Entries by Tyler Axness

ND Bill Introduced To Justify Homicide

I’ve heard and read a lot from people asking how crazy can the North Dakota Legislature get during this session. Well, it appears some newly elected members are taking that as a challenge. Late last night I received a copy of Senate Bill 2315, “relating to the use of deadly force.” People are already beginning to […]

Kiefert Again Pushes For Guns in Schools

  Rep. Dwight Kiefert out of Valley City is at it again and pushing for more guns in schools. Kiefert is serving in his third legislative session. Out of the total of six bills he has introduced since 2013, three of them have related to guns in schools. Perhaps he has renewed his efforts following […]

Happy Hour in the Heartland – Mac Schneider (Episode 1)

Mac Schneider (Episode 1) Our first guest on Happy Hour in the Heartland is Mac Schneider. Schneider was the Senate Minority Leader in the North Dakota Senate. Like myself, he lost his bid for reelection in 2016. We sat down and visited over a beer at Duffy’s Tavern in downtown Fargo. Why Duffy’s? Because five […]

Loud Message Sent In “Women’s March”

Yesterday, I followed my own plea to you and watched the inauguration of Donald Trump. I listened. I took it in. I made myself feel the raw emotion. What I heard was a speech delivered by a man who lacked humbleness. What I gathered was his lack of understanding that the campaign was over. Trump won. […]

A Personal Plea On The Inauguration Of Our 45th President

The day we witness the peaceful transition of presidential power in the United States is here. Inauguration of the 45th President. Today, and this specific transition are met with a lot of mixed emotions for many across the country. Donald Trump enters the White House with the lowest approval rating from the general public in […]

Governor Burgum Supports New Tax on Senior Citizens

Tonight a press release went out from Governor Burgum’s office detailing his budget proposals. The Governor’s plan comes at the beginning of the third legislative week. The announcement states Burgum, “presented legislative leaders Monday with an executive budget proposal that recommends additional cuts and realigns spending priorities to spur innovation, creativity and the reinvention of […]

The State of the Judiciary Address None of Us Heard

Another break in tradition marked the beginning of the 65th Legislative Session. Rather than the Honorable Chief Justice Gerald Vandewalle addressing a joint session of the House and Senate in front of the public, the “State of the Judiciary” was placed in a nine-page document left on legislators’ desks. When Legislative Management chose to cancel […]

PODCAST: Sally Boynton Brown Talks About Her Race for DNC Chair

Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of visiting with Sally Boynton Brown. Sally is currently the Executive Director of the Democratic Party in Idaho. In December, she announced her candidacy to be the next Chair of the Democratic National Committee. Sally reached out to me after I published an Open Letter to the Democratic […]