Author

George Ochenski

George Ochenski

COMMENTARY

Deranged Trump Syndrome seems to be spreading

By: - March 31, 2023

“Trump Derangement Syndrome” has been one of the favorite insults hurled at reasonable people who continue to find former president Donald Trump’s actions, policies and lies highly objectionable. But now, as his numerous legal perils close in and he spins totally out of control, it’s far more fitting to flip that phrase and call it […]

COMMENTARY

The disastrous deregulation merry-go-around (again)

By: - March 24, 2023

  The recent bank crisis that saw the collapse of the Silicon Valley and Signature Banks is now being blamed on the deregulation bill passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump in 2018. Just to keep the record straight, the measure was supported by numerous Democrats as well as Republicans, including Montana’s Sens. […]

COMMENTARY

Fake news Fox fiasco: Lying for lucre

By: - March 17, 2023

Thanks to a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit filed against Fox News by Dominion Voting Systems, the nation and world are peeling back the covers on the shocking lies perpetrated by Fox’s top commentators. And how ironic is it that these are the very people who baselessly accused other networks of “fake news” for reporting there […]

COMMENTARY

It’s the halftime show in Helena

By: - March 10, 2023

The Montana Legislature just hit its half-way mark, called “transmittal,” in the 90-day session. It also means Montanans have a chance to grade their legislators’ performance. And in that regard, there’s plenty to consider, especially when it comes to voting for really bad bills or against good and necessary measures. Struggling to deal with a […]

COMMENTARY

Montanans getting fed up with GOP Legislature

By: - March 3, 2023

It’s not every day 500 Montanans show up and stand outside in below-zero weather to protest the agenda of the GOP-controlled Legislature. But that’s just what happened when those who cherish our Constitution, our “clean and healthful environment,” our lands, rivers and the wildlife and fisheries they support showed up at the Capitol last week. […]

COMMENTARY

Montana is literally being loved to death

By: - February 24, 2023

It’s becoming more clear every day that the endless push to develop Montana in every way possible is conflicting with and denigrating the very reason most Montanans live here – for our quality of life. Despite society’s delusions about “having it all” the simple truth is you can’t have it both ways. It’s not often you […]

COMMENTARY

Conservative contradictions stacking up in Montana Legislature

By: - February 17, 2023

When Republicans run for office one of the most common themes is a pledge, as conservatives, to limit government in size, scope and intrusion. For many, that’s an attractive promise, especially in a state known for its “rugged individualism.” But in truth, as is more evident every day, the Republican-dominated Montana legislature is doing just […]

COMMENTARY

Desperate Dems turn to vote dealing

By: - February 10, 2023

Faced with an historic Republican supermajority in the Legislature, it’s no surprise Democrats are having a difficult time trying to get their priorities included in bills. They’re having an even more difficult, if not impossible, time trying to derail Republican-sponsored bills. But last week a Senate Democrat apparently turned to the despicable practice of vote […]

COMMENTARY

Deregulation and the law of unintended consequences

By: - February 3, 2023

Montanans have already had a very brutal lesson in deregulation and its unintended consequences. The great idea of the Legislature in the late ’90s was to deregulate our utilities under the “free market” theory that competition would lead to lower prices. Ha. Ha. Ha. We went from the lowest cost power in the region to […]

COMMENTARY

Republicans’ frivolous use of the word ‘frivolous’

By: - January 27, 2023

For years Montanans have been subjected to the claim that “environmental extremists” have been flooding the court system with “frivolous lawsuits.” These absolutely false accusations have come from some of our top elected Republican officials including Sen. Daines, Gov. Gianforte, and Reps. Zinke and Rosendale to name a few. Strangely enough not one of these politicians has ever been able to […]

COMMENTARY

Forest Service undermining the consent of the governed in Holland Lake proposal

By: - January 20, 2023

  In a nation founded on the principle that all power in governance resides in “We the people,” the “consent of the governed” should be the goal not only of those in the public policy arena, but in the government agencies charged with implementing those policies. That’s particularly important in the management of public lands […]

COMMENTARY

The MAGA clown car crashes into Congress

By: - January 13, 2023

Here we are on the second anniversary of Trump’s lie-fueled violent insurrection to try and halt Congress from certifying a duly elected president of the United States. Despite the death and destruction in its attempted takeover of the Capitol, the MAGA mob failed — and many are now paying the price in prison. But lo […]