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Plain Talk

Forum Communications Co.www.inforum.com
Plain Talk is a podcast hosted by Rob Port and Chad Oban focusing on political news and current events in North Dakota. Port is a columnist for the Forum News Service published in papers including the Fargo Forum, Grand Forks Herald, Jamestown Sun, and the Dickinson Press. Oban is a long-time political consultant.
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Episodes

Ep. 95: Interim UND president wants campus to focus on public service

Dr. Joshua Wynne, the current Dean of the University of North Dakota's medical school, will serve as the interim president for that institution. He says he wants the campus to focus on serving the public. Also, how much can we really do to save rural grocery stores? This episode of Plain Talk is brought to you by Americans for Prosperity of North Dakota and EnergyofNorthDakota.com .

Jun 19, 201940 min

Ep. 94: Should burning the flag be illegal?

Should burning the flag be illegal? Also, state Rep. Scott Louser (R-Minot) talks about the implementation of state ethics regulations that some left-wing commentators have suggested is, in and of itself, unethical. This episode brought to you by Americans for Prosperity of North Dakota and EnergyofNorthDakota.com .

Jun 18, 201934 min

Bonus Audio: Should burning the flag be illegal?

In this bonus audio from the Jay Thomas Show 06-17-19, Rob discusses legislation Senator Kevin Cramer is co-sponsoring which would create an exception from the 1st amendment for burning the U.S. flag. Also discussed is whether or not former Senator Heidi Heitkamp might run for governor.

Jun 17, 201924 min

Ep. 93: Jon Stewart's dumb moment

Comedian Jon Stewart threw a fit during a congressional hearing over funding for 9/11 victims, but was it necessary? Also Congressman Kelly Armstrong address that issue and answers listener questions. This episode brought to you by Americans for Prosperity of North Dakota and EnergyofNorthDakota.com .

Jun 14, 201936 min

Ep. 92: Cramer takes questions

Senator Kevin Cramer takes listener questions about Social Security, the border wall, trade, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and wind energy. Also, North Dakota Democrats complain about there not being enough women appointed to chair interim committees, but at least two female lawmakers in the Democratic caucus turned down chair roles. This episode brought to you by Americans for Prosperity of North Dakota and EnergyofNorthDakota.com ....

Jun 13, 201949 min

Ep. 91: What if defendants can't afford drug testing?

Mark Friese, a Fargo-based defense attorney with the Vogel Law Firm, talks about the struggles courts are having with defendants who can't afford drug testing mandated by the Legislature. Also, a new study suggests that liberalized marijuana laws does not reduce opioid overdoses. This episode of Plain Talk is brought to you by Americans for Prosperity of North Dakota and EnergyofND.com .

Jun 12, 201930 min

Ep. 90: Planned Parenthood and North Dakota State

State Senator Janne Myrdal, a Republican from the Grafton area, talks to Rob about her objections to North Dakota State University partnering with Planned Parenthood. Also, an official from the North Dakota Democratic Party says coal is dead. Is he right? This episode brought to you by Americans for Prosperity of North Dakota and EnergyofNorthDakota.com .

Jun 11, 201934 min

Bonus Audio: Jay Thomas Show 06-10-19

On their weekly segment on WDAY AM970 Jay and Rob talk about the recent state audit concerning bus inspections, the controversy over removing the auditor's powers, and the North Dakota Democratic Party's opposition to coal power.

Jun 10, 201925 min

Ep. 89: White men have no standing to be critical?

On this episode of Plain Talk, Senator Kevin Cramer takes questions from listeners and talks about impeachment, Robert Mueller's press conference, and what President Donald Trump asked him to investigate in terms of the bidding process for the border wall. Also, should your skin color or gender matter when it comes to questioning elected officials? This episode brought to you by Americans for Prosperity of North Dakota and EnergyofNorthDakota.com ....

May 30, 201951 min

Ep. 88: Addressing ND's flaring problem

Ron Ness from the North Dakota Petroleum Council talks about how to address flaring in North Dakota. Also, there's a line at the top of Mt. Everest to get to the summit, and that tells us a lot about our society today. This episode is brought to you by Americans for Prosperity of North Dakota and EnergyofNorthDakota.com .

May 29, 201931 min

Bonus Audio: Jay Thomas Show 05-28-19

Is there a better way to get drunk drivers off the road? What laws are the subject of referendum campaigns this election cycle? Should cops wear uniforms when going about political advocacy? All this and more on this segment on the Jay Thomas Show.

May 28, 201937 min

Ep. 87: "I don't apologize for advocating for them"

President Trump's preference for using North Dakota company Fisher Industries on the border wall has created national headlines, with some suggesting there were some untoward quid-pro-quo politics involved. "I don't apologize for advocating for them," Senator Kevin Cramer said when asked about the situation. Also, one city has seen DUI arrests plummet, and the local police chief thinks the reason may be ride sharing services. This episode was sponsored by AFP of North Dakota and EnergyofNorthDak...

May 28, 201941 min

Ep. 86: Cops shouldn't use uniforms for politics

On this episode of Plain Talk, Rob responds to a union boss upset over his criticism of cops using their uniforms for politics. Also, David Owen from Legalize ND talks about what his group's new recreational ballot measure might look like and competition from a rival constitutional measure. This show brought to you by Americans for Prosperity of North Dakota and EnergyofNorthDakota.com .

May 24, 201925 min

Ep. 85: Democrats just trying to keep Trump from winning

Congressman Kelly Armstrong is on for his weekly segment, and says Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is just trying to keep Donald Trump from winning. Also, a loophole will let lobbyists sit on an ethics commission created by an anti-lobbyist initiated measure campaign. Sponsors for this episode: http://afpnd.org http://EnergyofNorthDakota.com

May 23, 201929 min

Ep. 84: A local government's war on art

Is it appropriate for cops to use their uniforms to influence politics? Also a Mandan bar owner talks about his legal fight with city government over a mural he painted on the side of his building. Turns out that business owners can't just do art without the government's permission. This episode's sponsors: http://afpnd.org http://EnergyofNorthDakota.com

May 22, 201929 min

Ep. 83: Lawmaker wants to get paid for suing the state

State Rep. Marvin Nelson, a Democrat from Rolla, is asking a judge to award himself and his fellow plaintiffs $150,000 each for suing the State of North Dakota to deny mineral rights owners retroactive royalty payments. His attorneys also want $62 million in attorneys fees. Also, Dawson Schefter from the NDGOP responds to criticism that the Republican majority might not be responsive enough to the public. This episode bought to you by EnergyofNorthDakota.com and AFPND.org ....

May 21, 201928 min

Bonus Audio: Jay Thomas Show 05-20-19

Audio from the Jay Thomas Show, talking about the problems with social media, the search for a new UND president, and higher education debt.

May 20, 201922 min

Ep. 82: Can you be an elected official and a reporter?

Democratic state Rep. Matt Eidson talks about how he's going to pull off being a straight news reporter and a partisan elected official. Also, U.S. Congressman Kelly Armstrong takes listener questions, including his questioning in committee hearings about the subpoena of Attorney General William Barr and the on-going trade war with China. This episode of Plain Talk is brought to you by EnergyofNorthDakota.com .

May 17, 201939 min

Ep. 81: Maybe the Chinese trade war is about more than soybeans

Have we made a mistake tying our national economy so closely to China's? Also, state Auditor Josh Gallion talks about a meeting he had with Legislative leaders. This episode of Plain Talk is brought to you by EnergyofNorthDakota.com .

May 15, 201927 min

Bonus Audio: Jay Thomas Show 05/13/19

Audio from the Jay Thomas Show talking about student loans, raising the smoking age to 21, the on-going controversies with the state auditor's office, and other topics.

May 13, 201942 min

Ep. 79: Should banks be the arbiters of political and social behavior?

On this episode of Plain Talk, a credit card company CEO pushes back against the idea that the financial sector should be pressured into regulating political and social activity. Also, Congressman Kelly Armstrong takes listener questions. This episode of Plain Talk is brought to you by EnergyofNorthDakota.com .

May 10, 201929 min

Ep. 78: It is the auditor's job to embarrass people

On this episode of Plain Talk, a state lawmaker has finally confessed the true motivation behind gutting the authority of North Dakota's Auditor. Also, Senator Kevin Cramer answers listener questions. This episode of Plain Talk is brought to you by EnergyofNorthDakota.com .

May 09, 201939 min

Ep. 77: Who was using the director's signature?

On this episode of Plain Talk Dave Diebel, a producer who lives in Bismarck who is also a board member for the North Dakota Film and Media Association, talks about what he says is a need for production incentives in the state. Something to entice more commercials, TV shows, and movies to be filmed here. Also, how is it the signature of a DOT director was still be used to certify records even when he was on leave? This episode of Plain Talk is brought to you by EnergyofNorthDakota.com ....

May 08, 201920 min

Ep. 76: We trust the people except when we don't

On this episode Dustin Gawrylow talks about an initiated measure campaign he's chairing which would prohibit the Legislature from initiating a vote of the people on amending the portion of the constitution dealing with initiated measures. Yeah, it's a little confusing. This episode brought to you by EnergyofNorthDakota.com .

May 07, 201930 min

Bonus Audio: Jay Thomas Show 05/06/19

Audio from the Jay Thomas Show, talking about the removal of power from the state auditor's office, student loan debt, and the romance novels of North Dakota's former director of the drivers license division.

May 06, 201922 min

Ep. 75: What's scarier, hate speech or censorship?

We live in an era where the 1st amendment doesn't really apply to the venues in which most of our speech takes place. As more and more people push hard to ban controversial speech online, which should we fear more? Hate speech? Or the push to silence it? Also, state Auditor Josh Gallion responds to the Legislature putting limits on his office. This episode of Plain Talk is brought to you by EnergyofNorthDakota.com .

May 06, 201941 min

Ep. 74: "They're not interested in the truth, they're interested in the fight"

On this episode of Plain Talk, Congressman Kelly Armstrong takes listener questions and talks about the fight over the Mueller report in Congress. "They're not interested in the truth," he says of his Democratic colleagues. "They're interested in the fight." Also, Governor Doug Burgum declines to veto a bill gutting the powers of the state auditor. This episode brought to you by EnergyofNorthDakota.com .

May 03, 201930 min

Ep. 73: Can the space force protect us from an asteroid?

Senator Kevin Cramer takes listener questions on this episode of Plain Talk, and also answers Rob's question about whether or not President Donald Trump's proposed Space Force could protect us from an asteroid. Also, why is a construction company in Dickinson printing campaign signs for the local school district? The answer reveals something which ought to be of statewide concern. This episode is bought to you by EnergyofNorthDakota.com ....

May 02, 201938 min

Ep. 72: Legislature guts the Auditor's office

On this episode of Plain Talk, Congressman Kelly Armstrong takes listener questions about the REINS Act, the national debt, illegal immigration, and bipartisanship. Also, state lawmakers included language in the budget for the state Auditor's Office which essentially guts that office's powers. This episode of Plain Talk is brought to you by EnergyofNorthDakota.com .

Apr 26, 201929 min
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