In the People's Interest

NorthWestern Energy’s billion dollar boondoggle bill

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By ROXA RELLER Guest columnist 1,269 bills and resolutions have been introduced by Montana legislators as of this writing. Atop that mountain of proposed legislation, one bill stands alone as the worst abuse of power in terms of corporate cronyism and threats to Montanans’ pocketbooks. Senate Bill 379, introduced by Sen. Steve Fitzpatrick (R–Great Falls), […]

In the People's Interest

Be aware of how your legislators are voting

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Today I watched our Gallatin County Republican Legislators, J. Hinkle, C. Hinkle of Belgrade and J. Gillette, West Yellowstone, Big Sky, Gallatin Gateway and Four Corners, vote for the COVID Relief Bill HB 362 which strips Gallatin County of its fair share of the Federal Covid money supplied by the Democrats of Congress. Gallatin County […]

In the People's Interest

More support is needed for mental health care

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I appreciated BDC’s response to the Bozeman Health Care editorial regarding the hospital’s opinion to address “behavioral health care.” I am offended that this is the term used by health care professionals. Is this an attempt to distance from the fact that the brain is an organ in our bodies and should be a part […]

In the People's Interest

Student debt load is a drag on the country’s economy

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Our country is forcing high school seniors to choose between unbearable university or technical college debt, or not attending any college. This is a lose/lose decision for these people and for our country. Both the federal government and state governments have continued to withdraw funding support for colleges, and even public land grant universities have […]

In the People's Interest

Bill would be monetary bonanza for NorthWestern

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Senate Bill 379 is a bill drafted almost entirely by NWE, as its, “…glide path out of Colstrip.” That glide path would be made possible by dumping the undepreciated costs of NWE’s 25% ownership interest in Unit 4, and its share of remediation costs (read as pollution of ground water), upon the ratepayers and not […]

In the People's Interest

Mixing socialism, crony capitalism at the Legislature

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By BRIAN SCHWEITZER Guest columnist I didn’t study political science in college. I’m a soil scientist. So when people sling political terms around, I have to look them up in Webster’s Dictionary. Webster writes that “socialism is when government takes over the means of production.” Webster’s says that “crony capitalism” occurs when business thrives not […]

In the People's Interest

Bill shows government’s warped priorities

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If the passing of House Bill 259 doesn’t represent the warped and skewed priorities present in our state and federal governments nothing does. “Of, by and for the people” once again takes a back seat to the monetary interests of the few and our elected officials’ corporate masters. The working and less fortunate portion of […]