The election of President Trump has sparked an outpouring of interest by women in running for political office, a sociology professor said here this week. Speaking in the final lecture in the Frontiers of Democracy series at Montana State University Billings, Joy Honea said that enrollment in the “Getting Ready to Run” training offered by Emily’s List has increased 300 percent since the election. Emily’s List, which encourages pro-choice Democratic women to run for office, has had 10,000 calls since the election from women interested in running for office. An estimated 86 percent of members of Daily Action are women. The group, founded in December, logs some 10,000 calls a day to members of Congress seeking progressive change. Continue Reading →
Recent Posts
Daines does some filibustering of his own
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Ask a simple question, and you may get no answer at all. I began trying a week ago to get an answer from Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., to an obvious question. I’m still trying. (more…) Continue Reading →
Filed under: Opinion, Merrick Garland, Mitch McConnell, Neil Gorsuch, Steve Daines
Rocky debaters take on Ireland’s best
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One way to judge a team is by the quality of its opponents. By that standard, Rocky Mountain College’s debate team has to rank with the best. RMC takes on a national champion team from Ireland on Saturday in a parliamentary-style debate. The Irish team is on a six-city tour of the United States after rising to the top in a country where debate has a long and honored tradition. The teams square off at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 8, in the Great Room of Prescott Hall at RMC. Continue Reading →
Filed under: Last Best Blog, Brent Northup, Rocky Mountain College, Shelby Jo Long-Hammond
House candidates weak on healthcare
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The Billings Gazette on Monday turned over most of its editorial page to the three candidates for the U.S. House to replace Ryan Zinke. If you haven’t already read their columns, you should skip them because they might make you sick, and these guys have no idea what to do about that. (more…) Continue Reading →
Filed under: Opinion, Greg Gianforte, Mark Wicks, Rob Quist
Alt-right small but influential, prof says
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Members of the alternative right may be few in number, but their ideology has outsized influence and disturbing similarities to fascism, a Montana State University Billings professor said here this week. (more…) Continue Reading →
Filed under: News, Paul Pope, Richard Spencer, Steve Bannon, Tom Rust
Did wrong side win Revolution?
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Benedict Arnold was a great American hero. George Washington was an incompetent bungler. Benjamin Franklin was a conniving fraud. Lafayette was a spoiled child. The Revolutionary War was fought by ill-trained, cruel and inept soldiers who ran at the first sign of danger. Continue Reading →
Filed under: Opinion, Benedict Arnold, Kenneth Roberts, Northwest Passage, Robert Young, Spencer Tracy
Vegetarian, rancher go at it in Capitol
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If you have abandoned all hope for American politics, you probably should stop reading right here. But if you still see a spark, here’s a wisp of air to help keep it alit. (more…) Continue Reading →
Filed under: Opinion, Brian Schweitzer, Capitol, PETA, Steve Bullock
‘Lyin’ King’ featured at ‘SNL Helena’
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With a tempting target in the White House and budget cuts looming, the “Saturday Night Live Helena” show took on added urgency this year. Helena thespians, singers and dancers put the show on every two years when the Montana Legislature is in session. The aim is to battle the perceived failings of state and national politics with one of the oldest of weapons: satire. This year’s show was reeled off in a snappy two hours, and if not every joke worked, no problem; another followed within seconds. Periodic news updates (Grizzly bears are reported fleeing public schools since the confirmation of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos) and parodied beer commercials for Goose Kill and Berkeley Pit IPA help held the disparate parts together. Continue Reading →
Filed under: Last Best Blog, Donald Trump, Elsie Arntzen, Myrna Loy Center, Sarah Palin, Scott Sales, Steve Bullock
Politics gets its hand in your genes
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Idly trolling for news about the Republicans’ healthcare plan, I ran across a health insurance story that raised my conservative hackles. Or was it my liberal hackles? These days, it’s hard to tell. (more…) Continue Reading →
Filed under: Opinion, Democrat, HR 1313, Obamacare, Republican
Arguments fail for vote-by-mail proposal
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The debate over voting by mail in Montana rests on one bad argument and two terrible ones. Terrible argument No. 1 is that voting by mail is cheaper. Irrelevant, if true. Government has no more important function than running free and fair elections. Continue Reading →