Columns
The 2021 and 2023 sessions of Montana’s Legislature perpetrated a full-on war against Montana’s courts and judiciary. Dozens of anti-court/anti-judiciary bills were offered in these last two legislative sessions. The objective of these attacks? Demonize and marginalize Montana’s courts, to the end of frustrating their constitutional duty to serve as a check and balance on the legislative and executive branches and their ability to function as a separate and co-equal branch of government. Chief among these functions is that of judicial review—i.e. that the actions of the executive and legislative branches of government are subject to review and possible inval...
To our family, friends and beloved community members – we have some news to share with you. After 19 years of owning and operating the Valley Journal newspaper, we’re ready to begin a new adventure, chapter or story if you will. Though the decision was certainly bittersweet, we’ve decided t...
A New York Times headline on June 16, 2023, said “U.S. National Debt Tops $32 Trillion for First Time.” The headline this Sept. 20 in the Epoch Times was “US Debt Tops $33 Trillion for First Time.” Congress eliminated the debt ceiling on June 2, 2023, something they have done 78 times...
“Freedom isn’t free.” It surely was not for those who fought and died for America’s freedom in the beginning. Following the Declaration of Independence in 1776, and through the eight brutal and bloody years of the Revolutionary War thereafter, winning and securing America’s free...
This is the first of a two-part column. Because trees not only require but deserve two parts of our attention. Magestic. Beautiful. Larger than life. Strong. All-knowing. All-seeing. Reaching skyward. Extending downward. Life-providing. Life sustaining. Simple. Complex. Miraculous. Useful. Worthy. A...
The “United” States aren’t anymore. Politically, our country is a train wreck: polarized, partisan, and divisive. We have lost our moral compass: no longer united in the underlying democratic principles that gave birth to our republic; failing to work together to address existentia...
The yearly calendar tells us (or at the very least gives us clues) as to what we should dwell on - a.k.a. think about at any given time. We just passed the back-to-school, number-two pencil, don’t wear white after Labor Day stage and are entering the spooky, scary movie, costumized, pumpkinized, tri...
It’s no secret that I don’t look like most of my colleagues in Washington DC. They don’t run a farm when they’re back home, you won’t find them swapping out duck foot shovels or greasing a combine, and to my knowledge no one else is missing a few fingers from an unlucky childhoo...
Montana is again being recognized as a leader on protecting our citizens’ privacy in the age of technology. The Electronic Frontier Foundation recently ran an article with the headline “Montana’s New Genetic Privacy Law Caps Off Ten Years of Innovative State Privacy Protections.” ...
October 1st is the deadline to claim your $675 property tax rebate for this year. Tens of thousands of Montana property owners have already claimed theirs. If you’re a Montana resident who pays property taxes on your primary residence, head to: getmyrebate.mt.gov as soon as possible to claim yours.&nbs...
