Dakota Beacon

HOW THINGS ARE DONE IN BISMARCK
Public Debate . . . or Back-Room Deals?

A real factor which, for better or worse, must always enter into party endorsements, is that amorphous quality,  “electability”.  Until now the question has been: "Is Paul Sorum 'electable'"?  Now the pertinent question is: 'How 'electable' will Jack Dalrymple be?' 

Sally Morris

The events of the last week serve to illustrate the level to which the American people in general, and the people of North Dakota in particular, have become debased.  Our foreign-born and alien-reared president, Barack Hussein Obama, decided he could dispense with the consent and confirmation of Congress in his appointments, knowing well that they would be rejected by that body.  He assumed the powers of a dictator and – voila! – Mussolini re-incarnate.  While the talking heads commented and fumed, or exhibited shock at this usurpation, those who should be most affronted and also must be held partly responsible for this act of aggression – members of Congress – sat in cabbage-like silence, as if to say, ”Well, that’s how things are done in Washington, you rubes.”

No intention seems manifest to reject and refute Obama’s unconstitutional dictatorship.  We aren’t hearing renewed calls for impeachment.  The reins of power have slipped effortlessly from the people and their representatives quite without question or objection.  America’s epitaph:  “That’s how things are done in Washington.”

A couple of weeks ago, a representative of Rick Berg met with some local tea party activists in order to get feedback.  I was there.  I expressed my acute disappointment that while North Dakota had confidently sent Berg to Washington with a clear mandate, namely to bring our budget under control and cease and desist from more spending and regulation, Berg was found under the petticoats of Speaker John Boehner every time.  “The thing is, Boehner calls them into his office and closes the door and says, ‘What do you need from me to get on board with this?  A balanced budget amendment?  What would you like?”  It works every time.  That’s how things are done in Washington.

Last week the people of North Dakota also got a better look at the man in the Governor’s mansion.  Jack Dalrymple, acting governor, refused to debate his opponent, Paul Sorum.  Sorum has been out in front of the people for over a year seeking the governorship.  Dalrymple finally came out from under the covers late this Fall to announce his candidacy.  We know quite a bit about Sorum.  He and his vision for North Dakota have been an open book.  Voters across the state have eagerly awaited access to Dalyrmple’s views on issues.  But last week we were disabused of the notion that we would be hearing anything prior to his supposedly in-the-bag nomination.  If even then.  The reason he gave is far more illuminating than that debate would have been anyway: “Right now, what I’m seeking is an endorsement by a specific group of delegates, and I intend to go and speak to them directly.”

What is not so well illuminated, however, is just who these specific, special delegates are, why they are so much more important than the citizens of North Dakota, and what their “endorsement” means to the future of the state, should Dalrymple succeed with his plan.  Who will really be running North Dakota under “Governor” Dalrymple?  Is his rejection of a public forum the product of fear or arrogance or something else?
 
A real factor which, for better or worse, must always enter into party endorsements, is that amorphous quality,  “electability”.  Until now the question has been: "Is Paul Sorum 'electable'"?  Now the pertinent question, in view of the refusal of Mr. Dalrymple, together with his ham-handed revelation, is: 'How 'electable' will Jack Dalrymple be?' 

The Republican candidate will be running against a popular Will Rogers-esque writer, well known throughout the state, with whose pronouncement of "shock" at Dalrymple's decison many are already finding themselves in agreement- regardless of party affiliation.  Will the popular cowboy folk icon be opposed on the Republican ticket by an elitist, back-room Progressive who shuns public debate?  Or should he be opposed by a businessman who has been outlining his ideas and philosophy of government for over a year in the public eye?  Now it’s time to decide “How things are done in North Dakota”.

Sally Morris is a member of Americans for Constitutional Government.  She is a member of the Executive Committee of the Valley Tea Party Conservative Coalition, for whose website- vtpcc.com – she blogs regularly.  She has served the Republican Party of Minnesota as a Delegate to the 2010 State Convention and the North Dakota Republican Party as a Precinct Committeeman, State Convention Delegate and Chairman of Convention Committees.