Opinion
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Looking out my Backdoor: Stick, stab and jab at the lab
Have you ever felt like you don’t really know what’s happening until it’s over? If I’m not around people to mirror back to me what I’m doing or saying, it is easy to fool... — Updated 2/25/2021
The Postscript: Entertaining Remington
I remember, a long time ago, when I used to have a social life. My husband, Peter, and I have been visiting his sister, Lori, once a week while she battles cancer. She was in... — Updated 2/24/2021
Snowbird Fund will help people with search for missing
Selena Not Afraid. Ashley Heavyrunner Loring. Kaysera Stops Pretty Places. For decades in Montana, Indigenous people — mostly women, like these three — have gone missing, many times murdered and leaving behind families to... — Updated 2/24/2021
Letter to the Editor - It did not have to be like this
Editor, A half-million dead. 500,000 lives lost — mothers, fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers, sisters, brothers, husbands, wives and children, too. What does the loss of so many lives look like? There are 525,600 minutes in... — Updated 2/23/2021
Week 7 wraps up at the Legislature
The weather has warmed up and so has the legislative process. Up until now, the bills have been trickling into my committees. I picked up a bill, Senate Bill 284, that I am carrying for the counties. It is what folks are calling th... — Updated 2/23/2021
Why I voted against a mask mandate
I clearly voted against the Board of Health’s mask order last week in our meeting, and I’d like to comment on that meeting. We are in direct opposition to all surrounding counties and the entire Hi-Line with our order. It will... — Updated 2/23/2021
Tax breaks for the wealthy now will cost Montana later
Helena’s contentious debate on the role of taxes has brought Montana to a critical crossroads: Do we follow the path of states like Kansas, which paid for tax cuts for the wealthiest with major cuts to education infrastructure,... — Updated 2/23/2021
Letter to the Editor - HB 505 - Ranching for wildlife
Rep.Wylie Galt, R Martinsdale, has introduced HB 505, a goldmine for landowners and outfitters, which intends to take licensing of non-residents out of the hands of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. This bill would establish landowner lice... — Updated 2/22/2021
Letter to the Editor - PBS film misrepresents wilderness areas
Dear Editor: The rebroadcast of the 2019 film “Wild by Law and Nature,” produced by Montana PBS, deserves comment because the film misrepresents wilderness and the issues involved. A big problem with the film is that there is... — Updated 2/19/2021
View from the North 40: My childhood still might be the death of me
I don’t mean to alarm anyone, but I almost died of a heart attack Wednesday night and, frankly, I’m too old to be having this kind of heart trouble. Specifically, my heart... — Updated 2/19/2021
Letter to the Editor - Urge lawmakers to vote no on HB 112
Editor, As a high school library assistant, I witness the importance of making every student feel safe, welcome and supported. House Bill 112 would ban transgender students from participating in athletics that align with their... — Updated 2/18/2021
Looking out my backdoor: Dear Leanore,
I love it when Leo comes from the post office with a real letter in hand. Here it is mid-February and I just received your Christmas card. Denise’s arrived last week. I’ll not... — Updated 2/18/2021
Elections have consequences
Since winning the Legislature in 2011, Republicans have introduced multiple pieces of legislation undermining Montana’s great hunting and fishing. Fortunately, successive Democratic governors vetoed them. The veto pen now... — Updated 2/17/2021
The Postscript: Sea shanties
I am not exactly a connoisseur of contemporary culture. I haven’t seen the latest series on Netflix or anything else. I don’t follow Twitter or Snapchat or Instagram. But... — Updated 2/17/2021
Legislature finishes Week 6
We just finished our 30th day of the 67th Legislature, making one third of this biennium session complete. The bills have been coming slower than normal, maybe because of COVID, the fact that two thirds of Democrats are Zooming,... — Updated 2/16/2021
Letter to the Editor - Governor rejecting Campbell symbol of dark days ahead
Editor, Friday, Feb. 12, was a dark day. On a 30-19 vote, the Montana Senate voted not to confirm Margie Campbell, a former legislative colleague, to complete her four-year term on the Montana Human Rights Commission. She was... — Updated 2/16/2021
Letter to the Editor - Need to stop government from putting us into bankruptcy
Editor, I am writing to you as a very concerned American citizen, and I am urging other citizens to speak out too. Our U.S. government is spending us into bankruptcy and needs to stop. I can’t understand how or why we citizens... — Updated 2/16/2021
Letter to the Editor - Who will Rosendale and Daines side with?
Editor, Both political parties are at an ideological crossroads. The Democrats have the AOC/Bernie Sanders socialism caucus challenging establishment Democrats like Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer. The Republicans have President... — Updated 2/16/2021
February Guinness World Records - I don't know why
Maybe this winter is getting long for everyone, but it definitely has been too long for some people aching to get into the Guinness Book of World Records — those folks have been... — Updated 2/12/2021
Looking out my Backdoor: February is the longest month
Into every life some rain must fall. Okay. I understand. Go throw up and come back to let me explain. Our particular metaphoric “rainfall,” the whole world over, no humans... — Updated 2/11/2021
Legislature needs to fund state veterinary diagnostic lab
I would like to inform everyone regarding our Montana State Veterinary Diagnostic Lab that is managed through the Board of Livestock. The Diagnostic Lab is located on the Montana State University campus in Bozeman. The lab is... — Updated 2/11/2021
Letter to the Editor - Back to conservative basics
Editor, Edmund Burke (1729-1797), the Anglo-Irish statesman and philosopher is regarded by most political historians as the father of the modern British Conservative. Winston Churchill constantly quoted him in the House of... — Updated 2/9/2021
Legislature passes through Week 5
This week, many of the Governors Board appointees have come to the different committees. In the Energy Committee, we confirmed the new members of the Hard Rock Mining Board, the Coal Board, the Pacific NW Electric Power and... — Updated 2/9/2021
Take the bull by the horns, Legislature
Consumers have the right to know the origin of their beef purchases, and ranchers have the right to a fair and competitive market. This is a reasonable expectation. However, since 2015 Congress specifically exempted beef and pork... — Updated 2/9/2021
Letter to the editor - Legislators should vote 'No' on HB 112
Dear editor, I wish to urge our legislators to vote no on HB 112, which would require athletic teams to be designated based on biological sex. As the appointed ASMSU lobbyist, it is my duty to explain why this bill is neither... — Updated 2/8/2021
