Dakota Beacon

I recall as a young teenager the excitement of going to the county fair. It was a time when the carnival came to town and there were all kinds of fun and exciting attractions.

I also liked the games of chance when you could possibly win a fun stuffed animal. I always gave it a shot because a carnival worker would draw me in with his, “Toys for the boys, pearls for the girls” pitch. While the spinning rides were too much for me, I would still give them a try and regret it afterwards.

While the carnival was fun, the real business was done in the barns where the various 4-H projects took place. It would include cattle, pigs, sheep, pies, clothing, etc. The goal was to get a blue ribbon and hopefully the overall grand champion prize.

As I was thinking of the upcoming legislative session, I am not sure why my mind went to the county fair. Maybe it is the atmosphere of a carnival where there are lots of promises by the guys behind the booths to win a prize or the rides a person could go on.

There is an exciting atmosphere where there are promises and expectations. It seems like opportunity all in one place. The county fair was a time to meet up with friends and discuss the happenings around the county and catch up on the latest gossip.

As I reflect, maybe the image I have breaks down as images often do. Maybe a person needs to step back from the activity on the midway and head back to the barns where the animals are fed, the stalls are cleaned, the animals groomed and the food and clothes are on display.

Raising vegetables and feeding the livestock takes time, planning and investment. There are always people who want short cuts and who put little in and expect results. Maybe that is why I thought of the county fair and the legislature.

There are always a few who opt for a sound bite over an extra session to work over a bill. Maybe they want free money from the state, or an advantage that can help a specific piece of legislation, or the approval of a pet project.

But there are also those (probably the majority) who know the value of hard work and patience through the process to get things done.

I would challenge legislators at the outset of this session to examine the priorities of your constituents before you decide how to proceed.

There are always opportunities.

The question is whether the energy and dollars will be spent on the midway or back in the barn.

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.