and Tracy Potter (D-Bismarck) and Reps. Mary Ekstrom (D-Fargo), Jasper Schneider (D-Fargo) and Ben Vig (D-Aneta).

N.D. delegation weighs in on Bush's speech tonight

Via the Bismarck Tribune...

North Dakota delegation skeptical of Bush Iraq proposal
By MARY CLARE JALONICK, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - North Dakota's three Democratic members of Congress say they are skeptical of President Bush's expected plan to send more troops to Iraq.

A first wave of additional U.S. troops will go into Iraq before the end of the month under President Bush's new war plan, a senior defense official told The Associated Press on Tuesday. The plan was criticized by many congressional Democrats.

Up to 20,000 troops will be put on alert and will be prepared to deploy under the president's plan, but the increase in forces on the ground will be gradual, said the official, who requested anonymity because the plans have not yet been announced.

All three members of the North Dakota delegation said they want to see the details of Bush's plan, to be announced Wednesday night, before making a final judgment. But all said the United States is increasingly entangled in a civil war that will be hard to resolve.

"I just think it's a mistake to have United States forces trying to referee that kind of a dispute," said Sen. Kent Conrad. "Our role should be to train Iraqi forces that can take over the defense of their own country. They are going to have to fight for their own democracy, just as our forefathers did for ours."

Read on...

"The View" from Jim Fuglie

The air is a little clearer out here in Dunn County, and I can see things better from here. Things that are going on in the Legislature for example. Got a couple thoughts this morning about higher education.

1. In their editorial Tuesday, the Grand Forks Herald speculated that it might be time to “Pluto” the Chancellor’s office. I think it just might be time to Pluto the entire State Board of Higher Education. I’m serious. We already have a State Department of Public Instruction, headed by an elected official, the State Superintendent. I say we move the entire University System into that agency. When they answer to an elected official, and that elected official answers to the voters, we’ll have real accountability.

2. The state has about half a billion dollars in the bank, and yet it is going to raise taxes on about 45,000 people this year. Yes, in spite of all that money, it appears that tuition will be allowed to rise again this year at our colleges and universities. And that tuition increase is nothing more than a tax increase on college students and parents of college students. Most lawmakers are saying that they want to limit tuition increase to five percent. Whatever. It is still a tax increase. Imagine if Legislators said they were going to raise the income tax five percent this year, or the sales tax. Why, we’d march on the Capitol! In fact, I think there are bills being introduced to CUT both those taxes. And then increase the tax on college students. Go figure.

At least that’s the way it looks from out here. Quite a ways down the Trail.

Jim Fuglie

Republican run government in N.D. has major flaws

Check out the two stories below from The Forum of Fargo/Moorhead today. They aren’t very pretty.

The Republicans keep bragging about the budget surplus the state has. Yes, the surplus is a blessing, but there are many more issues than just the budget which need attention. A big one is their lack of concern for outmigration. Another is their lack of concern with rising tuition/fees for higher education.

Republicans hold the overwhelming majority of offices in the state Capitol. Their leadership obviously has some big flaws.

N.D. has the most outbound movers
Patrick Springer, The Forum

North Dakota tied as the state with the highest rate of outbound movers while sister state South Dakota ranked among the top 10 states for inbound movers, according to a moving company’s tally.

United Van Lines, the nation’s largest mover, ranked North Dakota and Michigan as the states with the highest rates of people moving out – in each, 66 percent of movers were leaving in 2006.

By contrast, South Dakota saw 55.9 percent of movers entering the state, ranking it the state with the 10th-highest inbound moving rate among the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia.

Read on...

Students burdened with fees
Teri Finneman, The Forum

BISMARCK – Connect ND fee: $81. Student fee: $235.14. Total semester fees paid by University of North Dakota student Robert Haskins: $1,081.

Attending college in North Dakota: not exactly priceless.

The need to provide greater funding to North Dakota higher education was the recurring theme Monday morning when university officials and advocates appeared before the House Appropriations Committee.

Read on...

News from headquarters

Yesterday, Sen. Tim Mathern (D-Fargo) and Rep. Steve Zaiser (D-Fargo) sent out a news release discussing their plans to expand the Homestead Tax Credit. The credit gives lower income folks a break on property taxes.

The credit is, in essence, designed to keep seniors from leaving their homes, as they rely heavily on fixed incomes. Unfortunately, home evaluations keep going up at astronomical rates in many areas of North Dakota. You throw that in with fixed incomes, and you’ve got a real problem.

Mathern and Zaiser are promoting a plan to give Homestead Tax Credits to homeowners who make slightly more than the current limit. With growing home evaluations, this only makes good sense.

Ensuring that seniors and many lower income folks can afford the homes in which they reside, strengthens families and the communities in which they live.

Remember, Brent Edison talked about this on his 2006 campaign to be tax commissioner.

Here’s an excerpt from an Oct. 12, 2006, news release:

Edison proposed devoting $10 million over the next two years toward expanding the Homestead Credit as part of his $500 million, four-year proposal for education funding and property tax relief. Under Edison's plan, income requirements which currently limit program eligibility to those making less than $14,500 per year would be raised so additional seniors and disabled individuals can take advantage of the credit. Those eligible for the program would also see a larger property tax reduction under Edison's proposal.

Democrats have been talking about this issue for months now. The discussion will continue thru this legislative session. It is part of their “Investing in North Dakota - Strong Families, Strong Communities” plan.

Legislative Web sites

A few of our legislators will be communicating with constituents by using their own Web sites. To check them out, click on the highlighted names: Sen. Carolyn Nelson (D-Fargo), Sen. Tom Seymour (D-Minot) and