Political parties exist for one primary purpose: to nominate candidates, generally of a like mind, for political office. Everything else political parties do is secondary to that. To be sure, there are other important secondary functions: to provide a platform on which those candidates base their campaigns, to provide a supporting organization, and to provide … Continue reading Of Conventions and Things
Author: Jim Fuglie
Jim Fuglie is a former North Dakota Tourism Director who grew up hunting, fishing and hiking in southwest North Dakota. He is retired and lives in Bismarck and spends much of his time in his garden, fishing on the Missouri River, and exploring the back roads and trails of the North Dakota Bad Lands.
Who’s Looking Out For The Little Missouri?
I love the Little Missouri River. It is one of the longest free-flowing rivers in America. In reality, I believe it IS the longest, because the Yellowstone, which claims the honor, is full of low-head dams that create little pools and eddies all along its length, even though they don’t create giant reservoirs like the … Continue reading Who’s Looking Out For The Little Missouri?
A Couple Reasons Why I Like Politics
SPEAKING OF NEW DRESSES Wednesday I wrote a long story about lieutenant governors, mostly, and in it, I poked some fun at my friend Jim Poolman. If you missed it, click here. But here's another addition to the story, and it demonstrates why I like Jim Poolman. He has a sense of humor and a thick skin. Last … Continue reading A Couple Reasons Why I Like Politics
Of Lieutenant Governors and Knit Dresses
WAIT A MINUTE Okay the story below about State Senator Nicole Poolman is funny, but according to her husband, it is not quite true. Almost, but not quite. The real story is even funnier. Way at the very end of this blog, I repeated a story that's been making the rounds in political circles these … Continue reading Of Lieutenant Governors and Knit Dresses
Return To The Scene Of The Crime
Every time I hear the phrase “return to the scene of the crime” I smile and chuckle a little inside. It goes back to an evening about ten years ago when Lillian and I and her two teenage daughters were living on a small farmstead north of Dickinson. One early Spring evening, just after dark, … Continue reading Return To The Scene Of The Crime
Super Tuesday? Not in North Dakota
Super Tuesday. Republicans and Democrats all over America will line up tomorrow to cast their votes for their favorite Presidential candidates. By the end of the night, we might have a pretty clear picture of who the two national party candidates will be, although 34 states and a handful of territories won’t have completed their … Continue reading Super Tuesday? Not in North Dakota
Burt Calkins Was One Cool Dude
March 5 Update: In an e-mail from Burt's son, Craig, I learned there will be a brief service for Burt on Monday, March 7 at 10 a.m. at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery south of Mandan. Friends are invited to attend. Most of you didn’t know Burt Calkins. Too bad. He was one of the most … Continue reading Burt Calkins Was One Cool Dude
A Lenten Primer
When a friend of mine asked me yesterday how fishing was going this winter, I replied with a smile “I have enough perch in the freezer to get me through Lent.” Today is the first Sunday of Lent, Father reminded us at mass. Time for a little Lenten primer, for you non-Catholics (and some of … Continue reading A Lenten Primer
Facing New Economic Reality in North Dakota: Fed Data Shows N.D. as One of Worst-Performing States
(Editor’s Note: I generally don’t allow others to post on my blog. No “Guest Editorials.” Usually, when someone wants to do that, I tell them to get their own blog. But the timing of this article by Doug Burgum is really interesting. It appeared in my e-mail inbox about ten minutes after I posted my … Continue reading Facing New Economic Reality in North Dakota: Fed Data Shows N.D. as One of Worst-Performing States
Oh, Woe Is Me. I’m A Democrat.
What’s a Democrat to do? Just when the North Dakota Republican Party appears more vulnerable than it has been in almost 25 years, the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party has retrenched into a hole so deep that it’s unlikely Democrats here will be able to climb out of it in time to compete in an election … Continue reading Oh, Woe Is Me. I’m A Democrat.
The Prairie Blog 