Opinion
Editor, One of my favorite tropes is “Republicans fall in line and Democrats fall in love.” Don Kaltschmidt, Montana Republican Party Chair, in his Missoulian newspaper opinions regularly berates Republicans like Mark Racicot for “not falling in line.” Republicans call these people RINOs, Republicans in Name Only. They don’t want them recognized as being a Republican. The requirement seems to be you must rubberstamp the Republican agenda or you are out. At a recent Republican gathering, a prominent conservative Republican stated soon the Montana Republicans will have removed all the moderate Republicans from their party. I guess if you don’t f...
We’ve written here about the history of the Right to Know, why it matters, and what policies affect your access to information. In this column, we’re going back to the basics so that Montanans, including you, are better equipped to exercise the Right to Know. When we talk about the Right to Kn...
Editor, My experiences hiking and backpacking with Shirley Azzopardi illuminated qualities that will benefit House District 13. Her commitment to the outdoors mirrors her approach to politics, showcasing perseverance, planning and a collaborative spirit. Shirley Azzopardi’s perseverance on ...
Editor, Shirley Azzopardi is the best candidate for Montana’s House District 13. As a longtime local educator (30 years as a special education teacher with 28 of those years in St. Ignatius, and currently the mental health coordinator for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes’ Early Chil...
Editor, During these times of great stress and confusion, we are hearing and seeing much fear and hate being demonstrated. My spiritual teachings have taught me that each one of us has within us the power of God’s love available for access and action. When a situation presents itself to me where ...
As volunteer election judges, we understand that few institutions are as precious as democracy. Despite all the differences in our state—whether political, cultural, or demographic—the ballot box is where we can unite to fight for the vision we see for our state—regardless of what that visi...
Editor, I am pleased to voice my strong support for incumbent Linda Reksten for re-election to the Montana House of Representatives. Linda has proven to be a strong voice supporting her constituents. She has shown that she doesn’t live in the world of sound bites. Linda does the work and research...
Editor, Many Montanans will receive a property tax rebate of up to $675 after the sticker shock of this year’s increase in property taxes. This is a one-time solution to an ongoing problem in Montana - inequitable tax rates. As a result, an increasing percentage of the state’s revenue...
Editor, Senator Jon Tester has been a strong advocate for veterans, and for agricultural interests, both of which are important in Montana. There are few US Senators with understanding of rural agriculture, and Montana needs to maintain that voice. Tim Sheehy is a businessman, and has made a successful...
Editor, There’s a billboard on Highway 93 in Lake County, plus many smaller posted signs, duplicates of the billboard, showing a photo of a guy running for the state legislature, (HD-91.) He’s grinning in a photo on the billboard, saying something like, “I’m running because I care....
