Plain Talk

One of the innovative things the State of North Dakota has done during the coronavirus pandemic is work with a Fargo-based developer ProudCrowd to create a contact tracing app. Contract tracing is an epidemiological technique aimed at tracking where an outbreak is happening and who it is happening to so that policies can be targeted. This allows policymakers to better strike a balance between addressing an outbreak while not unduly burdening the public. Tim Brookins is the founder of ProudCrowd, and on this episode of Plain Talk, he talks about how his app has helped during the COVID-19 outbreak, as well as recent privacy concerns brought by another app developer. Brookins says his company is not selling data, not only because it would be illegal under his contracts with the states of North and South Dakota, but because "it's completely worthless." The data the Care19 app collects is anonymized, and tech giants like Facebook and Google already collect far more detailed data from many, many more people. Is the Care19 app helping respond to the pandemic? Sort of. "We just have a really a really low usage rate," Brookins said, estimating that about 5 percent of North Dakota's population is using the app. Still, in any given instance of infection, the app can be useful in helping track that person's movements. "If it helps just one person it's worth it," Brookins said. He also said his company is working on a second app which will alert users if they've been near someone who later tests positive for the virus.

Rob and Jay talk about absurd coronavirus restrictions.

Gary Emineth is a long-time activist in North Dakota politics, and at one point was the chairman of the North Dakota Republican Party. He was an outspoken supporter of Governor Doug Burgum's 2016 campaign, but he sees problems in Burgum's decision to spend big money defeating other Republicans in primary races. The Governor is "using his wealth as the chief executive to go after the Legislature," Emineth told me, though Burgum has also intervened in a primary competition for the Treasurer's office as well. Emineth has filed the paperwork to form his own political action committee to try and counteract Burgum's efforts.

Brandt Dick is already a superintendent. He works for the public school system in Underwood, North Dakota. He'd like to continue to be a superintendent, albeit of all of North Dakota's public schools. He's asking North Dakota voters to do that this election year. He's one of three candidates for the position on the June primary ballot, along with incumbent Kirsten Baesler and gadfly candidate Charles Tuttle. Asked about Baesler's job performance, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic which prompted statewide school closures, Dick said she's done a "decent job," though he thinks she hasn't been assertive enough. "It seems like there are some times she's allowed the governor to be in control and make decisions," he told me. One area where he's critical is school closures. "Even now two months after we shut down the schools there are still 14 counties that haven't had a case," Dick said. "At what point will the governor give that local control back?" Dick asked. With the school year closing, that may be a moot point now, but more generally Dick says he'd emphasize local control if elected. He became interested in the position of state Superintendent during his work as an advocate for small and rural school districts before the state Legislature. He says he'd like to see fewer decisions made at the state level. Dick also addressed Baesler's recent arrest for driving under the influence. "That's going to be the crux of this race," he told me. "Are [voters] going to say it's time for a change?" "I think I've shown in my career that I am a role model of professionalism," he added. As for his qualifications for the job, he says he's the first acting superintendent to campaign for this job in North Dakota since 1984. He did plan to seek the NDGOP's endorsement for his campaign, though those plans were derailed when the virus caused the party to cancel it's state convention.

On this episode of the Plain Talk podcast, Congressman Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) recounts being lectured about not wearing a mask by a reporter who was wearing a mask, albeit around his neck and not up over his mouth and nose. "All this is turning into a new realm of virtue signaling," he said. Will Congress pass more relief legislation for the COVID-19 pandemic? Armstrong thinks so. "There is going to be more legislation," he said, adding that he hopes it's "targeted" unlike a new proposal being touted by Democrats which has a price tag "north of $2 trillion." "I don't see how that's responsible," Armstrong said. He also addressed the announced closure of the Coal Creek Station power plant, and a federal judge in Montana who created chaos with infrastructure projects across the country with a national injunction he ordered in a suit against the Keystone XL pipeline which is before his court. Will Congress seek to limit the authority of the courts to do that sort of thing? "No," Armstrong said bluntly. "We aren't. I wish we would."

Rob and Jay talk about the recent story about workers, fearful of coronavirus, walking out of their jobs at a Fargo business. Was that story fairly reported?

To hear Ladd Erickson tell it, when Coal Creek Station was built the justification for constructing the power transmission line that services it across acres and acres of prime North Dakota farmland (to the consternation of many farmers at the time) was that the coal plant would generate economic activity. Erickson is the State's Attorney for McLean County, and he believes that if Great River Energy wants to shut down and deconstruct their coal power plant, then they ought to take down their power line too and return the land it's using to farmers. "North Dakota has no economic interested in the power line," he said on this episode of Plain Talk. Coal Creek is North Dakota's largest coal-fired power plant. Great River Energy has said they want to find a buyer for the plant, but if they can't they will shut it down in two years. "We hope they're sincere in this effort to sell the plant," Erickson told me, but added that he doesn't believe they can. That transmission line that serves Coal Creek is extremely valuable. It serves the Minnesota market and, if the coal plant is shut down, could be used to transport power generated by wind turbines, but Erickson doesn't believe Great River should get to do that. "The power plant, the mine, and the power line is all one piece of infrastructure," he says, noting the project was regulated that way when it was built and should be treated that way now, too.

"Opening up our own economy is not enough," Dr. Jeremy Jackson, head of North Dakota State University's Center for the Study of Public Choice and Private Enterprise, said on this episode of Plain Talk. "We need other places to open up." Jackson is the author of a new forecast for North Dakota's economy which has some grim findings. During the interview, he notes that North Dakota is an export state. Our primary industries produce goods which are then sold outside of the state, and often outside of the country. Without that outside demand, it's going to be hard for North Dakota's economy to recover. What can state policymakers do to address this situation? "I don't know what policy can get us out of this mess we're in," he said. "We need some contingency plans," he added.

A one-two punch from the coronavirus pandemic, as well as a price war in the international oil markets, has hit North Dakota hard. Thousands are losing their jobs. Oil production in the state is tanking, and tax revenues are sure to follow. The latter of the two just-mentioned causes for this was kicked off, in part, by Saudi Arabia. On this episode of Plain Talk Fahad Nazer, spokesman for the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Washington D.C., talks to North Dakotans about his country's approach the oil markets. "We don't engage in policies to attack other sectors or other country's economies," Nazer said.

"I don't know how he could have handled it better." That's what Senator Kevin Cramer said on this episode of Plain Talk in praise of Governor and fellow Republican Doug Burgum's handling of the COVID-19 outbreak in North Dakota. Cramer has also praised President Donald Trump's handling of the crisis. "His actions have demonstrated federalism," the Senator said, referencing Trump's preference that state's take the lead in responding to the virus. Though Cramer acknowledged that Trump's federalism is more apparent in his actions than his words, with the President at times suggesting his office has unlimited power over the country. The Senator also touched on coronavirus relief efforts, his intention to ensure that oil and gun companies in particular are treated fairly by relief policies, as well as the situation around Coal Creek Station in central North Dakota.