Letters
Editor, The reason Montana has the best campaign finance laws is because the Anaconda Corporation proved to Montana citizens that is was easy for corporations to buy off politicians, which is not unlike what we are seeing today. HB 224 and HB 225 are intended to loosen the restrictions that have protected our elections for a century. They will increase the amount of dark money that can be spent and exempts some expenses that presently need to be reported. We should be proud of our campaign finance protections. Please don’t allow Republicans to decrease the protections that Montana voters presently have. Write, text or email your representative and complain. Go to...
Editor, As of mid-February, Republican legislators in 43 states have proposed over 250 laws that would limit mail, early in-person and Election Day voting. Montana House Bill 176 would end same day voter registration. Under current law, the registration remains open until polls close at 8 p.m. on El...
Editor, It probably takes some adjustments for many of us to suddenly, after four years of the Trump administration, adjust to our new less theatrical presidential leadership style. President Biden’s personality, his leadership style and his verbal delivery are much less theatrical ...
Editor, This past weekend, the U.S. Senate passed a $1.9 trillion “COVID relief” package. The House is set to vote on it this week. What you may not know is that tucked in the Democrats’ “COVID relief” is a provision that would pay up to 120 percent of USDA loans to socially ...
Editor, In my Valley Journal Feb. 3 letter, “New cooperative entity could improve irrigation,” I discussed how a new cooperative agreement between the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and the Flathead Irrigation District could improve management of our irrigation project, but irri...
Editor, The Governor has signed into law a bill that allows concealed firearms to be carried in most places in the state without a permit. The Montana University System was among the opposition to this bill, citing important safety concerns. Under the new law, guns can be carried on college campu...
Editor, The Republican Party has campaigned on freedom for individuals, more local control and decreased involvement of government in our daily lives. Why, then, are we seeing so many bills in our state legislature that bring the state into our lives, in some very intimate ways? As a retir...
Editor, People of Montana, thank you for taking your science seriously. Because of you, we have some of the lowest rates of COVID-19 infection in the nation. Because of you, we have lost fewer Montanans, per capita, to coronavirus than almost any other state. And what do we even mean by science a...
Editor, Reading the Valley Journal yesterday highlighted the differences in how we think; for example, there are those claiming a mask requirement goes against our fundamental American rights of free choice at the same time our legislature is working on restricting women’s rights to exercise f...
Editor, There are now multiple bills threatening to become law in Montana against people who are transgender. Although there are different explanations for each of these bills, what seems to be at the heart of all of these bills is a prejudice against people who are transgender. In other words, legi...
