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Welcome to the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Insider, a newsletter that features regular updates about upcoming Dem-NPL events, legislative happenings, and news that affects North Dakotans!
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Did you know the DNC hosts a morning news show called the Daily Blueprint that is livestreamed on YouTube weekdays at 9 AM CDT? You can watch it live or later on the DNC’s YouTube channel here.
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Cowboy Logic: A Lunch Conversation with Ryan Taylor
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Mon, October 27, 2025, 12:00pm CDT
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Knutson Campus Center,Jones A/B (+Zoom)
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901 8th St S, Moorhead, MN
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This is not a Dem-NPL Event, but certainly of interest to our readers! Ryan Taylor—rancher, author, and former North Dakota senator—brings “cowboy logic” to conversations about trust, leadership, and stewardship. Now Director of Public Policy for Ducks Unlimited, he connects conservation, community, and authenticity in public life. Lunch will be provided.
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Laura Dronen and Colin Helfenstein District 13 Meeting
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Tues, October 28, 2025, 11:30 am CDT
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Deaner’s Diner West Fargo
405 Main Avenue West on Morrison Street behind Sandy's Donuts, West Fargo
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Laura Dronen and Colin Helfenstein District 13 Meeting – Tuesday, October 28 — 11:30-1:00pm — Deaner’s Diner — 405 Main Avenue, West Fargo — Behind Sandy’s Donuts
Topics: “How to Run For Office” and “How to Raise Funds for Campaigns” Everyone is Welcome to Attend
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District 45 Monthly Meeting
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Tues, October 28, 2025, 6:30 pm CDT
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Northport Library Community Room
2714 Broadway North, Fargo
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This will be our regular monthly District 45 meeting.
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District 24 Roundup
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Thu, October 30, 2025, 5:30 pm CDT
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1241 14th St SW, Valley City
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Our Special Guest Speaker is Trygve Hammer!
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RSVP by calling or texting 701-680-8332
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Dem Women Plus Halloween Party
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Thu, October 30, 2025, 6:00 pm CDT
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Front Street Tap Room - Mezzanine
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Join Dem Women Plus for a frightfully fun night of Scary-Oke! 🎶
Come sing your heart out (or scream it out!) with spooky karaoke, creepy treats, and plenty of laughs. Costumes encouraged!
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Light the Fire Within with Heidi Heitkamp
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Mon, Nov 3, 6:30pm-8:30pm CST
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Kingpinz
3485 Jacks Way S., Fargo
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Let’s kick off the one-year countdown to the 2026 Midterm Election Day with Senator Heidi Heitkamp! Come for food, fun, great company, and some door prizes. Free and all are welcome!
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Cass County Democratic-NPL Policy Meeting
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Tues, Nov 11, 5:30pm-6:30pm CST
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1325 23rd St S, Suite B, Fargo
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Our monthly meeting which includes representatives from the 11 Legislative Districts in Cass County, elected Legislators and staff.
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Dickinson Area Democratic-NPL meeting
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Wed, Nov 12, 7:00pm-8:00pm MST
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The Press Box at Players Sports Bar & Grill
2050 1st Ave E., Dickinson
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Districts 37, 36, and 39 meet every second Wednesday after Drinking Liberally!
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District 46 Meeting
5524 16 Street South Fargo
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Districts 37, 36, and 39 meet every second Wednesday after Drinking Liberally!
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Executive Committee Meeting
The Executive Committee Meeting for the State Democratic-NPL Party. Each Third Monday of the Month
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For more information contact Adam Goldwyn at adam.goldwyn@demnpl.com
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Help us spread our message—share these recent posts!
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Fargo distillery caught in fight over tariffs and Canada’s ban on American liquor
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“Right now, you look at the Canadian traffic coming down to the U.S. and it just isn’t there–what is was two, three, four years ago.”
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In the ultracompetitive world of micro distilleries, the sudden drop-off in exports is an unwelcome development. And Kath says in addition to Canadian policies, Canadian travelers are also contributing to the pain.
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“We’ve got a lot of personal friends that come down quite often and when they come down to meet us, they’ll tell their friends, ‘Oh, we’re going down to Fargo’ and their friends tell them ‘you’re not going to buy anything are you?’ And they’re serious about it.”
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SNAP May Run Out of Funds in November
North Dakota Rep. Zac Ista joins Afternoons Live with Tyler Axness to discuss SNAP funding and other impacts being felt by North Dakotans during the federal government shutdown.
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Laurie Levenson, "Trump and Bondi and the DOJ have an enemies list...they're probably not done yet"
Joel Heitkamp is joined on "News and Views" by Laurie Levenson, a professor of law at Loyola Law School. She's also a Legal Commentator for CBS, CNN, ABC, NBC, BBC, and NPR, and is a frequent lecturer for the Federal Judicial Center and State and Federal Bars regarding legal ethics, wrongful convictions, and criminal procedure.
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Joel Heitkamp shares his thoughts on President Trump starting demolition on the White House
Joel Heitkamp elaborates on the news regarding President Donald Trump starting demolition on the White House for a new ballroom. He shares his thoughts and takes your calls and texts.
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Commissioner Jon Godfread warns of health insurance increases without federal tax credits
Jon Godfread has served as North Dakota's Insurance Commissioner since his election in 2016 and re-elections in 2020 and 2024. He is sounding the alarm on the significant increase to health insurance facing tens of thousands of North Dakotans if the federal government doesn’t renew tax credits by the end of the year.
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Anastasiia Sherstiuk and Michael Southam advocate for Ukranian refugees in the U.S.
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Jim Shaw, Inforum Columnist, is filling in for Joel Heitkamp on "News and Views."
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Jim talks with Anastasiia and Michael about Ukrainian refugees in the U.S. and how they are losing their work permits and being forced to leave. Anastasiia Sherstiuk is a Ukrainian refugee living in Bismarck and Michael Southam is co-founder of F-M Volunteers for Ukraine.
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U.S. Farmers Face Storage Shortage as Record Harvest Arrives
“Grain storage capacity has gone up only a little bit at the same time,” Nelson said. “Our big Corn Belt states have added very little new storage space in recent years.”
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The lack of storage options could have ripple effects on prices and farm income. With production high and demand lagging, Nelson warns that both crop prices and basis levels could weaken, squeezing profit margins across the farm sector.
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“The increase in crop size with limited increase in demand or storage space could continue putting some pressure on our crop prices,” he said. “It also could have a big impact on basis. A weakening basis would really add a significant price risk to the farm sector on the bottom line.”
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Letter: Special education cuts betray our promise to students
When we dismantle the team of experts that are dedicated to upholding this promise, we are sending the message to these children that their future is worth less. The commitment to educating our children with disabilities has been a longstanding sense of national pride. This is an example of American fairness and compassion. It is a bedrock principle and we must not allow it to crumble. sector on the bottom line.”
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North Dakota ranchers say Trump’s market meddling is bad for beef
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Julie Ellingson, executive vice president of the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association, said Trump’s stance had an immediate and dramatic impact on the livestock industry.
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Ellingson called it “real time, real life consequences for livestock producers.”
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Ellingson and the Stockmen’s Association say supply and demand should determine the market.
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“Our organization has stood steadfast against market-altering policies,” the group said in a statement.
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“Otherwise, market signals get confused and chaos can result, just like we have seen the last few days since the announcement.”
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Letter: Stand against authoritarianism
More than 400,000 Americans gave their lives during WWII to defeat fascism. In their honor, let’s continue to stand for democracy and fight this authoritarian administration.
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North Dakota SNAP funding in jeopardy with government shutdown
The Great Plains Food Bank is beginning to hear concerns from families who are worried about what will happen if SNAP benefits run out, said spokesperson Darby Njos.
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“We’re beginning to prepare for that surge of people who may just need extra assistance as we go into November,” she said.
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The food bank also has seen some first-time visitors who are federal workers not getting paid due to the government shutdown, Njos said.
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Letter: Senator should respect all of his constituents
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Thousands of North Dakotans and millions of Americans exercised their constitutional right last Saturday to protest the policies of the current administration in peaceful demonstrations across the country. Senator Cramer, in an official press release (paid for by you and me), groused about a “rowdy weekend with … left-wing nut jobs at the No Kings rallies across the country.”
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I was at the Grand Forks rally and met farmers, teachers, students and grandparents -- not a left-wing nut job in sight. Like every demonstration in North Dakota throughout the country, it was peaceful and positive. At least Cramer was right about one thing: there were rallies all across the nation.
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North Dakota wildlife research center facing job cuts
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A federally funded wildlife research center in North Dakota has been targeted for layoffs, putting its survival in question.
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The Interior Department plans to cut 28 of the 40 positions at the Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center in Jamestown, a court document indicates.
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John Bradley, executive director of the North Dakota Wildlife Federation, and Gary Krapu, a retired researcher who still has an office at the research center, said only 29 positions are currently filled.
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“Twenty-eight of those are on the chopping block,” Bradley said.
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The cuts would be part of more than 2,000 Interior Department layoffs nationwide, though a court ruling has stalled the plan. The department announced Monday it will pause the layoffs after a federal judge expanded a temporary restraining order.
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August Heupel from I-BAND, "it feels Argentina first...this isn't the American rancher first"
Joel Heitkamp is joined by the Vice President of I-BAND (Independent Beef Association of North Dakota), August Heupel. Joel and August speak on President Trump's recent statement that beef prices are too high and his hopeful deal regarding Argentine beef.
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McFeely: Sen. Cramer, hyper-partisan hack, just can’t help himself
In an email to constituents, Cramer nastily derided the millions of Americans who took to the streets last weekend to protest wannabe authoritarian leader President Donald Trump and his anti-American policies. That included thousands in North Dakota, the state Cramer purports to represent.
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Letter: Hoeven's response to immigration question was outdated and unsatisfying
Hoeven referred to these protections as legal. But ICE and other federal agencies working alongside ICE have snatched, imprisoned, and deported people with ongoing asylum proceedings, including arresting them at scheduled appointments or hearings before ICE officials. And although Trump and Noem insist they are taking “the worst of the worst” into custody, 71.5% pf current detainees have NO criminal conviction. At least 170 citizens have been arrested and detained for periods of time ranging from a few hours to a few days.
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Letter: Cowboy logic and lessons for today from Ryan Taylor
Through his clear and approachable style, Taylor invites his readers to face the world’s challenges with an ethic grounded in interdependence — with the land, the living things that grow upon it and with one another. His autobiographical writing carries a delightful mix of humility and humor, shaped by years of attentiveness to life on the land.
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Taylor also understands the deep need to bring people together around shared work, even when they come from vastly different backgrounds. His history of leadership testifies to the belief that there is still common ground to be found — and that it is worth cultivating.
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Given how frayed our social fabric has become, Taylor’s “cowboy logic” may be exactly what this moment requires: pragmatic, wise and deeply connected to the things that sustain us most.
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Speaking out: Not whacked out, America-hating nut jobs
President Trump issued his remarks about the rally attendees, including me, after learning that upwards of 7 million people not representative of “our people” attended similar rallies at 2,500 locations across the country.
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He also posted an AI-generated video depicting himself wearing a crown and flying a fighter jet that dumps poop on the crowd of rally-goers below.
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You’ve got to acknowledge that his people can be creative. Maybe even slightly funny. And ... presidential?
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For the record, it must be acknowledged that the name-calling by Trump, Speaker Mike Johnson and Sen. Kevin Cramer wasn’t directed at me specifically. It was directed at every person who attended one of the 2,500 rallies across America.
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Check out these messages from national Democrats
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Veterans, rural residents, older adults may lose food stamps due to Trump work requirements
Recent federal legislation ended exemptions to work requirements for older adults, homeless people, veterans and some rural residents, among others. A rapid timeline to put the changes into effect has sparked chaos in state agencies that must cut off access if residents don’t meet certain work, education or volunteer reporting requirements.
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'An absolute gut punch': Psaki BLASTS Trump on White House demolition as public pushback strengthens
Jen Psaki reacts to Donald Trump's demolition of the White House's East Wing to make room for his vanity project ballroom, and takes heart in the increasing, and increasingly creative, ways that Americans are pushing back against Trump's authoritarian overreach.
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Beef From Argentina? ‘A Betrayal of the American Rancher,’ Farmers Tell Trump
“The White House recently bailed out Argentina with $40 billion in U.S. taxpayer-backed aid, and Argentina’s response was to strike new deals selling soybeans to China — deals that hurt American crop farmers. The last thing we need is to reward them by importing more of their beef.
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Scoop: DNC ramps up crackdown on alleged "scam PACs"
Why it matters: It's part of the DNC's larger campaign to root out PACs and super PACs that raise money in the name of the Democratic Party, but often don't invest a lot of their money in Democratic candidates.
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Driving the news: The DNC sent the letter to the "National Democrats," a super PAC that has raised over $500,000 from last year through the end of June — mostly from small, grassroots donations — and spent less than $10,000 on just one candidate.
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Trump’s IVF announcement disappoints patients, raises concerns for doctor
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Gran said that isn’t good enough. The drug prices are only a portion of what makes treatment expensive. One IVF cycle ranges between $12,000 and $25,000 on average but can cost more depending on medical needs. Many people require more than one round of IVF to get pregnant.
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Plus, the new policy only clears the way for employers to offer coverage options — it’s not required by the government.
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“They have the ability to put the onus on insurance companies,” Gran said. “There really isn’t a solution for our community until we have insurance coverage.”
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Trump campaigned on a promise to make IVF treatment free for all, either through federal funding or insurance, but has so far not fulfilled that promise.
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Trump’s Pardon of His Crypto Pal Is a New Height of Corruption
According to the indictment, Zhao had told his employees that it is “better to ask for forgiveness than for permission.” At the time of the plea agreement, then–Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said that “Binance turned a blind eye to its legal obligations in the pursuit of profit. Its willful failures allowed money to flow to terrorists, cybercriminals, and child abusers through its platform.” Binance paid $4.3 billion in fines, and Zhao served a four-month sentence in Lompoc, a minimum-security prison in Santa Barbara County.
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NEW: Consumer Price Index Shows Rising Inflation, as Consumer Sentiment Report Shows Americans Souring on Trump’s Economy
New reports show that Americans continue to express frustration with Trump’s economy — and for good reason. According to the Consumer Price Index report released today, the year-over-year inflation rate increased to 3.02%, the highest rate since May 2024. And prices are only expected to increase even further in the coming months. Thanks to Trump’s disastrous tariffs, working families are struggling to afford some of the highest grocery and housing prices ever, and a whopping 4.1% rise in gas prices in September alone.
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Some Americans fear high health insurance premiums if ACA enhanced subsidies expire: 'Very much a worry'
"We're stuck like in the middle because, normally with an ALS diagnosis, you're automatically eligible for [Social Security Disability Insurance] and Medicare, but she doesn't have any work credits, so she doesn't qualify for Social Security Disability," he explained. "So right now, we're doing everything off of my Social Security, and it's very hard to try and pay all the bills and keep insurance and, if they mess around with the marketplace insurance, it's going to make it impossible for us to afford insurance."
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American farmers are hurting. Trump's trade war is making it worse
"There's not a whole lot of signal of the trade war coming to an end," Holst says. "So it's looking like the entire next 12 months, there's not going to be a whole lot of good news."
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‘These are people who are in this country doing hard work that many Americans don’t want to do’: Farmers, schools reel from Trump immigration crackdown
“You got ICE out here, herding these people up,’’ said Boyd, founder of the National Black Farmers Association . “(Trump) says they’re murderers and thieves and drug dealers, all this stuff. But these are people who are in this country doing hard work that many Americans don’t want to do.’’
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Boyd scoffed at U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ suggestion in July that U.S.-born Medicaid recipients could head to the fields to meet work requirements imposed this summer by the Republican Congress. “People in the city aren’t coming back to the farm to do this kind of work,’’ he said. “It takes a certain type of person to bend over in 100-degree heat.’’
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Experts weigh impact of widespread Amazon cloud outage
ABC News contributors Heidi Heitkamp, John Katko, John McCarthy and Jeanette Hoffman discuss the wide-ranging impact of the Amazon Web Services outage, from cybersecurity risks to corporate resilience.
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Trump Has Reached A New Level Of Corruption
President Trump demolishes the White House’s East Wing to make room for his ostentatious 90,000 square foot ballroom. Jon, Dan, and Alex Wagner — host of Crooked Media’s newest podcast “Runaway Country” — react to the the demolition and the latest news, including Trump’s demand that the Justice Department pay him $230 million in taxpayer money, his pardon of a crypto CEO convicted of failing to report terrorist organizations who used his platform to launder money, and the latest from 2025’s most important elections in New York, New Jersey, and Virginia. Then, Tommy is joined by the Pipeline Fund’s Denise Feriozzi to talk about building a deeper Democratic bench and why it’s so important for people to run for local office.
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Share these Dem-NPL Graphics!
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The Century Club supports our year-round work to build party infrastructure supporting candidate recruitment, local district and regional leadership, issue-based education, and tools for Dem-NPL success.
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Help us elect great Democrats up and down the ballot!
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The North Dakota Democratic-NPL is launching a new grassroots program called “Neighbor to Neighbor” where volunteers will connect with voters in your community to elect Democrats up and down the ballot. As a volunteer, you will be responsible for connecting with voters in 25 homes in your neighborhood or friends and family to help elect Democrats up and down the ballot about 3-4 times this year.
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Grassroots organizers are the lifeblood of the Dem-NPL! Sign up to volunteer with the Dem-NPL!
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