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If you follow current events closely in North Dakota, you've noticed North Dakota Governor John Hoeven has been charging hard to the far right-wing of the right wing fringe of the Republican party. He's getting his media advice from a big, fancy-pants Washington, D.C., media firm. Besides giving an exclusive interview about a week ago to North Dakota's favorite publisher of plagiarism, Steve Cates, Hoeven has been spouting protests against the "socialism" that is the economic stimulus. Have you noticed Hoeven (a) isn't one of the six governors who refused stimulus money, (b) manages to always show up to take credit for the spending of stimulus money?; and (c) displays the Stimulus Package prominently on his official website? (See graphic in the upper right-hand corner). And the smarties in North Dakota's mainstream media let him get away with this. Fine. So people who work for North Dakota's media aren't smart enough to figure this out. What about the teabaggers? I've met a few teabaggers and they don't all seem completely ignorant. With that said, how come the few smart teabaggers are letting Hoeven get away with this? Surely they know Hoeven, before running for office, was the president of America's only socialistic bank. Surely they're informed enough to know that after thinking "very carefully" about, it, Hoeven made a "longterm commitment" to be a member of North Dakota's Democratic-NPL Party just a few years ago. He understands -- as do many people -- that where Republicans stand for handing over America to big multi-national and foreign corporations, Democrats "support small business, quality jobs, education and a safety net for those who need it." You're not familiar with that? Here's what North Dakota Governor John Hoeven wrote to the Democratic-NPL not that long ago: What is a "Long Term Commitment" for John Hoeven? But that's not the only letter Hoeven wrote, expressing his support for the Democratic Party before he sold out to the corporations. I'd seen snippets of a letter online here and there, and in a couple recent news stories, but never the full text of the letter he wrote to editors of newspapers back in 1996. I thought I'd give you the full text of John Hoeven's "I'm a Democrat" letter to the editor, published in a variety of places back in 1996. Dear Editor, The effort to cast me as a member of the Republican Party is being engineered by partisan people who do not want to see me enter the governor's race. The truth is, I have not been to a Republican convention, even as an observer, other than one time as a young boy when my father attended. Recently, I was asked over the telephone to attend the Republican convention in Bismarck, N.D., this year. I initially accepted but then declined. I never registered for the convention and did not pay any fees. I have never attended any Republican Party precinct meetings or caucuses, either here or anywhere I've lived. I think there are many folks who consider themselves independent or even Democrat, who probably have attended some of these functions. I have not. I was hired into my current job by two of the state's leading Democrats, Heidi Heitkamp and Sarah Vogel. They hired me because of my work in economic development and community service, upon the recommendation of other Democratic-NPL leaders with whom I've worked closely and respect very much. People like Sen. Kent Conrad, Sen. Byron Dorgan, state Sen. Rolland Redlin, former state Sen. Larry Schoenwald and Rep. Everett Dobrinski.  I have always been moderate in my political views, but now that I am considering elective office, I realize I must join a political party and stick to it. I have decided to join the Democratic-NPL Party because I believe that is the best fit for my views.
If I run for office, my candidacy will be based on addressing the issues critical to North Dakotans, such as quality jobs, education, water development and effective government. Also I'll put my track record on the line. That's what people want. What people don't want is partisan politics as usual. The effort by overly partisan members of the Republican Party to cast me as one of their own is just that, partisan politics as usual. John Hoeven Bismarck, N.D.
I"ve read this letter 4 or 5 times in the past 3 or 4 days. I'm trying to find a way to read this letter without coming to the conclusion that Hoeven is neither a Democrat nor a Republican. I'm trying to find a way to view Hoeven as a member of the Opportunistic Chameleon Party. Hoeven belongs to whatever party it is more convenient on any given day. He's a Democrat. He's a Republican. He's for socialism. He's against socialism. He says he supports the troops. He gives the troops the shaft when they get home. (More on this later.) He's for responsible, ethical spending. He's caught throwing money at his friends. Who's to say Hoeven won't try to switch back to the Democratic-NPL Party once he gets to Washington? He'll get there, he'll learn what it feels like to be a member of the powerless minority "Party of No." He'll be a minority freshman player on some insignificant committee. (Good luck with Mitch McConnell keeping his empty promise to give Hoeven powerful committee assignments, by the way. It'll never happen.) Hoeven will see -- once again -- that the grass is greener on the other side. He'll stick his finger in the air, again, and will come begging the majority Democratic Party to take him in, again, "please." The question isn't whether he'll try to do it. The question is... Will Democrats take him back? We'll just have to wait and see.
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