Plain Talk: Bismarck Mayor Weighs in on Refugee Resettlement Ahead of Possible Vote
MINOT, N.D. — The Burleigh County Commission will meet this week to discuss whether or not to put the question of refugee resettlement to a vote.
Previously the Commission had voted 3-2 to allow resettlement to continue, albeit with a cap (no more than 25 per year) and a requirement that Lutheran Social Services make annual reports on things like the costs of resettlement.
Per reports, it may be a non-binding vote, aimed more at measuring public sentiment than dictating an outcome. Which seems an odd thing to do. Burleigh County Commissioners are elected to lead their county. They made a decision on refugee resettlement. If the public doesn’t like it, they can either recall the current commissioners or replace them on a regular election day.
If we aren’t going to let elected leaders, you know, lead then maybe we should just put every policy question on Facebook for a vote so that we can be governed by the whims of that seething chowder of inflamed id.
