Compact supporters dancing ‘Political Polka’
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Editor,
Those of us who are smeared “anti-government activists” because we don’t like the proposed CSKT Water Compact have a distinct advantage over the newcomers who do like it: we have found more things wrong with the Compact than those who like it have found good.
The “we like the compact group” spends more time writing about the dreaded, horrible, evil “litigation” threat than expounding and explaining all the wonderful parts of the compact that they like.
This compact is a contract, a legal and forever contract, full of silly little vague statements that lawyers will litigate for decades to come. Why are these points ignored?
How many water claims can 7,000 immemorial people claim, against the remaining 360,000 non-immemorial people in western Montana? How much water can they claim is necessary to fulfill the purpose of their “homeland” when their ancestors ceded, relinquished and conveyed all right, title, interest in and claim to said land back in 1855? There is no “off-rez” and there is no “subsistence range” — get serious.
Eleven thousand acre feet from Hungry Horse for future development of western Montana when the compact gives about 53 million acre feet to 4,800 people? Really? How about the 4,800 people take all 90,000 acre feet from Hungry Horse and the remaining 360,000 people keep the 53 million acre feet? We could development to our hearts content, don’t you think?
We’re getting nothing but “feel good” answers to some very real technical and legal questions; it’s called the “Political Polka.” Guess they figure we don’t know how to dance.
Michael Gale
Ronan
