Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
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The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) released its monthly Small Business Optimism Index this past week. Small business owners are slowly regaining confidence, but with an uncertain holiday season ahead, there’s a degree of trepidation. “With the election over, small business owners will begin to feel less uncertain about future business conditions,” said NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg. “Although optimism is on the rise on Main Street, small business owners are still f...
“Now that’s a mic-drop moment.” “You’re a rockstar.” I was sitting in a large room in the basement of the Washington State Capitol building for my very first fireside chat, sharing my personal experience bridging divides and the audience sat rapt. At this point, I’ve given plenty of speeches and presentations in my career. This one, though, was in my own state, to some pretty important people, and I was uncharacteristically nervous. Thankfully, I’d been reading Terry Szuplat’s "Say It Well" in the lead-up to this talk. It felt like a rich,... Full story
James Madison, writing in August of 1823 from his home in Montpelier, Va. – to which he repaired in what turned out be a futile effort to retire from public life – continued to assess the defects of the Constitution, including the way America elects its president. Madison, who preferred direct election of the president, addressed what he regarded as a foundational weakness in our electoral system. In the case of a tie in the Electoral College, the Twelfth Amendment requires the U.S. House of Representatives to choose the next president. Mad...
You know how it is when the weather gets cool. The leaves change colors. The birds start to migrate. And out of the clear blue sky, your family drops a bomb on you. Not a literal bomb. We fight like every other family, but none of us use lethal weapons. Yet. During a perfectly nice dinner where everyone at the table was peacefully staring at their phones, the female wing of the family launched a barrage. “We’re not spending enough time together as a family,” announced my sister. I didn...
The presidential election of 1788, the first under the newly minted Constitution, was unusual and even unique in ways that 21st century Americans can scarcely imagine. For one, there was no campaigning. In the 18th century, it was an unwritten rule that any display of ambition would be unseemly. For another, George Washington, widely viewed as Father of His Country, was for all practical purposes anointed by his fellow citizens. As it happened, he was elected unanimously by the Electoral College, a feat that he would achieve, again, in the...
The United States of America is a nation of immigrants. My ancestors came from Germany, Norway and Scotland, among others. We have people coming to our communities from the Philippines, Ukraine, Venezuela and other countries right now. Yes, there are barriers. No, it isn't easy to integrate new people, especially when language limits communication and the American way takes some getting used to. When I first heard about the Uniting 4 Ukraine program developed by the Carrington City Council, I...
Dear Editor, As the election nears, hopefully, we all get to the ballot box for the candidates, but also for the measures before us. I’d like to address Measure 4. First, I think we can all agree we need property tax relief – and it’s overdue. I’m not sure what that looks like exactly in the future, but it needs to happen. Measure 4, though, isn’t the right approach. If the measure passes, it would become part of our State Constitution, making it difficult at best to correct or even refine. This really worries me, as there is no clear-cut...
Our ongoing review of the origins and rationales that undergird the Electoral College reveals a central point that cannot be ignored. The disturbing vice of the Electoral College, as we have seen, is that it undermines our political system by providing presidential candidates with an incentive to visit competitive states, particularly large competitive states, at the expense of small states. In a system providing for the direct election of the president, which would more effectively represent...
Property tax is a contradiction to private property rights, implying that government is the actual owner, and real estate is only rented in perpetuity vis-a-vis property tax. The deed to your house or land really only conveys use or occupancy rights. Miss enough "rent" payment and you will be evicted. This system creates an unfair hardship for anyone on fixed income, to the point that rising property values and taxes can eventually force them out of their homes. Even if they are able to remain in the house, the property tax bill consumes an... Full story
One of the chief justifications for the Electoral College, advanced by its advocates, is that small, lightly populated states require protection for interests that would be overwhelmed by large states under a system based on the direct election of the president. Readers may be surprised to learn that in the Constitutional Convention, James Madison told fellow delegates that small states don’t need protection from large states. His own state, Virginia, like Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, he said, were divided by various interests, including e...
At the Foster County Independent, we are 90 days into this national experiment to revive local news. As I look at what we’ve accomplished so far and the work ahead, I am encouraged. This month also marks a milestone for me in business. As of October 1, I have been the publisher of this newspaper for three whole years, and I am approaching the 10-year mark of my career in the newspaper industry (which will happen in February). A lot has changed since. I’m starting to see how we can both con...
I have been following coverage of Hurricane Helene in local newspapers in Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Florida for the past three weeks. Just yesterday, I came across an essay written by producers that I wanted to share, because it goes far beyond what I’ve seen so far and particularly addresses the impacts on the agriculture industry there. Big Sandy Creek Dairy in Madison, Ga. posted the following to their Facebook page on Sept. 29, just three days after Hurricane Helene ravaged thei...
There comes a time when a suburbanite looks at a perfectly functional roof and decides it needs to be replaced. Not just reshingled. Replaced. And the room under it, too. Earlier this year, my family concluded that our sunroom was no good. It worked perfectly well as a sunroom. It was a room that got lots of sun. But somehow it had slid from our good graces. It deserved the wrecking ball. Getting municipal approval to replace a sunroom only takes 87 million years. Fortunately, the amoebae who...
Civic engagement, what the nation’s founders hoped would be a distinguishing feature of the young and energetic republic, can be manifested in various ways including voting, participation in political parties and campaigns, displaying lawn signs, running for office and writing letters to the editor. Newspaper readers who comment on public affairs and pose questions to columnists are part of a great tradition in the intellectual and public life of America. Recent columns on the Electoral College have generated much-appreciated questions about it...
Two previous columns on the origins of the Electoral College have sparked questions from discerning readers across the state who wonder why the United States continues to utilize this peculiar method of electing the president when the rationales and justifications for its creation have long since vanished. The Framers’ reasons for rejecting direct election of the president – lack of communication, transportation and adequate knowledge of the qualifications and credentials of candidates – are no longer relevant. As many have observed, we somet...
Yes: Since alcohol and tobacco are legal, so should marijuana by Nathan Price At the age of 26, I can probably count the number of alcoholic beverages I’ve ever had on one hand, and not once have I smoked a cigarette since turning 18. Because of this, some have called me a “goody two-shoes,” or a “party pooper,” but since both tobacco and alcohol are more poisonous to the human body than marijuana, I simply see it as common sense. That being said, I’ve never smoked marijuana either. It smells awful, I don’t particularly want to feel high, an...
Opportunity in education. Effective education options for every child. Stimulating educational environments. This is what we want for every North Dakota student. And that’s what our elected leaders want, too. But restructuring North Dakota’s K-12 public education system to a “school choice” model, as the Legislature’s interim Education Committee and a separate school choice task force have been discussing, is a bad idea. In communities across the country, private school advocates have been push... Full story
Cinnamon is in season. We're making apple pies with apples harvested from our backyard trees and pumpkin spice lattes are the flavor of the month on the menu at the local coffee shop. October 2023 marked the start of a nearly year-long process to remove cinnamon that was found to contain lead from store shelves at hundreds of supermarkets and dollar stores. According to Consumer Reports, "the FDA began testing cinnamon sold at various stores after fruit purée apple pouches by Schnucks, WanaBana,...
The Framers of the Constitution seriously considered adoption of a direct popular vote for the election of the president until objections exposed the likelihood that lack of communication, transportation and adequate knowledge of candidates would hobble the ability of Americans to make a reasoned and informed choice. Some feared that voters would not be familiar with national leaders and would reflexively support candidates from their own states. Voter parochialism would undermine the prospects for national union. Although James Madison was an...
I rode on the back of a steam engine this past weekend. I've lived in New Rockford for 20 years and have made the short trip to the Central North Dakota Steam Threshers Reunion for nearly every one. I've also covered the local steam show for the Transcript 10 straight years now. Each time I aim to capture something and someone new and different, as there are so many things to see and do on the grounds. They've recently added events as well, including tractor driving for the kids and a Friday dan...
In the current economy, when a visit to the grocery store requires a long-term financing plan, it has become clear that our family must find ways to spend less. This is especially challenging for us considering that we have two daughters in college, one daughter in private school and three pets, all of whom seem determined to ensure that we won't be able to purchase hamburger meat without selling our plasma. Our first step toward financial freedom, or at least parole, involved canceling our...
With less than 50 days remaining in the 2024 presidential election, citizens are turning their attention to the “Electoral College Map,” fully aware that the next president will be the candidate who captures 270 electoral votes, rather than the winner of the popular vote, although most Americans continue to prefer a direct, nationwide election, one they view as more consistent with democratic principles, and wonder why the Framers of the Constitution chose such a peculiar method for electing the nation’s highest official. What concerns and c...
Measure 4 provides huge property tax relief to everyone, completely reforms how cities and counties will tax in the future, and is a tremendous opportunity for all North Dakotans. It does this while ensuring full local control, and not a single dollar of funding is lost. Dr. Arthur Laffer is a world-renowned economist who advised both President Ronald Reagan and President Trump on their famous tax cut programs. He has reviewed Measure 4, and believes it is a great opportunity for the people of North Dakota. In a letter to the committee dated...
I am personally opposed to Measure 4. I don't think that it is a good solution for our residents. First of all, it is an incomplete package. Widespread concern about real estate taxes is real, but this measure does not specify how this revenue would be replaced. I don't think our residents want to see drastic cuts to services, so another method would be needed to replace the lost revenue. This would still have to come from North Dakota residents, directly or indirectly. $1.575 billion would be needed annually for our state, counties, cities,...
We hear it every two years – "This is the most important election of our lifetime!" In a sense, it is true. Not because of who the candidates may be or the issues facing voters, but because the most important election of our lifetime is always the "next election." Voting is a privilege that every United States citizen has and a responsibility every eligible voter should take seriously. You are responsible for choosing your leaders, your policies, and your future, no matter if it is a P...
