Last Best News (https://montana-mint.com/lastbestnews/category/opinion/page/29/)
One thing about state Rep. Eric Moore, R-Miles City: When he gets things wrong, he gets them wrong in a big way. We all make mistakes, but rarely do we get as many things wrong in one place as Moore did in his guest opinion in the Billings Gazette on Tuesday. His first sentence, in which he describes the decrepitude of advancing age, is just about the last thing he gets right in a piece about transgender rights in public schools. (more…) Continue Reading →
There was a recent French movie called “Marguerite,” about a wealthy aristocrat who decided to become an opera singer, based on a true story. Marguerite Dumont hired the best music teacher money could buy and set to work to achieve her goal, but unfortunately, she had no natural singing ability whatsoever. She was tone deaf, and nobody around her could convince her otherwise. (more…) Continue Reading →
Being somewhat familiar with the intricacies of United States’ public land law and the extent of the federal authority to manage said property, including the wildlife therein, I believe a ready solution is available to the increasing conflicts within Yellowstone National Park. The action proposed here would be the systematic and routine culling of the bipedal mammals which seasonally invade Yellowstone National Park, also referred to as tourists. (more…) Continue Reading →
John Thune, our neighboring U.S. senator from South Dakota, is demanding answers from Facebook in response to allegations that Facebook slants its news trending feed to leave out conservative stories. “Any attempt by a neutral and inclusive social media platform to censor or manipulate political discussion is an abuse of trust and inconsistent with the values of an open Internet,” Thune said in a statement. (more…) Continue Reading →
Recently the stars have aligned in such a way that we have the Panama Papers telling us about wealthy Americans avoiding taxes by hiding money in offshore accounts, and at the same time we have politicians talking about cutting taxes on the wealthy. Of course it will be a tax cut for everyone, they say, but the wealthy will make out like the bandits some of them apparently are. The argument in their favor is that the wealthy pay most of the taxes and that’s not fair. Unsaid is that the wealthy have most of the money and that may be unfair, too. (more…) Continue Reading →
Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte has unveiled his “406 tax relief” plan, and it’s so predictable it should be sold at Wal-Mart for a dollar a yard. The “4” in the plan stands for the number of years over which he would phase out the business equipment tax, which despite numerous reductions in recent legislative sessions still brings in about $81 million a year. This shortfall would have to be made up by local governments and schools, so it isn’t clear that this provision would help anybody other than large-company bookkeepers who have to fill out the paperwork. (more…) Continue Reading →
Montanans have a fundamental choice right now that will dictate how competitive our energy economy will be for decades to come. Do we take charge of our energy future, or do we bury our heads in the sand and wait to see what happens? (more…) Continue Reading →
Many denominations advocate for care of God’s creation. Our plea urges not only an observance of ethics, but recognition of scientific proof. We agree with the overwhelming majority of climate scientists (97 percent). As climate scientist Katherine Heyhoe, wife of an evangelical pastor, explains: “The earth is warming and we are causing it.”
Is your denomination one of those faiths? Find out by scrolling down at: https://www.mtcares.org/welcome-to-mtcares/
You’ll see links to: the pope and many Catholics; the 345-member World Council of Churches; Rick Warren, author of “A Purpose Driven Life,” and hundreds of other Evangelical leaders; Episcopalians; Jews; Lutherans and their LWF; Methodists; Presbyterians; Southern Baptists; the United Church of Christ; and 10 other individual denominations or churches. Continue Reading →
Every couple of years when election season heats up, I write a column in defense of politicians. Don’t judge politicians so harshly, I argue. Yes, some are corrupt and some are liars, but it ruins democracy to paint them all with the same monochrome spray can. Not all politicians are ignorant and incompetent, I tell voters. (more…) Continue Reading →
Several years ago, when I was a member of the Montana Senate, a constituent called me to ask for my help in an issue she was having with a state agency. I don’t remember what it was, but it must have been pretty simple because it took only a short phone call to resolve it and I was able to call her back the same day to tell her it had been taken care of, and in the way she had hoped for. (more…) Continue Reading →
