Monica Lindeen

Recent Posts

Democrats turn out for Labor Day picnic

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The Greater Yellowstone Central Labor Council Labor Day Picnic follows an unvarying agenda: fried chicken, hamburgers and hot dogs for lunch; a range of free domestic beers ranging from Budweiser to Bud Light; bluegrass music by Jim Southworth and Southbound; inflatables for the kids; and speeches by Democrats. The only difference this year was that an early drizzle and cool temperatures appeared to hold down the size of the crowd. Lunch lines, which sometimes take a half hour or longer to get through, were so short that one line closed altogether at an early hour. But the light rain had stopped and the sun was shining by the time political candidates were given a few minutes each to make their case to union members. As usual, all of the speakers were Democrats, except for Dirk Sandefur, who is running a nonpartisan race for the Montana Supreme Court. Continue Reading →

Filed under: Last Best Blog, Greater Yellowstone Central Labor Council, Greg Gianforte, Jesse Laslovich, Melissa Romano, Monica Lindeen, Steve Bullock

Obamacare update: the good, bad and ugly

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steve daines

I got a “Dear David” email from U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., on Friday that began, “I don’t want to be the bearer of bad news … .”

Actually, it sounded like he was delighted to be the bearer of bad news. Proposed healthcare premiums under Obamacare are soaring next year, the email said, proving once again that “Obamacare is failing Montanans,” and allowing him to echo what has been a Republican mantra ever since the bill passed. Unfortunately, U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., wasn’t much more helpful. In a statement on Friday, he said, “It is outrageous that a major corporation is trying to raise insurance rates on Montanans as they hand out lavish bonuses to their executives.”

Neither senator wastes the precious time of his constituents by delving into the actual facts. A quick check of the website of the state insurance commissioner, Monica Lindeen, bore out the bad news. Continue Reading →

Filed under: Last Best Blog, Affordable Care Act, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Jon Tester, Monica Lindeen, Obamacare, Steve Daines

Montana Chamber of Commerce releases endorsements

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Zinke

The Montana Chamber of Commerce has come out with its endorsements in statewide races, and the only surprise is the total lack of surprise. There’s the usual heavy bias toward Republicans, the usual focus on the candidates’ perceived tilt toward business interests, the one token Democrat endorsement (Jesse Laslovich for state auditor). To which one might make the usual complaints: There really isn’t much evidence that picking Republicans helps the economy. In fact, the evidence at the presidential level since World War II has been quite the opposite, for reasons that are very much open to debate. In Montana, the evidence is no more convincing. Continue Reading →

Filed under: Last Best Blog, Corey Stapleton, Elsie Arntzen, Elsie Artntzen, Greg Gianforte, Melissa Romano, Monica Lindeen, Montana Chamber of Commerce

Equity crowd funding, other ideas promoted at workshop

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Lindeen

For entrepreneurs looking for capital, Montana can be a tough place to do business. Bankers, by their own account, can be “very stingy.” Montana attracts only a tiny fraction of the venture capital that goes to nearby states. And people who can’t qualify for conventional lending often can’t get federally backed loans either. For Indians, the odds are even longer. Much of the land on reservations is held in trust, and home ownership rates are low, making it hard to find the collateral to secure a loan. Continue Reading →

Filed under: News, Ed Garding, Jon Tester, Monica Lindeen, Montana Legislature, Small Business Opportunity Workshop, Will Price

State shuts down alleged Ponzi scheme

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The office of the Montana securities commissioner issued a press release today about a Miles City man accused of bilking at least two people—one of them 100 years old and the other suffering from dementia—of thousands of dollars. Innocent till proven guilty, I know, but the whole thing is pretty appalling. Here’s the whole press release, very lightly edited:

 

HELENA—A Helena judge has issued a temporary restraining order against a Miles City man state authorities believe is running an illegal Ponzi scheme that has already depleted the life savings of one 100-year-old victim and siphoned another $50,000 from a 75-year-old victim with dementia. Both of the alleged victims live in Miles City. District Judge Kathy Seeley issued a temporary restraining order June 12 against Richard Brandt, also of Miles City, after attorneys from the Office of Montana Securities Commissioner Monica J. Lindeen began investigating him upon hearing of a century-old-Miles City woman who had lost more than $73,000 to Brandt’s investment scheme. Continue Reading →

Filed under: Last Best Blog, Judge Kathy Seeley, Monica Lindeen, Montana securities commissioner, Ponzi scheme, Richard Brandt