Columns

It was a bright, busy Sunday afternoon in a restaurant, and the woman bussing our dishes beamed. I’d just complimented her lovely pink nail polish. “It’s hard in this job,” she smiled as she wiggled her fingers in display. “But I try to take care of my nails.” She gave us an extra grin as she cleared our plates.  “That gave her wings,” my husband commented as she walked away.  He was right. I had noticed something she was proud of, so she felt validated – probably something that doesn’t often happen with people in her job. What’s more, the quick, shared moment had made me feel good as well. I felt more connect...

Montana’s state Legislature is proposing a host of extreme anti-wildlife bills despite widespread, diverse, strong, and credible opposition to these unnecessary measures. The onslaught on wildlife by locally elected officials began in 2021 and continues in this legislative session with the introduct...

In recent years talk of defunding the police has been popular in other states, but our Montana values run contrary to that line of thinking. We believe in supporting those who put their lives on the line to protect citizens every day. To that end I have recently introduced Senate Bill 294. SB 294 establishes...

Over the past two years, Montanans watched the President’s attack on oil, coal and natural gas bring our nation to the brink of an all-out energy emergency. Gas prices rose to more than $5 a gallon and many Montanans are worried about how to heat their homes without breaking the bank. We aren&rsq...

My husband and I raised our kids in the land of hockey. This column is not about hockey.  I realize hockey isn’t a thing or perhaps not as popular in some (warmer) climates, but for many years, for us, hockey was a large part of life. If nothing else, it got us through the cold winters. Betw...

“The Democrats killed two of my brothers.” That was the reply my nine-year-old father received from his great - grandmother on her rural Iowa front porch when he asked her why she was such a strong Republican. Her comment reflected the bitter legacy of the Civil War. As it left the American South...

Like most endeavors the legislature is short staffed. So bills sometimes do not match the titles, communications are difficult, and the legislative web site is not up to date. Neither we, nor the public, know for sure what is accomplished or pending. Yet, I was surprised when summoned from one committee and ...

It’s no secret that as a society, we’re pretty fond of caffeine.  Caffeine is a vasodilator, which essentially means the more you drink the more your blood vessels expand to allow more blood to your brain and limbs, which is what causes you to feel more awake. With a country and culture a...

There is no singular cause for Montana’s housing crisis. Rising costs of land, materials, and labor combined with people moving into our communities, further straining our infrastructure, has made for an increasingly critical housing situation. On top of that, developers, builders, and local government...

2022 was the year of celebrating the 50th birthday of Montana’s Constitution – its visionary provisions and the unique bipartisan approach adopted by the citizen delegates who wrote it. Our perspective is from a combined total of over 30 years of legislative experience under both our current Cons...