Articles

Omdahl: Clay Jenkinson got it right: Art Link was the last agrarian

In his tribute at Gov. Art Link’s funeral, Clay Jenkinson, a leading western historian, opined that the former governor was the last agrarian, the last agricultural icon of the rural West.

Omdahl: District Judge Weir raises red flag over plea bargains

Plea bargaining, the practice of offering a suspect a lesser charge in exchange for a guilty plea, has become a widespread practice in the criminal justice system.

Omdahl: Pundits misread elections

The political pundits had a field week with the recent gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey and congressional elections in New York and California.

Omdahl: Institute fulfills real need

If North Dakota were a person, it would be deported for lack of documentation.

Omdahl: Veggies did not do well

This was not a good summer for the vegetable gardeners.

Omdahl: Our democracy will lose when newspapers decline

The crisis in the newspaper business came closer to home recently when two of North Dakota’s major dailies – The Forum and the Grand Forks Herald – added more staff cuts to the 12,000 jobs already lost in the newspaper industry over the past year.

ND loves all those earmarks

If you have an advantage, never give it up. That is an iron rule in politics.

Courage shows up at Capitol

If a new “Profiles in Courage” were going to be written featuring courageous folks in the North Dakota Legislature, the first few chapters would have to acknowledge the bravery of Rep. Ed Gruchalla, D-Fargo, Rep. Joyce Kingsbury, R-Grafton, Sen. Art Behm, D-Niagara and Rep. Lawrence Klemin, R-Bismarck. All of them walked out on the thin ice this session by sponsoring legislation that flew in the face of the state’s political culture.

Madison’s warning resonates

‘The legislative department is everywhere extending the sphere of its activity and drawing all power into its impetuous vortex.” This was the observation of James Madison, the most articulate of the Founding Fathers, when he was explaining in Federalist Paper No. 38 that the branches of government needed protection “against the invasion of the others.”

Coalition pushes for universal health coverage for Minnesotans

A coalition pushing universal health coverage for all Minnesotans called Friday for passage of a bill that would focus first on covering the estimated 77,000 children in the state who lack health insurance.

• First lady's fashion shines during inauguration

Columns

Omdahl: Fruitless fight over logo

Those who supported legislation to force the University of North Dakota to keep the “Fighting Sioux” logo should not have been surprised when the NCAA refused to change its position just because the state Legislature passed a law mandating continuance of the logo.

• Lloyd Omdahl

Omdahl: Save gas: North Dakota has it all

Faced with $4 gas, we were browsing a couple of weeks ago through the “North Dakota Legendary 2011 Travel Guide” listing hundreds of exciting events close to home.

• Lloyd Omdahl

Omdahl: Speak of cabbages and kings

We were all eager to hear President Barack Obama tell us about the exit strategy in Libya, but not quite as eager as Moammar Gadhafi. (It’s difficult to run a successful war when you have to tell the enemy what you are planning.)

• Lloyd Omdahl

Omdahl: Board forced to fight

Passage of the legislation to require the University of North Dakota to keep the Fighting Sioux logo has put the Board of Higher Education in a historic quandary.

Omdahl: They’ve labored like ants

Well, the Legislature is halfway through its biennial 80-day session and still has most of the major bills to consider.

• Lloyd Omdahl

Omdahl: They’ve violated the oath

At the outset, it should be stated that every member of the Legislature is aware of the constitutional authority of the Board of Higher Education in regard to the state’s colleges and universities.

Omdahl: We’re all invested in debt

The effort to deal with the mushrooming national debt is dead in the water. Even the tea party will not do much to move the agenda because, when the chips are down, too many of the tea party folks are in on the tea.

• Lloyd Omdahl

Omdahl: ‘Folks at home’ is a ploy

“This is what the people in my district favor” is a common claim made by legislators as they support and oppose measures in the legislative process.

Omdahl: Another foolish exercise

As a longtime admirer of the U.S. Constitution, I was more than pleased to hear that the House of Representatives was taking the time to read the document at the opening session of Congress.

Omdahl: Again, the grab for power

“The legislative department is everywhere extending the sphere of its activity and drawing all power into its impetuous vortex.”