As an independent and economic conservative, I have read and listened to all the hoopla that John Hoeven has created with his announcement that he will seek the North Dakota Senate seat that has been left vacant with the announcement that Sen. Byron Dorgan-D will not seek re-election. I have listened about how Hoeven will be the savior to the socialist movement we now have with Obamatics. As a transplant to North Dakota, I have had to do some research of what has taken place in North Dakota under Hoeven and would like to share some interesting parallels between Hoeven and Obama.

Under Hoeven, North Dakota has become nothing short of big government. Our Department of Human Services has evolved into one of the largest in the U.S. on a per capita basis. It eats up of our entire state budget and now boasts a “cabinet” to assist its executive director Carol Olson, a member of Hoeven’s own cabinet. It is also the largest single employer in North Dakota This is the result of a policy of welfare for North Dakota. Under Hoeven we have social, corporate and farm welfare that is the only way North Dakota continues to survive.

John Hoeven also touts his Centers for Excellence as a crowning achievement. A quick review shows that the Centers for Excellence have created 2097 jobs since its inception. Almost half of those jobs were internally created for the Centers themselves. Based upon the most recent audit of this pet project of Hoeven’s shows each of those jobs has cost the tax payers of ND over $90,000 each to create. On a per capita basis this over shadows Obama’s stimulus cost per job one hundred fold.

Hoeven and his supporters point to the strong economic picture of North Dakota. A quick check shows that this strength is a direct result of the North Dakota oil fields where oil formed thousands of years before Hoeven was even born. This is not a result of anything Hoeven has done for North Dakota but the act of a merciful God.

Recent news articles report that while there are over 8,500 jobs available many are low paying and many seek experience and skills that pay poorly for the industry standards they seek. Local food banks are at near critical stages and the homeless rate is steadily climbing.

In relocating to N.D., I have had a hard time watching the good old boys club hoodwink the citizens of North Dakota. Rural North Dakota is dying and many are struggling just to maintain the basic necessities of life such as food, shelter and medical care. I especially found a recent news article that showed the economic strength of the state capital, Bismarck, was a direct result of state government and the field of social work.

It’s clear to me that Hoeven has absolutely no idea of the values of fiscal restraint, less government, and doing only for those that can’t do for themselves. The NDGOP really missed the boat on this one.

Ford is a Rugby

resident.