Columns

There’s a new resource available to the public to stay up to speed on what is happening at the Legislature that I’d like to make you aware of.  Last year, the Senate Republican caucus launched an email newsletter that anyone can subscribe to receive. It’s free, is sent once a month during the interim before next year’s legislative session, and you can subscribe or unsubscribe at any time. The newsletter is an official government resource, which means it’ll never be campaigning for anyone, ask you for donations, or bombard you with other types of spammy political messages. So far, we’ve used the newsletter to make Montanans aware of timely, impo...

You know how themes sometimes repeat themselves throughout your day, week, year or life? It happens to me a lot. At least recently. Or maybe such synchronistic occurrences have always been there and I’ve just recently learned to pay attention to them.  I guess that detail doesn’t matte...

When I was in prison for my nonviolent anti-nuclear actions, one of my disciplines was to write something for publication daily--a letter to the editor, an opinion piece, a book review, or even mediocre poetry. One hundred percent of my writing was in opposition to nuclear weapons. I couldn’t vote w...

As you learn about all the candidates for various offices this year, the most important ones are the ones that most Montanans know the least about. The politicians you need to do the most research on are not the would-be congressmen, governors, or even legislators. It’s the judges.  Although th...

Someone I’ve never met (social media, where else?) came up with a phrase for the new year: “Let’s do more in 2024.” I’ve decided to adopt it for my own, because it’s well-balanced, makes logical sense and has good meaning, purpose and intent. Plus it rhymes; who doesn&r...

When I was in prison for my nonviolent anti-nuclear actions, one of my disciplines was to write something for publication daily--a letter to the editor, an opinion piece, a book review, or even mediocre poetry. One hundred percent of my writing was in opposition to nuclear weapons. I couldn’t vote w...

Born into a Republican family in Louisiana, a state increasingly painted in shades of red, I grew up amidst conservative dialogues with honest values. My childhood was steeped in Republican ideologies, shaping my early political outlook. However, as I matured, my views began to diverge from my family’s...

We all have our reasons for getting alarmed about the climate crisis. With bare ground at Christmas and no snow on the horizon, my neighbors just got theirs. This Northern Maine valley nestles against the border of Canada – and winter without snow is unfathomable. Snowmobiling is a big deal around h...

There’s no way Republican legislators would rather ring in a new year than with lower taxes, and that’s exactly what we’ve done to kick off 2024.  As of January 1st, Montanans of all income levels are now paying lower income taxes, thanks to legislation that just went into effect. T...

I read a quote that resonated with me on multiple levels. Upon checking it out, it originated from someone known as MrsMopar on iFunny and it went something like this: “I admire those with hairstyles. I don’t have a hairstyle, but thankfully I have hair. Most days it has zero caterpillars in i...