Bergum

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Why does it seem so many people are upset with the way he has handled being our governor? I havn't found a reason not to support him. Just looking for more info.
 


guywhofishes

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[h=1]RICK BECKER: ND Deserved Better than the Deceit of Doug Burgum[/h]June 12, 2020 T. Arthur Mason North Dakota
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Rep. Rick Becker (R - District 7) is North Dakota's preeminent limited government figure.


The following article was submitted by Rep. Rick Becker.
The June 2020 primary election was a doozy for Republicans. Many saw it as an example of extreme Republican intra-party fighting. I think it is much different than that. We Republican state legislators have different ideas on policies and programs. We have a “broad tent” of sorts, and run the gamut in political philosophy from strictly adhering to the Republican platform, to using it as a guideline. Nearly all of us have one thing in common, and that is a desire to serve the state and make it the best place possible.
In 2013, my first legislative session, I was in a bit of shock at the rate of increased spending by a legislature wholly controlled by Republicans. I also found that there was no real “community” for legislators who shared my concerns, and wanted to focus on more strictly adhering to the Republican platform – which included limited spending. There didn’t seem to be a way to challenge ideas, bills, policies, and spending in an informal setting. Frankly, I felt a little confused and alone, so I formed a group in which legislators could associate and discuss policies within the framework of the party platform. ALL legislators were invited. The name given to the loosely-affiliated group of legislators is the Bastiat Caucus. It could have been any name, but I figured Frederic Bastiat was good, because he was an early advocate of limited spending, limited taxation, avoidance of corporate welfare, awareness of unanticipated consequences of government policies, and so much more. He would have fit in well with our very own North Dakota GOP Platform.
Over the years, there has been occasional squabbling between the Bastiats and the non-Bastiats (I want to say moderates, but that’s not accurate, as some conservative legislators simply prefer not to caucus with the group). Much like with siblings, that squabbling is entirely natural. It’s even healthy, for how can we get to the best outcomes if everyone simply agrees without challenge or discourse? Yes, a very few in the legislature deride and ridicule us because they perceive us as a challenge to their status quo comfort zone, but most of the friction that one hears about is the “healthy” variety, completely normal amongst people of varied opinions.
Enter Governor Burgum, and witness that the referenced “family squabbling” isn’t what took place in the June primary. In 2016 Governor Burgum did not receive the Republican party endorsement, nevertheless he ran in the primary election as was his right to do. What I didn’t realize then, was that his decision to break from party protocol was but a glimpse into his style of North Dakota politics. He claimed he wanted to break up the “good ol’ boy’s club” in Bismarck, (which sounds good if one believes that a group of elected and non-elected bureaucrats aren’t doing right by the citizens of the state), but it turns out Governor Burgum wasn’t looking to do that. He was simply intending to take complete control. The “good ol’boys” he was referring to were anyone who doesn’t conform to what he wants.

Governor Burgum thinks of himself as CEO of North Dakota. The upside to that is he might be more likely to look for efficiencies of government, and to think “outside the box”. The downside, and what became clear in this election, is that he has no regard for the importance of the separation of powers, or his limited role as the executive. He has no respect for the process by which local people ought to be able to choose their representatives without intense manipulation by the executive. When the Governor throws approximately $2,000,000.00 at various legislative races (as well as the treasurer’s race), despite these races commonly spending no more than a mere $10,000-$20,000, it is apparent he has the willingness and ability to essentially “buy” many elected seats. Moreover, he has the ability to hold his PAC and money over the heads of other legislators during the upcoming session in an attempt to coerce them into doing what he wants, or they will be next to go. The root of the problem is that this “CEO” is confusing himself with being a “king”.
Sadly, through his PAC, Burgum has dragged us through the mud with severe negativity and a daily bombardment of ugly mailers. He relies on repetition of distortions and “mistruths” to win the day. He capitalizes upon and exploits the low-information voter, and creates confusion with his intentional misrepresentations to convert others. From day one, he has shown a pattern of a willingness to say what is needed to win – at any cost. He has shown that he cares nothing for the political process in general, and much less for his own party. He is a Republican by convenience only. North Dakota deserved better.
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https://www.theminutemanblog.com/20...served-better-than-the-deceit-of-doug-burgum/

- - - Updated - - -

search that site for Bergum

https://www.theminutemanblog.com/?s=bergum
 

Fritz the Cat

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Burgum is in about the same boat as Trump. A business man first. Politics came later.

Trump has federal agencies that do not support him and go out of their way to trip him up.

Burgum has State agencies. I know some who do not support him and talk unkindly. From there...shit rolls downhill.

I like Trump's approach......you're fired.
 

Captain Ahab

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The guy has pre-Microsoft money with likely a good dose of post-Microsoft money as far as share worth. I haven't seen a real reason not to like the guy. Probably bored with an ego that needs a scratch.
 

guywhofishes

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[FONT=&quot][h=1]Gov. Burgum spending his riches to influence ND primary elections fractures Republican Party[/h][FONT=&quot]A political committee that derives most of its funding from Gov. Doug Burgum has targeted the seat held by Republican House Appropriations Chairman Jeff Delzer with promotional media in support of his intra-party challengers.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Written By: Jeremy Turley | May 24th 2020 - 6am.[/FONT]


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[FONT=&quot]North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum. Forum file photo[/FONT]



[FONT=&quot]BISMARCK — Working relationships are strained within the dominant North Dakota Republican Party as the June primary elections near.

Several of the party's prominent elected leaders have called foul on Gov. Doug Burgum over what they perceive as an effort to remold state government with his personal fortune.
In recent weeks, Burgum, a former tech mogul, has contributed $875,000 to the newly formed Dakota Leadership PAC, according to campaign filings. The political committee has targeted the seat held by Republican House Appropriations Chairman Jeff Delzer with promotional ads and mailings in support of his intra-party challengers, David Andahl and Dave Nehring. The committee has also backed Fargo Rep. Thomas Beadle's run for state treasurer.
Robbie Lauf, a former Burgum advisor who is in charge of the well-funded committee, said in an email it was formed to "help elect conservative Republicans who share the governor's vision to strengthen the economy, improve our Main Streets and embrace legacy investments in North Dakota’s future." Lauf did not respond to Forum News Service's request for a more in-depth interview.
Party chairman Rick Berg said the degree to which the committee has involved itself in the party's primary races is "new ground," but he declined to comment further.


House Majority Leader Chet Pollert, R-Carrington, called Burgum's financial maneuvering "an interference" in legislative races by the state's executive branch. Pollert and Delzer said the governor's actions suggest he is trying to do away with the separation of powers that uphold fairness in the electoral process.
Pollert added that while contributing monetary support to candidates is certainly legal and not uncommon for officeholders, it is virtually unprecedented to make such high-dollar donations before a primary election.
Pollert and several other Republican leaders who spoke with Forum News Service said Burgum's involvement in the primaries and the divisions within the party that emerge will likely have implications beyond campaign season.
"This is going to create some rifts and major problems during the next (legislative) session," Pollert said. "(Lawmaking) takes people to work together to get anything done, and this will make it more difficult. There’s no doubt about that."
Burgum campaign spokesman Mike Schrimpf said the governor was unavailable for comment on this story.




[h=1]Not really a 'PAC'[/h]Despite the name, the Dakota Leadership PAC is not classified as a "political action committee" under state campaign finance laws. Instead, it's labeled a "multicandidate committee" on the Secretary of State's website.
The designations are similar, but unlike a true PAC, a multicandidate committee does not legally have to report exactly how and where it spends money. The funds from a multicandidate committee can be used for a wide range of political purposes, but specific details of the expenditures won't show up anywhere in state filings unless a candidate reports a direct contribution over $200 from one of the committees, state elections specialist Lee Ann Oliver said.
Filings show that the Dakota Leadership committee has taken in nearly $1.1 million since the beginning of April. In addition to Burgum's contributions, out-of-state donors gave $169,000 to the committee. Many of the donors, including medical company executive Miles White, share longtime personal or business relationships with Burgum. Other in-state donors are Burgum's relatives.
Due to the nature of the committee, it's unknown how much of the money it has spent on Delzer's race or any other. However, Lauf told the Associated Press the committee was supporting candidates in six unspecified legislative races and the treasurer's race.




Beadle said he has not coordinated at all with the committee and has "no idea" what the committee has spent on his race for treasurer. He said the committee's support of his candidacy was a surprise but that he was glad to have the help.
Outside of the committee, Burgum has personally contributed $25,000 to Beadle’s campaign and at least $43,000 to nearly 30 other Republican candidates for legislative seats and statewide office during this election cycle. The governor, who faces reelection in November, has also contributed $287,500 to his own campaign fund.
Beadle praised Burgum’s business-oriented and data-driven approach to government, but he noted that he has not been in complete lockstep with Burgum since the governor took office in 2017.
beadle_dakpac.jpg

[FONT=&quot]Dakota Leadership PAC is funding online advertising, seen here, to promote Republican state treasurer candidate Thomas Beadle, a Fargo lawmaker. Photo via screenshot[/FONT]


Burgum has spent more money in campaign contributions than any other elected leader in the state, but he's far from the only one supplying funds to candidates in the lead-up to the primary elections.
Senate Majority Leader Rich Wardner, Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem and a host of Republican state lawmakers have also contributed to Beadle's campaign.
The Badlands PAC, which is affiliated with U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., has given more than $22,000 to Beadle's opponent in the treasurer's race, state Rep. Dan Johnston, R-Kathryn.
State Rep. Rick Becker, R-Bismarck, and several other ultra-conservative members of the Legislature who call themselves "the Bastiat Caucus" have also supported Johnston with donations.
Johnston said it means a lot to have the support of Cramer and the Bastiats, a group with which he has identified in the past. He added that he thinks Burgum's involvement in his race is unfortunate and potentially problematic, but he said he would work with the governor if elected.
Current Republican Treasurer Kelly Schmidt endorsed Johnston and dismissed the governor's actions as "shameful."
“I grew up where you didn’t destroy your adversaries, but you tried to grow together," Schmidt said. "I find it kind of perplexing that he’s trying to destroy people.”
Schmidt and Johnston said they worried Burgum's promotion of only certain Republicans will send a message to lawmakers that disagreeing with the governor could sink their next campaign.
[h=1]A growing division[/h]Burgum has never publicly expressed that he would like to unseat Delzer, but there has been occasional friction between the two powerful politicians in the past.
While running for governor in 2016, Burgum condemned what he called the "good old boy" establishment in the Legislature, which unsettled many well-established lawmakers.
Prior to the 2019 legislative session, Delzer was instrumental in a push to change rules that functionally threw out the governor's budget proposal in favor of using the Legislature's previous appropriations to begin the budgeting process. Burgum criticized the rule change at the time.
Delzer, who has been in the Legislature since the 1990s, also joined Becker and the Bastiat Caucus in voting against a conditional $50 million endowment for the proposed Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, a Burgum-backed project. The bill eventually passed the Legislature by a wide margin.
042719.N.FNS.ENDSESSION

[FONT=&quot]North Dakota Republican House Majority Leader Chet Pollert, right, listens to House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rep. Jeff Delzer before a committee meeting April 26, 2019. Forum News Service file photo [/FONT]


In addition to Beadle and Delzer's challengers, Burgum has endorsed and contributed campaign funds to two state representatives, Jim Grueneich and Mike Brandenburg, leaving out incumbent Republican and Bastiat-supported candidate Jeff Magrum.
There has long been a division between the Bastiat Caucus and the rest of the Republicans in the state. In 2017, the Bastiats considered trying to become the minority party in the House, but the idea was scrapped after they determined it would be too damaging to Republicans, Becker said.
Beadle said the rift caused by the Bastiats is well known, and he commended Burgum for "finally stepping up and putting his money where his mouth is."
Becker, who founded the ultra-conservative caucus, thinks a three-way split will occur within the party because of the governor's involvement in the primaries. He floated that the Bastiats, Burgum allies and establishment lawmakers will each form their own factions heading into the next legislative session.
Pollert noted that he thought the Legislature and Burgum had made strides to get along after a shaky start to the relationship, but he said recent events could unravel that progress.
Berg, the party chairman, took a different view and said there's bound to be some differences of opinion within a party that holds every statewide office and a super-majority in the Legislature. He added that working through some of the rifts will strengthen the party in the end.
Even though Becker rarely saw eye-to-eye with Burgum in the past, he said this episode has given him a very unfavorable view of the governor.
"It really starts to shine a window into someone who has a very elitist view," Becker said. "How can you not care how this looks unless you really think you know what's best for everyone? I'm looking at him with a different lens these last few weeks."

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fireone

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We'll find out if voters were upset on Nov.3.

North Dakota has had 2 stick-in-the-mud governors before Burgum who let the legislature try to grasp powers. I would give him credit for standing up for the duties of his office. And it is no problem that he contributes to campaigns as so do other Pacs and corporations. Just thinking the legislature hasn't turned down oil money when it benefits them but cry foul when someone else does the same for their opponents.
 

martinslanding

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I am by no means a Burgum supporter, however I am not against him either. If you present a better candidate then I would vote for them. Yes he’s a business man, is he good for ND, yes IMO, could he do better yes. Has he done anything illegal?
I get throwing money into elections seems wrong, and maybe it is, however it’s pretty common place else where….also I feel he is doing what he can within the boundaries of the law to get “his” people in office, on one hand it makes things more efficient however it also negates separation of powers….so bottom line as long as he’s moving ND forward I’m in
We as a state don’t take kindly to unwanted change, if he starts overstepping his overall powers and promises to ND, he won’t be around long
 

guywhofishes

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[FONT=&quot]“There are two things that are important in politics”, Ohio Senator Mark Hanna once said. “The first is money, and I can’t remember what the second one is.” [/FONT]
 

Enslow

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Yes! It’s all about money and as Obiwan kenobi tried to explain to Anakin, politicians can’t be trusted. Of course Anakin didn’t listen and became darth Vader.
 
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Up Y'oars

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I am by no means a Burgum supporter, however I am not against him either. Has he done anything illegal?

You may not know because the media around here conducts ZERO investigative journalism. It may also be that his 'people' conduct illegal actions that are always under the table. I personally know of a handful that the general public has no clue of. Can't just put it out for you to see, but yes, there is this kind of stuff happening. North Dakota government is no different in the corruption you see in Washington, D.C. It happens here on a daily basis, as well.
 


johnr

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He breathes too loudly when doing his covid shit show, hour long, scare tactic speeches.

I cant stand that long nasally breath I hear every sentence. Finger nails on a chalk board type of shit.
 

fireone

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This current legislature has a history of over reaching. They sponsored both Measure 1 & 2. Measure #1 would expand the State Board of Education by doubling the membership with their hack appointees. Bad idea. Measure #2 would pretty much give approval powers of initiated measures to the legislature instead of rank and file voters. Both of those take power from the people and give it to the legislature and yet they have the gall to bitch about over reach from the governor. Hypocrites.
 


Captain Ahab

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He breathes too loudly when doing his covid shit show, hour long, scare tactic speeches.

I cant stand that long nasally breath I hear every sentence. Finger nails on a chalk board type of shit.

Get a little more money and a wife that has had a previous substance abuse issue and and throw your hat in the governor's race.
 

riverview

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my problem is why did he spend his own money on the election, businessmen only spend money to make money???? other than that i dont have a problem with him
 

johnr

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Get a little more money and a wife that has had a previous substance abuse issue and and throw your hat in the governor's race.

mrs johnr is wasted 24/7. I just need to sober her up and get in the mix.

I would never win, as I breath to quietly
 


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