Cramer Still Stickin’ It to Fargo, Cass County Citizens

Sen.-Elect Kevin Cramer should pay the bills for President Trump’s two campaign visits to Fargo. In North Dakota, we pay our own way. It’s the way it is. And it’s the right thing to do.

Pay Your Campaign Bills, Senator-Elect. It’s the Right Thing to Do.

One of Sen. Heidi Heitkamp’s last acts of her term once again reveals a person of character and class.

The headline in the Nov. 15, 2018 edition of The Forum, Fargo, N.D., says it all: “Heitkamp campaign picking up all costs for Biden visit.” She’s paying all the bills for hosting former Vice President Joe Biden’s visit to Fargo to campaign on her behalf.

And why wouldn’t she? Doesn’t sound like that big a deal, really. Right?

Continue reading “Cramer Still Stickin’ It to Fargo, Cass County Citizens”

Josh Boschee is a Fine Public Servant. Period.

It’s time for the North Dakota news media to come up with a different secondary identifier for the man who is a representative in the North Dakota House and a fine public servant. Period.

Gender Identity / Sexual Orientation is No Longer “News”

Martin C. Fredricks IV is the 4,444th openly heterosexual blogger to write about politics, government, climate change and the environment in the United States.

I provide this information because a story in the local paper this morning made clear how important my gender identity/sexual orientation is to helping my readers understand anything and everything I do.

The story was about North Dakota Rep. Josh Boschee’s intentions to run for minority leader of the N.D. House of Representatives.

In identifying the representative, the reporter wrote, “Boschee has served in the Legislature since 2013 and is the state’s first openly gay lawmaker.”

As I’ve done so many times, I mumbled to myself, “What’s the difference?”

Continue reading “Josh Boschee is a Fine Public Servant. Period.”

When Gun Violence Hits Close to Home

When your 11-year-old is imploring you for answers about gun violence, when she’s afraid to go to school because of a shooting threat, things get real in a hurry. We need reasonable – and absolutely necessary – gun violence laws. Right now.

The Innocence We Enjoyed is a Fairy Tale to Our Children

“Why do we have to live this way?”

The evening before, a Thursday, one of our older kids received a snap from a friend who rides the bus that takes all three of our children to and from school. It said a middle schooler next to her had just muttered, “I’m going to shoot up that school tomorrow,” apparently referring to our 11-year-old’s school.

Continue reading “When Gun Violence Hits Close to Home”

#TakingBackOurFlag – March for Democracy

North Dakota needs an ethics commission, and all of us need to take the American Flag back. Vote YES on ND Measure #1 and proudly carry your Stars and Stripes to events.

North Dakota citizens rally for the passage of North Dakota Measure #1, the Anti-Corruption Amendment, during the March for Democracy in Fargo, N.D. on 11/4/18. The measure was placed on the ballot by North Dakotans for Public Integrity. Martin C. Fredricks IV is waving the American Flag. (Check out the previous post on Taking Back the Flag.)

We need to clean up North Dakota government and make sure our elected and appointed officials are serving citizens, not corporations and special interests. We need an independent ethics commission.

Please vote YES on Measure #1 on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018

#NDIntegrity #TakingBackOurFlag

Martin C. Fredricks IV logo

I’m Takin’ the American Flag Back. Who’s With Me?

The American Flag is about Red, White & Blue, not Blue vs. Red. It’s mine, it’s yours, it’s ours. That’s why I’m takin’ it back. Who’s with me?

Patriotism is Red, White & Blue, not Blue vs. Red

I’m takin’ the American flag back.

For years, the “Grand Old Party” has been wrapping itself in Old Glory as if it has a stronger claim to patriotism, with the flag as its symbol, than anyone else.

Somehow, somewhere along the way, many non-Republican Americans have come to accept that, if not believe it. And somehow, somewhere along the way, people started equating those misguided perceptions with the idea that support for active-duty military personnel and veterans is wrapped up in the same narrative.

I’ve had more than enough of the suggestion that the flag serves or represents one party or ideology or citizen any more than any other party or ideology or citizen.

Continue reading “I’m Takin’ the American Flag Back. Who’s With Me?”

Heidi for U.S. Senate

Kevin Cramer promises to rubber-stamp Trump 100 percent of the time. That’s not deliberative. That’s not thoughtful. That’s not intelligent. And that’s not the way to represent North Dakota. Go vote. Vote for Heidi Heitkamp.

Heidi sign

We Don’t Need
A Rubber-Stamping Yes-Man Speaking for Us

Over the past six years, I’ve gone from #HH4ND to #NA4HH and back to #HH4ND again. But I’ve always been #NW4KC, and when it comes to the U.S. Senate, I’m even more so.

#NW4KC

No Way for Kevin Cramer

Continue reading “Heidi for U.S. Senate”

Vote YES on North Dakota Measure #1

Former North Dakota legislator Ed Gruchalla gives his take on the need to pass North Dakota Measure #1, commonly known as “The Anti-Corruption Amendment.”

A Former N.D. Legislator’s Perspective

IV Words supports North Dakota Measure #1, the “Ethics Commission, Foreign Political Contribution Ban, and Conflicts of Interest Initiative,” a.k.a., “The Anti-Corruption Amendment.”

Rather than hold forth on why I think it’s important (duh), I’ll let you hear it from a distinguished guest writer, former North Dakota Representative Ed Gruchalla. Ed’s seen the need – and greed – firsthand.

Continue reading “Vote YES on North Dakota Measure #1”

Call B.S. on the Hoodwinkers

Stop Congressional Republicans from Breaking OUR Social Contract – We refuse to be hoodwinked again.

Stop Congressional Republicans from Breaking OUR Social Contract

Sen. Robin Hoodwink, R-U.S., is at it again.

Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Senate majority leader, errand boy for the rich and entitled, and Hoodwink’s primary spokesperson (a.k.a., misdirector), stood up last week and declared, with gusto, “Entitlements are the reason the federal debt is running wild!”

He shouted something like this throughout the great halls – and to Bloomberg News – mere months after his party handed a $1.5 trillion tax cut to the wealthiest among us.

Continue reading “Call B.S. on the Hoodwinkers”

There’s this dog.

There’s this dog named Dexter. He’s my boy. I just never thought the meaning of the contraction would change so soon.

Dexter’s My Boy

There’s this dog.

One day about 10 years ago my wife, Cassi, called from work to say there was an ad on the internal classified board. A woman was giving away a dog, still a puppy, really, not quite a year old. She contacted the owner to learn more. He was a good boy, the woman said, but her husband didn’t like him. The husband had not been kind.

The dog was in his kennel all day long while she was at work, got out for about an hour in the evening but never much more because of the husband. He was spending more than 22 hours a day in that kennel.

Continue reading “There’s this dog.”