Steve Hallstrom targets a massive Tuesday, May 19th edition, analyzing the underlying tremors of the U.S. economy and the high-stakes political maneuvers sweeping across North Dakota. Steve breaks down a historic spike in 30-year treasury yields, exposing how the bond market is issuing a brutal “report card” on federal inflation. The show hits the local ground to track the fast-approaching June and November ballot measures, welcoming North Dakota Secretary of State Michael Howe to decode Measure 1 and the heavily funded “Together for School Meals” initiative. Plus, an exclusive conversation with Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak on her piece-by-piece land swap legislation, her firm refusal to join primary debates, and why she believes the Iran War clock doesn’t need a reset.
Key Moments
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The Bond Market Report Card: Steve delivers a crucial reality check on the U.S. economy as the 30-year treasury yield hits its highest peak in nearly 19 years. He explains that global investors are rapidly dumping U.S. debt on fears that inflation is reigniting due to $110 Brent crude oil. Steve warns that the bond market acts as the ultimate poll on government finance, driving up borrowing costs and fixed mortgage rates during the peak spring home-buying season.
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Measure 3 Hits the November Ballot: Secretary of State Michael Howe joins the program to confirm that the universal free school meals petition successfully cleared 49,000 valid signatures, locking it down as a major constitutional question this November. Steve strongly rebukes the initiative, labeling it a massive, unnecessary waste of public funds that prioritizes wealthy families when lower-income children are already protected up to a $72,000 household threshold.
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Julie Fedorchak Defends “No-Debate” Standoff: North Dakota’s lone Congresswoman, Julie Fedorchak, calls into the studio from Washington, D.C. Ahead of the June 9th primary against challenger Alex Balazs, Fedorchak strongly defends her choice to completely skip all campaign debates. Pointing to a complete endorsement from President Trump and 35 years of local grassroots work, Fedorchak asserts that her direct meetings and regular office hours make her fully accessible without entering a debate arena.
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The North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act: Congresswoman Fedorchak outlines a major piece of common-sense land management legislation moving to the House floor after passing committee unanimously. The bill establishes a strategic land swap framework, allowing the state to trade out a historical “patchwork” of section 16 and 36 school lands to consolidate tribal ownership for ventures like Standing Rock’s beef and bison business, while bypassing a 10-year federal permitting logjam in coal-producing counties.
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Inside the 60-Day War Powers Dispute: Steve and Representative Fedorchak dissect a bubbling legal debate on Capitol Hill regarding the War Powers Resolution. While some in D.C. argue that a brief pause in overhead bombing resets the 60-day clock, Fedorchak aligns with the administration’s stance that an ongoing naval blockade means the clock continues. She details her work on an Authorized Use of Military Force (AUMF) bill to send an absolute message of American unity to Iran.
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Deciphering the June Ballot Safeguards: Secretary Howe gives a chronological masterclass on the upcoming June 9th primary ballot questions, urging voters not to overlook Measure 1. Put forth by the legislature, the single-subject amendment would restrict constitutional ballot measures to a single topic, preventing outside special interest groups from hiding controversial tax or zoning policies behind popular catchphrases like “free ice cream for everybody.”
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Mosque Shooting Devastates California: Steve expresses deep anger over a horrific, targeted shooting at a Muslim mosque in San Diego. The racially motivated attack by dynamic skinheads left three worshippers dead and dozens of children traumatized, leaving vehicle tracking details, hate messages, and swastika stickers at the scene.
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Legal Pursuit of the Homemade Suppressor: Following up on a recent local arrest, Steve clarifies a major legal misconception regarding gun suppressors in North Dakota and Minnesota. While a Wahpeton man faces a serious felony charge for attaching a self-built silencer to a .22 LR pistol, Steve points out that suppressors are legal in both states, provided they are officially registered through the ATF rather than built from internet videos.