Our Opinion / How about 53 gubernatorial debates?

Editorial | March 9th, 2016

The Boom That Went Bust

Many state residents watched the North Dakota Republican Gubernatorial debate last week with Wayne Stenehjem, Rick Becker and Doug Burgum at the podiums. It was insightful and intriguing.

The predominant focus on declining oil revenues tells us a lot. Listening to the questions posed, one after another, a listener might think that oil is the only industry in the state.

But it’s not. North Dakota first and foremost is an agricultural state and a breadbasket of the world. While oil and energy are one-time harvests, so to speak, agriculture is a recurring harvest. Ag is our bread and butter.

The state’s disproportionate and recent dependence on oil is evident in the projected $1.1 billion shortfall facing elected leaders the next biennium. The boom that went bust has put North Dakota in a precarious state of imbalance. The economy is clearly the number one issue.

May we remind you: it’s not the only issue.

In the Ag sector, for example, farmers and ranchers are immensely stressed due to low commodity prices. The Ag shakeout spells troubled times for rural Ag-dependent corners of the state, in the short term future at least. This does not bode well for rural towns and less populated counties.

The reality that there hardly is such a thing as a small family farm is not acknowledged, even in gubernatorial debates such as last week’s. Challenges facing our farming base are dire and significant.

Yet North Dakota still plans a huge construction project for the Bank of North Dakota despite an expected $500 million loss on the books. Meanwhile, countless thousands of young North Dakotans are burdened with exorbitant student loan debt and excessively high interest rates. Wasn’t that one of the original charges of the Bank of North Dakota? And some still champion the notion of a new multi-million dollar governor’s mansion. Our priorities are askew.

Some folks are tooting horns that there was such a debate last week and that it was in advance of the state GOP convention.

The Democratic Party apparently cannot even come up with any candidates for state or federal offices, so that leaves the narrative to Republicans. Imagine that. Well, we suspect you can and do. Look to the past if you want to glimpse into the future.

That there was a debate last week in Bismarck should not put the notion of speaking to the people to rest. North Dakota has 53 counties. The issues are different in each of them. We’d suggest a debate in every county. Take it to the people. That’s not likely to happen, however. You can connect the dots why.

Yes, North Dakota faces challenging economic times. Our oil and our agriculture sectors are stressed and there’s no immediate resolution on the horizon. Our spending exceeds future revenues and the end is not in sight.

And then there are our social needs and issues, the health, education, and welfare of North Dakota’s people. These topics need to be discussed thoroughly as people consider for whom they will cast votes.

Each person, rich or poor, young or old, whatever their condition or circumstance, has equal say when it comes to the ballot booth. This will be a critical year to weigh in, ask questions, voice your best thinking and to express your gravest concerns. Do not leave it to others to decide what’s good for you.

Lastly, what an absolutely pathetic circumstance to have only one side of a ballot showing interest in the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the entire slate of state positions open this year.

Yet it is what it is. Sadly.

The Boom That Went Bust

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