You’d think the groups who oppose Measure 5 in North Dakota would at least have the decency to change their scare-tactic, xenophobic messaging. But they haven’t – maybe because it’s working – because right there on their web site is listed their No. 1 concern about the amendment that would set aside a modest percentage of oil money for conservation:

It’s being “driven by out-of-state interests.”

“Given all the out-of-state support for the proposed amendment, it’s hard to believe they have the best interests of North Dakotans in mind,” the web site says.

This allows the conglomeration of agriculture and business groups who oppose Measure 5 to paint a picture of East Coast tree-huggers trying to impose their Eddie Bauer-wearing will on the fine, hard-working people of North Dakota. And we all know there ain’t nothing scarier to a red-blooded North Dakotan than an East Coast tree-hugger, other than maybe a black Muslim president from Kenya.

It would all be so plain and simple if it weren’t for the fact the opponents of Measure 5 have climbed under the covers with Big Oil, which is definitely based out-of-state and doesn’t have the best interests of North Dakotans in mind.

According to the North Dakota Secretary of State’s web site, the American Petroleum Institute is pouring more than $1 million into the state ($1,027,592.26, to be exact) for the expressed purpose of opposing the Clean Water, Wildlife and Parks Amendment. That’s in addition to the $107,193 the oil boys gave directly to the state-based group opposed to the amendment, the humorously named North Dakotans for Common Sense Conservation. That group is a front for the Greater North Dakota Chamber of Commerce, whose idea of conservation has little to do with common sense.

The American Petroleum Institute is Big Oil’s lobbying/policy group based in Washington D.C. It is funded mostly by oil companies based in Oklahoma, Texas, California, Colorado and other non-North Dakota locations.

These non-North Dakotans really, really, really want North Dakotans to vote “no” on Measure 5. When I asked API why it put more than $1 million into opposing a North Dakota measure and why the organization actually opposes it, I received a response from a spokesman echoing familiar talking points.

The spokesman called Measure 5 “… a disservice to the state’s economy and its residents. Enshrining inflexible spending into the state constitution would take $300 million off the table every two years for road building, human services, education, and other priorities that are critical to the state’s long-term economic success.”

Same old, same old.

And a pile of bunk as high as the Washington Monument, which is located in the same city as the headquarters of the American Petroleum Institute.

If API and all the state legislators braying so loudly about Measure 5 were truly concerned about money being diverted away from state needs, they never would have pushed for a lowering of the oil extraction tax in the previous legislative session. Because a 30 percent reduction in the extraction tax, the number passed by the state Senate before the bill died in the House, would’ve taken $1.2 billion out of the state every two years at current production levels.

That’s four times the amount the American Petroleum Institute says would be taken “off the table” by Measure 5.

Do you see now? Big Oil doesn’t care about education and road building in North Dakota. Otherwise its members and sycophant politicians (including Gov. Jack Dalrymple) wouldn’t have pushed for stealing $1.2 billion from the citizens of North Dakota. Big Oil cares about lowering its taxes and having more money go to Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado and other corporate headquarters not located in North Dakota.

The oil boys must figure if Measure 5 passes, then it will be tougher to get a big cut to the extraction tax in next year’s session. The math is easy: $300 million each biennium going to conservation is $300 million less going into Big Oil’s pockets.

Let’s make a bet. If Measure 5 is defeated, and there is going to be a ton of both in-state and out-of-state money trying to make that happen in the next month, I wager the North Dakota legislature makes a massive cut to the oil extraction tax in the next session. These bootlickers will make sure their oil friends are taken care of.

See, some out-of-$tate intere$t$ are more important than other out-of-state interests.

(Mike McFeely is a talk-show host on 790 KFGO-AM in Fargo-Moorhead. His show can be heard 2-5 p.m. weekdays. Follow him on Twitter @MikeMcFeelyKFGO.)