North Dakota problem solving amidst a federal ‘crisis’

Photo: North Dakota Department of Transportation

North Dakotans have long been known for their ability to solve problems and simply get the job done. It was refreshing to see this reputation demonstrated recently by some of its elected leadership.

While the national media focused on hand-wringing over the federal government shutdown, the North Dakota Industrial Commission simply found a practical way to limit perhaps the most obvious potential negative effect of it in the Peace Garden State.

An idea hatched by Gov. Kelly Armstrong was quickly approved by the Commission, which he chairs and which also consists of Attorney General Drew Wrigley and Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goering. It simply allows federal employees in North Dakota, whose paychecks may be delayed as the shutdown goes on, to procure low-interest loans from the Bank of North Dakota. Of course, that will allow them to pay their bills with little disruption in their daily lives, until the shutdown ends.

Kudos to the Governor and his colleagues for simply solving a problem in a matter-of-fact but practical fashion!

The idea is not only responsive and creative, it is “classic North Dakota”. People in this state, rather than complaining about a problem, know how to roll up their sleeves and solve it, or at least mitigate any negative consequences. They also care enough to help their neighbors when they need it.

Contrary to the media’s constant harping, as we wrote previously, most Americans will probably not notice major effects of the government shutdown. When it comes to government services which affect people on a regular basis, most are provided on the state or local level.

If the water were shut off, if the school bus didn’t arrive to pick up the kids in the morning, if the police or fire department didn’t pick up the phone and respond to calls or if the snow wasn’t removed in the winter, most North Dakotans would quickly take notice, but those are all services provided by governments at the local, regional or state level.

While the federal government provides important services like the military, few services the federal government renders touch Americans’ lives in a daily, practical way and many are not truly essential. A government shutdown may be a good time to evaluate them and separate the wheat from the chaff — something North Dakotans also know how to do!