Cap and Trade

Economic Stimulus, Cap and Trade, Healthcare Reform. Just a few of the highly debated topi...  More »

Economic Stimulus, Cap and Trade, Healthcare Reform. Just a few of the highly debated topics happening across the country. Good evening, I'm andamp;lt;a href=andamp;quot;http://www.kxnet.com/t/lauren-kalbererandamp;quot; class=andamp;quot;kxInlineLinkandamp;quot;andamp;gt;Lauren Kalbererandamp;lt;/aandamp;gt;, and I'm andamp;lt;a href=andamp;quot;http://www.kxnet.com/t/tom-gerhardtandamp;quot; class=andamp;quot;kxInlineLinkandamp;quot;andamp;gt;Tom Gerhardtandamp;lt;/aandamp;gt;... While all of them affect you in some way...one of the debates will hit the streets with some paid activists spreading a message. andamp;lt;a href=andamp;quot;http://www.kxnet.com/t/brad-feldmanandamp;quot; class=andamp;quot;kxInlineLinkandamp;quot;andamp;gt;Brad Feldmanandamp;lt;/aandamp;gt; has the story. The energy industry has helped andamp;lt;a href=andamp;quot;http://www.kxnet.com/t/north-dakotaandamp;quot; class=andamp;quot;kxInlineLinkandamp;quot;andamp;gt;North Dakotaandamp;lt;/aandamp;gt; become a leader... It's a big reason we sit at the center of attention when it comes to the American Clean Energy and Security Act. (Bill Petty/ Environmental Defense Fund) andamp;quot;We're not trying to shutdown the energy industry in this country. What we are trying to do is recognize that we have an opportunity to transform and expand the way they are going to generate energy.andamp;quot; Bill Petty works for an organization called Environmental Defense Fund. They are in the process of hiring organizers in North Dakota. Here is their ad placed on Craigslist...andamp;quot;Progressive Activistsandamp;quot; (Bill Petty/ EDF) andamp;quot;Our organizers who are on the ground meet voters in North dakota and say is this something you are interested in. Is this something you would like to see then here is an opportunity to call the senate offices that we have got cell phones that they will dial it and hand them the phone.andamp;quot; Environmental Defense Fund is willing to pay ninty dollars a day to anyone willing be an activist. It's this part that has people sounding off. (Paul Sorenson/ Executive Director, NDGOP) andamp;quot;and frankly what it comes down to is Democrats on an issue like Capand Trade in North Dakota they couldn't excite people in a burning room and that is what it comes down to. So they can't excite people for their issue so they are going to pay them to appear excited.andamp;quot; Others responded via twitter. OInos says andamp;quot;Money Instantly creates bias. Money talks as it were.andamp;quot; RedSneaker tweets andamp;quot;I Dont Know. How much are you willing to pay me to debate it?andamp;quot; And TScheeler says Non-profits need employees too.andamp;quot; (Don Morrison/ NDPeople.org) andamp;quot;What we try to do is we try to encourage people to participate.andamp;quot; Don Morrison is the executive director of ND-People-dot-org. He has organized rallys on issues ranging from andamp;lt;a href=andamp;quot;http://www.kxnet.com/t/social-securityandamp;quot; class=andamp;quot;kxInlineLinkandamp;quot;andamp;gt;Social Securityandamp;lt;/aandamp;gt; and healthcare Reform. He says this ad looking for progressive activists is nothing out of the ordinary. (Don Morrison/ NDPeople.Org) andamp;quot;To say that there is something sinister right out right immediatly by looking at this is a red herring. There is another agenda by people who are trying to make a big deal about this.andamp;quot; (Paul Sorenson/ ND GOP) andamp;quot;It's certainly not a grassroots movement and I think that is important for people to know that this is not a real representation of people in North Dakota. Whether you agree with one side or the other...the on thing that is for sure in this case...is money will continue to fuel the debate before a vote is cast on the senate floor. Brad Feldman KX News So far, Environmental Defense fund has hired six people in North Dakota to be a andamp;quot;Progressive Activist.andamp;quot; We tried to contact the North Dakota andamp;lt;a href=andamp;quot;http://www.kxnet.com/t/democratic-partyandamp;quot; class=andamp;quot;kxInlineLinkandamp;quot;andamp;gt;Democratic Partyandamp;lt;/aandamp;gt; to get comment on this story...however, the executive director says the party has no comment.  « Less