The U.S. Congress recently wrapped up its work. North Dakota’s delegation is back in the state to convince constituents that the House and the Senate are not hamstrung by partisanship and, in the case of majority Republicans, are not mired in foolish fealty to an increasingly feckless president.
North Dakota Sens. John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer and Rep. Julie Fedorchak, Republicans all, will be doing their dog-and-pony shows across the state for the next few weeks. They will be spinning the Trumpist boilerplate which, if recent history is any guide, will be exercises in ducking tough questions while trying to explain away the president’s failing domestic and foreign policies. This will come as no surprise. It has been their modus operandi since they boarded the Trump bandwagon to drink his swill, defend his lies, pardon his boorish and revenge-driven conduct, and ignore his use of the national treasury as his personal piggybank.
Nonetheless, North Dakotans should seek out the representative and the senators ask them questions. Suggestions from friends, colleagues and others about what to ask helped generate my list of questions. Here they are, some based on casual conversations or sometimes heated exchanges with people from every point on the political spectrum, and a few with no particular political bent at all. All are North Dakotans who understand that what happens in Washington, D.C., affects lives in their state and communities.
Do you support the Trump tariffs, which have cost North Dakotans millions of dollars in lost Canadian tourism, increased the cost of home building, are costing farmers incalculable dollars in higher fertilizer and fuel prices, and have soured relations with one of our strongest allies and largest trading partner?
The president said he would reduce gasoline prices to $2 a gallon or lower as soon as he took office. In North Dakota, the price at the pump is near $4 a gallon and over $5 for diesel fuel. State-based trucking companies and one-truck entrepreneurs who own their own rigs are being hurt badly. The costs for food and other basics have been rising more than 3% a month, which, in effect, is a cumulative tax of thousands of dollars on American families. In light of those impacts on your constituents, do you support the administration’s economic policy?
Do you agree with the administration’s story about the Reflecting Pool liner damage, and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum’s doubling down with the vandalism story in light of evidence the pool’s problem was caused by an incompetent contractor? What is your view of the former two-term North Dakota governor’s performance at Interior?
Given that North Dakota’s elections are conducted without fraud or error, and there is no credible evidence of extensive voter fraud anywhere in the nation, why do you support Trump’s “Save America Act” that calls for so-called election reform? Furthermore, the presidency, Senate, House and majority of state governments, including North Dakota, are in Republican control? Does that mean elections where Republicans won were fraudulent?
Do you support Trump’s pardon of people convicted of crimes related to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, which included some with North Dakota ties?
Don’t expect straight answers. North Dakota’s three Trumpelstitskins have mastered the dance, the shuck-and-jive, the duck-and-cover, the deflection and the muddle. Rep. Fedorchak will conduct her staged virtual meetings which will be filtered to favor her fans. Sen. Hoeven will appear before friendly groups to announce more federal dollars for defense contractors and big industrial agribusiness. Sen. Cramer will hit the talk radio circuit, take all questions, and grin through shallow and meaningless non-answers. Not one of them will summon the courage to criticize their president’s grifting, economic debacle, divisive meanness or failing war.
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Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.