Commentary
Independent districting commission prizes people over politics
Like much of the country, Montana is in the middle of our community districting process. Montana is uniquely positioned in this process because of our independent, bipartisan commission that decides the lines that define our districts for the next 10 years. It feels like partisan politics overshadows most things these days, but this independent commission, […]
How can we keep our composure when everyone is so angry?
Everyone seems angry, cheated, entitled, resentful, deprived — new American norms afflicting every walk of life — from viral Karens and road-raging Kens to berserker travelers and conspiratorial lawmakers. What has happened to Americans in the past decade? Many blame fake news. Others, social media. And some say we’re responding psychologically to real depredation and […]
Private equity executives often pay lower tax rates than the employees they eliminate
The multi-trillion-dollar budget reconciliation bill moving through Congress represents an enormous opportunity to invest in unmet human and environmental needs. It’s also the best chance we have to close loopholes that help the wealthy avoid their fair share of taxes. One of the most extreme is the so-called “carried interest” loophole. This allows wealthy private […]
Republican lawmakers don’t trust and don’t care about you
At least four times this last legislative session, the Republican majority showed us that they do not trust Montanan voters to decide their own future. House Bill 176 eliminated same-day voter registration. Originally passed by a bipartisan legislature in 2005, a majority of Montana’s voters affirmed their support of this voting right on the ballot […]
It’s time for billionaires and corporations to chip in for a fair economic recovery
In Washington, Congress is debating how to help families get back on their feet after a challenging 18 months. However, with so many Montanans still struggling, we cannot afford to return to the way things were. We need to move forward to something better. While businesses are grappling with the fallout of the global health […]
The perils of one-party rule
We find ourselves in a strange situation right now with one-party rule by Democrats at the national level and one-party rule by the Republicans in Montana. Of course there are tremendous benefits to holding the majority — primarily, not being overly concerned with the travails of the minority party. But there are also perils because there’s […]
When it comes to fighting the pandemic, heaven help us
As the death count from COVID-19 exceeds the number of soldiers lost in World War II or the number who died in the 1918 influenza pandemic or the fact that we experience roughly the equivalent of a 9/11 attack every day in fatalities, I find myself becoming nostalgic for the political conversations of bygone years. […]
Montana Legislature, governor and FWP Commission undermine ethical wildlife management
As former members of the Montana Fish Wildlife Commission, we generally refrain from criticizing decisions made by our successors. However, the current commission’s recent actions regarding the new wolf trapping and hunting regulations are so egregious that we must speak out. For the record, we all are avid deer and elk hunters, and we believe […]
Infrastructure and budget bills contain provisions which will make climate change worse
In so many ways the future hangs in the balance as Congress debates the $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation bill and $1 trillion infrastructure bill. Although encouraging the use of more electric vehicles and increasing solar and wind energy will definitely reduce the amount of carbon we emit into the atmosphere, there are also huge problems […]
GOP extremism is backfiring
By now people have plenty of examples of the GOP’s idea of governance, which consists of opposing everything that doesn’t fit their myopic ideology. Here in Montana we’re headed back toward Lockdown City thanks to the utter failure of our Republican-controlled executive and legislative branches of government. But evidence is quickly mounting that GOP extremism […]
Montana’s answer to COVID-19? It won’t be found in a politician.
Human behavior hasn’t changed in 2,500 years, apparently. The Greek orator Demosthenes deals with a rich leader who has been accused of assault and believes himself above the law because of all his glorious achievements. Sounds familiar, right? But in his treatise, “Against Meidias,” he argues that a man cannot be judged by his status […]
Montana, Congress has two weeks to save the world
Imagine what is it like to have two weeks to save the world. Let’s just say, it’s a lot. Now, this may sound like a hypothetical exercise, or the start of a fantastical epic, but it’s not. This is the world we’re living in right now. In the next 10 days, Congress has the chance […]