Dakota Beacon

I don’t usually weigh in on specific bills because I believe that exercise is for the citizens. My TV show on BEK has served as an outlet for information for the purpose of giving an informed electorate a fighting chance.

“The Legislature Today” has not been a place to argue the finer points of a piece of legislation. It is meant to have a factual bent to help those who want to be informed.

However, as a former chairman of the North Dakota Republican Party, I feel I must weigh in on HB 1446. It has the marks of an act meant to do more than reform a process, procedure or method. Revenge by any other name is still revenge.

It's all because someone dared to challenge certain legislators in the district/state conventions. 

HB 1446 may seem harmless because state law allows for a primary election to be the decisive factor in choosing a party’s candidate.

But this bill does far more damage.

The previous laws allowed a primary process for a candidate to challenge the convention’s selection. This bill will dismantle a 100-year process the parties have used to endorse candidates.

It moves the power from the politically active citizens to those with the most money, high name identification or incumbency.

It diminishes the power of the member of a political party from 1 in 200 (in district convention) or 1 in 2,000 (in the case of state convention) to 1 in 100,000 (depending on voter turnout for the primary election).

It has always been my view that at the end of a term served, the right to the office is reserved until re-election grants it again. It follows that any citizen has the right to challenge the incumbent. This holds the incumbents accountable to the citizens of their district or state.

Several districts across the state have been pushing back on citizens becoming active in their districts by requiring membership sometimes months in advance with little notice.

This shuts out those who want to get involved at the last minute. It discourages involvement and continues to breed distrust and disdain for politicians. It is a sorry state when politicians feel they are above their constituents and know what’s best for them.

It is my hope legislators will stand up for the citizens and defeat this bill which will change the entire nominating process in the state. The legislative council has done an outstanding job making information available on every bill.

I would encourage citizens to check out the web site http://ndlegis.gov and review the bill. Contact your legislator.

While you’re at it, check in on your legislator see which bills they have introduced and what they are supporting. You can review testimony on a bill by reading testimony or even viewing the video. It is a terrific way of getting involved and holding them accountable for their votes and actions.

The process is there, all it takes is you!

Emineth is a North Dakota native businessman and political activist. He is a former executive director and chairman of the North Dakota Republican Party. Emineth has served on the Republican National Committee and chaired numerous presidential campaigns in North Dakota. He is the host of “The Legislature Today” and “Open Range” daily TV shows on BEK. He is a serial entrepreneur and has 40-plus years of business experience with multi-national companies. He has traveled the world extensively and has served as CEO and president of mid-tier companies.