We often hear politicians loudly championing “state’s rights” and railing against “federal overreach”—especially when the White House is held by the opposing party. But what happens when the political tables turn? Columnist Jim Shaw pulls back the curtain on a group of[...]
Category: Commentary
Plain Talk: ‘Where is our home if America is not our home?’
It’s one thing to hear political rhetoric from the sidelines, but what happens when comments from the very top strike at your sense of belonging? Hamida Dakane, a former state lawmaker of Somali heritage, shares her deeply personal reaction to President Trump’s[...]
Everyone is Gambling and No One is Happy
Have you ever felt like the world’s official economic reports just don’t match what you feel in your gut? You’re not alone. Kyla Scanlon dives into the “Vibecession”—the feeling that everything is going wrong, even when some data suggests otherwise. It argues[...]
The War on Drugs and the Collateral Damage to Our Conscience
Boundaries are being tested and perhaps redrawn. What is war? The last time the USA actually declared war was 1941, after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. That said, good luck convincing combat veterans of Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, or Afghanistan that they did[...]
Port: North Dakota farmers need competent trade policies, not a bailout
A new round of federal aid is headed to farmers, but it arrives with political and economic contradictions. The administration has rolled out a $12 billion bailout to offset damage from tariffs—tariffs that economists note are ultimately paid by Americans, including the[...]
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Eliminating property taxes would sell out Wyoming forever (and North Dakota, too)
Property tax debates often feel local, but the argument unfolding in Wyoming echoes far beyond its borders—including here in North Dakota. A Wyoming commentary warns that eliminating residential property taxes might sound like relief, but could instead invite outside investors to buy[...]
Port: This will be a pivotal election for North Dakota
Rob Port with InForum reads the tea leaves in this political commentary, and what he sees is an important election. It won’t feature high-profile races for governor or U.S. Senate, but beneath that quiet surface may be a major turning point. With[...]
Why everything turns to asphalt
Cars were once a ticket to opportunity, opening access to work, housing, and recreation far beyond traditional neighborhoods. But the same system that expanded freedom has gradually boxed people in. Put simply, when cities organize themselves around vehicle convenience rather than human[...]
When shelters are full and winter sets in
The bearing of winter’s real teeth recently brings a stark reminder that while some of us are settling in, others are facing a cold reality: rising evictions and a growing lack of stable shelter. This article breaks down a serious threat to[...]
Port: It’s almost 2026 and North Dakota doesn’t have its 2024 crime report yet
North Dakota’s most recent statewide crime report still hasn’t been released, and the delay is drawing attention. Crime numbers shape debates over sentencing, budgets, policing, housing, and even immigration—and yet 2024 data remains unavailable, now six months past the typical release window.[...]
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Port: Our Somali friends and neighbors are not ‘garbage’
It’s easy to look at a naturalization ceremony—200 new Americans from 51 countries taking the oath—and see the best of our country. But alongside that hope, a familiar shadow is falling: the kind of nativist hostility President Trump has leveled at our[...]
Point: Air Traffic Control Privatization Is Long Overdue
For an alternate viewpoint, see “Counterpoint: Modernization, not Privatization, Is Key to Aviation Leadership.” The recent government shutdown disrupted U.S. air traffic control (ATC) and frustrated millions of passengers, leading to delays and cancellations. Our ATC system is run as a bureaucracy[...]
Counterpoint: Modernization, Not Privatization, Is Key to Aviation Leadership
For an alternate viewpoint, see “Point: Air Traffic Control Privatization Is Long Overdue.” For the first time in decades, the administration, the Congress and the aviation industry are united on a detailed and aggressive plan to build a new air traffic control[...]
Port: North Dakota needs a database for economic development programs
North Dakota’s growing investment in homegrown startups is back in the spotlight after new details emerged about the public dollars funneled into Thread, a once-promising Grand Forks tech company now facing financial trouble. The firm received far more in state-backed loans and[...]
The awful arithmetic of our wars
A new analysis warns that the U.S. is losing ground on the modern battlefield—not for lack of power, but because its cost calculations no longer add up. As warfare shifts toward cheap drones and low-cost munitions, adversaries are inflicting damage at a[...]
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Port: Harm reduction policies work for addicts and their communities
Communities across North Dakota are wrestling with a hard truth: decades of crackdowns and billions in federal spending haven’t stopped the flow of drugs or the harms tied to addiction. As debate grows over harm-reduction programs, the argument centers on what actually[...]