Will Legislature step up to the plate and take a swing?

It seems certain our current legislative session will confirm the fact that Montana will remain in the backwaters of political thought for the foreseeable future. Many states have embraced new approaches to the governance of their respective states in the form of job creation and for exercising their own opinion and authority in the governance of respective locales. However, Montana seems doomed to repeat the same old prescribed legislative dance to the same old worn-out tune.

The main focus of our Legislature will be the fight over the budget. Predictably, our state is facing falling revenues created by 12 years of Democratic governors supported by left-leaning Republicans who have ignored job creation and our dwindling middle class in favor of the left’s preferred environmental legislation. But no matter about the lack of money, the Democrats, again predictably, want to spend, spend, spend while increasing the size of our government. At the same time they insist on greasing their political base, namely education, the political unions, the Indian reservations and for special favors like a new building for MSU and a museum for the historical society. They will push for funding for early childhood school and yap about more taxes. The Republicans will fight hard for fiscal responsibility and resist increased taxes while they try to cut the size of government. In the end we will end up with a compromised budget, and all will walk home ignoring the more profound issues of our day.

I lay most of the blame on the Republicans as the Democrats always push forward their aggressive agenda while having a governor who will stifle all new ideas with a stroke of his veto pen. Our conservatives seem so cowed and frightened by the process they are afraid to push the forward-looking conservative ideas to the forefront. For instance, in regards to infrastructure spending, why would we go into debt when we have a huge war-chest in the form of the coal trust fund? Is there anything better to spend it on besides infrastructure?

School choice is an issue that should be aggressively voiced and pursued. If we need to change the Constitution (I don’t think that’s necessary) then let’s get on with it so that we, the people, can have a choice of where our children are educated. And how about the issue of Montanans taking over control of our public lands? Shouldn’t that be discussed with conservatives aggressively dispelling the “conspiracy theories” which insist we would give all our public lands to private entities? How ridiculous. Also do we have the bravery to discuss the process of how to end racist policies in our state in the form of the Indian reservation system? Why couldn’t our Legislature present a resolution (which couldn’t be vetoed by our governor) stating just that, so that we could have a public discussion about it?

The issue of getting us out from under the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals should also be addressed. Again, a resolution to that effect would, at the very least, start the discussion. In regards to health care, what suggestions do our elected officials have for the people in our state now that Obamacare is going to be repealed? Finally will the Republicans aggressively stand up for our working people, now 49th in wage base in the country, by pursuing policies which utilize our rich nature resources in a responsible and environmentally sensitive manner?

I am certain there are many citizens of this state who long for leadership which would promote fundamental discussions on these issues. Certainly, we won’t get any leadership from the current governor. Without a doubt, such discussions will necessarily provoke heated debates and acerbic attacks from the left and its political attack dog, the press, which are so common today, but so what? That’s what our political bodies are supposed to do. But, in today’s world, it takes courage, determination and a thick skin to remember it is the right of the people, in the form of our elected officials, to have an “airing out” of these different ideas and perspectives. For out of such discussions, however acrimonious, come new ideas and approaches to stubborn problems which will help to propel our state forward into the main current of the 21st century.

I sincerely hope our good conservatives will step up to the plate and confront these issues head on. But, if I were betting on it, I suggest our Legislature will remain in the stagnant backwaters by preforming the same old dance to the same old tune while we watch other states ride with the current of new political thought. Such negligence should be outlawed.

Agather is a resident of Kalispell.